Chroma Hearts awards
Awarded 2019 Best Published Story (CHROMA HEARTS) and 3rd Best Published Author (MAYUMI CRUZ)
5/5
"IF I COULD GIVE THIS BOOK MORE THAN 5 STARS, I WOULD. Reading the first chapter I wasn't sure and was a little confused, However from chapter two I was gripped. If I could give this book more than 5* I would. I became totally invested in the characters, It was brilliant. So many twists and turns, it kept me hooked to the very end. I confess I didn't see the ending coming at all. Well done Mayumi Cruz and thank you for a brilliant book.
5/5
"AWESOME READ. WOW!!! What an awesome read. A heart wrenching thriller about love, loss and mental illness. I couldn't put it down. Have your tissues ready and prepare for the mind-blowing ending that you won't see coming. Looking forward to reading more from Mayumi Cruz. I would highly recommend this book."
5/5
"ENGROSSING, HARD TO PUT DOWN. I enjoyed reading this book . It was quite engrossing, wanting to know more with the plot unveiled was hard to put down."
4/5
"INTRIGUING. Interesting emotional suspense thriller romance story, it is compelling and has triggers. Characters are strong, intriguing, and it is well written.
4/5
"HEARTBREAKING, HEARTPOUNDING, UNPUTDOWNABLE READ. This book is a fast-paced, psychological romantic thriller. I read this in just one sitting as things got intense pretty quickly. Even though the story was heavy emotionally, I loved how the author balanced it by showing the unconditional love that Melvin has for his wife, Erica. It showed that true love really conquers all. Prepare yourself as this book is a heartbreaking, heart-pounding and unputdownable read.
(BOOKBED.ORG TAGS BOOKS WITH 3 STARS BY DEFAULT)
3/5
{BOOKBED'S DEFAULT FOR BOOK REVIEWS ARE 3 STARS} "GRIPPING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING. My heart was pounding the whole time I was reading this book. I thought the writing style was nothing less than perfect—vivid and dramatic. The whole thing felt like following a crime movie or TV show, complete with mini cliffhangers, dramatic plot twists and flashbacks and wtf-worthy revelations. It was a smorgasbord of emotional black hole-forming elements. I felt like there were no loose ties left behind, and that the author was able to cover all gaping wounds in the best possible way. Chroma Hearts by Mayumi Cruz is a gripping and thought-provoking story about fighting for love against mental illness, with a side of crime solving. Strongly recommended for those who enjoy mind-stirring and heart-squeezing.

Blurb

Can love triumph over all—even catatonic depression? Can love defeat everything—even a diabolical evil?

A new bride suffering from catatonia. A determined husband trying to break through the black pit in which her brain escaped to. And a ruthless abomination who will stop at nothing to tear them apart.

Melvin and Erica are childhood sweethearts. Theirs is a love nurtured through the years. Everything is perfect. They are on the road to their happily ever after. Until their love is put to a series of tests: trials of fire.

Erica is brutally assaulted, left for dead but miraculously survives. Undeterred, they go through with their wedding. But an unwanted outcome and an unexpected memory of the assault push Erica to the edge. Her mind switches off. She becomes catatonic.

Armed with only his unwavering love for her, Melvin strives to unlock her mind and bring her back to him. 

But what if the key to her brain opens up a Pandora’s box, unraveling a hideous truth about the crime which they mistakenly thought was solved? Will they be able to accept it—or survive it?

Excerpt

Eight Weeks Ago

Time’s up.

From the darkest corner of the tiny room, I exhaled a long, weary sigh. The ear-splitting screams have died down to soft whimpers, thank goodness. Whereas moments ago, my eardrums had almost exploded at the high-pitched cries interspersed with wild laughter and grunts, now the pounding sensation inside my ears was all but gone. The faint sounds which drifted to me now were like the piercing meows of a gasping, frightened furball.

Flashes of snow white fur, emerald eyes, and a black, broom-like tail invaded my mind. Toby. Our pet cat. One look at him at an animal shelter and it was love at first sight. He was perfection. We brought him home. Fed him. Put him to bed. Tickled his chin. Played with him. Took care of him. Gave him everything a cat can ever want. Then he just went up and about and knocked up a passing feline who came from nowhere. Next thing I knew, Toby had installed her inside my house, revolting belly and all. I didn’t want her. I didn’t want the kittens that were growing inside her. I only wanted Toby. Just Toby.

I fished out again my vintage pocket watch, flicked it open and glanced at the time. It had been almost thirty minutes. Surely, they were done now? How long did they have to keep at this? Were they not getting tired? I shuddered in disgust.

Standing up from my seat, I made sure my face is hidden, swallowed under my black hood. Once again, as I have done many times over the past hour, I curled my nose, hating the smell of liquor, cigarettes, and bad breath. The old, rusty air-conditioning unit served to intensify the horrible stench instead of covering it. The room was illuminated only by the light coming from under the bathroom door to my left. But even in the darkness, I was able to make out their shadowy figures.

I rapped my knuckles three times on the wall. They abruptly stopped. They turned their covered heads at me in unison. I was reminded of the movie with hooded figures performing a dark ritual. They cleared a path at the center, giving me a glimpse of what they have done. As if I wanted to see the result of their hard work. Of course, I didn’t. I only stayed to make sure they got to do it right. Just the way I wanted to.

Verified by MonsterInsights