In My Mailbox (10) & Stacking the Shelves (5)

Welcome to this week's In My Mailbox. In My Mailbox (IMM) is hosted by The Mod Podge Bookshelf, who was inspired by a fellow book blogger Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. It features books I have bought or received for review.

Stacking the Shelves by Tynga`s Reviews is about adding books to my shelves I received during the past week whether it is physical or virtual. This week I got a few books. I am excited for the rest of the May and June because there are a lot of books coming out that I want and have to buy.

Also, if you haven't already don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card. There are 2 being given away. Enter now!

Bought for my kindle:

Received for review:

What books did you get???

Review: Ashes and Ice by Rochelle Maya Callen

Title: Ashes and Ice
Author: Rochelle Maya Callen
Release Date: February 4, 2013
Publisher: C&C Legacy Publishing
Pages: 294
Source: Bought from Amazon.com



Synopsis:
She is desperate to remember.
He is aching to forget.
Together, they are not broken.
But together, one may not survive.

​Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands.

Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough.

LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice.

My Thoughts:

When I first read the synopsis of Ashes & Ice, I was very interested and I wanted to find out more about it. Well, this book did not disappoint. I thought it was magical and enticing. The book always had me guessing until the end about what was happening to Jade and why she sometimes acted the way she did. I found it to be very different than anything else I have read before and that is what I loved about it most.

I found the beginning to be a little slow at first. In the beginning, I found I liked Connor’s point of view more. I can feel the depth of his pain and had tears in my hands because I was feeling everything he was feeling. I really liked that they were alternating chapters of Jade and Connor’s point of view. I found I got to know them both more. On the other hand, just when I was getting into, for example, Connor’s point of view the chapter would end and change to Jade’s. Due to this, I felt like some chapters were cut short and it left me a little frustrated.

I absolutely loved the writing. The author has a beautiful way of connecting words together. It is breathless. There is something so honest about it and it left me wanting more.

I liked how with Jade, because she doesn't remember anything, she has to learn small things all over again. Small things we take for granted, for example, Eskimo kisses, is something so significant to Jade and the story line. Small things or incidences make the story.

What I loved most about this story? Love is the be all and end all. Love is what saved Jade from going dark numerous times. Jade could be evil, really evil, after all she is the daughter of a devil, and love is what saved her from dooming the world. I strongly believe that love will continue to be the one thing that will keep Jade on the good side.

This book was a great start to a series and I am looking forward to reading more from the author.

My Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Blog Tour: Off Limits by Sawyer Bennett

Welcome to my stop on the Off Limits Blog Tour! Below you will find an awesome giveaway and my review of the book.

Title: Off Limits 

Author: Sawyer Bennett 

Release date: April 16, 2013 

Publisher: Big Dog Books, LLC 

Age Group: New Adult 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Book Description:

“There is a vulnerability there, hovering just below the surface. And I want to pick at it until I expose it. Then I want to kiss it."

Two years ago, Emily Burnham, had an epiphany about the shallowness of her life. And she made it her mission to become a different person…a better woman. Out from under the controlling thumb of her mother, Emily is tasting the real world for the first time. And she likes it.

Nixon Caldwell has served his time in the Marine Corps, surviving two brutal tours in Afghanistan. He is back home, surrounded by what he likes best…isolation. It's certainly the easiest way to avoid confrontation of the consuming guilt that is weighing him down.

When an accident brings Emily and Nix together, he soon learns he is not the master of his own fate. Struggling with his own pain, Nix tries to guard himself against Emily’s charms. He wants her in his bed, but he doesn’t want her in his heart.

Having grabbed life by the horns, Emily wants it all. But is she willing to accept just the small part of himself that Nix is offering? Can she reach the part of his soul that he has deemed to be Off Limits?

This book is the follow up novel to Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett. It can be read as a stand-alone.

Where to find/Buy the book:

Goodreads ~ Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

You can contact the author by:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

My Thoughts:

Sawyer Bennett had an epiphany 2 years ago; she doesn't want to be the same snotty person she was before. She vowed to become a different person, her own person controlling her own life. When Emily & Nix first meet, it is by accident. One thing I loved about Emily, she is not afraid to speak her mind and tell someone off. She is independent, witty and smart and you can see from the first meeting that Nix had a soft spot for her. 

Nix. What can I say about him? He is HOT, bad ass and definitely an alpha male. For me, Nix made the story. It is heartbreaking the trauma he went through while serving in Afghanistan. I loved his character development. He did a total 180 by the end of the book. At first, he was closed off and mean to everyone (which is a nice way of saying it) except his father and brother. Emily manages to get under his skin little by little as time passes; she understood him because of her own experiences and knew when to push and ask questions and when to just to leave it alone. I think that is one of the main reasons why he let Emily in and started caring for her emotionally, she is very different from other women.

I loved all of the characters. They were really likable. They were all strong and charismatic in their own way. One thing I thought was off was in the beginning of the story, Emily’s mother was so focused on what can be done to help get The Presidency, and by the end of the book her attitude changed 100%. I found the change in her behaviour was sudden and did not feel real to me. I would have liked to see her appear more in Emily’s life after Emily admitted what her ex-boyfriend did to her so we could see how the changes. Other than that, I found the story to be really enjoyable.

I did not read Off Sides before reading this novel, but I found I really liked Danny and Ryan and I may have to buy it and read it. Off Limits is a testament to how relationships, whether they are physical/love or best friends can change a person for the better.

My Rating:

4 out of 5 stars