Soulless

Heartless #2

by Kelly Martin

How do you fight feelings you shouldn't have?

Hope and love are the two worst 4-letter words in the human language. Hope destroys lives. Love destroys the world. Gracen Sullivan isn't crazy. She wishes she was. That would mean all of the evil going on around her-- because of her-- wouldn't be happening.She wouldn't need the demon blood.She wouldn't be scared to go home.And she wouldn't be having any sort of feelings for the demon, Hart Blackwell.Hope and love are all she has left. Hope and love will destroy everything. Even a love she never saw coming.

SOULLESS is the second book in the Angels and Demons series. A spine-tingling supernatural suspense that will have you reading between your fingers one minute and enthralled with the mystery and romance the next. If you like heart-pounding paranormal stories, characters you'll love, and a mystery with a twist you won't see coming, you'll love SOULLESS by Kelly Martin. For fans of Darcy Coates, Wendy Wang, and Simone St. James. 

The Angels and Demons series is complete on Amazon. All books are in Kindle Unlimited (KU)

BOOKS IN THE

Heartless

Soulless

Breathless

Reckless

Hart

Genres: Fantasy

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2016

About the author

Kelly Martin is an author and developmental editor who lives in a possibly haunted house in a small southern town. While she'd like to say paranormal things only happen to her at her home, it would be a lie, mainly because she searches them out in some of America's most haunted locations. Whether it is talking to the ghosts of Waverly Hills or the spirits of Thomas House Hotel, these events inevitably land in some of Kelly's books. Just wait until you read The Haunting of Micah Reed.

Take a peek at the Website: http://www.kellymartinbooks.com

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Email Kelly Martin at kelly @kellymartinbooks.com (no spaces).

Reviews

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: This is the sequel to Heartless, so be alert for spoilers in this review if you have not read Heartless.

Soulless picks up exactly where Heartless drops off, Gracen was used to open the door to Hell on Earth, and Lucien sacrifices himself to close the door by taking Hart’s place and going into Hell itself. We are not faced with a dying Gracen and Hart, whose 200 year-old revenge vendetta has been for nothing and now suffers from immense guilt. Soulless gives us a different view of the Hart we met in Heartless, and we start to see a more vulnerable side to him. He’s still the devil we love, but his character goes through emotional growth, and a little hell (pun intended), as the story progresses. Gracen also shows growth within her character as she faces an impossible moral decision that even I would struggle with.

I actually binged read both books over the weekend in order to keep up with the story. Because I read both stories in so short a time, it was easy to see the flow and style of each were very similar. I both liked and hated it. The timelines for both stories is really short, and that felt really weird to me. I’m used to lengthy novels taking weeks or months to develop the characters and stage events. So it was strange that the entirety of Soulless was only a few days. However, this also made the books quick reads, which is a plus if you are travelling or only have a weekend to read.

Because of the weird timeline...

See the full review at: http://papercraneseandd.blogspot.com

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have done nothing but rave about Heartless (book one) and seriously thought it was going to be my favorite paranormal/supernatural book of the year, but Soulless has won that spot. I don't normally read horror books and I honestly wouldn't classify these as such. Heartless was slightly closer to the horror side of things, Soulless definitely isn't. There was suspense, a touch of romance, and a ton of feels.

Soulless can be broken down in three parts. The first 50% of the book Kelly Martin screws with your (Gracen's) mind, putting in doubts and insecurities and blowing everything up in front of you. Then for the next 30% it's just anxiety, anxiety to turn the page because you don't know if you're going to love it or hate and you're honestly going to flip flop the whole time. Finally that last 20% is all feels. All. The. Freaking. Feels. All of them.

Gracen was created to let Hell loose and finds out she has the capacity to be one scary creature. This is the story of Gracen fighting that scary creature inside of her. To keep her own humanity. To not have her destroy the world.

I'm a sucker for dual point of view. I love it, especially when the other point of view is from the male in the book. Hart is one interesting demon and has a ton of secrets. I loved seeing what his part in all of this truly is and I'm curious to see where it leads him in the next book.

Soulless is book two in a trilogy. Breathless (book three) comes out in September. Soulless does leave on a cliffhanger, but it's not one of those evil cliffhangers. There is an epilogue that was hands down everything I ever hoped to have in these books. This book was worth the wait. Now the wait begins for Breathless.


Favorite quotes:
Hell was real. And if I'm not stopped, I'll make it look like Disneyland.

"Tell me why you stay Sam." I push.
Hart lowers his head, averting looking in my eyes. "Because you love him."

"You need blood. I have blood. And I'm heading to your mother's house. So if you want to follow your free buffet, come with me. If not, find your own damn Happy Meal. I'm done."

We all have darkness inside us. Everybody does.

[Cindy Mathis]

Hmmm.....where to start? Soulless picks up right where Heartless left off. The story continues with Gracen and Hart (Sam) on their quest. This book has an entirely different feel from Heartless. All of the same elements of spooky carry over from Heartless, but there's a softer, sweeter edge. It's definitely another hit for Kelly Martin! September is a long way away!!!

[A Belle & A Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Soulless, MC Gracen Sullivan faces an impossible situation. Cursed to be the Abomination that will destroy the world, her only support comes from her former tormentor, Hart Blackwell. Soulless shows a different, dare I say compassionate, side to Hart. He is turning out to be quite the little complex demon. And the ending... fate is cruel!

Heaven, Hell, angels, demons, the apocalypse - it is not for the faint of heart. Author Kelly Martin has to have one twisted mind to write this stuff. I LOVE IT so I must be just as twisted, lol.

Soulless is book 2 in the Heartless series and I highly recommend reading it first.

[Ethan Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...

*****
My Thoughts:

"I sound tired. I am tired. It's like I want it to be over, but I know it won't be. My life, as I knew it before, is gone. I thought I has it bad then? I had no idea. If I could go back, even to last week, I'd be happy. I'm not sure how to even go on from here..."

As I mentioned in my feels-filled review for Heartless, it isn't often that I read a novel that completely changes the way I view the industry. A novel the that fills my being and takes over in a way that I become so immersed into the story that I truly leave reality behind in the midst of its' pages. Kelly Martin absolutely astounded me. I had no idea if she could bring me back into the full swing of emotion again. I should've known better.

Soulless is a literary gem. Never before has a sequel caught my attention in such a way as this one. It's almost as though there are no breaks within the story and rather than a new installment, we're merely receiving a continuation of the first novel. That being said, I'm absolutely going to have to say that this novel is a NO READ unless you read book one. I don't usually say that, but I am beyond passionate that no reader will understand the depth of this series without following Gracen's trials from the beginning.

Let's get started.

Soulless picks up near immediately after the closing of Heartless. For obvious reasons, I can't elaborate too much on the plot of this one, but I can tell you that Martin shines. It takes an author of true talent to continue such a heartwrenching stories with such grace and ferocity as Martin did with Soulless. The plot is fast-paced which makes for a quick read. Much like Heartless, this series is about so much more than what we read on the surface. It's not a flashy, action-filled series, but one that will take you on a psychological road trip from which you won't return the same person as when you started. Much like it's predecessor, there are moment of absolute horror in Soulless so again this one is not recommended for the faint of heart.

There were so many moments when reading Soulless that I had to take a moment to compose myself and my thoughts, It's an extremely hard-hitting novel for so many reasons, but such a worthwhile literary adventure. I have highlighted over twenty extremely hard-hitting passages from this read that have hit me in the feels on so many occasions.

Soulless did an incredible job in continuing with Martin's character development and arcs. As the second novel in the trilogy, she didn't have to introduce many new characters which really gave her time to focus on our main duo or Gracen and Hart. I have to say I've never quite seen character development in such as way as I've seen in this series. Redemption is a huge theme in this series and Martin writes it with an elegance we don't see often enough in contemporary literature. Again, for reasons of spoilers I cannot elaborate too much, but I can assure you that I was not disappointed in any capacity.

In terms of setting, Martin again, hit the nail right on the head. In true New Adult fashion, we're situated at college, complete with the allure, excitement, stress, and ambiance of campus life and living. The first apartment, the libraries, Martin really did an incredible job with keeping her story tied to the new adult setting that one comes to look for in a novel of this genre.

I'd like to recycle these thoughts from my review of Heartless as they absolutely pertain to my thoughts on the second installment as well:

I'm going to make this a little personal for a moment. I often try to detach myself from the emotions of a novel. Only because I feel that if you relate too closely with the source material when reviewing, it's tends to cause some bias results. I'll be honest, I couldn't help but relate with everything Martin wrote in this incredible story. It's dark, far darker than I ever anticipated from an author with such a bubbly-upbeat personality. It's reflective on so many aspects of my life and I loved every second. It was such a cathartic read for me that I desperately needed. Words are so useful in dispelling the darkness and Martin and this series do an incredible job. I can't say many stories have touched me the way [Soulless] has.

As a member of this book community, I read a whole lot. It's not often I come across a series as special and with as much potential as I have found in Martin's Heartless series. I cannot sing its' praises higher if I tried. It's such a testament to the talent and writing style of Martin to have crafted a such a beautiful work of literary art. I have nothing but praise for Soulless and absolutely cannot imagine what I will discover when the final novel of the series is released this fall.

It should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone that I am granting Soulless by Kelly Martin a near-perfect 5-star review. As I said with Heartless, Soulless is "a truly unique read, Martin ignites a flame with her elegant words, captivating settings, and enough psychological insight to keep even the most hesitant of readers satisfied." Don't miss your chance to add this one to your TBR today. You absolutely will not regret this addition to your shelves!

*****

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come! Top Read of 2016!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review over on my blog Pretty Little Book Blog.

Picking up where Heartless left off we get another part of Gracen's story. As a quick refresher Gracen has been tormented in her dreams by a demon named Hart for years, she had been taking medicine to keep him at bay and for a while It worked great but then all of a sudden he's back and he's brought friends. What occurs after this is a supernatural thrill ride that will make you want to sleep with the light on (or since you stayed up all night reading Heartless ;) take a nap somewhere sunny where there are no shadows) Back to Soulless! -- Gracen is having a little trouble reconciling what she now knows with her new reality and what she really wants to do. So, basically what everyone going through the first couple years of college feels but with huge stakes. . . things like the safety of the world is at stake right now (you know, no big deal or anything! Psh) and the one person who is right by her side is Hart (Still in his Sam suit)

Figuring out the the rules as they go along Hart and Gracen try to navigate the impossible task of saving the world, trying to keep Gracen from going dark, and a little rescue mission. The switch in how Gracen and Hart interact from the first book to the second is very intriguing! They go from snarky to almost couple-ish. I think my favorite snarky passage is " Lots of ugly things I don’t even want to think about. The laughter won’t stop. I’m pretty sure I’ve lost whatever’s left of my mind. “I’m sorry?” I laugh through the tears. I can barely see between the tears and the black eyes. Black eyes are a pain. Good to know. “That’s what I said. I’m sorry.” I laugh harder. “Have you finally gone crazy? Cause you picked a fine time. Guess it fits the world, though.”
The Deal with the visions Gracen keeps experiencing where they are wearing older style clothing (she describes it as Walton esque haha) give us an interesting addition to an already complicated relationship. Everything collides all at one time leading to one intense spellbinding ending! The pacing of this story was a little slower than Heartless and I think it needed to be. The faster pace of Heartless suited the story more the danger and the not being able to tell what's a dream and what is reality it kept you off track. But there is so much more personal relationship stuff in this that I think giving it the time it deserved made for a better pace for this part of Gracen's story.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how some sequels just do not live up to the expectations that you have after reading the first book? This is NOT one of those, if possible Soulless has surpassed Heartless! This book was amazing. I finished it a few hours ago and already am wanting to go read it again. Because it is a sequel I do not want to say too much about it in case someone reading this has not read Heartless.

Kelly Martin pulls you into the story. Soulless is mostly Gracen and Hart which is great because you get to know them more. They are so wonderfully developed, the twists and turns in this story is amazing. Gracen struggles to figure out what she needs to do to keep from being the Big Bad. If it were possible I would give this book ALL THE STARS! It is just that good.

This story has it all. You will be needing some tissues in a few parts, others will have you giggling, then you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat. Also you may want to make sure that you have the free time to read it, the only reason it took me as long as it did to read it is because I forced myself to put it down since I know the next book won't be out for a while yet.

I am buying this for my teen daughter and will be buying a copy for my brother. The paperback will be going on my shelf soon then I won't have to deal with a battery needing charged when I read this again because I WILL be reading this again.

[Tia Bach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Sullivan can't help who she is, and as much as she might want to, she may not be able to help what she's about to do. Of course, the one man she somewhat trusts, and who somewhat has the answers, has more than one life to consider.

Vague much?

Maybe it's because this is a book you truly have to experience for yourself. As the second in the Heartless series (and I would highly recommend reading Heartless first), Soulless further tests the ideas of good and evil, and what someone would be willing to sacrifice to stop the worst from happening.

Gracen struggles with impossible choices, trust issues (from her boyfriend to her own mother), and what it takes to survive. Trust me when I say you won't be able to put this book down once you start. It's an intense and emotional ride. One that'll have your cringing one moment and crying the next.

In the midst of all this, you'll find yourself pulling for Gracen to find a way out of her fate, to find love (with the man who helped put her in the situation she's in), and above all, to survive.

A mind-bending, intense, and truly unique read. 5 very enthusiastic stars!

Note: I served as editor on this novel through Indie Books Gone Wild. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

[S.F. Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Martin’s follow-up to “Heartless” was better than the first book. For me, the deciding factor was Hart Blackwell.

“Soulless” gave me a more in-depth story about the demon Hart. I learned his motivations. I saw his humanity. I liked him in “Heartless”, but fell in love with him in “Soulless”.

I actually felt sorry for Gracen. She didn’t ask to be an abomination. She struggled with her destiny throughout this story. In the first book, readers learned how she became this odd amalgamation of good and evil. In this book, we see Gracen struggle with maintaining her humanity.

The angle I truly appreciated was two demons fighting their love for each other. I’ve read about angels in love with humans, but never two demons in love. Original! Both of the demons were victims wanting normalcy in their lives.

The plot of “Soulless” intrigued me with a well-developed story line. I literally couldn’t put this book down until I hit the last page.

I highly recommend Kelly Martin’s book.

[Charlene Maurice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing read, Soulless will leave you gutted and emotional (yes I cried) Kelly's writing blew me away, she has the perfect mix of everything horror, thriller, romance, and a hint of comedy! Soulless picks up where heartless left us....speechless! Now awake from a coma, Gracen must come to terms with what she really is and what her purpose in the the world is...to destroy it. Like she wasn't under enough stress in finding out she is half angel and half demon she awakes to Hart feeding her demon blood and dead bodies scattered around her house. While Hart tries to make amends for the past all he really wants is a chance at redemption and he reveals to Gracen secretes from the past. Gracen starts having nightmares again and this time they star is her mother. This story will leave you gripping the edge of your seat and had lots of surprises! Cannot wait to see for Breathless to release!

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollercoaster ride of emotions

Wow this book is just as good ad Heartless the first book in the series.
Beautifully written Kelly Martin takes you on another rollercoaster ride of feels.
Gracen wakes up several days after the events of Heartless - the opening and closing of the gates of hell. Hart has to fight with Gracen not to give up on herself or her humanity. Most of the book it's just the two of them but changes near then. Not saying who shows up you will just have to read it for yourself.

Trust me it will be worth it
Not sure how I'm going to last till September for the next book.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to read Heartless in order to understand what is going on at the starting of the book. There is a lot of back story, more into Hart this time and learn more about him, but not enough. Once again there is a lot of repetition and takes a while for the plot to thicken but once it does BAM you're left with a jaw dropper. Sure the majority is predictable but it's so entertaining and you can't help but heart Hart - yep I had to use the pun, I went there! Can't wait for Breathless, dying to know what happens! No pun intended!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fast-paced read

I'm not usually one to get into series, but this one has me completely hooked. The development in this one was more in-depth than Heartless, and I was glad to see Gracen finally come to terms with the seriousness of her newly found abilities. Towards the beginning I felt like her and Hart's way of thinking and speaking were too similar, but I soon realized how their connection has made them that way. I cannot wait for the next installment!

[TDCbookreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

**SPOILER ALERT PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK**



This is the second installment in the Heartless Series. It follows Gracen and Hart in their adventure to stop the demons from ruining the world.

This book contains a lot of twist and turns, and it leaves you waiting for the next book.

I can't say much more without ruining the plot of the book but you do not want to miss out on it!

5 out of 5 stars!

Reviewed by: Chief Spammer

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started Soulless by Kelly Martin & couldn't put it down. I got sucked in from the beginning of Heartless & Soulless was not a disappointment. So much suspense & mystery in these books, I can't wait to see how the series ends! Bring on Breathless, Kelly!

[Heather Rizkallah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Gracen

Poor Gracen has been put through horrible things. Her father tried to kill her to open the gates to Hell. Now she faces more issues. She has one final step until she becomes the abomination

[Valerie Roeseler · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a nail-biter! And man, oh man, I can't help but love Hart. I'm largely influenced by music, and just so happened to run across the perfect song that represents Gracen and Hart for me. It's "Wrong Side of Heaven" by Five Finger Death Punch.

[Myreadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally loved this volume 2 of the twist in the story. Gracen always to have visions and that hear in Hart thought a demon there. She has blood demon and Angel in the veins. Destiny: destroy the world unless someone prevents. In the end I wasn't expecting this. Can't wait to read the next book.

[Marnie Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so good

Engaging read. I absolutely am hooked on this series. Gripping page turner, I d u dint want to stop read. I cannot wait for Breathless!

[Lacy Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww what to say about this book without spoilers ....... hmmm id say this book has a lot of HART! ;)

[Lisa P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not read this fast enough... So much anticipation, feels, and the mental games! So good! If you liked the first book, you'll love this one.

[Peter Carlstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great

The girl is as clueless as in the other installment but the guy has joined her there. The deceit, betrayals and had trust continue among confessions of love.

[Shani · Rating 5 out of 5]

review to come

[Tracey Milito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Wow what a great book. Once I stared I couldn't put it down. It's a great story wth great characters.

[Ashley Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hooked

This is the 3rd book in the heartless series and I'm hooked! It was kinda slow going in the beginning for me, but I'm glad I never give up. As for Gracen, she's been through alot?! I mean a lot! Everything in her life from the beginnings has been a lie. Everything set into motion, building up to creating the abomination. Even Seth was played. I wasn't expecting that plot twist.

Seth succeeded in opening the hell gate, which means Gracen died. Hart was also needed but he survived and ended up losing his brother. His brother sacrificed himself to close the gate. Hart took Gracen and healed her, knowing she had climbed out of hell while the gate was open.

Gracen and hart try everything they can to keep Gracen human, from not turning into the abomination. There's one task that she has to complete to turn. To kill someone she loves. Her mother.

They are lured to her mothers house in hopes of saving harts brother Lucien, but get much more. She doesn't kill her mother, hart jumps in front of the blade. But Gracen doesn't love hart...right?

The ending to this book is just the beginning!