Friday, June 20, 2014

Shaken Series by Julie Bailes with Reviews




                                                               Mature Audience Only 




**Book 1 in the Shaken Series** 


If someone asked me to describe myself using only one word, I’d tell them damaged. I’m completely broken, irreparable. On the outside, I appear beautiful and bright, but on the inside, my soul is black and empty. I haven’t always been this fragile, scared, and heartbroken woman. Nope. I had the life my peers envied; happily married parents, captain of the volleyball team, and a dangerously sexy and loving boyfriend. Then, faster than I could blink, my life went to hell in a gasoline-soaked hand basket. 


Cancer struck. The sting of death pierced my heart, and my so-called ‘loving’ boyfriend left me. Wyatt shattered my heart into a million pieces when he left, but little did he know, it wasn’t just me he walked away from. Four years later, Blake changes everything. Unlike Wyatt, Blake treasures my heart. Blake claims I’m beautifully broken, and that he can fix me, but I know differently. 


How can you put something together without all its pieces? You can’t. When Wyatt left, he took most of my heart away with him. You see, hearts are like broken glass; you can put it back together again, but it will never be the same. While I’m undeserving of Blake’s love, he deserves every bit of mine. My biggest fear is that I’ll crush his heart, just as Wyatt did mine.



                                                                 


My Review: 5 stars
Jaysus! This was so good. I totally loved the way that Blake was with Allie. He was patient, and waited for her to heal. To be ready for him. Finally, Allie sees what Blake has been offering her for the longest time. They sort of take things slowly, but they do have passion for each other that is so strong. It's difficult to get over your first love, but Blake has waited for Allie to do that. Allie was broken, she'd lost the three men she ever loved; her dad, her brother - Kyle, and her first love - Wyatt. That's a lot of grief to deal with in a short amount of time. Blake waited for her for three years and when they finally have something good going, Wyatt steps back into the picture. I'm going to say that I really wanted to hate him or dislike him a lot. But after everything he tells Allie, I just can't. He did what he did for her, and he didn't know what he had done to her. I get that he could have guessed that he at least broke her heart, but he just wanted to come back as if nothing ever happened. He really didn't know the half of it - no one does except for Allie and her Mom. The last part of the book left me stunned, to say the least. I never saw that coming. Not at all. Damn if it didn't break my heart a little. I definitely can't wait to read the next book to find out what happens! Great job with the whole thing Julie. 





**READ after Shattered and Shaken (book 1), and prior to Shattered & Mended (book 2)** 
Mature audience only 

Walking away from her was the hardest decision I ever made. Leaving her without an explanation broke us both. Our hearts have been left shattered. I could make excuses. I could lay the blame on others, but still I made the decision. I had to. It was the only way to protect the both of them. 


After all of Allie’s loss, my thought was only on her and her happiness. On her love and need for her big brother. I was replaceable, Kyle wasn’t. I wouldn’t allow him to crush her heart with his death. I knew I had follow him. I would throw myself on top of bombs, in front of bullets, whatever it took to get him home to her, alive. There are two sides to every story, and you’ve only heard one. Don’t be so quick to judge; I hate myself for what I’ve done. But all that I did, it was all for Allie. 





My Review: 5 stars
Ok, now I feel like an ass, because I know what Wyatt gave up to leave Allie. Everything. He left for her and to try and lookout for Kyle. How he promised to do what he did so that Allie wouldn't be worrying and waiting for him. I don't agree with his choice, but it is what it is. Reading this broke me down. The love that Wyatt has for Allie is real. There is no stopping it. This tells us everything that Wyatt went through and felt before and after he left Allie. My heart broke for Wyatt, a couple of times reading this. We find out what happened with Kyle, and the promise he made to Kyle that he intends to keep. I just don't know what's next. The next book had the answers I'm looking for and will tell me who Allie ultimately chooses. 




**READ Shattered & Shaken and All for Allie prior to Shattered & Mended, as this is the last in the series** 

Mature Audience 

My mind was made up and my decision had been made, but fate felt the need to rear her ugly head and demand control. 

Fate is guaranteed, not to be reckoned with, and she won’t be defeated. You see, she’s the author to our stories that have already been written; there’s no editing them. Try as you might, but all you’ll do is piss her off. 

When you fuck with fate’s masterpiece, tragedy strikes, death occurs, and hearts get shattered. I’ve never been one to follow the rules. So instead, I stood with arms wide open and I challenged her. I knew the possibilities of her kicking my ass were high, but I refused to back down. I invited all the heat she packed, and quickly learned my lesson… 

You don’t fuck with her. 



My Review: 5 stars
Whew! Julie definitely had me on a roller coaster with this one. Just when you thought things were going one way - Bam! Something would happen that just knocked me on my ass. Allie has been through so much, so damn much. She has experiences the roller coaster from hell, and it sucks. Wyatt has also been put through the wringer when it comes to Allie. But he's a man who is more than capable of fighting for who and what he wants. Wyatt will not give up on Allie - ever. Wyatt experiences something that no man would likely admit to, and it rocks him and Allie, especially after Allie confirms it for herself. She forgives Wyatt for what happened, but remains steadfast that Blake is the one for her. Even though she knows she's lying to herself. Wyatt just gets to Allie, he's her kryptonite. Which causes problems for Allie and Blake. But Wyatt is there for Allie at her weakest point, he finds a way to be there for her, even though she doesn't know until after. Wyatt continues being Allie's rock to lean on, her support through the storm, taking care of her and re-gaining partial custody of Lacy. There are huge twists and turns and some serious WTF moments that just broke my heart. The ending of this book yet again stunned me and I believe that is how things should be, but I'll take the Julie's word that how the story ended will not change. I would really like to see that other guy get a happy ending though. 




Born and raised in Nashville, TN, wife of one, mother of three, and chocolate fanatic! Author of Shattered and Shaken, due to release mid September. I attend nursing school full time, but in my spare time I love spending time with my family watching movies, eating junk food, and every once in a while a girls night out on the town. I enjoy reading, even though I haven’t read much since I’ve began my journey as author. I live by the motto “Live life as if you’re dying, Laugh until your stomach hurts, Love until your heart stops beating, and never judge.” Simple rules to follow. We never know what someone else is going through or what they have been through. Life is too short to be angry, unforgiving, or depressed. Each day is a gift from God that can be taken at any given moment- embrace the gift of life….




                               Julie Bailes Amazon Author Page    Julie Bailes Facebook Author Page
                                   

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