Monday, February 27, 2017

ARC REVIEW (TOP READS!!): FLOW and GRIP by Kennedy Ryan

S Y N O P S E S

FLOW
(the GRIP prequel)

In 8 years, Marlon James will be one of the brightest rising stars in the music industry. 

Bristol Gray will be his tough, no-nonsense manager. 

But when they first meet, she's a college student finding her way in the world, and he's an artist determined to make his way in it. 

From completely different worlds, all the things that should separate them only draw them closer. 

It's a beautiful beginning, but where will the story end?

FLOW is the prequel chronicling the week of magical days and nights that will haunt Grip & Bristol for years to come.

GRIP is the full-length conclusion of their story.

 * * * * * * * * * 

GRIP
Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out.
I know.
I’ve been doing it for years.
I may not have a musical gift of my own, 
but I’ve got a nose for talent and an eye for the extraordinary.
And Marlon James – Grip to his fans – is nothing short of extraordinary.
Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I’ve thrown away the key.
All that’s left is friendship and work.
He’s on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true.
I manage his career, but I can’t seem to manage my heart.
It’s wild, reckless, disobedient.
And it remembers all the things I want to forget. 
______________________________________

(I read Flow and Grip consecutively so I'll just review them as one!)

"My heart broke loose on the wind." – Pablo Neruda

I. AM. SO. OBSESSED. Good Lord Almighty. Kennedy Ryan outdid herself a hundred times with FLOW and GRIP. THIS STORY IS PHENOMENAL!!! 

The threat of Grip breaking me weighs less than the possibility of never having him.

Grip never knew he’d reach a height quite like what he was in right now. It came quite close to the high he experienced eight years ago, and it was a peak he will keep trying to reach. I've never read about a hero like Marlon (Grip). His depth, his passion, his story...Grip is his own kind of art and he loves like a masterpiece. This man is a living, breathing fire of passion that is sure to set flames on every reader’s feelings. Heart, Soul, Time, Panties, this man will steal it all from you and you'll voluntarily give it to him. 

My love is Pandora’s Box. Grip snapped my hinges, pried me open. He let this love out. My love has a wild streak. Good luck trying to tame it.

If there was something Bristol knew well, it was the feeling of inadequacy. She wasn’t as talented as her brother, wasn’t as fancy as her mother, always wasn’t brilliant enough. All her life, she was trying to fill that gaping hole with determination and strong will. Until she met a man who did not only fill her emptiness but allowed her to overflow. I DID NOT expect to love Bristol this much. Granted, I knew I will be taken by the badass goddess that she was but I never expected this depth from her. Beneath her cold, sure, and confident aura was a seat of immense love and compassion. She is definitely one of my favorite heroines ever! 

If she’s running from me, I’ll have to disappoint her.

I CAN’T EVEN WITH THIS STORY. Grip just totally owned me. There’s such a unique soul in Flow and Grip that I’ve never ever felt before. I’ve been craving to know how Grip and Bristol will finally give in to each other since My Soul to Keep but I did not expect their story to blow me away this much. Most of the characters I’ve read had a ‘chemistry’ or a ‘spark’ but Marlon and Bristol had a magma of emotions brewing, waiting to explode. And man, did they set my book world on fire. There’s just a rare kind of connection between them that had me trying to hold my heart in place. Like it’s so strong that the emotions jump right out of the pages each time there’s a scene where they’re breathing the same air. It’s absolutely addicting and I can read it again and again. 

What I love about a Kennedy Ryan book is that it’s a vessel for a deeper message. Beneath the soul-stirring romance in Grip lies significant issues that sparked and continue to spark controversies. For me, though, it was thought-provoking, moving, and inspirational. The stories, situations, and people embedded in this story were real and inspired empathy in so many ways. I think that’s the reason why my obsession with Grip reached new heights. It did not just give me goosebumps or tripling-heartbeats. Not just a depth that singed my heart nor a bone-deep romance that made me dream. It challenged my mind, altered my perspective, and inspired me to become a better person. 

For me, Kennedy Ryan’s prose is perfection. Her words flow like perfectly versed poems and you’d just want to highlight every line and have it tattooed on your body. I loved ALL of the books she’s ever written but in FLOW and GRIP, she was at her best..so far. The depths in these books were insurmountable, each page reeking with a story that will compel you to read non-stop. If there’s a story that I will highly recommend to people, this would be it. There are not enough stars in the sky I could borrow to help me rate this experience. Because Grip can’t be rated with stars. It’s worth at least two galaxies. 

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