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Battlescars #2
Afflicted
Fresh off tour Blake Potter, the sexy bassist for Battlescars, is in Smithville, Ohio to work on their next album ‘Coming Clean’. Still pining after Aubrey’s best friend, Piper, it’s going to be harder than he expected to see her back with her long-‐ term boyfriend, Cole. He’s trying his hardest to forget her, but not matter how hard he tries to stay away circumstances keep bringing them together. Being burned before, he refuses to let it happen again. He’s still struggling to let go of Rowan, the girl that made him the way he is.
Piper is fighting an uphill battle of her own. She’s working her ass off trying to make a name for herself as a tattoo artist. Her long-‐term boyfriend, Cole, was recently discharged from the Marines turning her world in a way that she never expected. When he begins leaving for days at a time Piper starts struggling to help him pick up the pieces. She calls the one person that might be able to help, Blake. He becomes the friend that she needs no matter how much it’s killing him.
What will happen when one phone call changes everything for both of them leading them in a path that neither anticipated? Pasts will come out of the shadows and threaten to ruin everything.
Piper is fighting an uphill battle of her own. She’s working her ass off trying to make a name for herself as a tattoo artist. Her long-‐term boyfriend, Cole, was recently discharged from the Marines turning her world in a way that she never expected. When he begins leaving for days at a time Piper starts struggling to help him pick up the pieces. She calls the one person that might be able to help, Blake. He becomes the friend that she needs no matter how much it’s killing him.
What will happen when one phone call changes everything for both of them leading them in a path that neither anticipated? Pasts will come out of the shadows and threaten to ruin everything.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2013
80 people are currently reading
2480 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Monroe
20 books933 followersSophie Monroe is a twenty-something author from New Jersey. Her rock & roll romance series, Battlescars, is an Amazon and USA TODAY best seller.
-Battlescars:A Rock & Roll Romance (book I)
-Afflicted (book II)
-Conflicted (book III)
You can find her on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/sophiemonroewrites or shoot her an email @ sophiemonroe007@hotmail.com. She loves to hear from you guys!
***I rarely come onto Goodreads so please contact me using the links above for a faster response! Thanks!***
-Battlescars:A Rock & Roll Romance (book I)
-Afflicted (book II)
-Conflicted (book III)
You can find her on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/sophiemonroewrites or shoot her an email @ sophiemonroe007@hotmail.com. She loves to hear from you guys!
***I rarely come onto Goodreads so please contact me using the links above for a faster response! Thanks!***
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
May 21, 2013
I loved battlescars and was rubbing my hands together in a lord or the rings "come here my precious" style for afflicted. I really enjoyed reading the characters story and loved that characters from book 1 also played part and progressed their story. What I couldn't get over though was the ending- I was left feeling confused and a WTF look, don't get me wrong I loved that they ended up together and lived happily ever after etc but it had a massive jump from "taking one day at a time" then next page there's been a restraining order, she's moved, there totally in love again. I feel like the ending was completely rushed and should have delved into it abit more rather than the back and forth of piper and cole. Saying that it was still a good read but didn't live up to book 1, bring on book 3!
May 19, 2013
I loved this book. This story takes you thru many emotions. They traveled a long hard road of passion , lust , pain , anger and misplaced loyalty and love like no other. Piper was a fiercely loyal person who had her loyalties in the wrong place she wasn't in love with Cole any more but felt she owed it to him to stick by his side dealing with his demons. Abuse is abuse no matter what way it's dished out. I was happy when she finally gave in to her heart even tho it was forced lol. In the end she gets her HEA like she deserves .
Blake was all heart and loved with every fiber of his being . He gave 100% and it was not returned to many times . :( my heart broke for him during this story he's is a amazing guy and deserved the same in return . He never gave up tho an in the end he was Pipers saving grace literally . He gave her what she needed and deserved in life. He really was a sweetheart.
Granny was jut as a funny hell raising lady in this book as well loved her. Aubrey and Jake so freaking cute still Jake is a great guy.
Looking forward to Derricks story Conflicted.
(SN: Piper needs another tattoo it needs to be a key)
Blake was all heart and loved with every fiber of his being . He gave 100% and it was not returned to many times . :( my heart broke for him during this story he's is a amazing guy and deserved the same in return . He never gave up tho an in the end he was Pipers saving grace literally . He gave her what she needed and deserved in life. He really was a sweetheart.
Granny was jut as a funny hell raising lady in this book as well loved her. Aubrey and Jake so freaking cute still Jake is a great guy.
Looking forward to Derricks story Conflicted.
(SN: Piper needs another tattoo it needs to be a key)
September 30, 2015
2.5 Wtf Stars
I liked the last book well enough, even if it was on the extreme insta-love side, so I was expecting to like this one as well, if not more. WRONG. I thought the first book was dramatic, but dear god this one takes the cake.
I hate, absolutely HATE books where the H/h are in other relationships. Of course, just my luck, the h was in some twisted long term relationship with a psycho boyfriend. Dramatic is too tame a word to describe her relationship with her boyfriend. They break up and get back together like a million times, and in between she's with Blake, just stringing him along.
It blew my mind how callous she was towards Blake and his feelings for her. He was so caring and genuine, and she just throws that in his face every time she got back together with her ex. I mean, can you even say her "ex" is actually her ex when they break up and get back together every two weeks? A question for the gods I guess...
And everyone was all, oh poor Piper, she's just figuring her life out, so screw your feelings Blake. Oh yeah, and he's the bad guy if he tries to move on. What?! Um, no. More like, screw you Piper for being such a heartless b**ch and not giving a shit about someone who would clearly treasure you and actually treat you right.
I only gave this book a higher rating because I loved Blake so much, even more so in contrast to Piper and all she put him through. She really didnt deserve him and I was almost unhappy they got a HEA.
This book was just a conflagration of disappointment and frustration, pretty much ruining my ability to enjoy it.
I liked the last book well enough, even if it was on the extreme insta-love side, so I was expecting to like this one as well, if not more. WRONG. I thought the first book was dramatic, but dear god this one takes the cake.
I hate, absolutely HATE books where the H/h are in other relationships. Of course, just my luck, the h was in some twisted long term relationship with a psycho boyfriend. Dramatic is too tame a word to describe her relationship with her boyfriend. They break up and get back together like a million times, and in between she's with Blake, just stringing him along.
It blew my mind how callous she was towards Blake and his feelings for her. He was so caring and genuine, and she just throws that in his face every time she got back together with her ex. I mean, can you even say her "ex" is actually her ex when they break up and get back together every two weeks? A question for the gods I guess...
And everyone was all, oh poor Piper, she's just figuring her life out, so screw your feelings Blake. Oh yeah, and he's the bad guy if he tries to move on. What?! Um, no. More like, screw you Piper for being such a heartless b**ch and not giving a shit about someone who would clearly treasure you and actually treat you right.
I only gave this book a higher rating because I loved Blake so much, even more so in contrast to Piper and all she put him through. She really didnt deserve him and I was almost unhappy they got a HEA.
This book was just a conflagration of disappointment and frustration, pretty much ruining my ability to enjoy it.
May 24, 2013
I really liked the first book in this series and was looking forward to this one but I was a little dissapointed. My only problem with the story line is the female lead Piper, she was such a bitch and when she came and told Blake what had happened she expected what fan fair and a loving declaration. I'm sorry I really liked Blake, I don't know how many times Piper thought she could rip out his heart and then go running back to him when her "boyfriend" Cole was being an ass or on a bender. All there friends also backed Piper and I couldn't believe that they couldn't see just how much Piper stringing him along hurt him and she had been warned by all of them not to brake his heart which is exactly what she ended up doing. I guess in the end Piper doing what she did was the drama the story needed it just made it very hard to like her as a character.
May 7, 2014
I liked this one a bit more that the first. think I am gonna stop here though, not real interested in Derecks' story..
June 9, 2013
After I read Battlescars, Jake & Aubrey's story, I've been really looking forward to Afflicted ~ I wanted to so where the sexy bass player Blake's story went ~ We know Blake had a certain "affliction" for groupies in Battlescars but once Piper entered the picture things were about to change for this rocking hottie!
I was provided an advance read of Afflicted and immediately purchased it cause I knew from the start that I was going to be head over heels in love with this one and ladies I was ...
Piper is Aubrey's BFF ~ The bad ass tattoo artist whose ink graced Aubrey's skin ~ We didn't get to really know Piper in Battlescars so when Piper's relationship with Cole her boyfriend of 8 years was brought to light I was truly ....
I knew she loved Cole it was obvious with the ways she took care of him after he returned home from the Marines but Aubrey didn't get the guy she once knew back and what she got back sometimes had me...
I could see it coming Cole was a train wreck waiting to happen and understandably so with what he had been through but it didn't make it an easier for me to feel sorry for him. Afflicted picks up where Battlescars ended so we get a little re-visit of the wedding but with a heck of a lot more detail and let me tell you ladies what Blake & Piper have in the bedroom is ......
yep they have CHEMISTRY all the way and this bad boy is in for a rude awakening! Yes Blake totally.....
for Piper but first the hard road needs to be taken for these two to realize exactly what one means to the other ~ well more so Piper needs to open her freaking eyes. There were parts of this book where I ...
Granny Jean is back and she is FREAKING HYSTERICAL ~ I wish she was my Granny that woman is the DA BOMB! Now the book wasn't all laughs for me there were certainly times where I got...
I wanted to bang Piper & Blake's heads together and there was one part of the book where I was literally...
I was truly thinking I had this book pegged wrong and we were going to see Blake and his past connect and Piper and Cole get through his issues. Well let's just say what Blake did made me want to do this to him..
He seriously pissed me off but the Blake I loved was still there and he seriously steps up to the plate. I was totally.........
for the two of them and for an ending I wanted. When I got down reading Afflicted I .....
and I ...
I loved Afflicted more than I loved Battlescars ~ pretty damn awesome for the second book in a series. We got to spend time with Jake & Aubrey ~ Derek is there being Derek and we had brief glimpses of Kevin but don't worry the gang is all here in Afflicted.
5 fist pumping stars for this Rock Star Romance ~ I laughed, cried, jumped up and down like a loon, yelled at my Kindle, had a mini heart attack, dreamed of meeting bam-bam and after my little joy ride smiled so hard I have a perma-grin ~ I recommend that any fan of rock star reads grab the Battlescars series and get started and enjoy the getting a behind the scenes look at these sexy rockers and the ladies that capture their hearts and watch out ladies it's noted Derek's story is next and I have a feeling it's going to be a roller coaster of emotions for that man to be the way he is. My gut tells me he hides behind his devil may care jokester attitude and when we get a glimpse of the real man he is going break all our hearts!
I was provided an advance read of Afflicted and immediately purchased it cause I knew from the start that I was going to be head over heels in love with this one and ladies I was ...
Piper is Aubrey's BFF ~ The bad ass tattoo artist whose ink graced Aubrey's skin ~ We didn't get to really know Piper in Battlescars so when Piper's relationship with Cole her boyfriend of 8 years was brought to light I was truly ....
I knew she loved Cole it was obvious with the ways she took care of him after he returned home from the Marines but Aubrey didn't get the guy she once knew back and what she got back sometimes had me...
I could see it coming Cole was a train wreck waiting to happen and understandably so with what he had been through but it didn't make it an easier for me to feel sorry for him. Afflicted picks up where Battlescars ended so we get a little re-visit of the wedding but with a heck of a lot more detail and let me tell you ladies what Blake & Piper have in the bedroom is ......
yep they have CHEMISTRY all the way and this bad boy is in for a rude awakening! Yes Blake totally.....
for Piper but first the hard road needs to be taken for these two to realize exactly what one means to the other ~ well more so Piper needs to open her freaking eyes. There were parts of this book where I ...
Granny Jean is back and she is FREAKING HYSTERICAL ~ I wish she was my Granny that woman is the DA BOMB! Now the book wasn't all laughs for me there were certainly times where I got...
I wanted to bang Piper & Blake's heads together and there was one part of the book where I was literally...
I was truly thinking I had this book pegged wrong and we were going to see Blake and his past connect and Piper and Cole get through his issues. Well let's just say what Blake did made me want to do this to him..
He seriously pissed me off but the Blake I loved was still there and he seriously steps up to the plate. I was totally.........
for the two of them and for an ending I wanted. When I got down reading Afflicted I .....
and I ...
I loved Afflicted more than I loved Battlescars ~ pretty damn awesome for the second book in a series. We got to spend time with Jake & Aubrey ~ Derek is there being Derek and we had brief glimpses of Kevin but don't worry the gang is all here in Afflicted.
5 fist pumping stars for this Rock Star Romance ~ I laughed, cried, jumped up and down like a loon, yelled at my Kindle, had a mini heart attack, dreamed of meeting bam-bam and after my little joy ride smiled so hard I have a perma-grin ~ I recommend that any fan of rock star reads grab the Battlescars series and get started and enjoy the getting a behind the scenes look at these sexy rockers and the ladies that capture their hearts and watch out ladies it's noted Derek's story is next and I have a feeling it's going to be a roller coaster of emotions for that man to be the way he is. My gut tells me he hides behind his devil may care jokester attitude and when we get a glimpse of the real man he is going break all our hearts!
May 19, 2013
OK...So where do I start? Blake Potter? I freaking LOVE you! OMG. I know I loved Jake in Battlescars, but Blake did it for me in this book. That damn Rowan did a number on him and I felt so bad. When he hooked up with Piper, I was hooked..lol
As far as her boyfriend, that dude was a mess. I hated the way he treated Piper and the fact that she kept going back to him pissed me off, especially after that amazing time with Blake she just up and left him..ugh! i felt bad for Blake and I was worried that he was going to hook back up with his ex, but surprisingly she didnt irritate me lol..she turned out to be a good friend after all was said and done. I'm kind of curious as to what happened to Cole though. does he have any family anywhere? i'm just glad she left him before she made the mistake of marrying him. That baby was a blessing in more ways than one..Loved Blake and Pipe's HEA :)
Granny---LOVE HER!! She was on point with everything..lol..
It was good reading about Jake and Aubrey..love those two as well.
So Drake's book is next? Cant wait for that one :)and to see what the rest of them are up to :)
Overall I loved Afflicted!!!! You should add it to your TBR list. You will not be disappointed...
Sophie..u are awesome! :)
As far as her boyfriend, that dude was a mess. I hated the way he treated Piper and the fact that she kept going back to him pissed me off, especially after that amazing time with Blake she just up and left him..ugh! i felt bad for Blake and I was worried that he was going to hook back up with his ex, but surprisingly she didnt irritate me lol..she turned out to be a good friend after all was said and done. I'm kind of curious as to what happened to Cole though. does he have any family anywhere? i'm just glad she left him before she made the mistake of marrying him. That baby was a blessing in more ways than one..Loved Blake and Pipe's HEA :)
Granny---LOVE HER!! She was on point with everything..lol..
It was good reading about Jake and Aubrey..love those two as well.
So Drake's book is next? Cant wait for that one :)and to see what the rest of them are up to :)
Overall I loved Afflicted!!!! You should add it to your TBR list. You will not be disappointed...
Sophie..u are awesome! :)
May 16, 2013
I loved Battlescars, but this sequel blew me away!
Afflicted is Piper and Blake's story.
Blake is a Rockstar and Piper is a tattoo artist, together they are an intoxicating, yet confusing pair!While Blake faces issues with rejection, Piper deals with an alcoholic/ex military boyfriend. They try to deny their feelings for one another, but when they head to camp for a week... sparks re-ignite. When they get back to reality though Piper is torn between her feelings for Blake and her emotional connection with her boyfriend. The Author makes Alcoholism her focus and does a wonderful job describing what one has to go through in order to let go... Blake and Piper are on and off throughout the whole book so when a huge secret is revealed you are on the edge of your seat waiting to read about the characters reactions. How will they react? and What is the Secret? Read to find out!
The Author did a great job with this book! The emotions consume you and the characters had you rooting for them. I thought the storyline was well thought out and the plot was exciting. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, the Author added another twist... I would recommend this book to everyone. It has romance, suspense, and most importantly it touches on real topics.
Afflicted is Piper and Blake's story.
Blake is a Rockstar and Piper is a tattoo artist, together they are an intoxicating, yet confusing pair!While Blake faces issues with rejection, Piper deals with an alcoholic/ex military boyfriend. They try to deny their feelings for one another, but when they head to camp for a week... sparks re-ignite. When they get back to reality though Piper is torn between her feelings for Blake and her emotional connection with her boyfriend. The Author makes Alcoholism her focus and does a wonderful job describing what one has to go through in order to let go... Blake and Piper are on and off throughout the whole book so when a huge secret is revealed you are on the edge of your seat waiting to read about the characters reactions. How will they react? and What is the Secret? Read to find out!
The Author did a great job with this book! The emotions consume you and the characters had you rooting for them. I thought the storyline was well thought out and the plot was exciting. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, the Author added another twist... I would recommend this book to everyone. It has romance, suspense, and most importantly it touches on real topics.
May 15, 2013
I was given a ARC of Afflicted by the Sophie Monroe.
Let me just start out by saying... Blake Potter... He is a bad boy rocker with a heart of gold! Blake was burned bad, so he is completely gun shy of any type of relationship. That changes when he meets Piper at Jake and Aubrey's wedding, and she completely turns his world upside down.
Piper is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff of her own. Her and her boyfriend have a very rocky relationship. When she meets Blake while her and Cole are on one of their many breaks, the sparks begin to fly!
While reading Afflicted, I truly felt like I was on Bake and Piper's journey with them. I laughed and cried while reading. I would get so frustrated with Piper for pushing Blake away! I just loved it! Sophie has another winner on her hands with this one!
Let me just start out by saying... Blake Potter... He is a bad boy rocker with a heart of gold! Blake was burned bad, so he is completely gun shy of any type of relationship. That changes when he meets Piper at Jake and Aubrey's wedding, and she completely turns his world upside down.
Piper is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff of her own. Her and her boyfriend have a very rocky relationship. When she meets Blake while her and Cole are on one of their many breaks, the sparks begin to fly!
While reading Afflicted, I truly felt like I was on Bake and Piper's journey with them. I laughed and cried while reading. I would get so frustrated with Piper for pushing Blake away! I just loved it! Sophie has another winner on her hands with this one!
June 2, 2013
Great book! I loved this book so much. It was com complicated but oh so worth it. This book was super sexy. In fact I liked the sex scenes in this one a lot better than the first one. Sooo looking forward to the next one!!!!
May 28, 2013
*Sigh* This story was sooooooo great!!! I absolutely LOVE Blake!!! So glad you wrote this one!
July 2, 2013
Written for a guest blog post for Delirious Musings.
Warning: spoilers. This review wouldn't make much sense without them, so I did not hide them. Be warned.
1/5 stars
Every pet peeve that I have, I found in this novel. To prove I’m not crazy, I have marked some quotes from the book to back up my points. Here goes:
Repetition of words:
The word “fuck” appears 146 times in the novel. Not only that, the novel is only 197 pages. A few pages had this word on it three or four times. Yes, people curse. But when characters are resorting to only using curse words instead of word choice with more substance, it becomes annoying instead of an asset.
“Another part of my anatomy” (page 6) /“Certain part of my anatomy” (page 25) --> This is Blake referencing his, for lack of a better word, genitals. Not only is that phrase repeated, but it is also not what a teenage male would actually think. To add to the inconsistency, partway through Blake starts referencing this part of his anatomy as “bam-bam,” which is apparently what he has named it. There are so many things wrong with that name that I don’t even want to unpack them. Piper also somehow knows its name. However Blake never mentions it to her, which means Piper must’ve read Blake’s mind or something.
The phrase “claimed my mouth” is often associated with kissing in this novel. Not only is this an awkward phrase, it also doesn’t show what is actually happening. There’s different types of kisses and different lengths of kisses. None of this information is shown when this phrase is constantly used over and over again. The phrase “kissed me passionately” is used over and over again as well. (I also noticed this in Carrier of the Mark.) That phrase also does not give readers real information about anything that is actually happening.
Description of Characters:
Character descriptions are there for a reason. One of my pet peeves is when character descriptions are blocked together, they’re all formatted the same way, and they’re very stereotypical. This book’s character descriptions fell under all three categories.
For example, on page 20 Blake meets a girl named Hayley after a set.
She was a petite brunette with the body of a swimsuit model.
Descriptions like these can be weaved in much more subtly. Describing a girl by her body more instead of her face also doesn’t really make sense because most people look at faces first when they meet people.
On page 35, Piper describes her boyfriend, Cole.
“He was handsome in an all-American boy way with his military haircut and freshly shaved face. He had dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a perfect smile.”
My critique of this sentence would be the following:
-What is the “all-American boy way”?
-Hair and eyes description is at the same time. Usually this should be spread out. Putting them together is very stereotypical.
-What is her definition of a “perfect smile”? Some people like dimples. Some don’t. Letting readers know this information makes the characters more realistic.
Unlikable Characters
There was not a single likable character in this entire novel. Blake is a sex-obsessed boy who spends almost the entire book sleeping with different girls. While relationship abuse is a very serious matter, the relationship abuse in this novel was strung along and repeated over and over just so the book would have some sort of plot. (Although not a very interesting one.) Readers have no reason to want Piper and Cole to remain together. Of course, Piper does end up with Blake, but if Cole is going to be in the novel, readers need to understand him. No character is 100% “good” or 100% “bad.” A successful story is able to reveal a characters’ strengths and weaknesses, no matter if they’re protagonists or antagonists. In this novel Cole was 150% antagonistic and, while I also really hated Blake throughout the novel, at least Blake wasn’t abusive.
Also, Blake is definitely a Gary-sue. Every girl he runs into wants to get into his pants, simply because he’s “attractive.” While physical appearance is what most people first notice about other people, a relationship based solely on physical and sexual attraction doesn’t last long in the real world. In the real world people have emotions. Many emotional things and emotional moments happened in this novel, but the emotions were skimmed over and usually sex resulted. As a reader this was very frustrating. While I know that sex before marriage is common in today’s society, reading six sex scenes about fifty pages into a novel is definitely a plot issue. This was a sign of an entire novel of relying on sex for intimacy instead of compassion, emotional intimacy, and friendship.
Besides seeing each other as sex partners, I see no reason for Blake and Piper to be attracted to each other. I was holding out for a well-written emotional scene to redeem this novel, but I was sorely disappointed.
Grammatical mistakes:
My biggest grammatical pet peeve is when people do not punctuate dialogue correctly. Throughout the entire novel, the dialogue grammar was punctuated incorrectly, and it was very difficult to force myself to keep reading on because there is a legitimate way to properly format dialogue, believe it or not.
For example:
Page 8: “Every thing’s going to be fine. Stop worrying.” She teased, placing her hand to the side of my face in an effort to comfort me.
I see more than one problem with those sentences, but I’ll stick to my point for now.
“Teased” is synonymous to “said.” Therefore the punctuation should be:
“Stop worrying,” she teased, placing…
Another option would be to format it with the verb beginning its own sentence, which would look like:
“Stop worrying.” She placed her hand to the side of my face.
When a whole novel has that error throughout it and this author has already published a few novels, this is absolutely unacceptable. If this error happened once or twice, that’s forgivable. But when a whole novel is written that way, that is a huge problem.
(By the way, notice how “every thing” is separated when it should be joined. That’s one of many mistakes in this novel.)
Throughout the novel, there were also instances where the narration would switch from past to present tense and then back to past tense. After a certain point I got tired of recording examples, but here is one from page 16.
I tried calling Rowan again and got her voicemail. We’ve been playing phone tag all week, but in three days we would be in Arizona and I planned on surprising her.
Somehow the author managed to use past, present, and future tense in one sentence. This was, however, done incorrectly. In the second sentence “we’ve” should be “we’d.”
Not only is changing tense incorrect, but it’s also confusing. If a reader begins reading in past tense, they expect the story to stay in past tense. If it switches to present it implies that there’s been a shift in time when there hasn’t been. (I’ll admit this excerpt is not the best example, but at least it gets the point across.)
My favorite mistake was by far the following sentence from page 126.
She walked over to the China cabinet.
China is the country, not a type of silverware.
Okay, I take back what I said. This is my favorite mistake, from page 92.
“I really like her mom and I’m looking forward to bringing her home to visit with me so you can meet her.”
Blake was referring to Piper, not her mom, while talking to his own mother. The lack of commas and punctuation in proper places was a nice recipe for giving this reader a good laugh after reading this sentence.
I could go on about a character “balling” their eyes out on page 158 and find other examples, but that probably covers the grammar inaccuracies enough.
Could’ve Been Written Better:
There were several info-dumps in the novel (the prologue, page 16, page 32 for an info-dump on Piper, and yet another info-dump on page 34. If I’m talking about myself and I say I have black hair and brown eyes and a dog named Waffles that likes to take walks and I like to read and write young adult novels and I’m in a relationship for the first time in my life going on nine months almost and I have two younger brothers who like to play basketball and I’m in college studying to be a psychology and child development major with a minor in music (if you read all that I apologize, it was to make a point) and I just talk about superficial things that could be shown in a novel all in one place, readers get bored and glaze over it. Readers have no reason to care about all that information. Instead if an author wants to reveal information about a character, it can be weaved in subtly. A character’s brothers and dog can wait to show up somewhere else in the novel. The major and minor in college information can be shown through a character having a violin recital, or reading a psychology textbook or talking about a psychology experiment such as the slippery slope or Milgram’s experiment (it was quite shocking, I suggest you check it out. Sorry for my awful pun). Then the information adds to the story instead of wasting space.
I don’t even remember what I read about Blake and Piper because honestly, 1) I didn’t care and 2) all the information was in one place, and it was ridiculously long. Through editing and better writing all this information could’ve been shown instead of told, as well as have enriched the story greatly instead of boring readers.
This might just be my personal opinion, but it would be nice to know a main character’s name somewhat soon after that character’s introduction. In this novel Piper’s last name isn’t revealed until page 191, less than 10 pages from the ending. As a reader I might not have liked Piper a whole lot, but less than 10 pages from the ending is not the place to reveal a main character’s last name.
Inaccuracies
A birthing scene does not take half an hour. However the birthing scene on page 196 spans merely a few paragraphs and takes half an hour. No mention of the pain involved and fatigue. The author clearly did not research birthing, which usually takes around 10-12 hours just to finish the first of three parts. About half an hour to an hour is usually involved in the actual birthing process, followed by the after birth. In the book it’s very casually mentioned that the entire process takes half an hour, which is very inaccurate. (P.S. I have not personally given birth but when one of my characters did, I asked my dad about what it was like when my mom was giving birth to me in addition to researching time stuff on the internet. That's how you work around a pregnancy scene if you've never been pregnant.)
Even if Piper was far enough along that the second part was already beginning, she would’ve been in pain much sooner than described in the novel. Considering a good part of the novel hinges on the fact that Piper got pregnant, this scene should be much more important, lengthier, and more accurate.
Telling, not Showing
There were many examples of this, but let me just name a few:
Page 33: His expression menacing…
Page 34: He truly did look sorry…
Page 37: He looked torn…
Page 38: Clearly torn up about the whole conversation…
Page 157: I said firmly, getting angry with her…
70% of communication is body language. 20% is tone, and 10% is the actual words communicated. What does it mean to have a menacing expression, look truly sorry, or torn? It varies based on character. Some characters are more physically expressive while some turn away when upset. People also express their anger differently. The author missed many opportunities to show how the characters are different because of simply telling emotions instead of showing them. Yes, emotions were (and should) be present due to the subject matter in this novel. They just weren’t presented in a way that a reader can actually connect to.
SEX DOES NOT EQUAL ROMANCE
This topic was basically covered throughout the other sections, so I’ll let this be and recommend no one read this novel. (If I rate a book 1 out of 5 stars, then it’s synonymous to “I don’t recommend it for anyone.”) If what you’re looking for is a novel driven by sex and the same plot points bouncing back and forth, go ahead. But if you’re looking for a book that shows characters struggling through real issues aided by each other emotionally with a real plot line, this is not your book.
If you read this far, thank you for your time, and happy reading.
Warning: spoilers. This review wouldn't make much sense without them, so I did not hide them. Be warned.
1/5 stars
Every pet peeve that I have, I found in this novel. To prove I’m not crazy, I have marked some quotes from the book to back up my points. Here goes:
Repetition of words:
The word “fuck” appears 146 times in the novel. Not only that, the novel is only 197 pages. A few pages had this word on it three or four times. Yes, people curse. But when characters are resorting to only using curse words instead of word choice with more substance, it becomes annoying instead of an asset.
“Another part of my anatomy” (page 6) /“Certain part of my anatomy” (page 25) --> This is Blake referencing his, for lack of a better word, genitals. Not only is that phrase repeated, but it is also not what a teenage male would actually think. To add to the inconsistency, partway through Blake starts referencing this part of his anatomy as “bam-bam,” which is apparently what he has named it. There are so many things wrong with that name that I don’t even want to unpack them. Piper also somehow knows its name. However Blake never mentions it to her, which means Piper must’ve read Blake’s mind or something.
The phrase “claimed my mouth” is often associated with kissing in this novel. Not only is this an awkward phrase, it also doesn’t show what is actually happening. There’s different types of kisses and different lengths of kisses. None of this information is shown when this phrase is constantly used over and over again. The phrase “kissed me passionately” is used over and over again as well. (I also noticed this in Carrier of the Mark.) That phrase also does not give readers real information about anything that is actually happening.
Description of Characters:
Character descriptions are there for a reason. One of my pet peeves is when character descriptions are blocked together, they’re all formatted the same way, and they’re very stereotypical. This book’s character descriptions fell under all three categories.
For example, on page 20 Blake meets a girl named Hayley after a set.
She was a petite brunette with the body of a swimsuit model.
Descriptions like these can be weaved in much more subtly. Describing a girl by her body more instead of her face also doesn’t really make sense because most people look at faces first when they meet people.
On page 35, Piper describes her boyfriend, Cole.
“He was handsome in an all-American boy way with his military haircut and freshly shaved face. He had dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a perfect smile.”
My critique of this sentence would be the following:
-What is the “all-American boy way”?
-Hair and eyes description is at the same time. Usually this should be spread out. Putting them together is very stereotypical.
-What is her definition of a “perfect smile”? Some people like dimples. Some don’t. Letting readers know this information makes the characters more realistic.
Unlikable Characters
There was not a single likable character in this entire novel. Blake is a sex-obsessed boy who spends almost the entire book sleeping with different girls. While relationship abuse is a very serious matter, the relationship abuse in this novel was strung along and repeated over and over just so the book would have some sort of plot. (Although not a very interesting one.) Readers have no reason to want Piper and Cole to remain together. Of course, Piper does end up with Blake, but if Cole is going to be in the novel, readers need to understand him. No character is 100% “good” or 100% “bad.” A successful story is able to reveal a characters’ strengths and weaknesses, no matter if they’re protagonists or antagonists. In this novel Cole was 150% antagonistic and, while I also really hated Blake throughout the novel, at least Blake wasn’t abusive.
Also, Blake is definitely a Gary-sue. Every girl he runs into wants to get into his pants, simply because he’s “attractive.” While physical appearance is what most people first notice about other people, a relationship based solely on physical and sexual attraction doesn’t last long in the real world. In the real world people have emotions. Many emotional things and emotional moments happened in this novel, but the emotions were skimmed over and usually sex resulted. As a reader this was very frustrating. While I know that sex before marriage is common in today’s society, reading six sex scenes about fifty pages into a novel is definitely a plot issue. This was a sign of an entire novel of relying on sex for intimacy instead of compassion, emotional intimacy, and friendship.
Besides seeing each other as sex partners, I see no reason for Blake and Piper to be attracted to each other. I was holding out for a well-written emotional scene to redeem this novel, but I was sorely disappointed.
Grammatical mistakes:
My biggest grammatical pet peeve is when people do not punctuate dialogue correctly. Throughout the entire novel, the dialogue grammar was punctuated incorrectly, and it was very difficult to force myself to keep reading on because there is a legitimate way to properly format dialogue, believe it or not.
For example:
Page 8: “Every thing’s going to be fine. Stop worrying.” She teased, placing her hand to the side of my face in an effort to comfort me.
I see more than one problem with those sentences, but I’ll stick to my point for now.
“Teased” is synonymous to “said.” Therefore the punctuation should be:
“Stop worrying,” she teased, placing…
Another option would be to format it with the verb beginning its own sentence, which would look like:
“Stop worrying.” She placed her hand to the side of my face.
When a whole novel has that error throughout it and this author has already published a few novels, this is absolutely unacceptable. If this error happened once or twice, that’s forgivable. But when a whole novel is written that way, that is a huge problem.
(By the way, notice how “every thing” is separated when it should be joined. That’s one of many mistakes in this novel.)
Throughout the novel, there were also instances where the narration would switch from past to present tense and then back to past tense. After a certain point I got tired of recording examples, but here is one from page 16.
I tried calling Rowan again and got her voicemail. We’ve been playing phone tag all week, but in three days we would be in Arizona and I planned on surprising her.
Somehow the author managed to use past, present, and future tense in one sentence. This was, however, done incorrectly. In the second sentence “we’ve” should be “we’d.”
Not only is changing tense incorrect, but it’s also confusing. If a reader begins reading in past tense, they expect the story to stay in past tense. If it switches to present it implies that there’s been a shift in time when there hasn’t been. (I’ll admit this excerpt is not the best example, but at least it gets the point across.)
My favorite mistake was by far the following sentence from page 126.
She walked over to the China cabinet.
China is the country, not a type of silverware.
Okay, I take back what I said. This is my favorite mistake, from page 92.
“I really like her mom and I’m looking forward to bringing her home to visit with me so you can meet her.”
Blake was referring to Piper, not her mom, while talking to his own mother. The lack of commas and punctuation in proper places was a nice recipe for giving this reader a good laugh after reading this sentence.
I could go on about a character “balling” their eyes out on page 158 and find other examples, but that probably covers the grammar inaccuracies enough.
Could’ve Been Written Better:
There were several info-dumps in the novel (the prologue, page 16, page 32 for an info-dump on Piper, and yet another info-dump on page 34. If I’m talking about myself and I say I have black hair and brown eyes and a dog named Waffles that likes to take walks and I like to read and write young adult novels and I’m in a relationship for the first time in my life going on nine months almost and I have two younger brothers who like to play basketball and I’m in college studying to be a psychology and child development major with a minor in music (if you read all that I apologize, it was to make a point) and I just talk about superficial things that could be shown in a novel all in one place, readers get bored and glaze over it. Readers have no reason to care about all that information. Instead if an author wants to reveal information about a character, it can be weaved in subtly. A character’s brothers and dog can wait to show up somewhere else in the novel. The major and minor in college information can be shown through a character having a violin recital, or reading a psychology textbook or talking about a psychology experiment such as the slippery slope or Milgram’s experiment (it was quite shocking, I suggest you check it out. Sorry for my awful pun). Then the information adds to the story instead of wasting space.
I don’t even remember what I read about Blake and Piper because honestly, 1) I didn’t care and 2) all the information was in one place, and it was ridiculously long. Through editing and better writing all this information could’ve been shown instead of told, as well as have enriched the story greatly instead of boring readers.
This might just be my personal opinion, but it would be nice to know a main character’s name somewhat soon after that character’s introduction. In this novel Piper’s last name isn’t revealed until page 191, less than 10 pages from the ending. As a reader I might not have liked Piper a whole lot, but less than 10 pages from the ending is not the place to reveal a main character’s last name.
Inaccuracies
A birthing scene does not take half an hour. However the birthing scene on page 196 spans merely a few paragraphs and takes half an hour. No mention of the pain involved and fatigue. The author clearly did not research birthing, which usually takes around 10-12 hours just to finish the first of three parts. About half an hour to an hour is usually involved in the actual birthing process, followed by the after birth. In the book it’s very casually mentioned that the entire process takes half an hour, which is very inaccurate. (P.S. I have not personally given birth but when one of my characters did, I asked my dad about what it was like when my mom was giving birth to me in addition to researching time stuff on the internet. That's how you work around a pregnancy scene if you've never been pregnant.)
Even if Piper was far enough along that the second part was already beginning, she would’ve been in pain much sooner than described in the novel. Considering a good part of the novel hinges on the fact that Piper got pregnant, this scene should be much more important, lengthier, and more accurate.
Telling, not Showing
There were many examples of this, but let me just name a few:
Page 33: His expression menacing…
Page 34: He truly did look sorry…
Page 37: He looked torn…
Page 38: Clearly torn up about the whole conversation…
Page 157: I said firmly, getting angry with her…
70% of communication is body language. 20% is tone, and 10% is the actual words communicated. What does it mean to have a menacing expression, look truly sorry, or torn? It varies based on character. Some characters are more physically expressive while some turn away when upset. People also express their anger differently. The author missed many opportunities to show how the characters are different because of simply telling emotions instead of showing them. Yes, emotions were (and should) be present due to the subject matter in this novel. They just weren’t presented in a way that a reader can actually connect to.
SEX DOES NOT EQUAL ROMANCE
This topic was basically covered throughout the other sections, so I’ll let this be and recommend no one read this novel. (If I rate a book 1 out of 5 stars, then it’s synonymous to “I don’t recommend it for anyone.”) If what you’re looking for is a novel driven by sex and the same plot points bouncing back and forth, go ahead. But if you’re looking for a book that shows characters struggling through real issues aided by each other emotionally with a real plot line, this is not your book.
If you read this far, thank you for your time, and happy reading.
June 10, 2017
Piper and Blake
Piper and Blake had a friends and it became a fling. Piper being on again off again with her high school boyfriend Cole called it what it was, a FLING.
Cole joined the Marines and was discharged not to long ago. Suffering from PTSD and self medicating things get bad for the couple.
As Piper struggles with her feelings for Blake she tries to stay focused on Cole and her relationship. Doing her best to make it work. Piper knows it's not Coles fault that he changed. Things with Cole change after a major slap in the face for him and Piper has to serious choice to make. One that will be life changing.
Blake wants Piper happy even if it is with Cole. That would devastate him but as long as she is happy it will not matter.
So Piper is stupid for staying with Cole and putting up with his attitude. He is a bomb really to detonate. Blake is patient and sweet and you of course want him to win the girl. You understand Piper's reluctance to throw away a 8 year relationship but see Cole treats her like crap. We don't get any flashbacks of what Cole was like before the Marines so to be honest we don't really know if he was always an ass. Blake's past is right there for us to see and you can see the character change for the better and try to be a better person to be who Piper needs.
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
Piper and Blake had a friends and it became a fling. Piper being on again off again with her high school boyfriend Cole called it what it was, a FLING.
Cole joined the Marines and was discharged not to long ago. Suffering from PTSD and self medicating things get bad for the couple.
As Piper struggles with her feelings for Blake she tries to stay focused on Cole and her relationship. Doing her best to make it work. Piper knows it's not Coles fault that he changed. Things with Cole change after a major slap in the face for him and Piper has to serious choice to make. One that will be life changing.
Blake wants Piper happy even if it is with Cole. That would devastate him but as long as she is happy it will not matter.
So Piper is stupid for staying with Cole and putting up with his attitude. He is a bomb really to detonate. Blake is patient and sweet and you of course want him to win the girl. You understand Piper's reluctance to throw away a 8 year relationship but see Cole treats her like crap. We don't get any flashbacks of what Cole was like before the Marines so to be honest we don't really know if he was always an ass. Blake's past is right there for us to see and you can see the character change for the better and try to be a better person to be who Piper needs.
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
June 7, 2013
1.5 Stars
So I loved Battlescars. It was fantastic. Even Blake and Piper were a bunch of fun times. But Afflicted … I don’t even know where to start. Did I like it???? Not so much. In fact it’s like Blake and Piper weren’t even the same characters we met in Battlescars. I cannot believe how often I wanted to give up. Mostly given the fact I could not walk up to them both and smack them upside the head. All I kept thinking, since about 20 pages in was how stupid they both were. Even the way they spoke seemed ridiculous to me.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I wanted Blake and Piper’s story to be too perfect. Considering things that happened in Battlescars I also found myself confused at times because Blake and Piper had hooked up before yet in Afflicted its suddenly like a new thing. And the kinky fuckery I was expecting since Battlescars hinted at their naughty nature, was nowhere to be found. The way they spoke annoyed the hell out of me and Blake seemed more like a toddler than a grown ass man in a band no less. I mean he calls his dick Bam-Bam, gets a ladder piercing on said dick mostly because Piper brings it up, he says things like he wants to ‘bang,’ which only made me think of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs,” and even heads to the bathroom to make himself look ‘banging.’ I mean really, what guy wants to look bangin? I guess then I should mention that Piper’s language is not much better, when she tells Blake she wants him to impale her, I almost choked to death. But then Blake makes it so much better when he thinks to himself, “I had been with enough girls to know how to use my tool.”
What really bothered me was how different these two characters are from who we meet in Battlescars. I mean sure the story starts off with Blake and his ex Rowan who helped initiate him into the man-whore club but it’s like his former self is gone because of course he sees Piper as his future and I just didn’t get this turn-around.
Piper is weak now and gone is the brazen outspoken scandalous Piper I loved in Battlescars. Left behind is a weak doormat that lets people run all over her and makes her feel obligated to them. It was beyond frustrating. The old Piper never would have let someone, hell, anyone treat her the way she is treated by Cole, her bf of eight years, especially not for as long as she deals with it.
I also did not like the story starting off with Rowan and Blake’s relationship. I think this could have been easily explained (or at least the restaurant scene) instead of having to see them together, having sex, yada yada. I mean at the end of the day it had no precedence to the story aside from Blake’s personality which in Afflicted is absent.
Also OMG he has sex the same way with every girl. Each sex scene was practically copied and pasted and didn’t even spark a flame in me. From the beginning with Rowan it all seemed too generic. Not what I expected from these two.
I really wanted to like it so bad. I tried very hard. But every word that came out of their mouths sounded stupid and I couldn’t take it.
The only thing I like is the cover... Even the title now that I finished is a bit much, sounds like a disease. Which considering Blake's promiscuity over the years and Piper's as well, I'm surprised these two aren’t Afflicted. Made my stomach rumble... I didn’t really feel much when this ended. Considering I wanted to periodically kill Piper throughout it was more of a relief.
Honestly I was frothing at the mouth waiting for things to get better and for the sex to knock my socks off. At one point I was so ready to be done that even the use of this Bon Jovi lyric, “when you breathe I want to be the air for you,” turned out awkward and bothered me.
Overall
Really disappointed in this story. It wasn’t bad enough I couldn’t finish it, but I will not be reading this again. Battlescars I would read over and over so hopefully more stories in the series will be as good as Battlescars because for me Afflicted turned out to be more Atrocious than anything…
So I loved Battlescars. It was fantastic. Even Blake and Piper were a bunch of fun times. But Afflicted … I don’t even know where to start. Did I like it???? Not so much. In fact it’s like Blake and Piper weren’t even the same characters we met in Battlescars. I cannot believe how often I wanted to give up. Mostly given the fact I could not walk up to them both and smack them upside the head. All I kept thinking, since about 20 pages in was how stupid they both were. Even the way they spoke seemed ridiculous to me.
Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I wanted Blake and Piper’s story to be too perfect. Considering things that happened in Battlescars I also found myself confused at times because Blake and Piper had hooked up before yet in Afflicted its suddenly like a new thing. And the kinky fuckery I was expecting since Battlescars hinted at their naughty nature, was nowhere to be found. The way they spoke annoyed the hell out of me and Blake seemed more like a toddler than a grown ass man in a band no less. I mean he calls his dick Bam-Bam, gets a ladder piercing on said dick mostly because Piper brings it up, he says things like he wants to ‘bang,’ which only made me think of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs,” and even heads to the bathroom to make himself look ‘banging.’ I mean really, what guy wants to look bangin? I guess then I should mention that Piper’s language is not much better, when she tells Blake she wants him to impale her, I almost choked to death. But then Blake makes it so much better when he thinks to himself, “I had been with enough girls to know how to use my tool.”
What really bothered me was how different these two characters are from who we meet in Battlescars. I mean sure the story starts off with Blake and his ex Rowan who helped initiate him into the man-whore club but it’s like his former self is gone because of course he sees Piper as his future and I just didn’t get this turn-around.
Piper is weak now and gone is the brazen outspoken scandalous Piper I loved in Battlescars. Left behind is a weak doormat that lets people run all over her and makes her feel obligated to them. It was beyond frustrating. The old Piper never would have let someone, hell, anyone treat her the way she is treated by Cole, her bf of eight years, especially not for as long as she deals with it.
I also did not like the story starting off with Rowan and Blake’s relationship. I think this could have been easily explained (or at least the restaurant scene) instead of having to see them together, having sex, yada yada. I mean at the end of the day it had no precedence to the story aside from Blake’s personality which in Afflicted is absent.
Also OMG he has sex the same way with every girl. Each sex scene was practically copied and pasted and didn’t even spark a flame in me. From the beginning with Rowan it all seemed too generic. Not what I expected from these two.
I really wanted to like it so bad. I tried very hard. But every word that came out of their mouths sounded stupid and I couldn’t take it.
The only thing I like is the cover... Even the title now that I finished is a bit much, sounds like a disease. Which considering Blake's promiscuity over the years and Piper's as well, I'm surprised these two aren’t Afflicted. Made my stomach rumble... I didn’t really feel much when this ended. Considering I wanted to periodically kill Piper throughout it was more of a relief.
Honestly I was frothing at the mouth waiting for things to get better and for the sex to knock my socks off. At one point I was so ready to be done that even the use of this Bon Jovi lyric, “when you breathe I want to be the air for you,” turned out awkward and bothered me.
Overall
Really disappointed in this story. It wasn’t bad enough I couldn’t finish it, but I will not be reading this again. Battlescars I would read over and over so hopefully more stories in the series will be as good as Battlescars because for me Afflicted turned out to be more Atrocious than anything…
June 15, 2013
I received an ARC from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
So I have to admit that I have Battlescars, Book 1 on my iPad but I haven’t read it yet. When I received the ARC for Afflicted, I decided I would read Battlescars first, however, I started Afflicted and that was it. I was hooked. So now I have committed the cardinal sin of book reading – at least for me as I detest reading books out of order.
That being said, I couldn’t have stopped if you had tried to make me! Seriously, you would have had to pry my iPad out of my cold dead fingers. I so loved everything about this story, so much so that I stayed up until 4 am to finish it. I had to know what was going to happen. My eyes wanted to shut but my brain was like, *hell no, we are doing this* I was a little teensy bit lost in the beginning because of not reading Battlescars first but, for the most part, I clicked in fairly quickly.
A love story between a rock star and a tattoo artist was a match made in literary heaven. Completely fun, with just enough angst to make the book un-put-down-able. I loved the progression of Blake and Piper’s relationship. The two of them are wonderful together. Piper was fairly unique, with definite chutzpah and Blake was sweet and different with just enough of an edge to keep him interesting.
I wasn’t sure what to think when the book began because well it starts in a very hot and steamy way and proceeds to show us the process by which Blake has his heart broken. I thought it was really wonderful how Sophie Monroe resolved that particular plot thread and brought the story full circle.
There is a slightish love triangle with Piper’s longtime boyfriend, Cole. While the love triangle began to annoy me a little, Sophie Monroe handled it in a way that I think was both believable yet sheds light on a very painful thing that seems to be happening with some of the men coming back from war.
A perfectly written, wonderfully thought out rock star love story. With a level of angst that kept me slightly unhinged as it all began to wind down. I would definitely re-read it and can’t wait to read Battlescars. Sophie Monroe has a way of writing, that is so utterly unique and interesting and keeps me reading way past my bedtime :)
Overall, I really liked it and will definitely be going back to read Battlescars, book 1 to find out how all of the characters end up where they did in Afflicted.
Also, on a side note, I loved Granny. I totally want to be like her when I grow up :)
Sophie Monroe has created an addictively sweet and emotionally delicious story and I can not wait until the next novel in the series. If you are in the mood for a rock star romance with depth than pick this one up.
Originally posted on http://memyselfandbooksblog.blogspot.com
So I have to admit that I have Battlescars, Book 1 on my iPad but I haven’t read it yet. When I received the ARC for Afflicted, I decided I would read Battlescars first, however, I started Afflicted and that was it. I was hooked. So now I have committed the cardinal sin of book reading – at least for me as I detest reading books out of order.
That being said, I couldn’t have stopped if you had tried to make me! Seriously, you would have had to pry my iPad out of my cold dead fingers. I so loved everything about this story, so much so that I stayed up until 4 am to finish it. I had to know what was going to happen. My eyes wanted to shut but my brain was like, *hell no, we are doing this* I was a little teensy bit lost in the beginning because of not reading Battlescars first but, for the most part, I clicked in fairly quickly.
A love story between a rock star and a tattoo artist was a match made in literary heaven. Completely fun, with just enough angst to make the book un-put-down-able. I loved the progression of Blake and Piper’s relationship. The two of them are wonderful together. Piper was fairly unique, with definite chutzpah and Blake was sweet and different with just enough of an edge to keep him interesting.
I wasn’t sure what to think when the book began because well it starts in a very hot and steamy way and proceeds to show us the process by which Blake has his heart broken. I thought it was really wonderful how Sophie Monroe resolved that particular plot thread and brought the story full circle.
There is a slightish love triangle with Piper’s longtime boyfriend, Cole. While the love triangle began to annoy me a little, Sophie Monroe handled it in a way that I think was both believable yet sheds light on a very painful thing that seems to be happening with some of the men coming back from war.
A perfectly written, wonderfully thought out rock star love story. With a level of angst that kept me slightly unhinged as it all began to wind down. I would definitely re-read it and can’t wait to read Battlescars. Sophie Monroe has a way of writing, that is so utterly unique and interesting and keeps me reading way past my bedtime :)
Overall, I really liked it and will definitely be going back to read Battlescars, book 1 to find out how all of the characters end up where they did in Afflicted.
Also, on a side note, I loved Granny. I totally want to be like her when I grow up :)
Sophie Monroe has created an addictively sweet and emotionally delicious story and I can not wait until the next novel in the series. If you are in the mood for a rock star romance with depth than pick this one up.
Originally posted on http://memyselfandbooksblog.blogspot.com
May 29, 2013
Hot Mess!!!
Spoilers'********
Not a lot but a few.....
Spoilers*********
Hot Mess. That's the best way I can describe it. I liked Battlescars, Aubrey was a pain in the ass at times but it was an okay read. Based on how Piper was portrayed as a tough-ish ballsy heart of gold gal I really thought I would like this story and I love Blake (who wouldn't?). Had I known that it was a facade to draw me in I would have run far, far away from this book. Piper wasn't tough, or ballsy, or even that smart truth be told. My first clue came 10% in when she's boning the heck out of Blake because she and Cole are broken up for a hot minute. Really just one minute. from that point Piper slowly disintegrated into a wishy washy whiny pathetic martyr that was no fun to read, no fun to root for, and by the end I was hoping Blake would just, once and for all, kick her grass is greener ass to the curb. Probably one of the first romances that i hoped would NOT end up in a HEA. EVER. I'm sorry, but this whole story was contrived b.s. designed to look like anguished drama. Audrey's reaction to Blake at the end was ridiculous, um what did she expect? Her friend was a spineless whoring idiot and Blake was supposed to, yet once again, lay down at Pipers meandering feet? And another thing where the hell was Cole all those nights he took off? At some point could we have found out? He wasn't my piece of crap boyfriend, but if he were I would have made it a point to at least try to find out. Basically what it all boils down to it was like watching the wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish...swish, swish, swish except it wasn't Wipers going swish, swish, swish, it was Piper going swish, swish, swish. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and for....zzzzzzzz.zzzz...... zz z .....um, ahem ....And not in a happy sing song way. It looks like a lot of people liked it, to each is own. Not giving up on the author, but this didn't float my boat, it more or less sunk my battlescars....Errrrr...uh battleship. One star (that's Blake, he's the only star in this mess).
Spoilers'********
Not a lot but a few.....
Spoilers*********
Hot Mess. That's the best way I can describe it. I liked Battlescars, Aubrey was a pain in the ass at times but it was an okay read. Based on how Piper was portrayed as a tough-ish ballsy heart of gold gal I really thought I would like this story and I love Blake (who wouldn't?). Had I known that it was a facade to draw me in I would have run far, far away from this book. Piper wasn't tough, or ballsy, or even that smart truth be told. My first clue came 10% in when she's boning the heck out of Blake because she and Cole are broken up for a hot minute. Really just one minute. from that point Piper slowly disintegrated into a wishy washy whiny pathetic martyr that was no fun to read, no fun to root for, and by the end I was hoping Blake would just, once and for all, kick her grass is greener ass to the curb. Probably one of the first romances that i hoped would NOT end up in a HEA. EVER. I'm sorry, but this whole story was contrived b.s. designed to look like anguished drama. Audrey's reaction to Blake at the end was ridiculous, um what did she expect? Her friend was a spineless whoring idiot and Blake was supposed to, yet once again, lay down at Pipers meandering feet? And another thing where the hell was Cole all those nights he took off? At some point could we have found out? He wasn't my piece of crap boyfriend, but if he were I would have made it a point to at least try to find out. Basically what it all boils down to it was like watching the wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish...swish, swish, swish except it wasn't Wipers going swish, swish, swish, it was Piper going swish, swish, swish. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and for....zzzzzzzz.zzzz...... zz z .....um, ahem ....And not in a happy sing song way. It looks like a lot of people liked it, to each is own. Not giving up on the author, but this didn't float my boat, it more or less sunk my battlescars....Errrrr...uh battleship. One star (that's Blake, he's the only star in this mess).
June 18, 2013
SPOILER ALERT
I am shocked with how different Blake's story was compared to Jake's. This book was a mess. Piper was a horrible character. I don't feel sorry for her at all. She lead Blake on the entire book. I was flabbergasted when she said she refused to lead him on, right after calling him at night crying and having sex with him??
I do not appreciate how the author portrayed a soldier's PTSD in this book. Instead of making him out to be such a bad guy, why didn't anyone try to help?? Try to take that burden away from Piper???
At one point, I couldn't even feel sorry for Blake anymore. But at least he tried to move on, then was made to be the bad guy when he got ticked that she was pregnant. Why did everyone think he'd accept her with open arms after having her ripping his heart apart?? And to tell him when and where she did, horrible.
Then the only reason they got together was because she was pregnant?? Are you kidding me??
This was a love story about a girl in denial that was selfish, and everyone made excuses for her. And a male that couldn't say no and when he did, surprise I'm pregnant and now I will leave my other man who, oh yeah I'm engaged to!!
I really like Derek's character but after this material I don't know if I will enjoy another story by this author
I am shocked with how different Blake's story was compared to Jake's. This book was a mess. Piper was a horrible character. I don't feel sorry for her at all. She lead Blake on the entire book. I was flabbergasted when she said she refused to lead him on, right after calling him at night crying and having sex with him??
I do not appreciate how the author portrayed a soldier's PTSD in this book. Instead of making him out to be such a bad guy, why didn't anyone try to help?? Try to take that burden away from Piper???
At one point, I couldn't even feel sorry for Blake anymore. But at least he tried to move on, then was made to be the bad guy when he got ticked that she was pregnant. Why did everyone think he'd accept her with open arms after having her ripping his heart apart?? And to tell him when and where she did, horrible.
Then the only reason they got together was because she was pregnant?? Are you kidding me??
This was a love story about a girl in denial that was selfish, and everyone made excuses for her. And a male that couldn't say no and when he did, surprise I'm pregnant and now I will leave my other man who, oh yeah I'm engaged to!!
I really like Derek's character but after this material I don't know if I will enjoy another story by this author
June 19, 2013
I love this Rock Star series!.Battlescars was good but Afflicted was flipping awesome! I loved Jake BUT I loved, loved, loved Blake who can be so super sweet but also has his cocky, bad boy, rock star ways! I also love that we get to visit with all the old characters from Battlescars in Afflicted especially Jake, Aubrey, and Granny Jean. 4.5 stars.
Afflicted is Piper and Blake's story. Piper has been with Cole for so long that he is all she knows, it's hard to let go of your first love and she is trying to hold on to what they have. Blake has had his heart shattered in the past by his ex Rowan (ahhhh the Prologue killed me....my poor Blake) so now he keeps his heart safe and is the ultimate player, messing around with random girls. When Blake meets Piper, they can't keep their hands off each other or resist the pull they have but Piper keeps running back to Cole again and again. Just when everything seems like it will fall in to place for this couple everything goes wrong and they are both left broken....will Blake and Piper get their HEA together? Read on to find out!
I highly recommend this series, especially for you lovers of Rock Stars. Afflicted was dramatic, funny, heart-wrenching, and finally heart-warming.
Afflicted is Piper and Blake's story. Piper has been with Cole for so long that he is all she knows, it's hard to let go of your first love and she is trying to hold on to what they have. Blake has had his heart shattered in the past by his ex Rowan (ahhhh the Prologue killed me....my poor Blake) so now he keeps his heart safe and is the ultimate player, messing around with random girls. When Blake meets Piper, they can't keep their hands off each other or resist the pull they have but Piper keeps running back to Cole again and again. Just when everything seems like it will fall in to place for this couple everything goes wrong and they are both left broken....will Blake and Piper get their HEA together? Read on to find out!
I highly recommend this series, especially for you lovers of Rock Stars. Afflicted was dramatic, funny, heart-wrenching, and finally heart-warming.
June 10, 2013
Blake Potter. He is sexy and domineering and has totally fallen in-love with Piper. However, Piper is running back and forth between her undeserving boyfriend, Cole, and her strong feelings for Blake. In the end, who does she decide to spend her life with? Trust me, it's not who you think it is.
I found myself becoming very frustrated and pissed off with Piper and how she allowed Cole to use her as a doormat. I mean seriously, in the first book of the series, she was introduced as a strong, free spirited kind of woman. Then, in her book involving Blake...she is portrayed as this push over type of chick and she takes all kinds of shit from her on again, off again boyfriend of 8 years, Cole.
The grammar errors in the book were increasingly worse as you read the story and at some points, for me at least, they were distracting. However, if you're able to overcome those areas of mistakes, the storyline flows well.
I am looking forward to read about Derek's story in book #3, which is scheduled to be released sometime this year.
I found myself becoming very frustrated and pissed off with Piper and how she allowed Cole to use her as a doormat. I mean seriously, in the first book of the series, she was introduced as a strong, free spirited kind of woman. Then, in her book involving Blake...she is portrayed as this push over type of chick and she takes all kinds of shit from her on again, off again boyfriend of 8 years, Cole.
The grammar errors in the book were increasingly worse as you read the story and at some points, for me at least, they were distracting. However, if you're able to overcome those areas of mistakes, the storyline flows well.
I am looking forward to read about Derek's story in book #3, which is scheduled to be released sometime this year.
January 18, 2015
3.5 Stars frustrating stars
I couldn't wait to read about Piper but she frustrated me. Blake was loving,kind & a total BBF & what did Piper do ? hurt him over & over again & I still didn't get the impression even at the end if she could love him like he loved her.
Not as much drama as the first book. Well written story, obviously because im annoyed so much right now at a fiction character.
Would of liked more information on how the others were going on enababling you to see how Jake & Aubrey were still doing from the first book giving you a broader picture of there everyday lives as a group of friends I felt there was incompleteness and gaps in the story throughout.
A fast paced,frustrating, hot read.
I couldn't wait to read about Piper but she frustrated me. Blake was loving,kind & a total BBF & what did Piper do ? hurt him over & over again & I still didn't get the impression even at the end if she could love him like he loved her.
Not as much drama as the first book. Well written story, obviously because im annoyed so much right now at a fiction character.
Would of liked more information on how the others were going on enababling you to see how Jake & Aubrey were still doing from the first book giving you a broader picture of there everyday lives as a group of friends I felt there was incompleteness and gaps in the story throughout.
A fast paced,frustrating, hot read.
February 21, 2014
When I first read "Battlescars," I was immediately addicted to this series and its characters. I liked and enjoyed reading "Afflicted." I loved Blake. I mean, who wouldn't? He's the complete and total package. I liked Piper, but not as much as I did in the first novel. Throughout a good majority of this book, she had me wanting to throw furniture at her for making some really stupid decisions. Nevertheless, I loved reading about their story and journey together, and I thought the ending was just perfect. I'm so excited to read Derek's story next!
September 21, 2013
Eh. I really liked the first book but this one drove me insane. Both the protagonists are immature emotional children. The heroine treated the hero like crap and he kept coming back for more. I was also upset that their friends seem to blame him for every time there is drama though she causes all the it. The ending is predictable though I would have have loved for the hero to end up with someone else.
January 18, 2014
Oh man this one was just rough for me. It started out good, but then went down hill shortly there after. I was annoyed, frustrated and seriously irritated, mostly with Piper. The whole issue with Piper and Cole was so freaking annoying that I almost didn't finish this book. This book was a struggle to finish and I just dont think that I will be reading the rest of the series after this.
September 19, 2013
Felt this was a bit rushed at times , the emotional wasn't really showing for me , it was a good plot that could have been so much more 3.5 stars for me really
May 31, 2013
Afflicted is a sequel to Battlescars, but you don’t need to have read Battlescars first to enjoy Afficted. This book involves secondary characters from the previous novel.
Blake is the lead guitarist for a popular band. Five years ago he and his band members left their hometown to hit it big. He also left behind his girlfriend, Rowan, and despite the feeling of distance between the two while he was gone, he still proposed to her. She turned him down, but they still maintained a sexual rendezvous. He’s never been able to give his heart away again.
Piper is the best friend to the lead singer’s wife. She is in a relationship that is ready to combust at any moment. Her long-time boyfriend, Cole, is a time-bomb waiting to happen. He has issues since returning back from war and those issues include drug use and bouts of anger. He also disappears for days at a time without letting Piper know where he is at.
Piper and Blake have a night of passion while Piper and Cole are on one of their many breaks. What does this mean? Blake wants more, but Piper doesn’t.
“What now?” I asked her. She leaned in and pecked my lips. “I don’t want to think about what’s going to be after this. I just want to live for now.”
This wasn’t what Blake wanted to hear. Blake is caught up in the whiplash on/off relationship of Cole and Piper. Cole says he is going to change for Piper and Piper keeps taking him back. Ugghh… enough already…drop his ass. Okay, finally she does. It’s time for Blake and Piper to be together.
“If we do this I need to know that you’re going to be mine, Pipe. This going back and forth thing isn’t working anymore. I’m done sharing you.”
But Piper never is able to remove Cole from her life completely. He keeps coming back like an unwelcome rash. Piper has too much time invested in him to completely walk away. When the call comes that Cole really needs her, she makes a choice to walk away from the best thing to happen to her.
“I didn’t want it to come out like this. I wanted to wait for the perfect moment to say it back, but since that looks like it won’t ever happen I might as well just get it off my chest. I love you, Blake. I’m so sorry it has to be like this. Maybe if things were different we could be together, but it’s just too much right now.”
Now we begin an emotional and angsty road to healing. I had tears in my eyes reading their paths to forget and live without hurt. I really enjoyed this book, in fact I can say with certainty that I liked it more than Battlescars. The author upped the ante in the steamy sex scenes and there were more of them. I enjoyed hearing both character’s POV throughout the book. I loved hearing the male POV and Blake really lets us into his head. This author has a wonderful sense of humor. She had some classic lines in Battlescars, and new ones appear in Afflicted.
“I’m going to bang you so hard we should probably exchange insurance information.”
Blake is a very good guy. You’ll be in his corner the entire time and you will be relieved once he finds his happily ever after.
“…now he had another girl to be afflicted by.”
We received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Blake is the lead guitarist for a popular band. Five years ago he and his band members left their hometown to hit it big. He also left behind his girlfriend, Rowan, and despite the feeling of distance between the two while he was gone, he still proposed to her. She turned him down, but they still maintained a sexual rendezvous. He’s never been able to give his heart away again.
Piper is the best friend to the lead singer’s wife. She is in a relationship that is ready to combust at any moment. Her long-time boyfriend, Cole, is a time-bomb waiting to happen. He has issues since returning back from war and those issues include drug use and bouts of anger. He also disappears for days at a time without letting Piper know where he is at.
Piper and Blake have a night of passion while Piper and Cole are on one of their many breaks. What does this mean? Blake wants more, but Piper doesn’t.
“What now?” I asked her. She leaned in and pecked my lips. “I don’t want to think about what’s going to be after this. I just want to live for now.”
This wasn’t what Blake wanted to hear. Blake is caught up in the whiplash on/off relationship of Cole and Piper. Cole says he is going to change for Piper and Piper keeps taking him back. Ugghh… enough already…drop his ass. Okay, finally she does. It’s time for Blake and Piper to be together.
“If we do this I need to know that you’re going to be mine, Pipe. This going back and forth thing isn’t working anymore. I’m done sharing you.”
But Piper never is able to remove Cole from her life completely. He keeps coming back like an unwelcome rash. Piper has too much time invested in him to completely walk away. When the call comes that Cole really needs her, she makes a choice to walk away from the best thing to happen to her.
“I didn’t want it to come out like this. I wanted to wait for the perfect moment to say it back, but since that looks like it won’t ever happen I might as well just get it off my chest. I love you, Blake. I’m so sorry it has to be like this. Maybe if things were different we could be together, but it’s just too much right now.”
Now we begin an emotional and angsty road to healing. I had tears in my eyes reading their paths to forget and live without hurt. I really enjoyed this book, in fact I can say with certainty that I liked it more than Battlescars. The author upped the ante in the steamy sex scenes and there were more of them. I enjoyed hearing both character’s POV throughout the book. I loved hearing the male POV and Blake really lets us into his head. This author has a wonderful sense of humor. She had some classic lines in Battlescars, and new ones appear in Afflicted.
“I’m going to bang you so hard we should probably exchange insurance information.”
Blake is a very good guy. You’ll be in his corner the entire time and you will be relieved once he finds his happily ever after.
“…now he had another girl to be afflicted by.”
We received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
June 4, 2013
I knew that she probably thought that I wouldn't be affected because frankly I didn't think I would be either. She was different though. I was downright afflicted by her.
We met flirty bassist Blake and Aubrey's best friend Piper in Battlescars and learned that they had a night of intense passion. But the situation is complicated. Piper is a tattoo artist in Ohio and has an on again off again long term relationship with Cole. Cole is having some major adjustment issues after returning from deployment. Blake has been hurt in the past by this previous love Rowan. And after her, he became the typical rock star womanizer. But for Piper, he is willing to give love another chance.
I loved Blake. He was a good friend, sweet, protective, caring, supportive and just tried so hard. Piper was so confused, lost, stubborn, guilt ridden and kept getting sucked back into Cole's problems. Every time it seemed like she was going to really give Blake a chance, something would happen and she would push him away again. I really hated how wishy washy she was at times and how she treated Blake. They were an inconsistent catastrophe and at times it drove me nuts. They had a hard time sharing their feelings, staying on the same page, and not hurting each other. And Cole and Rowan were all mixed up in the whole situation making it even more difficult. It was a long, twisty, angsty road and enough to give you emotional whiplash.
“If we do this I need to know that you’re going to be mine, Pipe. This going back and forth thing isn’t working anymore. I’m done sharing you.”
"You're an evil angel sent from my own personal hell to torture me over and over again. As soon as I'm getting over you here you are again, Until when Pipe, huh? How long until you run off again?"
Will Piper finally figure out if she belongs with the man she has loved forever , or with the rock star flirt that is actively pursuing her?
"Blake I can't fall out of love with you, but I can't leave Cole either."
I liked getting both Blake and Piper's POV. I really did have a soft spot for Blake. We get to see more of the other band members and family and continued to see the progression of Jake and Aubrey's relationship as they settle into their new home in Ohio. Next up will be Derek's story in Conflicted.
Thanks to Sophie Monroe for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review. It will be posted at Reviews by Tammy and Kim.
We met flirty bassist Blake and Aubrey's best friend Piper in Battlescars and learned that they had a night of intense passion. But the situation is complicated. Piper is a tattoo artist in Ohio and has an on again off again long term relationship with Cole. Cole is having some major adjustment issues after returning from deployment. Blake has been hurt in the past by this previous love Rowan. And after her, he became the typical rock star womanizer. But for Piper, he is willing to give love another chance.
I loved Blake. He was a good friend, sweet, protective, caring, supportive and just tried so hard. Piper was so confused, lost, stubborn, guilt ridden and kept getting sucked back into Cole's problems. Every time it seemed like she was going to really give Blake a chance, something would happen and she would push him away again. I really hated how wishy washy she was at times and how she treated Blake. They were an inconsistent catastrophe and at times it drove me nuts. They had a hard time sharing their feelings, staying on the same page, and not hurting each other. And Cole and Rowan were all mixed up in the whole situation making it even more difficult. It was a long, twisty, angsty road and enough to give you emotional whiplash.
“If we do this I need to know that you’re going to be mine, Pipe. This going back and forth thing isn’t working anymore. I’m done sharing you.”
"You're an evil angel sent from my own personal hell to torture me over and over again. As soon as I'm getting over you here you are again, Until when Pipe, huh? How long until you run off again?"
Will Piper finally figure out if she belongs with the man she has loved forever , or with the rock star flirt that is actively pursuing her?
"Blake I can't fall out of love with you, but I can't leave Cole either."
I liked getting both Blake and Piper's POV. I really did have a soft spot for Blake. We get to see more of the other band members and family and continued to see the progression of Jake and Aubrey's relationship as they settle into their new home in Ohio. Next up will be Derek's story in Conflicted.
Thanks to Sophie Monroe for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review. It will be posted at Reviews by Tammy and Kim.
October 22, 2013
AMANDA'S 4 1/2 HEARTBROKEN STAR THOUGHTS!
So like everyone else who read Battlescars, I couldn't wait for more Piper! Who doesn’t love a female tattoo artist who is sexy, strong, badass, and hilarious! I know I do! Add in some of Mr. Blake Potter and you know you are in for one sexual tension filled ride!!! I loved them as a couple and Blake definitely gave MY Jake a run for his money!!!
"What? They have so much sexual tension going on that it's making me horny for crying out loud." ~Granny
Blake is the sexy as sin bassist for Battlescars! The band just got off tour and are back in Ohio living in Jake's guest house working on their new album. Blake is still completely hung up on Piper and is having a hard time being around her knowing she is back with her long-term boyfriend, Cole. After being left heartbroken in the past he has refused to get attached to another girl, but Piper snuck up on him and he never expected to be so captivated by her. But he will not be burned again, he don't think he can handle it!
"Life's a bitch, 'cause if it was a slut it would be easy." ~Granny
Piper is just trying to stay afloat, but everyday she is struggling a little more to keep the pieces together. Her boyfriend Cole was recently discharged from the Marines, and since he came home her world has been turned upside down. Cole is having a hard time adjusting to being a civilian and dealing with all of the emotions inside his head. He begins leaving for days at a time without telling anyone where he is going. He is killing Piper's soul piece by piece without even realizing it. One night when he leaves and Piper is scared of where he may have went, she calls Blake to help her find him. Blake becomes the friend she needs without hesitation, even though it is killing him because he is in love with her!
"My heart beats for you. I'll never ask for anyone but you, only you."
Soon everything starts to fall apart with Cole, and Piper can't deny how she feels about Blake any longer! But with one phone call, everything comes crashing down! The choices made can't be taken back and their pasts come out and threaten any chance of a future! I was so back and forth on who my heart was breaking for. My heart broke for Blake… and then it shattered for Piper!!! This was an emotional ride and I loved it! Can't wait for more of this series… but I think I am still Team Jake! You get more of all the characters I am growing to love more with each book… especially Granny!
So like everyone else who read Battlescars, I couldn't wait for more Piper! Who doesn’t love a female tattoo artist who is sexy, strong, badass, and hilarious! I know I do! Add in some of Mr. Blake Potter and you know you are in for one sexual tension filled ride!!! I loved them as a couple and Blake definitely gave MY Jake a run for his money!!!
"What? They have so much sexual tension going on that it's making me horny for crying out loud." ~Granny
Blake is the sexy as sin bassist for Battlescars! The band just got off tour and are back in Ohio living in Jake's guest house working on their new album. Blake is still completely hung up on Piper and is having a hard time being around her knowing she is back with her long-term boyfriend, Cole. After being left heartbroken in the past he has refused to get attached to another girl, but Piper snuck up on him and he never expected to be so captivated by her. But he will not be burned again, he don't think he can handle it!
"Life's a bitch, 'cause if it was a slut it would be easy." ~Granny
Piper is just trying to stay afloat, but everyday she is struggling a little more to keep the pieces together. Her boyfriend Cole was recently discharged from the Marines, and since he came home her world has been turned upside down. Cole is having a hard time adjusting to being a civilian and dealing with all of the emotions inside his head. He begins leaving for days at a time without telling anyone where he is going. He is killing Piper's soul piece by piece without even realizing it. One night when he leaves and Piper is scared of where he may have went, she calls Blake to help her find him. Blake becomes the friend she needs without hesitation, even though it is killing him because he is in love with her!
"My heart beats for you. I'll never ask for anyone but you, only you."
Soon everything starts to fall apart with Cole, and Piper can't deny how she feels about Blake any longer! But with one phone call, everything comes crashing down! The choices made can't be taken back and their pasts come out and threaten any chance of a future! I was so back and forth on who my heart was breaking for. My heart broke for Blake… and then it shattered for Piper!!! This was an emotional ride and I loved it! Can't wait for more of this series… but I think I am still Team Jake! You get more of all the characters I am growing to love more with each book… especially Granny!
June 16, 2013
Afflicted by Sophie Monroe was a great follow up to Battlescars. I really enjoyed Jake and Aubrey's story in Battlescars. So any book including these great characters was a must read for me. Afflicted was far from disappointing as well. We get a small glimpse at Blake and Piper's story in Battlescar's, but the things that transpire between them in Afflicted will keep you wanting more from all of them.
Piper and Blake are doing a dance of their own. They had a wild time together, but now Piper is back with her on again and off again boyfriend Cole. Blake and Piper seemed to be thrown together, which makes it hard for Blake to get Piper out of his head. He's been burned before so he wants to tread lightly. Piper is committed to Cole. She has been with him forever, but something doesn't feel right with them anymore. He takes off more often without even a word to her. So when Blake is there for her when Cole isn't, it becomes clear to her who is in it for the long haul.
I have to say the one thing I loved about Blake was how sweet and understanding he was with Piper. I hated how she strung him along and kept going between Cole and Blake. When it was obvious who she was meant to be with. Piper is a bit complicated and not perfect she has her vices, but all in all she is a strong women. She doesn't let anyone tell her what to do and I admire her shining confidence. Now she does have some decisions to make and she does her best to make all the right choices. Blake would do anything to be with her. Who wouldn't want that. We do get some great laugh out moments from them as well as some real steamy and romantic times. Together they are truly a perfect match. I can't help but feel a little bad for Cole. Blake is a real contender, he is everything that Cole isn't. In my eyes there is no contest I would pick Blake without blinking.
If you haven't read Battlescars you will want to before reading this. Afflicted was the perfect follow up. I got everything I was looking for from these characters down to the final page. I can't wait to fin out what Sophie has up her sleeve for the next book. So go get this one it's another one you won't want to miss.
Piper and Blake are doing a dance of their own. They had a wild time together, but now Piper is back with her on again and off again boyfriend Cole. Blake and Piper seemed to be thrown together, which makes it hard for Blake to get Piper out of his head. He's been burned before so he wants to tread lightly. Piper is committed to Cole. She has been with him forever, but something doesn't feel right with them anymore. He takes off more often without even a word to her. So when Blake is there for her when Cole isn't, it becomes clear to her who is in it for the long haul.
I have to say the one thing I loved about Blake was how sweet and understanding he was with Piper. I hated how she strung him along and kept going between Cole and Blake. When it was obvious who she was meant to be with. Piper is a bit complicated and not perfect she has her vices, but all in all she is a strong women. She doesn't let anyone tell her what to do and I admire her shining confidence. Now she does have some decisions to make and she does her best to make all the right choices. Blake would do anything to be with her. Who wouldn't want that. We do get some great laugh out moments from them as well as some real steamy and romantic times. Together they are truly a perfect match. I can't help but feel a little bad for Cole. Blake is a real contender, he is everything that Cole isn't. In my eyes there is no contest I would pick Blake without blinking.
If you haven't read Battlescars you will want to before reading this. Afflicted was the perfect follow up. I got everything I was looking for from these characters down to the final page. I can't wait to fin out what Sophie has up her sleeve for the next book. So go get this one it's another one you won't want to miss.
June 21, 2013
3.5 Stars
Going into Afflicted, I was very excited to learn more about Piper and Blake and their story. I loved Piper in the first book, Battlescars! I remembered her as being a very sexy, feisty, funny girl. And I couldn’t wait to see how her relationship with Blake developed. What I didn’t expect was to find her a little lost and unsure of herself. And to have Cole, her long-time boyfriend, being a part of the picture. Screech!!! Put the brakes on…crap, now we have to figure out how Piper and Blake maybe work this out? But what about Cole??
And that is the push and pull I felt in Afflicted. Piper is completely indecisive about her relationship with Cole. AND Blake, in my opinion. I fully understand though the struggle she faces as she deals with some extremely serious issues surrounding Cole’s return from duty as a Marine. Certainly not easy! Then there is the pull she feels with Blake. How to reconcile all that? I did want to slap her once or twice to say - CHOOSE ALREADY!!! But although I don’t have firsthand experience with PTSD or someone close to me with it, I can only imagine how much it impacts family and friends, like it did for Piper.
This is the second book in the series and I recall reading somewhere that you don’t need to read Battlescars (book 1) beforehand. However, I’d definitely recommend it. Having read it over 3 months ago, I felt a bit disconnected initially. I wish I had re-read it before Afflicted, as there were references to places, situations, and people from book 1 that I struggled to fit back into some of the scenes. At times, I felt a little lost on timing and who was talking.
Overall, the book ended on an emotional note that made me sigh. And damn, I fell just a little bit in love with Blake, that damn sexy rocker who knows how to treat a girl right! He’s layered and passionate and so caught up in Piper! That’s one lucky girl! I’ll be watching for Conflicted to see what comes next for the Battlescars rock stars!
ARC provided by author for honest review
Review originally posted on www.upallnightbookblog.com
Going into Afflicted, I was very excited to learn more about Piper and Blake and their story. I loved Piper in the first book, Battlescars! I remembered her as being a very sexy, feisty, funny girl. And I couldn’t wait to see how her relationship with Blake developed. What I didn’t expect was to find her a little lost and unsure of herself. And to have Cole, her long-time boyfriend, being a part of the picture. Screech!!! Put the brakes on…crap, now we have to figure out how Piper and Blake maybe work this out? But what about Cole??
And that is the push and pull I felt in Afflicted. Piper is completely indecisive about her relationship with Cole. AND Blake, in my opinion. I fully understand though the struggle she faces as she deals with some extremely serious issues surrounding Cole’s return from duty as a Marine. Certainly not easy! Then there is the pull she feels with Blake. How to reconcile all that? I did want to slap her once or twice to say - CHOOSE ALREADY!!! But although I don’t have firsthand experience with PTSD or someone close to me with it, I can only imagine how much it impacts family and friends, like it did for Piper.
This is the second book in the series and I recall reading somewhere that you don’t need to read Battlescars (book 1) beforehand. However, I’d definitely recommend it. Having read it over 3 months ago, I felt a bit disconnected initially. I wish I had re-read it before Afflicted, as there were references to places, situations, and people from book 1 that I struggled to fit back into some of the scenes. At times, I felt a little lost on timing and who was talking.
Overall, the book ended on an emotional note that made me sigh. And damn, I fell just a little bit in love with Blake, that damn sexy rocker who knows how to treat a girl right! He’s layered and passionate and so caught up in Piper! That’s one lucky girl! I’ll be watching for Conflicted to see what comes next for the Battlescars rock stars!
ARC provided by author for honest review
Review originally posted on www.upallnightbookblog.com
June 21, 2014
It has been quite a while since I read Battlescars, so it took me a bit to get back into the swing of who is who and what is what, but once I did I couldn't put Afflicted down. And you could read Afflicted without having read Battlescars.
It doesn't happen very often with me, but it occasionally happens that I come across a character that irritates me and I ust can't take to.
And that is what happens with Piper. I could understand the cause of her actions, but the way she toyed with both Blake and Cole's affections irked me no end.
But Blake was enough for me to get over my aversion to Piper. He was sweet, sexy, hotter than hell, and so torn up over Piper that I could feel his hurt, his anger, his frustration jump off the page.
Now, to get off my bum and read the next book!
It doesn't happen very often with me, but it occasionally happens that I come across a character that irritates me and I ust can't take to.
And that is what happens with Piper. I could understand the cause of her actions, but the way she toyed with both Blake and Cole's affections irked me no end.
But Blake was enough for me to get over my aversion to Piper. He was sweet, sexy, hotter than hell, and so torn up over Piper that I could feel his hurt, his anger, his frustration jump off the page.
Now, to get off my bum and read the next book!
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