REVIEW Here by Ella James

HERE BY ELLA JAMES

Milo Mitchell's life used to be charmed, but that was before her family dissolved, she went a little crazy, and her best friends started acting more like strangers. Spending Saturday morning in a treehouse with a stun gun for company and a herd of deer for friends is the only exciting thing in her life...until she shoots a fawn and finds her dart stuck in a guy.

Her gorgeous victim is dressed in a Brioni tux and armed with a hanky. He has no idea who or where he is. Afraid her dart caused his amnesia, Milo takes him in, names him Nick, and vows to help him solve his mystery. Soon the pair find Nick's face in a newspaper obituary, and Nick beings to have strange, ethereal memories of Milo--who is sure she's never met him. Suddenly Nick knows things he shouldn't know and is doing things he shouldn't do. When the Department of Defense shows up, Nick and Milo run--toward a shocking conclusion that could destroy both their worlds.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Let me take a second to show this cover some love. It's simple, it's black and white, and it's magnificent. Seriously, how could you not be drawn to this cover and the guy with the awesome bone structure and perfectly quaffed hair?

We start off by meeting a giggling group of teen girls. Among them is Milo, who loves her three friends very much, but is starting to feel disconnected from them as their lives start taking different paths. Since I was once a teenager(not so long ago it seems), I could relate to her very much in that sense! Finding true self in high school when you have more than one friend is a struggle at times, especially when you've gone through some traumatic events such as Milo. 

She really struck me as awesome when you find out she's continued her Dad's deer tracking research and she lives out in the boondocks where they produce and sell natural energy from their turbines. Basically, Milo was who I wanted to be when I was younger! How cool would it be to grow up like that? Maybe it's just my hippie self that thinks that, but I'm already pretty jealous of her.

But her life gets about ten times more confusing when she aims for a fawn, and in its place, a handsome young man appears in a suit and tie. She handles it much better than I would have, if I would have shot someone with a dart gun. The boy doesn't remember anything prior to the moment he wakes up and sees Milo's face. She dubs him Nick, and together they set out to try and solve the mystery of his past.

I like that we get to see into glimpse of Nick's mind. He's a mystery to us and of course, I was always craving to learn more about him, but how could we when he didn't even know about himself? The connection between Milo and Nick can be seen right from the start, and I really enjoyed the innocent lust that you feel between the two of them. It was sweet and a testament to young love, one which I'm sure all of us have felt at one point or another.

My favorite part in Here was when the action finally kicked in. Nick and Milo are chased by FBI agents and Nick's 'powers' are starting to come out in full swing. I felt like I was hanging onto the back of the motorcycle with them and experiencing being hunted as well. Once they are in the underground building, I knew the book was ending, and I wasn't ready for that to happen. I wanted to know more! I need to know more! However, even though I was disappointed it ended, I wasn't disappointed in the ending, especially since I know Trapped, book two, is coming out so soon! 

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 I RECEIVED A  COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST OPINION.

REVIEW Stolen by Ella James

STOLEN BY ELLA JAMES

With Cayne's fate in the hands of his enemies and Julia spirited away to the covert Stained compound, the two are separated by impenetrable walls and a gulf of unanswered questions. Soon Julia learns the truth about the Stained and the plans they have for her, the compound is attacked, and a new group is running from an unwanted destiny, searching the globe in pursuit of the knowledge that just might save them all. 

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Cayne and Julia's story continues! We find them both at the Chosen compound, painfully separated from one another. I was very intrigued by this compound and all the new characters that we get introduced to. It was eerie and awesome all rolled up into one big unknown sandwich. I mean come on, they can float through walls! And bam! There's the giant, creepy illuminated pyramid we saw in the cover(and in Julia's dreams) in the previous book.

I enjoyed all the time it took to learn about The Chosen and their "rank" structure and beliefs. I felt like it was going to be really important since we follow Julia through the group meditations and learned all about being a candidate. I think that's my only disappointment with this book - I felt this huge chunk of the book was kind of lost after the big break out. I'm really holding out hope it will all come together in the next book!

Cayne kind of is put on the back burner while Julia discovers her place in the Chosen world. I'm a hopeless romantic, so I secretly wanted everything to magically be alright in their world. But I'm glad it wasn't. I'm glad Julia didn't cave and forgive him right away! Hold your ground girl!

Cayne is also changing as well. His visit towards the end of the book really pus things in perspective for him about what Julia is to him. And it also opens up a whole new can of worms of unanswered questions! What happened in Scotland? What's going to happen with the leash? And I still don't know what's up with the freaky, giant pyramid!

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REVIEW Stained by Ella James

STAINED BY ELLA JAMES

Seventeen-year-old Julia is finally living the good life. She's traded a hard cot in a Memphis orphanage for her very own room in a perfect little house, on a perfect little street, with a perfect set of parents who picked her to be their daughter.

But Julia is hiding a secret - and one fall night, she returns home from a friend's house to find that her secret has found her. Her 'forever home' is ashes. Her parents are dead. And, in the sky above the flames, a winged creature hunts her.

The Nephilim King, Samyaza, has taken everything from Cayne. After struggling in the darkness for years to piece together his shattered life, Cayne is finally ready to confront his past and avenge the loss of everything he loved. He tracks Samyaza to a Memphis warehouse, where he winds up flat on his back, in the healing hands of a beautiful, dark-haired girl he doesn't need to know.

Unbeknownst to either of them, they are already bound. Cayne's past holds the answers to Julia's future. But what will pose the greatest threat to her? The bounty placed on her head by the leaders of two Celestial realms, or giving her heart to a man who is bound, by birth, to break it?

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Lets talk about the cover first, since I'm a total visual person. I was really drawn to this cover. The girl in the front, who I assumed would be Julia, has a very angelic glow along with the creepy pyramid in the back. I wanted to know more about the girl and the pyramid right away! So much in fact I almost overlooked the star-like mark on the girls shoulder! Definitely loved this cover!

Once I started reading, I'm not going to lie. The first thing that had me super excited was the fact that this all took place around Memphis. I just kept thinking, I've been there! I live three hours away. I know Beale street! I know the Peabody Hotel! That was so very awesome for me.

Julia won me over almost immediately with her broken past and pink chucks. When she is forced to run away, I could feel how scared and alone she was. Then comes Cayne and her world changes. Julia is instantly drawn to help him, which I think is just a part of who she is. She seems to always try and find the best in people and try to push out an bad feelings she may have. She's too trusting, maybe? A curse and a blessing!

Cayne is stoic and doesn't show any feelings, which drives Julia crazy. She wants to know more about him and he just keeps pushing her away, or so, he pushes her away with his words but when things get tough physically when Samyaza threatens to harm Julia, he shows a different side of him with his actions. This was my favorite part of Julia and Cayne's chemistry. The push and pull of their affection with each other is overwhelming -in a good way. There were times I wanted to yell at both of them and reach through my Kindle and shove them together so they would finally kiss! I loved this about them though, because it made it seem as though you never knew what the future was going to be like for these two.

Ella James writes a great introduction to this new adventure and life for Julia and Cayne. Both seek revenge and they seem to be stronger together. I can't wait to find out more answers about Julia and Cayne's fate!

I GAVE STAINED BY ELLA JAMES

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