Review: Requiem by Jamie McGuire

“Jared paced, brooded, and once in a while, when his thoughts were particularly tormented, he winced. The color had long left his face as he played back the different scenarios in his mind. Back and forth he paced, so many times that I watched the floor, wondering when he would wear a trail. His inner turmoil could have set the room on fire. It was unbearable to watch, but I couldn't leave him; not when he was planning my death.”


Dreaming of the dead might mean a restless night for anyone, but for Nina Grey it was a warning. 

Still healing from her last run-in with Hell, Nina struggles with not only her life as a Brown University student, but also as an intern at Titan Shipping, her father's company. Recurring nightmares about her father's violent death have become a nightly event, but being overwhelmed with guilt from Ryan's unexpected departure to the Armed Forces, and heart ache over Claire being across the ocean to protect him, Nina believes her sleepless nights are the least of her problems—but she's wrong.

Worried about Nina's declining health, Jared must steal back Shax's book for answers. Fighting new enemies, and with the help of new friends, Jared's worst fear comes to fruition. Desperate, he is faced with a choice: Fight Hell alone, or start a war with Heaven.

This is when it gets thick ~ helluva sequel. I loved Providence, but as I said in my review, I wished there would be more background, history, something. I got more than enough in Requiem. With a surprise on every page, Requiem went at a racing pace, bringing Nina deeper into the depths of Heaven and Hell, allowing her to make the discovery that she's not as displaced in Jared's world as she once thought. 

So much happens in this sequel, my head is spinning trying to figure out what to write first. My favorite element was the history provided, the little details that caused Nina's world to head in a downward spiral.When you're reading Providence, you start to believe that this is going to be a simple love story, and Jared and Nina will always have to fight fate to be together. As if that obstacle wasn't difficult enough, Requiem makes their problems in the first novel seem like sweet indulgences. I didn't expect freakish, practically fulfilled prophecies and full on battles with Hell, but that's what I got, and I gladly accepted. 

I had to look up the meaning of Requiem. A requiem is a "mass for the dead." I don't know why they can't simply say 'funeral,' so I'm assuming it's much more complex than that. The dead reach out to Nina in her sleep, sending her messages in hopes to help her and Jared with this overwhelming prophecy she's a part of that will supposedly alter the balance between Heaven and Hell. That, and Nina and Jared's destiny isn't exactly full of life, so I suppose the title is also in relation to that. (I'm trying to be vague here; don't want to spoil too much for ya.)

As for Nina and Jared's relationship, it's reached that peak where there love holds fast and nothing can keep them apart. It's the other characters that are focused on here such as Claire, Ryan, and even Kim. I love that McGuire expands on these other lovable characters and brings them closer to Nina and the shadows she faces. As if the demonic and historic storyline weren't enough in this book, the growth of all these characters gives the story even more ground to stand on. 

Definitely a must read. This book blew my mind, and as soon as I turned the last page, my thumbs hastily brought up the Kindle store to purchase the third and final installment, Eden. Worth your time, I promise.

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~  

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week, I have two teasers! Double the fun :)

First, a few intriguing lines from Jamie McGuire's Eden (Providence #3):

"The priest brought in an extra chair, and he and Jared opened the book. Immediately the room turned cold, and I wrapped my arms around my middle. The Others knew we were here, and that we had the book."







And the other comes from Fire by Kristin Cashore:

"She watched him, crestfallen. He was so physical in his arguments. He loomed and gestured, his face went dark or burned with light. His eyes blazed. And he was just as physical with his love and his joy, and this was why they all fell in love with him, for in a world that was dismal he was alive and passionate, and his attentions, while they lasted, were intoxicating." 




Enjoy!!

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Review ~ Providence by Jamie McGuire

In the old world shadows of Providence, Rhode Island, Nina Grey finds herself the center of a war between Hell and Earth.

Struggling with her father’s recent death, Nina meets Jared Ryel by chance…or so she believes. Although his stunning good looks and mysterious talents are a welcome distraction, it soon becomes clear that Jared knows more about Nina than even her friends at Brown University. When questions outnumber answers, Jared risks everything to keep the woman he was born to save—by sharing the secret he was sworn to protect.

When her father’s former associates begin following her in the dark, Nina learns that her father is not the man she thought he was, but a thief who stole from demons. Searching for the truth behind her father’s death, Nina stumbles upon something she never expected—something Hell wants—and only she holds the key.

Jamie McGuire is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I love her witty writing style and her ability to instill passion and steal multiple breaths from the reader. Providence kept me up late into the night (I see a trend forming with this author) crying, laughing, and growling (yes, I actually growled at one point) in frustration.

Most of the time, as a character-driven reader, I can see the characters independently from the story-line, but with this novel, the plot plays a significant role in creating the characters ~ this is the kind of novel that keeps you reading for hours on end. I was hoping for a little more background or history of Jared's heritage, but I'm a bit of a mythology/history fanatic, and there is more than enough explanation to keep the reader satisfied.


The emotions in this book are tangible in such a way that the reader can't help but feel the effects. Nina's feelings reflected in my mood as I read the book, and although it's usual for me to become personally vested in the story of a book, not many have affected my emotions as obviously as Providence or any other of Jamie McGuire's books I've read so far.

The relationship between Nina and Jared is nothing less than nerve-wracking-intense. It did feel a little forced or quick to form to me, as Nina fell unconditionally for Jared without question pretty much from their *first* aquaintance. This is the only element of the book that had me raising my eyebrows in disbelief, BUT the sincerity from Jared makes up for any doubts I may have had.

**Must Read** Incredible book, fabulous writer ~ definitely worth the all-nighters you're bound to pull when reading Jamie McGuire :)

Kobo Highlights

"Like you're not swimming in your own freakily potent pheromones right now," Kim said.

She didn't speak for the rest of the trip home to keep from spoiling the illusion with trivial things like the truth.

Anger was easier to control than feeling betrayed.

"Don't interrupt my anxiety attack. It's rude," I whispered.

I narrowed my eyes and mimicked Beth's crossed arms We must have looked ridiculous side by side; the Prom Queen Mafia.

A strange sense of accomplishment came over me; I had perfected the art of ripping out surveillance wires.

"Our relationship could unintentionally provoke Hell..."

"Ugh! Why can't Hell stay where it's at? Why does it always have to break loose?" she whined.

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser hails from Requiem by Jamie McGuire:

"Jared and Bex stood next to the bed with terror in their eyes. "She was at least four feet above the bed!" Bex said, his eyes wide. "Has that happened before?"






Enjoy!

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

WWW Wednesday

Merry Hump Day! I can't believe I even made it through the jingles of my alarm to get to this point this early in the morning... between a 13+ hour day at work and unusual trouble sleeping, coffee and kava are my best friends :)

Here's my WWW:

What are you currently reading? I'm hooked on anything Jamie McGuire these days. I'm reading Providence, a distinct novel of light and dark. 

What did you recently finish reading? I completed Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire in a record time of a day and a half... Like I said, I'm obsessed with this author right now.. Check out my review here.

What do you think you'll read next? Welllll... this is going to be a tough decision.. I might read Requiem, the second in the Providence series, but I also have Fire by Kristin Cashore in the mail (Check out my review of the first in that series, Graceling, here). 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~ 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I'm becoming a Jamie McGuire fan (I just posted a review of Beautiful Disaster - here), so I started reading another of her books, Providence. This is the first in a series, and I'm starting to see a trend as I seem to be getting less and less sleep with every page of McGuire's that I turn.

Here's my teaser:

"The attention turned to my hand. I balled it into a fist; I wouldn't give up my father's ring. Grahm seemed to notice my decision and they all took a step forward, preparing to take it from me. Four sets of malevolent eyes shifted in unison as a familiar voice growled from behind me."






Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Review: Beautiful Disaster

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book literally kept me up all night~something which hasn't happened to me in a while. I thought I'd lost my 'reading mojo,' as someone so cleverly put it, but this book brought it back with a vengeance. I'd heard about it through a fellow book blogger, and so much was the gushing in the review, I had to give it a try. If was I was tired, had a headache, and was gulping down coffee as if my life depended on it the last couple of days, it was because of this book. It was so worth it.

Beautiful Disaster revolves around the unlikely, crazy, ecstatic, depressing, and sometimes psychotic relationship between Travis Maddox and Abby Abernathy. Travis has never had a problem getting girls, and he's never particularly wanted or needed them (except for a quick romp on his famous couch) until he met one girl who wouldn't give into his reputable charms. (That's how it always happens with guys like that right? They love a girl who won't put up with their crap and sees them for what they are.) However, Abby's not the innocent girl we expect and has a past that she's trying bury, a past that she's reminded of when she's with Travis, giving her contradicting feelings and causing her to constantly second guess their relationship.  

The intensity of the emotions in this book really put a strain on my nerves and patience, but as a glutton for punishment, I loved every minute of it. Travis and Abby are insane, individually and about each other, but no matter what happens, how big the fight, how impossible it seems, they always come to the conclusion that they belong together. The roller-coaster relationship of theirs is not lacking in love, but they still have a lot of growing to do and obstacles to overcome before they can come to the point where nothing can stop them. 

In some of the reviews I've read, I've heard there is too much violence, cursing, etc, etc... I thought that's what made this book real. People curse, they are essentially violent, they make huge mistakes, and are sometimes physical about releasing their anger. That's the reality of being human. We can't always control ourselves according to 'civilized' society. Travis's constantly flaring temper is huge part of what makes him who he is, what causes him to be the 'screw up' he believes himself to be, and it's up to Abby to love him anyway. That's what this book is about - loving someone for who they are, not trying to change or save them, but loving them without conditions. 

I wish I could say this book was an easy and light read - it's anything but that. It's an intense and extremely emotional ride from start to finish. One of the best and most realistic love stories I've ever read. 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

*Below are quotes I highlighted through my Kobo app. They are just few excerpts that made me laugh out loud or smile in that completely predictable girly way.* 

Kobo Highlights:

~America rolled down her window and spit out her gum. "You're so obvious. Why didn't you just roll in dog shit to make your outfit complete?"~

~"Hell yes, he's cute...in that preppy, missionary position kind of way."~

~"Jealous of what? The STD infested imbecile you're going to piss off in the morning?"~

~"It looks like Vegas threw up on a flock of vultures," America sneered.~

~"I know we're fucked up, all right? I'm impulsive, and hot-tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then you need me the next. I never get anything right and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I've loved anyone or anything, ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands...all I need is you. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want."~

~"It's dangerous to need someone that much. You're trying to save him and he's hoping  you can. You two are a disaster." ... I smiled at the ceiling. "It doesn't matter what or why it is. When it's good, Kara...it's beautiful."~