The Paper Swan

by Leylah Attar

Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ASIN B012HZC11G

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.
They lie.
For 21 days she held on.
But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.
Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

A haunting tale of passion, loss, and redemption, The Paper Swan is a darkly intense yet heartwarming love story, textured with grit, intrigue, and suspense. Please note: This is NOT a love triangle.

A full-length, standalone novel, intended for mature audiences due to violence, sex and language. Subject matter may be disturbing for some readers.

Genres: Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Dark Romance, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Suspense

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

Leylah Attar is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. A recipient of the Writer’s Digest Award and the Indie Reader Discovery Award, Leylah writes unique, emotionally compelling stories that range from rom-com to dark romantic suspense.

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED ::: 5 STARS! :::


Fierce, powerful, and absolutely breathtaking, this beautifully-written book will sweep you away in an epic love story that spans years and lasts a lifetime. The Paper Swan is a must-read for any romance readers who are searching for a completely unique story that’ll captivate you from start to finish. While the twists and turns are intense, gritty, and sometimes even dark, this was actually one of the sweetest and most beautiful love stories I’ve ever read. I loved every word and highly recommend it!

I want to be very clear that this book is a standalone romance with no love triangle. It’s also not tragic (really, the ending is gorgeous) so you do not have to worry about anything. Yes, it’s a truly crazy ride, but I’m almost certain that any romance reader will love this and not have any problem with any of it’s content.

This is one of those stories that you just need to have TRUST with. Trust the author and trust me when I say that its better not to know anything about this story before you start it other than the blurb…

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. They lie. For 21 days she held on. But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death. Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

Don’t freak out! Remember: there’s no triangle and it’s not tragic. I know there are a bunch of you right now sitting here reading this and eyeing this blurb warily but just trust me, I get it. The very first thing I did when I saw it was go out and make sure there was no triangle/cheating/death before I even considered reading the book, and even though the blurb is accurate, it’s also not what you think. I promise, cross my heart, and pinky swear that it’s not going to devastate you. It’s just a really unique love story, but it has everything that would make a romance fan happy even though it’s edgy and has darker moments. You guys know that I always warn you whenever there’s anything I think you should know beforehand but this is one of those times when really, you’ll be fine. I wouldn’t say that unless I meant it. Just dive in!

"I wished I could see myself through his eyes. Then again, he never looked at me with his eyes. He looked at me with his soul."

When you start the book, holy hell, the prologue just throws you right into the story! It’s immediately captivating because you’re suddenly in this intense, life-threatening situation with the heroine and, just like her, you have absolutely no idea why it’s happening, or what is going to happen next. There are so many questions and so many possibly directions for the story to take so it just begs you to turn the page!

I loved that the heroine was strong, smart, and capable. She was relatable, down-to-earth, and just felt very much like a real person I’d love to get to know. And I totally fell for the hero (or, you could really say anti-hero). This guy had been dealt a truly unfortunate hand of cards and his life lead him down a dangerous and destructive path, but with the way it was written, you were shown why he’d become that man. At what point is a does a person bear too much pain? At what point does it change them? I loved the complexity of his character and the range of emotion his story drew out of me over the course of this book.

This is a story that keeps you guessing the whole way through and toys with your heart while unraveling an intricate tale of passion, vengeance, redemption, sacrifice, acceptance, forgiveness, and the purest form of love, where the lines between good and bad are often blurred, and with writing so vivid that you feel like you’re experiencing the story alongside the characters. It begins in childhood and tells the story of how a boy turns into a monster and loses himself while trying to save the one he loves most, but how that monster can too find love because even though he’s no longer that boy, a part of him still remembers who he was and who he loved. It’s filled with emotion, intrigue, suspense and passion. I couldn’t put it down!

That’s honestly as much as I want to say about the story. I feel very strongly that you should just go into this book blind. I can technically categorize the type of romance but I want you to be as surprised and thrilled as I was while you read. Despite this story’s gritty and sometimes even violent twists and turns, this was honestly turned out to be one of the heart-warming love stories I’ve read. Leylah Attar’s stunning writing wraps you up in this epic journey and sweeps you away. This book had it all — beautiful writing, beautiful story, beautiful cover. It’s one of my top favorites of this year and a must-read recommendation!!

“It’s not over, you know. It never has been,” he said. “Whether you say yes or no, you will always be my forever."

Rating: 5 stars!

Standalone romance. NO triangle. NO cheating. NOT tragic! I promise, pinky swear, cross my heart. Ok? Trust me!!

_______________________________________

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[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★! The Paper Swan (stand-alone). Kidnapped heiress finds herself torn between the captor & his mission!

“God, he was intense. And deliberate. And he could say things with his eyes that made my knees tremble.”

The Paper Swan (stand-alone) is an epic love story of love and vengeance, deceit and forgiveness spanning decades. It opens up in present day to heiress Skye Sedgewick finding herself kidnapped and stored in a crate before getting loaded onto a boat. Her captor Damian Caballero is on a set course in his quest for vengeance, more on why to unfold with story.

Being kept away for her pampered life and trying to decipher her captor’s motives puts Skye’s life into a tailspin. She is forced to dig deep traveling back into childhood putting all the pieces together while discovering that not everything is as picturesque as she thought.

“You’re ruled by things I can’t compete with. Your rage trumps love, and hope, and faith.”

Falling for Damian is not option. It’s the love that can never be yet it’s inevitable that these two lost souls find a deeper connection. For a brief moment in time there is only them and their love until reality kicks in and Damian must continue on his quest.

Their love will test them; their beliefs and values while putting everything on the line. It’s an epic tale; dark, gruesome, painful, poignant, but most of all it’s a story of soul searching passion and unending love.

“I wanted to stay with him so I could put together all the dented, shattered parts of him, because I could never be whole where he was broken.”

Eight words to describe Damian Caballero: Strong, determined, broken, loyal, noble, conflicted, detached and stubborn.



Eight words to describe Skye Sedgewick: Trusting, loyal, strong, nurturing, conflicted, reserved, reflective and adaptable.

The Paper Swan, told from alternating POVs, is a life story and a love story. With a fairytale feel it depicts profound sadness, painful secrets, life-altering deception and heart-wrenching disappointments. But in all its darkness there is hope for the healing power of forgiveness and a love that transcends time. As for ending it was closure, but I’d welcome an epilogue further into the future.

Spell-binding story-telling! Epic saga! Consuming plot! Emotional journey! Excellent character development!

“Sometimes everything gets dismantled so something better can be pieced together.”

***
Hero rating: 5 stars
Heroine rating: 5 stars
Sexual tension rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Plot rating: 5 stars
Dialogue rating: 5 stars
Storytelling rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 4.5 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): N/A, ARC
************************************************
Overall rating: 5 stars

Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.



Thanks to all the shhluts; warhawke, Mercedes, CC, Snow, Myla, Jabberwocky, Loyda, Nawal & Liz for our ARC (F)BR on Shh… I had a blast!


ARC provided to me by author Leylah Attar in exchange for an honest review.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars!

Every now and then there’s an ‘it’ book, and for the past few weeks The Paper Swan was definitely the book that took social media by storm. Even though I pretty much dropped out of book world completely the last two weeks, the few times I logged onto Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter or Amazon I would always see fellow friends and bloggers rave about this book which naturally piqued my interest. So it may be the sheer hype but whatever the reason, this book didn’t work for me. It had just enough mystery to keep me reading until the end, but I didn’t feel anything, know what I mean? I really did love the vague blurb though, but the tricky thing with that is I always expect a knockout premise to back up such an intriguing synopsis and in my opinion, the plot failed to evoke any kind of emotion in me. Because I went in completely blind, I stumbled my way through the first 10% wondering just what the book was about, and once I found out, my excitement for the book sort of deflated – it’s a premise I’ve read dozen times before, and I’m betting you have too.

However, there are many, many books I ended up loving despite an overused storyline (prime example: The Deal) and it all boils down to presentation and the author’s writing style. Is the plot engaging? Can I connect with the characters? Do I love the writing? Things like that. Unfortunately for me, the plot was bland, I really didn’t care for the moody hero or spoiled heroine, and I wasn’t a fan of the writing. I will say that the author does write beautifully, but her style is simply not something I enjoyed. The only way I can describe it is that the writing is TOO MUCH and it made things feel unnatural, especially towards the end of the story where loose ends were wrapped up so fast the book pace became the complete opposite of the first part of the book. Sometimes, it’s best to keep things simple.

Also, book pet peeves. I’m pretty sure every reader has a thing or two they don’t enjoy reading about in their books. Mine are time jumps. I just can’t stand them, and when an author skips around in their storyline it annoys me so much I literally start shaking with fury. Had I loved the book before time jumps were even presented, I might have been able to overlook them, but because there wasn’t much I was enjoying to begin with, these multiple time jumps + past/present chapters were the last straw for me.

As you can probably tell, almost all my reasons for not liking the book has to do with my personal reading tastes, not because the author did anything wrong. And since I’m in the very small minority who feels like this book wasn’t all that jazz, I still say give it a try – as long as flowery prose and time jumps don’t bother you that is ;)

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!



The Paper Swan is a book I decided to listen to without reading the blurb. Based on the cover and title, I didn’t know that I was in store for this kind of read. Right off the bat I was a little shocked in the direction it took. By the end of this story, I really loved it. It gave me some 5 star feels. But it did take me a while to start warming up to it. I felt disconnected at first, hence the 4 star rating. The writing is spectacular (I’ve never read a book by this author, but wow) and I loved the intensity and beauty in this story.

“There are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone has a reason.”

I’ll not spoil what happens in this story by rehashing everything, so this review will be a little on the short side. I loved the raw and gritty way the story started out, and how it turned into something so stunningly beautiful. The characters were complex and flawed. The story had vengeance, violence, love, forgiveness and beauty.

When we love, we carry it on the inside, and we can turn on its light even in our darkest moments. The deeper we love, the brighter it shines.

If you’re looking for a darker standalone romance, that is hard to read at times, but has a gorgeous ending, this is one I’d recommend. I enjoyed how everything came together. Also, I listen to the audio and Zachary Webber is one of the narrators. He does an amazing job!

“There is no space too dark or too vast or too irredeemable that can’t be filled with love.”

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Perfect Everything Stars!

"How much do you think your life is worth, Skye Sedgewick?"

The Paper Swan was every single thing I love about dark gritty books! I purposefully waited 24 hours to write my review to spare everyone a verbal diarrhea of fangirling. You're welcome. Even more so, I'm treading lightly here as this book should be experienced as blindly as possible without too many plot spoilers.


I'd first experienced Leylah Attar's writing when I read 53 Letters for My Lover I knew she had talent for slightly, but not over the top, poetic prose, but her venturing into the dark side of Contemporary Romance was one smart move on her part! Way to go!







What do we get with The Paper Swan? We get a plotline that carries the reader from sweet childhood moments thru adulthood filled with anything but sweet. We get beautiful innocence and we get ugly vengeance. The heroine, Skye, is the kinda spoiled but loveable wealthy daughter of Warren Sedgewick, prominent businessman with dirty ties to the Mexican cartel. She befriends her nanny's son, Esteban and they essentially spend all their early years together- one rich, one poor, both fast friends much like siblings, making paper swans, collecting sea shells along the Mexican coastline and singing Spanish lullabies with Esteban's mother, MaMaLu.

I wished I could see myself through his eyes.

Then again, he never looked at me with his eyes.

He looked at me with his soul.

And then Skye and Esteban separated, they grew up, and everything went to Hell in a hand basket for Skye. Enter the dark side of The Paper Swan. A side filled with vengeance, abduction...captivity. An anti-hero named Damian...







The Paper Swan promises a hero filled with rage yet deep down a tiny warm light still shines beneath all the hate. What I LOVED most was Ms Attar didn't do what so many authors do with tropes like this and have the cold-hearted anti-hero do an immediate 180' change of heart in the presence of love- to turn a hateful hero into this swoony sweet Casanova. The plot has an angsty slow build AND a slow thaw. So often books are centered around revenge but with the snap of the fingers, all plans are off and the H/h ride off into the sunset. Not believable.







The Mexican cartel is focused heavily in this book and it's clear the author did a fair amount of research with both their illegal dealings and also the life inside Mexican prisons. There's cartel lingo and I wish I spoke Spanish a bit more but I wasn't completely lost on their dialogue.



The Paper Swan is gritty, dark and violent at points, yet packs a love story of epic proportions. That innocent young first love that spans a lifetime and never seems to extinguish completely. The story spans some 25 years and we truly live through a journey here..of giving us the completeness of everything going full circle. This is why I prefer standalones. We get it all, wrapped up in a perfect package and aren't left to wait months for the sequel in order for the story to be fully played out. We also get dual POVs, but not the flip-floppy every chapter type. The type where when you're just starting to think, I'd sure love to be in Skye's head right now, the POV swaps to her. And though the book spans many years, there isn't big disjointed time-jumps that tend to drive me crazy. It flowed flawlessly.


Leylah Attar has a poetic writing style that engrossed me from the start. Not over the top, but coupled with thorough character development and depth of story, it's completely all-encompassing. It's truly a book to get lost in...lost in the world of her characters, lost in her beautiful words. This quote I found strikingly beautiful and truly shows the love story buried beneath the violent cartel plotline.

We are sand and rock and water and sky, anchors on ships and sails in the wind. We are a journey to a destination that shifts every time we dream or fall or leap or weep. We are stars with flaws that still sparkle and shine. We will always strive, always want, always have more questions than answers, but there are moments like these, full of magic and contentment, when souls get a glimpse of the divine and quite simply, lose their breath.

There is quite simply NOTHING I'd change about this book. Nothing.


I HIGHLY recommend The Paper Swan for fans of darker, grittier books yet still want that love story built in. The story is sadly believable and told in a way I couldn't help but embrace it wholeheartedly, wishing for a happily ever after for all.







Bravo, Leylah Attar! Thanks for venturing into the dark side. And please please please give me a novella at least for Raphael.

Book trailer- http://youtu.be/KLg9l_VbcaU


***The book blurb almost makes it sound like a love triangle. Yes, there's multiple protagonists in this book but it's in no way a love triangle.





Advanced copy received by author in exchange for my HONEST review.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good revenge story and this book was no exception! Right from the start, 'The Paper Swan' drew me in with the abduction of Skye. From that point on, I was hooked on this story. As the storyline progressed, it became clear that Skye and Damian were in quite a tangled web.

Although Skye was portrayed as a spoiled, snobby and pampered rich girl, Ms. Attar did a great job of writing her character in a way that didn't make her unapproachable or unlikable. Yes, she had led a privileged life up to that point, but her sweet recollections of her childhood revealed a more down to earth, human side of her.

As the story progressed, I came to like Skye even more. She wasn't the entitled princess that I had first pegged her as. She was compassionate, strong and forgiving.

Similarly, Damian's character grew on me. His cold-blooded persona eventually faded away, revealing a wounded boy still grieving for his losses. He had been dealt a bad hand early-on in life and never recovered.

My heart went out to Skye. Forced to choose between her father and her lover, she would lose either way. In my opinion, she is the person that was made to suffer the most in this entire situation, not her father.

Eventually, there is a HEA. At least, as happy as can be, given the situation. Nobody comes out unscathed in this story. More than anything, it served as a cautionary tale to those that might let their desire for vengeance consume them. It was a beautifully written story that held my interest from start to finish.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

”You don’t always get the treasure by holding on. Sometimes the magic happens when you let go.”



This story didn’t provide me with any major wow moments and sadly the reveals and twists were easy to predict. However, the writing was so strong and captivating that at times it took a while for me to register that the events didn’t fully win me over (That’s how much I enjoyed the author’s storytelling and this is my first read by this author). Overall, I did enjoy this story even if it wasn’t an ‘epic’ read for me.

Within the first few pages, our heroine is kidnapped and taken to a boat and treated pretty horribly by her kidnapper. I was all sorts of nervous and thinking about who kidnapped her and the whys of it all. Around twenty-five percent in the book, a reveal is made that for me gave the story a just okay vibe as you then know the direction the author will take with the book.

”There are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone has a reason.”

The author presents chapters in two of the main character’s povs and a few time jumps as this tale of loyalty, revenge, vengeance, retribution, loss, love and forgiveness is told.

”One of them was going down, and it was up to me to decide who.”

There is a character named MamaLu and forgive me but every time she was mentioned I thought of Ricky Richardo’s BabaLu (I loved her regardless of my chuckling). I think some friends will fall in wow with this story, some may struggle, while others will fall in my category that it was a good okay read which was very well written.

”How do we end up like this? How do we make a mess of something so beautiful and true?”

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ 5 Stars ★★★★★

Now LIVE!
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1erRcxW
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1hgZTNv

"Vengeance begets vengeance, more chaos, more darkness."

The Paper Swan was my first book from author Leyah Attar. The intriguing blurb and the fact that a lot of my Goodreads friends loved her previous book 53 Letters for My Lover, had me curious enough to want to pick it up with the hope of finding another great indie author.

I am pleased to report that I was not disappointed, the writing and the subject matter reeled me in completely and I devoured every word and heartfelt page.

I would describe this book as a captive, friends to lovers, second chance romance, which takes place mainly in Mexico between the daughter of a wealthy businessman and the son of the hired help.

We are taken on a journey from childhood to the present day whereby Skye finds herself kidnapped, on a boat in the middle of nowhere, with the only other person on board being her captive . She is determined not to become a victim of Stockholm Syndrome and fights back with everything that she can. Who is this man and where is he taking her?



Two children from two different cultures and from very different backgrounds form a very special bond, but are torn apart by something that seems out of their control. Revenge is a destructive emotion and is the only thing that is keeping these two from their happy ever after.

I loved the way the book was written, the build up was gradual and we learnt about all the little details that were important in order for us to really feel part of the characters journey. It was a deep story with many different facets and superb characters that all made for a fantastic read.

This really was a beautiful love story and one that will stay with me for a long time.

This is a standalone dark romance, told in dual POV.

ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Natasha is a Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL 6-STAR REVIEW NOW POSTED:

“We are a question that hasn’t been answered yet, a hiding place that hasn’t been found yet, a battle that hasn’t been fought yet.”

Holy cow! What a spectacular book this was! Gripping and unexpected, this story literally took my breath away, and I not only found myself reading until dawn, but also incapable of moving on and picking up another book for days to come. Within an exhilarating scenario that is as unique as it is astounding, I never expected to find so many surprises, so many twists and turns at every corner, and I felt like I was on a joyride of a lifetime. But fear not because I will not spoil any of it for you, as each small discovery, each staggering revelation, each ‘sucker punch’ in the story has made this one of the most riveting, compelling, and truly unforgettable reads of my life. Not to mention, one of the most divinely written ones too.

“This was a murder-turned-into-abduction. This was a screwed-up moment of weakness. This was a personal, targeted attack against my father.”

There is no slow introduction into the storyline, no gradual easing into it for the reader—the story takes off ‘mid race’, as we find the heroine with a gun pointed at her head, abducted and facing death at the hands of a man she doesn’t know. Skye Sedgewick has lived a privileged life since birth, her only living parent showering her with love and attention, and never making her want for anything. And yet, at the mercy of her captor, powerless and facing imminent death, her mind draws comfort from recalling a time when she was just a child, when the sound of her nanny’s lullaby could erase all hurts, when her childhood best friend’s intrepid heart made her feel safe and protected, and when all it took to put a smile on her face was a pink-frosted cake and a paper giraffe. But even those happy memories do little to dissolve the utter gloom of her reality—held hostage on a boat by a man who shows her no compassion or empathy, whose mind games and bouts of cruelty slowly strip her of all hope and dignity, while they sail towards an unknown destination and an uncertain fate for Skye.

“I felt like all the bits that held me together were slowly coming unglued, falling off, piece by piece. I was disappearing, disintegrating like the rocks that get eaten by the sea.”

But as their journey continues, an unexpected attachment forms between captor and captive, and the more Skye’s childhood memories keep returning and offsetting her harsh reality, the more of the truth behind her abduction is revealed. Until the past and the present suddenly collide and our heroine and her captor, Damian, find themselves torn between what has been and all that their hearts tell them should be.

“There are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone has a reason.”

And that is when this story takes off on an unforeseen adventure of soul-searching, friendship, redemption and survival, an adventure where love is the ultimate prize and the past is the bitterest foe. As Skye and Damian succumb to their feelings, recognising a love that was written in the stars for them, they soon realise that that very love is the only thing holding vengeance back by a thread, a thread that can snap at any moment, and take it all away from them in one sweep.

“… there is no space too dark or too vast or too irredeemable that can’t be filled with love.”

There is so much more I could tell you about this story as I find myself here bursting to talk about it, but I have to remain vague so that you can discover and truly appreciate every facet of this beautiful tale the same way as I did—slowly and without warning. I will tell you, though, that no amount of imagination could have prepared me for any jaw-dropping moment of this passionate, thrilling, at times even gritty story of two people who have come full circle in life, only to find themselves torn between all they have gained and all they have lost.

“You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

I feel no amount of praise will ever do a book of this calibre justice. With its exquisite prose, almost poetic at times, the phenomenally framed characters, vulnerable and strong at the same time, the passionate, turbulent love story that pulls on every one of our heartstrings like a fine concerto, the richness of a storyline that is never predictable and consistently enthralling, this is a book I wish I could make everyone read. Because books like these are few and far between, and are nothing less than life-changing.

“It’s not over, you know, it never has been … you will always be my forever.”

[6 STARS]



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[Clumsy Storyteller · Rating 5 out of 5]

i ve read this book 5 months ago and my first reaction was " WTF girl you fell in love with your captor , you can't seriously be this dumb" !




and i did read it again after 5 months and i changed my mind !! it's not really that DARK ! it's all about power , an abusive relationship, the book is well written the end was really unexpected it's s about a kidnapping rich girl "Skye", spending money, and not having a care for the world is her hubby . Damian her childhood crush was the one who brutally tortured her and almost killed her ,
I’m definitely going to be reading more from this author. If her other stories are as beautiful as this one then I’m all in! The storyline, characters, the writing everything is perfect

"Vengeance only begets more vengeance, more chaos, more darkness. Vengeance abducts us and imprisons us and mutilates us, and we suffer and suffer until we unravel its probing parasitic suckers from around us."

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm speechless right now... My God, this book was sooo beautiful! <3

“I want to remember this,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “If I die tonight, I want to die remembering what it was like to hold the whole world in my hands.”



---------------------


“You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

"The two men that I loved the most, with all my heart, were out to destroy each other. I had a feeling that by the time it was all said and done, only one would be left standing."

“We are sand and rock and water and sky, anchors on ships and sails in the wind. We are a journey to a destination that shifts every time we dream or fall or leap or weep. We are stars with flaws that still sparkle and shine. We will always strive, always want, always have more questions than answers, but there are moments like these, full of magic and contentment, when souls get a glimpse of the divine and quite simply, lose their breath.”

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT'S LIVE <3

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5 UNIQUE STARS


Such an amazing story!This is my first book from Leylah Attar so I didn't know what to expect!What I find? A beautiful,intense and emotional story!With suspense,mystery and some dark moments which kept me on the edge of my seat until the end of the story!I can admit that I haven't read something like this before!It's so unique and I was so captivated from the writing which is so beautiful and poetic!
This story is about revenge,secret,lies,redemption,forgiveness,love and passion and you can feel all of them!!I don't want to ruin it so I will not say anything else about the plot!Because I want you to devour it like I did!




The characters felt so real and I couldn't stop myself from loving them!I seriously adored them even though there are moments that you are pissed with both characters you still feel the love,the intensity and the passion between them!I liked that we can see the story from both point of views!This makes the story so understandable!



I don't say much about the covers in my reviews but seriously this one is so beautiful!I fell in love with it the first moment I saw it!!!The cover and the title suits the story perfectly!

This is one of these stories that will stay with me forever!I haven't read something like this before!If you are looking for something original then you should definitely read this on!




!I highly recommend it to everyone!!You will not regret it!!Now I'm more eager to read 53 Letters for My Lover!!*This is not a love triangle!*

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars



The story starts with Skye, a spoiled, rich girl who finds herself kidnapped. She is terrified, and is positive this strange man plans to kill her - in fact that is his original plan.



But. This is more than just a kidnapping leading to love. It's a story full of vengeance, love, misunderstanding, and a past that connects it all.



I did enjoy the writing, the style and flow worked for me - where I found myself struggling was the story. It just lacked originality and was too predictable for my taste. So while I really wanted to love it...it was just okay.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** JUST LOVED IT ***

"You can either choose love or you can choose hate,because where one lives,the other will die."

OMG!! I don't know where to start with a review for this.I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest...

There's love,hate,vengeance,secrets,lies but ultimately an amazing story.
This is another story I would advise going in relatively blind.I made the mistake of reading some reviews just after I'd started it and one in particular gave something away which I might of guessed but did spoil the story towards the beginning.
For that reason I'm not going to go into the story




The prologue is very powerful and had me on the edge of my seat wondering which direction the story would take.



The story is told in the past/present and traces the characters young lives to where they are today.The characters are extremely well developed and I loved both the H/h equally.
Skye has had a privileged life but she does not come across as pampered or spoilt at all in fact I loved her honesty and integrity.
The Male lead ( I'm not even going to name him) is a complex character.Dark,dangerous,a tortured soul who in the end I came to love.

The plot might be predictable at times but I didn't care because the writing was simply stunning.I spent a lot of the second half reading through tears,it was so beautiful.




The whole story spans more than 20 years(something I love) as the characters grow,face the consequences of their actions and evaluate on lost years/opportunities.

This is an epic story which I just adored....

You don't always get the treasure by holding on.Sometimes the magic happens when you let go

JUST AMAZING........

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Paper Stars.

I will not tell you much about this story because I believe this is one of those books you have to experience, and the blinder you go, the better. Sky and Esteban grew up together, as Skye an orphan of a mother, was pretty much raised by her nanny, MamaLu, Esteban’s mother. Fate gets them separated and their lives move in opposite directions.
Enters Damian, an anti-hero that captures Sky with a plan of revenge. He wants to revenge his past and finally make justice.
And when justice and revenge, present and past mix together, Sky will realize that sometimes in life… your ghost are not as dead as you think.



Despite these story as some pet peeve aspects for me, what grabbed my attention was its uniqueness. Not exactly a dark reading (just the first chapters), just a refreshing take on a plot that is not original on its own. The character were easy to like despite their many (especially the hero’s) flaws, and there were enough twists in the story to make us entertained and the writing style flows easily. It got a little slow towards the 70% mark but it picked up and the whole story wrapped up in a beautiful way. If you want to read a story that takes a little bit out of your comfort zone, this book is a good chance.



Rating: 4 Stars.
Steam: Some hot scenes.
Sensible Subjects: Drugs. Violence.
Love Triangle: No.
Cheating: No.
HEA: Yes.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS

You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

This weekend I didn’t just read a book, I experienced one. I fell head over heels for an all encompassing, gritty and emotional romance that kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve had this phenomenal story on my kindle for over 2 years and only now just read it. I’m kicking myself for it fully for only now discovering the raw talent that is Leylah Attar writing. Because this book? This book was everything. EVERYTHING. It was devastating, passionate, beautiful and dark. It was flawlessly written and entirely unforgettable.

Vengeance only begets more vengeance, more chaos, more darkness.

What ultimately hooked me on the story was the writing. It's this unicorn of writings styles that falls flawlessly between lyrical and gritty. I fell in love with Attar's writing style. Her descriptions, her character development, all of it was so effortless yet absolutely stunning. I can't say enough about it.

We are a question that hasn’t been answered yet, a hiding place that hasn’t been found yet, a battle that hasn’t been fought yet.”

The readers gets thrown right into the deep end from the beginning. Left breathless and eager for answers, the authors keeps you at the edge of your seat with each morsel of information that she slowly discloses. The pacing was absolute perfection.

I instantly connected with Skye. Although she's lived a pampered, almost sheltered life, this is not a naive or spoiled woman. She's someone with an inner core of strength that makes her shine from the pages. You can't help but root for her and the impossible situation that she finds herself in. Kidnapped, held captive on a boat, being led to what she knows is her inevitable death by a man that leaves her with more questions than answers.

Damian had thieving, stealing contraband eyes, and when they fell on my mouth, they robbed me of all breath and thought.

Damian. Oh man. Damian. This was such an intense and complex anti-hero. You want to hate him for what he does, and then he gives you glimpses of something more vulnerable behind the mask he wears, and you can't help but yearn for more of it. This is a character with so many layers, that even if you peeled them all back, you'd still not get to the center of it.

His lips found mine and he latched on with a hunger that left me breathless. He was an ocean of want and need. All the raging, submerged currents that he’d kept at bay unleashed themselves on me. I tried to keep afloat, clutching at him, but I didn’t stand a chance.

The Paper Swan is a stunning story of vengeance and sacrifice, of regret and forgiveness. It was passionate. It was gritty and raw. It was absolutely, positively unforgettable and a story I'll take with me for a long time to come.

Find me on:

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

-- "You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die"-

I have to say that with the "Paper Swan" I am sitting on the fence as to how I feel about this read. I did enjoy it, but it didn't "wow" me. There were a lot of things that happened that were very predictable, and yet I still at times had trouble putting the book down. (some buddy I was, I finished the book by staying up all night instead of waiting for my partner!!! Sorry Steph!!) I did like the authors words, and I found myself highlighting a lot of quotes that I fell in love with. I just really felt at times frustrated with some of the actions of the hero and the heroine.

I would prefer not to get into the story as I think it's best to go into this fairly blind. I didn't read a lot of reviews until after I read the story, and I have to say that I'm glad. There just are certain things that are best not known. The main one I found was not understanding fully who the hero was until a few chapters in. There was a lot of jumping from past to present, and some authors pull that off really well in a story; but a times in this one I found myself getting antsy with it. A few times I thought to myself that I'd rather get on with the present story now! Also, there was a time at about 65% where I was thinking: "why are they not together again.." One of a huge pet peeve for me is to have a story where a big portion of the time the hero and heroine are not together. That always seems to annoy me, and it certainly did in this story.

Enough with the negative though, it was not a terrible experience for me, just more an indifferent one. Kind of like I could take it or leave it! The love story that does take place, even tough predictable; was a sweet ones at times. I'm thinking I would have liked it more if we had some sweeter moments more frequently. I know this is considered on the darker side of romance; but I have read a lot of books that are waaaay more darker than this one. Truthfully, on the whole I didn't think of it as too dark. Maybe I am jaded..

All in all, I think that if you are interested in reading it, then definitely do. There are a ton of readers that fall in love with this book. It seems to be split down the middle of readers loving it or saying it was just; MEH!! So, give it a go...you may be one of the ones who fall in love with a great book!

Thank you to Steph for Buddy Reading this one with me. I'm sorry for being a bad buddy and moving on ahead! LOL (Please don't fire me as a Buddy! ;-P )

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

~4.5 Take My Breath Away STARS~

"Are we ever able to truly understand the 'why' or do we simply yearn for labels and boxes to organize the chaos we can't control."

The Paper Swan is my first Leylah Attar read and what a debut it was! I entered this read having no idea what to expect! Imagine my sheer delight when I was swept away into a story with depth, heart, passion, and truly endearing characters. This story is told in dual POV and the time shifts seamlessly between the present and the past.



Skye is a wealthy young woman living the high life. Although materialist things keep her occupied, she only has her father in her life and a few precious memories form her childhood. When she was young, she had a very special nanny named MaMaLu and a best friend named Esteban (MaMaLu's Son). As our story begins, Skye finds herself in a truly terrifying situation and she is desperate to find her way out.

"My life was set to be a series of standing ovations: graduation, wedding, a house worthy of being showcased in a slick magazine, two perfect kids. Yet here I was, on my knees, a sack over my head, the cold barrel of a gun against the base of my skull."-Skye



Damian is a man on a mission. His mission is vengeance, pain, and death. He has been robbed of all happiness and left emotionally bankrupt. Skye is exactly what he needs to make everything wrong in his life right again. He will not stop until he collects on the debt.

"Friends aren't forever. Everything will break. People say goodbye. Get too close and you get hurt."

Skye and Damian have a very volatile relationship at first. They are caught in an emotional battle for control over one another. They must navigate through the murky waters of pain and dissapointment. Damian wants revenge and Skye wants him to find redemption. Will they be able to find a way? Eventually the walls are torn down and what is left is what I like to call a beautiful disaster!

"Damian had thieving, stealing contraband eyes, and when they fell on my mouth, they robbed me of all breath and thought."-Skye



Honestly, I simply cannot tell you any more about this book. You just have to go in with an open mind and an open heart. The writing is flawless and beautiful. I felt like the rich character development really enhanced this read because I had a clear picture of each character. I could envision what they looked like and I could certainly feel the emotions they were experiencing. Without a doubt, I felt connected to the story and invested in the future of Skye and Damian. The shifting POV really helped understand the history behind the actions of Damian. When everything is revealed, the plot still continues to twist and turn. I felt like the action was intense but not overtly violent. The passion between Damian and Skye is truly a heart stopper. Additionally, there are many life lessons to be discovered in this read. I love the feeling when I walk away from a book and take pieces away with me!

"We are a question that hasn't been answered yet, a hiding place that hasn't been found yet, a battle that hasn't been fought yet."



Overall, I highly recommend this read to friends who enjoy a bit of a mystery with their read. The Paper Swan is a passionate love story that will leave you wanting more! I know that my description has been vague and yet, I simply cannot say it enough...you don't want to ruin the reveal of this story. Just trust me when I say, you will not want to put this down. I am so excited to have discovered another writer to follow. Well done Ms. Attar! I will certainly be investing in more of your books!

"In the grand scheme of things, we do the best we can, all of us, and we make up our stories as we go along; we write them and direct them and project them into the world. And sometimes we get other people's stories and sometimes we don't; but always there is a story behind a story behind a story, linked in a chain that we can only see a small part of, because it' there when we're born and it continues, after we're gone."

~This was a special BR with my girls at Shh... ! Thanks for another amazing BR ladies!~


~ARC graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.~

For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this story completely blind. I just remember seeing all the fantastic reviews when all my friends read it, so I knew I had to give it a shot. I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. As the story continued to unfold I was more and more intrigued.

The story begins with Skye Dedgewick being kidnapped. She is an heiress, so her first reaction is to think she was kidnapped for money. Skye soon learns that the kidnapping goes a lot further than monetary gain.

Damian Caballero is out for blood, but why? What makes someone this impassioned to go these great lengths to hurt another person. Skye and Damian have a different relationship, as you watch them both struggle with what they should do. Skye wants her freedom, Damian wants revenge, but it becomes a lot more difficult once things are revealed.



That’s basically all you are getting from me, because I think books like this need unfold one page at a time. I will just say I loved the connection between the characters and all the plot twists. I loved how this book made me feel, like I was holding my breathe waiting for things to happen.

I listened to the audiobook of Paper Swan and I highly recommend it. Between the beautifully written story and the narration, I couldn’t put it down. It usually takes me a long time to complete audiobooks. Typically, I will end up buying the book to complete the last 25% reading - I am super impatient! However, this audio had me engaged until the very last word.

[Maria✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➦This book has a kidnapping trope and is definitely dark but not overly so. It focuses more on psychological and emotional aspects, I suppose, rather than descriptions of graphic violent scenes. I kind of appreciated that, because I'm not a huge fan of super dark and twisted.

➦There is a pretty interesting back story involving two main characters and the book jumps between the past and the present. I very much enjoy stories with the flashbacks from the past because I do so lurve good character development. This was my second book by Leylah Attar and her writing continues to surprise and... please me. Ok, that sounded creepy. lol

➦If you haven't yet read I suggest you do so :p

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

I love a really well done captor tale, and this was VERY WELL DONE. It was different from other captor tales I've read, the reasons for that I'll keep to myself since it would spoil everything. And this is a book where knowing very little other than the synopsis, is highly recommended. I loved the emotional intensity, the incredible attention to detail and consistency, the taught suspense, and the well fleshed out, multi-dimensional characters. At times I felt I was there, in whatever place was being described, that's how richly detailed the setting was, I loved that.
If you've read 53 Letters for My Lover, by Leylah Attar, then you know her stories are never simple. They're layered with an intricate plot that changes based on perception. Her use of language is always evocative of an atmosphere that is both hopeful and foreboding. I loved the prose here and thought the book was beautifully written.

I won't go into detail as not to ruin this read, but because it's a captor tale you know to expect betrayal, deceit and violence. Skye Sedgewick is a woman living in luxury and soon turning 24. Her whole life seems to be mapped out for her until she's taken. The kidnapping was effortless, quick and had dire consequences for everyone involved. Skye's captor, her father, Warren Sedgewick, and herself. A moment of weakness changes the dynamic of the captor's plan. Like a domino effect, that one hesitation sets all involved on a course that no one could anticipate.

Skye has a story, the captor has a story, but together they create a living and breathing dynamic that refuses to be put down. I won't even bother going into the secondary characters or anything else because I'm telling you, it'll ruin everything! But I will say that I loved Skye, I loved her captor, I loved the setting and the place called Casa Paloma. It wasn't just a home but a timeline and a living memory.
Told in dual pov's with the emphasis on Skye's, this method was perfect in conveying the incredibly emotional journey our characters had to take. I felt their pain and terror, their hopes and dreams, their love and longing. I also felt the characters psychological states were realistically portrayed. I BELIEVED Skye was fearful and breaking down, I felt her despair and confusion over something she couldn't explain. I loved Skye's captor. He also had valid reasons to do what he did, and although I felt he was acting out of self entitlement, I believed he felt it was the only way.

If you're wondering if there's a love triangle, don't wonder any longer. There isn't even something close to a love triangle, and that's all I'm saying. But there is love, longing, want, surrender. There's also hate, jealousy, greed and comeuppance. There's a story here not just about a woman being captured and having her once orderly life turned chaotic, but of a love story based on purity and innocence. We all have to learn from our mistakes and pay the price for committing them. There's retribution in sin but also in love.
And for those of you wondering, there is an epilogue! A beautiful one that brings everything full circle. This had a sweeping feel to it and I loved it and highly recommend it.

**Arc provided by Leylah Attar for review **

[warhawke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Type: Standalone
POV: Shifting - Dual
Rating:




Skye Sedgewick was a young beautiful heiress. Born with silver spoon, she never had to work a day in her life, always having her wants and needs catered to her every whims. But that perfect life was rudely ripped from her and changed everything she ever knew.



When I first read the blurb (as vague as it is), I knew I had to read this book because it sounds dark. The underlying premise was dark, but the book itself wasn’t. Still, I wasn’t disappointed at all.

I was no longer mannequin-plastic, pretty and perfect; I was hacked up, inside and out.

Skye is what I would call a character with fragile strength. She was strong enough to go through what she did, but she also had cracks that threaten to crumble with just a gentle tap.



I absolutely love Damian. His patience and ambition made him desirable to me.

The only one who wasn’t afraid of Damian’s dark, relentless intensity was Rafael. He trailed Damian around, content to watch, accepting the silences.

I love Damian’s friendship with Rafael. Of how it started and how it evolved.

When he climbed out of Skye’s window that night, he left something behind: his childhood, his innocence, his shining, naive ideals—all scattered on the floor like limp, trodden paper dreams.

I love Esteban too. His story was heartbreaking, but I also love how he managed to changed his life path regardless of the consequences.

“We are a question that hasn’t been answered yet, a hiding place that hasn’t been found yet, a battle that hasn’t been fought yet.”

As for the story, it thought it was slow at first, but as it progressed it got better and better. A lot of the plot was predictable, but it didn’t take away much from the beautiful writing.



The Paper Swan is a story of innocence, friendship, love and redemption that reminds you that what doesn’t break you will always make you stronger.


Note:
I wish I could say more about this beautiful book, but it is the kind of book that is hard to analyze without giving it away.


★ ★ ★(F)BR with the Shhluts ★ ★ ★





For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first audio experience......

I enjoyed some aspects and especially loved the male narration. I found elements to be somewhat predictable and I'm not sure if that's a result of the writing or the intonation of the female's voice when narrating.

Overall an engaging read with a few harrowing moments and a story arc that developed into being quite sweet in the end.

I will certainly read more from this author.

[Krazyʕ•ᴥ•ʔKoala · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I had hyped up this book way too much in my mind, which of course led to disappointment. I don't know when will I learn my lesson *sighs*. Anyway, one of the reasons I didn't like this book was because it felt like I have read this story before, everything was predictable - that's why I have recently lost interest in romance because I have read way too much romance and everything has become predictable. Also, I found few things to be pretty DRAMATIC. I have noticed I don't like when there is unnecessary/page extending drama in end, it annoys me a lot. Another reason I didn't like this book was that I was expecting a completely different thing from this book, the whole 22 days thing? It's misleading. Even the cover is misleading, I thought this book was going to be filled with a lot of angst and I was going to flood my whole room with tears, with my sadness. Spoiler alert- I didn't. Again,
Higher expectations = Huge disappointment

But I have rated it 3.75 stars why?

Well, I enjoyed the first part of this book a lot and also the part where the main characters were on an island & were on tour somewhere? Those parts where these two were together as adults and when there wasn't much drama. If I reread this book (actually I will be doing it) it will be just those parts because I enjoyed them a lot.

Do I recommend this book?
Yes, despite all things that I wrote I didn't like about this book, I feel many readers will enjoy this book. And I will check out more books by this author.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5++++ “Cielito lindo” “Everyone has a reason.” “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” “Love don’t die.” “MaMaLu” Kisses

Beautiful. Poignant. Unique. Unforgettable. For 273 pages, Leylah Attar and all her brilliance, captivated me with each and every word of The Paper Swan…I was addicted to every word, every moment was breathtaking and hit every single emotion in a way I don’t think I can ever describe. I’m probably going to run out of positive words that can fully do justice how utterly enthralled I was with this book…it totally blew my mind. I need it to be stated for the record that Leylah broke me with this book…it has taken me over three days just to sit down and finally write my review…haven’t touched my kindle…really couldn’t even think about what I wanted to read next because I could not stop thinking about The Paper Swan. This is probably one of the biggest book hangovers I have ever experienced. I don’t even know where to begin with my review because I feel like I have so much to say and yet all that keeps going through my brain is Everyone absolutely must read this book right now!!!! Alas…I do need to say more than that…which might end up in a lot of babbling on my part...so here I go!

Skye Sedgewick…güerita…this was never her battle to face and yet it always involved her whether she liked it or not. I really liked Skye in the beginning…but of course, the more I got to know her, the more I loved her…loved her strength, her determination, her spirit, her sass…all of it is what kept her going, kept her fighting and ultimately I know it’s what kept her alive. While she may play the part of a spoiled princess very well…Skye is more than just how she was raised. Regardless of how much money her father gives her or the clothes on her back or what luxuries she grew up with…she’s still her mother’s daughter and she will always be a girl who knows what she values…which is more than what money can buy – and that’s what I loved the most about her. I love that Leylah writes such strong heroines because Skye is truly one of my favorites and she’s just one of the many unforgettable aspects of this book.

‘In that moment, I realized that in the end, all the hurts and grudges and excuses are nothing more than floaty apparitions that scatter like pale ghosts in the face of all the people you loved, and all the people who loved you. Because in the end, my life boiled down to three kisses and three faces: my father, my nanny and her son…’

Damian Caballero…that’s Dah-me-yahn…yes, even the way he pronounces his name has to be different. Truly…everything about Damian is different. He is one of the best anti-hero’s I’ve ever read…and I so didn’t want to love him…didn’t know if I could love him at first. The first 10-20% is…rough, he’s really easy to hate…and then I slowly found myself liking him more and more and really questioning my sanity (it was kind of a Caleb/Captive in the Dark thing…which I enjoyed more than I care to admit). Getting his side of the story…understanding his past…that was truly the changing point for me and after that…all bets were off. Also because after that he got more and more amazing and I really didn’t stand a chance. The things he says…uncontrollable out of this world swoon factor – just off the charts…and while his actions in the beginning made me cringe, after 50-60% there were very few things he did that didn’t make me want to climb him like a spider monkey. All I need from Damian is a seashell necklace and I’m a goner…yup, I really am that easy. #SorryNotSorry

‘I wanted to pulverize every single memory I had of him. I wanted him to hurt the way I was hurting. I wanted him to sob the way I was sobbing. I wante—
Damian grabbed my hands and pinned them behind my back. His lips found mine and he latched on with a hunger that left me breathless. He was an ocean of want and need. All the raging, submerged currents that he’d kept at bay unleashed themselves on me. I tried to keep afloat, clutching at him, but I didn’t stand a chance. My hurt, my anger, my tears were tossed aside by something deeper, something vast and true and powerful and endless.
It was a kiss that had sneaked in through an open window, a kiss that lay folded in a paper giraffe, in the silences between 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, in the pits of mini mangoes and here, now, at last, it was set free. And the rightness of it, the feeling of longing and belonging, made me want to hold on to it forever. I wanted Damian to keep kissing me, keep kissing, keep kissing, until every other kiss had been erased, until this was the only kiss.’

It is going to be so incredibly difficult to talk about this story and not give anything away because every little detail is so tightly entwined with something else and the way it all fits together is so majestically amazing…I wouldn’t want to ruin that for anyone. Suffice it to say…Skye and Damian have a complex relationship…and that’s putting things…lightly. It’s beyond complex…it possibly redefines the word, but for me that’s what made it more intriguing, more compelling, more addictive. Through everything that happens…and trust me, we see the entire gamut of good, bad, ugly…horrible (you get it all and then some), I still had this undercurrent of hope. It's not even one necessary scene or moment that stuck out to me and instilled that feeling in me, but I held on to it from the get go and it's part of what bound me to Skye and Damien. Even through the parts that made me close my eyes and cringe…I was still so compulsively into every nuance of what was going on. Maybe it was the mystery aspect…maybe it was because I always had this gut feeling that there was more to it…whatever it was, it worked perfectly for the story line and keeping me 100% engaged. Working through all the…mess that is Damian and Skye is probably what made me enjoy them the most…because once the masks come off and they’re truly them…no pretenses…no lies…just them…good fucking Lord…I just can’t even. I felt everything about these two and my heart just wanted to explode. I wish I could experience those moments again and again because…they’re just stunning.

“How do you know that?”
“Because you love me.” There. The words were out and I couldn’t take them back. Let him deny what I’d seen in his eyes, what I knew was the truth.
Damian tensed, as if holding something in check. I held my breath, waiting for the mask to slip back on. My heart was going to break to the murmur of the ocean and the night wind rustling through palm trees. The lump in my throat grew to the size of a giant coconut.
“It’s true,” he said. “I’ve always loved you. Even when I hated you.”
Oh God oh God oh God oh God.
“Loved? Past tense?” I was pushing it, but my heart took a perilous leap.
“Loved. Love. What does it matter?” He pulled me into the cradle of his arms. “Love don’t die.”

When I say this story is different…it’s because in all the books I’ve read, I’ve never read anything remotely close to TPS. Not that I haven’t experienced elements that it had in other books…but the way everything was used and combined on top of the way Leylah wrote it is what made it stand out for me. It had the mystery aspect that I made reference to…which, once we switch from Skye’s POV to Damian’s, all the missing pieces are filled in, but that didn’t make things in any way easier or more simple. If anything it led to more convoluted feelings and more angst on my heart…which for some reason made me love it more (apparently I’m addicted to Leylah’s specific brand of torture!). In the beginning, with the kidnapping and everything, it was a lot darker than I expected – in a good way, but I was still happily surprised to get this kind of story from Leylah. I mean, it wasn’t as dark as other authors have gone but it was still amazing and worked…it didn’t feel forced and I loved seeing that side of Leylah’s writing. I loved that it was so much more than a love story…but not in a way that distracted or took away from how much I was enjoying Damian and Skye. That sounds really confusing now that I have typed it but it enhanced the romance and each detail played a part in making me enjoy their connection and relationship more – all the drama and side situations only fed into enhancing Damian and Skye...and it came across so effortlessly.

“You’re out of your mind.”
“Am I?” He swept one arm around the small of my back and pulled me in. “Tell me you haven’t missed me. Tell me you haven’t stayed up nights thinking of how good we are together. Because right at this moment, all I want to do is push you up against the wall and take you so hard that I can’t tell where I end and where you begin. I ache where you’re supposed to be, Skye, and I’m not going to stop until you’re mine. So we can draw this out or we can quit wasting more time. Either way, we’re going to end up right here. Me about to fuck you.”

This is not a story about Damian and Skye…far from it. There are a few other characters that play their crucial role in this exceptional story and without them…there would be no Damian and Skye. Some I can’t go into too much detail about because…well, it would spoil things and I just can’t do that to anyone…but I would hate myself just a little bit if I didn’t at least mention them. Esteban Samuel Alvarez…I cannot even contain my love for my little Estebandido…he is playful and strong willed and so incredibly loving. I could go on and on for days about how much I love Esteban, but at the risk of spoilers I will leave it at this…his heart and his capacity to love is truly what brings a lot of this story together. Adriana Nina Torres Sedgewick…Skye’s mother…while she is not physically in the book, her presence and spirit plays its own special part…family as a whole and how everything intertwines is very crucial to this story overall. Warren Henderson Sedgewick…there will always be a soft spot in my heart for Skye’s daddy and his three kisses. At the end of the day, while I may not have liked everything he did…the one thing I did adore was how much he loved his daughter. I can say a million other things but I cannot say that he wasn’t a loving father. And last but definitely not least…Maria Luisa Alvarez…oh MaMaLu…this woman and her selfless heart almost stole the book for me. I adored her as much as I adored Skye and Damian. She is a one of a kind character whose imprint is felt in many, many ways and she’s the catalyst for so much of what happens. I loved what she did for both Damian and Skye…how much she loved them and of course seeing how much they loved her.

“Come.” I held out my hand. “Home.” The only two words that managed to escape. I couldn’t fight it anymore. Loving Damian might destroy me, but not loving him was killing me.
I didn’t wait for an answer. I took his hand, turned off the light, and led him to the mansion.
“Wait,” he said at the door. “I don’t—”
“I love you, Damian. Always you. Only you. This is where you belong. With me and Sierra.”
“But you said—”
“I know. I said a lot of things. To you, to myself. Then I remembered what you said. ‘Love don’t die.’ It’s true, Damian. I have never stopped loving you, from the time I was a little girl up in that room. When I follow my heart, it always leads me back to you.”

It’s official…I want to live in Leylah Attar’s brain. Pretty please. Because amazingness comes from it. This is only the second novel of hers that I have read and I don’t know how else to describe her writing other than pure genius that I love with an unending passion. I cannot believe how easily and quickly I fell in love with this book…like by the time I realized that I was hypnotized by the brilliance I was reading, I was so incredibly invested…everything about The Paper Swan just captivated me. Her writing is beyond phenomenal. Like seriously out of this world amazing… her words just hit me with such force and power. There is such an elegant beauty and a natural simplicity in what she was saying but the impact and the way it left me feeling is beyond description. And it didn’t stop there - the plot line was totally unpredictable…there were a few things that I figured out, but aside from those, there were so many moments that had my eyes bugging out of my head – I’ve read my fair share of books that have shocked me but there were a couple of Holy Hell moments for me…I gave up trying to guess what could happen next because there was no way to prepare myself, and I love when that happens. Even at the end - just when I thought…oh, I can relax now…finally – because I swear, I was on alert the entire time through reading this book, always waiting for the next bomb to drop – I got sloppy and just started to calm down and enjoy Skye and Damian…and that was my own mistake. Leylah got me good with the sneak-attack-nail-biting-moment at the end…but I can’t deny…it was awesome. Then again, every moment of The Paper Swan was awesome.

‘We are sand and rock and water and sky, anchors on ships and sails in the wind. We are a journey to a destination that shifts every time we dream or fall or leap or weep. We are stars with flaws that still sparkle and shine. We will always strive, always want, always have more questions than answers, but there are moments like these, full of magic and contentment, when souls get a glimpse of the divine and quite simply, lose their breath.’

So…in case it wasn’t blatantly obvious – this was one of the best books I’ve read all year. Hands down could not love it more if I tried…but I would love to try. If I could read this book over and over again…I would, because I’m sure there are so many things that would mean so much more the second time around. Truly epicness at its best…gorgeous writing…fantasticly intricate plot…well developed characters…all combined to create beauty on the page and magic in my head. Prepare for a book hangover cause there is no getting over The Paper Swan.

[Anniebananie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich wusste nicht so recht ob dieses Genre "Dark Romance" oder wie man es auch immer bezeichnen soll, etwas für mich ist. Ich dachte entweder haut mich das Buch total um oder es enttäuscht mich oder macht mich sogar wütend :D
Aber überraschenderweise ist nichts davon eingetreten, ich fand es enttäuschend mittelmäßig. Die erste Hälfte mochte ich dabei aber um einiges mehr als die zweite. In der zweiten Hälfte sind sooooo unrealistische Zufälle aufgetreten, nein das war mir dann alles etwas zu viel des guten.
Dabei mochte ich die Idee an sich und auch diesen Twist wie der Hass und die Angst in andere Gefühle umschlagen fand ich gut und nachvollziehbar erzählt.
Unsere beiden Protagonisten mochte ich auch und auch das Setting war mal was anderes. Den Teil der Geschichte, der in der Vergangenheit spielt war auch durchaus sinnvoll um die beiden und ihre Geschichte besser zu verstehen. Dazu trug auch bei, dass das Buch abwechselnd aus ihrer und aus seiner Sicht erzählt wird. Der Schreibstil war angenehm zu lesen und sehr bildhaft aber auch nicht zu detailverliebt.
Die große Wendung kam m.E. zu früh und nahm mir auch die Spannung und das Tempo aus der Geschichte. Ab da war doch der Großteil leider doch recht vorhersehbar.
Also ich würde sagen: für Einstieger wie mich in dieses Genre durchaus geeignet. Kann man gut lesen, muss man aber auch nicht zwingend gelesen haben...

[Megan • Reading Books Like a Boss (book blog) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Click on the banner to read my review on my blog.

"You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die."

NON-SPOILER SECTION:

Leylah Attar's debut novel,  53 Letters for my Lover , was an incredibly moving love story. Her newest release,  The Paper Swan , is a mix of several elements: a suspenseful thriller, a love story full of loss, sacrifices, and twists and turns. The first quarter of the book I enjoyed, but ultimately the book suffered from dramatic overload, which kept me from liking the book.

I struggled with how to rate this book. On one hand, I didn't hate it. In fact, there were moments that I liked and the writing style was overall good. But on the other hand, I had a lot of issues with it. I had originally given it a 2-star rating upon finishing. After gathering my thoughts and writing this review, I realized that I needed to edit my rating to reflect my review.

The first quarter of the book had this great momentum, packed with suspense and secrets brewing beneath the surface. In 53 Letters, Leylah Attar had a knack for telling an unconventional story and taking characters you otherwise might hate and introducing you to their vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to fall in love with Damien in her follow-up. He was someone I really began to loathe. He continued doing horrible things to Skye with no apparent remorse.

"...the human psyche is a such a fragile thing, a yolk contained within a brittle shell—one crack and out it spills: a neighbor goes on a suicide mission, tribes massacre tribes, countries turn their faces away from injustices. And it all starts within, because within is where all things begin."

This is a fiction novel, and I get that we as readers are asked to suspend disbelief often in fiction. Reading is an escape. But when you cross the line from suspending disbelief and venture into the absurd it becomes impossible to truly escape. Such is the case with this book for me. I couldn't get lost in the book due to issues that only multiplied the further I read. The romance between the hero and heroine was not romantic to me. (I will go into more detail on that in the spoiler section). The story unfolds partially through flashbacks, but Damien's backstory was a too long and caused the story to drag.

*** SPOILER SECTION ***

Click Here to Read my review with Spoilers: --->

The story begins with Skye being abducted after a night out on the town. She has no clue who took her. All she knows is that a man threw her in the trunk of her car with hefty dose of chloroform. He points a gun at her head with the intention of killing her, but he stops. The next thing she knows, she's on a boat. Soon, her worst nightmares and her wildest dreams collide when she learns the truth.

In the beginning of the story, there is a void between Damien and Skye. On the surface, they have nothing in common. The abduction appeared to be random. Soon, you learn that they share a history. Damien is actually her best friend from childhood, someone she's always carried in her heart for years, loved even.

At least fifteen years have passed since they last saw each other. Skye's memories of the little boy she grew up with are now permanently mixed with a much more violent person. Damien is blinded by his hunger for vengeance. He's no longer the jokester kid protecting Skye from the school bully, Gidiot. After years of working for the cartel, witnessing countless deaths and killing several people, he is a hardened man. Ruthless. And on a mission to take the most important thing from the man who took something very precious to him as a child: his mother.

The fact that Damien and Skye shared a past made it difficult for me to fully let go of all the horribly violent things he did to Skye. In turn, their love story was problematic for me. After he did these things, he said he had always loved her even when he hated her. But how do you chloroform the girl you've been in love with for years? How do you hold a gun to her head? How do you hit her so hard she passes out? And How do you cut off her finger? Sure, all of his years in the cartel have made him a different person, molding him into a ruthless machine. But he claimed that he loved her the whole time and that fact made it impossible believe their romance considering all the things he did to her.

I really wanted there to be a scene after she nurses him back to health where she just gets stark-raving mad at him for doing what he did to her. I wanted him to suffer more than just tasting her bad ceviche or wincing when he looked at her severed finger. I wanted her to slap him around a little, get angry at him. She forgave him way too quickly. I think we as readers were supposed to glean from Damien's backstory that he has issues and he's messed up but his past didn't excuse his actions. The argument that he was blinded by pain didn't work for me.

I had several issues with this book that hindered me from getting lost in it.

• Would a girl who's facing her death, in shock, terrified, and bound and gagged in the back of a car, really be thinking about the shoes she just bought? Or contemplating the next day's newspaper headlines after she stabs her captor with the heel of her Louboutins?

• We were asked to believe that that MaMaLu would be safe from El Charro in a Mexican prison guarded by men who take bribes from the cartel. And why wouldn't Skye's father just find a way to get her to the United States or put her in a safe house in Mexico? Why put her in prison?

• I didn't really buy that Skye failed to recognize Damien sooner after she was captured. He was four years older than her when they were separated, which would have made him around 12 or 13. It's made pretty clear that she's thought about him often since being separated, his face seared into her mind. I would think she would have recognized him, even all grown up.

• There were several coincidences and after awhile it was just too much. For example: After spending eight years in prison, Damien buys the house that Skye grew up in with the intention to restore it to its original glory. Not long after the renovations begin, a little girl begins showing up at the house everyday after school. Later, the reader finds out that it's his daughter. Skye had moved back to Mexico, and the little girl just happens to stumble upon the very house Damien lives in. Taken alone this probably wouldn't have bothered me as much, if it were not combined with all of my other issues. But at this late point in the book, I had hit my limit.

• He gifts her the very shoes that she wore the night he abducted her and then they have sex while she wears them.

• For a wedding present he buys her the land where he killed El Charro and dozens of other drug cartel members in a bombing.


Many may be able to suspend disbelief for the sake of the love story, but I couldn't. I wasn't sold on the romance. The transition from a captive/captor relationship to the "I love him" stage was awkward, rushed, and I didn't really feel the romance between them. I need to feel the characters falling in love and I just didn't with this one. Like I said, maybe that was due to how unsettled I was with how Damien treated Skye. I'm sure there was a bit of Stolkholm Syndrome in there too. But I needed there to be more build up in the story.

Then the ending was too much for me.

• At this point, Sierra (their daughter) has formed a bond with Damien, but she doesn't know he's her father. She walks in on Skye and Damien kissing. When she asks them why they were kissing, Skye tells her that Damien is her father. And that's when then they proceed to tell her, in a very casual manner, that it was Damien who cut of her mother's finger years ago. What?

• In the final chapters of the book, all seemed to be going well. Damien and Skye are together again and are incredibly happy. Suddenly Victor, Skye's father's right-hand man (and the man who nearly lost his arm thanks to Damien), breaks into their house and threatens to kill them all. It was too dramatic and felt like I was having reader whiplash.




This book felt like the backstory was all manufactured around the romance this author wanted to tell, instead of having these characters and creating an organic story from them. Readers who don't mind a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, will probably like this book more than I did. I'm finding that as I read more books, I don't need there to be a shocker at every corner to keep me interested, some are totally okay for me. But my issue is when the plot is laden with them. Here the conflict between the captor and captive was already strong enough to keep the story going without many of the added twists and extra drama.

There were some moments of this book I liked, especially the suspenseful first quarter. But after that point, the story fell apart. Leylah Attar is a good writer and she took risks with this book. I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

It truly makes me sad that I didn't like this book.

1 star

* I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.




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[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: The Paper Swan
AUTHOR: Leylah Attar
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: August 04th 2015

MY RATING: 5 STARS!!

As stated by the author: Paper Swan is about A haunting tale of passion, loss, and redemption, a darkly intense yet heartwarming love story



I've not read anything from this author before but couldn't wait to get my finger one clicking as soon as it was up on Amazon, firstly because of the reviews, secondly this has been popping up on my newsfeed daily on facebook, and thirdly it promises to be a dark gritty read..SOLD!! .. 3 BOXES TICKED

He’d grabbed me in the parking lot as I was getting into my sky blue convertible—pulled me out and slammed me, facedown, against the hood. I thought he’d take my bag, my wallet, my keys, my car. But that’s not what happened. He didn’t want my bag or my wallet or my keys or my car.
He wanted me.

Dear Lord, bless my soul. And watch over Dad. And MaMaLu and Esteban

BOOM HERE WE GO!!

That whole Stockholm syndrome thing? Yeah, I really wasn’t feeling it. If I ever found where he’d stashed my spiked heels, I was going to nail his black heart to the mast of his fucking boat.

Unique writing style, suspenseful, intense, gritty, borderline dark, that walk into unknown territory, you don't know what's going to happen next..

Skye, Don’t play with scorpions unless you intend to get stung, We're harsh and predatory and full of venom.

On five, Skye. On five.
I took a deep breath and counted down.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . .

WELL SHIT!! I didn't see that twist coming at me, that's a whole game changer!!

If you can’t take, don’t give.
If you can’t take don’t give.
A boy I once adored had said that.

It took me a wee bit to get into this, just the backwards and forwards then BOOM shit just got real!! And I'm at that stage where for the life of me I can't put it down..I fucking loved this!! I can feel a big book funk coming my way after this..How have I not read anything by this author before!!

Fight back and fight hard

In the beginning you are under the illusion that it's leading towards a love triangle but it's not, as you progress into the story more it's clearly not..

Where there's hate there can be no love

[Joëlle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update Febr 13 2016 : on SALE on AMAZON US at the moment

******************************************************************

BR with the lovely Madeleine ♡♡♡ ! Sweetie, I’m so glad I got to know you better and I will always cherish my new friendship with you…

I have had this one waiting on my Kindle for 5 months and I can’t believe I waited that long to read this amazing, well written book!

I won’t reveal to much of the story since it is better to go in blind … This is the story of Skye. She lost her mom when she was still a small child. She got raised by her nanny MaMaLu and while growing up she developed a beautiful friendship with her son Esteban. An unfortunate event separates them and they never see each other again. Now, 12 years later, she is a happy young woman until the day she gets abducted. She has to go through so much terror and pain delivered by her captor Damian. Will she see her father again? Can she escape her Captor?

I loved every second of this book! It made me feel so much … joy, terror, hate, fear, happiness, ... and so much more! The only thing I would have loved was if there was a larger epilogue. We get many insights in the past but it took rather long for the HEA and I would have loved to have read more about their future!

“You think there’s such a thing as too much happiness?” he asked. “Because right now, I feel like I can’t contain it and the universe is going to step in to restore the balance.”

This amazing read gets 4.5 stars! I’m already looking forward to read more from this author…

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “If you can’t take, don’t give” Stars


The Paper Swan is a story about friendship, love, vengeance and redemption. The plot centers on the relationship between Damian and Skye and how their choices determine their paths. Despite Damian and Skye being from different worlds, they forge an endearing friendship as children at a time when they believe all is possible; however, all will be tested when fate intervenes and all they know and love is shattered.



Fate can be a cruel mistress and Damian’s life is irrevocably changed as a result. He chooses to take a path of retribution and he will not stop his path of destruction until all involved have paid their debt.

“You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

Over these years, Damian is forced to examine his life and it is simply heartbreaking that he must endure such pain. For me, Damian’s character was pivotal – the driving force and soul of the story. He is loving, sentimental, romantic, selfless but also hateful and forlorn. Out of all the characters in this book, I could relate to him the most.

“Because when we love, we carry it on the inside, and we can turn on its light even in our darkest moments.”

The secondary characters are unforgettable and integral to the story. Damian’s friendship with Rafael was heartwarming. Mamalu’s character is omnipresent and a beacon to Damian’s darkness.

The Paper Swan is written with such elegance. I was instantly drawn into Skye and Damian’s world and felt all their emotions. The plot is captivating and gripping. The characters are convincing and real. Leylah Attar takes us on an incredibly tumultuous journey. I highly recommend this book.


Note: An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

P.P.S. This was a (F)BR with the Shhluts!