Book Review: Stoned - Mandi Beck

Title: Stoned
Author: Mandi Beck
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 11, 2016
Series: Wrecked, Book 1

*****STONED IS A STANDALONE IN THE WRECKED SERIES*****

As the lead singer of one of the hottest bands to hit the rock scene, f*cks are free, drugs come easy, and music is life.
For as long as Stone can remember, Willow has been his music – the notes that weave his soul together. His rhythm.
Until he threw her away.
All he has left is a handful of pills and a few lines of powder to make him forget her. And he tries, over and over.
Clean and ready to make things right, he’s faced with the fact that Willow’s moved on. She’s not the same girl he cast aside. Willow’s a woman sure about her purpose in life. Sure about who she’s meant to love.
Stone may be lost without his rhythm, but Willow has found so much more.

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I've recently stopped reading books from new authors unless they're highly recommended by someone I trust with their taste of books. But I was intrigued by a quick summary of this book from one group that I'm in, so I gave it a go. This is my first Mandi Beck book and I'm so glad to have taken that leap of faith.

I liked how the story timeline is realistic. Not too fast but not dragging either. It doesn't feel rushed. And although, the book may have triggers for some readers, I liked how it tackled a few issues of our day to day lives. It's a litte eye opener. It gives you a glimpse of what happens in these cases and makes you a little more considerate.

Stone, as effed up as he is, is someone to admire. He is courageous enough to admit that he was wrong, that he messed up and strong enough to do something about it. He acknowledged his weakness and that in itself is strength for me. It's kind of hard for me to like a heroine most of the time but Willow made the cut. She's strong and positive. Despite all the bad things that happened, she still looked into the brighter side of things. I also love her for having a steong resolve enough to fight her sexual desires. She did admit to herself how turned on she becomes with Stone but not enough that her conviction just went flying out the window, the moment he sees him or he comes near her. It's kind of refreshing to read a person who isn't a slave of their sexual desires.

Overall, it's a 4 star for me. Could've been a 5 if it made me tear up a bit.

Book Review: Midnight Blue - LJ Shen

Title Midnight Blue
Author LJ Shen
Release Date January 18, 2018

It should have been easy.
I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Sounds familiar? That’s because it was a headline in a tabloid the second time he got arrested.
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
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LJ Shen broke my heart and sewn it in patches.

I've been looking for a good heart wrenching story to break my already broken heart being a massochist and all that. Although the story started a little slow for my liking, the twist made up for all of it. Man, does the twist really is a twist -- unexpected and gutting. I loved how the story progressed and how things were resolved. It is starting to get annoying when a story lacks conflict. I want something to grip into my heart and squeeze my eyes out to produce some liquid. Midnight Blue did that perfectly. It's both reality fiction rolled into one. It will give you a story about relationships: love, friendship and family. It feeds your soul something to make it move. It will empty you out and fill you back in.

I loved Indigo and her personality. She was someone I like myself to be. Fierce with a heart. Selfless and giving. She sacrifices for the people she loves yet know when to put her feet down and be firm. I love her principles and her views. She may be broken but, although others may disagree, doesn't really need a knight in shining armor to save her day. Alex may have been a shell of monster going thru the notions of existing, but he is definitely going in to my never ending list of book boboyfriends. Even if I am sober enough not to look for someone like him in real life, he is the bad boy every girl wants to save.

I am giving this five star patches. I'd like to say more but I'm afraid to spoil anything if I blab on further.