Review: Stabled by Penny Lam

Synopsis

A new dark romance from the author of Amazon bestseller "Struck Down"

"Don't go in there. Ever."

Maple is a smart, quiet, meek girl who, after a failed stint at college, takes a job at Deyton Ranch. The job is perfect. Free room and board, good pay, and most importantly, no one there knows her face or past. It's a place where she can hide-- even from herself.

Except some people are impossible to hide from. Her boss, J.B. Deyton, is a cowboy with money, serious sex appeal, and a secret. With tousled black hair and a commanding attitude, he's both terrifying and irresistible.

When he becomes not only her boss but also her savior, he brings forth the dark, quivering desires she keeps hidden beneath her milquetoast exterior. The job he's given her was supposed to offer her shelter, but soon Maple is in danger of running wild.

Now Maple needs to finds a way to rein herself in, or risk making the same mistakes twice. But when she opens the door to his secret, the blinders are lifted and something in her threatens to break.

She needs this job. She needs to not go in the stable. She needs to keep herself locked down.

But she isn't sure she can control her desires...or her heart.

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My Review

4 Stars!

I started reading this and could not stop so I was sneaking off to quite corners when I was forced to attend a family gathering, this really kept me going! I finished it half way through the day which sucked and I've just got home and started this review because I will end up forgetting how i felt and yada yada, so here goes..

'All monsters look peaceful in their sleep'

Stabled is book 1 in a trilogy and ends in a cliffhanger, it's not for those who don't enjoy darker elements in books or one who likes to stick to the 'norm'.This is the first book I have read by Penny Lam and lets be honest it's probably not going to be the last.

Maple is a quite, sort of shy woman with a dark past, one that she can't seem to run from.When hired by a rich cowboy called J.B. Deyton things end up getting worse instead of better.It's like her she just can't escape her dirty little past maybe it's time to embrace it. Her curiosity ends up getting her in to a lot of bother,secrets are revealed and there are some things you just can't come back from.

I'm so confused about how I feel about this book, like uhm wow this was soooo not what I had expected.I'm still trying to kind of get my head around it. I started this and thought it would be a cowboy romance, I missed out the part where it was a dark romance. I see how it is, there are quite a few dark elements to it which I usually try to stay away from. I've read books with the whole hardcore pain and pleasure element of it and it's fine when its a little bit but too much and it puts me off the book. If I know it will be in the book I usually avoid the book, it's just not my thing but..this worked.

I'm so intrigued with what will happen next, never have I read the whole 'pony girls'thing which you will understand what I mean when you read it. I don't want to give anything away.It's just a book you have to read to understand, even though I don't even fully understand this.Like whaat? When did this become a thing? Its weird yet I want to carry on and see how things go.

My thoughts on Maple are confused,I don't get her kind of kink, I want to see J.B's reaction when she tells him of her past.J.B is a bloody mystery. What are you? I would love a chapter in his POV just to get more insight to his character and past.I can't wait for book 2!

*Arc provided by the author for an honest review*

Review: The V Girl by Mya Robarts

Synopsis

In post-apocalyptic North America, rape and sexual slavery are legal. Lila Velez, desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and can take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend, Rey, the most attractive man in her town. Lila does not love him but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute of love.

Lila’s coping mechanism to her mother’s rape and kidnapping is her secret. A secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey, a foreign, broody man. Lila does not trust him because his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. Aleksey offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself. 

All the while Lila will have to find a way to live in the constant company of death, slavery, starvation, sexual abuse and the danger of losing the people she loves the most.

Due to mature content, this book is intended for +18 readers.

-->Add to Goodreads

--> Buy Links- Amazon UK | Amazon US

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My Review

4 Stars!!

The V Girl is Mya Robart's debut novel and I think she did a very good job on it.It is set in post-apocalyptic North America, a time where sexual abuse, violence and death is a norm. The topics and parts of this book had darkness to it yet it didn't overpower the story. Its a dark subject but it didn't make the book a sort of depressing, gloomy book that it could have been. There were a lot of elements to it with some twists I wasn't expecting.

Lila is a character that has to grow up fast and she becomes head of the family. She is the one everyone relies on and looks up to. With a sick brother and a younger sister to protect from anyone who may try to rape her.She is called V girl since she is a virgin and it is something she wants to get rid of. She wants to lose her virginity with her consent because if or when she gets recruited the soldiers will definitely rape her and take it by force.In her haste to get rid of it she becomes desperate. She decides to ask her friend Rey who she has known forever and trusts.Things don't go to plan when Aleksey Fürst enters the scene.

“You usually can’t recall all the people you’ve shared laughs with. But you rarely forget the people you’ve shared your tears with.”

First of all Lila at points really annoyed me with her desperation to get rid of her virginity like I understood why but she made silly rash decisions that left her in awkward situations. They could have all been avoided and she did do some immature things. I know she is young and I guess that's on me since I usually read adult novels due to the maturity factor.I felt like she jumped to conclusions without thinking things through.

Because I loved Aleksey, I'm sorry but Rey had to be on my shit list. I don't think I've ever liked two guys in a book where they both like the heroine. I love one of them and have to hate the other, I just can't help it. I know Rey wasn't a bad guy but no, just no. I stacked everything against him when I fell for Aleksey. This isn't a love triangle but at times felt like it but not to the point where it put me off since I can't stand love triangles.

I would have loved some chapters to be in Aleksey's point of view since he was quite a mysterious character and I wanted to know more about him. I didn't want this book to end nearing the end I felt a little panicky since I felt like there was quite a lot left, that needed to be added yet there were so little pages left. Will we get more? I felt like it was left quite unfinished like there may be more in store.I felt like the deflowering bit was quite stretched out, like I just wanted it done with and to see their relationship slowly building and becoming stronger.

Mya Robarts..Can we have little Aleskey babies? That would be so awesome! I'd love a novella or something showing them both in the future.There were a few characters I wanted t know more about, what happened to them and so on like Rey's brother and Tristan!

Looking forward to more from this author :)

*Arc provided by the author for an honest review*

Review: Milk And Honey By Rupi Kaur

Synopsis

'milk and honey' is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. About the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity. It is split into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache. 'milk and honey' takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look

Buy here --> Amazon UK| Amazon US

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My Review

5 stars!!

I feel like the more poetry I read the more I fall in love with words and how they have a way of bringing so much emotion. A few words can have an impact and make you feel so much. If anyone has any recommendations, comment or message me. I'm all for exploring!

'how is it so easy for you

to be kind to people he asked

milk and honey dripped

from my lips as i answered

cause people have not

been kind to me'

I realised that I have a preference to deep dark poetry. Dark thoughts and experiences. I enjoy reading about people's experiences, it's like all this anger, sadness and pain being scratched onto the pages.Its a part of the author and I can't get enough of that.

'neither of us is happy

but neither of us wants t leave

so we keep breaking one another

and calling it love'

Rupi Kaur just has a way with words, I can't even explain it.She inspires me to write.Even though I am no poet but her poetry makes me want to give it a shot.It's a whole different experience when you read something and you can totally relate and you feel like the words are your words that you never knew how to express.This is one I would definitely want on my shelf because I don't this is the last time I will read it.

'I can't tell if my mother is

terrified or in love with my

father it all looks the same'

I pretty much highlighted the whole book. I just couldn't stop myself!

Just beautiful and I can't wait for more by this author.

Review: salt. by Nayyirah Waheed

Synopsis

Salt is a journey through warmth and sharpness. This collection of poetry explores the realities of multiple identities, language, diasporic life & pain, the self, community, healing, celebration, and love.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

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My Review

5 Stars!

your soul stained my shoulders.

my whole life smells like you.

this will take time.

undoing you from my blood.

-the works

The mere fact that most of this book is highlighted says everything. I saw a quote on Instagram and say Nayyirah Waheed's name upon it, I'm so thankful I saw it and it led me to discover her words.Simple yet powerful words that left me feeling so much. There is this rumble of restrained anger behind some words where in others it isn't held back. There is hurt pain, accepting, healing and so much more. It was like these words had been beaten down by the world yet stood up straight and finally fighting back when they realised they were more than the boxes the world put them in.

you.

not wanting me.

was

the beginning of me

wanting myself.

thank you

-the hurt

I have always enjoyed poetry, especially brutal poetry, the harsh side of life and when people with rough lives put all their passion, anger, raw energy into words and lay them out for the world. It's really something personal and very brave to allow people to read a part of their soul.I think its time to pick up more poetry book since they seem to leave me so inspired.

as a child

there was either

books

or 

pain.

I chose books.

-how I became a writer