~*~Savory Selections~*~

Genre: Young Adult

Heat Level: Mild

I first saw this book when I was browsing my library's online e-book catalog. It came up repeatedly as a suggested read, though at first, I was hesitant. However, after a few months of needing something new to read, I finally grabbed the first book in the trilogy, titled (as you see above) Eve - which is also the name of the series - by Anna Carey.

And oh my gosh!

I cannot believe I waited to long to read this series! As much as I want to review the entire trilogy, there are complications. Talking about the second and third book gives away...well, *spoilers* and I would really hate to ruin it. All I can say is: Read these amazing books!!!

One last note, while the Eve series is technically Young Adult, they are focused on a romance between the main characters. The series is based on adult/sexual situations and there is a fade out scene in the second book. Be warned.

Here goes...

After a deadly plague swept the globe, the world is struggling to survive, let alone rebuild. However, the King of the New America is doing his best, building a capital in the City of Sand (formerly Las Vegas), reaching out to form alliances (conquer) colonies in the East, and forming schools (sheltered by 12 foot high walls) for young ladies to attend and get the best education available. Upon graduation from these schools, the women file across a bridge to a trade school on the other side of a lake. Here they learn to serve their New America in the ways that the country needs - architecture, artists, doctors, etc.

Eve spent more than half of her life in one of these schools. After many hard years of devoted studying, she reached the top level. Not only was Eve going to graduate as Valedictorian of her class but her grades topped every graduating student in the country. At least, she would have until one of the outcast girls at the school told her the truth of the trade school across the lake...instead of a trade school, it was a breeding farm. After graduation, the girls are locked in a make-shift hospital, destined to provide the next generation of New Americans until they either died from birthing complications (happened often, since most of the births were more like litters than a single child at a time) or they reached a point where they could not longer conceive.

And that was not the worst part of it, in Eve's eyes. As the best of the best, she was chosen to bear the children of the king of New America. After all, every king needs an heir. Who else would he chose, other than the best and the brightest? Doesn't matter if he is old enough to be her father...almost her grandfather.

Frightened, Eve flees the school with help from one of the teachers, determined to survive in the wilds where outcasts live. Better than being brood mare to a geriatric dictator. Her only chance is to reach an all-woman settlement out west called Califia. With the help of a few friends along the way, as well as the gorgeous Caleb that she meets along the way, Eve is prepared to sacrifice almost anything to reach a safe port.

However, as she grows closer to Caleb and begins to learn more about what the world is truly like outside the protective walls of the school, Eve begins to wonder if anywhere is truly safe for her hide.

There are few books in my collection that I find where I am texting every reader in my phone telling them you need to read THIS. Doesn't matter the genre you prefer, doesn't matter if you are man or woman, I was texting. I only hope that they listen.

I opened All Beautiful Things by Nicki Salcedo knowing it was inspired by Beauty and the Beast with a twist. The heroine, Ava, is the beast. As you read on the back cover, she was attacked and left scared.

The Prologue starts out with a few letters from the hero to the heroine. She never writes back but he never stops writing. I think that in itself tells you the kind of man he is. From chapter one, you can see that Ava is detached. A ghost moving through life but unsure how to live it anymore. She goes through the motions, she knows what she wants - to be a normal person for her nieces, to take care of the men at her homeless shelter - but she's never been the same since her attack and now her presumed attacker is back on the streets and the man who has been writing her letters for the last seven years is suddenly standing in front of her, flesh and blood.

There are a lot of fairy tale references, some obvious, some a little hidden, that, of course, had me fan-girling a bit because I love fairy tales.

Every writer out there has a message to send. We all have those authors who designate with us. By the time I closed this book, my heart was warm and my eyes were watery.

I find myself having a difficult time doing this review without spoilers which is unusual for me but I'm just so eager to discuss it. I need those people I text to get reading.

For me, the overlaying message is that all of us have scars and sometimes we get so lost in our own pain we forget that bad things happen to other people too. Its not about saying my pain is worst than yours, its about just trying to find those people who can help us heal.

This is a book I think everyone needs to read. - And then write me so we can discuss it!

Remember, All Beautiful Things is our book of the month for Book Brunch. On February 28, we'll discuss this great story. So make sure you go and get it, read it and come back!

This savory delight was served up to you by Bryonna Nobles.