The Life of Anna [Book Review]

The Life of Anna - Marissa Honeycutt
 
Well, where do I start???
No seriously, I don't know where to start! This book actually rendered me speechless.

The Life of Anna is classed as a 'dark erotic' novel, which sets the tone for how this review will go.
The story is full of sex... It almost feels like it's nothing but sex! If it were to be turned into a movie, there would be no saving it like Fifty Shades of Grey - this would go straight to the hard porn section, LOL.

Marissa Honeycutt is one twisted author! Being a dark novel, you know straight away that there is going to be something twisted about it. Whether it's pain, or something more sinister, you know it's coming. Heck, there's even a solid warning at the start of the book (which is actually five books, but I bought the whole series as one big book because I'd heard good reviews about it) stating its darkness. Yet, I continued. What can I say?? I kind of like it dark sometimes. I'm a little dark myself.

However, what I am NOT is... Well, the list is long. I am not:
- a rapist, and there's a LOT of rape.
- a pedophile, and at one point in the book, it is revealed that the 'bad guy' basically molested a three-day old baby. Yep, told you, it's gross.
- a torturer, and the book is about sex slavery, basically. A bunch of the "men" in the book would more than likely have killed Anna, had she not been trained (basically since she was 12) to tolerate a man's wants. Bleh.
- incestuous.

This world is twisted, no doubt. I actually didn't plan on continuing reading this book after learning that Devin "claimed" Anna as a baby, but then I got sucked back in, because I knew this book ended with a happily ever after and well, I was curious. So at any mention of the "claiming", I skipped a few paragraphs and read on. However, I couldn't help but feel mildly disgusted with myself. Why am I still reading this filth??? I tasted bile in my mouth on more than one occasion...

What kept me reading, I hear you ask? Well, enter the Germans. Jesus, they sounded tall and handsome. Yummy. As did some of the other characters in the book. Whilst the story was dark, there were captivating elements, such as reading along as Anna became stronger and more independent. She was even happy at one point in the story. And yes, the pedophilia stuff is hinted at early on in the story, but I kind of remained oblivious to the yucky bits until it was shoved under my nose. By which point, I was hooked. Damn authors.

I know you're curious about some of the gross stuff.
Basically, the owners of the sex slaves are part of a Brotherhood. A Brotherhood that rules the world. The Brotherhood includes 'Elders': these guys rule countries (or states, in the case of the US) and aren't all super bad guys. Some of them are actually nice. Like the Germans. I like the Germans. I now have a desire to marry a German, so he can whisper sweet German nothings into my ear whilst he makes love to me.... Ahhhh.
I digress. To become an Elder, you must first become an Elder-Son. Basically, the legitimate first-born son of an Elder. This process involves lots of sex. Both hetero and homosexual. Immortals come into play as well, with their super large wangs that could tear humans in half, if they so desired. Creepy, right??!
As an Elder-Son, you are required to get married.Prior to the wedding, there are rituals, which vary depending on your family's traditions. The Germans are to be teased and aroused until their wang essentially grows and is perpetually hard until consummation after the wedding... During this process, the Elder-Son is fucked by the Elders - including his father. WHAT.
Yep, it's true. And Anna is shared amongst the German family. She sleeps with not only the son, but also his brother AND his father. His father even impregnates her at one point - on purpose. It's so twisted, but tame in comparison to the rest of the story.

So anyway, this book is both arousing and disgusting. I had to stop reading many times, due to being grossed out or turned on. Thankfully, never both at the same time. I feel dirty after finishing the book, but did enjoy the happily ever after. I enjoyed it immensely. The bastard got what's coming to him, yay. :)

3.5 stars, as it's well written (for the most part) and was able to reel me in, even when I was so grossed out I wanted to hunt the author down and get her admitted into a psychiatric hospital.

Peace out.

- L. x

'Indebted' [Book Review]

On April 17 2015, my life will change, again. 
April 17 is the day 'Third Debt' is released. (Technically, it will be April 18 for me - damn slow Amurkins!)

What is 'Third Debt', I hear you ask??
Third debt is the fourth book in Pepper Winters 'Indebted' series. This series is dark. It's captivating. It's not a happy story. It's twisted. It borders on perverse. And it is one of the BEST series I have read! Which says a lot, considering the amount of reading I do.

Short version?
Meet Nila Weaver. Nila is an innocent daughter caught in a family feud as old as time. Due to a dispute some years ago, Nila has to repay a debt to the Hawks. She doesn't know this though; not until she is captured by none other than Jethro Hawk.
Jethro Hawk is amazing. He is bad to the bone. Heartless. A true Hawk.......or is he?
Jethro is the one who extracts the debts from Nila, but things do not go to plan. Jethro is not who he appears. Not by a long shot.

In order to repay the debts, Nila is taken from a work thing and forced to live at the Hawk mansion (which is based on Waddesdon Manor, one of the most breathtaking places I have ever seen!!!), where she meets the Hawk family - including the gruesome Cut - and learns of her family history.

Each book focuses on a debt, and as the debts go on, they get more and more intense... I cannot wait to see what the third debt shall entail! Six (or so) days to go until I find out!!!!
Six days is more than enough time to read the series to date. The first book, Debt Inheritance, can be found here (or on iBooks, B&N, etc), and is currently FREE. What better way to become trapped in the world of Jethro and Nila. <3

To date, I give this series 4.5 stars. I'd give it five stars, but I cried in the last book, soooo.... (I'm a sook; I cry watching cartoons!!!)

Peace out.

- L. x

Waddesdon Manor

Slammed [Book Review]

I haven't had a whole lot of spare time these past couple of weeks, due to school holidays and stuff, but I have managed to read Colleen Hoover's series 'Slammed'. It's so addictive and cute, albeit a little sad at times.

The first book in the series, aptly titled 'Slammed', is written from Layken's POV. Layken is a teenager who moves to Ypsilanti, a small town in Michigan, after her father dies and her family is forced to leave their Texan home. She then meets Will, the similarly aged boy across the road, and his younger brother Caulder, who quickly befriends her younger brother, Kel.
I don't want to spoil the series, so won't go into details, but it's good. They get into slam poetry, which is a passion of Will's, and then there's some sad bits. A lot of funny bits too, though. :)

The second book in the series, 'Point of Retreat', is written from Will's POV, which is refreshing after seeing everything from Lake's POV in the first book. You learn that Will has had a bit of a rough time in the past, and after the events of the first book, you can't help but feel for him. He's so adorable. :)
Like most series, there is a big "incident" that rocks Will & Lake's relationship, and I became so engrossed that I read the book into the early hours of the morning, as I needed to know how it ended!
The ending didn't disappoint, that's for sure.

The third book, 'This Girl' is also written from Will's POV. It focuses on events that occurred in Slammed, but this time we get to see what Will was thinking during those hilarious first encounters. It also simultaneously follows on from the events that occurred at the end of Point of Retreat, so you get to see how Will & Lake are doing now. Whilst I enjoyed reading Will's take on earlier events, I did find this book to be a little repetitive at times, as some of these things were touched on in the previous book.

Overall, I give this series 4 stars and recommend romance fans read the series, if they haven't already. It's cute, and not a storyline that has been overdone, like many others. It was well-written and the poetry featured throughout the series was great, and has me wanting to try and write some slam poetry of my own! (Although, I severely lack the creativity required to slam, unfortunately!)

Peace out.

- L. x