[Review] Axel - Harper Sloan

Released: July 24th, 2013

Fate hasn't always been friends with Isabelle West. In fact, fate has been a downright bitch.

Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn't by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.

For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle… her ex-husband.

When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door. 

Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn't sure he wanted to now. He's carried his anger for so long he isn't sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated.

How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards are put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces?

"Fate might hate me, but that doesn't stop me from hoping one day she forgets about her favorite chew toy. When that day comes I hope karma has some fun with that bitch, fate."

HOLY MOLY!!!

Axel is an unbelievably enjoyable combination of intense action, passionate, smoking romance and more than a smidgen of angst. It was a roller coaster ride from the beginning and I couldn't put the damn book down because it kept me going.

Now, this book. Wow. One fucking word. Wow. I bloody loved all of the characters, even though Axel could be frustrating at times, but the story? A FUCKING PLUS. It was heart-racing and undeniably emotional. I loved every single bit of it.

I'm not going to discuss the whole freaking story with you guys since you guys are going to (yes, you are going to, get a copy for yourself) to read it. So I'll talk about the awesome characters and the awesome writing style.

Isabelle has received a vast amount of shit from fate. She lost her parents right after Axel left for the military then she lost contact with him. Not to mention the secret she's keeping. It was like a holy-shit-I-feel-so-bad-for-her kind of thing. But, despite all that crap, she managed to get her life back on track. And I love how honest and loud she can be.

"Axel Reid, you wake up right now! Get your paws off my tit and call your dick off its search for my pussy, he found it asshole, now back off."

I somehow just really like it, despite the crude vocabulary, when the characters are just really straightforward. It's refreshing compared to those damsel-in-distress types. Whenever I read something sassy coming from Isabelle's mouth (like this one below):

"Good morning, your assholiness. What do I owe this esteemed pleasure?"

I just go:

And then there's Axel. [swoons off a fucking cliff] He is the definition of a full on alpha male. He's dominating, crude as fuck, extremely possessive, etc etc. He is smoking. If I touched him, I'd probably have to extinguish the fire in the Pacific ocean. 

Some girls don't like crude guys but I find him really hot when he does dirty talk. Sweet Jesus, that man could drench panties in seconds. Exhibit A (DO NOT READ IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SEX TALK, just sayin):

"Can't speak, huh baby? Just think how good it will feel when I bury my cock deep inside that warm pussy, when I fuck you so hard you will feel me for days."

And he has so many more of these. So. Many. Fucking. More.

I also adored the supporting characters. Greg is motherfucking awesome okay. He is the type of guy I want to have as my big brother. Dee is the sweetest, I love how much she genuinely cares about Izzy. OH AND MADDOX! God, I love that man. He's so thoughtful.

"Girl, you look like a drowned raccoon. All that black shit you chicks use, is all over your face. Go clean up before I'm forced to call animal control to come take your ass."

Well, most of the time.

SWAY! YOU CANNOT FORGET SWAY!

"Oh Izzy, girl how do you let him get dressed. A shame, oh it is a shame to let that man ever put clothes on."

"Oh my honey Jesus. You did NOT tell Sway that you knew this fine mountain of a man, no you did NOT. Holy goodness Lord above, I need a cold shower after that girlfriend."

Most of the time, I find myself cracking up thanks to this man right here. Let's have a round of applause for him.

Minor Faults:

• Axel gets too frustrating sometimes

MY RATING:

FOUR APPLES!!!!!

★ Goodreads | Amazon ★

Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed 'Estrogen Ocean', much to her husbands chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero--the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn't take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.

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[Review] Insanity - Lauren Hammond

Released: May 8th, 2012

Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn't be more opposite.

Adelaide's mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father.

Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.

Despite their differences, Adelaide were young, wild, and fiercely in love.

And they had a plan.

They were going to run away.

Be together forever.

And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane.

Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure…

She wants out.

And after Damien follows her there to aid her escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing.

And it doesn't take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes…

That one true love never dies.

"But life is pain. Life is chaos. It's never easy. Always a struggle."

I had mixed feelings about this book. It was really good honestly because the plotline? A++. It was so freaking good and unique, y'know. The story was wonderful and twisted, so fucking confusing. But the characters? Ehh, I didn't like Damien honestly.

You delve into the confusing and frustrating world of Adelaide Carmichael as she tries to figure out and remember who she was before she lost her memory. It was a twisted, emotional and utterly aggravating journey.

God, this book was so fucking confusing most of the time. I was like trying to figure out what was going on. Though, I really liked how the author alternated between the past and the present, which reminds me of Tarryn Fisher's writing style. But, God, I hated how fast-paced the past was, even though I'm guessing that's because she wants to make sure that everything gets settled into the book.

Oakhill is fucking creepy but I loved Addy's description of it.

"It is a fabrication that entices people from the outside with its rose bushes, lush landscaping, massive red-brick building, and fake friendly staff.
This place is not a medical institution.
This place is a slaughterhouse.
And just like pigs, people are brought here to die."

Like, the place was unbelievably creepy, well it is an asylum after all. But still. I mean, the only sane doctor there was probably Dr. Watson. Mmm, Dr. Watson. I'll get into him later. But, like Marjorie and Dr. Morrow. JESUS CHRIST. They were so freaking weird.

I mean seriously, Dr. Morrow had an electrocution method to heal patients. WTF right?

Addy was pretty cool though. She's just mentally deranged? I guess? Or maybe she's not? I'm not even sure myself. But then her roommate is hilarious. I loved her, well, up until the end when she totally ratted her out. 

But then Damien. Fuck. I hated him. I really like alpha males right, so I guess I'm being a bit biased, but then he was being like a whiny teenage girl. And he seems "so in love" with Addy that it's so freaking weird. Even though some of his lines are romantic.

"Addy, you are my sun, my moon, and my stars. You are my heaven, my hell, and my earth. I'd go anywhere with you. I'd follow you anywhere."

Creep, much? I know, I'm a super romantic but super cliché words like these just turn me off.

God, he sounds so desperate sometimes.

"I was just thinking about how lost I was until I found you. And I was also thinking about how much I love you."

I would've given this book lower if it wasn't for the mindfucking ending. The ending? A+++++++++ It was so mind-blowing that I probably stared at the page for 5 minutes.

Minor Faults:

• FUCKING DAMIEN MAN. I really don't get that dude.

MY RATING:

3 AND A HALF APPLES!!!!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

About The Author:

Lauren Hammond knew from a young age that she was born to be a writer. After publishing her first novel in 2007, she then went on to write several screenplays and a few award winning poems. She aspires to be a positive role model for young people who have a pencil, a piece of paper, and a dream. Never give up on your dreams, you might wake up one day and regret not pursuing them. She has two more novels in the works, as well as some film projects.

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