Elect by Rachel Van DykenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was provided by NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel Van Dyken is becoming one of my new favorite authors. This girl knows how to write. Ugh I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. I told myself to slow down and not stay up until 2AM reading one of her books again, but when you're gifted with something amazing, you can't always listen to that logical side of your brain!!
Okay, so if you haven't read Elite (my review: http://tarynleesblog.blogspot.com/201...), then this book won't make sense, so I'm going to assume those reading this review have read the first book and know what I'm talking about.
Okay so Trace Alfero and Nixon Abandonato are back. Along with there friends and family Chase, Monroe, and even Phoenix. But things are getting totally messed up and spiralling out of control so quickly. The first book is in Trace's POV, but this one alternates between Nixon, Chase, and Phoenix. At times I would have loved to know what was going on in Trace's head, but I think getting the guys' firsthand accounts and opinions and feelings was perfect. Sometimes authors' have trouble writing in the male POV, but Rachel Van Dyken aced it! I felt so much pain coming from all three characters. There were parts that brought me to tears. This book contained death, a love triangle, and a lot of emotion from every character.
Overall, the book blew me away. This is the kind of book that you can't really give hints as to what happens nor can you explain things without ruining plot twists. I'm giving this book 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS because I cannot get enough!! I can't wait for the next book... so that's my only real hint. I think everyone interested in new adult/suspense/mystery/ass kicking/emotional roller coaster/amazing writing should read this book. But make sure you read Elite first!!
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Read by Taryn Lee on December 6, 2013
Reviewed by Taryn Lee on December 13, 2013
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Summary
Would
you die for the one you love?
Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price.
Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his
family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she
means nothing to him.
Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will.
Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will.
In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins
than with the blood of a sinner . . .
Author’s Social Networking links:
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Author Bio:
Rachel Van
Dyken is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and
contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee
at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps
her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston
Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey
at http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/
Excerpt
“Let’s
make a pact.” Chase put his hand on my shoulder.
“A
pact?” I sniffled and turned to him. “What kind of pact?”
“One
that’s forever. One that protects people rather than hurts them.”
“How
do we do that?” I was suddenly interested. What if I could make all the hurt go
away? What if I could save everyone!
“We
do this.” Chase pulled out his pocketknife and cut open his hand, then nodded
to me to do the same thing. Without pausing I cut open my hand and handed back
the knife. “Blood brothers. We’re never gonna hurt each other and we’re gonna
save those like your ma, Nixon. Ones who can’t save themselves. We’re going to
protect them.”
“How?”
I watched as the blood dripped from my open palm.
“Rules.”
Chase shrugged. “They keep people safe, right? At least that’s what my mom
says.” He smiled. “We make rules and we start our own club. That way, we don’t
have to listen to anyone but us.”
I liked it. I chewed
on my lower lip. “What do we call ourselves?”
“The
chosen?” Chase offered.
“No,
that sounds lame. We have to sound… more powerful than that.”
My
eyes flickered to the road, and a sign poked into the ground. It said election.
“Elect.” I pointed. “Let’s call ourselves The Elect.” It made sense; after all,
the president was elected, wasn’t he? We weren’t exactly chosen, but we were
making the choice, we were electing ourselves protectors. That’s what we were.
“Who
else can join?” Chase asked.
“Tex
and Phoenix. They’ll want to.” A weight suddenly felt like it was being lifted
off my twelve-year-old shoulders. “Should we shake on it?”
“Yeah.”
Chase smashed his hand against mine as our blood mixed. “No going back, Nixon.”
“No.”
I shook my head. “No going back.”
I pressed my fingers to my temples
and watched, replaying that moment over and over again in my head as the
outline of Chase and Tracey flickered in the moonlight. Would he really do this
to me? After all the shit we’d been through?
I gauged her reaction, hoping that
I would be wrong. Praying to God that Trace would just this once listen to me.
Her eyes flickered with interest for a few brief seconds before she looked down
at the ground.
“Shit.” I waited in the shadows. A
part of me knew this would happen. The part that told me to damn my feelings to
hell and ignore all the warning signs that I’d been seeing. But now it seemed
like it was too late. I stayed, planted where I was, watching, waiting.
“Chase, you can’t…” Trace shook her
head. “You can’t be like this. We can’t do this!”
“We aren’t doing anything,” Chase
said in low tones, reaching for Trace’s hand. “Don’t you?” He looked directly
at me, although all he saw was a shadow. I knew I was well hidden. “Don’t you
feel the same way?”
Trace jerked her hand away from
Chase’s. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. It’s not about me, Chase.”
“But it is.” Chase reached for her
again. This time her hand grasped his in such an intimate embrace I thought I
was going to vomit all over the ground. The outside air was cold as hell as
little pieces of ice tried to find their way into my wool coat.
“It isn’t.” Trace sighed. “It never
was.”
Chase jerked her toward him. She
fell against his chest and looked up into his eyes. “What are you doing?”
Chase sighed. “What I should have
done a long time ago.” He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her in for a
kiss. Their lips touched.
I had to look away.
The only sound in the night was
that of my soft footsteps as I walked away… leaving my heart in broken pieces
where I’d last stood. She was lost to me; it wasn’t even the Sicilians that had
taken her, but my best friend.
A gunshot rang out loud and clear
in the night air. I turned back around just in time to see Trace collapse into
Chase’s arms.
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