#Review: Live Me by Celeste Grande || #MustRead

Live Me ~ a Pieces of Broken novel
by Celeste Grande
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Broken…

Shattered…

How can you begin to live again when you’ve already been forced to…die?

Evangelina Ricci is trapped in a world that’s a never-ending nightmare, a constant ache in which consumes her every breath. Unable to bear the torture any longer, she does the one thing she can to take back control.

Run.

With her best friend Jace in tow, Evangelina attempts to escape her darkened past by leaving for college and diving head first into an aggressive schedule, determined with everything she is to make a name for herself. There’s only one problem—she can’t run away from the demons she struggles with. The demons that’ll forever be there, locked inside, battering her soul. Hiding behind a flawless façade, Evangelina faces her ghosts until her world is turned upside down, invaded by…him.

Blake Turner. Sweet, witty, flirtatious and drop-dead gorgeous, he finds Evangelina at every turn. Scared he’ll uncover the truth she keeps so well guarded, Evangelina tries her best to put on her act, deterring him like she has so many times before—only this guy’s different. He’s relentless. Utterly, absolutely and completely relentless. He sees her and he wants her and won’t stop until she’s his.

Will Evangelina succeed in pushing Blake away? Or will he break down her walls and be the person to make her realize life is worth living?

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Live Me is a heartbreakingly amazing book that will leave you hopelessly lost, distraught, and bittersweet. After finally getting to read this book, I am shattered. The author has taken a serious subject, one that so many people cannot find the words to speak up about, and brings it to the light of reality. This book had me smiling, frowning, laughing, crying and everything possible that is in between. Once this book was in my hands, I could not put it down. 

It took me three days to read this book, which is kind of in the middle of my usual reading pace. Usually, if the book has held my attention, I can finish it with a few hours. This book had that for me, but I think I was trying to make it last. 

Evangelina ("Eva" or "Angel" as Blake calls her) is a well-developed character. Being in her head made me feel as though I were the experiencing her traumatic past memories, her nightmares; everything. If a book does that for me, I am forever sold. I honestly, and personally, felt a little let down towards the middle of reading when Eva's best friend, Jace, really let his colors shine. I do not wish to spoil it, for those of you who have not yet read it, but to test Blake, Jace brings him and Eva to a gay club. Though details were kept to a minimum, I personally felt uncomfortable. This is just my personal preference, but I did love Jace's character.

Blake (oh Blake) is a keeper! I read through the author's acknowledgments in the end of the book, hoping to see if she had based him on someone in her life. There were only small snippets, but Blake's character has to be real! I mean, I wish he was! The way he is introduced; the way he kind of stalks Eva (Angel), but in a non-creepy way. I was sucked right in.

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars.

When a book leaves me feeling this way, it is very hard to get out of that feeling. However, I feel very appreciative that the author has written about such a serious subject. By no means was it made into a lighthearted subject. It was serious and in full throttle. Not to mention the romance between Blake and Eva "Angel" was there as well. I loved that Blake was willing to do the impossible for her. Every now and then, I think everyone needs to read this book, and its sequel when it comes out. This is probably going to be the hardest wait for a book I have ever had.

About the Author:

Celeste Grande grew up loving words. From an early age, it was easy for her to open her heart through pen and paper and come away with something poetic. She never thought anything more than releasing her emotions would come of it though. A workaholic that can’t keep still, in her ‘real’ life, she’s a Certified Public Accountant who dreams of writing sexy books all day long. When she isn’t working, she’s reading, writing, mommying and being a wifey to the love of her life.

She lives in New York, still putting pen to paper and anxiously awaiting the debut of her first novel, Live Me, a new adult romance, in October of 2015.

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