Tag Archives: Megan Tayte

Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully by Megan Tayte – Review & Giveaway

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Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully by Megan Tayte – Review & Giveaway

 

Darkly, Deeply, BeautifullyAmazon

Description:
DARKNESS HAS FALLEN, AND SHE ALONE WILL SEE THE LIGHT.

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

With her mother’s life hanging in the balance, Scarlett is devastated – and done with being in the dark. She wants answers, all of them.

But when was her pursuit of the truth ever straightforward?

Pulling a single thread impels a great unravelling. And each revelation will force Scarlett to rethink what she thought she knew about the Ceruleans, the Fallen, her family – herself.

All that came before was a mere prelude to this, the last journey. From London to Twycombe to Hollythwaite to Cerulea, Scarlett will be stalked by the ghosts of what has been, what may have been and what may come to pass. Until she reaches the place where it all began, and it all must end.

But in the final reckoning, none will survive unscathed. And some will not survive at all.

In this explosive conclusion to The Ceruleans series, all must be defined by their actions: sinner, saint… or something more beautiful entirely?


Review:

Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully is book five in the Cerulean series by Megan Tayte. After the most epic of cliffhangers in book four, we may finally find out all the answers to the burning questions we all want to know!

Scarlett’s life has been a whirlwind lately. Finding out she is Cerulean and able to heal people. Finding out who her father is and that he is the leader of the opposition – a faction called The Fallen. And that her sister Sienna is still alive but has chosen the dark, she has chose to join The Fallen. But the burning question is who attempted to kill her mother and put her in a coma?  Who would want to hurt Scarlett or her family? And why now? 

With her ever faithful boyfriend Luke still by her side, she is still struggling to find a balance between being Cerulean and leading a normal life.  The ability to heal others comes with consequences. And trying to figure out how to live her life with Luke in it is a struggle. She waivers and questions, but never loses the love she has for him.

Scarlett is beginning a relationship now with her father, the leader of The Fallen, Gabriel. And his story isn’t at all what she has been led to believe. Even though her father was cast out of Cerulea – Scarlett still wants to find out the answers to all the questions about her father! Scarlett is also attempting to rebuild her relationship with her sister Sienna. But Sienna doesn’t want her involved in her life and she has secrets she just isn’t ready to share yet. 

This novel flowed beautifully from the previous ones. Questions are answered, rights are corrected, good really can conquer evil and things usually aren’t as they seem. I loved this final book… What a journey this has been.

Scarlett has evolved in to a very strong, young woman. Her relationship with Luke is strong, although there are things she just can’t confess to him. Not just yet. Luke is the rock, the one that is always there for Scarlett. Always protecting her and loving her the best ways he knows how! Luke’s sister Cara and her boyfriend Si’s story continues, as their relationship builds. Again, they are always there for Scarlett and supporting her in friendship.  I truly changed my thoughts on Gabriel and Sienna just as Scarlett did. Realizing that judging a book by its cover isn’t always the best thing to do, and I was completely ecstatic that Jude and Sienna have found a common ground and love. The total shocker was who had hurt Scarlett’s mother.

I believe I may have ugly cried when all was revealed – Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully! 
The characters evolved,  the story continued to pull you in, and wrap you in its arms…  A wonderful series with a beautiful, thought provoking ending.  Leaving you to wonder – what would you sacrifice for love? 



Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Publisher

 

About the author

Megan Tayte

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, I’m a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. My fiction recently earned me the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.

I write the kinds of books I love to read: young-adult romance fiction with an edge of paranormal. Young adult, because it’s the time of life that most embodies freedom and discovery and first love. Romance, because I’m a misty-eyed dreamer who lives for those ‘life is so breathtakingly beautiful’ moments. And paranormal, because I’ve always believed that there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy.

I grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days I make my home in a village of Greater Manchester. I live with my husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; my son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and my baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as I pursue my impossible dream: of baking something edible.

 

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Devil and the Deep by Megan Tayte – a Review

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Devil and the Deep by Megan Tayte – a Review

 

Devil and the DeepAmazon

Description:
STORM CLOUDS ARE GATHERING, AND THEY WILL RAIN BLOOD.

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

Scarlett is living her happy-ever-after, back in the real world. Only the ‘happy’ part is proving problematic.

For starters, there’s the isolation. Being a Cerulean among humans is fraught with risk, so her time with people can only be fleeting. Which means being with Luke but not being with Luke.

Then there’s her Cerulean light, her power over life and death. Less awesome talent, as it turns out, and more overwhelming responsibility. And it comes with rules – rules that are increasingly difficult to obey.

But what’s really pushing Scarlett to the precipice is something much bigger than herself, than her life in the cove. A force to be reckoned with:

Blood.

When long-buried truths are exposed, will Scarlett keep her head above water – or will she drown in the blood-dimmed tide that is unleashed?

Review:

Scarlett Blake is Cerulean. That means she has the power to heal others within herself.  But with that power comes many rules and risks.   Scarlett has decided to leave Cerulea behind and return to her life with her boyfriend Luke.  But that choice does not come without consequences.  You see, it is unheard of for a Cerulean to have a relationship with a human.  Ceruleans; with or around humans for any length of time poses a risk.  But Scarlett is bound and determined to make it work.  Adjusting to a new way of life has been a struggle; Scarlett is isolated and sometimes alone at length.  But she takes on the task of spending time with Jude (fellow Cerulean) to learn how to use her light and heal those who are in need, without causing any harm to herself.  Scarlett has discovered that the results of using her light in the wrong way or on the wrong person can have devastating and real repercussions. 

Scarlett’s relationship with her mother has improved. Her mother is forging forward and creating a life for herself, and finally seems quite happy.  But as all of this is coming about, Scarlett realizes that all of what she has believed about her childhood and life has been lies.  The man she has always believed to be her father, is not.  Which leads her on a journey to find out just who is?  And what will the consequences be when she finds out? Will it change Scarlett’s life as she knows it?  Will she be able to handle the truth of just who her father is?

I have absolutely “fallen” in love with this series.  Megan Tayte’s writing opens up an enchanted world of love, friendship, lies and turmoil.  Finding out who Scarlett’s real father is – was both heartbreaking and completely satisfying.  Knowing that her sister Sienna – now lost to The Fallen was not alone in her tragedy left me hopeful and with a complete sense of understanding. Especially when finding out the real story behind The Fallen.  All along I believed; just as Scarlett that The Fallen were outcasts because they had decided to use their healing power to take lives instead of heal them.  But that may not be the case.  The real reason behind what they have done may be something different entirely.   This adds a completely and totally unexpected twist to this journey.

Luke is completely loving and understanding in this book.  Making me care for him even more than previous books.  His patience with Scarlett and understanding knows no bounds.  Luke is completely committed to the relationship he shares with Scarlett.  And even though she is keeping things from him, I truly believe nothing will ever change the way he feels for her. The way that he brings love and even his own light to everyone around him makes him a pleasure to read.  He is completely selfless and unwavering.

I still continue to love the secondary characters of Cara (Luke’s sister) and Si.  They are both fun and always uplifting.  Jude proves to be more of a friend to Scarlett in this book, and I truly love how he is always there for Scarlett.  Michael has stepped forward in this book and I find him quite intriguing as a character.  I am hoping to find out more about him in the fifth book.  I even enjoyed Evangeline in this book, which I did not in previous books.  Evangeline reveals more to Scarlett and seems to be open to a new way of being Cerulean, which I hope for everyone’s sake is the case.   The ending of course was the ultimate cliff hanger – one of those –scream at the page ones.  Where you can not believe it has ended this way – but leaving you wanting more and more.  I will – although not easily – patiently wait for book five.

Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Author

 

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Wild Blue Yonder/Forget Me Not by Megan Tayte – Reviews

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Wild Blue Yonder/Forget Me Not by Megan Tayte – Reviews

 

wiild blue YonderAmazon

Description:
IN A WARPED HEAVEN, SHE MUST CHOOSE HER FATE: OBEDIENCE OR REBELLION

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

When Scarlett Blake chose life-after-death as a Cerulean, she expected to grieve for all she left behind: her boyfriend, her best friend, her mother, her home. But at least Cerulea, her heaven, would be… well, heavenly. Right?

Wrong.

The world in which Scarlett awakens is very far from her idea of a utopia. Picturesque, sure, and serene. But there can be no paradise within the unforgiving walls of a prison, be they of cold, hard stone or beautifully blue water.

Now Scarlett faces her hardest decision yet: be a good, dutiful Cerulean, or be true to herself and fight for freedom.

And if she can find a way to escape, what then? Can she finally reunite with her lost sister? Can she save Sienna from the murderous Fallen? Can she evade her destiny with the Ceruleans?

Can Scarlett Blake ever reclaim her life-before-death… or must she let go of all she loves?

Review:

Wild Blue Yonder by Megan Tayte is book three in The Cerulean Series. Scarlett Blake has made it safely to Cerulea. But she is none to happy to be there. It is nothing what she expected – nor myself for that matter. Yes, it is beautiful but she arrives in winter and it just isn’t what she pictured. I found it all quite sterile and strict and in my personal opinion something is off.  Not at all what we were lead to believe. While she knows she can never return to the life she has known, she can’t stop thinking about those she has left behind. She has agreed with Jude to come to Cerulea to continue her life and do good for others. Starting over on Cerulea, with Jude, will be the hardest thing she has ever done. With Luke, her boyfriend now gone to her she only has memories to keep her going. But it seems like everything she has been told about Cerulea is masked in some kind of a lie.

She soon comes to realize what exactly she was brought there for and she is not happy about it. Nor would I be. Major revelation on exactly why she is there! Shocking even! With only one way to find out what has happened to her sister Sienna and where she is now – Scarlett decides to behave herself and go along with what is asked of her. Following the rules and committing herself to Jude. The hopes of doing all of this will please the Cerulean mother, Evangeline and with that comes the hope that she will be able to leave Cerulea, and search for her sister.

But that all comes crashing down with an overheard conversation. Scarlett soon realizes that nothing is what it seems and there isn’t a lot of room to trust anyone. But one way or another she will escape Cerulea and she will find out what has happened to her sister! Again, the writing is beautiful and defining. It draws you in and submerges you into the world of Scarlett Blake. I ran the gamut of emotions with this book. Happiness and smiling, anger and cursing, skepticism and shock, and sadness and loss. You want to believe that no matter what true love always wins out – but you just have to question if it will! It is all beautifully written into an epic story! Don’t let the pretense sway you, this series is amazing! And I couldn’t have been happier to find out there will be two more books! This series calls for a standing ovation! It’s that good! 

 

Forget me NotAmazon

Description:
The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

Death is stalking Scarlett Blake. As if the encroaching darkness in her head wasn’t enough, she’s become disturbingly accident prone. Falling off a cliff isn’t ideal when all you want is as much time as possible to live, to love.

Her fate is horrifying. Unbearable. And inescapable. No one can save Scarlett from The End that’s looming. Not Jude, the Cerulean who is intent on Claiming her. Not Luke, the boy who is intent on loving her.

The clock is ticking, louder with every heartbeat. Now Scarlett must decide how best to protect the people she loves. Will she trust in Jude and the life-after-death he promises? Will she stand against the Fallen, who have her sister captive? Will she carry the burden of her death alone – every headache, every hallucination, every wrenching, aching emotion?

And when the clock falls silent, when the darkness eclipses the light, will Scarlett fight for life? Or will she have no choice but to surrender?

Review:

Forget Me Not by Megan Tayte is book two in The Cerulean Series. This book begins right where the first book leaves off. Scarlett Blake is still dealing with the fact that she is Cerulean and soon death will take her to a place where she is told she belongs – Cerulea. Cerulea – the place where her people come from – where she must go to help the workd and do good.  She is in the struggle of her life. Fighting to stay in the here and now and knowing that soon all that she holds dear will be taken from her.

This book concentrates on the fact that Scarlet does not have much time left. Even though that’s the one thing she craves more than anything else. And all she wants to do is spend it with her boyfriend Luke, his sister Cara (who is also her best friend) and those that she has come to love in her little coastal town of Twycombe. She knows that with death comes the chance of finding out what exactly has happened to her sister Sienna since her passing and what exactly she is doing with the Fallen. And can Scarlett save her? 

This book was superbly written and did not miss a beat in continuing the story. This book brings us closer to Jude, the Cerulean that has been sent from Cerulea to claim Scarlett when the time comes. He is there to keep her safe until the time of her passing and deliver her safely to Cerulea. While the first book brought us the romance and the new love that blossomed between Scarlett and Luke, this one shows us what happens once Scarlett realizes that she is going to die and there is nothing she can do to change it. We also struggle with the fact that she is trying to keep as much from Luke as possible. She doesn’t want to cause him or bring him anymore pain. So we follow her through the final months of her life and the relationships she holds so dear and close. And the love you feel between her and Luke is breathtaking. This book is a surreal look at the life of young girl with a destiny with death. The ending was heartbreaking – even though you knew it was coming – the surprise of how it happened and the gut-wrenching pain of two in love now separated by death was pure unfiltered sadness.

Reviews by Erin

Copy provided by Author

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Death Wish by Megan Tayte – a Review

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Death Wish by Megan Tayte – a Review

 

Death WishAmazon

Description:
IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with power over life and death. Five books; one question: If the might of the heavens were in your hands, would you be sinner or saint?

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need.

As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power.

What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death.

To believe the impossible.


Review:

Death Wish is the first book in The Ceruleans series by Megan Tayte. Seventeen year old Scarlett Blake has taken the summer to find out exactly what has transpired leading up to the death of her older sister Sienna. This book takes us to the quiet oceanside community of Twycombe.

Here Scarlett will be staying at her grandparents old house, just off of a quaint little beach cove. The same place Sienna was staying when she died. Her first day there she decides to tryout surfing, as that is exactly what Sienna was doing when she committed suicide. At least that is what she has been told. When the waves overtake her she is saved by a rugged stranger named Luke. This chance meeting sets the pace for a whirlwind summer and the quest for the answers Scarlett needs.

One fateful night while traveling home, a deer runs in front of her and in a panic she hits it. Out of the car and confronted with the death of the deer – she lays her hands on it and slowly, curiously, a blue glow sets in around her hands. The deer miraculously lives. What exactly does this light mean? And as the mystery unfolds, memories creep in. Ones in which she remembers her grandfather, of him teaching her to calm dying animals, to bring them peace in their time of need. These memories are all coming together to not only explain her sister’s death but to shed some light on exactly who and what Scarlett is herself.

The answers she gets are confusing and at times chaotic – but as she sets out to find the truth – the answers may not exactly be what she wants to hear. I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Scarlett, vulnerable in the death of her sister, coming of age without the family she needs, strong and determined to find answers. She is strong willed, caring, awkward and vulnerable. Yet she marches on – as she knows her sister did not take her own life. Her relationship with Luke, is exactly the right pace – leading to answers she not sure she wants to hear.

Luke is the strong, matriarch of his family. Raising his younger sister after the death of his parents. He falls quickly for Scarlett, and she reciprocates. But does Luke hold some of the answers she seeks. And will those secrets pull apart the only relationship she is sure of at the moment? Scarlett finds out that everything her parents told her regarding her sister’s death is a lie. But why? Why did they feel the need to lie? Her quest brings her face to face with a mysterious stranger, Jude.

Jude always seems to be around when she needs him and amazingly as the story unfolds, we find out that he seems to have known Sienna quite well also. Towards the end of the book Jude comes to Scarlett. Revealing to her that he is Cerulean and that he can heal or help those who are dying pass on. He also lets Scarlett know that she herself is Cerulean also, and that soon he will need to take her with him. But to where? And what exactly is a Cerulean? Jude brings the exact right amount of the unknown. Leaving you wanting for the same answers that Scarlett seeks. His character brings quite a new and eccentric twist to the story.

This story is extremely well written with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue. The characters are realistic and the relationships prove to be profound for everyone. Romantic and sad all at the same time! This book left me wanting more and I cannot wait to read book two. Highly recommend if you like romance, mystery, intrigue and a touch of the paranormal. Devoured it!

Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Author

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