Review: Maria Before Us

 

Title: Maria Before Us

Series: Broken Series

Author: Ellie Messe

Release Date: 2019

Eight days since I lost them both in a car accident. 

Seven nights I’ve held my nephew as he relives the crash he survived. 

Six casseroles sit on the kitchen counter from neighbors who don’t actually care. 

Five fingers drum against the wooden grain to my right. 

Four bodies try to ignore the growing tension in the room. 

Three years since I’ve seen the man who’s almost here. 

Two car doors shut. 

One doorknob twists. 

This was me Before Us. 

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NOVELLA** 

NOVELLA 1/6 

Due to adult content this novella is 18+

Wow. 

This book follows Maria & Josh- Parker & Drew's aunt & uncle whom you meet in Broken & takes place before. You get a glimpse into Maria's life before Arizona, a glimpse at Josh and Maria's history, a glimpse at the grief, pain and heart ache. Maria lost her sister and brother-in-law, Josh lost his brother and sister-in-law, and Parker and Drew lost their parents. 

This story may have been short, but I loved getting to see a look into Josh & Maria before they moved to Arizona. It made my heart constrict and I cried. It is best to read after Broken & Famished - where you meet Josh, Maria, Parker & Drew & see everyone, & know what happened- but can be read as a prequel as well. I loved it & wished there was more- not just with Josh and Maria's story, but everyone else's as well. I don't want to say goodbye to these characters. 5⭐ out of 5⭐. 

Review: Famished Part 2

 

Title: Famished Part 2

Series: Broken Series

Author: Ellie Messe

Release Date: May 2019

I’m a coward. 

I just wanted to forget. 

I just wanted an escape from reality. 

I didn’t ask for any of this. 

Hiding the truth just might kill me, but how can I come clean when everything around me is so twisted? 

Funerals, weddings, secrets…between them all, I’m losing myself. I’m not even sure I know who I am anymore. 

I missed the memo where families are built on lies. 

The truth is coming out, and everything is about to hit the f*cking fan. 

Due to mature content, recommended 18+ 

Oh my, wow! Where do I even begin?! 

I seriously love this book/s. I get why it was split into to, but REALLY?! That ending on book one got me all kinds of messed up. Oh and as if the anxiety and emotions stopped there? Nope they continue right through to book 2 (YES, you MUST read these books in order from Broken to Famished pt 1 & 2 to understand what is going on, this book picks up where pt 1 left off!)

Never a dull moment with the Hayes brothers and their girls. 

Funerals, weddings secrets and lies... Between everything going on, Emma takes the easy route instead of coming clean. It all started with her just wanting an escape and to forget, only to her now being a coward and hiding instead of facing the truth. But with everything so twisted up, there was never a moment... Instead she might just be losing herself. 

If it's not one thing, it's something else. Life has been crazy with no sign of slowing down or stopping, everything happening so fast. One misunderstanding could cost him, one wrong move could end him, one secret could save him. Crap is about to hit the fan, and the truth is about to come out, will Drew be ready to hear it?

God. I was a mess after part 1, and definitely needed to read this book to help sooth my anxiety. I absolutely love these characters something fierce, -Not just Drew & Emma but Parker & Haley as well! It was fast paced & definitely had me feeling all kinds of things throughout the book, but I loved it all the same. This story was amazing and I'm an idiot for waiting so damn long to read it, but so glad I did! 5⭐ out of 5⭐

Review: Famished Part 1

 

Title: Famished Part 1

Series: Broken series

Author: Ellie Messe

Release Date: Dec 2018

Moms a junkie, Dad’s not dead. 

After lying to me for the past twenty-one years, Mom got in too deep with her debt and had to call not-dead dad to bail her out. But wait, there’s more; not-dead dad is a biker who thinks he knows what’s best for the daughter he's never met. Agreeing to bail dear mom out for the low, low price of one grown ass adult. 

So here I am in some hot as sin city with my junkie mom racking up more debt, living day to day with a needle in her arm without anyone around to make sure she’s bathed or fed. I’m sure Ricky will love the fact his favorite hostage is MIA. 

Like I don’t have enough problems I’m trying to deal with. 

I just need some no name to make it all go away for a little while. 

I don’t need love or romance; I just want to forget. 

I’m a hungry man, plain and simple. 

I’ve got a bomb ass family, great job, and a f*ckable face. 

Everything is perfect on the outside; it’s the inside that’s f*cked up. 

People die, relationships fall apart, good people turn ugly, and others leave you in the dust. That’s life. 

The only problem is when shit gets too dark, and you’re no longer able to lose yourself between some girls thighs, what the f*ck are you supposed to do? 

Like I don’t have enough demons trying to claw free. 

I just need to lose myself in some piece of pussy that doesn’t reek of tequila. 

I don’t need love, f*ck; I don’t want it. I just want to forget.

Oh my god! What the actual fuuuuuuuuuuu-hell?! 😂😂😂

Ok, so I reread Broken (book 1 in the series) before starting this, and as always I loved it. I have no idea why I waited to read the Famished books - seriously why the hell did I wait?! Either way, this book was amazing & I loved it. Loved the emotions it involved- yes even the god awful anxiety I am in right now over the ending DYING to start on book 2 of Famished. I need answers damn it! 😂😂😂

Anyways, where Broken follows Haley & Parker, Famished follows Emma & Drew. 

Drew is Parker's brother & Haley's best friend & there IS some cross over with Broken & Famished (so yes read Broken first!)

Emma realizes her father isn't dead when he shows up on her doorstep to drag her away from the only life she has known. New city with people she barely knows she has to make due- and looks for a new place to stay. 

Drew is in need of a roommate. Someone to chase the silence away. He may laugh and joke and bring women home but it's a front, a coping mechanism to keep his demons away. But they have been more persistent then ever, especially with everything that has been going on with his best friend. 

So when Drew and Emma make up an agreement to be more than just roommates, but to exclusively sleep together, they both take it, both needing the chance to get lost in each other & forget their lives. Neither wants romance, love, or more, but what happens when feelings come in to play?

God... I'm a mess. I absolutely loved this book, loved Drew and Emma and Definitely need more! I need more of these characters, this story & cannot wait to dive into Part 2! Seriously these characters were amazing & I love being able to relate to them. My heart goes out to Drew, and it was nearly beating out of my chest & this book had me crying in some parts. I need to know what happens next with everyone- not just Drew & Emma but every freaking one of these characters- & this story. I have no idea what the heck I was so scared of (ok maybe THAT ending was what I Feared 😂😂) & why I didn't read this book when it first came out. I am beating myself up for waiting so long to get to Drew's story but I absolutely loved it. 5⭐ out of 5⭐. 

Review: Tempt Thy Neighbor

 

Title: Tempt Thy Neighbor

Series: Roommate Romps

Author: Teagan Hunter 

Release Date: July 29 2021

Don’t fall for your coworker…especially when he’s your roommate.

Sutton Barnes thinks he’s Prince Charming, but he’s really the Prince of Hell.
He’s egotistical. A user. A complete douchecanoe.
And unfortunately now my coworker.

Did I mention he’s also my new roommate?

It’s all because I can’t turn down a challenge.
I never have, and I won’t start now.
When Sutton bets me I can’t live in the same apartment as him and resist the “temptation”…well, game on.

He’ll be the first to cave.
There is no way I’m falling for his charm…not again.

Awww... So I have been wanting something light, and fun, and fantastic and this was exactly what I needed. 

Holland ends up in town with her brother Dean, needing a new place, and a new job. But what she doesn't expect is to run into Sutton. The guy she competed against in high school that ended up to be more- until it wasn't. Now, they are coworker and roommates thanks to a bet and a little competition between old rivals. There is no way that Holland would fall for his charm again... Not with so much on the line. 

Seriously, I loved this book! 

It was cute, light, fun, and funny. Enemies to lovers second chance roommate romance? Sign me up! I loved Holland & Sutton & their story rounding out this series, and didn't want it to end. I definitely enjoyed it. 5⭐ out of 5⭐. 

Review: Victory at Prescott High

 

Title: Victory At Prescott High

Series: The Havoc Boys

Author: C.M. Stunich

Release Date: Nov 2020

There's one heart you can’t break at Prescott High, not unless you’re one of them.

The Havoc Boys.

They’re my family, my redemption, and my future.

Victory at Prescott High has always meant escape.

Once upon a time, that meant graduation and a one-way ticket out of town.

But everything is different now.

This year, my life changed in irrevocable ways.

The Havoc Boys have a Havoc Girl; they have a queen who wears her crown with pride.

I’ll need every ounce of strength I possess to dig us out of an early grave.

One last chance; one more fight.

If there really are happy endings for people from my side of the tracks, then we’ll find one.

Or else we’ll go down together in a hail of gunfire.

Blood in, blood out.

Always.

VICTORY AT PRESCOTT HIGH is a 150,000 word mature high school/new adult romance with enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes. It has brief flashbacks of past bullying incidents as well as foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest. This is book five of five in the series.

So... That just happened. The book, the series, is over & time to say goodbye to these characters & this story. 

As a whole the series was good. It was ok. Often times I felt that there may have been a little more filler then needed, like how many times the character says certain things (Ebon,ebon, ebon), or how a few things were put in there to tie it up together in a bow. And while this wasn't my favorite series, or story, I enjoyed the crazy ride and fell in love with some of these characters. 

Bernadette's life changed irrevocably when she uttered Havoc. She became a Havoc girl, a queen and now has a family in Havoc with her boys. Working through her list, and all the other problems, like the GMP that is after them- everything seems to be connected. It all comes back to her, to Havoc. 

Victor, Hael, Aaron, Oscar & Callum. All want to love and protect Bernadette. They all get closer then ever, but if something happens to one, they would fall apart, and Havoc wouldn't exist anymore. They need each other for their family to work. 

But the end is coming, it is just a matter on if everyone will survive to see it. 

This is the heartstopping conclusion of Havoc as we know it. 

I enjoyed this while crazy ride with the members of Havoc. I even cried & absolutely love when a book can pull an emotion out of me. 

I loved Victor, Oscar, Callum, Hael & Aaron. The Boys of Havoc. All so different- but all have a few things in common. They were drawn together through honesty, truth, & their need to look after Bernadette & they became more than just a gang, but a family. 

Bernadette was loud, crazy, and then some. She was strong for everything she had been through, but she never let that completely crush her hopes and dreams. She knew exactly what she wanted & didn't quit until she got it. She was fierce, loyal, and protective of those she loved. She was the heart of Havoc even before she joined them. 

4⭐ out of 5⭐. Prescott will never be the same.