Friday, August 17, 2012

Desolation

The Desolation Serties
books one and two
by Ali Cross

BECOME

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.
 




DESOLATE

Where darkness lives, all becomes desolate . . .

It’s been two months since sixteen-year-old Desolation Black chose Earth over Hell and her friend Miri over her eternal love, Michael.

Desi goes through the motions of life: school, training, remaining vigilant against the forces of darkness, but her dreams are full of the choices she wishes she could change. When she’s injured by a strange demon, old temptations arise, and the lines between good and evil blur. Desi discovers those choices aren’t so final after all.

And this time, the power of love—for a friend, for a lover—may not be enough to save her from the darkness that lurks within.

About the Author
Ali Cross is the sensei of the Writer's Dojo where she holds a black belt in awesome. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, two sumo dogs and four zen turtles.

Where to find more info
Her writer's dojo:  www.ninjaswrite.com.
websites:  http://www.alicross.com 
blog: http://www.alicross.blogspot.com
Face book pages:
 http://www.facebook.com/authoralicross
http://www.facebook.com/ninjaswrite
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/happygrrl 

My Reviews
Become
This book was soooo amazing! Okay I know I say that about every book I love but I have not felt this much emotion while reading a book for awhile. Become had me at the prologue. Before I was even introduced to the main character I knew this book would be one that I couldn't put down.

Desolation Black is the daughter of Loki aka Lucifer. Living in Hell the only way she can defy her father is to deny him by not giving in to what he truly wants from her, to "become", and give in to become the demon she holds within. All he wants is for her to step up and except her place at his side.

When she's sent to Earth for some training in human behavior she finds something she never thought she'd ever know or deserve, Love. Now she not only has to choose or not choose her fate to "become" she also has to choose between the cold dark within her or embrace the warmth that she now feels growing through the dark giving her a new destiny. 

This book has a great flow. It was so easy sink into the story. To see it so clearly in my mind, I could easily imagine the settings, the characters and the emotions. The characters were very well defined and the emotion felt real. I'll admit to being a very emotional woman but it's been awhile since a book has made me cry. Not just a lump in my throat cry but a tears streaming down my cheeks, hand me some tissue kind of cry. Everyone knows that any book that can bring on that kind of emotion is a best seller (at least in my opinion it should be).

This book is an amazon and barnes and noble freebie so everyone with a Nook or Kindle should open up a new tab and grab this book while it lasts, as for me I'm off to amazon myself to pick up Desolate the next book in the series.


Desolate

Desolate: ADJECTIVE 
1. empty: bare, uninhabited, and deserted
2. alone: solitary, joyless, and without hope
3. grim: dismal and gloomy
Desolation:  
grief, sadness, loneliness,devastation, ruin
When reading this book you have to keep in mind not only the name of the book but the name of the main character.  They both say so much about the way this book and story unfolds. Where Become makes you feel hope Desolate is quite opposite. I feel so sad for Desolation  she has such a genuine and good heart that you have no choice but to feel  her sadness and loneliness. 

Just when I thought my tears would dry up and Desolate would be on the road to a happy ending I started the second book and realized that she has such along way to go. Not only does she need to shed her life in Hell which at times she misses (she did live there for centuries), her father Loki aka Lucifer who is the only parent she's ever known. She also needs to embrace her lighter side and the warmth within her that she doesn't think she deserves.

And then there's Michael whom she sacrificed to her father to not only to save his life but the life of her best friend Miri. I feel so sad for her because she feels the need to keep her demon side close as penance for everyone who has been hurt just by getting close to her. And I really hate that she never allows her self a moments worth of happiness.

The beginning of the book is from Desi's point of view but half way though the story changes from chapter to chapter between Desi and Michael. I love stories that are told for more than one point of view but in Desolates case it means twice the sadness, guilt and grief. This story makes my heart ache for the characters. But as I've said before the way I know a book will be imprinted on my soul is the feelings it invokes within me be it happiness or sorrow and not every amazingly great book has a happy ending.

 Excerpt

"Your love for Desolation has shaped this world. you have taught us to love.Your heroic deeds in the Great War are told as bedtime stories. Michael and Desolation--there have been few other loves as powerful as yours, and certainly none greater. Do you agree?
"Yes my king." My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest. I could barely breath, couldn't think. My mind filled with memories of Desi. Memories of love.

I felt I had to put a excerpt there to show you the love that is trapped in all of the sorrow. A love that Desi doesn't think she is capable of or deserves because she is Hell's daughter after all.

Desi has so much guilt she can't let go of and so easily falls prey to her fathers influence becoming what she never wanted to be "his". Little does she know there are more player fighting for her soul (her light) than she knows. At 84% (kindle) I began to cry and I didn't stop until the end. 

And in the end this book held my sadness and sorrow, Does it have a happy ending after all.......Well I guess you have to read it and see. I can say this: I am so glad I picked up Become (It's still free on amazon.com) and I can not wait until the next book in the series.

Ali your an amazing writer!!! 


Now for the giveaway

There will be two winners. 
The first winner will receive: an ecopy of Desolate
the second winner will receive (from Ali herself) a prize pack consisting
 of a bookmark, leather heart bracelet handmade (by Ali) and a tee shirt.
and all you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below


a Rafflecopter giveaway

26 comments:

  1. I have started to read Become. Thanks for the great advice on a good book. Will love to win the second book. mossdinuba@aol.com

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  2. I've read both of these books, and you're so, so right. They are amazing. Thanks for being such a great author, Ali. And thanks for this review and giveaway. :-)

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    1. They are such amazing books!! good luck to you! <3

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  3. Thank you so much for these beautiful reviews Terri! ((hugs))

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    1. No Ali thank you for being such an amazingly awesome writer!!! <3

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  4. I have Become but haven't had the chance to read it yet. Also I'm a new follower. ^-^

    Thanks for the giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!11

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    1. hope (no I know you will) enjoy the book! thanks for the follow and good luck yo you <3

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  5. Love Become and can't wait to read Desolate!

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  6. Like Susan, I loved Before and am looking forward to Desolate. You just had me bump it up on my TBR list!

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    1. I should be at the top trust me when I say you will love it! <3

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  7. It's a really interesting review, after reading it, I would like to read the book as well!
    Thanks for this giveaway, I hope, I will be the lucky one, who wins the e-book:):

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    1. Thank you and please drop by amazon and pick up Become it's free right now and YOU WILL love it!!

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  8. YAY! Thank you so much! I found Ali Cross on Amazon and Become is FREE right now! WINNING!!! NEW FOLLOWER and I look forward to seeing more!

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    1. Thank you for the comment and you will love Become and good luck winning Desolate it's amazingly brilliant I loved them both and can't wait until the third book! <3

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  9. Haven't read your books yet but wow is all I'm gonna say they look awesome! Are now on my growing TBR list!!!

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    1. Ali is an amazing author and her books truly moved me! doon't forget to pick up the first book Become free right now on amazon. good luck! <3

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  10. Thanks so much for the chance. I loved the first :) (Entered as Natalie Cleary)

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  11. I'm a HUGE fan of Ali's too. Become was one of my favorite books and I can hardly wait to read book 2!

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  12. Ali's books are amazing. Love her covers, and the story of Desi. =)

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  13. Thanks for the giveaway I have Become already so getting the second book would be great :)

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  14. I have been wanting to read Become and your review just made me want to read it even more!!! :) Thanks for the great giveaway!!!

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  15. I love when a review makes me want to read the book, and yours does. It's hard for me to find time to read these days, but I'll definitely bump Become to top of my list.

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  16. Writing is a passion and reading is another. I adore Fantasy in all it forms and will be looking forward to reading your book.

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