Release Blitz & Review: R.L Griffin's "Razorblade Kisses."
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1xIBplw
Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1BCr8s2
Synopsis:
Her name is Emery Shaw...Emily Sanders...Emma Simpson...Ericka Smith.
Her family was well off, she ran.
They looked for her, she hid.
They found her, she ran again.
Tragedy strikes, she gets even.
The fact is, she doesn’t know who she is, she tried to run, to hide and make a life for herself, but that backfired. No one knows her except her best friend Rachel, if that’s even an adequate word for what they are to each other. Rachel helps her build a life for herself below the radar, which is fine until the unthinkable happens knocking Em out of her unfeeling cocoon. When her house of cards comes tumbling down she runs again, until the one person who can change her mind finds her.
Due to adult situations, language and possible scenarios that may be difficult for some readers to handle, take a breath before you start this one. It’s gritty and not pretty. Nothing is pretty here. Whiskey is a good thing.
Review: Surj Harvey
This has got to be one of the hardest reviews for me to write because honestly, this book has left me so completely torn. Don't get me wrong, it had so many of the right ingredients that made it a really good read but there were a couple of things that niggled at me, that were like an itch that wouldn't go away that stopped R.L Griffin's "Razorblades Kisses" being the five hearts read I really wanted it to be. Now before I have to start ducking as missiles are thrown my way, hear me out.
... you're broken. You're eyes are broken.
Your soul is in pieces and your heart is wrecked.
So let's start with all the amazing things that had me gripped ... because let's face it, once I started reading Emery Shaw's story, there was no way in hell I was going to put it down. This was a compelling, hard hitting, emotional read that was a breath of fresh air. The story line was unique and very much unpredictable (although there were times I could have kicked the author for not taking the plot down the avenue I wanted it to go)... let's just say... expect the unexpected... lol.
The prologue and the first chapter absolutely had the wow factor, with enough there to grab my attention, suck me in and leave me desperate for more. I needed the gaps filled in between the two time points I was given... I needed the why's, how's, who's, when's and where's and very early on, I knew that I needed a HEA. Yes I know what you're thinking... of course there'll be a HEA... this is a romance novel after all. OK so I'll just put it out there. This for me was not a romance novel, not in the conventional sense of the word anyway. Yes of course it featured but this was absolutely secondary to other themes that ran core to Amery's story. "Razorblades Kisses" was about survival and self discovery. It was about friendship, hope and unconditional love and it was difficult not to be affected by what I was reading.
Hope was like ivy, it spread at a rapid speed and killed everything in its path.
The subject matters covered weren't easy to read but I take my hat off to the author firstly, for the warning that was given at the start of the book but secondly, for the way in which she handled the topics covered. Yes there were times I felt sick to my stomach and yes there were times I had to put my kindle down and walk away but the situations I witnessed were handled with the due care and attention they deserved... definitely not for the faint hearted but absolutely worth the risk.
"Razorblade Kisses" told the story of a child's fight for survival and a woman's battle for freedom. Emery shaw was a victim. She was a survivor and she was a fighter.. but she saw none of that. She didn't know who she was anymore, the lies told over the years suffocating any chance of finding her own identity. She was always on the run. She was always someone else but who was she under that carefully constructed mask? The only person who knew that was her best friend Rachel. Now this was a girl who showed unconditional love, who had been a pillar of support for a girl she barely knew, who had become more than a friend... she had become a parent, a guardian, a sister, a protector. she had sacrificed so much. This had become more than a friendship. What these girls shared was a bond that could never be broken and that was something that touched my soul.
The problem with being a good liar is you forget
who you are under all those layers of deceit.
Tim and Noah both played their parts in how Emery's story would unravel. Both were beautiful, beautiful people each of them for their own reasons which you will become apparent when you read this book. There are no teams, there's no cheating ... only victims of circumstance and each of them I'm sure will find a place in your heart.
OK, so now to the nitty gritty.. why not 5 hearts? This is more personal preference but I honestly wished "Razorblades Kisses" had been written in first person. I wanted Emery's POV. I wanted inside her head. I wanted her to tell me how she felt through body language, inner thoughts and voice. I didn't want to hear it third hand and because of this I felt somewhat detached from her character and the story lost some of it's sparkle (so to speak). On a second note, there were a couple of situations towards the end of the book that didn't necessarily fit right in my mind. A couple of things that were said and also how everything was wrapped up just had me questioning how realistic or believable it was. But again, that's me and my personal opinion and I know there are so many readers out there who had no issues at all.
People are so complex. There's not a person out there who is just good or just bad.
We all have layers and scars and graveyards.
"Razorblade Kisses" isn't a conventional story... not by a long shot but if you're looking for something different, then take the risk and dive in. Go and experience the heart breaking lows but equally, the beautiful, heart felt uplifting highs that Emery's story has to offer. This is definitely one of those books that will stay with you and have you thinking for days to come. I rated it ❤️❤️❤️❤️ to ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Author Bio:
R.L. Griffin published her first book in 2004. After that she focused on practicing law. A few years ago she began writing the By A Thread series, which is out now. Her goal is to keep readers on their toes, whether it's the plot twist or the book itself, her books are outside any box. There is a little bit of grit in most of her books and a ton of cussing. Most books are enjoyed better with a glass of wine, or whiskey, whatever your poison may be.
She lives in Atlanta with her husband, kid and dogs. She loves to travel and meet readers.
Author Links:
Goodreads TBR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18747233-razorblade-kisses
Website: http://rlgriffinauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rlgriffinauthor
Amazon link: http://goo.gl/xPhZDP
Newsletter: http://goo.gl/E4m1Lv
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