Book Review: Bound By Chrisitne Bryant

Bound By Christine Bryant is a young adult parnaormal romance and the first in The Crystor Trilogy. I have actually had the privelege of reading Bound more than once and can honestly say that I grew to love the characters even more the second time I read it.

Bound starts off with Kira, an average girl who struggles with fitting in, lacks the physical strength to climb that blasted rope in gym and is counting down the days to graduation. She has issues with her mom and her step dad, and finds peace only when she is with her best friend Lydia.

Lydia convinces Kira to go on a photo shoot with her in the mountains and that is when Kira's normal everyday life gets shot to pieces and nothing is the same again. It is when Kira discovers there is more, much more to her best friend of two years. The kinds of things that take Kira by surprise and test the strength of her friendship with Lydia.

Then there is the discovery of Lydia's older brother, Octavian. He is incredibly handsome, super protective and brooding. He confuses Kira with his upredicatable attitude and she doesn't know whatquite to make of him. Then he asks her to make a choice that will forever alter her life and lead her on the path of discovering life beyond the world she knows. To discover mythical creatures, beautiful worlds, evil villians, new found abilities and adventures she never dreamed existed. These things come at a price though. She must leave all she has ever known behind, and never look back, because more than just Kira's life depends on it.

Can Kira make the choice necessary and is she willing to give up what she knows for the hope and promise of something more? As things heat up between her and Octavian, and she finds how deep the bonds of friendship can really go, she learns she is being hunted and she must turn to the two people who would show her what love, family and freindship are all about . All leading up to a climatic ending you won't expect that will leave you begging for more.

But in order for you to find out all the juicy details you have to read Bound! It isn't your regular paranormal romance, there are great surprises waiting inside to be revealed. Christine's imagination is phenomenal and her descriptions are so clear you feel at times you can reach out and feel the cold water rush by, or see the brilliant sky and hear the wind rustle gently in your ear. Not to mention the way she describes her characters. They take on a three dementional life of their own.

I love how Kira learns she is not someone to be easily manipulated or pushed around as she once believed. I think the strength and courage she displays allows one to look into themselves to see where they can make weak things strong within themselves.

I love the bonds of friendship that Lydia and Kira hold strong. That they are willing to move beyond what is expected to create something extraordianary. I love Lydia's loyalty and selflessness to Kira. She always looks for ways to help Kira be who she really is but could never see for herself.

And Octavian is wonderful to read. He is strong and powerful and sometimes callous until he starts to realize his behavior has consequenses. Octavian then fights the warrior inside himself to find the compassion he once possessed. He learns that he can open himself up and not be guarded all the time. I love the changes in him as he remembers who he once was as he strives to bring parts of himself back to balance in with the protective warrior he was forced to become.

I felt the plot has surprising twists and turns that leave you wondering what is going to happen next. I thought it was well played out and that subplots that ran through it supported the over all direction of the story line. I felt that the characters were well developed and grew as they learned and recongnized things about themselves to help them be stronger. I felt that the world of Kira, Lydia and Octavian was beautifully written .

Don't miss out, to find out what happens next and why I read Bound twice (which I don't ever do, until now) click here, here and here to get your own copy. You'll be glad you did. Click here to see Christine's website to learn more about the next exciting book in the Crystor Triogy, Broken, which I am really anxious to get my hands on!

Disclaimer: While I do sometimes receive copies of books to review, my opinions are and will always remain my own!

Whooo Hoo and the Lucky Winner Is????

I want to say a happy congratulations to the lucky winner of Nora Robert's book, Morrigan's Cross is Kelly Blackwell! Now for a round of applause everyone!

Yippee!!!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Nov Blog Hop hosted by Tristi Pinkston and I'm a Reader not a Writer with me and my friends! It was lots of fun and thanks for all the new friends I have made along the way!! Sorry it took so long to announce the winner.

I look forward to the next fun blog hopping experience.

Book Review: Exiled by RaShelle Workman

Exiled by RaShelle Workman is a YA Sci-Fi Romance about Venus, a sixteen year old princess who is about to go through a traditional right of passage where she becomes immortal. But before she can begin her journey things go terribly wrong and she falls ill and passes out. She wakes up to find herself accused of things she never did and exiled to Earth, a planet that will kill her in a weeks time.

Luckily, her guardian Zaren followed her, and was given the parameters that will allow her exile to be revoked and allow her to return to her home planet. She must help the earth boy Michael find his soul mate, and true love. Something Venus thinks, given humans volatile emotions, should be easy enough. Except things are not exactly as they seem and humans are unpredictable in what they choose to do. Now the clock is ticking and as Venus grows weaker, she is desperate to help Michael so she can go home to find out who set her up, but will she live long enough to make it happen?

I really loved the concept of the plot and how RaShelle weaves all the intricate sub plots into her story line. I fell hard for her characters and found my self rooting for them. Well the good guys anyway. But I thought she developed a wonderfully evil antagonist as well in Vinny.

I was drawn page after pager deeper into the story and was left in the end wondering what would happen next. I thought Exiled was a swift page turner and look forward to the next book in the series.

So some are rooting Team Zaren or Team Michael. I am rooting for them both, and interested to see how it all falls out as the story goes forward. I don't want to choose sides just yet. But if you want to know what I am talking about then you should hurry and get your copy of Exiled by RaShelle Workman so you can see exactly what I am talking about.

To get your copy of Exiled, click here, so you too can be caught up in the world of Venus and all the intrigue that surrounds her as she accomplishes her mission and discovers things about being human that are both compelling and undeniably fascinating, all while trying to understand the strange new emotions whirling inside her for the first time ever.

You can visit RaShelle's website here, and learn more about Exiled and her other books.

Disclaimer: Although at times I receive copies of books to review, my opinion will always remain my own.

November Blog Hop Give-a-way

Welcome to the November Blog Hop, where you can visit new blogs and enter to win prizes and have a great time! Come join me and my friends for a lot of fun in this huge November Blog Hop Giveaway, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Tristi Pinkston. Thanks girls!

At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of participating blogs. Just click on each link, check out the prize, and follow the easy instructions to enter. You can enter on each blog, so it's possible to win multiple times. It's thankfully easy.

On this blog you can win....

A gently used copy of Nora Roberts book Morrigan's Cross Book One of The Circle Triolgy

As a storm rages, the tale begins... of a powerful vampire's lust for destruction~ and of the circle of six charged by the goddess Morrigan to stop her.

To enter, all you need to do is:

1. Become a follower of my blog.

2. Leave a comment and tell me why you would like to win this prize. If your e-mail address isn't visible through your Blogger profile, please also leave it with the comment so I can notify you if you win. You can enter until Midnight of Novemeber 11th.

That's it! You are now entered. Now please go visit all my friends on the list below.

Book Review: No Holly For Christmas By Julie N Ford

No Holly For Christmas By Julie N Ford was a fast paced suspense romance that captured me on the first page. Attorney Brian McAlister steps into a high profile case when his father becomes seriously ill. As he is nursing a broken heart from a long time love he tries to move on, with little hope of it ever mending. But with the demands of the case he's been assigned there isn't much time to think about the past, especially when Holly Winter a social worker who helped a suspect on the case before his release from the hospital steps on the scene.

In no time, Brian persuades beautiful Holly to help him in his case to lure an escaped con back to the hospital where Holly counseled him through his wound. Before he knows it he is neck deep in protecting Holly and her 2 children and working against the clock to unravel the many disjointed pieces of the case against a high powered wealthy man bent on using any means available to pressure Brian into dropping the case.

Never did Brian expect in the process that he would lose his heart, nor that he would find that what he once believed as black and white truth maybe had some gray tinges to them.

Holly meanwhile is trying to piece her life back together after the unexpected death of her husband less than a year ago which forced the drastic changes to the type of wealthy, organized and orderly life she was accustomed to living. In the process she too finds herself changing her ideas of what is really important in life and with Brian stepping into her life she discovers some changes and bending can be rather nice. Even if it means losing your heart.

I really loved reading this book. I found the characters grew so much and I really liked them and hurt with them. From main to side characters, Julie creates a full and rich world that grabs and holds you tight.

I felt a connection with Holly and could understand that life throws you a curve ball or a hundred and it demands you to look at things in a different way. I liked watching her discover that she could survive and be strong and be more and not have to yield to the dictates of her high class upbringing all the time. She was strong, and confident, but at the same time vulnerable and in some times unsure. It was nice to see the contrasts in her.

I also enjoyed Brian and his take on things. That when all the control in his life slips through his fingers, he learns that maybe that is OK, and that maybe the things he never thought he wanted were exactly what he needed all along. Forcing him to look inside himself at what really matters.

I could not put this book down. I was drawn in by the plot twists and the desire to know who would win, the good guys or the bad guys. I felt the clock ticking down as the climax built until I was on pins and needles wondering how it would all end up. I loved the sub plots and all the build up of the relationship between Holly and Brian.

No Holly For Christmas by Julie N Ford, is a clean read. There is lots of intense sensuality and hinting but it doesn't go beyond that. I was impressed with how well Julie was able to build the romantic steamy tension between Brian and Holly with out going any farther, and I commend Julie on her writing skill. I look forward to reading more from Julie N Ford.

To get your own copy of No Holly For Christmas just in time for the Christmas holiday click here. You can learn more about Julie N Ford by checking out her website here.

disclaimer: While at times I do receive copies of the books I review, my opinion is and will always remain my own.