Out of Hiding by Mia Kerick

This is the first book I've read by Mia Kerick and my question is this.  What took me so long?  I wish I had an answer.  All I can say is that in the future I'll be adding any new releases from her to the top of my TBR pile.  I've already gone to her list of literary works and started adding them to my Kindle for near future reads.

There are many things I adored about this book.  Ms Kenrick does a fantastic job with her character development.  We fully understand where Philippe's pain comes from and can sympathize with him.  So much so that I may have shed a tear…or two.  Okay, more than two, but this poor broken man, who felt all alone, who thrived on being invisible needed someone strong to love him and care for him.  That was found in the character of Dario.  He is a dancer, and so much more, not that that isn't enough.  But Dario is a mentor to Philippe's niece, Sophie, as well.  He has spent the summer teaching Sophie dance techniques, relentlessly pushing her to strive to do better.  He is a very strong influence in both the lives of Sophie and Philippe.  I giggled to myself when I was reading a portion of the book and I thought, "Boy, Mia sure did create a bossy toppy."  His strength and no nonsense, forward approach with Philippe is exactly what Philippe needed.  It's evident that the author knew her characters very well, and gave them what they needed to grow and evolve.

There are other characters in the book as well, who shine in their own right.  Henri, Lauren and Tommy.  I picture them eventually making their relationship permanent and what a wonderful big family they all make.

Excellent job, Mia.  I loved the book.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick

I don’t know how Mia Kerick continually does it, but she’s written another fabulous book.

Bryan, the popular high school jock, wakes up one morning and he’s changed.  His feelings, his outlook on life and the way he treats people.  There’s only one problem with the shiny new him....he has a lapse in his memory and he can’t help but feel something very wrong happened.

Scott, the beautiful sweet hearted boy, attends a party one night and is devastated by several acts of cruelty directed toward him.  He can’t forget what happened and he doesn’t feel he can forgive those who perpetrated the acts.

Oh...and have I mentioned the red sheet?  It was a great addition to the story which made it fun and heartwarming all at the same time.  The significance of it will not be lost on the reader. 

Among many things, this is a story about courage, love and forgiveness.

One of the things I love the best about Ms. Kerick’s writing is her ability to build a world where the characters feel real to me.  I laugh with them and I cry with them. I rejoice and I mourn.  It’s a very special and gifted writer who can take their readers on a journey and make them feel like they’re a part of it. 

I fell so in love with these boys and their story. 

My rating: ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐

Out of the Blackness by Carter Quinn

Avery is a young man who has been through unimaginable horrors.   Understandably he is terrified of life.  He's afraid to trust and to love.  He's afraid to touch and to be touched.  Reading about the abuse he suffered broke my heart. 

Sam is biologically Avery's best friend, but in their hearts they are brothers. Sam was with Avery at a very critical time in his life and was and is his protector.  Loving and kind, Sam is Avery's reason for living.

In enters Noah.  Noah is beautiful and full of life. He takes one look and Avery and is smitten.  Only there is a problem, Avery wants absolutely nothing to do with him or anyone else for that matter.

Beaten down from years of abuse Avery is afraid of everything, but he's met his complete opposite in Noah.  From the very beginning Noah sets his sights on Avery and from then on out this is a book about overcoming fear, patience and finding love.  It’s about treating someone with kindness and respect.  It’s about doing what’s best for the other person, rather than what you want.  

This story broke my heart time and time again, but I have to tell you, it was so worth it.  To watch Avery learn trust and then finally love, I’d gladly do it all over again....and I will.  This book is now one of my all time favorite reads and I’ll visit it again and again. 

Thank you, Mr. Quinn, for such a heartaching and beautiful book.  I treasure this story.


Carter Quinn is a 2014 GRL supporting author.   

My rating:  ⭐️⭐⭐️⭐⭐️

Us Three by Mia Kerick

I’m going to start off with a totally unfounded confession.  I was a little apprehensive at the thought of starting this book.  I want to make it clear, it was never an issue as to whether or not I’d read it, as I dearly love Mia Kerick’s writing, but none the less I was a little nervous.  

Why, you ask?  In the past I’ve read a couple of menage books and they just weren’t for me.  However, and this is a HUGE HOWEVER, this book is unlike any I’ve read before and from the very beginning I fell in love with Casey, Nate, Zander and their story.

Ms. Kerick leads us on the journey of these three young men who attend school together, but who really have nothing to do with each other.  Their lives cannot be any more different than night is to day.  However, they do find that they have one thing in common, the love of each other.

This is a sweet story that made me feel like I was with these guys every step of the way, watching their friendship begin, grow, evolve and flourish into love. I can honestly say I was sad when I reached the end of the book, I would have liked for it to go on, and on, and on.

Thank you, Mia.  I love the sensitivity in which you wrote your young men and their story.  Several tough issues, that I believe kids face today, were highlighted in your story and you handled each one with love and grace.

My rating  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elpída by C. Kennedy

When I sit down to read a book by C. Kennedy I know one thing for sure. The story will not disappoint. But there was something else I knew when I sat down to read Elpída, the third and final book in the Elpída Series by C. Kennedy, as with all the books in this series I knew I was going to be taken on an emotional rollercoaster.

As in books one and two of the series (Omorphi and Tharros), this third book follows Christy, a young man who has been horrifically abused, and his boyfriend Michael. Don’t get me wrong, there are a host of other characters who are integral to the story, but for now, I’m going to focus on Christy and Michael.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through what Christy has gone through. Yet I know in my head, and statistics support it, that thousands of children are physically and sexually abused daily. In this series Mr. Kennedy brings us Christy, who is living in the aftermath of such abuse. It’s important to note that while the abuse is discussed in part, there is no actual abuse written on the page. That is huge. Thank you, Mr. Kennedy, for not sensationalizing the horrors these kids go through.

We read on as Christy works hard to work through what’s been done to him while he fights to build a new life for himself. It is a struggle of epic proportions that will leave you in awe of Christy’s spirit and fortitude. I won’t lie, it hurts. It hurts to know that people can be so horrific to one another. Mr. Kennedy does not sugar-coat the strength of will it takes Christy to work at being happy. And there is happy. This book is full of happy spots that will make you smile and laugh.

Then we have Michael, who loves Christy with his whole heart. Michael is so kind and so patient. Before reading this series I never gave much thought to those that love, care for, advocate for, and help counsel abused kids. But I have to say, as I read this book I gained insight and respect for those who work to help these kids rebuild themselves. Michael is not perfect, which is part of what makes him so endearing. He’s your everyday high school graduate, with a heart of gold and who is a fierce protector of those he loves.

There are a host of other fantastic characters that are just as important to the story as Christy and Michael and if you’ve read books one and two, you are familiar with many. If you’ve only read this book in the series you are also familiar with most of them. (If I wrote about each of them this review would go on forever! The characters are all that amazing!)

I will briefly touch upon two other characters. In Elpída we finally get to meet Thimi, whom Christy has known forever and who was abused along with Christy. We also meet Zero. Both of these new boys reside at the Wellington Ranch. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will tell you that more than once, Thimi broke my heart and I literally cried over what had happened to him, but that little guy is a fighter and I have great hope for his future.

That one word.

Hope. ElpÍda.

Is what leads me to the conclusion of this review.

Hope. Elpída.

This series was written by the author for the boys he advocates for. This book shows that hope is alive. Sometimes all we have is hope. Isn’t that what we all want? Hope? Hope for a life filled with happiness. Hope for a life far away from pain and fear? This book, no THIS SERIES, supplies that hope in spades. A profound thank you to C. Kennedy for this series of books--We can all use that hope in our lives.

“Always remember that abuse does not define you. Never judge yourself by what others have done to you.” ~Cody Kennedy, Author of the Elpída Series.

“While there is life, there is hope, little brother. Christy.” 

~Cody Kennedy, Author of the Elpída Series

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️