Scars and Songs

Mad World #3

by Christine Zolendz

Shane Maxton is front man for New York City’s popular rock band, Mad World. But he has secrets; he’s not what everybody thinks he is. He comes from an ancient world, from a different time, when angels walked among men. Read the story, through Shane’s eyes, of his forbidden love, his fall from grace and his inner turmoil from living with the irrational emotions of being human.

Disclaimer #1: This is the story of Mad World Books 1 & 2, Fall From Grace and Saving Grace, written through the point of view of Shane Maxton. IT IS THE SAME Love STORY of Grace and Shane. It’s just Shane’s turn to tell it to you, it’s everything you’ve read before and a whole lot more.
Disclaimer #2: This story contains rock and roll, angels doing naughty things, violence, cursing, drinking alcohol, substance abuse, sexual situations, and irritating scenes that will make you want to hurl your eReader or book out the window. It’s not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Angels, New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Music

461 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 2013

About the author

USA Today bestselling romance author. Mother. Coffee drinker. Unicorn believer. New Yorker.
Books and writing are my escape from reality.
Read Me Free Here:
bit.ly/ChrisZo

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off- Have you read Fall From Grace and Saving Grace? If not, you should before reading this book. This is essentially the first two books in the series combined and told from Shane’s pov. This is one of my favorite paranormal series. Not only is Shane Maxton one of the HOTTEST book boyfriends around (think Travis Maddox and Kellan Kyle combined), but Grace is pretty awesome and these books are so hilarious!

Shane is sexy, funny, swoony, and HOT! I loved getting into Shane’s head. I forgot JUST HOW FUNNY these books are!

I have had a raging massive hard on since I woke up. I might need to visit a hospital soon if I didn’t find some sort of freaking relief soon.

I just... shut up for a minute... if I don’t get Taco Bell, you’re going to see a side of me that you wished you hadn’t seen. I know you think I’m joking, but I’m not. I’m not. I need... I need a fucking burrito. From Taco bell.

“Well, one of my best friends is a vibrator. It goes from Oh Yeah, to Who the Hell Needs a Man in ten seconds flat.”

“Fuckasstard! It’s a fucking asshole retard or a fucking ass in a leotard. BOth you and Shane have fucking awesome lipstick.”

“There are five levels of the douche hierarchy: douche, douche bag, douche canoe, douche nozzle and right at the top, the king of it all, when the douche is displaying phenomenal amounts of doucheness, is a douche rocket. It’s when someone is such a douche, like the KING of douches, they can no longer be described as a douche nozzle, they are ALL the levels of douchery put together, and douche rocket is used. And right now, Shane Maxton is the biggest Douche Rocket on the planet!”

Theres a medical term for that, what I just did, it’s called diarrhea of the mouth, when you just have no control of your bodily functions and shit starts flying out of your lips.

Not only are they hilarious, Shane is pretty damn swoony and romantic. Grace truly is the only person for him.







If you are like me, and can’t get enough Shane and Grace, pick this one up! A for sure 5 star read for me :D And that ending... the epilogue is AMAZING!

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[• Lisa • · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 HEAVEN AND EARTH STARS.

"only her. My thoughts were consumed by only her."





Welcome to 'Scars and songs' a perfect, sexy and sensual story about the ultimate forbidden love. Nothing will prepare a reader for this series, not the authors blurb, not amazing reviews, nothing. I can only tell you that this series is beautiful, perfect and soul searching.

This is what I have been waiting for since finishing the mad world series, getting into the mind and heart of Shane Maxton. I could probably just about die happy knowing that I completed this book and the final instalment to this series. Bravo author you have created a story that is just about a slice of heaven.

What's it about?
Eternal love, the kind of love that can't be forgotten, can't be replaced and without it you feel trapped in your own personal hell. 'Scars and songs' is the accumulation of finding and saving Grace put together in one passionate and spellbinding package told from the heart of Shane Maxton.

A Carnal, sensual story, the type of melt your insides, forget about everything you've ever read type of book. If you have not started the mad world series ... Then you are missing out. This author knows how to write about soul searching passion with a voice that is as witty and humorous as it is sexy and love struck.



What I loved ...
I'm sure by now you've got the picture that I HEART this series. Every thought and feeling is described to make you fall for every sentence and conversation. The author must cast a spell on her readers, I don't think I've ever felt so involved in a story and the characters ending as I invested in 'Scars and songs'. There are some books that are enjoyable and some books that stay with you, well readers I can tell you now that 'songs and scars' is a forever book. To me it is completely evident that the author invested in her writing I know that she loves the characters and believed in her story, delivering a passionate and consuming tale of love. I have never read about a more in love couple, the passion and yearning that the author writes about is completely lovely.

Final thoughts ...
This book is so well thought of and beautifully written, I know it will be a series that I will read over and over again. I can't recommend this series enough ... Beautiful just beautiful.

"In a time when we didn't yet know what love truly meant, a day when her fingers traced my lips ... How had she captured my immortal heart so completely?"

[Vishous · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHANE'S POV!!!! OMG!!!!!!

Never thought love
would speak my name 
Calling me out from the shadows
So long I have been hidden
Beneath the surface,
where the darkness flows
You breathed life into me
The minute my eyes found yours
Waking me from my lonely grave
Leaving footprints
along my deserted shores
I know you’ll never know
How it feels to me
when you say my name
Or the inferno you create in me
With your simple flame"

ABSOLUTELY BLOODY AMAZING!

This was one of the best male POV's I've read, when it comes to already published stories, but written in his POV!

I loved first two books in series, it's one of my favorite series, but this sequel....


"I could still feel her arms slide around me as we gathered each other closely, her face nestling into the crook of my neck; fitting into me perfectly.  She felt made for me, as if I was standing there for the first time, a whole being."



I swear to God I loved literally every sentence that was written! I loved everything that was on his mind, everything he spoke to her...

IT WAS PERFECT!

I always loved their banter, not just between main characters, but between the whole company. But reading this in his POV ... reading how he loved her, how he wanted a second chance in love, to feel alive again...



Story about forbidden and lost love... how you have no reason to live for anymore without your soul mate...

"My body felt as if it were caught in a violent riptide, pulling me, yanking me under.  Drowning me.  I had no more strength, or want, to try to break free; I just needed to sink to the bottom.  Lose myself to some sort of oblivion; let myself be consumed by the darkness."



AMAZING!

"Beneath my hands, her lush body, just barely brushing against my chest, hummed with her wildly beating heart.  The last sound I would ever feel or hear from her."



You have to know that this was one seriously long and hot foreplay! When you read first two books you don't have that feeling, but when that is combined into one and in his delicious POV...





IT WAS SERIOUSLY KILLING ME! HE WAS TORTURING ME WITH HIS THOUGHTS AND WORDS THAT CAME ROLLING DOWN HIS DELICIOUS LIPS...

[Aestas Book Blog]

This is LIVE NOW!!!



YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! ITS SHANE'S BOOK!!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Angels, Heaven & Rock Stars

♪♫For her, my heart still longs
Taken, she was what I was made for
All I have now are my scars and songs
And here I am
All alone again
With all my scars and songs
Strung out from this world
Where angels don’t belong♪♫

In the beginning of time, before the world becomes old, God was merciful and vengeful, at the same time and angels were still pure. A small band of them was stationed on Earth to help the humans, but they were corrupted. They fell in love with the women and they gave birth to abominations. The giants, the Nephelim. There were no other choice. God punished them. They fell from grace and they were imprisoned in hell. And their human women were punished along them. But, there was a couple that was pure. Shamsiel and Selah. Their only crime? A single kiss, that doomed them for all eternity. Selah never got to die. She became a lost soul, cursed to live in the empty shells that people left behind, forced to look for a pair of warm blue eyes throughout eternity. Shamsiel was sentenced to Hell. And on the brink of giving up he ended up in purgatory. He woke up in the body of Shane Maxton. Drug addict, alcoholic, man-whore, rockstar. And he was left to make the most of it. Looking forward to die until he too saw a glimpse of familiar steel grey eyes in the crowd.

"I never FELL. I was PUSHED, and now I’m a HUMAN, not a fallen angel. I’m not dishonored, I was betrayed. I wasn’t humiliated, I was humbled. I’m not fallen, because I was forgiven.”



Bitter, cold, despaired and talented, he drowns his sorrows in sarcasm, sex and booze. His Selah, is long gone and there is no light in the darkness of his existence.

"The only thing to do was try to forget who I was. Forget whom I loved. Just. Fucking. FORGET. Jack Fucking Daniels and I were hoping he could cure me of this life.”



A wild ride in Shane's dark and twisted mind. His own journey to the light and Grace. His thoughts, feelings and soul laid bare in front of us. He struggled and bled along with Grace. His own side of the story.



The events from Fall From Grace and Saving Grace in Shane's POV. Dark and twisted, sarcastic and heartbroken with enough sexiness to blow your mind away. Hot, delicious, pervy and everything we dared dreamed of this book, it completes Shane & Grace's story while teasing us mercilessly with more. These two kids finally found what they were looking for.



Intense and suspenseful, different from the first two but maybe because of that even more addictive, you won't be able to tear your eyes away, stop laughing or calm your beating heart.

And there is so much delicious tension....









Heys, guys GO READ THIS BOOK NOW! But you have been warned.... this a new Mad, Mad World and it will blow your mind!

♪♫Until you I never really knew heaven
Cause until you it was only ever hell
I didn’t know I was so far gone
Until you brought me home
I promise you, girl
I know you’re shattered
I’ll pick up your pieces
And make you whole again♪♫

[* Meli Mel * · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥♥♥ 5 'Ex-Angel Turned Sexy Rockstar' Stars ♥♥♥

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“I've been broken and she's my missing pieces, all of them. My heart wants what it wants. She is the other half of my soul. I will never feel whole until she's mine.”

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Okay... I have had this since it came out and I hadn't read it. WHY!?! I know not. But I am kicking myself because I freaking LOVED Shane's POV. He was so AWESOME!! And funny and sexy, and just... I have no words. Loved it!

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"Love is patiently waiting for centuries to touch someone's lips again; love was giving up everything of yourself to let someone else be safe. Love is that breathless feeling when you want someone. It's the need to be a part of someone or you won't feel whole."

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"I never FELL. I was PUSHED, and now I’m a HUMAN, not a fallen angel. I’m not dishonored, I was betrayed. I wasn’t humiliated, I was humbled. I’m not fallen, because I was forgiven.”

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I think what kept me away from this, was that I had read books in the past where a book comes out in the male POV and it didn't really add anything new to the story. It was pretty much the same thing. In this book, yeah we get a lot of the same but that is because he was in a lot of scenes with Grace. BUT... there were also parts where we find out what he was doing, what he was thinking, and what happened to him when he wasn't with Grace. I LOVED every moment of it. If I didn't love him before, well I without a doubt do now. He was super Alpha, like extremely so, and it was highly entertaining to read. He would become possessive and jealous of any male that came near Grace. It was actually really hilarious reading all of his inner banter and the banter between him with the other characters. He could be so freaking sweet and romantic too. The way he would give it all up for his soulmate and fight for their forbidden love... SIGH! I can't say enough how much I love him! I seriously can't believe I forgot how SEXY he could be.

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"You want to be my first, Shane?"

"No, baby. I'm going to be your last."

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I already liked Grace from the first two books which were in her POV. (In case you didn't know, this book is the two books combined in Shane's POV.) I still really like her in this book too. Which I was surprised. Usually I end up disliking the female lead when reading the story in the male pov. But not here. I still liked her badassness. She was strong woman and although she gave my ovaries... I mean... Shane an extreme case of blue balls, she was still really awesome. I loved it when she stood up to that weird Bliss chick. I also liked how Alex would joke around with her about trying to get her v-card. He was so freaking funny!

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"The idea of a twenty-three year old virgin is thought to be an endangered species. So, I was hoping you would let us take you through the spiritual journey of this undiscovered land. I'd like to start a blog, a documentary of sorts, about the experience of going where no penis has gone before."

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Well, pretty much all the band members would joke around with her. All of it was highly entertaining. I really liked how she dealt with Tucker (whom I forgot could be so damn annoying). I really enjoyed reading Grace interact with Lea, I forgot how freaking hilarious Lea was. Even Grace could be too, like when they messed around with Lea's mom. But Lea was the most hilarious, out there, female character.

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“Put a damn shirt on and cover up your eighteen pack or whatever you got going on under that skin, you are making me drool.”

“Lea, stop saying crap like that to me and stop gawking, awkward.”

Lea smiled down at me, “You, sir are a bit easy on the eye, so therefore I shall stare at you. If you feel at all uncomfortable, I could always knock you over the head with something until you’re unconscious and take pictures.”

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“Holy Discovery Channel Sex, Conner, we are going to get caught in a porn storm between these two. Conner you better be coming with us too, because if I have to watch them making googley-steamy-nasty-dirty-sex-eyes at each other, there won’t be a vibrator in the world big enough to satisfy me.”

--Lea

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Lea was not wrong. The sexual frustration was killing me, as it was Shane. People and electronics kept standing in their way. I'm surprised his balls didn't just fall off because damn, that wait was so long. I could have totally helped Shane out, thank god she gave in eventually. It was worth the wait, Shane was unbelieveably SWOONY!!! The things he said and thought... heart and panty melting. *BIG SIGH* He was just perfect and so romantic.




Then there was the cray cray angel, Gabriel. I didn't remember him being so freaking creepy and crazy, but he was. I really hated him. I still don't get how he was able to get away with doing what he did to them for so long. I loved the ending because now I know what happened to Shane and what he did to save Grace. But I was left wanting more. And wondering what happened to Gabriel. Is he going to come back eventually?? I don't know. I'm kind of hoping there will be a continuation to the series by how things ended.

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"Let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together...I will make you whole again."

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The epilogue was so fantastic. My heart was overjoyed for them. I also am so happy that I got to see what happened with Connor and Lea. I thought that was really great. Like I mentioned before, this book had a lot from the previous books but it also had some things added to it. I'm not sure if people would enjoy this book as much as I did, if they read the whole series continuously. But since I read those two books in probably close to a year ago, I really enjoyed it. Overall, I loved it! If you enjoyed the previous books or just enjoy male pov books, I definitely recommend you give this a try.

[LenaRibka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Between 2 and 2,5 Stars
Please don’t throw stones at me. But this book DIDN'T WORK for me at ll! I was even a few times VERY CLOSE to give up. Honestly!!! I know I’m in the tiny minority, I’ve seen all exciting reviews and this mount of 5 Stars, but maybe it is exactly the reason of my very high expectations! OK.

Disclaimer #1: This is the story of Mad World Books 1 & 2, Fall From Grace and Saving Grace, written through the point of view of Shane Maxton.
IT IS THE SAME Love STORY of Grace and Shane. It’s just Shane’s turn to tell it to you, it’s everything you’ve read before and a whole lot more.

My conclusion:
You don’t have to read Fall from Grace and Saving Grace to UNDERSTAND the story. But you have to read it
◆if you prefer a woman’s POV, a virgin woman’s POV.
◆if you like to read the same story again again and again. Though from the different points of view.

According to me:
◆I prefer a bad boy’s POV.
◆I don’t like to read the same story again and again.
◆I don’t really like my heroine to be a virgin. But still it is never the reason why my rating is far below 5 stars.

So, I just skipped the first 2 books and went directly to the book3.

Now let talk about the essential subject.

Shane... gorgeously hot bad boy, front man of a New York City’s popular rock band...falling Angel...
.
Grace... a virgin full of surprises, amazingly beautiful… a broken soul

Plot:

1.Shane sees Grace. He wants her. He feels she is something special.

2. She bites/licks her upper/lower lip.

3. Descriptions of what she has on. It is always too less.

4. Description how hard he is. He wants to be inside her more than everything on earth.

5. She wants him too, but pretends she doesn’t.He believes it.See p.4

6. She starts to trust his feelings, but still doesn’t certainly sure about her feelings. See p.2

7. They are about to kiss each other.

8. One of his groupies licks his ear or kisses him without asking for his permission or jumps into his lap without asking for his permission or says something very slutty to him very loud while he is not interesting in it and Grace is accidently around.

9. Grace is very disappointed. She doesn’t trust him anymore. See p.2

10. He gets drunk. Very drunk.

11. She has a date with somebody. He gets drunk. Very drunk.

12. Repeat 5 times from p.2 to 11.

13. At last!She wants him, he wants her. They need a room with a door that can be locked. It is not as easy as you can think.

14. His pants is down, his dick screams in her hands. He kisses her into coma. She is still a virgin.

15. Somebody opens the door or light goes on or something happens that interrupts the steamy actions or pizza arrives, they have to eat or he says something that interrupts her steamy mood or the door opens….

16. Repeat 10 times from p.13 to p.15

17. All misunderstandings are cleared away. They are happy together.

It was also a bit of paranormal actions, which were not suited properly for the story for me. But it could be because I have not read the first two books. I can’t say I didn’t like this book at all. There were some nice passages and the chemistry between Grace and Shane was flaming explosive. It was not too much steamy action-they DID it at last at 94% of the book but Shane stopped to fuck around the moment he saw Grace the first time- there were a lot of steamy thoughts and a lot of "fuck*"-words. I think if I would have a possibility to delete a half of "fucks" the book would have at least 100 pages less.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shane, Shane, Shane..you crazy motherf*cker.





With all due respect. But this dude can make your head spin so hard you won't even know which way is up.


I really needed to follow her lead because I didn’t want to mess anything up. Then Tucker touched her. He put his greasy fucking hands on the bare skin of her back and slid them down towards her ass.  MY ASS!  Hell, I know it’s not really my ass, but it’s…no it’s MY ASS!


You've seen sexual tension. You've heard of sexual tension. You've read about sexual tension.
But nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING can prepare you for the onslaught of teases, turn-ons, frustrations and, for the love of all that's holy, unfinished businesses laid out through every nook and cranny of this book.

You just have to love him.There is no way around it and you dive into the feeling wholeheartedly.


“You know nothing of what we fight for!  You’ve been tucked away safely for thousands of years, dishonored, humiliated, FALLEN!” Yeah, so I pulled back my arm and punched him square in the face with all my weight.  He fell back onto the ground and I stumbled after him.  I lowered myself to level my gaze at him.  “That’s where you’re wrong, Gabe.  I never FELL.  I was PUSHED, and now I’m a HUMAN, not a fallen angel.  I’m not dishonored, I was betrayed.  I wasn’t humiliated, I was humbled.  I’m not fallen, because I was forgiven.”


So add a spike of paranormalcy and the torture of an eternal love gone centuries ago straight to the dogs and you have the perfect angry-ridden, sexually-charged, gut-wrenching tale from a very much male POV.





The crowd was somewhere in the distance, but we were in a place all our own.  The intense feeling of something so ancient, so old, so beautiful overwhelmed my senses.  If I could end my existence right now, I would die the happiest soul to have ever walked the earth, because I knew this.  Because I had felt this.  Because I had known Grace.






Reactions before reading.



OH MY LORD.


SHANES'S POV????WHY DID I NOT KNOW OF THIS????

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

"…with every breath I ever took, she was my salvation. She was my fall and she was my saving grace."

Can I just say that I am without a doubt so freaking happy I read Shane’s POV…because seriously I thought I didn’t have any unanswered questions after Saving Grace, I thought I knew it all, BUT clearly I didn’t. It ALL makes PERFECT sense now. Plus, I needed Shane back in my life so I really couldn’t resist him, even if there was a chance that getting in his head would change the way I feel about him. For the record, he is still the same tortured-bad-boy-rocker that I even MORE!

"WHO I AM is SHANE NOW! She has to love him. Not some angel that DOESN’T EXIST any longer...but I’m here now and if she doesn’t accept me in here, then I let her go, but I will love her every single minute for the rest of my existence. I have her name branded on my soul, tattooed on my heart. I will never love anyone else."

Fcuk! Not to mention I got to relive all my favorite parts through Shane's eyes; their first time they met, the first time she played her guitar, the first time she sang for him ... (I could go on and on)

“Go ahead, Grace , make us fall in love with you,” his whisper softly echoed through the microphone.

Scars and Songs was a perfect ending to their story, it all came full circle plus I got a peak into the future with the awesome epilogue. This whole series totally sucked me in and had me feeling as if I fell in love for the first time. I really really hope we get the stories of the rest of their friends because they are hilarious, the jack-ass remarks made this whole serious from turning into a sappy-lovey-dovey story.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am totally in love with both Shane and Grace right now. If you haven’t read Fall from Grace or Saving Grace yet then stop what you are doing and pick up these diamonds. They are phenomenal!!

“You want to be my first, Shane?”
“No, baby, I’m going to be your last.”

Grace
[image error]

Shane


This is my favorite book of the three! This book, Scars and Songs, is the first two books combined but told from Shane’s POV. Even though I knew what was going to happen essentially in this book it did offer answers to questions I had from the previous two books. I knew Shane couldn’t really be a “douche rocket” and I was right. It was great to find out the reasons behind some of his behavior in this book.

“I wanted to tell you how I felt. Why I was always so mean to you, Shane,” she whispered. Pulling my face back, I searched her eyes, hoping she’d really see me.

“Because you feel broken?” Tears pooled in her eyes, “Completely shattered,” her voice whispered, cracking.

“Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together... I’ll make you whole again,” I whispered.

Shane and Grace went through hell and back to find each other and rightfully get an amazing Happy Ever After.

“Grace, not even death could keep me from you.”
“Always and forever, and then an eternity after.“



Lea is one of the best friends a girl could have. One of the funniest things she said was:

Lea bounced on the balls of her feet and she held her hand over her smiling mouth, “Holy Discovery Channel Sex, Conner, we are going to get caught in a porn storm between these two. Conner you better be coming with us too, because if I have to watch them making googley-steamy-nasty-dirty-sex-eyes at each other, there won’t be a vibrator in the world big enough to satisfy me!”


Soooo…..if you haven’t yet read these books, do yourself a favor and read them. You won’t be sorry!

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!
MORE MAD WORLD... MORE SHANE!!! WIN!!!!



I absolutely fell in love with Shane Maxton while reading Fall From Grace, and then Saving Grace – and why wouldn’t I? He’s a gorgeously hot, tattooed, man-whorish bad boy who is deeply tormented and the lead singer of a band. Perfection, right?! I have been waiting and waiting for the release of this book, and I am happy to say that it finishes the series off beautifully!

This book is a retelling of the first two books, but this time from Shane’s POV instead of Grace’s. And yep, it’s long! To be honest, I found it to be a little too long at times. It was pretty much the WHOLE story from Shane’s perspective, and as much as I appreciate the boy POV, I found that the first part of the book dragged a little. It picked up halfway through though, and by the end I was bouncing up and down in my seat like an idiot, unable to put it down. And the ending is sensational. There is a big, epic moment at the end of Saving Grace, that had me squeeing out loud when I read that book, and I got to experience that all over again. I seriously got chills… again! And then the story goes beyond that to give us even more awesome!

I’m not going to say much about the plot, because pretty much anything I say will be really spoilery, so make sure you read the other two books in the series before you get to this one – seriously, they’re awesome!

Shane’s backstory is tragic. Even more so than what we already knew! He has suffered so much, and struggles terribly with all that has been done to him, and where he is now. But his love for Grace is absolutely incredible. He feels for her so passionately, and watching him go through the drama and heartbreak as he falls for her, and then fights for her, is gut wrenching!

“It took all my restraint not to fall to my knees in front of her and beg her to love me.”

For those readers who struggled with Shane’s actions in the last two books – let me tell you that things are explained in a lot more detail in this one, and we get to see exactly why he did the things he did. Some of them are such massive twists to the story, I have to wonder by Zolendz didn’t include them in the original books. But never mind, they are there now, and give a lot more depth to the story, and should provide some reassurance for those who doubted him – and let me say, here and now – I NEVER doubted him!!! I proudly stayed faithful to him, and entered into hot debate with anybody who thought otherwise! Such is my love for this man.

While the story is pretty much a play-by-play of the first two books, there are additional moments there with the boys from Mad World, which I loved. I love the dynamic between the boys, and watching them tease and support Shane through everything is brilliant. And, of course, their banter is sensational!

“Maybe someone like Ryan is better for her than a piece of shit like me,” I mumbled.
His smile slipped and his eyes rolled. “Okay, Shane. What the fuck did you eat for lunch, a narcissist burger with a side of self-esteem issue fries and a whiny ass frilly beer? You sound like a freaking girl.”

Another highlight is Lea. Grace’s best friend, she is queen of the quip, and is utterly hilarious!

“Put a damn shirt on and cover up your eighteen pack or whatever you got going on under that skin, you are making me drool.”
“Lea, stop saying crap like that to me and stop gawking, awkward.”
Lea smiled down at me, “You, sir are a bit easy on the eye, so therefore I shall stare at you. If you feel at all uncomfortable, I could always knock you over the head with something until you’re unconscious and take pictures.”

“Holy Discovery Channel Sex, Conner, we are going to get caught in a porn storm between these two. Conner you better be coming with us too, because if I have to watch them making googley-steamy-nasty-dirty-sex-eyes at each other, there won’t be a vibrator in the world big enough to satisfy me.”

This book totally recaptures everything I loved from the first books. It’s funny, slightly crude, angsty, romantic and sexy, with heaps of UST. Plus, there is a great paranormal twist - which is pretty minor in terms of the day to day action, but puts a unique spin on the story. And of course it makes the romance just that much more epic. The swoon in this book is sensational! (I probably put this quote in my review of one of the other books, but it’s so beautiful, I have to use it again).

“Let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together…I’ll make you whole again.”

The Mad World books are among my favourites, and Shane and Grace's story is beautifully romantic. And I loved this book! I loved the opportunity to be inside of Shane’s head, and see what was going on with him. His suffering broke my heart, his devotion had me cheering, and his blind love and need for Grace had me swooning madly.

“Tell me you love me … tell me I’m enough as the damaged man I am.”

The story does go slightly beyond the end of Saving Grace, and… there is an epilogue! WOOHOO!!! We get a perfect little look at Shane and Grace’s future that had me squeeing like an idiot.

I wish I could give it 5 stars, because the second half and the ending left me flying high and reeling over everything that I just read, but the slow start for me just slightly brings it down.

4.5 stars.

(and thanks for letting me poach your Shane, Aestas!! He is just too perfect!)

[Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!!!!!

FIRST! I have to say thank you thank you thank you thank you and 1000x thank you , because it came out earlier! I jumped up and down with excitement!! Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieee

Then .... OMG it feels as I got the answer to life's big questions!!! even if I knew where everything would lead , did it not mean that it was not crazy exciting! (and CRAZY SEXY, oh god, I need to fan myself a little bit)

This book answered sooo many questions I had! and let me tell you, the answers was SOOOOOOOO much better than I thought it would be.

I do not know what more I can say ..... the book was a masterpiece

I'm so in love with Shane right now, (I mean I thought I was in love with him before, but when I found out everything he's done and how he feels and thinks, I can not help falling head over heels! Jesus Christ ... JUST GIVE HIM TO ME!!!) drooling a bit

and I'm not taking anything away from what I wrote below because the gif's describing exactly what I feel every time I see or think about the book!!!

Whhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!! love love love it
_____________________________________________________________________
Feb 27, 2013
OMG OMG OMG OH MY GOD THIS IS MAGIC!

I AM SO HAPPY

When I saw this my hormones was overflowing!!





Life sure is good, hu?! Q_Q

Shane Shane Shane Shane Shane oh my love <3

When do I get it, When do I get it, When do I get it, WHEN!?!?

--------
Update:
Omg!!!!! A cover!!! And i can soon read it!!! I AM SO HAPPY!!!! 15 June!! 5 fucking more days!!!!! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy

Freaking out here!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!!! SHANE.....*sigh*


I’m going to try to keep this review short and spoiler free. And to all of you Mad World fans, this is not a continuation of Grace and Shane’s story…although there is a killer epilogue at the end that you will not want to miss. This book is a compilation of both Fall from Grace and Saving Grace told from Shane Maxton’s point of view. And HOLY HELL it is one hell of a POV!!!!!

I have noticed that it has become quite popular to re-tell stories through the leading man’s POV, and I am just LOVING it!!!!! I can’t tell you how incredibly sexy it is to hear a man’s thoughts. I am starting to prefer these books to their female-told companions! Not that I don’t enjoy hearing the woman’s thoughts and feelings, I do very much, but I can also find it annoying at times when said women turn into the wining, bad-decision-making fools that they often do. The male perspective is such a refreshing alternative to these books!!!!

That said, Grace Taylor is none of those things. She is actually one hell of a badass!! She’s beautiful, she’s strong, and she is incredibly talented. She is also loyal, and faithful to her self, her friends and most of all her one true love… even if it means the destruction of her own happiness, her own heart. I loved her character, both from her point of view and Shane’s.


Shane Maxton, however, was absolutely addicting!!!! I loved hearing the story from his POV. And I completely fell in love with him all over again. He is completely lost for Grace…his Sela and will do just about anything to gain her love again. He is also desperate to protect her from the constant dangers threatening her.


I loved hearing his thoughts, his jealousy, and his feelings of insecurity. His lack of confidence where Grace was concerned was so intoxicating. He fought so hard for her, and it was painful to see her pulling away from him over and over. And her not knowing who he really was, and not being able to tell her about their past together drove him completely crazy. All while trying to fight off the main threat to their future together…Gabriel.

I do have to say that hearing Shane’s thoughts answered so many questions for me, and brought him so far into the light, that I wanted to blind myself staring into it!!!! He is so damn easy to lust love!!! And the music, the songs they sing together. The song he wrote for her….*sigh* Complete and utter SWOONFEST!!!! And the quotes he always threw at her...and her quick ability to recall the author... I LOVED this!!!

Every note I played, every breath I took was a small piece of my soul breaking and smashing beneath the feet of the dancing crowd.
***
If I could end my existence right now, I would die the happiest soul to have ever walked the earth, because I had felt THIS. Because I had known GRACE.
***
I wanted her whole heart, and I promised myself right then and there that I would never stop until I had her whole heart, because she already had mine.
***
"Stop smiling Grace." I leaned forward, giving her a sexy smile. "A smile like that can give a guy hope."
***
"Remember tonight...for it is the beginning of always." -Dante Alighieri

And Lea...OMG, I forgot how freaking funny she was!!!! I LOVED her character!!!!! Such a smart mouth!!! So entertaining!!!!

"Why don't you have a nice big cup of SHUT THE FUCK UP? Go home and lay by your dish. And the next thing that comes out of your mouth about Grace will be accompanied by your flying broken teeth. Do you understand the language I'm speaking, or do I have to translate to stupid slut for you? Run along now, go play a game of Hide and go fuck yourself."
***
"There are FIVE levels of the douche hierarchy: douche, douche bag, douche canoe, douche nozzle, and right at the top, the king of it all, when the douche is displaying phenomenal amounts of doucheness, is a douche rocket. It's like the KING of DOUCHES, they can no longer be described as a douche nozzle, they are ALL the levels of douchery put together, and douche rocket is used. And right now Shane Maxton is the biggest Douche Rocket on the planet!"
***
"Tucker, have you heard of eye candy?" Lea asked sweetly.
"Hell yeah," Tucker winked at her.
"Well you're more like eye broccoli to me."

And Alex... also hilarious!!!!! And his never-ending quest to obtain Grace's V-card!!!!

"You know, Grace Taylor, there are only two four letter words that are offensive to men. The words DON'T and STOP. Well unless they are used together."
***
"The idea of a twenty-three year old virgin is thought to be an endangered species. So, I was hoping you would let us take you through the spiritual journey of this undiscovered land. I'd like to start a blog, a documentary of sorts, about the experience of going where no penis has gone before."

And there are so many more amazing quotes. Christine Zolendz really did an amazing job with this series!!!

So if you are thinking of reading this book…you need to go back and read the series from the beginning. You have to understand what is going on in Grace’s head… in her world… to know the whole story. Then when you get to this book, it is like the icing on the cake. And the epilogue is NOT TO BE MISSED!!!!

I’m giving this one 5 STARS!!!!! Completely and utterly ADDICTING!!!!!

Here are my pics…

Shane Maxton…


Grace Taylor…


Gabriel…

[Mistress · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I will love her every single minute for the rest of my existence. I have her name branded on my soul, tattooed on my heart. I will never love anyone else."

I liked this book, but it was so repetitive. There were a few scenes that were enlightening to read from Shane's POV that you don't get at all from Grace's. I loved getting a look into his head and heart. He really is a great guy. In this book you get to see his thoughts, motivations, and all the reasons for the bad behaviors he had in the two previous books. There are several hilarious scenes between Shane and Lea (I love Lea!) and a few drunken inside-Shane's-head scenes that had me laughing uncontrollably. If you love this series, I would recommend reading this book.

"How do you say goodbye to your heart? Your soul? The one thing that you loved more than yourself."

"I kissed her slowly, reverently, and I knew without any loss in faith that nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed my Selah, and knew that my love for her would last beyond what forever was."

"You have my heart, forever."

"Just the sound of her breath next to me was all I needed."

"Grace, you have to know...I lost myself in you that night, lost myself somewhere in that kiss."

"Don't be scared...heaven is breathtaking."

"I found whom my soul loveth: I held her, and would not let her go...Song of Solomon, Grace."

"I've been broken and she's my missing pieces, all of them. My heart wants what it wants. She is the other half of my soul. I will never feel whole until she's mine."

"Love is patiently waiting for centuries to touch someone's lips again; love was giving up everything of yourself to let someone else be safe. Love is that breathless feeling when you want someone. It's the need to be a part of someone or you won't feel whole."

"Since my very first kiss it's only been you."

"You have had my heart with you for thousands of years, and I have been so empty until now."

"She was my fall and she was my saving grace."

"I was in complete awe. I dropped to my knees. Thank you God for letting me live this."

[Kellie Maddox-Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIGH…

I fell hook, line and sinker for this loveable gang years ago when I took a shot on an indie author with $1.50 eBooks.. As everyone knows.. I was in love!

Did I think that I could love Shane Maxton more than I did when reading about him in Fall From Grace and Saving Grace
..No

Was I wrong? HELL YEAH!

Clearly you would not be reading this if you haven’t read MAD WORLD 1 & 2

So we all know the story about Grace and Shane.. .
I’m not going to repeat it just discuss my feelings…

Just like with Beautiful Disaster, Stealing Harper and Losing Hope it’s the same concept..
Same story line told from the male perspective…. But MORE

I adored Shane from Grace’s POV even when he was a manwhoring douche rocket!
But to be in the head of the manwhoring doucherocket?! AWESOME

Just to see what he was really feeling when he was doing all the stupid shit he did..

Or where he went at times.. We we’re all lead to believe he was behaving badly when really he was by himself…. Or at a church… or fucking overdosing thanks to the doucherocket Gabriel!

I giggled, laughed, literally LOL’d and snorted; quite a fair amount of times in this book.
At the normal Lea/Grace parts I heard/read about in the first 2 but also the parts we weren't involved in. I.e- Shane without Grace, Grace leaving the room, sleeping etc…

”You better not be at a Vixen4 show or I will punch you in the nuts so hard your future children will feel it.” Lea to Shane

“Okay, I’m going to explain it fast and then I’m going to go over there to Grace and try and talk her out of a bell tower with a rifle.
There are five levels on the douche hierarchy.

Douche, douchebag douche canoe, douche nozzle and right at the top, the king of it all, when the douche is displaying phenomenal amounts of doucheness, is a douche rocket. It’s when someone is such a douche, like the KING of douches, they can no longer be described as a douchenozzle, they are LL the levels of douchery put together, and the douche rocket is used. And right now, Shane Maxton is the biggest Douche Rocket on the planet!”


Ok, ok just shut up and listen for a minute this is reakly really important. We need to find someone to take us to Taco Bell. So listen, I will buy whoever takes us to Taco Bell… I’ll buy them anything then want… I’ll even buy them a car. (Alex raises his hand again) Alex, you want a burrito? A burrito? Bbbuuurrriiitttoooo wow. That’s a fucking awesome word. I’ll give gas money. I just… shut up for a minute.. If I don’t get Taco Bell, you’re going to see a side of me that you wish you hadn’t seen. I know you think I ‘m joking, but I’m not… I need.. I need a fucking Burrito. From Taco Bell.

I woke the next morning on my couch with Alex slumped up against me, surrounded by, I shit you not. Fifty four- wrapped Taco Bell burrito’s.


I also swooned like a mo’fo

I loved, adored and cherished EVERYTHING about this book.

Thank you Christine Zolendz so much for writing this!!

[Maayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what can I say about this book?
When I heard that a book in Shane's POV is Due out I got so excited!
I really loved the two books in the series, and this book did not disappoint! I really enjoyed being in Shane's head , he exceeded all my expectations, he was funny, Jealous, possessive and romantic!! I loved to read how he loves Grace and how much she means to him, especially, when he remained faithful to her from the moment he first saw her :)

I love the plot, the band, Grace BFF (hahaha she's hilarious, Especially in this book), I love their banter and the dynamics between all the characters ... Since I read the books in the series i always searched books with these elements, without success.

This book is en EPIC love story! I LOVE IT !

[Jamie]

I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS COMING OUT IN SHANE'S POV!!! HOW IN THE HELL DID I MISS THIS????

[Sophia Sardothien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love it when he's drunk

[Chrissie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been a little while since I read the first 2 books in the Mad World Series so I'm not quite sure if Grace came across as such a Mary Sue or not. She definitely did in this one.

She was beautiful and everyone wanted her, she could sing and play guitar/piano better than anyone, she could fight and had the best come backs, and owned/rode a motorcycle.

She came across as a saint while Shane came across as totally unworthy of her. All his friends weren't really friends since they continually let him know how much better she was than him and kept accusing him of using drugs. They turned their backs on him when he was accused of attempted murder, not believing him. Douchie friends!

I think I would have enjoyed this much better if Grace wasn't made out to be so perfect and Shane made out to be so flawed. There needed to be a better balance. However, I guess I should keep in mind that the story is told from Shane's POV so in his eyes Grace would be perfect and he would be unworthy.

[Chrystal Streicher · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, if you have not read Fall From Grace and Saving Grace then I suggest you do so. And you may not want to read this review, it may contain spoilers. I'm serious, I don't want to ruin this for the rest of you non-readers of the Mad World Series. ok, you've been warned. :) The rest may proceed.

"How do you say good-bye to your heart? Your soul? The one thing that you loved more than yourself?



That Prologue was beautiful. I wanted to quote the entire thing and it is 9 pages! Shane has a beautiful soul. And I loved hearing their story from his mind.



"I found who my soul loveth: I held her, and would not let her go..."

Meet the Beautiful Grace Taylor.



She's only loved one man in her life. And after one amazing, heart stopping kiss, he was taken from her, shattering her to a million pieces.

"Let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together...I will make you whole again."

Meet the Sexy Shane Maxton, Lead singer and Guitar player of Mad World.



Scars and Songs is combination of the first two books in Shane's POV. And if you have read the first two, I know that you want to know what was going on in that sexy little head of his. We get more of Shane's background and more story behind Selah and Shamsiel. You see how deep his love goes for Selah and how devoted he is to her. And you can't help but fall more in love with Shane.

I loved the banter between the characters in Fall From Grace and Saving Grace, but in my opinion, I thought it was way funnier in Shane's POV. We get to hear more from Connor, Alex, Ethan and unfortunately, Tucker.



The chemistry between Shane and Grace is off the charts! I had to put my ipad down and take a moment to catch my breath, like a lot! And as much as I adore Lea, Grace's best friend, there were times I wanted to duct tape her mouth and tie her to the couch. That girl had the worst timing, ever!

Even tho I kept reminding myself on how this was going to end, Christine Zolendz managed to bring tears to my eyes. My heart broke all over again for Shane and Grace. And in some cases, for Shane. All because of a jealous Gabriel, the delusional bi-fucking-polar-angel. I killed him a few times in my head while reading this.

Putting aside the drinking and partying, the history that they have, the thousands of years of loving each other, and in search for one another, is beautiful. Grace never faltered in her search for Shamsiel, never lost her faith and never questioned it.

And.That.Epilogue!! I sobbed through the whole thing. It was perfect, I Fucking Love Shane Maxton!!!

5 Phenomenal Stars!

Wanted to share this amazing Book Trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDV-ur...

[Tee Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you say goodbye to your heart? Your soul? The one thing that you loved more than yourself.~ p. 1

My, oh my, I couldn't wait to hear Shane's point of view from this incredible story, and he did not at all disappoint!! The Mad World series is one of my absolute favorite paranormal romances, Shane and Grace's love story was just breathtaking. When I started this series, I had to read Fall from Grace and Saving Grace together because I was so entirely lost in them, and it was no different this time around! I devoured Shane's book, in blissful agony living through this heartbreaking but beautiful love story all over again!! God, I just love this series!!

I slammed my hands flat against the slick wet tiles of the shower and roared like a caged animal. The grief threatened to choke me; it welled in my chest and tore at my heart. ~p. 34

Shane's perspective was like lifting the veil on all of those "I wonder what just happened there?" behind-the-scenes moments, with the added bonus of his dirty thoughts being the ones that filled in the gaps!! Shane is the best of both worlds, part uber-sexy and once powerful dejected angel, part drool-worthy, lead singer bad boy. Seeing his world be upended by Grace's appearance was bound to be epic, and Christine Zolendz made it just that! Knowing firsthand how Grace affected Shane so profoundly just made this series that much more incredible! There were laughs, there were tears, and there were moments when my heart once again raced from the intense connection when they finally acted on it! This was everything I hoped it would be, and I am so grateful that I was able to go back to this story for more of the characters I love.

Thank you, Christine!!!


I completely understood, because she was my Hallelujah, after everything, and with every breath I ever took, she was my salvation. She was my fall and she was my saving grace. ~p. 446

[Jacqueline's Reads]

TEASER!

From Christine Zolendz FB page <3



I remembered the knock on my door. The blonde was topless, and fuck, I am only human.

Then we were in the Bone Room and were walking clumsily, kissing and sucking at each other, tongues and mouths and fingers touching each other as we stumbled onto the bed. She pulled my boxers down and her lips were immediately wrapped around my cock so tightly, it almost hurt.

I remembered opening the slut drawer and throwing a wad of condoms at her and using them all. I took a deep, pained breath and ran my hands over my face. Guilt flooded through me, causing a thickness in my throat. It had been nine months, and the guilt was still so damn overwhelming. I did all this shit to punish myself, to forget myself, to forget Selah. I drank to forget her, to forget being what I was, and I slept with the trash that threw themselves at me, trying to pretend they were all her and trying to forget I would never see her again.

The body on the bed shifted. “Are you leaving me already, Shane?”
My muscles tensed, and I swallowed the guilt back. “Yep.”
The girl sat up and the sheets fell from her, giving me a full view of a pair of perky little tits. She tilted her head and batted her eyes. “So that’s it? Or you want me to come back around later tonight after the next show?” Her hands slowly started caressing her own skin, cupping herself and trying too damn hard to keep my attention. She reeked of desperation and all I wanted was to take a shower to clean her scent off me.

[Chelcie Dacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, EVERY SINGLE FUCKING PIECE, Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together.... I'll make you whole again"

"You want to by my first Shane?"
"No, Baby, Im going to be your last.."


SWOONING over here. Shane just burrowed his way in my heart. This book wrapped up the series in a nice little package with a huge FUCKING bow.

"shut up and go to sleep Grace"

This book was just, i have no words. it was epicness, awesomesauce, amazeballs, insane. You would think that knowing how it was going to end would make the book easy to read.

BUT IT WASN'T

some of the shit that went down with shane and gabriel, it shocked the breath out of me. those that have read this now exactly what I'm talking about.

and just to add, TUCKER was the bigges douchenozzle ever. I thought he would show some sign of decency in this book, but man this book made me loth him even more.

During the first 2 books, i kept asking myself, WHY Shand WHY would you do that. But BAM, we now know why.

This love story was of EPIC.

loved loved loved loved it. I cant express how much i loved this book, this series, these characters. EVERY damn thing about it i loved

[Kim Karr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about an angel turned bad boy rocker--how could you not love it!!!

When I read a review for Falling from Grace last year (Book 1) the reviewer said Shane was as close as you could get to Kellan Kyle so I had to read it. I don't usually read books in the paranormal genre and was thrilled when l finished and loved it. Then I read Saving Grace and loved that too. I waited patiently for Scars and Songs and it was worth the wait.

Shane's POV added so much to the already told story--it helped me understand a few things I didn't from Books 1 and 2. Remember although this book does tell the same story from the first 2 books, I think you need to read them first or you might be lost. At about 50% Book 1 ended and Book 2 began. Everything that happens is so emotional--it kept me reading and like I said it gave me the explanations I needed. It helped me understand Shane--who he was before his soul took over Shane's body and why the events that took place were necessary.


My favorite line in the book -- "Screw it, she was my Hallelujah"

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have patiently been awaiting this book since I read the first two books in the Mad World Series, and let me tell you it definitely met my expectations! I devoured it! Being able to get inside Shane's head to be able to see and feel what he was going through was awesome and sometimes just plain hilarious! I laughed out loud quite a bit while reading which is not something to do while reading in the middle of the night in bed beside your husband. Anyway, I enjoy Christine's writing and will definitely continue to read anything she writes, and who knows maybe we'll get more from Shane and Grace down the road! Here's to hoping!

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This by far is one of the best books told by the lead POV it def cleared up some confusion I felt with the previous two books! Wonderful

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How do you say goodbye to your heart? Your soul? The one thing that you loved more than yourself.”

4.5 Shane Maxton Stars!

The first two books in the Mad World series were two of my favorite books from last year. The whole concept of it was so unique and interesting and I quickly fell in love with all the characters. Seeing the story from Shane’s POV was just as enjoyable and added so much to the story.

Scars and Songs is basically the first 2 books but told from Shane’s POV instead of Grace’s but I never felt like it was a repetitive re-telling of the story. Shane’s voice is so different and his view made this almost like a whole new story. While I fell hard for him in the first 2 there were some moments where I really couldn’t understand his motivations but it all became so clear after reading this book.

There were so many new scenes and they all fit into the story perfectly. I felt like this book just filled in so many of the blanks from Grace’s story. Not that those felt incomplete, but there was just so much more to Shane than I even realized.

Scars and Songs should be read AFTER Fall From Grace and Saving Grace. The story starts off as a seemingly normal rockstar romance but then takes a huge paranormal twist and a lot of it is explained in the first two.

For most of the time while I was reading this book I was shouting in my head, ‘If Grace doesn’t want you, I’ll love you Shane!’ Seriously, I could feel how much he cared about her and wanted to be with her and Grace just refused to believe it. Even while reading her POV there were some moments I was irritated at her but I also respected how much devotion she had to her lost angel.





Shane was so caught up in Grace, truly a love that would only be seen between soulmates. Even though he did make some mistakes along the way, I never questioned his feelings for her. And seriously, some of the things he said totally melted my heart.

“Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace. For the rest of my fucking life, I will put you back together…I’ll make you whole again.”

I loved how he was always looking out for her and wanting to protect her. Oh and I loved how jealous he would get over any guy that talked to Grace.

I could feel how broken and lost Shane felt, being stuck on Earth. I could feel how much he loved Selah and how Grace really was the only other person to make him feel anything. He was so conflicted and sad I just hurt for him.

“I’ve been broken and she’s my missing pieces, all of them. My heart wants what it wants. She is the other half of my soul. I will never feel whole until she’s mine.”

Grace is still one of my favorite females because she’s so strong, smart, sarcastic, and has so much love to give. I loved how her and Lea would gang up on all the band sluts and how she would give shit to all the guys. Her whole story is seriously heartbreaking and I can’t even believe how much she has had to live through. But her time on Earth has just made her that much stronger and I loved watching her learn to live her life.

Grace and Shane…Holy explosive chemistry. The sexual tension was there between them every single time. And when they’d sing together or even just stare at each other…I could feel it. This book doesn’t have a lot of sex scenes in it but the steamy scenes there are are hot.



I loved how both of them spoke through their music, especially when they couldn’t tell the other how they felt. And I loved how connected they were, even from the beginning. Their story really is that of soulmates, two people destined to be together but forced apart for so long.

“Please, Grace, whatever is it you’re going after, please try to find it here in me. I will try my best to be the man that you need me to be.”

Usually this type of book worries me the most, a re-telling from only a males POV. Sometimes the re-telling seems almost like a photocopy of the first book with nothing new or the males voice comes off feminine. Christine did a fantastic job with both of these. I really felt like this was Shane’s story and not just his POV of Grace’s story. And his voice was so great. He was funny, sarcastic, protective, sometimes an asshole (but in the most lovable way), and most importantly totally sweet. I loved his inner thoughts and how he thought he was turning into a wuss but still wasn’t afraid to admit how he felt.

Some examples of Shane's inner thoughts:
“Either I had to go to the bathroom, or I was a grown man with butterflies in my stomach. Let me spell it out, W.U.S.S.”

“YES, I am an ass. My dick was screaming profanities at me from behind the zipper of my jeans, and then blatantly asked me if I might be gay and just didn’t tell him yet.”

“I hated it when I planned out a whole conversation in my head and the other people don’t follow my script! I always ended up looking like the King of All That Is Douchebaggery.”

I also really enjoyed getting to see more of the band. Omg Alex just had me laughing every time he showed up. And again I loved Lea, seriously such a good friend. Grace, Lea, and the band acted almost like a family and I liked the relationships they all had. Except Tucker, he’s still an ass.

The ending was soooo good and put a huge smile on my face. And the epilogue…totally melted my heart. It’s different than how Saving Grace ends and just makes their story so much more complete. But I also think there’s definitely room for this story to grow and hope we get to see more of Shane and Grace in the future *fingers crossed*



If you liked the first two Mad World books I think you’ll really like this one and I would definitely recommend it. Shane has so much more to him than we saw in the first two and this was really his story. Everything he thought and did made me fall even harder for him and I’m so happy I got to read his POV. These books will continue to be some of my favorite PNR books and I can’t wait to see what Christine Zolendz does next!

“I completely understood, because she was my Hallelujah, and with every breath I ever took, she was my salvation. She was my fall and she was my saving grace.”

[Laurynne Gouws · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating for this book: 4.5 / 5

I nearly collapsed when I saw Scars & Songs was available on Amazon!

I didn't even realize it until I saw it. I've definitely been sleeping because Mad World is one of my all-time favorite series.

Anyway, so if you've read Fall From Grace (Mad World #1) & Saving Grace (Mad World #2) You will know that it's an awesome tale! No? Well then you didn't read it properly lol :)

Scars & Songs is really just both of the first two books, but written from Shane's POV. The first half is related to Fall from Grace and the 2nd half relates to Saving Grace. Plus... there's a little something something added to the end that you have not yet seen and it's bound to make you swoon for sure!

You may be asking why I gave Scars and Songs a 4.5 instead of a 5 since I really love this series... well truth be told it's because for one... it's the same books just in a different POV and secondly, I kind of got annoyed with Shane & Grace when I read it through Shane's eyes. I can't say that much really excited me because I have read it all before and I realized that they were both just silly. They made things harder on themselves when it didn't really have to be that way.

Hey, make no mistake... I still love this series with all my heart and I'm not disappointed at all. I just wish that I could have gotten more 'newer' content - that's all. I'm greedy like that :)

When I read the first two books... I was obsessed. But I found myself getting agitated a little with Scars & Songs. It was only at the end of the book when we are given a brand new chapter... that I simply couldn't get enough.

One thing is for sure, that the "Bad Boy" persona Shane has in Fall from Grace & Saving Grace is kind of killed off in Scars & Songs. You realize that he's not so much 'bad boy', but really he acts the way he does because he want's to drown Grace out. Which is cool... but I can't say I didn't like thinking that he was total bad boy player. I found him a little soft and honestly, while he's still sexy in my eyes, he's not that much of a 'Sex God' sexy anymore. Does that make sense?

So ladies... I think that you need to read Scars & Songs... you need to read it even if it's only for that added bonus at the end. I also get the impression that this is not the last time we will be hearing from Grace & Shane. The ending leaves us thinking there's more to come and if that's true.... I can't freaking wait!

I love you Christine Zolendz!

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[Amanda Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am slightly overwhelmed and speechless. This book was phenomenal! Shane's POV was just what this story needed. The second book ended beautifully but the ending to this story was just insane and I loved it!
Like the author says, this is the exact same story as books 1 & 2 just from Shane instead of Grace. The insight given is priceless and I could not imagine going back to only hearing the story from her side. Shane is such a great guy that we just don't see that when only told from Grace as she is so scared that he is a jerk that she never believes him. The friends do not help this situation by telling her how Shane is with women. I thought they were crappy friends sometimes but at the same time they were looking out for Grace so I am not sure I blame them. It was so great to have the extra dialogue in this book. It so subtle that if I had not been reading them simultaneously I would never have known. But you will miss out so I strongly recommend that the books be read that way. What I did was read a chapter of Fall from Grace or Saving Grace and then a chapter of Scars and Songs (sometimes you have to read more than 1 chapter to keep them together). I fell back in love with this story while reading it from Shane and I have some new favorite parts because of the way they were told by him. This author is a great writer and I am looking forward to what she comes out with next.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Fall from Grace and Saving Grace from Shane's POV, and you do need to read both of those books before reading Scars and Songs. Fall from Grace and Saving Grace were both 5 stars books in my humble opinion and Songs and Scars rounds up this trilogy with another resounding 5 stars. An alternate POV is, of course, a retelling of a story and the concern is that you are not going to get anything new, and what you 'read between the lines' is actually what you thought happened and you just end up disappointed in an alternate POV. Well, Christine Zolendz has taken Shane's POV and enhanced an already amazing series of books just beautifully. Not only has she given us more of Shane, but she's somehow given more insight into Grace's character, as seen through the eyes of Shane. I loved Fall from Grace and Saving Grace when I first read them, and had been waiting for Scars and Songs for so long. That wait was worth it. This is a long book and I loved that so much effort was put into Shane's POV by the author. Thank goodness I am not a professional reviewer and meant to give an unbiased review because I couldn't do that. I'm totally biased about this book and recommend Scars and Songs. (And if you haven't read Fall from Grace and Saving Grace then get clicking and buy them now!)