Stuck In Books: Inspire (Muse, #1) by Cora Carmack ~ Review

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Inspire (Muse, #1) by Cora Carmack ~ Review

Source: Received an eBook copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

About INSPIRE:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn’t have any other choice. It’s part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors—they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life— a normal one. She’s spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she’s ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy, and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly… he’s not an artist. He doesn’t want her for her ability. But she can’t turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It’s happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.

Review...

I adore Cora Carmack books. I love the New Adult genre. I've been in such a mood for paranormal too. That makes Inspire perfect for me to read.

Lots of things make this one unique. The NA paranormal piece is pretty new. Add to that a muse. I'm not sure I've ever read a story about a muse before. Then the POV has a different flare. Divided into three parts, the first part is from Kalli POV, the second part is from Wilders POV and the third part flips back and forth between the two. I found that interesting and different.

In the first part, I learned a lot about Kalli and how being a muse isn't really as fun as one might think. Her motivations, her desires and her surety that she can't have anything more become very clear. In the second part, I learned how Wild's life has changed. Why he's hiding his real passion and why he's wearing the business attire for a day job that's not him at all - all become clear. But I was worried about him and for him. Kalli isn't good for him. She tells him this but he can't understand just how not good for him she is. Had me stressing over him a lot. So many feels with this boy. I loved when he was happy and around her and worried too. And I hurt when he was away and miserable. So many feels.

And I so adore Wilder. Starting with that name. Love that. Then there's this whole helping his mom and his sister thing. Giving up his dreams to help others thing. Then he holds back when he thinks Kalli is drunk thing. Then the want to get to know you thing. And his love of touching her thing. Did I mention his sweet side? His tats? Lots and lots of tats. How about the leather jacket? Or his scruffy chin when he doesn't shave. Or how he can't tell his little sister no? Oh yes, he watches Frozen with his little sister. Adorable.

Cora's writing is awesome. She weaves the Greek mythology between the lines and I loved it. I think that mythology lore is one of my favorite paranormal types. And this one is an area that just isn't done a lot. So it was interesting to see how a muse plays a role and their connection and dependance on humans. And I'm trying to find a happy for these two. It's not clear at all. And I'm very worried about that. And I'm not sure at all. And that's unusual for me. Very well done.

The story starts a little slow for me but then it picked up and I was loving it. Yes, these two have a heavy emotional connection really fast but it fits the story. The idea of a thread between them fit so well with the mythology that I was okay with how quickly their relationship develops. Definitely had me reading late into the night because I just didn't want to put it down.

The ending is murderous. It's a good thing I love Cora - otherwise, I'd have to hunt her down and demand to read book two NOW. Not wait until sometime next year.

This book will appeal to any paranormal lover. It will appeal to the NA lover. It will appeal to the romance lover. And it will appeal to the lover of good stories. When you need that next great read, pick this one up and you won't be disappointed.

Giveaway...

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About Cora Carmack...

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

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