The Life You Stole (The Life Series Book 2)

REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
“The truth could right the wrong of a lie, but nothing fixed the truth.”

It always says something when you finish a book, set it down, and walk away – but your heart hasn’t even left the pages, right? Jewel E Ann does that for me with every story. I love the twists she throws in there, and the emotions she garners with each one always leave me gasping. Gosh, this one was rough on me, but the ride was a story of painstaking perfection. Finally finding euphoria in the wrong place….? How do you justify those kinds of wrongs? I knew why. I saw why. I felt why. But it was still so very hard!!!

But I knew I had to trust JEA. I’ve never not trusted her, so I wasn’t going to start now….but my gosh, the temptation to put it down and run away was very intense with this one! This was the kind of book I couldn’t look away from. It was an epic story of betrayal, confusion, hate, and delusion. I can’t and won’t deny the betrayal that was weaved throughout the turmoil these characters were tumbling through, but I also understand getting caught up in the wrong situation. I understand why what happened did happen, and holy crap! This was an eye-opening moment spanning 376 pages.

“Sometimes we loved with lies and protected with sins.”

So much anger and vitriol….I was yelling at my kindle! I mean, those pushy people in your life that pretend to be well meaning, but you know they’re not? RIPE. This story was RIPE with that. I was fuming while reading this one because of the trust and truth that was hidden behind well-meaning. But, it was all circumstantial. Every bit of it. One piece of the puzzle didn’t mean much, but a few pieces here and there painted a not-so-pretty, very different picture.

If a character chooses the ‘wrong’ direction, I like to find out why. I don’t want to question their actions, but I want to find out why they felt compelled to take said action. I love that with Jewel. She is forever giving me something to debate, discuss, decipher, or decry. This book provided so many discussions, different routes I could have considered, different stances I could have argued – and that’s exactly what I love about her writing. Always have and always will. I was chatting with another reader the other day, and I said something that kinda made me giggle. Yes, Jewel is a favorite of mine, so I’m always going to go into one of her stories with a fresh mind and a willingness to feel a whole new discussion. {{Yes, feel a discussion – because her words have always provoked a discussion worthy of aggressive thoughts.}} My words the other day were, “I’m pretty sure if Jewel told me the alphabet was originally backwards because apples are bananas and taste like purple smells, I would believe it.” And that’s no lie, because I am here for her stories, all day – any day. I love the journey she takes me on and I will unapologetically read any book of hers with vigor because I know she will always have a lesson or a moral-line-tip-toeing. It also shows that while I can and do try to provide an unbiased review when I read a book, I also know that her since writing works so well for me, I’m always going to be open to her theories and ready for the ride and will most likely love them too.

Make no mistake: this book is totally signature JEA. It’s got some elements to it that will shock even the most die-hard fan. I was shocked, but I knew that the journey she was going to take me on was going to be one that had one hundred different angles anyone could look at differently and still come up with contrasting reasons for why things happened the way they did. But that is the beauty of her mind. Of her books. Of her stories. I was over here saying, “no don’t do that” and things were happening and it was angering. But I could also see four persons’ thoughts so I knew the variables – I knew what was going on to some degree and could connect the dots. It made me sad to see the road some of these actions were taking them down, but it wasn’t anything that I saw coming either. Nothing was easily explainable…not one thing. But this book was also picture proof of the power of her words and the visual she can give me while allowing me to live inside this world of wonder and chaos.

“We are created in the likeness of perfection but thrust into a world of sin.”

This one was such a departure from book one. If you think you’re going into the same love story, you need to read the description again. More specifically, the trope this book sits in. It wasn’t her normal genre, but I’m beginning to think there is no “normal” for her either. With Jewel telling a story and pushing envelopes like she always does, she sets up her own reality like a creative genius. How many people did she piss off with WLH? A METRIC SHIT TON. Perfect example. But, I also knew there was another side to that book. To some, death of a character is the “no way no how” factor. To others, it’s a cheating character. She will always cross the lines, and I am thankful for that. I love the fact that I never know what’s coming from one page to the next, because she makes me THINK ABOUT the story and the circumstances. Not just the actions and the consequences. I love it!!

JEA always makes me want to discuss her books. I want to hear opposing views. I want to discuss why something makes me feel a certain way. I always want to have the “you tell me what you think and I’ll tell you what I think” talk with anyone that reads her, good and bad. I want to have those arguments and I want someone to tell me why they feel differently. Her writing amazes me for this very reason. She never fails to wring the emotions out of me. This was a painful read with some answering moments, but there was light. I knew there was. I just didn’t know how long the tunnel was….

“Revenge made me the temptress.”
~BEE

“Words had many powers. They shaped perception. Sometimes they cut. Sometimes they healed.”

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2.5 STARS!

The first book I read by Jewel E. Ann was When Life Happened and I was forever changed. With each new story Jewel told I was hooked and addicted, and she instantly became a favorite.

This duet starts with The Life That Mattered and I was amazed by how Jewel unfolded the plot, shocked by the characters and the many connections between them that Jewel tethered together. Book 2, The Life You Stole, brought about lies, betrayal, and revenge. There was so much hurt, loss, pain, anguish, and passion. This book, well, It’s dark. It’s raw. It’s unbelievable. Without question, it’s not an easy story to read. It made my heart race. It made me sweat. There were moments I had to stop. I couldn’t stop swearing, yelling at the unfairness this novel held between its pages.

However, The Life You Stole, in many ways, tarnished everything I loved about book 1. This book definitely hurt my heart in more ways than one. Days later, and still it hurts for Lila and everything she endured. But, the spiritual connection she shared with Ronin did not sit well with me. I hated that their connection caused Ronin to be trapped in a depression cycle that affected his relationships with his family. He literally needed Lila to stop feeling dejected, so in turn, he would seek her out like a drug in order to feel at peace instead of turning to Evelyn and trusting her with his feelings. And though I wished Evelyn would have done more to be there for Lila and communicated with Ronin about how she felt towards Graham, who is full of manipulative games btw, I found I rather admired Evelyn’s strength and perseverance.

In all honesty, I ended this book feeling conflicted. Even now. Regardless, Jewel’s talent shines. Her writing is just as engaging and alluring as ever, but this is the type of book you either really enjoy or strongly dislike. No matter, you can appreciate the many layers of depth Jewel has created within these characters. And it must be said, she’s still a favorite!!!

5* Secret and Lies Stars

I jumped into this book as soon as I finished the first one which ended on a cliff-hanger. I was still on such a high after reading the Life that Mattered that I could not put it down. I had so many answers and questions about what happened in book one. You will be taken on a journey filled with twists and turns, secrets and lies amongst the four friends. Boundaries are crossed, friendships are tested and shattered. This was a hold your breath rollercoaster ride until the end and the last word was written. It will be days before you can let go of this amazing story between Evelyn, Ronin, Graham and Lila. A wonderful, brilliant Duet by the talented Jewel E. Ann.

I looked up the term heartbreaking in the dictionary and found Jewel E. Ann for the definition. Not really, but it should be. Jezeeee oh pete this book killed me. I was at work on breaks devouring every single word. Going back to my desk in tears had people looking at me like wtf is wrong with that chick? I’ll tell what’s wrong…THIS BOOK! It wrecked me. I don’t think I’ll be able to read for days now. It was epic. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong again and again. Just when I thought oh, it’ll be better now, nope…she ripped my heart out. Multiple times. But, damn was it worth it! This duet is a MUST READ. It’s not a ohhh, maybe later read. It’s a read it right fucking now one. Amazing. Flawless. Brilliant. Emotional. Gripping. Perfection. Those are just a few of the words I would use to describe this one.

When every other sentence is felt right in the heart you know you’ve got a good book in your hands.

I finished this book and had to sit, breathe and take in the entire story trying to get all my thoughts together to attempt a coherent review. I’ve realized I don’t have enough words to relate what this story is.

It most definitely was an amazing journey. The Life You Stole (book 2 of The Life duet) is much different from book 1. And this fact leaves me speechless because everything that happened I did not see coming. I LOVE being surprised.

One thing I can say for sure is ‘All the questions I ended up having at the end of ~The Life That Mattered~ were answered here perfectly.

This story of 4 friends/2 couples comes with all the emotions. YOU will get ALL THE FEELS. The writing is spectacular.

QUOTE “Everyone needed someone in their life who was just so damn happy to he part of their existence that absolutely nothing else mattered”

JEA writes the most amazing stories. The kind of stories you walk away from leaving your heart behind.
I’ll say goodbye to my heart because it’s staying with these characters

Wow, what a mind boogling! I was utterly have no words to say. Jewel had taken my voice and thought away from me. She wrote a beautiful love story so much it hurt.
4 people… 2 couples… how can love be so complicated? I was blindly inlove with the idea of forever. I was wrong.. totally wrong …. You should never judge by its cover.
I will say nothing more and recommend You to read the series like a blind date. It was very unique and will grip your every emotions. Jewel was a brilliant author with her ways to made you feel.
Heartbreaking, amazing plot twisting and the list just keep going.

Amazing!

Wow! Unpredictable and not what I was expecting, but in a good way.

Wow. I’ve never read anything like this book before and it’s not surprising because Jewel has a way of bringing the unexpected to her readers.

Upon reading the last word of this epic story, it felt like something was trying to steal my life. My heart felt like the life was being squeezed out of me and I had difficulty getting complete breaths in my lungs. This book had my anxiety level shooting through the roof. I don’t know if I possess the words to properly express my feelings.
There was incredible depth that took me on one hell of a rollercoaster ride. The mystery within held me on a ledge from page one until long after the end. I have a serious book hangover and I worry there will be no cure.
I ended the first book completely in love with Ronin and Evelyn, especially their truly unique bond of love and matrimony. They both understood that their love for each other rested on a much deeper level than I’ve ever witnessed before in books or real life. They knew how important that belief was which made what occurred in this book that much more harder to digest.
Ronin’s “abilities” definitely were much more of a curse. That curse intensified in this book and led him to do things that hurt me to read. He walks right up to the line of betrayal and I stayed on the edge of my seat screaming at him not to cross that line. But no matter what happened and didn’t happen, his love for Evie and his children remained devoted and true.
The paranormal aspect of this story has to be kept front and center, within the reader’s mind, in order to see and understand the connection he shared with the life he saved.
Lila and Graham’s, the other couple in this story, role in this story are just as important as Ronin and Evie’s. I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle Graham after I took Lila by her shoulders and shook some sense and fight into her. The way Graham’s story ended was perfect and spot on which made me very happy but I’ll leave it at that. Several times, it felt like I was actually feeling Lila’s intense struggle as she still managed to make it from one day to the next.
I had to take a step back when the angst intensified. I did not expect to be so affected by everything that happened but I needed that. It’s like therapy for me to read a story high in angst.
The quality of writing in this story was brilliant. I would have loved to give it five stars but I just couldn’t for two reasons. 1) Lila’s lies or altered truths were really confusing. I found it really hard at times to figure out what was the truth and what wasn’t. 2) After everything the author put me through, I really needed the HEA to be more detailed and longer so I could come more to terms and at peace with how this journey ended. I desperately wanted to see how Ronin would put his life and marriage back to were it was in the first book. The Ronin I fell in love with in the first book was almost completely absent in this book. It felt like my heart went through the ringer along with him and Evie but then the author summed up the HEA in what felt like one sentence. There was so much more “fixing and forgiving” that I really wanted. Just saying “I love you” does not sum it up right.
I will definitely need to find a comfort read after this book. But all in all, the uniqueness of the story and the author’s talent will remain with me. No matter how I felt about this book, I plan to read this author’s other work without fail.