TTT: Ten Books to Read If You're in the Mood for All the Feels

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme 

created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's theme (or my take on this week's theme) is ten books for when you're ready to be put through the emotional wringer. Call me a glutton for punishment, but a story or characters that can batter and bruise my heart... yeah, that's what I'm looking for. So when you're looking for something that has all the feels and packs an emotional punch, grab one of these:

Do you enjoy books that are heart-wrenching (and bound to elicit tears)? Or do you purposely steer clear of those? Do you have a favorite read that packed a real emotional punch? 

Review: 9 Letters by Blake Austin

9 Letters by Blake Austin

Series: No

Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 22, 2016

Format: e-book

Source: Provided by the Author

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Luke Cawley is a broken man. After his wife's tragic death, he lost everything that mattered in the world. Now, his life is filled with hard days, harder nights, and a steady stream of alcohol and the wrong kind of women. Nothing helps.

Until the letters arrive on Luke's doorstep.

Nine envelopes. Nine messages. Nine chances to find his way back.

Rae Goode is looking for the real thing. After fighting her way out of a string of bad relationships, she's ready for something different--something true. She meets Luke while piecing her life together, and right away she can tell that he's different. 

Drawn together by fate and the desire to heal, Rae and Luke discover new ways to mend their broken hearts--one letter at a time.

Discover Blake Austin's debut novel of loss, redemption, and ever-enduring love.

My Thoughts

9 Letters was not what I was expecting. From the synopsis I was anticipating a rather typical tale of love, loss, and love found again. And that's not a bad thing. But what I got instead was a deeply moving, thoughtful story of a man dealing with grief, guilt, and life-altering loss. I'm not even sure I would classify 9 Letters as a romance. It's there, but it's not the focus. Instead, this is very much Luke Cawley's story. It's not always easy to read and bear witness to his journey but I'm so glad I did.

9 Letters begins one year after the death of Luke's wife, Emily. The last year hasn't been easy. He's working as a bartender, drinking too much, and isolating himself from family and friends. And then, on the anniversary of Emily's death, a package is left on his doorstep. It contains nine letters from Emily, each one with a message for Luke and a task to complete before opening the next letter. It's just the lifeline Luke needs to find his way back to the land of the living.

I truly felt for Luke as he just tried to make it through another day. There were times when my heart broke for him - when he was missing Emily so much and feeling so alone. There were times when I got frustrated with him for shutting people out and refusing help. And there were times that I cheered him on for every little step forward.

9 Letters is an emotional story that feels so honest and completely real. There are no fireworks here, no over the top dramatics - just a truly moving story of a man trying to find his way again after a devastating loss. Despite the themes of loss and grief, 9 Letters had an overall feeling of healing and hopefulness, and that, even after loss, there is always the possibility of finding happiness and a new beginning.

4/5 Stars 

*Note: I was contacted by the author and provided a copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

*GIVEAWAY* Confess by Colleen Hoover

Just because it's Saturday...

Just because I haven't done a giveaway before...

Just because I like you...

And just because I happen to have an extra...

I'm giving away a copy of CONFESS by Colleen Hoover.

I purchased this copy and then received a signed edition in my Bookworm Box. No need for two so I'm paying it forward. I'm also including a totally cute necklace that features text from Colleen Hoover's Maybe Someday. It's from The Write Type and her etsy shop is full of handmade items with text from popular novels. 

I'll be at ApollyCon next weekend so I'll announce the winner either Sunday night when I get home or Monday morning.

Sorry to say that this one is U.S. only. Shipping charges, don't ya know? But I'll be doing a 1 year blogiversary giveaway next month which *will be* international, so hang in there, my overseas friends... there's one coming for you, too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mini-Reviews: I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest & Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I've read a couple books lately that don't really warrant lengthy reviews, sooo... mini-reviews it is. I always have *something* to say, I just don't always have a *lot* to say. :)

Title: I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

Series: No

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: May 26, 2015

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library Loan

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.

Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.

Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.

Princess X?

When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon - her best friend, Libby, who lives.

My Thoughts

I saw I Am Princess X mentioned on a blog not too long ago and it caught my eye. Enough so that I nabbed it from the library. This is a YA (that often felt more like a MG) novel about May and her friend Libby. As children they created Princess X - Libby drew and May wrote. A few years after Libby's untimely death May starts to see Princess X stickers all around and begins to dig into the how's and why's. 

This was a fun blend of traditional story telling and a graphic novel/comic. When May discovers the Princess X web comic, fantasy and reality start to blend as she pieces together clues from the comic to solve the real life mystery of what really happened to Libby. However, the "mystery" of what happened to Libby isn't particularly mysterious since it's basically all spelled out right in the comic. And it didn't take a genius to decipher the clues. Add in the fact that May's new friend just happens to be a hacker extraordinaire (gee, how handy!) and all answers basically just fell in their laps. Middle grade readers will probably have fun with the comic aspect and the few "action" scenes but this is just too dumbed down for teens. I still give it 3 stars for the cool concept and the entertainment value.

3/5 Stars

Title: Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Covenant #0.5

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Mythology

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Format: Trade Paperback

Source: Purchased

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards… and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her.

My Thoughts

Despite my deep and abiding love for all things Jennifer L. Armentrout, there was still one of her series that I had yet to start. I changed that over the weekend when I picked up the prequel to the Covenant series. This was a super short (60-something pages) introduction to the series but was still packed with plenty of action. It's interesting getting familiar with the world and the mythology of a new series. I've never read anything based on Greek mythology so the gods and demigods, etc are all new to me. I've seen some reviews that take issue with the series because apparently (at least the start of the series) is very similar to the Vampire Academy. Well, guess what... I haven't read the Vampire Academy series so any similarities will go right over my head. (Look at that, a little bonus to being behind on my TBR.) I enjoyed this one enough that I immediately picked up the next book, Half-Blood, and I'm excited to see where the series goes. Plus, I'm a sucker for JLA's male characters and I've heard plenty about Aiden and Seth. So let's be real - I'm way excited about meeting them. *cue the heart eyes* 

4/5 Stars

Have you read the Covenant series? What are your thoughts on it?

And, if you've read JLA's other series, how does this compare? 

Review: Somewhere In Between by Samatha Harris

Somewhere In Between by Samatha Harris

Series: No

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 10, 2014

Format: e-book

Source: Won/Provided by the Author

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Alexandra McCabe​​ is disconnected from the world, grieving the loss of her parents...

Content with studying and keeping to herself, Alex has no interest in the campus playboy, Drew Collins, trying to get close to her. But even dousing him with beer doesn't deter the easy-going charmer, and against her better judgment, the pair fall into a reluctant friendship.

Drew is bored with college life, and Alex's romantic rejection intrigues him...

Their friendship is good for both of them, but Drew is used to getting what he wants, and he's tired of shallow sorority girls. He's much more interested in the feisty redhead, but despite his growing feeling, Alex keeps him firmly in the friend zone.

Old heartaches and new tragedies deepen a complicated relationship...

Whatever life throws their way, Alex and Drew remain best friends with their own traditions. Drew is Alex's family, her rock, and Alex keeps Drew grounded, always challenging him to better himself.

When years of buried feelings rush to the surface, they threaten to change everything...

Drew promised his mother he'd tell Alex how he feels, when the time is right-but how will he know when that is? Alex is terrified to reveal those 'three little words' certain Drew doesn't feel the same, and she'll lose the only family she has.

Should Alex and Drew open their hearts, and risk being crushed? Should they be satisfied with a deep, lifelong friendship? Or does the only chance for happiness lie...

Somewhere In Between?

My Thoughts

Yes, yes, yes! When I want a contemporary romance, without OD'ing on angst, *this* is what I want. 

Alex and Drew meet in college and despite a rocky start (she pours a beer over his head at a party) they become friends. Best friends. For Drew, Alex (he calls her Red) is the first woman he's ever really developed a relationship with. For Alex, Drew fills a void - he's friend and family rolled into one. Over the years, both have feelings that go well beyond friendship, but neither is willing to chance losing the special relationship they have.

I adored Alex and Drew. They never felt like cookie cutter characters and I was connected to them both. Their relationship, their closeness, their banter... we should all be so lucky to have a friendship like that. Drew may have been something of a manwhore in college, but he sure had a softer side with Alex. This guy was so selfless when it came to Alex and that made him a superstar in my book. Usually I'm antsy for my people to just get together already. I mean, there's slow burn and then there's just frustrating. But not so here. I loved their relationship so much that I was (mostly) okay with just their friendship... and a little flirting.

And just when I was all "Gah! Enough already!"... there it was. But don't go thinking it was over there. Oh no, there was much more to come. And I ate it up like it was ice cream (mint chocolate chip, thank you very much).

The secondary characters were also top notch. Some I loved and a couple I wanted to throat punch. But all of them felt utterly realistic and I totally wanted to hang out with Alex and Drew's group of friends. There were even a couple moments with Drew's family that got me teary-eyed. Well played, Samatha. You hit me right in the feels.

I will say I was a little confused at Drew's decision-making at several points. He had numerous opportunities to set things straight but didn't and that led to confusion and drama that could have been avoided. Each time it happened I was confused enough to be jarred out of the story, wondering why he was making certain decisions. But it wasn't enough to take away my enjoyment of the characters and their story. (It just made me want to throttle Drew a time or two.)

Somewhere In Between is Samatha's debut novel (and what a debut!) and all I can say is: I want more! Hopefully there will be another story soon... maybe for Sean or Wiley? My fingers are crossed!

4/5 Stars 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samatha “Sam” Harris lives near Baltimore, Maryland with her husband David and daughter Ava. Born in Florida, she migrated north which most people agree was a little backwards. She has been an artist all of her life, a Tattoo Artist for more than ten years, and a storyteller since she was a kid.

Sam has a slightly unhealthy love for Frank Sinatra, classic movies, and Jazz and Blues music, but her first love will always be reading. From Romance, to Thrillers, to Historical Fiction and everything in between, she loves to become a part of the story. As a writer she tells the stories that she would want to read.

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