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Broken, Battered, Bruised #1
Broken Soul
Two years ago, a horde of bloodthirsty creatures ravaged Kydia Quinn’s home, leaving Whitney Lake a desolate wasteland. The Legion stepped in and took care of business, destroying the monsters and giving Kydia’s life purpose.
Now, a soldier for the creepy-crawly fighting squad (and able to kick butt better than anyone) Kydia can protect the people she loves from the horrible demons that skirt the shadows. But Kydia didn’t count on Grady, a swoon-worthy mystery man that completely throws her off her game. Grady takes the term creepy to a whole new level, strangely fascinated with Kydia to an obsessive degree.
As Kydia struggles to understand what Grady is and what his interest in her is all about, a new and more dangerous breed of monster skates into town, one the Legion thought was extinct.
Kydia finds herself the center of an archaic retaliation that puts her ¬¬life in jeopardy. She can battle monsters until the cows come home, but is she powerless when it comes to saving herself from a curse that threatens to break her soul?
Now, a soldier for the creepy-crawly fighting squad (and able to kick butt better than anyone) Kydia can protect the people she loves from the horrible demons that skirt the shadows. But Kydia didn’t count on Grady, a swoon-worthy mystery man that completely throws her off her game. Grady takes the term creepy to a whole new level, strangely fascinated with Kydia to an obsessive degree.
As Kydia struggles to understand what Grady is and what his interest in her is all about, a new and more dangerous breed of monster skates into town, one the Legion thought was extinct.
Kydia finds herself the center of an archaic retaliation that puts her ¬¬life in jeopardy. She can battle monsters until the cows come home, but is she powerless when it comes to saving herself from a curse that threatens to break her soul?
- GenresParanormal Romance
232 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2014
2 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
About the author
R'Lee R. Coffey
16 books51 followersWordsmith, unicorn whisperer, and master procrastinator, R’Lee Coffey lives in Michigan with her husband and five kids. While she spends most of her time penning stories about mythical creatures, she also enjoys reading, cooking, and leprechaun hunting. For all things Faerie Tale related, visit www.Facebook.com/TLGseries.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 7, 2015
My first book by this author and I have to confess I didn't put it down until I'd finished it! Yes it was that interesting that I just had to keep going and get the answers to the questions buzzing around in my head. Kydia is a kickass member of the elite Legion and determined to help fight the monsters that prey on innocents. What she hadn't expected was to meet what's clearly an enemy but to find herself strangely drawn to him. The hunk known as Grady is persistent, annoying and yet totally impossible to ignore but he brings danger with him and Kydia won't fall for his tricks . The monsters are invading town but Kydia is prepared to fight but as long forgotten creatures reappear it seems blood is about to be spilt!
Ok I did find this an easy book to lose myself in and really liked the plucky heroine Kydia. Grady I admit I pegged from the word go but the background concerning him and his family made for a great plot involving vengeance and misunderstandings . Lots of action and a sweet romance that just playfully builds up. I enjoyed the pace and have to admit it kept me guessing with lots of misdirection. For my personal taste there's too many types of monsters described initially and unfortunately that did mean I was trying to remember who or what begat what. Perhaps some sort of list or glossary might have made it simpler but it's a minor niggle. What's clear is that as this series progresses there's a wealth of creatures and characters for the author to use and that's surely a good thing.
So in conclusion this was a good way to spend my afternoon. An ideal read for those who enjoy paranormal stories but clearly there's still room for development. The ending has left me wanting more as it's a bit of a cliffhanger but as the start of a new NA romance series it was a really interesting read. Oh and it would be remiss not to mention that fabulous cover!
I was gifted a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
Ok I did find this an easy book to lose myself in and really liked the plucky heroine Kydia. Grady I admit I pegged from the word go but the background concerning him and his family made for a great plot involving vengeance and misunderstandings . Lots of action and a sweet romance that just playfully builds up. I enjoyed the pace and have to admit it kept me guessing with lots of misdirection. For my personal taste there's too many types of monsters described initially and unfortunately that did mean I was trying to remember who or what begat what. Perhaps some sort of list or glossary might have made it simpler but it's a minor niggle. What's clear is that as this series progresses there's a wealth of creatures and characters for the author to use and that's surely a good thing.
So in conclusion this was a good way to spend my afternoon. An ideal read for those who enjoy paranormal stories but clearly there's still room for development. The ending has left me wanting more as it's a bit of a cliffhanger but as the start of a new NA romance series it was a really interesting read. Oh and it would be remiss not to mention that fabulous cover!
I was gifted a copy of this in exchange for an honest review
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May 15, 2015
What an enjoyable little romp.
You know that sense of relief you get when you finally break your horrible book streak? Yeah, I was so happy to be surprised by this book.
This is the story of Kydia, a Buffy The Vampire Slayer type kick ass member of a group called The Legion, who help keep her home town of Whitney Lake, and the rest of the world, safe from monsters that would maim, kill and eat the normal members of society. When a family called the Bosiet's, who everyone thought were long dead, breeze into town, Kydia's life is turned upside down as she finds herself undeniably attracted to one of the brothers, Grady. What is it about Grady that captures her so? What are his intentions? And most of all, what role does he play in the death that has been foreseen by the prophet in town?
This was a fascinating world to be thrown into. While it took a little while to acclimatise to all the different supernatural beings, I found it very believable and thought the Legion and the HACU were very interesting. The lore behind the special stuff going on with Kydia, Grady and Jake was also fascinating.
Overall, I got a very Sookie Stackhouse vibe from the entire thing, especially the first interaction that Grady and Kydia have. And the love triangle with Jake. It was very, Bill/ Eric/Sookie-esque. Although I am very glad that no one threw around the phrase "you are mine", that has to be the most overused phrase in all paranormal romance/urban fantasy.
Kydia herself was quite infuriating at times. Always making problems for herself, or making small problems bigger than they needed to be by making stupid, irrational decisions. She was meant to be nineteen, but sometimes she came across as more of a petulant fifteen year old, rebelling against the authority figures in her life, which happen to be her brother Sammie and his friend, Jake.
Jake. I got a real Jax from Sons of Anarchy vibe from him, and I really wanted to like him, and I did for the most part, but towards the end he got a bit slut-shamey with Kydia and that pretty much blew up any like I had for him,
Grady was cool. I was picturing Spike from Buffy in my head, what with him being described as having an English accent and all. The banter that occured between him and Kydia was highly entertaining and was one of the most enjoyable aspects of this book. And when Grady goes and says things like this, he endears himself to me even more:
A few things that bothered me, were the fact that we were introduced to some characters and then they were never seen or heard of again. What happened to Grace? We saw her once and then never again, what was the point of her even being mentioned in the story if she was never going to come back? Some acronyms were used before the actual name had been spelled out to us. The HACU for example, it was a few chapters before it was actually explained to us what this was. And added to this, were some annoying editing errors that must have fallen through the cracks, with the wrong words being used/things popping up out of nowhere without any prior explanation/things changing between one paragraph and the next. I don't usually point out editing things, but these were numerous, and annoyed me enough to mention.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would happily read more from this author in the future.
3 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
You know that sense of relief you get when you finally break your horrible book streak? Yeah, I was so happy to be surprised by this book.
This is the story of Kydia, a Buffy The Vampire Slayer type kick ass member of a group called The Legion, who help keep her home town of Whitney Lake, and the rest of the world, safe from monsters that would maim, kill and eat the normal members of society. When a family called the Bosiet's, who everyone thought were long dead, breeze into town, Kydia's life is turned upside down as she finds herself undeniably attracted to one of the brothers, Grady. What is it about Grady that captures her so? What are his intentions? And most of all, what role does he play in the death that has been foreseen by the prophet in town?
This was a fascinating world to be thrown into. While it took a little while to acclimatise to all the different supernatural beings, I found it very believable and thought the Legion and the HACU were very interesting. The lore behind the special stuff going on with Kydia, Grady and Jake was also fascinating.
Overall, I got a very Sookie Stackhouse vibe from the entire thing, especially the first interaction that Grady and Kydia have. And the love triangle with Jake. It was very, Bill/ Eric/Sookie-esque. Although I am very glad that no one threw around the phrase "you are mine", that has to be the most overused phrase in all paranormal romance/urban fantasy.
Kydia herself was quite infuriating at times. Always making problems for herself, or making small problems bigger than they needed to be by making stupid, irrational decisions. She was meant to be nineteen, but sometimes she came across as more of a petulant fifteen year old, rebelling against the authority figures in her life, which happen to be her brother Sammie and his friend, Jake.
"You might as well come up for a minute since its obvious you need constant adult supervision."
Jake. I got a real Jax from Sons of Anarchy vibe from him, and I really wanted to like him, and I did for the most part, but towards the end he got a bit slut-shamey with Kydia and that pretty much blew up any like I had for him,
"Sammie's little sister acting like a whore is a big deal!"
Grady was cool. I was picturing Spike from Buffy in my head, what with him being described as having an English accent and all. The banter that occured between him and Kydia was highly entertaining and was one of the most enjoyable aspects of this book. And when Grady goes and says things like this, he endears himself to me even more:
"I dont particularly want to live in a world where you don't exist."
A few things that bothered me, were the fact that we were introduced to some characters and then they were never seen or heard of again. What happened to Grace? We saw her once and then never again, what was the point of her even being mentioned in the story if she was never going to come back? Some acronyms were used before the actual name had been spelled out to us. The HACU for example, it was a few chapters before it was actually explained to us what this was. And added to this, were some annoying editing errors that must have fallen through the cracks, with the wrong words being used/things popping up out of nowhere without any prior explanation/things changing between one paragraph and the next. I don't usually point out editing things, but these were numerous, and annoyed me enough to mention.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would happily read more from this author in the future.
3 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2014
This is one awesome book. I really can't wait for it to come out in print. I started reading this book around 9 pm on 12/6/14, I couldn't stop reading it. I just had to finish it. For me it is one of those stories where you can't wait to get to the end to find out what happens, but, you don't want the story to end. I personally recommend this book, I believe who ever reads it will love it. The action, the love story, the twist and turns it all kept me captivated. I finished reading this book at 1:30 am on 12/7/14. Great book.
February 3, 2015
I was approached by a friend of the authors’ with an offer to review a copy of the ARC, unfortunately due to how certain sites deal with certain things, like sending messages, I did not see it until after the book had been published. But upon chatting a bit with the friend and checking out the blurb I decided to give it a shot and am happy that I did.
I found the world interesting, especially when it came to the various creatures that populated. Each species history and character traits were well thought out, and some were give a unique twist that I really liked, like what Grady is.
Kydia I found to be spunky, if not a little bit impetuous at times. And though she had a compassionate nature and wanted to help keep people safe, I found her to be more of an “island”. She kept everyone at arms length, even Sam, her brother, and Jake, the one person she claims as a friend and never truly lets anyone in. I can’t fault her reasons, but I would have liked to see some sort of deeper interaction between her and her brother, other than being told this is how it is with us. Granted, the time that passes in the story is not long, so I’m crossing my toes that we’ll get a deeper look into Kydia as the series progresses. Grady was fun and though his methods at time were a bit creepy, he showed himself to be a good guy.
The story moves along at a good pace and you are thrown right into the mix of things and I really liked the explanation behind Broken Soul and there were a good number of twists to the story that I didn’t see coming. And though I wouldn’t say that the ending is a cliffhanger when it comes to Kydia and Grady, there are few big questions that are left unanswered.
Overall, I think this is a great start to a new series and am looking forward to seeing where the author takes it.
I found the world interesting, especially when it came to the various creatures that populated. Each species history and character traits were well thought out, and some were give a unique twist that I really liked, like what Grady is.
Kydia I found to be spunky, if not a little bit impetuous at times. And though she had a compassionate nature and wanted to help keep people safe, I found her to be more of an “island”. She kept everyone at arms length, even Sam, her brother, and Jake, the one person she claims as a friend and never truly lets anyone in. I can’t fault her reasons, but I would have liked to see some sort of deeper interaction between her and her brother, other than being told this is how it is with us. Granted, the time that passes in the story is not long, so I’m crossing my toes that we’ll get a deeper look into Kydia as the series progresses. Grady was fun and though his methods at time were a bit creepy, he showed himself to be a good guy.
The story moves along at a good pace and you are thrown right into the mix of things and I really liked the explanation behind Broken Soul and there were a good number of twists to the story that I didn’t see coming. And though I wouldn’t say that the ending is a cliffhanger when it comes to Kydia and Grady, there are few big questions that are left unanswered.
Overall, I think this is a great start to a new series and am looking forward to seeing where the author takes it.
March 30, 2015
WOW!! I have to say that I was very surprised since this is This typically not being the type of book that I read. I didn't finish it in one reading but I have to say that it was hard to put down and a joy to pick back up. Great job! I won this great book on GoodReads and like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by giving my win either to a friend or library to enjoy.
March 10, 2016
I loved this story, From the first page on.
Kydia is the type of heroin that pulls you in. She doesn't wait for someone to fight her battles, or whine and cry. She does what it takes to keep going even after disaster strikes.
That brings me to Grady he was Crawsome. Tall, Handsome, And the eyes. I loved how he would always show up or be there without her knowing.
Sammie her brother is the kind of guy that most sisters would love to hate. But he still stepped up when there world flipped upside down. Even if he hates her new *job* at the HACU.
Jake I was a bit startled by him. As Sammie's best friend he is around a lot. Kydia had crush on him when she was younger, but hay who wouldn't?
I can't leave out Nuri. He doesn't give a crap about humans, except for Kydia. He still won't tell her much of anything though. doesn't want to change the way things are meant to be.
Kydia is the type of heroin that pulls you in. She doesn't wait for someone to fight her battles, or whine and cry. She does what it takes to keep going even after disaster strikes.
That brings me to Grady he was Crawsome. Tall, Handsome, And the eyes. I loved how he would always show up or be there without her knowing.
Sammie her brother is the kind of guy that most sisters would love to hate. But he still stepped up when there world flipped upside down. Even if he hates her new *job* at the HACU.
Jake I was a bit startled by him. As Sammie's best friend he is around a lot. Kydia had crush on him when she was younger, but hay who wouldn't?
I can't leave out Nuri. He doesn't give a crap about humans, except for Kydia. He still won't tell her much of anything though. doesn't want to change the way things are meant to be.
March 3, 2015
A great read
Ok I was thoroughly shocked at how good this book is. An the imagination of this world is amazing. A great romance with good story line. Needed a little bit more jealously and it would have been perfect. Our heroine is Kydia our semi hero is Grady. I love the fact he is kind of stalkerish. Great book.
Ok I was thoroughly shocked at how good this book is. An the imagination of this world is amazing. A great romance with good story line. Needed a little bit more jealously and it would have been perfect. Our heroine is Kydia our semi hero is Grady. I love the fact he is kind of stalkerish. Great book.
May 13, 2017
***I voluntarily reviewed this book for Katsindiebookblog, and I gained no monetary incentives nor was I specifically requested to review the book.*** This particular book puts your imagination to the test. You are thrown into a “new” world where you’ve never been before in any book. Kydia lives in Whitney Lake, once a town where monsters took over, till The Legion came around and did their best to clean it up and keep it that way; safe from monsters of all types. Kydia has worked her butt off to become a part of The Legion, doing whatever she can to keep her home, family, and friends safe. Until one night on her way home from training, she runs into a guy named Grady. The author did great in putting the synopsis of Grady as creepy. You definitely get that creepy vibe from him in this book. Kydia is working so hard in trying to figure out her attraction for him, especially when he’s a part of a family that everyone thought was dead for many of years.
You are put into a fast paced world, filled with action and suspense. The ending makes you excited for the next book in line. Hopefully filling in the little questions here and there we are all wondering, such as what will happen between Kydia and Grady? This is a quick paced read that will be hard to put down. So find your comfy spot, grab your snacks, and sit down and enjoy! I recommend this book, especially for anyone that loves action and suspense books!
You are put into a fast paced world, filled with action and suspense. The ending makes you excited for the next book in line. Hopefully filling in the little questions here and there we are all wondering, such as what will happen between Kydia and Grady? This is a quick paced read that will be hard to put down. So find your comfy spot, grab your snacks, and sit down and enjoy! I recommend this book, especially for anyone that loves action and suspense books!
December 5, 2017
My imagination feasted on the words in R’Lee R. Coffey’s Broken Soul; book one in the Broken, Battered, and Bruised Trilogy. So much so, that by the time I had reached the last page of the book all I could say was ‘WOW!’
I haven’t felt as invigorated to read in months, and suddenly, I wanted to stay up all night reading whatever I could. I wanted to devour every word I possibly could to keep the flame in my imagination burning. I was completely lost to the world Coffey had created; the creatures, the romance, the action, and the mystery …. it was all so captivating.
The story flow was phenomenal it pulled me in so hard that there was no pause for ocular reprieve, I didn’t want to blink for fear of missing out.
This truly was an amazing book, especially for those of you who love paranormal reads. The introduction of new creatures was a little hard to follow, as they were rattled off by the main character, but just as soon as the moment appeared to question who was who – or what was what actually, it was all explained in such detail I couldn’t mistake their characteristic traits.
I haven’t felt as invigorated to read in months, and suddenly, I wanted to stay up all night reading whatever I could. I wanted to devour every word I possibly could to keep the flame in my imagination burning. I was completely lost to the world Coffey had created; the creatures, the romance, the action, and the mystery …. it was all so captivating.
The story flow was phenomenal it pulled me in so hard that there was no pause for ocular reprieve, I didn’t want to blink for fear of missing out.
This truly was an amazing book, especially for those of you who love paranormal reads. The introduction of new creatures was a little hard to follow, as they were rattled off by the main character, but just as soon as the moment appeared to question who was who – or what was what actually, it was all explained in such detail I couldn’t mistake their characteristic traits.
June 17, 2015
I was given a copy of this book by the Author for an honest review.
BROKEN SOUL is a great start to this series. It has a well-developed characters and story line. Kydia is part of the Legion, fighting monsters and when the Draken show up in town things heat up and go to hell. Grady is part of the Draken and when he meets Kydia and he wants her. The Draken's soul is split in two when they get to a certain age, and they loose the ability to feel anything. They cannot feel touch, love, sadness, etc. Kydia is a shadow spirit whose soul is imprinted by a Draken. Grady must keep Kydia safe from other Draken who wants to get the other part of their soul back, but if that happens the shadow spirit die. I recommend thid book to everyone. I give BROKEN SOUL 5/5 STARS.
BROKEN SOUL is a great start to this series. It has a well-developed characters and story line. Kydia is part of the Legion, fighting monsters and when the Draken show up in town things heat up and go to hell. Grady is part of the Draken and when he meets Kydia and he wants her. The Draken's soul is split in two when they get to a certain age, and they loose the ability to feel anything. They cannot feel touch, love, sadness, etc. Kydia is a shadow spirit whose soul is imprinted by a Draken. Grady must keep Kydia safe from other Draken who wants to get the other part of their soul back, but if that happens the shadow spirit die. I recommend thid book to everyone. I give BROKEN SOUL 5/5 STARS.
April 23, 2015
I just finished this book and immediately had to write a review to tell how wonderful it was. I started the book not quite knowing what to expect, but I was quickly captured by the characters and plot. This had the right amount of action mixed with romance. I absolutely loved Grady and cannot wait to see more of him. I finished this book in one reading because I could not put it down. By the time the ending came I had a feeling of satisfaction because of such a well written story, and I found myself wanting more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh read.
July 18, 2015
This was a great start to a new series.
It is fun, edgy, suspenseful, has plenty of action but also romance and heartbreak.
Kydia, was a fun character to follow, she is funny, smart, and strong, nothing will keep her down for long. She is full of spunk and sarcasm, which I love.
Grady, while I liked him I’m not really sure about him yet.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/brok...
It is fun, edgy, suspenseful, has plenty of action but also romance and heartbreak.
Kydia, was a fun character to follow, she is funny, smart, and strong, nothing will keep her down for long. She is full of spunk and sarcasm, which I love.
Grady, while I liked him I’m not really sure about him yet.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/brok...
July 2, 2016
Nice, it's the first book i read from R'Lee Coffey, plus is not the usual type of books I read. I read it in one day and I can't wait to start on book 2. I want to see how the love story between Kydia and Grady continues. If Gale "Jake" makes Kydia fall for him and forget Grady or if Grace becomes Kydia and Grady's new threat.
May 19, 2015
The beginning of the book seemed a little off, but after that very short bit I was entranced! The plot twist completely caught me off guard every time! Really looking forward to more from this author!
April 30, 2016
I honestly thought that this is the best book ever. I love how there is like a mix of danger and love in it. I still thought kydia should of been with Jake instead of Grady. Like I said it's the best book I loved it
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews