New Release & Review: Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski

Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski

Expected publication: February 4th 2014 by Forever

"I loved every last word! Beautiful, heartfelt, consuming--I couldn't put it down. There's pure magic in J. A. Redmerski's pen." --- KATY EVANS, New York Times bestselling author of the REAL series

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Never and The Edge of Always
THE TRUTH WILL SET THEM FREE
Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray's wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who's ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can't bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She's done everything she can to keep him at arm's length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn't survive without him. Now she's back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right--until one night changes everything.

Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there's a darkness driving Bray he can't ignore. Now in order to save her, he'll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality--even if it means losing her.

My Thoughts
I’ve been a huge fan of J.A. Redmerski since she published her novel The Edge of Never. However it was her In the Company of Killers that showed me how Redmerski can really light up the pages with a solid story. She always seems to captivate my attention with her easy-to-fall-for characters, well-paced plot and hard hitting drama, so when I heard she was releasing a new novel, I was definitely excited!

Song of the Fireflies is probably one of the more difficult reads I’ve come across in a while. This story was told in two powerful perspectives as Elias and Brayelle share their volatile love that begins at a very young age. The novel includes tough subjects such as depression, suicide, homicide, drugs and all sorts of dark themes that may not be for the faint of heart, so needless to say it took a concerted effort for me to plow through this book.

In the novel, we learn that Elias has always loved Bray, but their relationship has never taken off mainly because of Bray’s fear of losing the one person who’s accepted her for who and what she is. See Bray has fought a long and hard journey with depression, which ultimately gets diagnosed as Bipolar II Disorder. Her family and friends have taken the easy way out by pushing her away, but Elias refuses to never give up on her as she faces her demons and struggles with the darkness that consumes her.

When Brayelle comes back to town after running away from Elias for two long years, he takes her back and they finally begin to catch a cadence to a healthy relationship. However, all of that comes crashing to a halt when a weekend at the river turns deadly and Elias finds himself on the run with Bray. As they hide from questioning and team up with a party group that has their own set of problems, Elias begins to see Bray fall deeper and deeper into a dark abyss that he fears will consume her once again.

Overall, there were moments in the novel that tugged at my heart and I mainly experienced those heartfelt emotions when Elias was narrating the story. Throughout most of the novel, I had a hard time connecting with Bray simply because I didn’t quite understand her. It wasn’t until the final chapters when her condition fully reveals itself and she self-destructs that she finally shattered my defenses.

As I mentioned, the novel carries some difficult themes, but I feel Redmerski did a great job bringing all of the characters full circle. I even enjoyed coming across Andrew and Camryn when they made an appearance in this novel.

Tough book to read, but I feel the author did a solid job of getting her message across and casting it with the right characters to bring it hit home. Intense!

3 Suns

Review: Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski

Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski
Published December 6th 2013

Determined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned.

Sarai’s reckless choices send her on a path she knows she can never turn back from and so she presents Victor with an ultimatum: help her become more like him and give her a fighting chance, or she’ll do it alone no matter the consequences. Knowing that Sarai cannot become what she wants to be overnight, Victor begins to train her and inevitably their complicated relationship heats up.

As Arthur Hamburg’s right-hand man, Willem Stephens, closes in on his crusade to destroy Sarai, she is left with the crushing realization that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But Sarai, taking on the new and improved role of Izabel Seyfried, still has a set of deadly skills of her own that will prove to be all she needs to secure her place beside Victor.

But there is one test that Izabel must face that has the potential to destroy everything she is working so hard to achieve. One final test that will not only make her question her decision to want this dangerous life, but will make her question everything she has come to trust about Victor Faust.

My Thoughts

Wow! Where do I start???

Well, first off… THAT WAS TWISTED AND SEXY WICKED!!

Reviving Izabel takes place about 8 months after Killing Sarai when Victor leaves Sarai in Arizona in the hopes of starting a new and normal life. However, a normal anything just doesn’t quite fit into Sarai’s agenda especially when she has a score to settle with Hamburg back in Los Angeles. So she packs her weapons bags and puts her reckless plan into motion.

What made this novel especially captivating was that we didn’t have to wait too long for Sarai to make some deadly mistakes before Victor shows up and saves her from Hamburg’s lynch men. From the moment he enters the scene the chemistry, action and adventure are turned up to full momentum! I loved the different side of Victor that we got to see in this installment. However, there’s an event that occurs at the final hours of the book that really threw me off. I don’t quite know if I’ve forgiven all the parties involved, but that didn’t take away from how I already fell hard for Victor.

As Victor trains Sarai to be a killer and he makes promises to help her execute her revenge, we come face to face with some of Victor’s buddies. I loved meeting Fredrik! He was twisted and morbid and despite not being able to read his torture scenes and never EVER being able to look at a dentist chair the same way again, I was captivated by this dark and mysterious character. I could definitely read a whole book on Fredrick! Great addition to the cast!

I still wasn’t quite sold on Niklas, especially considering his part at the end of the novel. Despite the valid yet questionable reasons for what he did, I still wanted to knock him out! The way the ending unfolded was a real punch in the gut. No recovering from that one!

Overall, the pacing of the novel is fast and furious with kicks and bullets flying in from all angles. Riveting story that makes J.A. Redmerski’s other stories feel like Disney novels! Loved it!

4 Suns

Release Day Launch & Giveaway: Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski

I really enjoyed Killing Sarai the first book in the In the Company of Killers series by J.A. Redmerski so I’m thrilled to be part of the second books Release Day Launch. I can’t wait to see what happens with Sarai and Victor! Thank you to AToMR Tours for including us! 

Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2) by J.A. Redmerski
Publication Date: December 10th 2013
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Determined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned.

Sarai’s reckless choices send her on a path she knows she can never turn back from and so she presents Victor with an ultimatum: help her become more like him and give her a fighting chance, or she’ll do it alone no matter the consequences. Knowing that Sarai cannot become what she wants to be overnight, Victor begins to train her and inevitably their complicated relationship heats up.

As Arthur Hamburg’s right-hand man, Willem Stephens, closes in on his crusade to destroy Sarai, she is left with the crushing realization that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But Sarai, taking on the new and improved role of Izabel Seyfried, still has a set of deadly skills of her own that will prove to be all she needs to secure her place beside Victor.

But there is one test that Izabel must face that has the potential to destroy everything she is working so hard to achieve. One final test that will not only make her question her decision to want this dangerous life, but will make her question everything she has come to trust about Victor Faust.

Teaser

 -Unexpected Affection-

Victor reaches up and touches my wet hair. The gesture causes my heart to race.

“You have a good sense of people, Sarai,” he says as his hand moves to my chin. “You’re right about Fredrik…,” the pad of his thumb brushes my bottom lip. A shiver races between my legs. “He is…shall I say…unhinged in a sense.”

My breathing picks up and I feel my lashes sweep my face when Victor’s lips fall upon mine.

“Unhinged in what way,” I ask breathily when he pulls back. With my eyes closed, I sense his scanning the curvature of my face and my lips, and I feel the breath emitting softly from his nostrils onto my face.

Every miniscule hair stands on end when his other hand pushes up my thigh and finds my naked waist underneath the shirt. His long fingers dance against the flesh of my hipbone and then rests there.

I open my eyes to see him staring back into mine.

“Is something wrong?” he asks and his mouth sweeps mine again.

“No, I…I just didn’t expect this.”

“Expect what?” I feel his fingers fit behind the elastic of my panties.

My head is swimming, my stomach a fluttering, nervous ball of muscle. “This,” I answer, my eyes opening and closing. “You’re different,” I add softly.

“That’s your fault,” he says and then his lips devour mine.

He pushes my body back against the couch pillows and falls between my legs.

His cell phone buzzes around on the coffee table and I’m reminded just how human I really am when I curse Fredrik for ruining this moment even if it’s to let me know that Dina is safe.

About the Author: Born November 25, 1975, J.A. (Jessica Ann) Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Connect with J.A. Redmerski:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Killing Sarai (In the Company of Killers, #1) is on sale for .99 cents for the release of Reviving Izabel!

Killing Sarai: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

As part of this post we have the amazing giveaway provided and it’s INTERNATIONAL! Just fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

·        (3) Signed print copy sets of Killing Sarai and Reviving Izabel  – International

Launch Day Blitz & Giveaway: The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

Waves of Fiction is thrilled to be a part of the Launch Day Blitz for The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski!

The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

Published November 5, 2013

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Bookish / iTunes

About the book:
Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged-and a wedding isn't the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can't wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew, a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to-until tragedy blindsides them. 
Andrew doesn't understand how this could happen to them. He's trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won't do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride...

My Thoughts:

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Edge of Never is at the top of my favorite books list. I loved everything about it, and to this day, still think about it often. I was really excited when the author announced she was going to continue the beautiful story of Camryn and Andrew.

First of all - Andrew Parrish is the best male character I think ever written. You can not read these books and not fall hopelessly in love with him. The way he loves and cherishes Camryn is what dreams are made of - what all women want to see from the man they adore. 

'You are the other half of my soul. You're the other half of me that I know I can never live without.' 

It's an all-consuming love, the kind that you know will last forever. They are the epitome of soul mates, and that's why I love their story. The intimate moments they share gave me goosebumps - it was so powerful.

This book is just a continuation of where their lives left off at the end of the first book. They find themselves dealing with some trials & tragedies and having to learn to cope with it without letting it destroy their relationship. And in order to find peace and live the life they want, together, they set out on the open road again.

Andrew and Camryn aren't your typical couple. Where most people want to settle down and start a family, these two can't sit still in one place very long before they get bored. They define themselves by their adventurous nature and spontaneity. And they know in order to make it work forever, they have to make promises to each other to never settle - to always do what they want to do in life, be it traveling or whatever, so they are always happy. That may not be very realistic to most people, but it works for them.

'Because we only have one life. We get one shot at making it worth living.' 

This is an amazing love story of two people who found themselves by finding each other.  You'll be holding your breath hoping they get their HEA. You can't help but hope everything works out for these two, after everything they've been through. A truly amazing and heart-warming love story.

You're everything to me, and I want you to stay strong and not let your fear of the past taint the path to our future. Everything will work out this time, Camryn, I swear to you. 

4.5 Suns

Excerpt:

I turn to Andrew again, waiting for him to spit it out. A cold breeze rushes through my knitted sweater, and I hide my hands inside the sleeves.

“You have five minutes to throw all of your stuff in your bag,” he says, and my heart is beating erratically before he finishes the sentence. He taps his wrist where there is no watch. “Not a second more.”

“Andrew—”

“This isn’t up for debate,” he says. “Go get your stuff.”

I just look at him, face blank.

My theory was right, but I didn’t want it to be. I don’t want to go on the road…I mean, I do…but it’s not right. It’s just not right.

“You have four minutes now.”

“But we can’t just leave like this,” I argue. “It would be rude.” I point at Asher. “And Asher just got here. Don’t you want to visit with—”

“I can visit my big brother anytime,” Asher counters. “Right now, I think you better do what he says or you might end up on the road wearing the same panties for a week.”

A few more seconds pass and I still haven’t moved. I’m in a state of mild shock, I guess.

“Three minutes, babe,” Andrew says and is looking at me with a serious face. “I’m not kidding. Get up there, throw our shit in our bags, and get in the damn car.”

Oh hell, he’s back to his old self again…

When I start to argue again, Andrew’s eyes get all feral-looking, and he says, “Hurry up. Time’s running out!” and he points to the house.

Finally, letting down my guard and going with the moment as much as I can allow myself, I glare at him and say, “Fine.” I’m only agreeing to it because I know he’s trying make things better. But I feel guilty as hell.

Disregarding his playful five-minute demand, I turn on my heels and walk very slowly back toward the house, purposely taking my time, partly my way of silently arguing the situation.

I push open the bedroom door, set my bag on the bed, and start stuffing everything inside of it. Then I go into the bathroom and grab our toothbrushes and various bathroom necessities. I yank our phone chargers from the wall and then my phone from the nightstand and chuck it all into my purse. I make my way around the room, hoping that I’m not missing anything.

Looks like Andrew already packed his stuff at some point and I never noticed.

Then I just stand here, scanning every inch of the place around me but not really seeing any of it. I don’t want to do this, but maybe it’s the right thing.

I hear the horn honk three times, and it snaps me out of my thoughts. Grabbing my bag, I swing it over my shoulder and grab my purse from the bed.

About the Author:

J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children, two cats and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC's The Walking Dead.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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Lovestruck Giveaway Hop: The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

Today, Waves of Fiction is excited to join the Lovestruck Giveaway Hop that is being hosted by 

Under the Covers Book Blog.

For our stop we are spotlighting

Andrew and Camryn from The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

So, let me share with you a few things about these two that I came to adore when I read their story.

Favorite Andrew/Camryn Book Scenes

Road Trip to New Orleans

Duet of Barton Hallow by the Civil Wars

Tattoos of Eurydice & Orpheus

Andrew’s letter to Camryn

Looking up at the Rain

Favorite Quotes

“I run behind her, letting her stay a few steps ahead of me so if she happens to fall I’ll be there to laugh at her first and then help her up afterwards.” ~Andrew 

“I think if past lives are real then we have been lovers in every single one of them. I've known you for a short time, but I feel like I've known you forever.” ~Andrew 

“You were the missing piece of my soul, the breath in my lungs, and the blood in my veins.” ~Andrew 

“I don’t think you ever really fall out of love with someone. I think when you fall in love, like true love, it’s love for life. All the rest is just experience and delusions.” ~Andrew

Waves of Fiction is offering one lucky follower a choice of either the eBook (from US Amazon or US Barnes & Noble) or a paperback from The Book Depository of The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski. This giveaway is open to those that can receive an eBook or paperback from the venues listed above.

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Review: Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Killing Sarai (In the Company of Killers #1) by J.A. Redmerski
Published June 19th 2013

About the book
Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.
This is their story…

My Thoughts

FANTASTIC! Really enjoyed this one!!

I didn’t know much about the story when I eagerly jumped into Killing Sarai, but I knew that J.A. Redmerski has a true knack for writing a compelling novel filled with strong and extremely captivating characters as evidence in her novel The Edge of Never. As I journeyed through her newest book, I was surprised to see it was a completely different voice and setting from what I expected, which only proves that Redmerski has was it takes to take her readers on an unexpected journey filled with action and drama.

In this story, we meet Sarai who was kidnapped at the age of fourteen and held captive by a drug lord in Mexico. When the story commences, we witness her first attempt in nine years to escape from Javier’s compound when an American hit man named Victor is hired by her captor for a contract killing. Thinking she can escape, she makes a bold and reckless move by hiding in Victor’s car in the hopes he will help her return to the U.S.

Victor has been trained as a hit man since the age of eight, and relinquished his freedom in the name of “The Order” where he is commissioned to carry out various killings for a lucrative payout. After visiting his latest client, he drives away with one of his employer’s prized possessions. When he discovers Sarai in his back seat, they both realize that any turn they take will land them down Death-wish Drive, and what ensues is a constant challenge of survival.

I was held captive (no pun intended) by this story. Sarai and Victor make one hell of a complicated pair. There was minimal romance in this novel, but that didn’t take away from the emotional punch these two were able to deliver. Hearing their story unfold through alternating perspectives was both emotional and powerful.

The narrative was impeccable! The entire time it felt like a movie that unfolded with constant drama and action. This speaks volumes to Redmerski’s ability at carefully crafting scenes so vividly that you can’t help but picture the images as the action flows through your mind. Well done!

Overall, I truly enjoyed Redmerski’s attempt to deliver a thrilling novel that was filled with suspense and constant action. It might be light on romance but it’s nowhere near limited in heart and emotional power. Great novel that lends a different voice to this amazing author’s ability to tell a great story. I can’t wait for the next installment!

4 Suns

Upcoming Release: The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

Today, Waves of Fiction is excited to join ATOMR in sharing the upcoming release of The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski. The first book was amazing, so to get an exclusive excerpt of the book was truly exciting, and we've included it here to share with all of you. Enjoy!!

The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never #2) by J.A. Redmerski 

Expected Publication: November 5, 2013

Publisher: Hachette Book Group

Pre-Order: Amazon | iTunes

About the book

He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…

Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it happen.

Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to THE EDGE OF NEVER, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their relationship is put to the ultimate test.

As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a bold decision: To get their life back on track, they’ll set out on another cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure—and challenges they never could have anticipated.

Sexy. Daring. Dangerous. THE EDGE OF ALWAYS takes you on a ride you won’t forget .

THE EDGE OF ALWAYS Excerpt

Camryn shrieks and I start laughing as we dash away from the cows and toward the car.

“Awww, shiiiit!” I yell when I step in a huge pile of it.

Camryn cackles with laughter and we both practically stumble the rest of the way through the field, me trying to scrape the shit off the bottom of my shoe while running at the same time and Camryn’s flip-flops getting caught on the ground trying to keep up with her feet.

“I can’t believe that just happened!” Camryn laughs as we finally make it back to the car. She arches her body over forward and props her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

I’m out of breath, too, but I still relentlessly scrape the bottom of my shoe on the asphalt. “Dammit!” I say, rubbing my foot back and forth.

Camryn jumps up on the hood of the car, letting her legs hang over the front. “Can we finally say that we did it?” she asks with laughter in her voice.

I stand still finally and catch my breath. I look at her, at how beautiful and bright that smile of hers is and I say, “Yeah, babe, I think we can safely mark it off our list.”

“Good!” she says.

Then she points behind me. “Do it on the grass,” she says with one side of her mouth pinched into a hard line. “You’re just spreading it around doing it like that.”

I hop over into the grass and start rubbing my foot back and forth again. “Since when did you become an expert on shit?”

“Better watch your mouth,” she warns, getting into the driver’s seat.

“What are you going to do?” I taunt her.

She starts the Chevelle and revs the engine a few times pressing on the gas. There’s a cruel gleam in her eyes. She props her left arm across the top of the open window and next thing I know she’s driving slowly past me.

I give her the warning eye, but her grin just gets bigger.

“I know you won’t leave me here!” I shout as she goes past me.

Surely she wouldn’t….

She gets farther away and at first I call her bluff and just stand here, watching her get smaller and smaller…

Finally, I take off running after the car.

About the Author

J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE EDGE OF NEVER lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC's The Walking Dead.

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