What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Secrets #1.2
The Knight of the Rose
Book no longer in print.
Refer now to the combined Tears of the Broken and The Knight of the Rose as "Dark Secrets".
Sequel to the internationally successful vampire novel, Tears of the Broken.
Love was only the beginning of her nightmares.
When Ara discovered the existence of vampires, she was given the choice between a life as one of them, or a life without her true love.
But fate has a funny way of making choices for you.
After breaking the heart of the boy she loves with a truth he cannot bear, Ara will find herself in the arms of a predator who will steal her innocence and force the hand of fate.
Will David Knight become her rescuer once again, or will he be too late?
Refer now to the combined Tears of the Broken and The Knight of the Rose as "Dark Secrets".
Sequel to the internationally successful vampire novel, Tears of the Broken.
Love was only the beginning of her nightmares.
When Ara discovered the existence of vampires, she was given the choice between a life as one of them, or a life without her true love.
But fate has a funny way of making choices for you.
After breaking the heart of the boy she loves with a truth he cannot bear, Ara will find herself in the arms of a predator who will steal her innocence and force the hand of fate.
Will David Knight become her rescuer once again, or will he be too late?
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2012
22 people are currently reading
829 people want to read
About the author
Angela M. Hudson
32 books797 followersAuthor of books that crush your soul and leave you wanting more.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 19, 2012
Oh. My. Word.
Ara, our protagonist, is SO completely annoying in this book! At times I wished I could have reached through my Kindle & bitch slapped her whiny ass.
We have to listen to her chose between Mike, her lifelong best friend, & David, her vampire, throughout the entire book. Instead of thinking hm, maybe if I can't get over David enough to be with Mike then I SHOULDN'T be with ANYONE, she just goes back & forth between the two of them, crying & pissing & moaning the whole time. She's such a little brat in this book, too. Like pre-teen babyish shit. For example, she says, "Because, maybe if I don't eat, I'll die". Waaa waaa waaa. & I don't even want to count how many times Mike calls her "baby" or "princess". She was a complete little bitch to Mike the entire time, from her first glimpse of him in the airport.
Only two things saved me from completely dismissing this book as total crap:
1. I read late into the night one night thinking her & David or her & Mike were FINALLY going to seal the deal, only to be really disappointed.
2. Hudson had the balls to almost kill off her main character.
The book ends with Ara taking that next step with Mike, & she's still being a whiny ass sad sally.
She better grow some balls in the next book.
Ara, our protagonist, is SO completely annoying in this book! At times I wished I could have reached through my Kindle & bitch slapped her whiny ass.
We have to listen to her chose between Mike, her lifelong best friend, & David, her vampire, throughout the entire book. Instead of thinking hm, maybe if I can't get over David enough to be with Mike then I SHOULDN'T be with ANYONE, she just goes back & forth between the two of them, crying & pissing & moaning the whole time. She's such a little brat in this book, too. Like pre-teen babyish shit. For example, she says, "Because, maybe if I don't eat, I'll die". Waaa waaa waaa. & I don't even want to count how many times Mike calls her "baby" or "princess". She was a complete little bitch to Mike the entire time, from her first glimpse of him in the airport.
Only two things saved me from completely dismissing this book as total crap:
1. I read late into the night one night thinking her & David or her & Mike were FINALLY going to seal the deal, only to be really disappointed.
2. Hudson had the balls to almost kill off her main character.
The book ends with Ara taking that next step with Mike, & she's still being a whiny ass sad sally.
She better grow some balls in the next book.
June 12, 2012
When I started reading this series, I had no idea how captivating this story would be. Being a single mom of 2 girls with a 50 hour/week job, I knew I didn't really have time to read but my sister insisted I put every second I could into these books. After Chapter 1 of Tears of the Broken, I was hooked. I stayed up until 5 in the morning for a week reading these first amazing books. I kept telling myself, "One more chapter..." I had to work at 8 but it was well worth the lost sleep. I couldn't get enough and surely couldn't even think of sleeping without laying there wondering what would happen to Ara next. I felt every emotion of Ara's, I laughedI I cried (A LOT), I got angry...all because of a perfectly writen story that I have all but ranted about lately. My boyfriend was only allowed to talk to me during a stopping point between chapters! I've read a few books in my life but I had yet to read a story that could actually infatuate me like these books have. I can't WAIT for the next book and will always look for anything else written by Ms. Hudson. I'm lost for the right words to describe how great this series is. MUST READ!
April 14, 2012
I read this today in one sitting because I had to find out what happened to Ara and David. Now a few hours later, all I can say past my temper tantrum is that my heart hurts (although I adore Mike). The novel is beautiful and painful, happy and sad, romantic and horrific...all at the same time. What kills me though is now having to wait at the realization that there is going to be a third novel. A. M. Hudson has made a wonderful world for her readers and is taunting us with the fact that we will have to wait to discover what else happens to Ara, Mike, and David.
August 22, 2017
I gave this five stars again because I love this series and I enjoyed reading how she originally had the story laid out. I actually sort of liked Mike this time around, the extra dialogue made him pretty loveable which I felt some of that charm was missing in the newer edition. Honestly, in the newer ones I really dislike Mike so that was a surprising turn of events.
The scenes with Jason were better in the newer edition, it played out a little less fluid in this one, so I'm glad she changed that too. I again loved the sweeter David, but the book made me antsy because I know what she turns out to be and it kills you watching her choose a different life when the secret is just barely below the surface. The ending of this one felt pretty final too and she seemed pretty content with her choice of Mike and honestly, I can see how at first she had determined that is who she wound up with. However, that nagging David still lingers there and it's pretty obvious that this is not how it could ultimately play out.
Again, if you've read the series as it is now, this is a fun read so you can see the differences. It's also nice if you're like me (#TeamJason) to see how if David just acted slightly different he could have been the one you like best.
The scenes with Jason were better in the newer edition, it played out a little less fluid in this one, so I'm glad she changed that too. I again loved the sweeter David, but the book made me antsy because I know what she turns out to be and it kills you watching her choose a different life when the secret is just barely below the surface. The ending of this one felt pretty final too and she seemed pretty content with her choice of Mike and honestly, I can see how at first she had determined that is who she wound up with. However, that nagging David still lingers there and it's pretty obvious that this is not how it could ultimately play out.
Again, if you've read the series as it is now, this is a fun read so you can see the differences. It's also nice if you're like me (#TeamJason) to see how if David just acted slightly different he could have been the one you like best.
July 29, 2012
Oh my goodness, what can I say about this book? In the first book we met Ara and David, and they fell in love. But like the blurb says, “fate has a funny way of making choices for you”. In Knight Of The Rose the pair have a short time together, because David must leave. Ara doesn’t want to give up her chances of having a family of her own – or seeing her deceased mother and brother in the afterlife, so she refuses to become a vampire with him. But he can not stay. And worse, now Mike is coming to visit from Australia. If you’ve read book one, you’ll remember Mike is her best friend. But possibly now a best friend turns into more?
This book… it had me in tears. I was bawling like a baby. There were several times I had to put it down, I couldn’t take the emotions it was giving me. There were other times I literally stayed up so late that I got about two hours of sleep before work. I am in love with these characters and this world that AM Hudson has created. I want to crawl inside her head and live there, forever in peace with all of these people she has given us. Well, except they aren’t in peace, not always. Where is the fun in that??
I gushed over book one, and book two is no exception. I have book 3, but I am trying to wait because it is just such an emotional read I felt a bit… dry afterwards. You know what I mean? Like when you’ve just used up everything you have on this journey – but in the best possible way.
David leaves in this book. He has to. He has no choice. And I was so mad at him!! How could he do that? There is always a loophole, isn’t there? And then Mike is there, and he is getting all too comfy, and I’m sure he is a good guy – but let me get this straight – I don’t like him. I want him away from Ara. Ara is this strong and gentle character, and she seems to have a hard time making her mind up.
I’m not going to go over the plot a million times in this book. Firstly cause its second in the series and is not a standalone work, but secondly, because I want you to read it. There is some very real danger in this book, something that happens that will just change everything. And it also brings up more mystery. This story is eerie, beautiful, romantic, heartbreaking and just perfect. Read it. Now.
This book… it had me in tears. I was bawling like a baby. There were several times I had to put it down, I couldn’t take the emotions it was giving me. There were other times I literally stayed up so late that I got about two hours of sleep before work. I am in love with these characters and this world that AM Hudson has created. I want to crawl inside her head and live there, forever in peace with all of these people she has given us. Well, except they aren’t in peace, not always. Where is the fun in that??
I gushed over book one, and book two is no exception. I have book 3, but I am trying to wait because it is just such an emotional read I felt a bit… dry afterwards. You know what I mean? Like when you’ve just used up everything you have on this journey – but in the best possible way.
David leaves in this book. He has to. He has no choice. And I was so mad at him!! How could he do that? There is always a loophole, isn’t there? And then Mike is there, and he is getting all too comfy, and I’m sure he is a good guy – but let me get this straight – I don’t like him. I want him away from Ara. Ara is this strong and gentle character, and she seems to have a hard time making her mind up.
I’m not going to go over the plot a million times in this book. Firstly cause its second in the series and is not a standalone work, but secondly, because I want you to read it. There is some very real danger in this book, something that happens that will just change everything. And it also brings up more mystery. This story is eerie, beautiful, romantic, heartbreaking and just perfect. Read it. Now.
July 30, 2012
Yes, there is another cover. And when you read the book you'll understand what it represents.
This book was an up and down roller coaster. First, there's David and Ara. With a romance akin to Edward and Bella these two are totally and completely in love and it seems nothing can separate them. Unfortunately, it only seems that way. David is all but begging Ara to let him change her, but Ara doesn't want to lose her human life... her chance to see her mother and brother - who died in a brutal car accident - again.
Thing is, if Ara won't let David change her, David has to leave. And he has to leave her behind. It's a thought that she doesn't want to even begin to comprehend but decision time is coming. As soon as the last leaf falls to the ground signalling the coming of cold weather, she has to make up her mind. Will she choose an eternity with her one true love... her soul mate. Or will she choose life and the man she loved before David ever came along?
My heart broke several times over in this book. I know I don't speak for everyone, but I think the majority of people can relate to having someone leave them. Someone you don't want to go. And being completely and utterly devestated at their absence. To wishing they would just magically appear and tell you everything is going to be ok again. Knowing it's not going to happen, but hoping just the same.
Ara suffered a horrible tragedy in the death of her mom and her brother. Coming to the US to live with her father afterward seemed to help put her back together again. Because she met David. He seemed to fill a hole in her heart that she didn't think anyone else could. She was no longer just a shell of a person. She had love again. She'd left behind all the painful memories. The car accident. The boy she loved before who tore her heart to pieces when he rejected her. She had new friends. Emily, Alana... David.
But she experienced a brand new heart ache when she learned that she either had to change, give up her normal, human life in exchange for David's... or she'd lose him forever. At first the answer seems obvious to her, and all the while I'm thinking "You can't just give him up!" She is prepared to do just that. Until the time comes that she may actually have to. And then losing him is unthinkable.
She's a strong but conflicted character. Prone to zoning out and irrational internal debates. I like her. I feel for her. And while I don't have a drop dead gorgeous, hundred year old vampire boyfriend, I sort of understand where she's coming from. Losing someone you love, having to move on with someone you love but in a different way, and not as much (am I even making sense anymore?).
I love David. He's kind of pushy in an Edward-esque way (i.e. Ara wants to pay for her own gown for the high school ball, and does just that, but David buys her another one and puts it in her closet after she specifically told him not to do that) but he's very gentle and kind to her. And understanding. I also love it when he speaks in French to her. ::sigh::
Mike. Her rock. The guy that rejected her and is now trying to redeem himself. He loves her, probably just as much as David does... but like poor Jacob (I love Jacob) ... loving her with all he has may never be enough. He's promised to take care of her and be there for her. He even wants to take her back to Perth, the home she left after the accident. He's completely right for her and she knows it. And he knows it. He's sweet and kind and just incredible.
Emily I always picture as Patty Simcox from Grease for some reason. A modernized version of her anyway. So no poodle skirt. :-P She's peppy and happy and high spirited and a great best friend to Ara. She's always there for her and isn't afraid to tell her when she think she's making a mistake. She may be my favorite character.
This book, like the first, is beautifully written. AM Hudson is incredible in her descriptions of the most mundane things. It makes it so easy to picture everything I'm reading. Her writing is relatable (hence my anxiety over the entire end of the book) and enjoyable. And the characters complement each other well. I also learned something I never knew about the Wizard of Oz, too. :-P
I definitely recommend this book as a read to fans of Twilight, Afterlight, The Vampire Diaries... but it's a great read for just anyone in general. Again, it is book two in the series so I would definitely recommend reading book one, Tears of the Broken, before picking up this one. Mark your calendars for April because that's when book two will be released. And you won't be disappointed if you grab it!
This book was an up and down roller coaster. First, there's David and Ara. With a romance akin to Edward and Bella these two are totally and completely in love and it seems nothing can separate them. Unfortunately, it only seems that way. David is all but begging Ara to let him change her, but Ara doesn't want to lose her human life... her chance to see her mother and brother - who died in a brutal car accident - again.
Thing is, if Ara won't let David change her, David has to leave. And he has to leave her behind. It's a thought that she doesn't want to even begin to comprehend but decision time is coming. As soon as the last leaf falls to the ground signalling the coming of cold weather, she has to make up her mind. Will she choose an eternity with her one true love... her soul mate. Or will she choose life and the man she loved before David ever came along?
My heart broke several times over in this book. I know I don't speak for everyone, but I think the majority of people can relate to having someone leave them. Someone you don't want to go. And being completely and utterly devestated at their absence. To wishing they would just magically appear and tell you everything is going to be ok again. Knowing it's not going to happen, but hoping just the same.
Ara suffered a horrible tragedy in the death of her mom and her brother. Coming to the US to live with her father afterward seemed to help put her back together again. Because she met David. He seemed to fill a hole in her heart that she didn't think anyone else could. She was no longer just a shell of a person. She had love again. She'd left behind all the painful memories. The car accident. The boy she loved before who tore her heart to pieces when he rejected her. She had new friends. Emily, Alana... David.
But she experienced a brand new heart ache when she learned that she either had to change, give up her normal, human life in exchange for David's... or she'd lose him forever. At first the answer seems obvious to her, and all the while I'm thinking "You can't just give him up!" She is prepared to do just that. Until the time comes that she may actually have to. And then losing him is unthinkable.
She's a strong but conflicted character. Prone to zoning out and irrational internal debates. I like her. I feel for her. And while I don't have a drop dead gorgeous, hundred year old vampire boyfriend, I sort of understand where she's coming from. Losing someone you love, having to move on with someone you love but in a different way, and not as much (am I even making sense anymore?).
I love David. He's kind of pushy in an Edward-esque way (i.e. Ara wants to pay for her own gown for the high school ball, and does just that, but David buys her another one and puts it in her closet after she specifically told him not to do that) but he's very gentle and kind to her. And understanding. I also love it when he speaks in French to her. ::sigh::
Mike. Her rock. The guy that rejected her and is now trying to redeem himself. He loves her, probably just as much as David does... but like poor Jacob (I love Jacob) ... loving her with all he has may never be enough. He's promised to take care of her and be there for her. He even wants to take her back to Perth, the home she left after the accident. He's completely right for her and she knows it. And he knows it. He's sweet and kind and just incredible.
Emily I always picture as Patty Simcox from Grease for some reason. A modernized version of her anyway. So no poodle skirt. :-P She's peppy and happy and high spirited and a great best friend to Ara. She's always there for her and isn't afraid to tell her when she think she's making a mistake. She may be my favorite character.
This book, like the first, is beautifully written. AM Hudson is incredible in her descriptions of the most mundane things. It makes it so easy to picture everything I'm reading. Her writing is relatable (hence my anxiety over the entire end of the book) and enjoyable. And the characters complement each other well. I also learned something I never knew about the Wizard of Oz, too. :-P
I definitely recommend this book as a read to fans of Twilight, Afterlight, The Vampire Diaries... but it's a great read for just anyone in general. Again, it is book two in the series so I would definitely recommend reading book one, Tears of the Broken, before picking up this one. Mark your calendars for April because that's when book two will be released. And you won't be disappointed if you grab it!
April 30, 2012
I'm always a little bit torn when reading the second book in a series, especially when you love it as much as I loved the first book in the Dark Secret Series. There is that feeling of excitement, but also there is a bit of trepidation as to whether it will live up to the lofty heights that you've set!! Well, there was absolutely no need for any of that worry with The Knight of the Rose!! It was all that and more!! I'm convinced that A.M. Hudson writes just for me!! She has a list of all the things that I love in a book and checks all of them off that list as she magically weaves them throughout her stories!!
This book elicited a whole different set of emotions compared to Tears of the Broken. Pain, suffering, heartache, loss!! It gripped my heart and squeezed it, then let go and let me breathe, only to grip it even harder and squeeze again!! I had an internal monologue with the characters happening the whole way throughout the book as I begged them to make the choices that I wanted them to make! And that kept me turning the pages late into the night so that I could find out if they had gone in the direction that I wanted them to!
We see a lot more of Mike in this book and get to know him fairly well. I love him for the support he gives to Ara throughout all the of the events that pull and tug at her as they threaten to pull her under. He is sweet, caring, loving, supportive, protective... Everything you really want in a man!! But I am 110% team DAVID!!!! He is everything that Mike is and more!! So much more!! He is the one who has my heart!!
When I got to the end of this book, I sat there stunned!! NO!!! NO!! NO!!!! You can't end it there!! Not like that!! Ms Hudson, are you trying to kill me?? That's what the wait for book 3 is going to do!! I'm worried!! I am so damn worried about what's going to happen next!! Please tell me that the wait is not too long!!
Gripping, intense and full of suspense and drama!! The Knight of the Rose is a must read!!
This book elicited a whole different set of emotions compared to Tears of the Broken. Pain, suffering, heartache, loss!! It gripped my heart and squeezed it, then let go and let me breathe, only to grip it even harder and squeeze again!! I had an internal monologue with the characters happening the whole way throughout the book as I begged them to make the choices that I wanted them to make! And that kept me turning the pages late into the night so that I could find out if they had gone in the direction that I wanted them to!
We see a lot more of Mike in this book and get to know him fairly well. I love him for the support he gives to Ara throughout all the of the events that pull and tug at her as they threaten to pull her under. He is sweet, caring, loving, supportive, protective... Everything you really want in a man!! But I am 110% team DAVID!!!! He is everything that Mike is and more!! So much more!! He is the one who has my heart!!
When I got to the end of this book, I sat there stunned!! NO!!! NO!! NO!!!! You can't end it there!! Not like that!! Ms Hudson, are you trying to kill me?? That's what the wait for book 3 is going to do!! I'm worried!! I am so damn worried about what's going to happen next!! Please tell me that the wait is not too long!!
Gripping, intense and full of suspense and drama!! The Knight of the Rose is a must read!!
August 16, 2012
Ok, I'm writing this with the knowledge that I will probably be in the minority. Let me just say first I loved this book. I agree with many of my co-reviewers opinions (especially the mind spinning back and forth that was Ara). But (here comes my thrust into the leper colony)I finished this book and honestly have no real desire to read book three. Not because I dislike the series, but because I liked the way this one ended.
I enjoyed the love story. I really, really sympathized with Ara's emotional struggles. Her despair was truly heartbreaking. So, as much as my above rant may not sound like it, I truly loved this book and the first and decided so forego book 3 and end on a happy note (in my mind).
SPOILERS:
First- I like that she ended this choosing Mike. She wanted to have a normal life. That doesn't change that David was in her heart, but she had Mike who loved her and accepted that she would never fully get over him. He also stuck around for the emotional toll her attack took on her (AM Hudson gave this man the patience of a saint).
Second- I like that she didn't compromise her morals and choose to be a vampire because, for lack of better wording, David was giving her an ultimatum. Now, I absolutely loved David in the first book and I liked him in the very beginning of this one, but the thing that drove me completely batty was his "my way or the highway" attitude. He essentially wanted Ara to drop everything, change everything and go against something she believed strongly about so they could be together. And he gave her a deadline to decide. He wasn't willing to budge an inch.
I enjoyed the love story. I really, really sympathized with Ara's emotional struggles. Her despair was truly heartbreaking. So, as much as my above rant may not sound like it, I truly loved this book and the first and decided so forego book 3 and end on a happy note (in my mind).
August 2, 2012
Honestly, I've read all three books so far, don't even know why I bothered. Ara-Rose is such a bitch, selfish, self-centered immature little girl. I can't understand why David would even be in love with her. The story never explained any reason for the attraction. All she does is cry, mope around, bitch at her family and friends. What she does to Mike is just criminal. She just teases him along throughout all the books and it just drives me crazy. What's with this guy who just hangs on.
What I did like about the book though was the style in which it was written. I like the dialogue, it read fast and didn't bog down, I did have to just pass through pages of Ara-Rose talking to herself which was annoying. A.M. Hudson has a lot of talent, she really needs to focus on more details with her work. She left some unanswered questions, who was Harry's father? Why did her parents separate? I feel like she had the story all outlined, but then ran away with the details.
Although I did not like this series, even though I read them, I do look forward to more work by A.M. Hudson and hope that she continues writing and grows with her work.
What I did like about the book though was the style in which it was written. I like the dialogue, it read fast and didn't bog down, I did have to just pass through pages of Ara-Rose talking to herself which was annoying. A.M. Hudson has a lot of talent, she really needs to focus on more details with her work. She left some unanswered questions, who was Harry's father? Why did her parents separate? I feel like she had the story all outlined, but then ran away with the details.
Although I did not like this series, even though I read them, I do look forward to more work by A.M. Hudson and hope that she continues writing and grows with her work.
May 12, 2016
I liked this book in a different way from which I liked the first one. The first one was, for the most part all lovey- dovey. It had the warmth of the summer and the feelings of Ara trying to discover who she is. As the cover indicates this book has more of a "dark" atmosphere. The cold weather is here people, get ready for some breathtaking, chilly scenes. There's more of Mike than David in this book. I think that was important Ara needed to discover what she truly feels for mike. Ara developed a lot in this book-she's not really a little girl anymore.I nearly died when mike proposed and Ara said yes. I felt like throwing my book across the room. Then I felt like crying. I did cry during the scenes with Jason. They were so touching...I was screaming "somebody save her already". Those scenes were written so well. I felt SO scared for Mike...he would really die if he saw Ara like that. I know it's kind of mean, but I wanted David to see what happened, so he can kick Jason's ass into the stratosphere. And OMG the last chapter...i was like "no...no way, you better not go through with this.
December 29, 2015
This book could have been so good. It has its moments, but the main character is so extremely frustrating; I wanted to strangle her with my bare hands. Lord, have mercy on a reader. Please make a decision already, Ara. I also didn't get Ara's parents...or the undying devotion of the guys towards Ara. Well, I have a lot I could say, but I really don't have the energy to go into. This series (so far) just zaps everything out of you...and not necessarily in the best way. The first book is an OK read, just agonizingly frustrating. The second book and third books are equally frustrating in places. However, the second has one really interesting turn of events, and the third gets very interesting about halfway through. I'm intrigued enough to finish the third and probably will read the rest of the series.
April 27, 2012
Strange book. Emotional drama, and raw horror are its basic features. The moment you think you passed the "twilight" cliché, and you 're stepping through "vampire diaries" concepts, the story gets interested, in a way that creates its own atmosphere, after the second half. I consider Ara's emotional inner self as confusing, and after all that happened, the urgency of a decision is imperative. During the whole story a dilemma is stated and although, somewhere Ara decides that she could choose a third option, the one of independence, the book gives a determined final end with the author's promise to be continued. I can't imagine what may follow given the circumstances..
August 14, 2012
Of course I had to read the secdond book in the Dark Secrets series! I have to admit that at times, this book was very frustrating to me, but that is probably the grown up in me.
Ara constantly is trying to decide between David and Mike. Between living or becoming a Vampire. While I can understand the struggle...I was in awe of the patience from Mike and David.
But other then that...there is a ball, drama, love, tears, laughs and some erotic tension.
If you have liked the first one, you have to read this one. Even though I was frustrated at times, I could not put the book down. Go read it..you won't regret it!
Ara constantly is trying to decide between David and Mike. Between living or becoming a Vampire. While I can understand the struggle...I was in awe of the patience from Mike and David.
But other then that...there is a ball, drama, love, tears, laughs and some erotic tension.
If you have liked the first one, you have to read this one. Even though I was frustrated at times, I could not put the book down. Go read it..you won't regret it!
August 26, 2012
I didn't want to slap the main character in this book as badly as I did the first one. She was a little better in this book. I did feel sorry for the Mike character though. All in all, this book was pretty good. The only reason I gave this book only 4 stars was because of the ending. The ending made me so sad! I hate sad endings. After finishing this book I was tempted to quit this series, all due to the way this book ended. The ending for me was very "What the heck? She did not just do that!" However, curiosity got the best of me and I read the summary of the next book. That summary hooked me back in, so I bought the third book. Hopefully the next one has a much happier ending.
April 30, 2012
AMAZING!!! I was a little worried after reading book one and it being phenomenal, that book two might not live up to my high expectations. However it did and then some. A.M. Hudson takes you on another breath taking adventure with Ara, David, and now Mike. I have to say though that the book did not end as I wanted it, but I have high hopes for book three :). I urge everyone to pick up these books and at least try them, you will not be disappointed!!
August 23, 2012
Horruble!!! Ara is the most annoying, self deprecating, selfish, bipolar, INDECISIVE, IMMATURE, needy and bitchiest girl I hace ever read about! She is just....UGH! Hated her and the book! The first book was prettt good- not amazing- but not bad. This was soo much worse!!! It was rushed, Ara was so freakibg annoyig THE WHOLE TIME!! This is the EXACT type of heroine in a romance that I AVOID!! Disappointing & not worth the read.
September 25, 2012
I enjoyed the struggle she felt between David and Michael. And having to choose which life she had to live. I loved the fact they did not let her die so she could experience life and love. Look forward to reading the third book The Heart's Ashes. It only took me 4 days to read book 1, 3 days to read book 2 now see how long it takes me to read this one. I think A. M. Hudson is a great writer and I look forward to reading many more of her books.
May 20, 2012
OMG! wow..... I dont even know what to say, you are taken on an emotional rollercoaster with Ara as she is forced to choose between Mike n David, only to have someone take the choice away. I cant say to much without giving away spoilers, so i will just say I will be waiting on the edge of my seat to find out the continuation of Ara's story :)
July 31, 2012
wow. that was good. Ara, gotta do what ya gotta do. shake 'n bake girl. shake 'n bake.... BUT GOSH YOU AGGRAVATE ME WITH YOUR UNSELFISH DECISIONS SOMETIMES! you make me feel like a bad person. i guess im not exactly what you'd call sweet but still... anyway I definitely recommend this book, and will continue reading the series. SHAKE 'N BAKE!
May 6, 2012
A Must Read!!! I NEVER put the book down until I read the last word.
I was on an emotional roller coaster. The raw emotion, love, loss, death, betrayal, abuse and strength had me choked up many times.
Heartbreaking and tragic.
Cannot wait for book 3!
I was on an emotional roller coaster. The raw emotion, love, loss, death, betrayal, abuse and strength had me choked up many times.
Heartbreaking and tragic.
Cannot wait for book 3!
June 8, 2012
wow another great book im hooked..i havent read a series in years that i have fallen in love with A.M.Hudson keep up the great work!!
every book just keeps getting better!! another fast read up all night reading it just couldnt put the book down!
every book just keeps getting better!! another fast read up all night reading it just couldnt put the book down!
May 15, 2012
Well this is an awesome book, the ending is crazy, insane twist that make you want to run and get the next, but it's not out yet.... can't wait
May 20, 2012
Love! Can't wait for the 3rd bk. developed, well written, but I want her to be with David!!!!! I love him. Maybe Mike and Emily can end up together.
July 30, 2012
can't wait to start on book 3
September 24, 2012
Good book 2 in a series. Ara has redeemed herself to me. I'm not happy with David after finishing this book. I am starting the 3rd book now. I like how you never really know what's going to happen.
March 17, 2015
What a strange ending...
June 25, 2012
This series is so addicting it sucks you in!
July 31, 2020
I liked this book in a different way from which I liked the first one. The first one was, for the most part all lovey- dovey. It had the warmth of the summer and the feelings of Ara trying to discover who she is. As the cover indicates this book has more of a "dark" atmosphere. The cold weather is here people, get ready for some breathtaking, chilly scenes. There's more of Mike than David in this book. I think that was important Ara needed to discover what she truly feels for mike. Ara developed a lot in this book-she's not really a little girl anymore.I nearly died when mike proposed and Ara said yes. I felt like throwing my book across the room. Then I felt like crying. I did cry during the scenes with Jason. They were so touching...I was screaming "somebody save her already". Those scenes were written so well. I felt SO scared for Mike...he would really die if he saw Ara like that. I know it's kind of mean, but I wanted David to see what happened, so he can kick Jason's ass into the stratosphere. And OMG the last chapter...i was like "no...no way, you better not go through with this.
November 5, 2018
The ending in this book was heartbreaking for me. I still rooting for David, and I hope the next book would clear David's name. I don't believe he is a bad 'person'.
August 20, 2013
Yes, there is another cover. And when you read the book you'll understand what it represents.
This book was an up and down roller coaster. First, there's David and Ara. With a romance akin to Edward and Bella these two are totally and completely in love and it seems nothing can separate them. Unfortunately, it only seems that way. David is all but begging Ara to let him change her, but Ara doesn't want to lose her human life... her chance to see her mother and brother - who died in a brutal car accident - again.
Thing is, if Ara won't let David change her, David has to leave. And he has to leave her behind. It's a thought that she doesn't want to even begin to comprehend but decision time is coming. As soon as the last leaf falls to the ground signalling the coming of cold weather, she has to make up her mind. Will she choose an eternity with her one true love... her soul mate. Or will she choose life and the man she loved before David ever came along?
My heart broke several times over in this book. I know I don't speak for everyone, but I think the majority of people can relate to having someone leave them. Someone you don't want to go. And being completely and utterly devestated at their absence. To wishing they would just magically appear and tell you everything is going to be ok again. Knowing it's not going to happen, but hoping just the same.
Ara suffered a horrible tragedy in the death of her mom and her brother. Coming to the US to live with her father afterward seemed to help put her back together again. Because she met David. He seemed to fill a hole in her heart that she didn't think anyone else could. She was no longer just a shell of a person. She had love again. She'd left behind all the painful memories. The car accident. The boy she loved before who tore her heart to pieces when he rejected her. She had new friends. Emily, Alana... David.
But she experienced a brand new heart ache when she learned that she either had to change, give up her normal, human life in exchange for David's... or she'd lose him forever. At first the answer seems obvious to her, and all the while I'm thinking "You can't just give him up!" She is prepared to do just that. Until the time comes that she may actually have to. And then losing him is unthinkable.
She's a strong but conflicted character. Prone to zoning out and irrational internal debates. I like her. I feel for her. And while I don't have a drop dead gorgeous, hundred year old vampire boyfriend, I sort of understand where she's coming from. Losing someone you love, having to move on with someone you love but in a different way, and not as much (am I even making sense anymore?).
I love David. He's kind of pushy in an Edward-esque way (i.e. Ara wants to pay for her own gown for the high school ball, and does just that, but David buys her another one and puts it in her closet after she specifically told him not to do that) but he's very gentle and kind to her. And understanding. I also love it when he speaks in French to her. ::sigh::
Mike. Her rock. The guy that rejected her and is now trying to redeem himself. He loves her, probably just as much as David does... but like poor Jacob (I love Jacob) ... loving her with all he has may never be enough. He's promised to take care of her and be there for her. He even wants to take her back to Perth, the home she left after the accident. He's completely right for her and she knows it. And he knows it. He's sweet and kind and just incredible.
Emily I always picture as Patty Simcox from Grease for some reason. A modernized version of her anyway. So no poodle skirt. :-P She's peppy and happy and high spirited and a great best friend to Ara. She's always there for her and isn't afraid to tell her when she think she's making a mistake. She may be my favorite character.
This book, like the first, is beautifully written. AM Hudson is incredible in her descriptions of the most mundane things. It makes it so easy to picture everything I'm reading. Her writing is relatable (hence my anxiety over the entire end of the book) and enjoyable. And the characters complement each other well. I also learned something I never knew about the Wizard of Oz, too. :-P
I definitely recommend this book as a read to fans of Twilight, Afterlight, The Vampire Diaries... but it's a great read for just anyone in general. Again, it is book two in the series so I would definitely recommend reading book one, Tears of the Broken, before picking up this one. Mark your calendars for April because that's when book two will be released. And you won't be disappointed if you grab it!
This book was an up and down roller coaster. First, there's David and Ara. With a romance akin to Edward and Bella these two are totally and completely in love and it seems nothing can separate them. Unfortunately, it only seems that way. David is all but begging Ara to let him change her, but Ara doesn't want to lose her human life... her chance to see her mother and brother - who died in a brutal car accident - again.
Thing is, if Ara won't let David change her, David has to leave. And he has to leave her behind. It's a thought that she doesn't want to even begin to comprehend but decision time is coming. As soon as the last leaf falls to the ground signalling the coming of cold weather, she has to make up her mind. Will she choose an eternity with her one true love... her soul mate. Or will she choose life and the man she loved before David ever came along?
My heart broke several times over in this book. I know I don't speak for everyone, but I think the majority of people can relate to having someone leave them. Someone you don't want to go. And being completely and utterly devestated at their absence. To wishing they would just magically appear and tell you everything is going to be ok again. Knowing it's not going to happen, but hoping just the same.
Ara suffered a horrible tragedy in the death of her mom and her brother. Coming to the US to live with her father afterward seemed to help put her back together again. Because she met David. He seemed to fill a hole in her heart that she didn't think anyone else could. She was no longer just a shell of a person. She had love again. She'd left behind all the painful memories. The car accident. The boy she loved before who tore her heart to pieces when he rejected her. She had new friends. Emily, Alana... David.
But she experienced a brand new heart ache when she learned that she either had to change, give up her normal, human life in exchange for David's... or she'd lose him forever. At first the answer seems obvious to her, and all the while I'm thinking "You can't just give him up!" She is prepared to do just that. Until the time comes that she may actually have to. And then losing him is unthinkable.
She's a strong but conflicted character. Prone to zoning out and irrational internal debates. I like her. I feel for her. And while I don't have a drop dead gorgeous, hundred year old vampire boyfriend, I sort of understand where she's coming from. Losing someone you love, having to move on with someone you love but in a different way, and not as much (am I even making sense anymore?).
I love David. He's kind of pushy in an Edward-esque way (i.e. Ara wants to pay for her own gown for the high school ball, and does just that, but David buys her another one and puts it in her closet after she specifically told him not to do that) but he's very gentle and kind to her. And understanding. I also love it when he speaks in French to her. ::sigh::
Mike. Her rock. The guy that rejected her and is now trying to redeem himself. He loves her, probably just as much as David does... but like poor Jacob (I love Jacob) ... loving her with all he has may never be enough. He's promised to take care of her and be there for her. He even wants to take her back to Perth, the home she left after the accident. He's completely right for her and she knows it. And he knows it. He's sweet and kind and just incredible.
Emily I always picture as Patty Simcox from Grease for some reason. A modernized version of her anyway. So no poodle skirt. :-P She's peppy and happy and high spirited and a great best friend to Ara. She's always there for her and isn't afraid to tell her when she think she's making a mistake. She may be my favorite character.
This book, like the first, is beautifully written. AM Hudson is incredible in her descriptions of the most mundane things. It makes it so easy to picture everything I'm reading. Her writing is relatable (hence my anxiety over the entire end of the book) and enjoyable. And the characters complement each other well. I also learned something I never knew about the Wizard of Oz, too. :-P
I definitely recommend this book as a read to fans of Twilight, Afterlight, The Vampire Diaries... but it's a great read for just anyone in general. Again, it is book two in the series so I would definitely recommend reading book one, Tears of the Broken, before picking up this one. Mark your calendars for April because that's when book two will be released. And you won't be disappointed if you grab it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews