Aira Cabrera Books: 4stars

Review: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe) by Rosamund Hodge

8:02 PM

May 7, 2015

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I love beauty and the beast and greek mythology, so this book was a win for me. I know. I know. Beauty and the Beast meets Greek Mythology? Those do not go together. But in this book, they do go together. The author made it happen.

Since she was a child, Nyx has known that she would be married off to the demon lord. She also knew what her task was, to kill the demon lord so she would free the kingdom of Arcadia. She tried to make peace with it. She tried to make peace with a lot of things. That her father loves her twin sister Astraia more than he would ever love her. That he chose Astraia over her. That she would never get to know what real love feels like. Yes, all miserable things. Nyx also tried not to feel bitter and to truly love her sister; but how could you love someone that causes you so much pain?

I hated Nyx's entire family. They were horrible. Her father especially, what a cruel man. Her aunt is no better, and her sister is useless. Poor Nyx.

Nyx is finally married and dropped off at the demon lord's castle. She finally meets her husband, Ignifex. Ignifex is the demon lord, and he was not a good man, err demon, whatever he is; but I loved him. He was bad, but not entirely bad, just bad enough. I loved his character. It was so complex and he was just so mysterious. I love mysterious.

A lot of people are bothered by the love triangle in this book, but it was not an issue for me. I didn't really feel like there even was a love triangle. This is just my opinion though.

I loved reading about the different adventures Nyx had inside the castle. Not all of them were enjoyable for Nyx, but all of them were exciting for me.

Again when I was reading the reviews, a lot said that this book was all about love and its main focus was love, and the romance was overwhelming. I didn't feel that. Maybe it's because I actually like romance.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

4stars

Blog Tour + Review: Until July by Aurora Rose Reynolds

5:37 PM

April 16, 2015

Meet Wes & July in Until July!

Until July is book one in the spin-off series: Until Her!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aEdj2u

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1FzgTZf

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1CFrgmZ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1IVcmy2

Blurb

This is a standalone and a spin off of the New York Times best selling Until Series

Wes Silver wasn’t looking for love, but when July Mayson literally knocks him on his ass during their first encounter, his world is turned upside down by the quirky blonde, and every moment with her makes him more determined to protect her.

July Mayson doesn’t understand the pull she feels toward the bad boy biker Wes Silver, but she knows being with him is like nothing she’s ever felt before. Now all she has to do is tell her overprotective father, Asher Mayson, that she’s found her boom.

This book was everything I needed. I wanted a break from heavy books. I wanted light and fluffy, and I got it. I feel so happy whenever this author releases a new book. I want my love story to be like an Aurora Rose Reynolds book.

July is all grown up and is now a vet. This surprised me, because I expected this series to be in a high school or college setting. Wes is a biker and was in the military.

“Bike compound?” he asks, and I can hear the frown in his voice.

“A place bikers hang out, Dad. Focus.”

“I hope you mean bicyclist, and not an MC.”

She and Wes met when she was out riding. The way they met was so funny and cute! They had an instant connection, but it wasn’t easy from the start. Wes made a lot of dumb mistakes at first, because he’s a guy, and guys are dumb.

Asher was surprisingly very understanding with July and Wes’s relationship. He respected Wes and I think he saw him and November through July and Wes. I’m glad the author didn’t make Asher out to be really very inconsiderate of his daughter’s feelings. He was protective, but not unreasonable.

This book had some drama and conflicts, but if you're looking for a book with a deep plot, this isn't for you. This book is for people who want to feel happy and in love.

Excerpt: Until July

I sit up when I see a few bikes in the distance. I don’t recognize their patches, but that doesn’t surprise me. Tennessee has a huge MC community, and there are always new clubs popping up all over the state. I slow down as I close the distance between us.

The closer I get, the more details I can make out. The group of about five bikes in front of me are all Harleys, all ranging in colors from almost purple to black. None of the men are wearing helmets, which is the complete opposite of me, who is covered from head to toe in black leather. Even my helmet is all black, with leather piping.

I take the men in, noticing they are all well-built, their leather cuts displaying a large eagle, with its wings spread wide like it’s midflight. The talons of the bird are carrying a long stem rose, with petals falling off it onto their club name, The Broken Eagles. I begin to speed up and pass them one by one, thankful for the security of my helmet, the black visor making it impossible to see me.

I keep my head straight until the last guy, the one who is at the front of the group, catches my attention. From the back, his hair is the first thing I notice. It’s slightly long on top and buzzed on the sides. My eyes move to the expanse of his back, the wide set of his shoulders, and the tan skin covering his lean muscles. His bike is low to the ground, and the bars are in front of him in a way that he has to stretch his arms straight out, causing every muscle to flex and move, making it look like the tattoos are alive and dancing.

My eyes skim farther down over his chest, which is covered in a white tank top tucked into a pair of light jeans, and around his waist is a black belt with a large silver buckle. I continue to pass him, my eyes shifting from the road to him and back again. This time when I look over, his head is turned towards me, and if I didn’t know any better, I would have swear he is looking directly into my soul.

“Holy shit,” I whisper, taking in his hair, the set of his jaw that is covered in days of stubble, and a pair of light eyes I can’t quite make out through the tint of my helmet. He is seriously hot, but equally scary-looking. I look from him back to the road. It must not have been even a second, but when my eyes go to the asphalt in front of me, I see a bird that is trying to make its way across the road, its wing hanging in an awkward position. I swerve to the right just in time to miss the poor animal.

“What the fuck?” I hear roared, and I look over my shoulder at the man who is now coming up quick on my right side. I yell an apology over the sound of my engine and his pipes. Do a quick wave and take off, lowering my body and pulling back the throttle, wanting to get away from them. Dude looks seriously pissed off, and even though I hate leaving the bird behind without helping it, I would like to live to see my next birthday.

I think I’m in the clear, but then the sound of pipes fills my ears, and I don’t even know how it happens, but they all catch up with me, surrounding my bike. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but my stomach starts to roll at the sound of their voices. I feel my side to make sure I have the Taser my dad insisted I carry.

I see a clearing and pull my bike off to the side of the road. I know this is probably one of the stupidest things I have ever done, but if they keep chasing me like they have been, we could all end up seriously hurt. I pull over and don’t even shut down my bike. I just lower my kickstand as my heart, which was already beating hard, begins to bang violently against my ribcage as they surround me.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” the guy who was at the head of the group asks, stepping in front of my bike.

I shake my head as my words get lodged in my throat.

He pulls me off my bike, and the men who are with him begin yelling obscenities as well.

“Sorry,” I croak out, and I don’t even know if he hears me as his hand goes to the collar of my leather jacket, where he shakes me hard. My hand accidently presses down on the button that ignites the Taser. The loud crack fills the air, and his eyes go wide then he falls to the ground, and I fall on my ass and crabwalk backwards. I look up when I hit something, only to meet the eyes of another man, who looks pissed.

“Get up,” he growls, picking me up. My feet flail under me as I’m lifted off the ground with my hands restrained behind my back.

“Hold him still,” the guy who I had tasered growls in front of me as I try to get away from the anger I feel coming off him. His hands go to my head and he rips my helmet off, causing my hair to float down around me.

Complete silence descends. I swear no one even takes a breath.

Additional Excerpt

“What the fuck is wrong with you.” The guy that was at the head of the group asks stepping in front of my bike.

I shake my head as words are lodged in my throat.

He pulls me off my bike and the men who are with him begin yelling obscenities as well.

“Sorry.” I croak out and I don’t even know if he hears me his hand goes to the collar of my leather jacket and he shakes me hard and my hand accidently presses down on the button for the Taser to ignite it. The loud crack fills the air and his eyes go wide then he falls to the ground and I fall on my ass and crab walk backwards then look up when I hit something only to meet the eyes of another man who looks pissed.

“Get up.” He growls picking me up my feet flail under me as I’m lifted off the ground with my hands restrained behind my back.

“Hold him still.” The guy who I had Tazered growls in front of me as I try to get away from the anger I feel coming off him. His hands go to my head and he rips my helmet off causing my hair to float down around me.

Complete silence descends I swear no one even takes a breath.

“Um.” I bite my lip

Until November (Book One) Until Series

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1i3ebMV

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1k2XK31

Until Trevor (Book Two) Until Series

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1l8YYfN

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1iWBUQK

Until Lilly (Book Three) Until Series

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mMEJro

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1pzOdYk

Until Nico (Book Four) Until Series

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1m0JaZO

Amazon UK: http://amzn.uk.to/1m0JaZO

B & N: http://bit.ly/1kZqgpl

About the Author:

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who's husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She's married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it's beauty.

Website: http://aurorarosereynolds.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Rose-Reynolds

Twitter: https://twitter.com/auroraroseR

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1pzLVIO

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/creynoldsauthor/