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Ruining #2
Ruining You
For a girl who dared to tempt death, living is the only promise that matters now.
Jay’s life almost came to a forced end when her darkest secrets were revealed and the one who she chose to give her future to was ripped away. Now, everything she kept hidden is the topic of everyone’s conversation, and not all are sympathetic. Someone wants her horrific past to dictate her future, and another is determined to help her choose a different path.
In conclusion to Ruining Me, Kane and Rhye know that Jay is worth the fight, but waiting for her to find herself may ruin them all.
Jay’s life almost came to a forced end when her darkest secrets were revealed and the one who she chose to give her future to was ripped away. Now, everything she kept hidden is the topic of everyone’s conversation, and not all are sympathetic. Someone wants her horrific past to dictate her future, and another is determined to help her choose a different path.
In conclusion to Ruining Me, Kane and Rhye know that Jay is worth the fight, but waiting for her to find herself may ruin them all.
215 pages, Nook
First published January 26, 2013
About the author
Nicole Reed
113 books1,780 followersNicole Reed is the New York Times Bestselling Author of Ruining You. She is a true Southern girl, enjoying life with her husband and three children in the peachy state of Georgia. As a child, she discovered another world between the pages of a book. In 2012, she self-published her first book Ruining Me, and then followed it with Ruining You, Cake, and Wasted Heart. Her books have also been listed on the overall Top 100 Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestselling list. She is represented by Ginger Clark with Curtis Brown, LTD. You can follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/authornicolereed, Twitter @nicole1reed, and her website www.nicolereedbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 722 reviews
January 28, 2013
★★★★★★★★★★
!10 BEAUTIFUL Stars!
Forget happily ever after...i'm all for happy right now!!!:)
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Forget happily ever after...i'm all for happy right now!!!:)
February 6, 2013
We are thrown back into the lives on Cal, J.T, Jay, Rhye, Kane, Molly, Reed 3 months after the ending of Ruining Me. Also welcome a newcomer Eli.
Photo taken from Nicole Reed’s Ruining Me FB page
https://www.facebook.com/RuiningMe?re...
“Time is now measured from the night when death stole from me, took my battered heart, and left me behind.” – Jay
Jay is seeking help for her depression at a voluntary facility.
She is slowly trying to get back to her life.
While in care she meets Eli and he becomes the best thing she could ask for. He knows what she is going through, and slowly starts to help her heal.
”Don’t let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.” – Eli
Kane has been sending Jay letters. She doesn’t reply. She wants…needs him to move on. He deserves better than her.
J.T’s Mum has been trying to see her she refuses she just can’t.
Her relationship with her Mum and Dad is severally strained and they all have a long road ahead of them.
Jay has decided that she wants to live.
“Don’t lose out on something that could be forever because you think the timing isn’t right. Don’t let fate decide,” –Eli
She leaves the facility and is immediately thrust back into her world with a welcome home party thrown by Molly and Reed.
She finally see’s Cal. Who is paralysed from the waist down. Cue the tears. Heart wrenching scene!
When she sees’s Kane at her house, she still feels for him deeply. As much as she wants him to move on, it hurts BADLY when he tells her he can’t stay as he has a date.
Cue more tears
She is still having nightmares about Coach Brand, also about J.T and the devil as she believes god punished her.
Slowly with the help of her friends, Kane, and Eli she starts to get her old self back.
Eli decides it’s time to start living again, when he drags her out dancing. They end up at Vortex.
Rhye is there and he sings Jay a song he wrote her.
Cue massive smile cos it’s goddamn beautiful!
You can say you hate me
As your eyes devour me tonight,
Tell me you don’t care
When you know this feels so right.
If you need someone to blame
For the lust that burns too bright,
Just hit me hate me, damn me,
But please let me have one more night.
Unfortunately Kane is there with a date. He see’s Eli and Jay and thinks it’s a date as well, he is not happy.
Fair to say he’s REALLY not happy when Rhye sings Jay his song.
And he snaps. He’s done waiting for Jay to be ready.
“Are you kidding me?!! I’ve all but spelled it out.”
“Spelled what out?”
“That I want you to care for me the way I care about you. I fell for the damaged girl that had seen the same hell that I had and experienced the depth of loss that many can never understand, We might have been brought together by our pain, but somewhere along the line, it became all about you. I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can’t live without because I already know that I can’t live without you. I’ve tried and it sucks.” – Jay and Kane
Will Jay choose Rhye or Kane?
Once and for all the decision needs to be made.
“He has captured my heart wholly and stolen my soul for eternity.”
Is she choosing to live?
MY HONEST OPINION
I’ve said it before… I’ll say it again!
GODDAMN YOU Nicole Reed!
This book.. this book… This FUCKING BOOK..
I cried
I giggled
I bawled like a baby
I laughed
I swooned
I had a headache from crying.
I smiled
But by the end of it I looked like this
It was a PERFECT ENDING
And that is why I love you! The way your books make me feel?!?! *Sigh*
You rip my heart out and then put it back together stronger than it was. and that is why I read. To escape reality, become BFF’S with the characters and get my HEA as life always doesn’t give you one!
My heart broke for Jay. It really did.
But to be honest I felt worse for Kane and Rhye.
She lead them on. Them turned cold. Then hot again. Then cold.
The not choosing killed me.
So all in all..
For all of us lovers of heartbreaks, Love triangles and HEA… read this!
Just make sure you read the first one first and have this one on standby as you will want to jump straight into it!
Photo taken from Nicole Reed’s Ruining Me FB page
https://www.facebook.com/RuiningMe?re...
“Time is now measured from the night when death stole from me, took my battered heart, and left me behind.” – Jay
Jay is seeking help for her depression at a voluntary facility.
She is slowly trying to get back to her life.
While in care she meets Eli and he becomes the best thing she could ask for. He knows what she is going through, and slowly starts to help her heal.
”Don’t let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.” – Eli
Kane has been sending Jay letters. She doesn’t reply. She wants…needs him to move on. He deserves better than her.
J.T’s Mum has been trying to see her she refuses she just can’t.
Her relationship with her Mum and Dad is severally strained and they all have a long road ahead of them.
Jay has decided that she wants to live.
“Don’t lose out on something that could be forever because you think the timing isn’t right. Don’t let fate decide,” –Eli
She leaves the facility and is immediately thrust back into her world with a welcome home party thrown by Molly and Reed.
She finally see’s Cal. Who is paralysed from the waist down. Cue the tears. Heart wrenching scene!
When she sees’s Kane at her house, she still feels for him deeply. As much as she wants him to move on, it hurts BADLY when he tells her he can’t stay as he has a date.
Cue more tears
She is still having nightmares about Coach Brand, also about J.T and the devil as she believes god punished her.
Slowly with the help of her friends, Kane, and Eli she starts to get her old self back.
Eli decides it’s time to start living again, when he drags her out dancing. They end up at Vortex.
Rhye is there and he sings Jay a song he wrote her.
Cue massive smile cos it’s goddamn beautiful!
You can say you hate me
As your eyes devour me tonight,
Tell me you don’t care
When you know this feels so right.
If you need someone to blame
For the lust that burns too bright,
Just hit me hate me, damn me,
But please let me have one more night.
Unfortunately Kane is there with a date. He see’s Eli and Jay and thinks it’s a date as well, he is not happy.
Fair to say he’s REALLY not happy when Rhye sings Jay his song.
And he snaps. He’s done waiting for Jay to be ready.
“Are you kidding me?!! I’ve all but spelled it out.”
“Spelled what out?”
“That I want you to care for me the way I care about you. I fell for the damaged girl that had seen the same hell that I had and experienced the depth of loss that many can never understand, We might have been brought together by our pain, but somewhere along the line, it became all about you. I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can’t live without because I already know that I can’t live without you. I’ve tried and it sucks.” – Jay and Kane
Will Jay choose Rhye or Kane?
Once and for all the decision needs to be made.
“He has captured my heart wholly and stolen my soul for eternity.”
Is she choosing to live?
MY HONEST OPINION
I’ve said it before… I’ll say it again!
GODDAMN YOU Nicole Reed!
This book.. this book… This FUCKING BOOK..
I cried
I giggled
I bawled like a baby
I laughed
I swooned
I had a headache from crying.
I smiled
But by the end of it I looked like this
It was a PERFECT ENDING
And that is why I love you! The way your books make me feel?!?! *Sigh*
You rip my heart out and then put it back together stronger than it was. and that is why I read. To escape reality, become BFF’S with the characters and get my HEA as life always doesn’t give you one!
My heart broke for Jay. It really did.
But to be honest I felt worse for Kane and Rhye.
She lead them on. Them turned cold. Then hot again. Then cold.
The not choosing killed me.
So all in all..
For all of us lovers of heartbreaks, Love triangles and HEA… read this!
Just make sure you read the first one first and have this one on standby as you will want to jump straight into it!
July 11, 2014
"One makes me laugh...One makes me cry...One touches my heart...One owns it."
The first book Ruining Me, did just that, it ruined me. So saying that I was nervous to tackle the sequel is an understatement.
This story starts out right where we left Jay in Ruining Me. The author does an AMAZING job of conveying to the reader all of Jay’s feelings about the tragic end of the first book.
We follow Jay to a rehabilitation center, where she is working through her feelings of fear, guilt, shame and utter devastation at the loss of her Prince. She searches for reasons to live and be happy.
Jay finds a friend in a fellow patient named Eli. Eli is terrific! He is wise, funny and fits perfectly in Jay’s life.
”Don’t let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.”
There are scenes in this book like the cemetery and her dream scenes that had such a comforting effect on me. The realization that “his” love could shine through the thin veil of life and death was just beautiful.
You will cry make no qualms about it. Nicole Reed delivers Jay’s steps to gaining control of her life superbly.
As Jay leaves the comfort of the Lanier Oaks, she slowly re-enters back into her life. Her parents step up throughout the book as well as her friends. Old loves and new loves show their support and their dreams of having a future with her. Jay works on herself first, she finds happiness and handles the “monster” and the looming trial head on.
The author does a fantastic job of not cramming a new love down our throats. She gives the reader time to grieve and fall in love right along with Jay.
”You are happy.”
I nod my head at him, looking into his eyes.
“You want to live this life,” he states, not questioning.
“Yes.”
Nicole Reed job well done. I'm so happy thank you!!
”You make me happy. You make me want to live for me, to have this forever. To have you forever.”
January 29, 2013
I believe in this book, with all my heart, and all my soul. This is for Jay.
August 2, 2013
4.5 Beautiful sequel stars
This was a wonderful sequel to the heart-wrenching book, Ruining Me.
Jay is in a rehab facility trying to recover from all of the devastation she has endured over the past two years, culminating in the shocking ending of the first book.
Jay has nightmares reliving much of her pain and does not want to participate in the group sessions until she meets the amazing Eli. God, I loved him. He was just what Jay needed in her life, and you (the reader) will find out why.
Let me just say that his goofy jokes and sexy looks are an added plus.
“Snarky, stuck-up girl one second, lost little girl the next”-how Eli describes Jay
“I don’t know if I have just one ‘brand’. I think I shop at the thrift-store of crazy.”- Jay to Eli
While Jay and Eli find healing together and form an incredible bond, Kane is still trying to connect with Jay in the form of some heartbreakingly raw letters. Letters Jay never responds to.
You see, Jay wants Kane to move on as she feels he deserves better than she can give him.
I thought the author did a great job of describing Jay’s journey through the depths of depression and finally the acceptance of what life can be like. And with the help of her counselors and Eli, she finally felt she was ready to return home.
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” -Eli
The nightmares and guilt continued and Jay had to learn to deal with the pain in a non-destructive way. But with the reminders of what happened to her all around, this was no easy task.
All of her friends and even JT’s Mother offered their support. But the one that was really there for her was Rhye, her ex-lover and escapism partner. I have to admit that I fell more in love with Rhye in this book and I secretly wanted Jay to run off with him.
So… after some time and clarification of feelings, Kane and Jay finally come to terms with what their relationship is and is not.
However, there is still the issue of what Jay will do to put her rapist away as well as her guilt over JT’s death.
Props to Ms. Reed for the flashback dreams of J.T. as these really helped Jay on her road to recovery, J.T. was her angel.
I also thought the journal entries added a very insightful touch into Jay’s healing…
~Dear Journal~
I think I’m asking for trouble…wait… I know I am.
~Dear Journal~
One makes me laugh…One makes me cry… One touches my heart… One owns it
The ending has an unexpected twist and an epilogue to top all epilogues … Loved it!
*Thank-you Ms. Reed for providing an ARC in turn for an honest review*
This was a wonderful sequel to the heart-wrenching book, Ruining Me.
Jay is in a rehab facility trying to recover from all of the devastation she has endured over the past two years, culminating in the shocking ending of the first book.
Jay has nightmares reliving much of her pain and does not want to participate in the group sessions until she meets the amazing Eli. God, I loved him. He was just what Jay needed in her life, and you (the reader) will find out why.
Let me just say that his goofy jokes and sexy looks are an added plus.
“Snarky, stuck-up girl one second, lost little girl the next”-how Eli describes Jay
“I don’t know if I have just one ‘brand’. I think I shop at the thrift-store of crazy.”- Jay to Eli
While Jay and Eli find healing together and form an incredible bond, Kane is still trying to connect with Jay in the form of some heartbreakingly raw letters. Letters Jay never responds to.
You see, Jay wants Kane to move on as she feels he deserves better than she can give him.
I thought the author did a great job of describing Jay’s journey through the depths of depression and finally the acceptance of what life can be like. And with the help of her counselors and Eli, she finally felt she was ready to return home.
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” -Eli
The nightmares and guilt continued and Jay had to learn to deal with the pain in a non-destructive way. But with the reminders of what happened to her all around, this was no easy task.
All of her friends and even JT’s Mother offered their support. But the one that was really there for her was Rhye, her ex-lover and escapism partner. I have to admit that I fell more in love with Rhye in this book and I secretly wanted Jay to run off with him.
So… after some time and clarification of feelings, Kane and Jay finally come to terms with what their relationship is and is not.
However, there is still the issue of what Jay will do to put her rapist away as well as her guilt over JT’s death.
Props to Ms. Reed for the flashback dreams of J.T. as these really helped Jay on her road to recovery, J.T. was her angel.
I also thought the journal entries added a very insightful touch into Jay’s healing…
~Dear Journal~
I think I’m asking for trouble…wait… I know I am.
~Dear Journal~
One makes me laugh…One makes me cry… One touches my heart… One owns it
The ending has an unexpected twist and an epilogue to top all epilogues … Loved it!
"Every day is a new start and a new beginning. Always remember to treat it like a gift.”
"For me, life is all about remembering to seize the day and never looking back"
*Thank-you Ms. Reed for providing an ARC in turn for an honest review*
January 31, 2013
4 Soul touching Stars!
This book picks up from 'Ruining me' and holy hell... What an emotional journey....
Jay has survived her attempted suicide and is in rehab. The Pain consumes her... Eats her..
She wants to die..
Her dreams destroy her..
I thought losing me would be the worst pain that I could ever feel, but I was wrong. Losing someone I love is ten times that pain. Causing that loss... unimaginable. Causing pain... unbearable. I’m here. I eat. I sleep. I walk. Life goes on... for me.
She is scared to go home.. To face everyone.. Her friends.. Family.. JT's mom...
And mostly Kane...
After 3 months she doesn't feel any better...
Then she meets Eli...
Together they help each other heal...Eli is sweet, funny, supportive...
He helps her deal with the pain, grief.... He becomes her best friend.
Once she returns home, everything is familiar but soo different.. A world without JT is an empty world for Jay...
Kane told her his moving on, this breaks her heart more.
Trying to deal with the pain... She goes to Rhye.. Sexy rock star.. Hey who can't like him? He might not be her Mr Right,but he was her Mr Right now!
This book makes you feel what Jay is feeling. We live with her through her emotions to moving on... Finding the hope in her life.. Love...in her life... Happiness in her life...
Kane.... Aah sweet Kane... He loved Jay unconditionally... Hell I Love him!!
Jay and Kane find their way back to each other...
I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I need to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance. And I want you, love you and now you’re mine forever"
Kane makes Jay want to live... He bring the smile back in her life...
We follow Jay finding the strength within herself for doing what she needs to do to move on...an unexpected twist at the end but a happy ending...
This book picks up from 'Ruining me' and holy hell... What an emotional journey....
Jay has survived her attempted suicide and is in rehab. The Pain consumes her... Eats her..
She wants to die..
Her dreams destroy her..
I thought losing me would be the worst pain that I could ever feel, but I was wrong. Losing someone I love is ten times that pain. Causing that loss... unimaginable. Causing pain... unbearable. I’m here. I eat. I sleep. I walk. Life goes on... for me.
She is scared to go home.. To face everyone.. Her friends.. Family.. JT's mom...
And mostly Kane...
After 3 months she doesn't feel any better...
Then she meets Eli...
Together they help each other heal...Eli is sweet, funny, supportive...
He helps her deal with the pain, grief.... He becomes her best friend.
Once she returns home, everything is familiar but soo different.. A world without JT is an empty world for Jay...
Kane told her his moving on, this breaks her heart more.
Trying to deal with the pain... She goes to Rhye.. Sexy rock star.. Hey who can't like him? He might not be her Mr Right,but he was her Mr Right now!
This book makes you feel what Jay is feeling. We live with her through her emotions to moving on... Finding the hope in her life.. Love...in her life... Happiness in her life...
Kane.... Aah sweet Kane... He loved Jay unconditionally... Hell I Love him!!
Jay and Kane find their way back to each other...
I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I need to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance. And I want you, love you and now you’re mine forever"
Kane makes Jay want to live... He bring the smile back in her life...
We follow Jay finding the strength within herself for doing what she needs to do to move on...an unexpected twist at the end but a happy ending...
February 21, 2013
THIS REVIEW WAS POSTED AT ANGIE'S DREAMY READS
Click the link above and head over to enter to win a signed copy of this series, a $50 amazon gift card and Ruining You necklace
4.5 AMAZING, BRILLIANT, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL STARS
****SPOILER ALERT - If you have NOT read the first book Ruining Me DO NOT read this review! It’s impossible to review this book without mentioning the epic ending in Ruining Me. PLEASE, PLEASE go and read the first book and then come back and read this!! ****
”When you have nothing but time to re-examine your entire life, you see things a little clearer, and right now, all I have is time. Time is now measured from the night when death stole from me, took my battered heart and left me behind.
Sixty four days is an eternity to live with guilt that weighs me down and the thoughts that swirl around my head. The path I chose is the one I continue to choose. With every sunrise, those feelings strengthen. My soul is broken into a million pieces, and I find new fragments every day. The deconstruction of me is painful, but there are reasons why I can’t finish what I started.”.
Well to say I was eagerly anticipating this book is an understatement. I absolutely LOVED the first book in the series and when the end came and J.T died I thought I would absolutely die with him. I was so heart broken and destroyed. Honestly I didn’t see the ending of the first book coming. I had no flipping idea and when it happened it hit me right in the heart. I knew that Jay was going to have a hard time moving on. What she’s been through and even witness is so traumatic and heartbreaking. So when the second book picked up with Jay in an inpatient program my heart started to break for her again. Death is so tragic. It was incredibly hard to see Jay struggling so badly with not wanting to live and carry on without JT.
While she’s in treatment trying to get her life put back together she meets this AMAZING guy named Eli. Eli really was one of my favorite characters in this series. Jay and Eli are in treatment for different things but they find a common ground and really help each other face their past (there is NOTHING romantic involved!! It’s pure friendship). Jay isn’t ready to come home and face her life and stays in treatment for 3 months. In those three months she doesn’t talk to Kane at all. He writes her letters but she can’t bring herself to respond. She doesn’t know how to cope with it and definitely doesn’t know how to deal with the relationship with him. Eventually though Jay knows she needs to come home and face her friends and family. She needs to learn how to open herself up again and how to make strong healthy relationships. When she heads home life is different for her, her friends are more protective and over all the time, Kane is moving on with his life, her mother and her need to rebuild their relationship and she is broken and depressed still mourning the loss of JT. Not only does she have to adjust to all that, she has to face the pending trial and deal with her rape.
Even with all these changes her attraction to Kane is still strong and magnetic. There’s so much guilt she carries with her but she can’t seem to keep herself from wanting him and craving him. She knows she has to let J.T go (ugh...my heart breaks) but doesn’t want to.
"One makes me laugh...One makes me cry...One touches my heart...One owns it."
Kane’s not the only boy that makes an appearance though. Rhye is back and in love with Jay. He’s never gotten over her. This causes a little bit of a love triangle. Jay has to decide which path she wants; to try and move on from JT and have a relationship with Kane or to choose Rhye which is a destructive and unhealthy choice.
Beside all the relationship drama Coach Brant is back and the plot really, really takes a turn in the end that leaves you surprised and gasping.
I thought Nicole Reed did an excellent job with this sequel. I was really happy with the way it turned out. Rape and Death are hard things to write about but she did it well and eloquently. I saw growth from all the characters. Kane was still absolutely delicious and selfless. His love for Jay really shined through. The boy has so much patience with her it’s incredible. Jay is a sweet girl and definitely a character that I love. I wanted to see her happy so badly and I definitely felt when I finished the book that she got her HEA.
I fell for a damaged girl that had seen the same hell that I had and experienced the depth of loss that many can never understand. We might have been brought together by our pain, but somewhere along the way, it all became about you. I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can't live without because I already know that I can't live without you. I’ve tried, and it sucks.” - Kane
Overall I think Ruining You is a fantastic conclusion to a series that I absolutely love. I love Nicole's writing style and the depth of her characters. I felt that she did a brilliant job of bringing the characters full circle and leaving us feeling like they all got what they needed. I felt closure with J.T’s death. It still kills me to think about it but I think that everything happens for a reason and I like the way the author handled it. I would HIGHLY recommend this series. It’s definitely one of my favorites.
Click the link above and head over to enter to win a signed copy of this series, a $50 amazon gift card and Ruining You necklace
4.5 AMAZING, BRILLIANT, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL STARS
****SPOILER ALERT - If you have NOT read the first book Ruining Me DO NOT read this review! It’s impossible to review this book without mentioning the epic ending in Ruining Me. PLEASE, PLEASE go and read the first book and then come back and read this!! ****
”When you have nothing but time to re-examine your entire life, you see things a little clearer, and right now, all I have is time. Time is now measured from the night when death stole from me, took my battered heart and left me behind.
Sixty four days is an eternity to live with guilt that weighs me down and the thoughts that swirl around my head. The path I chose is the one I continue to choose. With every sunrise, those feelings strengthen. My soul is broken into a million pieces, and I find new fragments every day. The deconstruction of me is painful, but there are reasons why I can’t finish what I started.”.
Well to say I was eagerly anticipating this book is an understatement. I absolutely LOVED the first book in the series and when the end came and J.T died I thought I would absolutely die with him. I was so heart broken and destroyed. Honestly I didn’t see the ending of the first book coming. I had no flipping idea and when it happened it hit me right in the heart. I knew that Jay was going to have a hard time moving on. What she’s been through and even witness is so traumatic and heartbreaking. So when the second book picked up with Jay in an inpatient program my heart started to break for her again. Death is so tragic. It was incredibly hard to see Jay struggling so badly with not wanting to live and carry on without JT.
While she’s in treatment trying to get her life put back together she meets this AMAZING guy named Eli. Eli really was one of my favorite characters in this series. Jay and Eli are in treatment for different things but they find a common ground and really help each other face their past (there is NOTHING romantic involved!! It’s pure friendship). Jay isn’t ready to come home and face her life and stays in treatment for 3 months. In those three months she doesn’t talk to Kane at all. He writes her letters but she can’t bring herself to respond. She doesn’t know how to cope with it and definitely doesn’t know how to deal with the relationship with him. Eventually though Jay knows she needs to come home and face her friends and family. She needs to learn how to open herself up again and how to make strong healthy relationships. When she heads home life is different for her, her friends are more protective and over all the time, Kane is moving on with his life, her mother and her need to rebuild their relationship and she is broken and depressed still mourning the loss of JT. Not only does she have to adjust to all that, she has to face the pending trial and deal with her rape.
Even with all these changes her attraction to Kane is still strong and magnetic. There’s so much guilt she carries with her but she can’t seem to keep herself from wanting him and craving him. She knows she has to let J.T go (ugh...my heart breaks) but doesn’t want to.
"One makes me laugh...One makes me cry...One touches my heart...One owns it."
Kane’s not the only boy that makes an appearance though. Rhye is back and in love with Jay. He’s never gotten over her. This causes a little bit of a love triangle. Jay has to decide which path she wants; to try and move on from JT and have a relationship with Kane or to choose Rhye which is a destructive and unhealthy choice.
Beside all the relationship drama Coach Brant is back and the plot really, really takes a turn in the end that leaves you surprised and gasping.
I thought Nicole Reed did an excellent job with this sequel. I was really happy with the way it turned out. Rape and Death are hard things to write about but she did it well and eloquently. I saw growth from all the characters. Kane was still absolutely delicious and selfless. His love for Jay really shined through. The boy has so much patience with her it’s incredible. Jay is a sweet girl and definitely a character that I love. I wanted to see her happy so badly and I definitely felt when I finished the book that she got her HEA.
I fell for a damaged girl that had seen the same hell that I had and experienced the depth of loss that many can never understand. We might have been brought together by our pain, but somewhere along the way, it all became about you. I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can't live without because I already know that I can't live without you. I’ve tried, and it sucks.” - Kane
Overall I think Ruining You is a fantastic conclusion to a series that I absolutely love. I love Nicole's writing style and the depth of her characters. I felt that she did a brilliant job of bringing the characters full circle and leaving us feeling like they all got what they needed. I felt closure with J.T’s death. It still kills me to think about it but I think that everything happens for a reason and I like the way the author handled it. I would HIGHLY recommend this series. It’s definitely one of my favorites.
July 7, 2020
4.5 Stars!!! Ruining you is a great sequel to Ruining Me!
It’s been two months since Jay’s life has came crashing down around her... or two years, depending on how you look at it. Jay is currently at a rehabilitation facility, getting by and hiding out.
I thought losing me would be the worst pain that I could ever feel, but I was wrong. Losing someone I love is ten times that pain. Causing that loss... unimaginable. Causing pain... unbearable. I’m here. I eat. I sleep. I walk. Life goes on... for me.
After meeting new patient, Eli (by far one of my favorite characters!) who has been in a similar situation and ‘gets’ her, Jay slowly starts to heal. Eli is funny, supportive, and one of the sweetest guys. He is exactly who she needs in her life.
After another month of progress in the rehab, Jay goes home. It gets a little complicated from there. Her parents are a little over protective at first, but at least they have stepped up and are there for her. Mostly just facing her guilt, and her grief, seeing Cal and JT’s mom... learning to let go. And facing the fear that someone is still out there awaiting trial that she could bump into at anytime. It’s scary. But she is trying.
I will try first to live for me, but on days I feel like I can’t go on, I will live for him.
MY JAY
She is doing okay at home, with the support of her friends and family. But there is also the matter of these two guys...
One makes me laugh... One make me cry... One touches my heart... One owns it.
MY KADE
MY RHYE
I will say, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Rhye. He stole my heart- for a second anyway... writing Jay another song ah.
But I am now, and have forever been TEAM KADE!!!
”You make me happy. You make me want to live for me, to have this forever. To have you forever.”
“I love that you understand the pain in me.”
“I love that you know the real me, and you’re still here.”
“I love how you protect both your heart and mine.”
Oh Kade... you sweet and sexy man! I have nothing but love for Kade! He is patient and understanding of Jay’s situation, along with the complexity of her feelings for JT. Just adore him! Oh my Kade
Jay is a survivor. Some may think because of the things she did that she is weak, but she is so strong. I can’t fathom going through half of what she went through and being okay. She was able to heal and her journey was beautiful.
Looking into the mirror, I don’t hate the girl I see anymore. I feel sorry for her. Had things been different, she would have had an amazing life. But the truth is, I can still have an amazing life, just not the same one. My choice; my path to choose.
What an emotional roller coaster- but it was a beautiful ride! My heart broke, I was smiling, laughing, crying, crying some more (although some were happy tears in this book!) Jay’s story is truly incredible. It moved me.
When the book was coming to a close, something crazy happened- I really didn’t see it coming! The ending was absolute perfection. The story flowed, once I started this one it was hard to put down. The author really has a way with words, the writing was amazing!
Ruining Me may have broke me, but Ruining You put me back together! Left me with a smile on my face wanting to embrace life and seize the day!!!
It’s been two months since Jay’s life has came crashing down around her... or two years, depending on how you look at it. Jay is currently at a rehabilitation facility, getting by and hiding out.
I thought losing me would be the worst pain that I could ever feel, but I was wrong. Losing someone I love is ten times that pain. Causing that loss... unimaginable. Causing pain... unbearable. I’m here. I eat. I sleep. I walk. Life goes on... for me.
After meeting new patient, Eli (by far one of my favorite characters!) who has been in a similar situation and ‘gets’ her, Jay slowly starts to heal. Eli is funny, supportive, and one of the sweetest guys. He is exactly who she needs in her life.
After another month of progress in the rehab, Jay goes home. It gets a little complicated from there. Her parents are a little over protective at first, but at least they have stepped up and are there for her. Mostly just facing her guilt, and her grief, seeing Cal and JT’s mom... learning to let go. And facing the fear that someone is still out there awaiting trial that she could bump into at anytime. It’s scary. But she is trying.
I will try first to live for me, but on days I feel like I can’t go on, I will live for him.
MY JAY
She is doing okay at home, with the support of her friends and family. But there is also the matter of these two guys...
One makes me laugh... One make me cry... One touches my heart... One owns it.
MY KADE
MY RHYE
I will say, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Rhye. He stole my heart- for a second anyway... writing Jay another song ah.
But I am now, and have forever been TEAM KADE!!!
”You make me happy. You make me want to live for me, to have this forever. To have you forever.”
“I love that you understand the pain in me.”
“I love that you know the real me, and you’re still here.”
“I love how you protect both your heart and mine.”
Oh Kade... you sweet and sexy man! I have nothing but love for Kade! He is patient and understanding of Jay’s situation, along with the complexity of her feelings for JT. Just adore him! Oh my Kade
Jay is a survivor. Some may think because of the things she did that she is weak, but she is so strong. I can’t fathom going through half of what she went through and being okay. She was able to heal and her journey was beautiful.
Looking into the mirror, I don’t hate the girl I see anymore. I feel sorry for her. Had things been different, she would have had an amazing life. But the truth is, I can still have an amazing life, just not the same one. My choice; my path to choose.
What an emotional roller coaster- but it was a beautiful ride! My heart broke, I was smiling, laughing, crying, crying some more (although some were happy tears in this book!) Jay’s story is truly incredible. It moved me.
When the book was coming to a close, something crazy happened- I really didn’t see it coming! The ending was absolute perfection. The story flowed, once I started this one it was hard to put down. The author really has a way with words, the writing was amazing!
Ruining Me may have broke me, but Ruining You put me back together! Left me with a smile on my face wanting to embrace life and seize the day!!!
April 7, 2013
QUICK REVIEW -mature content reader discretion is advised.
4.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult Romance
Do not read if you have not read book1 because spoilers may be in your future…
After all hope is lost..
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” ~Eli
EXPLOSIVE.
Picking up where book 1 left off Jay is self signed in to a psychiatric facility where she is learning to deal with the tragic events that lead up to her boyfriends death.
After being attacked and viciously raped by a coach at her high school, Jay must cope with not only the horrific death of her boyfriend but her dark secrets she swore to keep bound inside. Everyone now knows what happened to her and what she did to end it all. How..how does one recover?
‘Anger rises within me. I can’t control it, and I want to hurt anyone and everyone around me. I want to make them hurt like I hurt. This is why I stay away from people; I am physically unable to restrain myself. It’s eating me alive, and I can do nothing to stop it.’ ~ Internal monologue of Jay
‘The deconstruction of me is painful, but there are reasons why I can’t finish what I started.’ ~Jay
“It takes time, and thank goodness you have it, Jay. You’re lucky for that. Every day is a new start and a new beginning. Always remember to treat it like a gift.” ~Dr. Raines
“Jay,” he says, interrupting me and shaking his head, “it is more than that. I want to make sure that that sassy girl that acts like she’s not listening to every word spoken during each session finds a reason to live. I want to know that she looks at life and sees an endless road of journeys and adventures instead of roadblocks and dead ends." ~Dr. Gale
“Live, Jay. Live every day like it’s your last. Treasure the moments you have, and make sure you make them count." ~Dr. Raines
After recovery comes L O V E
~ Dear Journal ~ One makes me laugh... One makes me cry... One touches my heart... One owns it ~Jay
“..Damn you! I tried to give you up, but I’m fucking addicted like a cracked out junky.” ~Rhye to Jay
“..I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can’t live without because I already know that I can’t live without you. I’ve tried, and it sucks.” ~Kane to Jay
Who will she choose?
My thoughts
This book kept me on the edge of my seat on an emotional roller coaster up til the very last page. I highly recommend it!
My Ratings
Characters- Lovable
Writing Style- Solid
Plot/Storyline- Intense and Highly emotional
Steam Factor- Medium/Moderately Steamy
Overall- I loved it!!!! READ IT!!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews got to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
4.5 STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult Romance
Do not read if you have not read book1 because spoilers may be in your future…
After all hope is lost..
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.” ~Eli
EXPLOSIVE.
Picking up where book 1 left off Jay is self signed in to a psychiatric facility where she is learning to deal with the tragic events that lead up to her boyfriends death.
After being attacked and viciously raped by a coach at her high school, Jay must cope with not only the horrific death of her boyfriend but her dark secrets she swore to keep bound inside. Everyone now knows what happened to her and what she did to end it all. How..how does one recover?
‘Anger rises within me. I can’t control it, and I want to hurt anyone and everyone around me. I want to make them hurt like I hurt. This is why I stay away from people; I am physically unable to restrain myself. It’s eating me alive, and I can do nothing to stop it.’ ~ Internal monologue of Jay
‘The deconstruction of me is painful, but there are reasons why I can’t finish what I started.’ ~Jay
“It takes time, and thank goodness you have it, Jay. You’re lucky for that. Every day is a new start and a new beginning. Always remember to treat it like a gift.” ~Dr. Raines
“Jay,” he says, interrupting me and shaking his head, “it is more than that. I want to make sure that that sassy girl that acts like she’s not listening to every word spoken during each session finds a reason to live. I want to know that she looks at life and sees an endless road of journeys and adventures instead of roadblocks and dead ends." ~Dr. Gale
“Live, Jay. Live every day like it’s your last. Treasure the moments you have, and make sure you make them count." ~Dr. Raines
After recovery comes L O V E
~ Dear Journal ~ One makes me laugh... One makes me cry... One touches my heart... One owns it ~Jay
“..Damn you! I tried to give you up, but I’m fucking addicted like a cracked out junky.” ~Rhye to Jay
“..I want to live my life showing you the things to live for and the things you can’t live without because I already know that I can’t live without you. I’ve tried, and it sucks.” ~Kane to Jay
Who will she choose?
My thoughts
This book kept me on the edge of my seat on an emotional roller coaster up til the very last page. I highly recommend it!
My Ratings
Characters- Lovable
Writing Style- Solid
Plot/Storyline- Intense and Highly emotional
Steam Factor- Medium/Moderately Steamy
Overall- I loved it!!!! READ IT!!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!
For more reviews got to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...
February 2, 2013
My review is for both books as a whole due to the fact I read them back to back, so to me the story was one huge book to me. (Even though it was not long enough)
"I've never burned for a woman before, and all night, I burned for you." - Kane, Book 1 Ruining me.
Hold the phone people! I have a new book husband! And his name is Kane.
This man is so fine that if someone offered me Kane or a never ending supply of chocolate..... I would choose Kane! Yes people I would give up chocolate for life if I had a Kane.
Now let me give you some visual of my Kane.....
Ruining me, I picked up because of the book Metamorphosis. And I am so glad I did. The pure and raw emotion the author delivers us reader is truly soul wrenching that it breaks you into tiny little pieces.
“Yes, you made me want my future again. The only problem is, he was my future first." - Jay, Book 1 Ruining me.
I was shattered. Broken. Beside myself when book 1 ended. And due to the ending it had that was the reason why I only gave book 1 a 4 star rating. I will not go into detail as I do not want to give anything away. I loved JT so much that I wish there was just another way. And even though I loved JT he definitely was not for Jay.
In book 2, Ruining you, we slowly as readers start to mend our broken and shattered hearts right along side Jay.
From get go the tone to this book is a lot more heartfelt.
“Don't let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.” - Eli, Book 2 Ruining You.
Nicole Reed you someway, somehow captured my heart. Then shattered it into a million pieces. And finally mended it one by one, piece by piece, back together. And for this beautiful ride you allowed me to experience your story will forever be embedded into my mind.
“Believe it or not, I would go through the pain of losing you ten times over for that boy to still be alive. For you Jay, so that you wouldn't have to live with this for the rest of your life.” - Kane, Book 2 Ruining You.
"I've never burned for a woman before, and all night, I burned for you." - Kane, Book 1 Ruining me.
Hold the phone people! I have a new book husband! And his name is Kane.
This man is so fine that if someone offered me Kane or a never ending supply of chocolate..... I would choose Kane! Yes people I would give up chocolate for life if I had a Kane.
Now let me give you some visual of my Kane.....
Ruining me, I picked up because of the book Metamorphosis. And I am so glad I did. The pure and raw emotion the author delivers us reader is truly soul wrenching that it breaks you into tiny little pieces.
“Yes, you made me want my future again. The only problem is, he was my future first." - Jay, Book 1 Ruining me.
I was shattered. Broken. Beside myself when book 1 ended. And due to the ending it had that was the reason why I only gave book 1 a 4 star rating. I will not go into detail as I do not want to give anything away. I loved JT so much that I wish there was just another way. And even though I loved JT he definitely was not for Jay.
In book 2, Ruining you, we slowly as readers start to mend our broken and shattered hearts right along side Jay.
From get go the tone to this book is a lot more heartfelt.
“Don't let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it.” - Eli, Book 2 Ruining You.
Nicole Reed you someway, somehow captured my heart. Then shattered it into a million pieces. And finally mended it one by one, piece by piece, back together. And for this beautiful ride you allowed me to experience your story will forever be embedded into my mind.
“Believe it or not, I would go through the pain of losing you ten times over for that boy to still be alive. For you Jay, so that you wouldn't have to live with this for the rest of your life.” - Kane, Book 2 Ruining You.
January 28, 2013
YEAHHH AN HEA woo hooo I knew Nicole Would not disappoint us with the sequel !!!!!
For a girl who dared to tempt death, living is the only promise that matters now.
Jay’s life almost came to a forced end when her darkest secrets were revealed and the one who she chose to give her future to was ripped away. Now, everything she kept hidden is the topic of everyone’s conversation, and not all are sympathetic. Someone wants her horrific past to dictate her future, and another is determined to help her choose a different path.
In conclusion to Ruining Me, Kane and Rhye know that Jay is worth the fight, but waiting for her to find herself may ruin them all.
God where to begin , the lost and broken Girl Jay we all met in Ruining me Comes out a whole new person by the end of this book . Jay Meets Eli and damn if he does not bring the best out of her and make her realize that she needs to LIVE for herself. She is becoming very determined to LIVE and to love life and be determined to have a future . Jay went through hell and back and she truly does come out on top in the end . What an Amazing way to end Jay's story ...
God,I don’t even know why I try. You drive me bat shit crazy.”
Kane, if you did not love him in Ruining me , you will by the end of this one . If you did love him in Ruining Me , then you are truly going to love him a hell of a lot more after Ruining You . He is amazing , his love his devotion and his Heart belongs to Jay and the way he stands back and lets her love herself first is truly beautiful .
“I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I needed to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance. And I want you, love you, and now you’re mine. Forever,” he states, staring into my eyes.
"Every day is a new start and a new beginning. Always remember to treat it like a gift.”
Nicole Awesome Awesome Job on Bring Jay's Story to a close , I know her and Kane will forever be in my heart and I will never forget their story .
For a girl who dared to tempt death, living is the only promise that matters now.
Jay’s life almost came to a forced end when her darkest secrets were revealed and the one who she chose to give her future to was ripped away. Now, everything she kept hidden is the topic of everyone’s conversation, and not all are sympathetic. Someone wants her horrific past to dictate her future, and another is determined to help her choose a different path.
In conclusion to Ruining Me, Kane and Rhye know that Jay is worth the fight, but waiting for her to find herself may ruin them all.
God where to begin , the lost and broken Girl Jay we all met in Ruining me Comes out a whole new person by the end of this book . Jay Meets Eli and damn if he does not bring the best out of her and make her realize that she needs to LIVE for herself. She is becoming very determined to LIVE and to love life and be determined to have a future . Jay went through hell and back and she truly does come out on top in the end . What an Amazing way to end Jay's story ...
God,I don’t even know why I try. You drive me bat shit crazy.”
Kane, if you did not love him in Ruining me , you will by the end of this one . If you did love him in Ruining Me , then you are truly going to love him a hell of a lot more after Ruining You . He is amazing , his love his devotion and his Heart belongs to Jay and the way he stands back and lets her love herself first is truly beautiful .
“I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I needed to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance. And I want you, love you, and now you’re mine. Forever,” he states, staring into my eyes.
"Every day is a new start and a new beginning. Always remember to treat it like a gift.”
Nicole Awesome Awesome Job on Bring Jay's Story to a close , I know her and Kane will forever be in my heart and I will never forget their story .
January 27, 2013
Let me start by saying that I've been left feeling a little disappointed with some of the sequels that I've read lately. However, this one nailed it! I loved the build up in the beginning, and the way Jay came to terms with the realization that what happened to her was not her fault. It was refreshing to see Jay put herself first, and take care of herself FIRST. So many times it becomes about the other person, and I loved the message that Jay had to love herself before she could love someone else.
We meet Eli in this book and what a great addition he was! Loved him! Ahh Kane and Rhye. Kane. Rhye. Who wouldn't love those choices? Sighhh. I had a bigger soft spot for one going in, but Nicole Reed sucked me into the story and changed my mind completely. The characters were fleshed out and nothing was rushed or dragged out needlessly..it was spot on!
I was really impressed with the flow of the story and that the topic spoiler: wasn't just put there as a plot point, but rather, handled brilliantly. Nicole Reed wove the heavier topic in with the love story perfectly.
I devoured this book from start to finish because I was so wrapped up in it. It wasn't angst overload the whole time, and I really appreciated that. It was just enough to keep the story moving, but not so much you don't know if you are coming or going. In the end, I was happy with who Jay chooses, and the way everything wraps up.
Overall, I really loved this book and think this is the rare case where the sequel outdoes the original! Great job!
**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
We meet Eli in this book and what a great addition he was! Loved him! Ahh Kane and Rhye. Kane. Rhye. Who wouldn't love those choices? Sighhh. I had a bigger soft spot for one going in, but Nicole Reed sucked me into the story and changed my mind completely. The characters were fleshed out and nothing was rushed or dragged out needlessly..it was spot on!
I was really impressed with the flow of the story and that the topic spoiler: wasn't just put there as a plot point, but rather, handled brilliantly. Nicole Reed wove the heavier topic in with the love story perfectly.
I devoured this book from start to finish because I was so wrapped up in it. It wasn't angst overload the whole time, and I really appreciated that. It was just enough to keep the story moving, but not so much you don't know if you are coming or going. In the end, I was happy with who Jay chooses, and the way everything wraps up.
Overall, I really loved this book and think this is the rare case where the sequel outdoes the original! Great job!
**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
February 5, 2013
OH MY...not sure if I should read this one... The ending to Ruining me literally about Ruined ME! Smdh
EDIT: Soooo I read it...hmmm...hmmm...hmmm??? I really don't know what to say...This book for me was just OK. That's not a completely bad thing but not exactly great either. The first book in this series Ruining Me left me with a WTF ending and so I needed to read this book to find out what happened next. I pretty much knew where this story was headed and I can't say that I was excited about that going into it...
In the first book I was not really feeling the chemistry between the h Jay and the H Kane. I was hoping this book would get better and I would be able to see their chemistry but it never really happened for me. I had a really hard time connecting with these characters and feeling it.
I can respect the struggles and journey of Jay. She really went through a lot but some of her actions still left me confused. She was supposedly so distraught and in love with her boyfriend JT but yet so ready to jump into things with Kane and toyed with Rhye on the side. I understand she needed to move on after losing JT but it just didn't feel right for me.
The actions of Kane also left me confused. He was so crazy about this girl that dumped him for another guy and did nothing but toy with his feelings. I just did not see the connection between Jay and Kane. Maybe it was just too quick and rushed them getting together for me. I really cannot pinpoint the exact ingredients but it just didnot mix well for me...
Also I did not understand Jay's parents. WTH?! I mean I know some parents can be cool but these folks were way to cool to be believable. Your 18 year old daughter (yes technically she was an adult but still)was raped and pregnant by a teacher but you are OK with her dating and being with all these men. Idk..and who's mom tells them to not have sex for a month for a week vacation?? Hmmmm...these things just didnot sit right with me. I just felt more and more situations were too unbelievable...
Overall this book was just OK for me. I can't say that it was just awful but I was just not overly impressed either.. *sigh*
EDIT: Soooo I read it...hmmm...hmmm...hmmm??? I really don't know what to say...This book for me was just OK. That's not a completely bad thing but not exactly great either. The first book in this series Ruining Me left me with a WTF ending and so I needed to read this book to find out what happened next. I pretty much knew where this story was headed and I can't say that I was excited about that going into it...
In the first book I was not really feeling the chemistry between the h Jay and the H Kane. I was hoping this book would get better and I would be able to see their chemistry but it never really happened for me. I had a really hard time connecting with these characters and feeling it.
I can respect the struggles and journey of Jay. She really went through a lot but some of her actions still left me confused. She was supposedly so distraught and in love with her boyfriend JT but yet so ready to jump into things with Kane and toyed with Rhye on the side. I understand she needed to move on after losing JT but it just didn't feel right for me.
The actions of Kane also left me confused. He was so crazy about this girl that dumped him for another guy and did nothing but toy with his feelings. I just did not see the connection between Jay and Kane. Maybe it was just too quick and rushed them getting together for me. I really cannot pinpoint the exact ingredients but it just didnot mix well for me...
Also I did not understand Jay's parents. WTH?! I mean I know some parents can be cool but these folks were way to cool to be believable. Your 18 year old daughter (yes technically she was an adult but still)was raped and pregnant by a teacher but you are OK with her dating and being with all these men. Idk..and who's mom tells them to not have sex for a month for a week vacation?? Hmmmm...these things just didnot sit right with me. I just felt more and more situations were too unbelievable...
Overall this book was just OK for me. I can't say that it was just awful but I was just not overly impressed either.. *sigh*
January 28, 2013
After finishing Ruining Me several months ago, I felt like I had just barely began getting to know Jay. I had learned about the heart-breaking happenings in her life that had tried so hard to tear her down and break her will to live. I was left wanting to know more about her... I was left hoping for her... I was left totally RUINED!!
In Ruining You, Nicole does an amazing job of unveiling Jay's true character, making me fall in love with her a little more page by page. I found myself rooting for her, cheering for her, loving her like a friend. Remembering what it was like to be a young woman and now being a mom, the conversations between Jay and her mom really touched me. I cried at the sincerity, the honesty, and the raw feelings that were exposed during these interactions. My heart broke for both women as they tried to put their lives back together.
Then there was Kane... Oh, Kane. As much as I liked Rhye, I loved Kane. He was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and exuded a sexiness that brought my belly butterflies to life. Nicole could not have created a better match for Jay; he helped balance her in every way.
Overall, I was absolutely amazed at the feelings that this book evoked inside me. Nicole Reed, you have truly outdone yourself.
(I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
In Ruining You, Nicole does an amazing job of unveiling Jay's true character, making me fall in love with her a little more page by page. I found myself rooting for her, cheering for her, loving her like a friend. Remembering what it was like to be a young woman and now being a mom, the conversations between Jay and her mom really touched me. I cried at the sincerity, the honesty, and the raw feelings that were exposed during these interactions. My heart broke for both women as they tried to put their lives back together.
Then there was Kane... Oh, Kane. As much as I liked Rhye, I loved Kane. He was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy and exuded a sexiness that brought my belly butterflies to life. Nicole could not have created a better match for Jay; he helped balance her in every way.
Overall, I was absolutely amazed at the feelings that this book evoked inside me. Nicole Reed, you have truly outdone yourself.
(I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
February 24, 2013
What can I say??
This was more heartbreaking than the first one....
In this book James was trying to recover from all the bad things that happened her in the first book and generally the last two years.
She was tring to re-enter in her normal life with the help of her parents and her friends.
James had to made some serious decisions about her life . She had to clarify whether she loved Kane , Rhye or if her heart still belonged to JT .
In this book her monster , the one that ruined her life was still FREE.
He was stalking her but she was feeling to weak and so not ready to talk about what happened.
However , she was strong...
“You want the truth? Those two years you could have ended your life, but you didn't because you wanted to live. You weren't looking for a way out, Jay. You were looking for a way back in.”
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us”
She fell in love...
“He has captured my heart wholly and stolen my soul for eternity.”
This story was so beautiful .
This was more heartbreaking than the first one....
In this book James was trying to recover from all the bad things that happened her in the first book and generally the last two years.
She was tring to re-enter in her normal life with the help of her parents and her friends.
James had to made some serious decisions about her life . She had to clarify whether she loved Kane , Rhye or if her heart still belonged to JT .
In this book her monster , the one that ruined her life was still FREE.
He was stalking her but she was feeling to weak and so not ready to talk about what happened.
However , she was strong...
“You want the truth? Those two years you could have ended your life, but you didn't because you wanted to live. You weren't looking for a way out, Jay. You were looking for a way back in.”
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us”
She fell in love...
“He has captured my heart wholly and stolen my soul for eternity.”
This story was so beautiful .
January 28, 2013
Ruining You is now LIVE!
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruining-You-e...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Ruining-You-ebo...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ruini...
Wow, I literally am speechless. I was so deeply moved by this book, and it was so unexpected. I devoured Ruining You, and don’t even know that I can do it justice in a review, and not spoil a thing for a reader. I have to say I really enjoyed the first in this series, Ruining Me. The ending left me bereft, and I couldn’t help but wonder how these characters were ever going to move on. Could they heal? Was there any way out of this mess? I had faith that Nicole Reed would deliver in the next book, but my goodness did she deliver BIG TIME.
Ruining You starts out with Jay in a mental health facility trying to deal with the aftermath of JT’s death and her attempted suicide, but this chain of events was really cause by her rape. Make no bones about it Nicole Reed is going to take you down every emotional road available. This is not a fluffy book. It’s REAL, ANGSTY, GRITTY and RAW. These are some heavy topics and Ms. Reed does not shy away from dealing with them realistically. Jay’s not getting some pass, she is a girl who has hit rock bottom, and it takes a ton of work to pick yourself up from that place. Make sure you have your tissue box close by because you will need them.
I have to say my heart just broke for Jay all over again in the first few chapters of this book. Two months into treatment and she is so closed off; so shutdown, life still seems like a huge struggle for her. Jay is trying to come to terms with everything that has happened, but it seems like her problems are insurmountable. This girl is dealing with some heavy burdens and they’ve broken her. The question becomes have they broken her beyond repair? Can she forgive herself enough to let some of those barriers come tumbling down? Can she start to let people in again? Can she come to the realization that all of these awful events have not been her fault? She had control over one, but the others were not her doing. Can she get over the guilt of surviving? The inner turmoil we see Jay experience throughout the book is just brilliant. It’s so spot on that I want to shake her and tell her she can do this, that she needs to snap out of this, but that is a realization that she needs to come to herself. She needs to start healing. She needs to love herself enough to move forward, to stop hurting. To want to LIVE life.
“Live, Jay. Live every day like it’s your last. Treasure the moments you have,and make sure you make them count.”
The fact that I felt every single emotion that Jay did in this book is such a nod to the author and her excellent writing. I was always right there with her, understanding exactly what she was feeling, what she was going through. I understood her conflict about moving on when others didn’t have the ability to do so. Even if she could move on, what type of life would she be returning to? I understood her apprehension, her depression, her feelings of hopelessness. I got Jay. At times it broke my heart to walk by her side through this journey. She was after all in her own hell, but I knew if she could just take it step by step, day by day, something beautiful could come from this nightmare.
While I know this is a story about Jay and I was anxious to see where she would be going, I proudly wear my Team Kane shirt so I couldn’t help but think of him as soon as I picked up this book. Jay’s choice in Ruining Me probably broke my heart as much as it did his. In the end he was there for her though. How was he dealing with the aftermath of the events in Ruining Me? Was he supportive? Does he still care? I will admit that by 5% in Kane had shred me. I was bawling my eyes out not only for him, but for Jay. Can she pull herself together and when she does will he still be there? Will she even want him? What about Rhye? He was pretty sexy, seemed really into her, a bad boy and well umm hello soon to be rock star. They had a connection, maybe she should be with him. Their relationship always seems so easy. There were so many questions and I couldn’t read fast enough to get my answers. The one thing I did discover was that I was on the wrong team. It occurred to me at 29% I’m not team Kane, I’m team Jay. I want her to be happy. I want her to love herself. I want her to be able to move on with her life. I want her to live. If that’s with Kane, or Rhye, or some other guy, it doesn’t matter. I just want her to be healed. I want her to realize her own self-worth sans any man. After all, it’s only through that realization on her part that she will truly be able to move forward. But is this transformation possible?
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There are some characters from Ruining Me that return for this one, then there are some that we build a deeper relationship with and then there are a few totally new faces. The development of each was honestly wonderful. I would be remiss if I failed to mention my new favorite Eli. Jay meets Eli in the facility and it’s as if they are kindred spirits. Their banter at times is comical, and he comes into Jay’s life at just the right time.
“Don't let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it."
Eli is full of words of wisdom for Jay, and he quickly becomes a true friend to her. Everyone should have an Eli in their lives. He shoots straight from the hip and you might not like what he’s going to tell you, but it’s exactly what you need to hear.
I have to admit I’ve noticed a change in Ms. Reed’s writing style, if I’m to be honest, it’s just better, and I never even thought it wasn’t good to begin with. She’s more descriptive, but not overly so. The flow was dead on. These characters are dealing with real life heavy issues, and Ms. Reed is beyond accurate when describing the feelings they invoke. It never dragged, and was never rushed. The flow was excellent, and while I was anxious to see what was going to happen, I was conflicted because I didn’t want it to end, it was literally that good. I cried more than my fair share, there were twist and turns I didn’t see coming, and I was in shock with some of the events that went down in this book. I’m not going to spoil anything here so you’ll have to read and see for yourselves what happens with Jay. I am relieved to report that this sequel did what so many others fail to… it outshined its predecessor. Thank you Nicole Reed for dealing with such tough issues, in a realistic and sensitive way. I’ll be anxious to get my hands on whatever else you offer up, if it’s even remotely as good as the two in this series, it will be a real treat.
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruining-You-e...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Ruining-You-ebo...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ruini...
Wow, I literally am speechless. I was so deeply moved by this book, and it was so unexpected. I devoured Ruining You, and don’t even know that I can do it justice in a review, and not spoil a thing for a reader. I have to say I really enjoyed the first in this series, Ruining Me. The ending left me bereft, and I couldn’t help but wonder how these characters were ever going to move on. Could they heal? Was there any way out of this mess? I had faith that Nicole Reed would deliver in the next book, but my goodness did she deliver BIG TIME.
Ruining You starts out with Jay in a mental health facility trying to deal with the aftermath of JT’s death and her attempted suicide, but this chain of events was really cause by her rape. Make no bones about it Nicole Reed is going to take you down every emotional road available. This is not a fluffy book. It’s REAL, ANGSTY, GRITTY and RAW. These are some heavy topics and Ms. Reed does not shy away from dealing with them realistically. Jay’s not getting some pass, she is a girl who has hit rock bottom, and it takes a ton of work to pick yourself up from that place. Make sure you have your tissue box close by because you will need them.
I have to say my heart just broke for Jay all over again in the first few chapters of this book. Two months into treatment and she is so closed off; so shutdown, life still seems like a huge struggle for her. Jay is trying to come to terms with everything that has happened, but it seems like her problems are insurmountable. This girl is dealing with some heavy burdens and they’ve broken her. The question becomes have they broken her beyond repair? Can she forgive herself enough to let some of those barriers come tumbling down? Can she start to let people in again? Can she come to the realization that all of these awful events have not been her fault? She had control over one, but the others were not her doing. Can she get over the guilt of surviving? The inner turmoil we see Jay experience throughout the book is just brilliant. It’s so spot on that I want to shake her and tell her she can do this, that she needs to snap out of this, but that is a realization that she needs to come to herself. She needs to start healing. She needs to love herself enough to move forward, to stop hurting. To want to LIVE life.
“Live, Jay. Live every day like it’s your last. Treasure the moments you have,and make sure you make them count.”
The fact that I felt every single emotion that Jay did in this book is such a nod to the author and her excellent writing. I was always right there with her, understanding exactly what she was feeling, what she was going through. I understood her conflict about moving on when others didn’t have the ability to do so. Even if she could move on, what type of life would she be returning to? I understood her apprehension, her depression, her feelings of hopelessness. I got Jay. At times it broke my heart to walk by her side through this journey. She was after all in her own hell, but I knew if she could just take it step by step, day by day, something beautiful could come from this nightmare.
While I know this is a story about Jay and I was anxious to see where she would be going, I proudly wear my Team Kane shirt so I couldn’t help but think of him as soon as I picked up this book. Jay’s choice in Ruining Me probably broke my heart as much as it did his. In the end he was there for her though. How was he dealing with the aftermath of the events in Ruining Me? Was he supportive? Does he still care? I will admit that by 5% in Kane had shred me. I was bawling my eyes out not only for him, but for Jay. Can she pull herself together and when she does will he still be there? Will she even want him? What about Rhye? He was pretty sexy, seemed really into her, a bad boy and well umm hello soon to be rock star. They had a connection, maybe she should be with him. Their relationship always seems so easy. There were so many questions and I couldn’t read fast enough to get my answers. The one thing I did discover was that I was on the wrong team. It occurred to me at 29% I’m not team Kane, I’m team Jay. I want her to be happy. I want her to love herself. I want her to be able to move on with her life. I want her to live. If that’s with Kane, or Rhye, or some other guy, it doesn’t matter. I just want her to be healed. I want her to realize her own self-worth sans any man. After all, it’s only through that realization on her part that she will truly be able to move forward. But is this transformation possible?
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There are some characters from Ruining Me that return for this one, then there are some that we build a deeper relationship with and then there are a few totally new faces. The development of each was honestly wonderful. I would be remiss if I failed to mention my new favorite Eli. Jay meets Eli in the facility and it’s as if they are kindred spirits. Their banter at times is comical, and he comes into Jay’s life at just the right time.
“Don't let go now, Jay. One-by-one, place each piece of your soul back together, but this time, make it stronger. Close your eyes and do it."
Eli is full of words of wisdom for Jay, and he quickly becomes a true friend to her. Everyone should have an Eli in their lives. He shoots straight from the hip and you might not like what he’s going to tell you, but it’s exactly what you need to hear.
I have to admit I’ve noticed a change in Ms. Reed’s writing style, if I’m to be honest, it’s just better, and I never even thought it wasn’t good to begin with. She’s more descriptive, but not overly so. The flow was dead on. These characters are dealing with real life heavy issues, and Ms. Reed is beyond accurate when describing the feelings they invoke. It never dragged, and was never rushed. The flow was excellent, and while I was anxious to see what was going to happen, I was conflicted because I didn’t want it to end, it was literally that good. I cried more than my fair share, there were twist and turns I didn’t see coming, and I was in shock with some of the events that went down in this book. I’m not going to spoil anything here so you’ll have to read and see for yourselves what happens with Jay. I am relieved to report that this sequel did what so many others fail to… it outshined its predecessor. Thank you Nicole Reed for dealing with such tough issues, in a realistic and sensitive way. I’ll be anxious to get my hands on whatever else you offer up, if it’s even remotely as good as the two in this series, it will be a real treat.
February 13, 2013
Talk about a happy ever after that was worth the wait!! Nicole Reed drew me right back into Jay's somber, heartbroken world with this stunning sequel to Ruining Me, and I loved every moment!!
"Hate...Hate that he let his emotions rule him. Hate that he didn't love me enough to stay. Hate that he talked Cal into going with him. Hate that he didn't take me. Hate...him."~Jay
With that brutal ending to Ruining Me, there was pretty much no doubt I'd be getting right back to this series, and it was easy to slip back into the pain that Jay was forced to endure. My heart just aches for this girl, she's to completely broken and I just wanted things to finally go right for her. She's determined this time around, and I was cheering her on as she removed herself from her home and friends and family to try to just work on her depression. As much as it killed all of them to not have her around (and killed me hearing how much it tore up Kane *sobs*), she was getting help that she so desperately needed. But yeah, at the same time, I was thinking "go back to Kane, you're breaking his heart!!", and I loved that when Jay finally decides to go home, it's no unrealistic walk in the park for her.
"I can't die. I hate to live. I have to start sometime. Start somewhere. I've outgrown this limbo, but the meaning of my life is still unknown, even to me."~Jay
With Jay's return home, of course she had to deal with being in the same town as Coach Branch and the impending trial. This man truly deserved to pay dearly, and as Jay stood her ground about not testifying it was maddening. But the thought of her reliving all of the details of that day and watching that sickening man enjoy it made my skin crawl, so I certainly couldn't blame her.
Jay truly faces her demons this time around instead of just hiding from them, and she's kept in check even though it drives her batty. But even as she was trying to embrace her new life, she still struggled with the idea of living for HERSELF, and it seemed like everyone saw that but Jay. There were so many gut-wrenching moments in this story that had me in tears, especially when it came to JT. I felt like I was saying goodbye to him all over again right along with Jay, and the pain others suffered around her through all of this was crushing. No one made it out unscathed when she tried to take her life, and seeing the aftermath written with so much raw emotion was beautiful.
Kane was truly incredible, I fell for him all over again and my heart raced every time he was around. I loved Rhye too, but he wasn't even on my radar in comparison. Kane's love for Jay ran so deep and so permanently etched, that even when he was telling her he'd moved on it was clear he was completely torn inside.
I loved the way Jay and Kane's story came to a close, it was perfect for them and perfect for the hell that they had to go through to get there. Beautiful, breathtaking, and absolutely unforgettable!
"Hate...Hate that he let his emotions rule him. Hate that he didn't love me enough to stay. Hate that he talked Cal into going with him. Hate that he didn't take me. Hate...him."~Jay
With that brutal ending to Ruining Me, there was pretty much no doubt I'd be getting right back to this series, and it was easy to slip back into the pain that Jay was forced to endure. My heart just aches for this girl, she's to completely broken and I just wanted things to finally go right for her. She's determined this time around, and I was cheering her on as she removed herself from her home and friends and family to try to just work on her depression. As much as it killed all of them to not have her around (and killed me hearing how much it tore up Kane *sobs*), she was getting help that she so desperately needed. But yeah, at the same time, I was thinking "go back to Kane, you're breaking his heart!!", and I loved that when Jay finally decides to go home, it's no unrealistic walk in the park for her.
"I can't die. I hate to live. I have to start sometime. Start somewhere. I've outgrown this limbo, but the meaning of my life is still unknown, even to me."~Jay
With Jay's return home, of course she had to deal with being in the same town as Coach Branch and the impending trial. This man truly deserved to pay dearly, and as Jay stood her ground about not testifying it was maddening. But the thought of her reliving all of the details of that day and watching that sickening man enjoy it made my skin crawl, so I certainly couldn't blame her.
Jay truly faces her demons this time around instead of just hiding from them, and she's kept in check even though it drives her batty. But even as she was trying to embrace her new life, she still struggled with the idea of living for HERSELF, and it seemed like everyone saw that but Jay. There were so many gut-wrenching moments in this story that had me in tears, especially when it came to JT. I felt like I was saying goodbye to him all over again right along with Jay, and the pain others suffered around her through all of this was crushing. No one made it out unscathed when she tried to take her life, and seeing the aftermath written with so much raw emotion was beautiful.
Kane was truly incredible, I fell for him all over again and my heart raced every time he was around. I loved Rhye too, but he wasn't even on my radar in comparison. Kane's love for Jay ran so deep and so permanently etched, that even when he was telling her he'd moved on it was clear he was completely torn inside.
I loved the way Jay and Kane's story came to a close, it was perfect for them and perfect for the hell that they had to go through to get there. Beautiful, breathtaking, and absolutely unforgettable!
January 25, 2013
What a wonderful and heartbreaking sequel to Ruining Me. I cried, I screamed, and even laughed at the breathtaking story of Jay embracing life and the choice to live.
January 31, 2013
Noooooooooooo I JUST LOST MY REVIEW! It had gifs and all :(:(
Will do an abbreviated version for now.
First, I have to say to Nicole Reed...
We start off will Jay still in the hospital where she is trying to recover from her suicide attempt, JT's death, and Cal's life-long injuries. The nightmares still come with no end in sight. Enter Eli. Eli's another patient getting treated at the same facility as Jay. Eli, honestly, was the best thing that could have happened to Jay there. He was such a great friend and ear for Jay, and she was the same for him. I fell in love with him in an instant.
Finally, Jay decides she's ready to go home and face what's left of her life. She's left Kane's letters go unanswered, so she no idea where she stands with him. She also hasn't spoken with Rhye. Both men are quick to reconnect with her once she returns home, but it's clear that things just aren't the same.
I'm not going to get crazy in depth because everyone should have to go through the angst that I did.
This was a beautiful story. One thing that I really loved is that while there is a fantastic love story, this book focuses a lot more on Jay's journey to finding herself and realizing why her life is worth living. It also helps that there's an incredibly sexy man who is never too far.
Read this duet. You will not be disappointed. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you may turn into a fan girl like me.
My feelings on Kane.
The birthday present Kane gave to Jay...
The girl in the club had me all...
How I felt reading the Epilogue. It was PERFECT!
Will do an abbreviated version for now.
First, I have to say to Nicole Reed...
We start off will Jay still in the hospital where she is trying to recover from her suicide attempt, JT's death, and Cal's life-long injuries. The nightmares still come with no end in sight. Enter Eli. Eli's another patient getting treated at the same facility as Jay. Eli, honestly, was the best thing that could have happened to Jay there. He was such a great friend and ear for Jay, and she was the same for him. I fell in love with him in an instant.
Finally, Jay decides she's ready to go home and face what's left of her life. She's left Kane's letters go unanswered, so she no idea where she stands with him. She also hasn't spoken with Rhye. Both men are quick to reconnect with her once she returns home, but it's clear that things just aren't the same.
I'm not going to get crazy in depth because everyone should have to go through the angst that I did.
This was a beautiful story. One thing that I really loved is that while there is a fantastic love story, this book focuses a lot more on Jay's journey to finding herself and realizing why her life is worth living. It also helps that there's an incredibly sexy man who is never too far.
Read this duet. You will not be disappointed. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you may turn into a fan girl like me.
My feelings on Kane.
The birthday present Kane gave to Jay...
The girl in the club had me all...
How I felt reading the Epilogue. It was PERFECT!
January 27, 2013
Nicole Reed hits a home run with her follow up novel to Ruining Me! In Ruining Me she broke my heart but slowly mends it in Ruining You. I fell in love with these characters and you really start to root for Jay. You feel her grow into her own person and start to let people in. Once she does this she really wins you over. You also revisit Rhye and Kane and their ongoing love triangle. I started the book with a favorite, as most of us do, but then eventually Ms. Reed changed my mind and I realized who the best choice for Jay is. The addition of Eli was unexpected but completely needed. He keeps Jay grounded and pushes her when everyone else in her life is handling her with "kid gloves".
Overall this was a fantastic story that had me crying, laughing and even gasping from surprise! Nicole Reed really grew as an author in this book. I applauded Her for writing such an in depth, honest and enthralling story! This is a must read that I couldn't put down once I started.
Overall this was a fantastic story that had me crying, laughing and even gasping from surprise! Nicole Reed really grew as an author in this book. I applauded Her for writing such an in depth, honest and enthralling story! This is a must read that I couldn't put down once I started.
April 24, 2013
I wasn't sure how this was going to end, but...
...I did not see that coming.
...I did not see that coming.
January 25, 2013
Did you ever read a book that left you wondering?....left you with your heart and your mind shattered and bleeding?! That's how I felt after reading Ruining Me (book 1), just numb. Knowing that in "Real life", this story holds true. Even though what we are reading is fiction, you know that the issues dealt in this book CAN and DO happen in REAL life. I think with that alone it made reading this series, THAT MUCH BETTER.
Then you throw in a "Rock Star" and a Sexy as all hell "Bad Ass" and IM IN BIG!!
Waiting patiently for book 2, Ruining You, I could not imagine what Nicole Reed was going to do, how can she make it all better? How can Jay be saved? Do we get an HEA??? Well, let me tell you this......NICOLE REED, ROCKS THIS BOOK OUT!!!!!!
From the first line, I was in,.... Captivated, rooting Jay on as she tries to pull her life together.
And then.......KANE, OHHHHHH KANE!!!! Will she go to him? Will he be there? Where is Rhye?? And what ever happened to Cal? So many questions. Nicole Reed gives us EVERYTHING and MORE in this second book. I cried, I laughed, I oohed and ahhhed, and I Hated.......BIG UGLY HATE!!!!
By the end of this book, my heart is mending and Jay is my hero. I am no longer Team Kane or Team Rhye........I AM TEAM JAY!!!
Thank you, Nicole Reed, for 2 truly AMAZING books! Thank you for bringing a sad reality to life in the most beautiful way possible! Thank you for giving us some sexy boys to swoon over and a strong girl to root for and care about.
Hopefully Ms. Reed, you have something else in store for us next!!....I know, I can't wait to read it!!!!
Then you throw in a "Rock Star" and a Sexy as all hell "Bad Ass" and IM IN BIG!!
Waiting patiently for book 2, Ruining You, I could not imagine what Nicole Reed was going to do, how can she make it all better? How can Jay be saved? Do we get an HEA??? Well, let me tell you this......NICOLE REED, ROCKS THIS BOOK OUT!!!!!!
From the first line, I was in,.... Captivated, rooting Jay on as she tries to pull her life together.
And then.......KANE, OHHHHHH KANE!!!! Will she go to him? Will he be there? Where is Rhye?? And what ever happened to Cal? So many questions. Nicole Reed gives us EVERYTHING and MORE in this second book. I cried, I laughed, I oohed and ahhhed, and I Hated.......BIG UGLY HATE!!!!
By the end of this book, my heart is mending and Jay is my hero. I am no longer Team Kane or Team Rhye........I AM TEAM JAY!!!
Thank you, Nicole Reed, for 2 truly AMAZING books! Thank you for bringing a sad reality to life in the most beautiful way possible! Thank you for giving us some sexy boys to swoon over and a strong girl to root for and care about.
Hopefully Ms. Reed, you have something else in store for us next!!....I know, I can't wait to read it!!!!
February 27, 2013
Whew, where do I even start :) When Nicole contacted me and asked if I would like an arc of Ruining You I was beside my self with giddiness and......................................................................
I had been anxiously awaiting Ruining You ever since I finished Ruining Me. If you've read the first book then you know it was a big WTH momement when I finished. I was like did I just read that, NO FREAKING WAY,this was totally me................................................
The story begins with Jay trying to come to terms with everything that happened following the big secret she kept to herself for two years. The loss of JT and the attempt to take her own life leads Jay to voluntarily stay in in-therapy treatment. I have to admit I shed TONS OF TEARS throughout the first part of the book. It was gut-wrenching to watch Jay try to come to terms with JT's death and to get to a point where she was able to realize it wasn't her fault. While in therapy she meets Eli, man did I love him! Eli is EXACTLY what Jay needed and with his friendship and advice she was able to move forward and return home.
Eli's story also broke my heart. As Jay states he was the guys guy and the girls at the center always had their eyes on him. At first I thought OH CRAP here we go again and I seriously was doing this........
But thankfully Eli was exactly what Jay needed, a friend, and only a friend. While Jay was in therapy she did receive letters from her friends and that includes Kane! She never responded to him and after three months apart with no communication I was worried. I wondered if Jay was going to let him go for good and Kane well if he moved on. Did he? Well you have to read this to find out my friends. But when Jay arrives home there is Molly, Reed, Eli and Cal waiting for her. Oh Cal, he was in the car with JT the night of the accident and when Jay first see's him well I guarantee you will....................................
Cal is absolutely AMAZING!!!! I would love to see him get his own story, hint, hint! Kane is there and when he speaks with Jay to tell her he stopped by to see her but he had to leave well my gosh I just...................................................................
I can't really give you too much more without giving the whole thing away! I will tell you the issues with Coach Branch and an upcoming trail is so well explained and the emotions Jay goes through and the decision to testify or not was so well written I felt as if I was reading something that truly happened.
My boy, Rhye, oh yeah I love that rocker boy. He's in the picture :) Yep, he's around and when she goes to one of his shows I was dying when he was singing, well I'm not going to lie I was........................
This is a very well written second story!!! There is plenty of twists and you wonder for a time will Jay end up with Kane or Rhye or will she end up alone? Does she accept JT's death and let him go? She's able to speak with JT's mother and again I had tears streaming down my face. To read a story with the loss of a loved one and especially at such a young age and the tragic consequences of his actions as well as what Jay lived with for the past two years was totally gut-wrenching and absolutely heart breaking but so wonderfully well written that there is no way you won't be affected by this.
So what did I expereince while reading this, well there was a lot of...
but no worries, there was some of this.................................
and oh just wait there was this........................................
and at the end of the book I received the closure I needed and I was totally................................................................
Is this a 5 star book for me? HECK NO this is a 5+++++++++++++++++ more than that for me! I cried, cried, sobbed and was a snotty mess. I had the hanging on the seat of my pants moments. I had oh my that's HOT moments and I definetly had the big arse cheesey grin when I was done. I was so damn excited when I got to the end that I was like a kid all sugared up :)
Nicole you my dear have done it! This is it I guarantee this will skyrocket up the charts this book is aca-freaking-fantasticly-amazing! Kudos to you and here's to you.........................................
I can't wait to read more of your works! I adore Nicole's writing style and her absolute gift of pulling the reader into the story! I swear I felt like I was living this and I loved every single minute of it!!!
Nicole Reed
I had been anxiously awaiting Ruining You ever since I finished Ruining Me. If you've read the first book then you know it was a big WTH momement when I finished. I was like did I just read that, NO FREAKING WAY,this was totally me................................................
The story begins with Jay trying to come to terms with everything that happened following the big secret she kept to herself for two years. The loss of JT and the attempt to take her own life leads Jay to voluntarily stay in in-therapy treatment. I have to admit I shed TONS OF TEARS throughout the first part of the book. It was gut-wrenching to watch Jay try to come to terms with JT's death and to get to a point where she was able to realize it wasn't her fault. While in therapy she meets Eli, man did I love him! Eli is EXACTLY what Jay needed and with his friendship and advice she was able to move forward and return home.
Eli's story also broke my heart. As Jay states he was the guys guy and the girls at the center always had their eyes on him. At first I thought OH CRAP here we go again and I seriously was doing this........
But thankfully Eli was exactly what Jay needed, a friend, and only a friend. While Jay was in therapy she did receive letters from her friends and that includes Kane! She never responded to him and after three months apart with no communication I was worried. I wondered if Jay was going to let him go for good and Kane well if he moved on. Did he? Well you have to read this to find out my friends. But when Jay arrives home there is Molly, Reed, Eli and Cal waiting for her. Oh Cal, he was in the car with JT the night of the accident and when Jay first see's him well I guarantee you will....................................
Cal is absolutely AMAZING!!!! I would love to see him get his own story, hint, hint! Kane is there and when he speaks with Jay to tell her he stopped by to see her but he had to leave well my gosh I just...................................................................
I can't really give you too much more without giving the whole thing away! I will tell you the issues with Coach Branch and an upcoming trail is so well explained and the emotions Jay goes through and the decision to testify or not was so well written I felt as if I was reading something that truly happened.
My boy, Rhye, oh yeah I love that rocker boy. He's in the picture :) Yep, he's around and when she goes to one of his shows I was dying when he was singing, well I'm not going to lie I was........................
This is a very well written second story!!! There is plenty of twists and you wonder for a time will Jay end up with Kane or Rhye or will she end up alone? Does she accept JT's death and let him go? She's able to speak with JT's mother and again I had tears streaming down my face. To read a story with the loss of a loved one and especially at such a young age and the tragic consequences of his actions as well as what Jay lived with for the past two years was totally gut-wrenching and absolutely heart breaking but so wonderfully well written that there is no way you won't be affected by this.
So what did I expereince while reading this, well there was a lot of...
but no worries, there was some of this.................................
and oh just wait there was this........................................
and at the end of the book I received the closure I needed and I was totally................................................................
Is this a 5 star book for me? HECK NO this is a 5+++++++++++++++++ more than that for me! I cried, cried, sobbed and was a snotty mess. I had the hanging on the seat of my pants moments. I had oh my that's HOT moments and I definetly had the big arse cheesey grin when I was done. I was so damn excited when I got to the end that I was like a kid all sugared up :)
Nicole you my dear have done it! This is it I guarantee this will skyrocket up the charts this book is aca-freaking-fantasticly-amazing! Kudos to you and here's to you.........................................
I can't wait to read more of your works! I adore Nicole's writing style and her absolute gift of pulling the reader into the story! I swear I felt like I was living this and I loved every single minute of it!!!
Nicole Reed
January 31, 2013
You know a sequel is really good when you need not read the blurb of the first book, only the quick gushing review you’ve made a couple of months ago – and you could still relate with the main character at the very first chapter.
That was Ruining You for me.
This book takes us to the time after Jay, the main character, almost took her life. The angst in this book felt so raw and real, I can’t help but feel empathetic towards Jay.
“Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us.”
She met another wonderful guy inside a “nut-house”. I just can’t forget their first conversation so I had to include the guy’s response here:
“Uh, I was just going to introduce myself, but since you seem to think you’re God’s gift to guys, I’ll move out of the way so someone else can kiss your ass.”
–Eli
Later, Eli will hold a special place in her heart. It’s just sad when I found out what he is. I thought he’ll be competing for Jay’s heart too. Oh well, I still love their friendship.
One makes me laugh… One makes me cry… One touches my heart… One owns it.
This book reminded me of That Boy by Jillian Dodd, but in a more angsty sense. Like Jay, I actually felt at odds between the two guys. I also want Kane, but I don’t want to let go of Rhye either.
Oh, I just love it whenever things become dysfunctional for Jay. I seriously dig the kind of angst in this book.
IMHO, that was the main reason why this series actually even worked. There was confusion as to who Jay will really pick in the end. I mean, who wants to read about straight cheesy romances with MCs who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other all the time? Certainly, not me!
So when the book made a serious turn on that direction at exactly 3/4 through the story, I can’t help but feel let down. This could have been another favorite of mine.
And oh another thing, Jay’s constant refusal to testify against that effing DOM also got on my nerves.
Then there was her inner monologue about why she doesn’t want to testify. And I’m like, 'Aw okay, I get it.'
Then I realized – 'well, actually, no I don’t!' The first few times, it was okay. She just got back from major emotional trauma, so I’m cutting her some slack. But you know, it gets tedious after awhile. I just want to shake Jay and tell her – 'What! You’ll stay indifferent and will it solve things?'
*sighs*
For the record, I enjoyed reading this book.
This got a star less of 5 stars because I just felt disappointed at how things turned out. Zizz did an amazing job of pointing it out. Actually, when I read about authors who say that they also adore books that grips the reader from the beginning and never let go, I can't help but sort of make some expectations for their book – especially when the said book has really great potential from the start.
So when this book actually “let go” in my opinion, I felt falling from my high. I was so sure that this book will take another space in my faves shelf. Well, I was wrong. Lesson learned, never expect.
Anyway, if you still haven’t read the first book, do yourself a favor and READ IT SOON --- then jump straight to this one.
Regardless of my rants, I can’t deny the fact that this series is really really good.
January 28, 2013
SPOILERS Don't read on if you don't want the ending spoiled for you !!
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A beautiful, heart wrenching, joyful conclusion to this amazing series. I say conclusion, because I presume this is the last with all the ends tied up.. but who knows maybe there will be more to their story, or perhaps a story about Eli, Cal or even Mollie and Reed ? (One can only hope!)
THIS BOOK..
It had be laughing, crying, wanting to curl up on the floor, slamming my head against my bedpost, screaming into my pillow, grinning like an absolute idiot and yelling happily into thin air.
After the conclusion of the last book, JT has just passed and Jay had just committed suicide in an attempt to make all her pain go away. This book picks up where the last ended off and begins with her in a rehab/therapy facility hoping to learn for a way to move on with herself. In this book we see Jay's emotional journey into acceptance, learning how to move on with her life and learning to deal and confront the horrors in her past. We see all the lose ends being tied up.. from her relationship with Kane, to her attraction to Rhys, to her friendships with Cal, Reed and Mollie, to her weakened relationship with her parents, to her confronting not just the man who caused her all the pain from the start but the repercussions that her horrific story had on all the people in their community. Not only that, but we get to see new characters such as Eli Hearing her inner thoughts through the voice of her diary, added so much depth into her character, and at times the brutal honesty in her words made my heart break and hope for her. The dreams she had of JT really showed the journey her character takes from being plagued with guilt to being a symbol of strength for her. The only thing I wish was explained more was how her relationship with Kip changed after the ending. I hope he gets his happy ending and learns to move on from his brother's death. Kane... my god could you ask for a better and more attractive leading man than him. I fell for his character in the first book, but became head over heels for him in this one. He was the epitome of a hero for Jay and was there for her when she needed him most. His relentless determination to be there for her and wait for her, made me want to have happy dances around my room. Lastly, that ending.. COULD YOU MAKE MY HEART POUND ANY HARDER. I thought for sure it would have ended differently, but I am so glad I was mistaken. But seriously, what a twist in events. (I won't ruin it for you any more than that)
The only thing that could have made this story even more perfect, was if JT came back from the dead.. but sadly that would not be reality. But who really likes reality anyways?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A beautiful, heart wrenching, joyful conclusion to this amazing series. I say conclusion, because I presume this is the last with all the ends tied up.. but who knows maybe there will be more to their story, or perhaps a story about Eli, Cal or even Mollie and Reed ? (One can only hope!)
THIS BOOK..
It had be laughing, crying, wanting to curl up on the floor, slamming my head against my bedpost, screaming into my pillow, grinning like an absolute idiot and yelling happily into thin air.
After the conclusion of the last book, JT has just passed and Jay had just committed suicide in an attempt to make all her pain go away. This book picks up where the last ended off and begins with her in a rehab/therapy facility hoping to learn for a way to move on with herself. In this book we see Jay's emotional journey into acceptance, learning how to move on with her life and learning to deal and confront the horrors in her past. We see all the lose ends being tied up.. from her relationship with Kane, to her attraction to Rhys, to her friendships with Cal, Reed and Mollie, to her weakened relationship with her parents, to her confronting not just the man who caused her all the pain from the start but the repercussions that her horrific story had on all the people in their community. Not only that, but we get to see new characters such as Eli Hearing her inner thoughts through the voice of her diary, added so much depth into her character, and at times the brutal honesty in her words made my heart break and hope for her. The dreams she had of JT really showed the journey her character takes from being plagued with guilt to being a symbol of strength for her. The only thing I wish was explained more was how her relationship with Kip changed after the ending. I hope he gets his happy ending and learns to move on from his brother's death. Kane... my god could you ask for a better and more attractive leading man than him. I fell for his character in the first book, but became head over heels for him in this one. He was the epitome of a hero for Jay and was there for her when she needed him most. His relentless determination to be there for her and wait for her, made me want to have happy dances around my room. Lastly, that ending.. COULD YOU MAKE MY HEART POUND ANY HARDER. I thought for sure it would have ended differently, but I am so glad I was mistaken. But seriously, what a twist in events. (I won't ruin it for you any more than that)
The only thing that could have made this story even more perfect, was if JT came back from the dead.. but sadly that would not be reality. But who really likes reality anyways?
January 29, 2013
This book.... It's beyond a 5 star rating. This book is touching. It's goes straight to your heart. I think this book will always stay with me, the characters, the story. Thank you for writing such a touching and inspirational book, I have to imagine this has touched many people who have not only dealt with rape but also death and suicide. The struggle to go on when you feel like you can't. Nicole Reed, you are amazing.
So, I'm not going to go into the storyline, your going to have to read this book. But I will say this:
Jay- you turned your life around when the deck was stacked against you. When you were drowning in sadness, you reached for that life jacket and held on and started fighting. You grew up, you realized you survived and decided to live and love. Couldn't be more proud.
Eli- what an inspiration you were to Jay. Words of wisdom from a wounded soul. Completely giving. Non judgmental even tho you are continually judged by your loved ones. Your ability to still be free and love, to be happy... Amazing.
Molly and Reed- life long friends. Willing to go the distance for their friend no matter what. Huge difference that made for Jay and her recovery. Great people
Jays parents- although the lack of parenting didn't fare well, how you behaved during Jays recovery and healing, well, you redeemed yourselves. I was so glad to see those relationships heal, grow, and jays mom is awesome!
Rhye- what a kid you are. You summed it up best when you said jay was like your drug of choice, that together you wouldn't really work. Part of me was rooting for you and jay, but her heart wasn't in it. I still have love for you!
Kane- you are the man. What you did for Jay, is immeasurable. The love was always there, but stronger than anyone could've realized. Being there for her, but giving her some space. Not pressuring her but encouraging her to heal, grow and learn to live her life for her and no one else. That's selfless. Waiting for her to come to terms with her feelings and realizing her love, was written so beautifully. Waiting to say I love you, reading it was so authentic and un rushed.
The ending was so perfect. I could take a breath at the end and know everything was as it should be. I'm sure there are things I've left out, because this book makes you feel SO many emotions. But for now, this is what I've got :)ee
So, I'm not going to go into the storyline, your going to have to read this book. But I will say this:
Jay- you turned your life around when the deck was stacked against you. When you were drowning in sadness, you reached for that life jacket and held on and started fighting. You grew up, you realized you survived and decided to live and love. Couldn't be more proud.
Eli- what an inspiration you were to Jay. Words of wisdom from a wounded soul. Completely giving. Non judgmental even tho you are continually judged by your loved ones. Your ability to still be free and love, to be happy... Amazing.
Molly and Reed- life long friends. Willing to go the distance for their friend no matter what. Huge difference that made for Jay and her recovery. Great people
Jays parents- although the lack of parenting didn't fare well, how you behaved during Jays recovery and healing, well, you redeemed yourselves. I was so glad to see those relationships heal, grow, and jays mom is awesome!
Rhye- what a kid you are. You summed it up best when you said jay was like your drug of choice, that together you wouldn't really work. Part of me was rooting for you and jay, but her heart wasn't in it. I still have love for you!
Kane- you are the man. What you did for Jay, is immeasurable. The love was always there, but stronger than anyone could've realized. Being there for her, but giving her some space. Not pressuring her but encouraging her to heal, grow and learn to live her life for her and no one else. That's selfless. Waiting for her to come to terms with her feelings and realizing her love, was written so beautifully. Waiting to say I love you, reading it was so authentic and un rushed.
The ending was so perfect. I could take a breath at the end and know everything was as it should be. I'm sure there are things I've left out, because this book makes you feel SO many emotions. But for now, this is what I've got :)ee
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2013
You see, I finally realized that life is what you make it. If you make it hell, then that's exactly what you will have. Sometimes we can't control what happens to us, but we can control what we do from that point forward.
Holy crap. What an emotional roller coaster ride. I have to say, that I think the writing was a huge improvement over book one. Not, that the writing was bad in the first book, by any means, but this one felt much tighter, cleaner, and more cohesive, all around.
I pretty much cried my way through the first 50% of the book. I wouldn't have changed it. It felt completely real and necessary, if painful. It did what the whole first book did not do, make me really really care about Jay.
I've got to be honest. I really really hate a heroine who can't decided who she wants to be with. I guess for once, I finally felt like a character was messed up enough in the head that I couldn't really blame them for not being able to think clearly.
Its hard for me not to get spoiler-y, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Ended up loving Jay - flaws and all. Happy with the conclusion, and who she ends up with Loved the twist at then end - brilliant.
My only request is - can . Get his own book - pretty please with a cherry on top? I cannot stand not to see him get his HEA too.
February 7, 2013
All right you emotional book junkies, get this book and feed your addiction.
The final book in James "Jay's" life is sad, poetic, and inspirational. For the last three days I have sat at work thinking about Jay, Eli,JT, Rhys, Cal..oh sweet Cal, and Kane and how they would each come through their own individual darkness. The author takes you through the depths of depression and what Jay does to climb inch by inch out of it. The story is beautifully written and flows well with a twist (you won't see coming, well at least I didn't). The story is also very well thought out and not one question is left dangling by the end, wait except one .
So many great quotes I highlighted like crazy. Gahhhh and the lyrics from Rhys...so so good. One of my favorite parts was Rhys singing on stage with Jay! OMG , so well written . He is so smart and perceptive..he can see directly into the depths of her soul!
You will be an emotional, ugly crying fool during these books. Even during the happy times I shed tears of joy. My eye balls have been swelled up for 3 freaking days.
One of my fav quotes Kane referring to Rhys " Oh you mean the guy named after a bread" (something close to that).
Carpe Diem is right!
Nicole Reed, can we please have a book about Rhys? He is so passionate and such a great , deep character. Love him.
Has anyone heard if the author is writing a book about Rhys?
The final book in James "Jay's" life is sad, poetic, and inspirational. For the last three days I have sat at work thinking about Jay, Eli,JT, Rhys, Cal..oh sweet Cal, and Kane and how they would each come through their own individual darkness. The author takes you through the depths of depression and what Jay does to climb inch by inch out of it. The story is beautifully written and flows well with a twist (you won't see coming, well at least I didn't). The story is also very well thought out and not one question is left dangling by the end, wait except one .
So many great quotes I highlighted like crazy. Gahhhh and the lyrics from Rhys...so so good. One of my favorite parts was Rhys singing on stage with Jay! OMG , so well written . He is so smart and perceptive..he can see directly into the depths of her soul!
You will be an emotional, ugly crying fool during these books. Even during the happy times I shed tears of joy. My eye balls have been swelled up for 3 freaking days.
One of my fav quotes Kane referring to Rhys " Oh you mean the guy named after a bread" (something close to that).
Carpe Diem is right!
Nicole Reed, can we please have a book about Rhys? He is so passionate and such a great , deep character. Love him.
Has anyone heard if the author is writing a book about Rhys?
December 31, 2015
After the tragic ending of Ruining Me the author starts this follow up with the main character, Jay, in a rehabilitation centre. The first part of the book concentrates on her time in the centre. The dialogue between Jay and her therapist at first is stilted due to Jays' inability to open up. But as the story goes on she starts to talk about how she feels. The advice given by the therapist is strong advice, the author has really delved deep to write something which makes total sense.
Everyone needs a BFF, and during her time in the centre Jay meets hers, in the form of Eli. Eli is almost like a reincarnation of JT but without the romantic entanglements.
The scenes where Jay interacts with JT almost had me in tears. For a book to make you care about the characters, care about their lives, and care about what the future holds is quite something. This book did that for me.
I found myself almost shouting at Jay to wise up and see what was right in front of her eyes; at Kane to just say it instead of skirting around everything. But do you know what? By the end of the story I could see exactly why the author told the story the way she did. Kane says it near the end of the story -
“I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I needed to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance."
In that sentence alone the story makes sense. Everything Jay went through was heading towards this moment. And my heart melted for them both.
This is a strong story, it has been written well, and I for one thank the author for writing it, and Ruining Me.
Everyone needs a BFF, and during her time in the centre Jay meets hers, in the form of Eli. Eli is almost like a reincarnation of JT but without the romantic entanglements.
The scenes where Jay interacts with JT almost had me in tears. For a book to make you care about the characters, care about their lives, and care about what the future holds is quite something. This book did that for me.
I found myself almost shouting at Jay to wise up and see what was right in front of her eyes; at Kane to just say it instead of skirting around everything. But do you know what? By the end of the story I could see exactly why the author told the story the way she did. Kane says it near the end of the story -
“I’ve loved you for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you could love yourself first. I needed to know that Jay, because otherwise, we never stood a chance."
In that sentence alone the story makes sense. Everything Jay went through was heading towards this moment. And my heart melted for them both.
This is a strong story, it has been written well, and I for one thank the author for writing it, and Ruining Me.
February 10, 2013
This story picks back up in Ruining You where it is still in that emotional place.
The whole story is centered on Jay coming out of her depression and finding reasons to live, she is more determined now, she wants a life, a future and she will stop at nothing to get that.
Jay is a survivor, she has been through hell and back in her short 18 years and she had finally had enough. Kane stole my heart, he is a man who makes it clear on numerous occasions that what he wants is for Jay to be whole. The characters were all so different but fit together in their own way which made for a great story.
Ruining Me was such a beautifully heartbreaking story a must read for all!
The whole story is centered on Jay coming out of her depression and finding reasons to live, she is more determined now, she wants a life, a future and she will stop at nothing to get that.
Jay is a survivor, she has been through hell and back in her short 18 years and she had finally had enough. Kane stole my heart, he is a man who makes it clear on numerous occasions that what he wants is for Jay to be whole. The characters were all so different but fit together in their own way which made for a great story.
Ruining Me was such a beautifully heartbreaking story a must read for all!
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