Review: Broken Juliet

Title:  Broken Juliet
Series:  Starcrossed #2
Author:  Leisa Rayven (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date:  April 28, 2015
Source:  Bought

How do you fix a love that’s been broken beyond repair?
For years, Cassie Taylor tried to forget about Ethan Holt. He was the one great love of her life, and when he failed to return her love, a part of her died forever. Or so she thought. Now she and Ethan are sharing a Broadway stage, and he’s determined to win her back. Claiming to be a changed man, he’s finally able to say all the things she needed to hear years ago, but can she believe him? What makes this time different from all his other broken promises?
Ethan knows he can’t change their tumultuous past, but if he’s going to have any chance of being with the woman he loves, he’ll need to convince Cassie that her future belongs with him.
Don’t miss this stunning conclusion to the unforgettable love story that captivated over two million fans online.

Find Broken Juliet online

Banres & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads | Book Depository 

Okay, so I'm just going to come right out and say that this has easily become one of my absolute favorite series.  I mean, I adored the first book when I read it and reading this one has just solidified these books place in my list of favorites.  This one had everything I loved about the first one and more.  Angst, humor, a couple with incredible chemistry, character growth - the works.  There wasn't a single moment I wasn't completely engrossed in what was happening.  I'm sad to see these characters go but I'm absolutely thrilled with how it turned out and I'm eagerly anticipating what Leisa Rayven will come out with next.  

Ethan and Cassie are such a great couple.  The chemistry between them is seriously blazing.  Even at their worst when they're arguing and just generally being really terrible to each other, they still somehow make it feel like they are perfect together.  They click incredibly well and it shows in the passion they have for each other.  I especially loved the scenes where they were able to work together in their performances.  Imagining them on stage together was so great.  While I've never been particularly interested in theater, this book made me want to go to broadway and watch all sorts of shows.    

I really enjoyed the continued flashbacks to present set up that Leisa Rayven started in the first book and carried on to this one.  Being able to so clearly see the distinct changes and growth in the characters made this all the more satisfying.  I especially liked seeing how Cassie and Ethan switched roles in the past and present.  Cassie went from being optimistic and sweet to being rather pessimistic and hopeless, and vice versa for Ethan.  Seeing them go full circle and truly grow from the experiences and obstacles they overcame together made me fall in love with this book so hard! 

If you haven't already picked up this book, I honestly don't know what you're thinking!  It has all the components to make a novel great and it doesn't disappoint.  I know I'll be going back to these books in the future and keeping an eye on what Leisa Rayven comes out with next.

“The thing is, if people were books, Ethan would be a bestseller. A sexy, intelligent page-turner you’d find hard to put down, even after it reduced you to a sobbing mess.” 

Review: Bad Romeo

Title:  Bad Romeo
Series:  Starcrossed #1
Author:  Leisa Rayven (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date:  December 23, 2014
Source:  Bought

When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time.
Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks.

Find Bad Romeo online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

My Review:  Oh, holy hot thespians everywhere, guys, this book killed me.  But in the best possible way.  Not like a stabby, painful kill, more like a I-just-melted-into-a-puddle kill.  If you're like me, you've heard amazing things about this book.  Well, I'm here to tell you even more amazing things!  Whoa, crazy, right?!  It was just that good.  Seriously, I want more.  I want the second book.  Quick, someone give it to me!   

I'll be honest, at first I was a little thrown off by the style in which this book was written.  It switches between two time periods - one where our main character Cassie is just getting into acting school and six years later.  I generally don't like this style when reading because it makes the story feel choppy to me but I found it done really well in this book.  The different time periods paralleled each other.  There were strings in each that wound into the other one and made them feel connected and just right together.  I saw the connections the past and the present were making and it made me appreciate the intricacy of it.

Also...the characters.  I love the characters.  Cassie and Ethan effortlessly stole pieces of my heart throughout this story.  I couldn't get enough of them.  Neither were perfect.  In fact, they were flawed a lot.  Cassie was a hard-core people pleaser and Ethan was about as cuddly as a porcupine.  However, when they came together it was magic.  Their conversations, the banter between them, and the *ahem* sexual tension was off the charts.  I ship them so hard, guys.  So.  Hard.  

But, of course, they weren't without their problems.  With so much passion between them, it was bound to blow up from time to time.  They had their fair share of fights and arguments and, let me tell you, I have never loved and been so stressed out about two characters before.  I was in a constant state of freaking out the entire time because I didn't want anything to get between them!  

The plot of this story was so cool.  I can safely say that I loved every single second of it.  It was awesome getting a taste of what it's like to go behind the scenes of a play with the actors.  Seeing them challenge themselves and struggle with their passion and fear.  Their struggles and the obstacles they had to overcome made this plot gold.  I could especially appreciate the plot because it was two separate ones woven into one with the past and present scenes.  I adored it.  I totally, completely adored it.  

I need the second book now.  Seriously, I need to know what happens next.  And I need you guys to read it, too, and bask in the gloriousness that is Bad Romeo.  I'm outrageously excited to see what's going to happen with Cassie and Ethan next.  Lisa Rayven is an author to look out for, seriously!

“So you're his new Juliet, huh? Has he ruined you yet? Run while you still can. Trust me on this. You do not want to be around when that boy self-destructs."

Five Cards

Review: Behind the Scenes

Title:  Behind the Scenes
Series:  Daylight Falls #1
Author:  Dahlia Adler (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Contemporary
Publication Date:  June 24, 2014
Source:  Bought

High school senior Ally Duncan's best friend may be the Vanessa Park - star of TV's hottest new teen drama - but Ally's not interested in following in her BFF's Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally’s ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father's mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van's on-set assistant to get the cash she needs.
Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors’ publicist arranges for Van and Liam to “date” for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she's capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can't play by Hollywood's rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love. 

Find Behind the Scenes online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

My Review:  Gah, I love this book!  It was such a fun, quick read and such a nice break from studying (which I was dealing with while reading it).  It had everything I was looking for in a book:  relatable characters, sweet romance, interesting plot, and a fun Hollywood spin on everything.  I really enjoyed seeing the Hollywood aspect of this.  It was interesting to get a glimpse at that sort of life, especially through the eyes of someone who wasn't completely submerged in the world, like our main characters.  Overall, this was just a really cute and romantic book!

Ally Duncan is up high on my list of relatable characters.  As I was reading, I connected so quickly and easily with her.  Some of her thoughts mirrored ones that I had had before and it was awesome to be able to fall so readily into her shoes.  She was a really sweet and strong character and I loved the relationship she had with her best friend, Van.  They had a pact to never to become jealous of each other and they stuck with that pact pretty well.  The only real complaint I have about Ally is how quickly she turns to alcohol when things go badly.  This really annoyed me about her.  Anytime a situation went the way she didn't want it to, she got drunk and it was just so frustrating and unproductive.  

Liam was such a sweet dude and so cute.  I just couldn't get over how amazing and wonderful he was.  There were many times throughout this book I found myself "aww"ing out loud.  He was just that swoon-worthy.  Not to mention very thoughtful.  I was so happy seeing the way he opened up to Ally and how their relationship unfolded.  It was an instantaneous thing; it moved at a slow and steady pace that just made it so perfect and cute.  

The plot was relatively fast paced which I enjoyed.  There was a lot of internal conflicts that kept it moving and kept me engaged.  I also really liked that this book wasn't only focused on the romance between Ally and Liam.  A lot of the book was centered around Ally's family dealing with her dad's cancer.  It added an extra layer to love in this story, despite how it was sad and hard to read at times.  

Overall, Behind the Scenes was a book I really enjoyed.  There were some character quirks I wasn't a fan of but for the most part, I was kept smiling throughout.  I'm so so so excited for the second book in this series, Under the Lights to release!  

"Of course you were enough, Al. You were everything." 

PS:  I am so sorry I haven't been posting as much lately.  I'm in my first year of college and it is keeping me seriously busy.  I'm hoping things start settling down soon so that I can get back into posting more regularly!  Thank you for understanding :) 

Review: Stay With Me

Title:  Stay With Me
Series:  Wait For You #3
Author:  J. Lynn (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date:  September 23, 2014
Source:  Bought

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.
But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she'd left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.
Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.

Find Stay With Me online

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads 

My Review:  I don't know what was up when I read this novel but I just wasn't as into it as I have been with the previous novels in this series.  It has everything I loved in it: romance, cute boys, humor, drama, angst, and so much more.  I just wasn't clicking with it.  It may have been because I was in the middle of moving when I picked it up so I didn't have time to just sit down and read it all the way through.  Either way, this wasn't a favorite of mine.  

I did like the characters a lot.  I thought Calla was so strong for handling all the things she had to handle, especially at such a young age and with a very small support system.  What happened to her family was horrendous.  Even thinking about it now, I start to tear up.  I couldn't imagine having to ever go through anything like that.  It affected her a lot, understandably.  I sympathized with her and admired her strength throughout the novel.  However, there were moments when she really just drove me crazy.  I understand her self-consciousness but I got really frustrated with her when she let it get in between her and Jax.  

Speaking of Jax... as usual, J. Lynn delivered a major hottie.  I loved how sweet, kind, and patient he was with Calla.  He was genuinely a nice guy.  I was swooning all over the page whenever he showed up and I totally understood Calla's attraction to him.  I did start getting sort of annoyed though when he wasn't making other people respect his boundaries (if you've read this, you know who I'm talking about).  He got mad at Calla for getting mad at him about that but I completely saw where she was coming from.  What he was letting happen was absolutely ridiculous.  

The plot was interesting but I also found it sort of slow sometimes.  This might be because it was such a long novel (the longest in the series).  Either way, I found myself putting this book down and not getting the urge to pick it back up for a while, which it really strange.  Generally, I'm all over Jennifer Armentrout books. 

This was a good book but by no means my favorite from J. Lynn.  The plot wasn't quite clicking with me, despite there being good characters and an interesting base to work off of.  I'm hoping the next book will be better! 

“He read? Oh my God, guys that read were like unicorns. They only existed in fairy tales.” 

Four Cards

Review: Ugly Love

Title:  Ugly Love
Series:  None
Author:  Colleen Hoover (Website | Twitter)
Age Group:  New Adult
Publisher:  Atria Books
Publication Date:  August 5, 2014
Source:  Bought

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

Find Ugly Love online:

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

My Review:  If I could give this book a million and one stars, I would.  But frankly, it would take so long to make a rating image with a million and one stars on it and I want to share my thoughts rightnow, so I'll have to settle for giving it five sparkly, wonderful, oh-my-gosh-it's-so-perfect stars.  Or, in this case five cards.  You get the picture.

My favorite part of every Colleen Hoover novel are the characters.  This one was no exception.  I adored Tate and Miles in this novel.  They were so easy to relate to and sympathize with.  Especially Miles.  He is definitely my newest book boyfriend.  He won me over so easily in this novel; I was a puddle whenever he was on the page.  I just want to give this dude a huge hug.  Every time he was on the page my heart went out to him.  You could just so obviously see how much emotional stress he was under by how closed off he was.  Tate was a girl that I felt I could relate to very easily.  She didn't want to be distracted from her goals and aspirations with a relationship and I respected her for that.  That sort of changed throughout the novel but it was understandable because of the way her relationship with Miles progressed.  

I really liked the plot and the development in this novel.  It was just planned out so well.  Never once did I have to skim or skip pages because I was bored.  This story and these characters just grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the very last page.  I was actually in the process of packing to move the day after I began reading this and I just couldn't put it down, even though I really needed to.  

Another aspect of this novel I just loved was the writing style.  It flowed so well and it made the story easier to completely immerse myself in.  I was taken by the lyrical manner in which it was written.  And the fact that it played along with the emotions within the story was amazing.  

Read it.  Seriously, that's the biggest thing I can say about this book.  It is amazing.  It's so full of heart and struggles and real characters.  You won't regret your decision to pick it up.  This is by far my favorite Colleen Hoover novel that I've read to date.  I'm so incredibly excited to see what she comes up with next.   

“Love isn't always pretty. Sometimes you spend all your time hoping it'll eventually be something different. Something better. Then, before you know it, you're back to square one, and you lost your heart somewhere along the way.”  

Five Cards

Review: Torn

Title:  Torn
Series:  Torn Series #1
Author:  K.A. Robinson
Published:  May 7, 2013 by Atria Publishing
Source:  A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!  

Chloe hasn't had the best life. With a mother who is gone more often than not, she has had to raise herself. After graduating high school, she leaves to start a new life away at West Virginia University with her best friends Amber and Logan, determined to leave her demons in the past.

On her first day, she meets a stranger who takes her breath away at first sight. Until she met Drake, no one had ever sparked her interest. Now this tattooed and pierced bad boy is all she can think about, no matter how hard she fights it.

Falling for Drake was never part of her plans, but when it happens, things seem to do anything but fall into place.

Dealing with a tragic past, Drake has never cared about anyone else but himself and his band. But when Chloe takes the empty seat next to him in class, things start to change. Instantly drawn to her, he begins to wonder if one girl can take a cold hearted womanizer and change every part of him?

Long hidden feelings are revealed and friendships tested to the brink.

My Review:  I've heard so many good reviews on this book!  Everyone was raving about how amazing it was.  Unfortunately, I did not fall in love with it as everyone else has seemed to.  In fact, I found myself wondering why it was as popular as it was as I read.  There were moments when I was reading that I just could not go on because I was so frustrated with it.  

Probably my biggest problem with this book is the characters.  I just . . . I couldn't find one thing I liked about Chloe or Drake and I really hate to say that.  I wanted to like them but they made it very hard.  Chloe was just terrible.  She was extremely judgmental and indecisive.  She was so immature and just all around mean to her friends.  And, apparently, she was completely blind to how others felt about her.  It was painfully obvious how much her best friend liked her and she remained blissfully oblivious until after he had to tell her.  And even after that, she continued to lead him on and tease him!  

Drake was supposedly the "bad boy" of the book.  However, he wasn't "bad" at all save for his appearance.  Chloe was all too happy to write him off as too dangerous to date even after his actions proved otherwise.  She immediately assumed he was a terrible person because he had a tattoo and a couple piercings.  I couldn't even root for their relationship because I didn't care much about either of them.  Drake was just plain boring and I didn't understand him at all and Chloe...well, I've explained that already.  I wished I could say otherwise but I just really can't.  

Another thing that was bothering me throughout this was just how stiff and cliche everything was.  It felt like the author had taken lines from every single NA book out there and strung them together and forced them into the characters mouths even if they didn't fit or work with a scene.  The things they said to each other were terribly awkward and I didn't understand how either of them fell for the other.  

The book was so focused on the non-believable love going on between Drake and Chloe that the plot was thrown to the side.  A good and interesting story line was set up but the author never did anything with it.  It went nowhere and had basically no relevance to the book but it should have.  

I really, really wish I had better things to say about this book.  It was not my cup of tea but that doesn't mean other people won't love it!  I had wanted to love it when I began reading but was let down.  I can only hope that the next book in the series makes up for this one!  

 

   One Card

Review: Vain

Title:  Vain
Series:  The seven Deadly #1
Author:  Fisher Amelie
Published:  August 16, 2013 by Fisher Amelie
Source:  Bought

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah...then you’re gonna’ hate my story.

Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.

I’m Sophie Price...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

My Review:  Wow.  Really, that's the word that comes to mind when I think of this book.  It was absolutely amazing.  From page one I was immediately sucked into this twisted, messed up world of Sophie's.  I saw all of the horrible things with her and I felt her pain.  And I was with her as she experienced the journey that changed everything.  

When I first started reading this book, I'll admit, I hated Sophie.  I understood and sympathized with where she was coming from doing all of these horrible things but I didn't believe that gave her any right to be so terrible.  She was a complete bitch, which was the point.  As I continued reading, I saw her pay for her actions in the best possible way.  Instead of spending time in jail for her less-than-legal exploits, Sophie is sent to an orphanage in Uganda where she's forced to work for six months.  This is where are story really begins.  

I was absolutely appalled by what Sophie discovered when she made it to the orphanage.  After reading certain parts of the book, I did some research on the conditions of this country myself and was completely heart broken.  The situations seen in this book definitely stem from the truth.  Every single one of the children we met in this book found a place in my heart, just as they did in Sophie's.  It was amazing watching the way she changed each day she stayed there.  You could tell by the way she acted and the way she didn't seem to care much about surface things such as appearance, money, power, ect.  She was learning what truly mattered.  

We also had the completely drool-worthy Ian (a.k.a. Dingane).  This guy was so awesome.  I loved him more than I can even say.  He definitely wasn't your typical love interest.  He was sweet and kind and cared so much about the orphanage and the children.  He also did not at all like Sophie at first.  He saw right through her act and wasn't afraid to call her out on it.  I also really liked the past that he had.  It added a wonderful layer to his already three-dimensional character.  The way that he and Sophie interacted was so real and sweet.  I completely loved their relationship.  

Without a doubt, this book was amazing.  The characters were beautifully written and had well-thought out arcs and development, the plot was moving and eye-opening, and the message hit home and was very powerful.  There's nothing better than a book that makes an impact on your life for the better.  Because of Vain, I am all the more aware about issues going on around the world and intend to help in anyway I can.  Read this book; you won't regret it!

Five Cards

ARC Review: Crash Into You

Title:  Crash Into You
Series:  Pushing The Limits #3
Author:  Katie McGarry
Published:  November 26, 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source:  A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.  Thank you !

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

My Review:  Wow, this was a really powerful book.  A lot of hard topics were explored throughout the story and I was so touched by what these characters were facing and had to go through.  And while there was a lot to appreciate in this book, there was also a lot that didn't sit very well with me. 

Rachel was one of the things that brought this book down.  She was so annoying.  She had absolutely no social sense and was constantly just saying and doing things that should never be said or done.  Plus, she was super clingy.  You know a guy a couple hours, let him kiss you, and then get all pissy when he doesn't call you the next day.  You are not in a relationship.  You don't even know his last name.  He doesn't owe you anything so you have no right to be mad at him after that.  Kissing is a two way thing.  It's not all on Isaiah.  My gosh.  And while I completely sympathized with her situation, I found it hard to really root for her because she was so obnoxious.  

Isaiah was definitely better.  He was street and book smart and knew how to act when.  He didn't do stupid things and he didn't let his emotions get out of hand.  I totally felt for him and my heart broke at his back story.  He had so much to deal with and I really admired him for keeping it together.  Also, Rachel's brothers were completely terrible to her.  They did not care at all for her happiness.  Several times throughout the book, I wanted her to just slap one of them across the face because of what jerks they were being to her.  

The story moved sort of slow for the first half but after about 50% it shot off.  I couldn't take my eyes off of it.  I wanted to know what happened and what they were going to do next to get out of the problems they were having!

While this book did have some problems with the characters, the overall story and the message was wonderful.  I enjoyed seeing the topics and problems worked out on these pages.  It was a book that, in the end, was happy I had the chance to read.

Three Cards

Review: One Tiny Lie

Title:  One Tiny Lie
Series:  Ten Tiny Breaths #2
Author:  K.A. Tucker
Published:  June 11, 2013 by Atria Books 
Source:  Bought

Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

My Review:  This book was one that kept me hooked while reading.  I was entertained and engaged the entire time and really enjoyed following Livie as she discovered more about herself and broke out of the shell she'd desperately hung on to.  

After reading and loving the first book, Ten Tiny Breaths, I was excited to jump into this one with Livie.  She had been an interesting character in the first installment and I knew there must have been a lot more to learn about her.  She was much more complex than I had thought she would be.  Kacey (her older sister and the main character from Ten Tiny Breaths) was not the only sister with problems.  Livie was struggling dealing with her parent's death just as much as Kacey had been only in a different way.  She had forced herself into a certain role with the idea that she would only make her father proud that way.  I loved seeing the way she gradually accepted these problems and learned it was okay to be who she wanted to be, even if it wasn't necessarily who she thought her parents wanted her to be before they died.  

Ashton was also an interesting and layered character.  From the very start, he definitely proved to be an arrogant ass but there was something very charming in that.  To say I was smitten would be an understatement.  I completely adored him and thought he was a great character with a past that I was just dying to uncover.  He had a lot of secrets and that kept him a mystery for a lot of the book.  Also, I loved seeing some of the old characters from the first book, too!  Seeing Kacey and Trent again just made me giddy!  I was so happy seeing that they were still going strong!  

This book was a fun and entertaining read.  It definitely touched on some harder subjects and showed a lot of character growth in both Livie and Ashton.  I was completely satisfied after I finished and am happy with how the ending turned out.  This is a book that I would happily recommend!  

Four Cards

ARC Review: Wild Cards

Title:  Wild Cards
Series:  Wild Cards #1
Author:  Simone Elkeles 
Published:  October 1, 2013 by Walker Books
Source:  A copy was provided by the publisher through Netgalley.  Thank you!

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

My Review:  I was really excited to get the chance to read this book.  After reading the blurb and seeing the cover, I was interested.  When I read that one of the main characters have the same name as I do (Ashtyn), the deal was sealed! (I've never read a book that had my name in it!)

The premise of this book was great.  I loved that Ashtyn was a football player.  She was such a bad ass and I love it!  She totally held her own against all the guys but still maintained her femininity throughout the story.  I thought that it was awesome how the author mixed those two things together.  She was a tough chick and I adored that about her!  However, she had her moments where I just couldn't stand her.  Several moments.  She completely assumed that Derek was a player before having a real conversation with him and judged far too quickly.  And then her feelings changed from hate to love in two seconds flat.  Not only did they change quickly, but she stubbornly continued to be a complete jerk to him until the very end.  She was a hard character for me to like and connect with. 

I liked Derek a lot more.  I thought he was a genuinely nice guy and didn't understand why everyone was labeling him a player.  I don't think his actions suggested that at all.  Not only was he a nice guy, he was also really interesting.  I loved learning more about his background with his parents and family in general.  His back story was very well developed and fit well with who he presented himself to be.  

The romance, like I said before, was a quick flip from hate to love.  Had it been a slower and more gradual development, I feel like it would have been a lot more satisfying and enjoyable.  Though I must admit, I really liked the end.  It was a bit quick but still super awesome!  I totally flailed like a fan girl.  

This book, while there are some problems with Ashtyn, was pretty good.  It kept me interested and I thought the plot was great.  Derek was a sweet heart and I seriously love him!  If you're a romance or Simone Elkeles fan, I would definitely recommend this one!  

Three Cards

  

Review: Hopeless

Title:  Hopeless
Series:  Hopeless #1
Author:  Colleen Hoover
Published:  December 19, 2012 by Colleen Hoover
Source:  Bought

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

My Review:  Going into this, I really expect a nice, light read that I would enjoy but wouldn't leave much of an impression.  What I got was the exact opposite.  Hopeless is a book that explores difficult subjects like growing up, finding who you are, and trusting people enough to let them in.  While it was light at parts and focused a lot on the romance between the two main characters, the story it tells runs much deeper.  

Sky was an interesting character.  She was very easy to relate to and I felt an instant connection to her.  She was so strong and I really liked seeing the way she handled Dean and her past.  It was heart breaking to delve into those memories but it gave us such a better understand of Sky.  She did have her moments where I really just wanted to jump into the book and shake her but overall, she was a great character.  Dean was really amazing, too.  He was a sweet guy but at times could came off as mysterious and even scary when he was being so secretive.  However, I thought he was the perfect fit for Sky once he opened up.  They made a wonderful couple and I loved seeing them together.  Learning more about his background and Sky's was so interesting and a twist I really hadn't expected.  

The plot was phenomenal.  Never once did it get boring.  Even at parts where it wasn't necessarily action packed, it held my attention easily because of all of the things we were discovering and because of the relationship between Sky and Dean.  It was such a layered plot.  There was tons of different elements that all came together to create a masterfully written story.  

I'm anxious to dive into the next book, Losing Hope, which I believe is the same story told by Dean's point of view.  This was a wonderful book that left an impression on me after reading.  I definitely won't be forgetting it anytime soon and I'll be exploring the other books Colleen Hoover has written! 

Four Cards

Review: Fall From Grace

Title:  Fall From Grace
Series:  Mad World #1
Author:  Christine Zolendz
Published:  July 22, 2012 by DarkRoadDesigns
Source:  Bought

I'm finally home after struggling through my brother's illness and death. But, home is definitely a bit different. My best friend (the only person alive now that knows my secret) has a new boyfriend; and he has a friend. Shane Maxton: bad boy, tattooed rock god, eye candy extraordinaire. He is also New York City's most arrogant, self-serving, son of a, well, a definite one-night stand kind of a guy.

But, it doesn't matter to me because I've spent my existence looking for the love of my life, my angel. And, there is nothing that Shane Maxton can do to change that.

A paranormal romance.

My Review (mild spoilers):  I had high hopes going into this one because there was a huge amount of five star review of it on goodreads.  It sounded like it had an interesting premise and people we obviously loving it.  Unfortunately, I did not feel the same. 

 The first problem I had with this book was the confusion.  For a good half of this book, I had no idea what was going on.  I knew what was happening but I didn't know why it was happening.  I knew it had something to do with Grace's extraordinarily long past but we were kept in the dark for a long time as to why it was significant to what Grace was doing and what, exactly, Grace was.  It was annoying to be kept confused about this aspect of the book.  I felt it was needed for us to know exactly what was going on before just being thrust onto the Team Grace Train.  I just couldn't get behind her because I didn't know exactly why we were working toward what we were.  

Also, I just really did not like the characters at all.  It all felt very much like a soap opera to me.  Everything was over dramatized and the characters were all way too sensitive.  Plus, Grace was just plain stupid.  I'm sorry to say that but really.  For however long she's supposedly been alive, it seems like she hasn't learned anything.  *Upcoming Spoilers*  I mean, the entire time she had been looking for a pair of blue eyes and Shane had blue eyes and for some reason, she decided to completely ignore that fact.  Instead, she pushed him away until the next dude came along with another pair of blue eyes and she completely fell for him without another thought.  I MEAN, REALLY.  *End of Spoilers*  I just don't understand her logic in some of the situations she was put in.  

The other characters were either bland or irritating.  Except for Shane.  I didn't mind him too much until he started acting all sensitive and butt hurt over nothing.  Dude, yes she is going to call you out on being a playboy.  You are a playboy.  Don't go running off crying when she points that out and doesn't want to get with you because of it.  

I was sad that the paranormal aspect wasn't brought into this book until the very end because that was actually pretty interesting.  It was a unique take of the whole angel thing and this book would have been a lot better in my eyes had we seen more of it.  I doubt I'll pick up the next book in this series but hey, you never know.  I am a little curious to see how this all pans out. 

Two Cards

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.  It's where we share the upcoming releases we're most eagerly anticipating and can't wait to get our hands on! 
This week . . . 
 
Title:  Endless Knight
Series:  The Arcana Chronicles #2
Author:  Kresley Cole
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date:  October 1, 2013

In the second book of the Arcana Chronicles Evie has now fully come into her powers as the tarot Empress. And Jackson was there to see it all. In the aftermath of killing Arthur, the tarot Alchemist, Evie realizes that a war is brewing between the other teens that, following the apocalypse, have been given powers and its kill or be killed.

Things get even more complicated when Evie meets Death, the mysterious, sexy Endless Knight. Somehow the Empress and Death share a romantic history - one that Evie can't remember, but Death can't forget. She is drawn to the Endless Knight, but is in love with Jack. Determined to discover why she's been granted these powers, Evie struggles to accept her place in a prophecy that will either save the world, or completely destroy it.

Why I'm waiting on Endless Knight:  I want this book so bad it hurts.  My obsession over this series has got to be unhealthy but I can't help it.  I love the premise, the writing, the characters, the romance, and the action.  I've only reread the first book, Poison Princess, like, 6 times.  I really cannot get enough of it!  October 1st can't come quickly enough.  I need me some more Jack.  

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?