Best of the Bunch ~ August 2012

Best of the Bunch is a monthly meme hosted by Always Lost in Stories on the last day of every month.

The aim of this meme is to share the best book that we have read or reviewed in that month and give it our Best of the Bunch award.

August reads:

Sweetest Taboo by Eva Márquez ~ 4 stars ~ My review.

The Selection by Kiera Cass ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Destined by Aprilynne Pike ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Elemental by Brigid Kemmer ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins ~ 2 stars ~ My review.

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Freja by Saga Berg ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson ~ 5 stars ~ My review.

And the Best of the Bunch of August 2012 is...

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Hardcover, 292 pages

Published July 3rd 2012 by HarperTeen

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Okay, so... I read A LOT of amazing books in August but even so this wasn't a hard decision. Tiger Lily BY FAR was the best book I've read. Even more, Tiger Lily is (so far) the best book I've read in 2012. Yeah, it's that good! The writing was beautiful and the story was heartbreaking but amazing.
Of the other books I've read I enjoyed Sweetest Taboo (very recommended!), The Selection (just fab!), Obsidian (Daemon! Daemon!) and Storm (Oh my god!) the most. Sweet Evil was a somewhat disappointing to me but the world in it is very original so, yeah, other people might like it more. Also Fifty Shades of Grey I enjoyed a lot. ;D

Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Title: Tiger Lily
Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
Publication: July 3rd by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Hardcover, 292 pages
Cover Rating: 5/5
Content Rating: 5/5
First Line: She stands on the cliffs, near the old crumbling stone house.
Purchase: The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

My thoughts: 
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson is definitely my new favorite read of 2012. I was entranced by the beautiful, poetic and beautifully descriptive writing that attracted my attention instantly. This is not a typical Young Adult book. Be warned; it will leave you heartbroken and yet make you crave more of Neverland. It doesn't matter if you have read the original story by J.M. Barrie or not. You'll be enraptured by this enthralling retelling of Peter Pan.

"Let me tell you something straight off. This is a love story, but not like any you’ve heard. The boy and the girl are far from innocent. Dear lives are lost. And good doesn’t win. In some places, there is something ultimately good about endings. In Neverland, that is not the case."

I've always loved the disney version of Peter Pan ever since I was a little kid, as I'm sure everyone does, so as soon as  I saw Tiger Lily was coming out I knew I had to have it no matter what. I had seen some great reviews about it going around on Goodreads. Almost all were 4 or 5 star reviews so it made me only more determinded to get it. Also, I just adore this cover. I loved it  as soon as I laid eyes on it. Just like the book itself the cover looks very enchanting. 

I've never read anything by Jodi Lynn Anderson but I fell in love with her writing instantly. It was so poetically descriptive and just beautiful. I couldn't get enough of it! 
Tiger Lily is told not from Tiger Lily's point of view but Tinker Bell's. I thought it was simply fantastic! I had never read any books where the story is told through someone else's eyes. I kind of wish other books were like that, but then again... maybe that's just the brilliance of this book; how different it is. I came to care a lot about Tinker Bell and loved how loyal she was to Tiger Lily and wanted to protect her from all harm. Even when she loved Peter too, she didn't waver. 

Tiger Lily by far is one of the loneliest characters I've ever come across. But that's one of the reasons that makes her so amazing. She's strong; inside and out, fierce, restless and so courageous. It's no wonder Tinker Bell felt the need to follow her everywhere to see what she would do next. Her life at the tribe has never been easy. Her fellow tribe members thinks she's cursed and her adoptive father, who's the shaman has arranged her to marry one of the most horrible people I have ever read about. Giant. His name says it all, doesn't it? 
But then she meets Peter Pan. Oh, Peter. He's all kinds of things all at once. Wild, savage even, beautiful, lonely, charming, frustrating, and the list goes on and on. I couldn't help but fall for him as much as Tiger Lily did. She knew he might've been bad news but there's really no helping yourself with him.

“The bad things are some of my favorites," Peter said.

The romance between the two of them was very sweet. When Peter first gave Tiger Lily a kiss on the back of her neck I just was ready to die from cuteness! Or the wolf pup thing! (You'll know when you read it! :D) ♥ Yes, Peter stole my heart with that! How could he not?
I was rooting for them even though I knew they would not end up together. 

I also liked some of the more side characters like Tik Tok and Pine Sap. 
Pine Sap was so cute! He's always been Tiger Lily's friend no matter what. Not even when she ignored him or anything like that. I'm thrilled that he got his happy ending for himself and her too, eventually after all the crap he went through all his life. It's really true that he read Tiger Lily better than anyone.

“He even listened to more than her sounds, because Tiger Lily was a girl of few words. He listened with his eyes, watched her facial expressions, judged body language, and therefore read Tiger Lily better than anyone else.”  

The Lost Boys were adorable. Every single one of them. And of course the baby called Baby was so cute. Especially when Peter was taking care of him.
Captain Hook was pretty much how I pictured him. Sad, lonely and vengeful. Smee simply gave me the creeps. I also loved how the mermaids were a big part of the story.
I hated when the bad shit when down with Tik Top and Phillip. I had seen it coming a long time ago. Phillip was bad news. Such bad news! I just wanted to scream out loud. I wanted to hurt Phillip for all that he did. He made me so mad and frustrated! Poor Tik Tok. He didn't deserve it at all. 

I didn't think it was possible but this book made me hate on Wendy so so much. Seriously, she ruined everything the moment she came in. She thought she was in her own little novel starring as the heroine, and Peter was the hero...

It felt so hurtful to me when Peter started hanging out with Wendy instead of Tiger Lily because I cared so much for the girl with the crow feather in her hair. Even when she was filled with rage and hurt it was hard not to feel for her. It was all simply heartbreaking and I found myself weepy by the end of it all.

I will never ever forget this book and all the wonderful characters. It even makes me want to read the original story. Will I reread Tiger Lily sometime? I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be able to handle reading it again but maybe, who knows...
The one thing that really made my heart break into a million little pieces was the letter Peter had written to Tiger Lily. I had so many emotions when I was reading it, I can hardly describe them even now or I'll start crying. Keep the tissues ready! 
I fell in love with Neverland from the first moment on. It was like a pull that kept me wanting to read more and more of this wonderful enchanting world and it never ever disappointed me.
Tiger Lily was the most wonderful, exciting, sad, beautiful emotional rollercoaster I have ever been on.

~Favorite quotes~

“I recognized Tiger Lily instantly; I had seen her before. She stood out like a combination of a roving panther and a girl. She stalked instead of walked. Her body still held the invincibility of a child, when at her age it should have been giving way to fragile, flexible curves.”

“How can I describe Peter's face, the pieces of him that stick to my heart? Peter sometimes looked aloof and distant; sometimes his face was open and soft as a bruise. Sometimes he looked completely at Tiger Lily, as if she were the point on which all the universe revolved, as if she were the biggest mystery of life, or as if she were a flame and he couldn't not look even though he was scared. And sometimes it would all disappear into carelessness, confidence, amusement, as if he didn't need anyone or anything on this earth to feel happy and alive.”

“If there was a true moment that Tiger Lily fell so in love with Peter she could never turn back, it was that night, when he shivered and walked and told her he was warm, and told her he loved her so much. She was fierce, to be sure, but she had a girl's heart, after all. As she walked home that night, she was shaking from the largeness of it.”

“Maybe all of her strangeness, her curse, her always feeling like an outsider, had all existed so that she could belong here, with Peter.”

~About the author~

I write books about vaguely magical peach orchards, resorts in the afterlife
, enigmatic island princesses beloved by Tinkerbell, and...civics! I was an awkward and strange child who kept lots of secrets. Now I live with a sweet Basenji dog named Peanut who loves to eat shoes, and a sweet husband who is good at all the things I'm bad at, like being organized and thinking things through. I've loved writing and reading about mythical and strange things since I can remember.

Find Jodi Lynn Anderson on: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Waiting On Wednesday #31: Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Sever (The Chemical Garden #3) by Lauren DeStefano

Expected publication: February 12th 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Time is running out for Rhine in this conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden Trilogy.

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.
Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

I am beyond excited for this final book! I've been a fan of the series since the beginning and I can't wait to see how it ends! ^^

Teaser Tuesdays #30: Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

My teaser:

"Your mission is to save Shakespeare from this foolishness. Convince him the life of a Jesuit brother is not one he wants."
"And how would I do that?"
"You're going to seduce him," Stephen said with a perfectly straight face.

-page 19, Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

~ Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Hardcover, 340 pages

Published August 14th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

A romantic time travel story that's ideal for fans of novels by Meg Cabot and Donna Jo Napoli--and, of course, Shakespeare.

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide.

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meet Shakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda to use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright.

Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

 Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. 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!

1000 Followers Giveaway!

<a href=" http://www.stephii-bookfever.blogspot.be/2012/08/1000-followers-giveaway.html " target="_blank"><img src="http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x366/Stephiii91/Social%20buttons/pizapcom13460763860911.jpg" alt="Bookfever" width="250" height="250" /></a>

Bookfever has reached 1000 followers! 

Woop woop!

You know what that means, right?

GIVEAWAAAAAY!

First of all a huuuuge thanks to everyone following the blog.  I really really appreciate it!   

Me luvz you all! ♥

And good luck to everyone who's entering the giveaway! ^^

Now on to the good stuff!

What can you win?

1 book of choice from The Book Depository up to €12 or $15

As always, it's international as long as TBD ships to your country. 

Giveaway ends 9/27

Just fill in the rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Characteristic #10

Cover Characteristic is a weekly meme hosted on sunday by A Muggle's Magical Book Blog.The point of this meme is to find book covers that fit with the theme that the host each week selects. 

This week's cover characteristic:

Couples

5. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

4. Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

3. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2. Everlasting by Alyson Noel

1. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

♥

Stacking The Shelves #1

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews.

The point of this meme is to showcase the books you bought, borrowed, won, downloaded or received for review.

The following books I have received in the two weeks I've been on vacation. It was soooo nice to return home and receive these from the post office. ♥

Tiger Lily by Jody Lynn Anderson (hardcover, bought)

Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle (hardcover, bought)

Rift by Andrea Cremer (paperback, bought)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda (paperback, bought)

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (paperback, bought)

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (paperback, won)

Remembrance bookmark (won)

Helen Hamilton Art Bookmark (won @ Jean BookNerd)

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (ebook, for review)

So yeah, I got a lot of awesome looking books and nice bookmarks. Currently I'm reading Tiger Lily and it's no secret that I'm in love with this book. It's amazing! I'm also really excited for Kissing Shakespeare and Rift. :)

What books did you receive? 

Awesome Giveaway!

In honor of the 2000 followers of the Creatura Facebook Fan Page, 

Nely Cab is holding an awesome international giveaway! 

What can you win?

1 Signed Print Copy of Creatura 
and 2 Mystery Prizes. 

All you have to do is go enter the rafflecopter giveaway on her blog. So just click on the picture to go there and enter! 

Good luck!

♥

Waiting On Wednesday #30: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Expected publication: February 5th 2013 by HarperCollins

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

I loved the first book: Shatter Me, so of course I am beyond excited for Unravel Me. I can't wait to see more about each and every character *coughWARNERcough* .

Teaser Tuesdays #29: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

My teasers: 

I recognized Tiger Lily instantly; I had seen her before. She stood out like a combination of a roving panther and a girl. She stalked instead of walked. Her body still held the invincibility of a child, when at her age it should have been giving way to fragile, flexible curves.

-page 4, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

He even listened to more than her sounds, because Tiger Lily was a girl of few words. He listened with his eyes, watched her facial expressions, judged body language, and therefore read Tiger Lily better than anyone else.

-page 19, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

 Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. 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!

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey
Author. E.L. James
Series: Fifty Shades #1
Publication: April 3rd 2012 by Vintag (first published May 26th 2011)
Genre: Adult ~ Erotica
Format: Paperback, 514 pages
Cover Rating: 5/5
Content Rating: 5/5
First Line: I scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror.

~Synopsis~

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My thoughts: 
I loved Fifty Shades of Grey! There, I said it. I loved it. It kept my attention and before I knew it I couldn't stop reading. It was one amazing read! Ana and Christian are definitely one of my favorite book couples now. And I can't wait to read more of them.

I started this book for several reasons. It's been a hype for a while now, so I figured it was finally time. I've seen lots of reviews about it. Some bad, some awesome. I did notice a lot of 5 sta reviews though. A few of my bookish friends had read it and loved it, trying to make me start it but I never did until a few days ago. Shame on me! (Spank me, Mr Grey ;D)
Also I had it with me on my vacation and was running low on awesome books to read so I picked it up. Am I glad I did!
The writing was good! I thought it would be terrible because a lot of people kept whining about it. Yeah, it wasn't that bad. Not at all. 

From the moment I met Christian Grey I was simply hooked. 

"So young—and attractive, very attractive. He's tall, dressed in a fine gray suit, white shirt, and black tie with unruly dark copper colored hair and intense, bright gray eyes that regard me shrewdly."

Christian is very intense, and tortured. Just the way I like my men in books. But he also has a funny and sweet side that I simply adore. He's very protective over Ana... or should I say controlling? He does really care about her, and maybe even love her. Even though he can't say it (yet?). There's still so much to know about his past. We've caught a few glimpses of it, but not the full story yet. I'm sure the next two books will give us more insight into his past, how sad it may be. 
Christian definitely is one of my favorite guys in books. He's sexy, dark and just complete sin. No wonder Ana couldn't resist the temptation that is Christian Grey.

"Oh, fuck the paperwork,” he growls. He lunges at me, pushing me against the wall of the elevator.

I know a lot of people think that Christian is... to put it in Ana's words... "one fucked-up son of a bitch". And it's true, at some level. He's fuck-up by whatever happened in his past when he was so little. So really it's no wonder he needs to control and dominate.

“Why don't you like to be touched" Ana whispered, staring up into soft grey eyes.
"Because I'm fifty shades of fucked-up, Anastasia”

But not all is as dark as it seems. I loved the moment where him and Ana have this chemistry that's beyond anything I've read. It's crazy! And for Ana, Christian was willing to to being more! How amazing is that? Christian Grey who "doesn't do the girlfriend thing" wanted to try more and they were. They really were.


Our main character is Anastasia "Ana" Steele. She's the typical klutzy, insecure type of woman. She literally falls into Christian's office when they first meet. Way to make a first impression huh? I did like her a lot. She was funny and ballsy at some point even though I don't usually like those insecure main characters. But I did like her. And her "inner goddess" was just hilarious. I loved how when she mails Christian how honest she is to him and can tell him anything that way. The emails also were beyond funny. The subject titles alone had me laughing out loud. My favorite Christian line: "Later baby" One might wonder why Ana let Christian do those things to her and the answer is simple. She wants to be with Christian. But also, I know she kinda loves the thrill of this lifestyle Christian has. And she sure is intruiged by his "red room of pain".

“I gasp, and I'm Eve in the Garden of Eden, and he's the serpent, and I cannot resist.”

 Ana was a very honest and clear headed (except when it came to Christian) character to me. Everyone she does seemed natural. She was just real.

One of my other favorite characters was Ana's roommate and best friend, Katherine "Kate" Kavanagh. Trust me, that you would want her to be a friend of yours. Kate was fucking hilarious, spunky and a great friend. She knows there's something off about Christian and doesn't really like how affected Ana is by him. This next quote of hers is my favorite of the entire book.

"Grey—you're on my shit list and I'm watching you.”

I love that Kate is dating Christian's brother, Elliot. They're so cute together, but it's so different from what Ana and Christian have. You can't help but compare even though Elliot isn't Christian's real brother. Sometimes is made Ana jealous and I can understand that. Sometimes Christian is so closed and you can't get close to him. It's sad, really. But I'm sure Ana can get through all the walls he's build.

Since this book is about BDSM the sex was hot and kinky. But it was not over the top shocking or anything. I know a lot of people don't want to read this book because of it, though in my eyes sometimes the sex/romance was kinda sweet and touching. Especially when Ana gets closer to Christian. But very steamy, indeed.

“I want you sore, baby,” he murmurs, and he continues his sweet, leisurely torment, backward, forward. “Every time you move tomorrow, I want you to be reminded that I’ve been here. Only me. You are mine.” 

The end of this book was breaking my heart. I know it's not a final end because yay two more books! But still... it was sad. Ana... Christian... *sigh*
Fifty Shades of Grey is a book full of complex characters, confusing relationships and hot chemistry between Ana and Christian. If you've been thinking about reading it, don't think about it. Just do! You'll be hooked right away.

~Favorite Quotes~

The candle flame is too hot. It flickers and dances in the over-warm breeze, a breeze that brings no respite from the heat. Soft gossamer wings flutter to and fro in the dark, sprinkling dusty scaled in the circle of light. I'm struggling to resist, but I'm drawn. And then it's to bright, and I am flying too close to the sun, dazzled by the light, fried and melting from the heat, weary in my endeavers to stay airborn. I am so warm. The heat... It's stiffling, overpowering. It wakes me.

He grabs me suddenly and yanks me up against him, one hand at my back holding me to him and the other fisting in my hair.
"You're one challenging woman," He kisses me, forcing my lips apart with his tongue, taking no prisoners.
"It's taking all my self-control not to fuck you on the hood of this car, just to show you that you're mine, and if I want to buy you a fucking car, I'll buy you a fucking car," he growls.

This is a man in need. His fear is naked and obvious, but he's lost. . . Somewhere in his darkness.
His eyes wide and bleak and tortured. I can soothe him. Join him briefly in the darkness and bring him into the light.

“What is it about elevators?”

About the author:

E L James is a TV executive, wife and mother-of-two based in West London. Since early childhood she dreamed of writing stories that readers would fall in love with, but put those dreams on hold to focus on her family and her career. She finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper with her first novel, Fifty Shades of Grey.

E L James is currently working on a new love story...

Visit E.L. James at: 
http://www.eljamesauthor.com
Find her also at: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Youtube