Warning from authorsBefore you move forward in this book know that you could potentially be triggered by certain situations. This book contains violence and non-consensual sexual acts.If you choose to move forward, we hope that you do, know that we are taking you on a beautiful story where love can overcome the darkest hell.Once upon a time, we were best friends. Only two years older than me, … years older than me, Stryker, was my protector, but he couldn’t protect me the night I was taken from my family, my village…him.
I’ve grown up in the confines of my cell in the dungeon. I’m now a woman trained to be an assassin, and I have my next target. However, there’s something familiar in the eyes staring back at me.
I’m a tainted soul ready to kill, ready to please my master. My heart though, it wishes to remember the boy in my dreams.
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Holy shizz!! This writing duo are the shizz! They are seamless, you cannot tell that two authors have written this. That in its self is a skill! And then you turn the first page!!
And I was gone! I could not put this down and read it in one sitting. There were times where I feared for the safety of my kindle as my grip got tighter, the further into Izzy and Stryker’s story I went. But it held strong, just like my belief that love will shine light into the darkest of souls and shadows. I don’t want to say too much more for fear of spoilers (which I never give!). You need to read this and find out for yourself if love can truly conquer all darkness.
I am not going to spoil this book for you but I will tell you this ,
Holy crap , this book is totally not what I was expecting. We have Izzy who is 8 and Stryker who is 10 these two are best friends and he knows she is meant to be his but that night their lives are forever changed and Izzy is taken .
Stryker and the village they live in is forever changed and so is Izzy.
This book has a villian of course but it has true love, assassins, lies exposed, and second chances at life.
I can not wait for the second one which you get a tease of at the end of this one.
Before Tainted Souls I had never read anything by either Colbie Kay or KB Bennett and after reading it I’ve been wondering where the frick have I been?? Ya’ll know that I am up for reading just about any genre out there but I don’t read a whole lot of Dark Romance. I”m starting to wonder why that is. I absolutely loved Izzy and Stryker. First, come on the names alone should be on the Hollywood Stars. Amazing name choices!! And then the story begins and DAYUM!!
Izzy and Stryker are friends that have always been together basically since birth. Growing up in a small village together, their lives seemed to be idyllic. If only the knew what the future would bring. How one night Izzy would be taken and Stryker would be waiting for years to get his revenge on those who took her. How they would be ripped from one another. One forgetting all that they once knew and the other remembering all too well. It really makes you ponder who had it worse those years, the one who couldn’t remember what they lost or the one who could.
Life though works in mysterious ways and it suddenly brings Izzy and Stryker back together. They are no longer the same. One is an assassin and the other a mark meant to be killed. Reading about the struggle to keep them both alive and possibly bring the others memories back was heart wrenching.
KB and Colbie killed this book. Slayed it so freaking hard that I was sad to hit the end of it. Tainted Souls will elicit every emotion imaginable. You will feel their innocence and watch as it is taken from them. You will cry at what was, what is to be and what is. I honestly didn’t want to leave Izzy and Strykers world but sadly all good things must come to an end.
Stryker and Izzy were the best of friends, soul mates. Stryker knew even at the young age of 10 that Izzy was meant to be his.. until she was stolen away in the night. For Izzy, life as she knew it was gone forever, in it’s place was a hell on earth. Years passed and Izzy is a trained assassin that now has no memory of her life before the torture began. When she is given her next assignment things don’t go as planned. What happens when the man she was sent to kill knows who she is, the person she was before all this started?
So, I went in to this thinking that this would be sort of like La Femme Nikita or Point of No Return.. female assassin, falling in love with her hit. My fault for thinking that, as this story was nowhere like those. What we got was a very different sort of story, one that wasn’t bad, but I found it just ok. Danger, violence, some things that could be a trigger for some. There were spots where this story drags a bit. I give this 3 stars.
The story was different, so if you are looking for not your typical book this could be one for you. This was an interesting read, but dragged in so many places for me which made reading it difficult. If it had some parts taken out it would have been so much better, only my opinion.
Stryker knew, at age 10, that he had met his one: his heart, his soul’s twin, his forever love. Izabella was two years younger, but it didn’t matter. She belonged to him…. Until she didn’t.
At age 8, Izabella was stolen from her parents, from her home, from the only life she ever knew… and was forever changed. Robbed of her childhood, of her sense of self, Izabella becomes a trained assassin, a weapon to be used by her Maitre: a tainted soul.
Stryker vows to someday, somehow, someway find and free Izabella from whatever or whoever is keeping her away from him. But Fate has its own plans for this pair of star-crossed lovers, and it will take everything in them to triumph ….
Gritty and dark, Tainted Souls has many triggers. If you are offended or upset by the dark acts that a man can inflict on others, this is NOT the book for you. Fast paced and original, Tainted Souls entwines the reader in tendrils of pain and salvation, debasement and redemption, until the finale.
I absolutely love this dark romance story about Stryker and Izzy. Love all the twist and turns that keeps you flipping the pages.
Favorite quote: Stryker ~ “…a Mand is never whole until he finds the woman who owns the other half of his soul.”
Tainted Souls by Colbie Kay and KB Bennett is a different kind of dark romance that delves into what can happen when you get wrapped up with the wrong person. Izzy is taken, Stryker is determined to save her…one day. As children, he swore to protect her, and when she comes to kill him, he has to protect himself, his village, and possibly his heart. Nothing is quite what it seems though. There are a lot of secrets and things lurking in the shadows.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wish there were a few things that were expanded upon and that we understood more, but maybe that will come in the next installment of the series. There are two more books planned and I can’t wait to see what the authors have up their sleeves for those. There are a lot of unanswered questions and things that leave my scratching my head, which only make me want to read the next one more. 4 stars.
This read is not for the faint of heart. These two new to me authors bring a book filled with loss of children and souls. Stolen at a young age tortured and turned into an assassin she unknowingly returns to her village. Memories stolen. Innocence ripped from them without remorse. He never stopped looking for her, working towards her rescue. This story tells of rape and torture, years of abuse. It’s a crazy read that takes you to a dark and ugly place. Your emotions will be ripped and torn until the very end. He wont stop til he recovers his soul mate no matter what the costs. Lies will be revealed, hate unleashed, lives lost. A fast and furious read.
Wow. This two together are amazing. So well written ,amazing characters,freaking amazing storyline. I loved Izzy and Stryker. Such a great connection between these two.Izzy is kidnapped and turned into something no one should ever be. She goes after the one person that can change her life.But will he be able to save her after all this time? Loved it. Can’t wait until I get the next . Two great writers join together to write an amazing book.
OMG!! Colbie Kay has written a absolutely fantastic book. It is a little darker than I usually read but I loved it. Izzy and Stryker were best friends torn apart from one another. Once you start reading this book you will not be able to put it down until you have finished it. I cannot wait for the next book.
I received this ARC for a honest review
Not for the faint of heart! Tainted Souls is one of those books that stay with you long after you’ve finished. This book will make you feel every emotion, especially the “what the f***” ones. If you live through the torture you’re in for an amazing love story. A Must read by KB and Colbie
Take a ride on the dark side of life and love.In Tainted Souls is very different story from the authors. Most definitely not for the weak of heart. Rips your heart open often with painful parts. There are times you may want to throw what you are reading from. Then ask what did I just read!!!! Yet as a reader U wanted more, no I needed more from ever page. I could not put the story down. You want the good people to win. Then the evil master to suffer in every way he inflicts on others and more.Izzy(as:808) has suffered unspeakable torture from earlier the from pure evil. Stryker is and freewill be Izzy’s protector her and his soulmates. Separated for years, not together physically always but always in their minds and souls. Finding each other again thru some unusual circumstances to fight the evil that is. Read their usual story to their HEA.
I have loved all Colbie Kay’s books that I have read, and I also enjoyed K. B. Bennett’s book but this book with them writing together was filled wonderful writing and well-developed characters. Izzy and Stryker’s love story is a little darker than what I normally read but I loved it. Izzy and Stryker are childhood best friends and Izzy is taken from her family but Stryker vows to avenge what has been done to not only Izzy’s family but the village by the villain. Once I started reading, I could not put it down because I was hoping that their love would enable them to make it through the darkness that was inflicted upon them by the villain. I cannot wait to read the second book in the series the tease left me wanting more.
Title: Tainted Souls
Author: Colbie Kay & K. B. Bennett
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Drama
**RECEIVED ARC FOR HONEST REVIEW**
I have loved Colbie Kay’s work since I found her first MC series. I have always felt she has had a way of writing that is simplistic in delivery but power in the emotions her words evoke. Her characters appear as run of the mill cookie cutter romance “heroes” and “heroines”. Underneath each one there is that something special that makes them endearing, flawed but worthy, truly human. Each one written as only Kay and now Kay and Bennett know how.
This book may be listed or stated as a darker story than the other works by these authors. Yes and no. I mean in City Lights Kay touches on domestic violence and the heroine is left on the side of the road beaten to death, almost. So, yeah this had more triggers but it wasn’t darker, it was INTENSE.
As for the story, very reminiscent of Tillie Cole and Ravage. Hope that isn’t insulting to anyone. I love Cole. Loved that series and I feel there are a few plot similarities. No biggie.
I do have 1 very big issue…but it would cause me to put spoilers in my review. I can’t do that. So, let me just say: if they out into the world to work wouldn’t they know about television, razors and stuff? No matter how sheltered they will see things.
Overall I enjoyed the book and when I read the sneak peek for book 2, i think i may like it even more.