REVIEW Stay by Jennifer Silverwood

STAY BY JENNIFER SILVERWOOD

Sometimes, love isn’t as magical as people expect it to be…

Rona believes love is nothing more than a myth, a tale for little girls. As the oldest daughter, she knows duty and family honor as well as the difference between salt and cinnamon.

Until the immortal ruler of the seas appears from thin air and she is swept into a dark and dangerous affair. What was formerly myth soon becomes part of the everyday. And Rona believes when Seid tells her they will be together forever.

But forever is a long time and after she betrays him, what was supposed to be an eternity in paradise becomes an eternity in hell. Now she is cursed, unable to feel human emotions except through the couples she is led to save.

Two thousand years is an awfully long time to live alone. And the business of love saving isn’t what it used to be. By the twenty-first century, love has become an illusion as grandiose as magic and Rona’s ready to give up. Until the night she is seen by a human. Deep in the underbelly of the city that never sleeps, she recognizes him instantly. He may dress differently and have gained a few new scars, but she would recognize the face of her former lover in any lifetime.

Trouble is, he seems to have no memory of her and he and his ex-girlfriend are the ones whose true love she’s meant to save.
But when he starts to fall for her, she is forced to learn what it means to be human all over again.

Past and present come full circle in this tale of love, forgiveness and woe.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Here's another book that has a gorgeous, simple cover. The colors and tones are perfect! Excellent job!

As for the book itself, after reading the blurb, I knew I had never read anything like Stay before. I was expecting some type of cupid love triangle, but I got much more than that. This is a love story that stretches across thousands of years, yet is just as important in the present time. Rona is cursed to walk the earth as an immortal, finding couples on their last chance of love, and made to decide if their love is worth saving or not. This is all because her one true love, Seid, used his powers when he felt betrayed by her long ago.

I enjoyed the fact that Rona is so naive, despite the fact that she has walked the earth of two thousand years. She is programed to believe certain aspects of her curse and life can not be changed, but she meets Cain, who challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. 

Cain is a broken man, stuck in the normalcy of his routine until Rona comes along. She brings him back to reality and sparks a fire back in him that had been sucked dry by many devastating events in his life. It's a double edged sword though, because the more Cain comes alive, the more Rona is drawn to him and away from her task, which is to reunite Cain and his ex-girlfriend. 

Cain and Rona's story is laced with passion, love, and regret from both parties. However, their journey brings out the final fate for both of them, which I don't think either of them ever expected to see happen. Heck, I didn't! The final scenes were gut wrenching for romance lovers like me, but I was very pleased with how their story ended. 

I also loved the fact that there was a tiny snippet from Jennifer at the back of the book, explaining how Stay came to be. I don't find that often in books, but I was pleased to get a little inside information about the background story. My favorite part was "Stay was written as an answer to my own questions, whether or not true love exists, and if so, how far people are willing to go for it." I think that's the perfect testimony for Stay.

I GAVE STAY

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You can find Stay on Goodreads and Smashwords.

You can find Jennifer Silverwood on Facebook, Twitter, and her blog. 

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

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! 

I GAVE HERE

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You can check out Here on Amazon and Goodreads!

You can check out Ella James on Facebook, Twitter, and her blog! 

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

REVIEW Hidden Gates by D.T. Dyllin

HIDDEN GATES BY D.T. DYLLIN

For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.

To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.

As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

This one definitely surprised me! I knew I was interested, but I was suddenly sucked in when I started reading. The only thing that has be taken back was the amount of sexy time in this book. But I can't complain, because I do enjoy reading about sexy time, especially when it's well written and even sweet! Right from the start, the characters came alive with Dyllin's amazing ability to wrap the reader up in her descriptive writing.

We start off being thrown into a high school setting, but this is anything but normal for high school in a world of Seer,s Guardians, Speakers, and Gatekeepers. I really enjoyed how it didn't feel like I was reading about some strange place, everything felt like things might have changed since I've been in high school and this is really how it is now! P.J. is our main lady and right away we find out that she's shy, doesn't date, has a guy and a girl best friend,  and has yet to come into her Seer powers. Her best friends are Jenna, a Speaker, who has no shame in her love for getting her groove on with all the boys in school, and Bryn, her one day Guardian and partner in crime, but also the result of many confusing feelings she experiences.

The dynamic between these three is something else. They're quirky, fun, and free spirited! But soon not just one, but multiple wrenches get thrown into their grove, causing their world to get off kilter, opening up more adventure and magic into their already unique world. P.J. goes through a transformation throughout the book of being a shy, timid girl, to a powerful and confident young lady. Bryn, who was already a force to be reckoned with before, gets about ten times more manlier throughout the book.

I think my favorite part of Hidden Gates was the ever revealing storyline and plot twists. The story was like a good layer cake, the cake being the juicy plot twists and the icing between the layers being the new and substantial characters that get introduced along the way. Many times while I was reading I starting thinking 'NO WAY!' and I love when I can do that. I can't wait to read the second book in the trilogy and find out what fate is in store for our little band of heroes! 

I GAVE HIDDEN GATES

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CHECK OUT HIDDEN GATE, YO

You can find Hidden Gates on Amazon and Goodreads.
You can check out D.T. Dyllin on Facebook, Twitter and her blog.

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

REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW Embrace (Gryphon #2) by Stacey Rourke

EMBRACE BY STACEY ROURKE

Whether she likes it or not, eighteen year old Celeste Garrett has come to terms with being the Chosen One. She knew having a “normal life” would be tricky, between intense training sessions and epic demonic battles, but she didn’t know at what cost it would come. That is, until a dear friend is harmed by the malicious forces hunting her.

Now, she’d like nothing more than to retreat into a hermit lifestyle to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. But startling revelations, amazing new abilities, and mortifying moments in front of insanely hot guys won’t allow time for that. Soon, Celeste finds herself surrounded by darkness and wondering who she can trust—if anyone.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

After reading The Conduit, I knew I wanted to find out more in this series. Celeste, even though she's a kick booty girl with powers that will make you gasp, is still a magnet for trouble. Actually, not only that, she's a magnet for boys and relationships that will not end well! I actually feel pretty sorry for Celeste through the first book and halfway into Embrace. She just doesn't catch a break! 

I loved that this book was full of lots of actions and plot twists. I'm a sucker for these two things in a book and when the plot twists are ones that make me look like I just saw a ghost, you know that they're good ones! Celeste really shines throughout the book, though. Her confidence has remained and bloomed even more since we last saw her. She finally starts putting her foot down about making her own decisions and choices with regards to what she believes is the right path for her to take. Even at times when her choices seem questionable, I still find myself rooting her on! She has a good heart.

Then come a few handsome men into her life, especially one hunky Irishman named Caleb. Oh Caleb, how you make all our hearts go pitter patter with your raven black hair and accent. Oh, that's just me? And maybe Celeste, too, I guess. I am trying not to spoil anything but I'll say this....man that Caleb! You'll just have to read and find out why I'm saying that! 

As for the rest of the gang, they aren't left out at all! Lots of things happen to them in their ever changing world as well. I'll try not to give anything away except for some of my reactions to things I read. I said outloud - "REALLY?" "What! No way!" "Aww, how sweet!" And maybe a little of "FINALLY!" So, just get yourself a copy and read this, okay?

I GAVE EMBRACE

FOUR CUPCAKES 

EXTRA, EXTRA! INTERVIEW WITH STACEY ROURKE!

Not only did I get the pleasure to read her books, Stacey took some time to answer some questions for me as well! That's something I always appreciate and love digging into the mind of some of my favorite people. She lets us in on her writing rituals, her dream cast, what we can expect from Sacrifice, and her  love for crabs! The only thing I couldn't get her to give up was her nickname! And a big sorry to her admin, Jenn! Don't give Stacey too many lashings with a wet noodle for answering some silly questions! 

Let’s talk about inspiration. Was there any particular authors or books that inspired you when you first started out as an author? 

I have tons of favorite authors, all of which inspire me with their works. Yet every time I get asked that question I blank on all books I have read … ever. I will say that as of late I have been reading primarily indie books and they never cease to inspire me not only with their story telling but also with their drive and determination to get their voices heard.

What about experiences? Are any of them based on something that happened in your life or is everything just pulled straight from your imagination?

A lot of Celeste’s awkwardness she gets from me. Embarrassing herself in front of hot guys? Totally me. The original draft of Conduit had real life experiences of my extreme dating failures in it, but those were taken out. The fantasy elements come from my imagination, but I utilize personalities and stories from people I know to make the characters as real as possible. 

So, how did you end up writing in the fantasy/paranormal genre? Did you choose it or did it choose you?

Fantasy really is just fun. Who doesn’t dream of being able to fly? Or bench press a car? In fantasy we can break through the rules of reality and anything is possible. That is just too tempting to pass up!

What’s the most challenging part of writer? And what part makes it all worth it?

Right now the literary world is in a state of upheaval. We’re in the midst of the indie revolution. There are so many author’s struggling to get their name out there and their voices heard right now that it is insanely hard not to get lost in the crowd. But those moments when a fan contacts me to say they loved my book, or a teen that tells me they could relate to Celeste? Those are the moments that make it worthwhile. Those are the moments that drive me to push on. 

Are you a sit down and plan, let the characters run wild, or a little of both when it comes to writing?

Little bit of both. I plan and plot the story out, so I know where I’m going with it. Yet the story always manages to surprise me. When I’m in the moment with my characters the story usually ends up taking me places I hadn’t intended. And ya know what? Those are the moments that make the story real and the characters authentic.  

In the Gryphon series, which character do you relate to the most and why? Personally, I’m a Grams trapped in Celeste’s body! Wild and crazy but clumsy as heck!

Celeste, definitely. Her and I both speak fluent sarcasm. LOL

Any stories about how Celeste, Keni or Gabe got their names? (Or any other characters!)

For Celeste I wanted her name to have an origin to the ancestry where her calling began; in the hills of Ireland in the 1700s. Here’s a little known fact; in the prologue of The Conduit the Garrett’s ancestor is eluded to, but not named. Well in the original version she had a name; Celia. I modernized that for present time and that’s how I ended up with Celeste. Then there’s Kendall, our creature of love. She was named in loving memory of my Uncle Ken that passed away when I was eight years old. Gabe? No real story for him. He’s a strong, badass dude and I want him to have a strong, uber-manly name. Hence, Gabe. 

Anything that really sets the mood when you write? Do you need music? Or maybe just a quiet spot to hide away in? Any writing rituals?

I have to be comfy. Preferably on my bed with my laptop, a drink and fuzzy socks on the chilly days. I can not have the TV on because it’s way too distracting for me, but music is a must. I usually flip through my play list until I can find a song that sets the mood for the scene and –much to my husband’s annoyance—I play it on repeat until I get through that moment. 

Have you had the chance to travel anywhere since releasing The Gryphon Series? Any funny stories or interactions with fans that stick out in your brain that you’d love to share? I

 have got to travel a bit, with appearances in Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, and—of course—my home state of Michigan scheduled for this year! I have had a few incidents where people recognized my name and told me how much they or someone they know loves my books and that is insanely cool. But for the most part people don’t do the starstruck thing around me. They read my books, they interact with me through social media and they know I’m a big geek that they can feel free to be themselves around and I wouldn’t change that for the world! 

If the series were to go to the big screen (and I hope it does), do you have a dream cast cooked up already?

I do, and I’m attaching my dream cast graphic just for you!  

Since you’re your own boss now, tell us about the worst boss or job you’ve ever had.

I once worked for a photographer that was constantly trying to get me to pose in bikini pictures because according to him I “didn’t know how truly beautiful I was.” Yeah, nice try slick. I may not think I’m beautiful, but I do think I’m smart enough to keep clothed and away from creeps like him. I didn’t not stay with that job long. 

Care to indulge us with three facts that your fans may not know about you?

-I once won a talent show dancing to the song Hey Mickey. Even rocked a side ponytail

-I can touch my tongue to my nose

-My admin, Jenn, hates it when I say random stuff like this in interviews and she will give me hell for this. 

Do you have a nickname? Come on, share even the embarrassing ones!

-Hahahahahaaaa!!! No. Not gonna happen. LOL

What’s a story that your family will never let you live down?

My step-dad warned me repeatedly not to jump on the stairs. But seven year old me didn’t listen and went ahead and jumped from the top of the stairs down. Didn’t clear the staircase and bounced my head off every stair on the way down. Hence securing my future as some that has to learn things the hard way…

READY TO GET SILLY? OKAY, HERE WE GO!

If you were a t-shirt, what color would you be? Why? 

Purple. I have a purple tee and it’s my favorite.

If I take a look inside your refrigerator what would I find?  

Take-out leftovers and coffee creamer. I’m not so much with the cooking.

If you had to pick one song to be played every time you walked into a room, what would it be and why?  

Sexy B*tch! It is impossible not to strut to that song!

What’s your idea of an amazing meal? 

A bucket of crab from Joe’s Crab Shack!! YES!!!!

And one last question, have any juicy hints, details, or blurbs you can share with us about what we can see next from you? Maybe a little Celeste and Caleb action? (Since I’m assuming you won’t share who Bernard is!)

Sacrifice … the story goes to a deeper, darker place. The humor is still there, but I will be taking you on an emotional roller coaster ride. Things will heat up between Celeste and Caleb, but Rowan is also a big player in this book. There’s a wedding, a painful good-bye and Grams doing Jello shots. What more could you want?!

 

THANK YOU

Once again, big thank you to Stacey Rourke for giving us some juicy answers to my wondering mind!
You can check out Embrace on Amazon and Goodreads.
Check out Stacey Rourke on her blog, Facebook, and Goodreads.


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

REVIEW The Conduit (Gryphon #1) by Stacey Rourke

THE CONDUIT (GRYPHON #1) BY STACEY ROURKE

All 18-year-old Celeste Garrett wants is to head off to college and make those fun, yet ill-advised, choices college kids are known for. And maybe to spend some time with the hot cameraman she just met. Instead, because of a pact her ancestors made in the 17th century with a mythical creature, she has to save the world.

While normal kids are slamming energy drinks and cramming for exams, Celeste will get her adrenaline rush fighting a fire breathing dragon. She wants to meet friends in the quad to exchange lecture notes, but first she must exchange blows with a shapeshifting demon on the rooftop. Life isn’t always fair for a superhero, but at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. With her brother and sister as sidekicks, they alternate between saving lives and getting on each others’ nerves. Together the trio encounters unspeakable odds, mystical forces and comes face-to-face with an image that will haunt them forever—their grandmother in a leopard print bikini.

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

As always, let's start with the cover. The cover intrigued me as it's very different from covers I am used to seeing with a photograph of a person in them. This one has a drawing on some type of parchment! And a spooky drawing  of a shadow person, at that! I wanted to know who this creepy shadow-y person/creature was! 

The characters right away touched my heart. Celeste, Gabe, and Kendall are siblings who are forced to move in with their grandma in a different state due to the declining safety in their hometown. I immediately enjoyed the ease of which their family was. All three of them were fun, quirky, all around loving siblings. 

Celeste, from the start, seems to be the glue that holds everyone together, and she definitely proves that role to be true throughout the entire book. She's a quiet observer though, only  laying down the law when necessary. That all changes when she becomes somewhat of a superwomen when her and her siblings come into magical powers so-to-speak. You watch her transform from wallflower to kick-butt hero! I loved that about her. I'm a sucker for strong female characters, what can I say?

The plot and action were very easy to follow but wasn't lacking in the interest department. I always wanted to know more about the magical world that they were kicking butt to save. It was a breath of fresh air reading this light hearted, funny, but action packed story! Stacey Rourke has a way with words that makes everything flow together easily and sucks you into the story. I can't wait to read Embrace (Gryphon #2) next! 

I GAVE THE CONDUIT

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You can find The Conduit by Stacey Rourke on Amazon and Goodreads.

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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!

 I GAVE STOLEN BY ELLA JAMES

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YOU CAN CHECK OUT STOLEN ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS.

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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YOU CAN CHECK OUT STAINED FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS!