BLOG TOUR STOP~ IN SPADES by K. Pinson **Review & Giveaway**

Title: In Spades (Mirrored #1)

Author: K. Pinson

Genre: New Adult

Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Avalynn has been running from her past for a couple of years now....never very far but always extremely fast. With an alcoholic father, a void of a mother and a town full of gossip, she struggles to find her place in the world.The only thing that saved her on her path of self destruction is her beautiful little sister, her miracle. Desperately trying to save Abby from a life that Avalynn has been trying so hard to escape from, she plots to take Abby away.The plan going dangerously astray, leaving Avalynn beaten and broken in what once was the hallway mirror in her childhood home. Avalynn finally comes to in the hospital after nearly being beaten to death. Father-Dead, Mother-Missing, Abby-In foster care--Everything changing in the blink of an eye.

Avalynn immediately sets to work to get her life in order , receive custody of precious Abby and focusing every ounce of attention, giving Abby the the life she deserves. Avalynn, now a 22 year old Elementary School Teacher and New Mommy, struggling to raise a beautiful and feisty five year old whom was just diagnosed with Mild Autism Disorder. Lots of challenges for her to face in the midst. Avalynn is ready to go at them all head on if it means Abby is raised in a happy and healthy home. Abby is the only thing she cares about...not even caring about herself or her life...that is...until she meets him. The man that can shatter her entire world with one glance. Their relationship a roller coaster ride from start to finish. One that Avalynn never wants to get off of..but she may not have a choice. Her happily ever after coming to a screeching halt yet again. Heartbreak, love, loss and hope--This story has it all, In Spades.

 

EXCERPT

I distinctively remember seeing my beaten, broken down reflection surrounding me. The memory of seeing my face conveyed in a jagged portrayal, no matter which direction that I looked. I can still feel the gripping chills that continuously racked my body as I lay in a crimson sea of my own blood. My skin was searing from the tiny cuts invading it. The blood, there was so much blood, running steadily down my body. The thick, red liquid was warming my skin. I thought quietly to myself how it was possible to feel anything warm, when my insides were so cold.

           The voices were unwelcome noise in my now ringing ears, steadily growing louder and angrier. I could hear the crying, the screaming. I closed my eyes as they were beginning to burn. My left eye had begun to swell shut after receiving the repeated blows. I had no choice but to take advantage of the use of the right one, opening it slowly, working to get a look at my surroundings. I was trying to figure out how to make my next move. My vision was blurry. I could barely make out the figure progressively stalking towards me. I could smell him before I could even see his features. I was in trouble, big trouble. I hugged the floor with all of the energy I could muster, hoping to go unnoticed. He looked like the devil in the flesh, with eyes that glowed red; wasted, in every sense of the word. He was no longer the handsome charmer my mother had fallen in love with. No, that man was long gone, a pit of despair pulling him in. I cannot completely remember the entirety of his face. My mind was constantly trying to block memories of him out. All I can remember are shadows, sharp angles and those blood shot eyes.

          Sadly, his odor is what I remember most, a horrid mixture of stale vodka and peppermint schnapps. This scent had taken place in most of my childhood memories up until this point and it was a hard one to forget, as much as I’d tried. He laughed menacingly at my torn apart body. I flinched; I could not control any of my movements. Fear overtook me, gripping me hard and fast. In this moment, I prayed to be swallowed up whole by the floor.

Humiliated and broken to the world around me. The shards of glass that had once been our hallway mirror lay scattered around. I tried to get my left hand to follow the directions my brain was sending it, getting a grip on one of the broken pieces. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but it wasn‘t going to be pretty. Thoughts of suicide, murder and protection all rapidly flooded my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do a damn thing. I dropped the shard just as quickly as I had picked it up. He still stood over me, unmoving. His cold, calculated voice repeating it’s all too familiar mantra. I would never forget the way the words rolled so easily off of his lips, disgust filling his face.

“Look at yourself, Avalynn.” He sneered at me, spitting as he spoke.

He held a broken shard of glass up to my face, as close as humanly possible. The jagged edges cutting into his own skin, but he didn’t even realize how much of his blood was dripping down.

“I said….get a good look, Avalynn Wright. Get a good look at the pitiful human being that ruined my life! You were a mistake. That’s all you will ever be. I‘m so glad such a waste of space doesn‘t hold my last name. Won‘t continue my legacy. You are worthless. Don‘t you ever forget that.” He slurred the words into each other, a normal person wouldn’t have been able to understand him, but I could. I wasn’t a normal person; I’ve never been able to be one.

 He threw the broken shard on top of my now broken body and walked out of the room, leaving me to drown in the hurt alone. I would never ever forget his words or the truth lying behind his sunken in eyes. His opinion had always been one that I held at a high standard, even though it killed me in every sense of the word. I couldn’t shake it.

As the numbness began to overtake my body and my mother’s screams had finally died out, I welcomed the darkness. I welcomed relief that my body and mind had felt. I was shutting down, becoming numb, like I had been for so many years before. I prayed for death. I could see the way out and I was going to take it.

I only came back to this hell for her, my beautiful baby sister whom I never had a chance to know or meet. I had only made things worse for her, like I usually did when it came to him. I had felt a compulsion to save her; take her away from the childhood that I was running from. She was so strikingly beautiful. The last image that crossed my mind was those big blue eyes that matched mine perfectly. I remember her looking up at me from her crib, reaching out her tiny hand to me and I couldn’t get to her, I couldn’t save her. He had gotten to me first.

REVIEW

From the first time I read the synopsis I wanted to read this book, the story called to me and I was not disappointed. 

Ava has had a very terrible and terrifying childhood, she suffered so much she wanted to end her life but the fought for survival because of her little sister Abby. 

Three years on from the night that has left her scared for life both physically  and emotionally, she is a new women, her life is together and the joy of her life Abby is back living with her.

Ava has worked hard creating a safe and happy home for them both. 

"My life has not been all rainbows and butterflies but I was surviving the best that I could"~Ava

I admire Ava's strength she has been through so much but yet she has turned most of those negative to pushed her on to do and be a better person. 

She has taken on the role of mother to Abby and might I add doing a brilliant job raising  her providing her with extra care and patience due to her Autism. 

"This is my mommy isn't she pwetty like I told you, will you be my new daddy now"~Abby

This little girl completely stole my heart, she is the sweetest little thing. She sees Ava as her mother and tells her how much she loves here every chance she gets. 

When I read that comment I nearly died with laughter.

Ava's sole purpose in life is to provide a loving home  for her daughter, she never thinks of her personal happiness or fulfillment until Dax.

Dax is an amazing talented man  with his own dark past (which is revealed much later in the book)

He and Ava shared one night of passion, after which he has come to the conclusion that she is his soul mate the missing piece of him. 

He opens her carefully guarded heart and break down her walls. Showing her she deserves to be happy and have love in her life.

She slowly accepts his love and give him her love in return, he loves Abby like his own child and soon they are their own little family. 

Ava cannot believe her luck she has everything she thought she would never experience in life. 

"I was in awe. The man cooks, cleans and sex like  a God"~Ava

This story sounds too good to be true right....of course it is everything is perfect but it soon  comes crashing down demons from both their pass show up. 

There love will be put to the ultimate test.

"Forgetting you would be like forgetting to breathe"~Dax

I don't think either of them know just how much  that one statement will bear significance to their future. 

The book ends with a cliffhanger Dax makes the ultimate sacrifice for his  his Daughter Abby (she got her wish the man she wanted to be her new Daddy was Dax). 

This book is written from Ava's POV however at the end we got two chapters of Dax POV which was extremely insightful.

very well written, easy to read and it kept me wanting more I cannot wait for the second installment in the mirrors series. 

(I have a sneak peek at the cover and synopsis for book #2 below make sure to add to you TBR list)  

BUY LINKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

22 years old. Lives in a small farm town. Work full times as a Manager for an assisted living program for mentally challenged adults. I love my job. :) Getting my degree in music therapy.

AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Facebook| Twitter | Goodreads 

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOK#2

Title: House of Cards (Mirrored #2)

Expected Release date – August 2013

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Daxton James holds the world in the palm of his hands. He has finally met the love of his life and is more than ready to start a family with her and her precious daughter, Abby. He has the best friends that anyone could ask for, a career doing two things he loves the most-music and helping people and his family piecing themselves back together, slowly but surely. Everything has fallen into place in his life and he couldn't be more happy about it.

There is only one problem---He can’t remember any of it.

Daxton was involved in a serious accident which has left him fighting for his life, while his loved ones wait in the midst, unsure if he is even going to come out of it alive. Thankfully he does, but his short term memory can’t say the same. He only remembers the Daxton he had been years previous. The playboy, the rock star and hopelessly devoted to a woman that is not Avalynn Wright.

The doctors tell Avalynn to just let his memory come back on it’s own and to not push him too much, fearful that forcing his memory will cause permanent scarring and trauma. Avalynn is so thankful to have Daxton alive, that if letting him go will keep him happy and healthy, she will do just that, even if it means killing off herself; bit by bit. Avalynn struggles to get a grasp on what is a reality and what is created by the stresses of her life which causes her to downward spiral, with nobody there to break her fall.

Will Avalynn and Daxton make it through this or is their relationship built only as strong as a House of Cards, ready to crumble at any moment?

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