Recent Reads and New Favorites

While I feel like I haven't been reviewing a whole lot lately, I have definitely been reading. I've read some absolutely fantastic books lately that I wanted to quickly cover with you guys. These aren't books that I think I will post reviews for here, maybe goodreads, maybe here at some point; but due to the subjects and ages I don't know. They are all excellent reads that I highly recommend, I just need feel like with this being a YA/NA blog (with exceptions of course) it's not really appropriate to go into detail about some of these reads. I say this but some I eventually may be reviewing, we'll see. I am definitely up for any emails regarding these books, if you wanna chat about them hit me up!

First off On the Island by Tracy Garvis-Graves. I actually won this one from Julie at AToMR and was really excited about checking it out, even though I was a little wary, but it sat on my shelf FOREVER. I picked it up and LOVED it. Even you are wary of it, probably for the whole age gap thing, I will say it is pretty spectacularly done.

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.
T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.
Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.
Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

Next we have The Dark Duet series by C.J. Roberts. These books are NOT, absolutely NOT for anyone under 18. The summaries aren't even for anyone under 18. But, while extremely dark subject manner these books are incredible. I didn't put them down and can't wait until Epilogue, but they really will not be for anyone. They're emotionally charged, sickening, maddening, and plain frightening reads.

Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Ruiz has just woken up in a strange place. Blindfolded and bound, there is only a calm male voice to welcome her. His name is Caleb, though he demands to be called Master. Olivia is young, beautiful, naïve and willful to a fault. She has a dark sensuality that cannot be hidden or denied, though she tries to accomplish both. Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.

WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, dubious consent, strong language, and graphic violence.

Now, I have to talk about Karina Halle's Experiment in Terror series. Holy shitake. These books have filled a void in my soul, no lie. I love them. I may actually review some of them, not sure yet, they are really freaky and creepy and just awesome. Very awesome. The first book is Darkhouse, and as the story goes on she builds on the main characters relationship PERFECTLY. I'm so glad it is as long as it is, one book could not have done her brilliant writing justice. I can't wait for more, I've read the first 6 (and am now reading 5.7 and am just giddy and obsessed). So, thank you Karina!

With all the vampire, werewolf and faerie books out there, it's easy to become numb to all things supernatural. The antidote? Darkhouse introduces two real and unforgettable characters, Perry Palomino & Dex Foray, amateur ghost hunters who are "attractive, relatable and oddly heroic," "flawed but loveable," "slightly crazy" and just the most endearing pair to ever tackle the paranormal...just don't call them normal.
Darkhouse is a thrilling and sexy new take on concepts like Supernatural and The X-Files, bringing a breath of fresh air to a genre that has been inundated with the dead.
***Darkhouse and the Experiment in Terror series is a horror/romance for mature audiences only. Readers who are easily offended by harsh language should think twice about reading it.***

I also recently read Blink Once by Cylin Busby and while it is YA I just can't decide if I want to review it or not. It was a good read, I'd probably give it 3 stars, and it's something that may appeal more to others.

West is a high school senior who has everything going for him until an accident leaves him paralyzed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, slipping in and out of consciousness, West is terrified and alone. Until he meets Olivia.

She's the girl next door-sort of. A patient in the room next to his, only Olivia can tell what West is thinking, and only Olivia seems to know that the terrible dreams he's been having are not just a result of his medication. Yet as West comes to rely on Olivia-to love her, even-certain questions pull at him: Why has Olivia been in the hospital for so long? And what does it mean that she is at the center of his nightmares? But the biggest question of all comes when West begins to recover and learns that the mysterious girl he's fallen in love with has a secret he could never have seen coming.

The Opportunist and its sequel Dirty Red both by Tarryn Fisher are some fantastic books, kind of similar to Avoiding Commitment and Avoiding Responsibility. Definitely worth a looksie for those looking for a fantastic adult contemporary filled with some well done drama!