Book Review: A Summer Like No Other – Elodie Nowodazkij

Synopsis:

She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all.

They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.

Sixteen-year-old Emilia Moretti’s goal for the summer is simple: forget her brother’s best friend—Nick Grawsky—ever existed. It should be easy: He’s spending his summer in the Hamptons, adding girls in tiny bikinis to his list of broken hearts. Guarantee he won’t be telling them they’re like his little sisters. This summer, Emilia won’t stay awake at night thinking about him. She’ll need flawless ballet movements to have a shot at next year’s showcase, and she’s finally ready to search for her birth parents. But when Nick decides to stay in the city, Emilia’s resolve disappears in a pirouette. Maybe it’s the spin they needed to be together. As long as she doesn’t get stuck believing in happily ever after…

Nick is tired of pretending to be the happy, let’s-have-fun guy. His father wants him to change his career from professional dancer to…lawyer. He needs to put all of his focus on dancing to prove to Daddy Dearest he’s good enough to make it big. And he may have a case of the bluest balls in history courtesy of Emilia. She’s off-limits: The bro code with Roberto even forbids the dirty thoughts he has about her. Besides, he’s not boyfriend material. He only has time for flings, for girls who don’t expect much, for girls he doesn’t want to kiss goodnight. He knows he should resist her, but he’s not sure he wants to…

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I received an e-edition of this book courtesy of Victory Editing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book left me feeling disappointed. It wasn’t awful, don’t get me wrong but there just wasn’t much that I could hang on to when it came to things that I actually could say I loved about it.

In fact, the best thing about this entire book was probably the fact that it was in split POV between Emilia and Nick and after reading many reviews where people have enjoyed books more solely because of this factor, you’d think authors would have gotten the gist by now and would have provided us with more of these sorts of books… But no, we are still left with the same (rather low at that) number of these novels and it’s a darn shame because it’s good to have the guy’s perspective in a romance novel – a lot of the time there’s a lot more to their characters than a singular girl POV let’s on and a lot of their motives and actions are explained better in their own words (which makes total sense of course.)

However, on the other hand – this romance missed the point of belonging to the romance genre. I felt no chemistry between the characters – their relationship was as bland as plain crackers (and we’re talking the salt-less kind here as well) which didn’t bode well with the fact that it seemed to be based on primarily physical aspects. And while I respect the fact that both of them being dancers would have provided them with quite attractive bodies… it just didn’t work for me.

In saying that, the ‘romance’ took over the story almost entirely which was a shame because Emilia’s quest to find her parents was probably the only remotely interesting thing about her character and that was taken away by her constant desire for all things Nick related… However, I did admire her resilience when it came to that particular issue – on the rare occasion that she remembered that she should be actively looking for them she did actually manage to get a few things done which was really commendable as she stuck through the hardships of it all.

The supporting characters were pretty good and I feel like they did a decent job at keeping our heroine on track when she was down (which of course would happen as a result of baggage which came along with the fact that she was adopted) which was quite nice to see despite the fact that she didn’t seem to acknowledge the fact herself.

The novella read at a pleasing pace thanks to Nowodazkij’s style which I think saved it, and while I think that it sets the scene quite well for the next novel. I don’t think that I will be reading the sequel in the near future, solely because I think I can tell what will actually happen within it and so don’t particularly see the point. Albeit I think it’d be a pleasant surprise if I turned out to be wrong so I guess we shall see.

My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

ARC Review: Rikki – Abigail Strom

Synopsis: 

Ever since junior high and an ill-fated game of seven minutes in heaven, Rikki Eisendrath and Sam Payne have hated each others’ guts. But when they end up at the same college—and the same dorm—they figure it’s time to declare a truce.

They even become friends . . . sort of. But when Sam asks Rikki to model for his sculpting project, they start spending more time together—and her feelings for him get more complicated.

She tries to focus on the guy she’s been crushing on instead. But Sam’s the one she can’t stop thinking about, even though their arguments are starting to heat up as much as the chemistry between them.

With antagonism and attraction this intense, there’s bound to be an explosion. But when the dust settles, will Sam and Rikki be enemies, friends . . . or something more?

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I received a free e-edition of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pleasantly light read, which was definitely helped by its short length. At just over 200 pages, this book was barely over the length of a novella. And yet it contained enough storyline development to appease me which was good to see  – although some things would have definitelly benefitted from more development, I can’t really complain as the majority was developed to a good standard. I also really liked Strom’s writing style, it gave the story the kick it needed at points and definitely was a big bonus of the book.

There were concepts in the story that didn’t sit quite right with me – for one, a person basically a year older than me admitted to sleeping with over 20 individuals… and NO-ONE was even the slightest bit concerned? This is freshman/ first year of university we are talking about, these people are barely adults – when or how have they found the time to do that?? Unless of course they were partial to one night stands, and even then… why did no one question that?

The heroine bugged me at times, but the hero was quite a pleasant addition to the story and made it all the more bearable.

This book was actually quite innocent as far as New Adult novels go, there was the right balance of angst and romance (which was gloriously slow burning unlike many other books of this genre, it was given plenty of page time to develop which made it all the more realistic and pleasing) which created the basis of a good story.

The story did fall apart at one point, when Sam decided to do something that really didn’t seem to fit in his character’s description but Strom managed to pull it back together enough for me to want to pick it back up after throwing it into the corner of despair and shame after a certain event happened.

Whilst I hadn’t really found many bad things in this book, it was much alike to other books in the NA genre and maybe that was where the majority of my problem lay, I feel like I have burned out reading this particular genre and would benefit from a break from it in order to provide more objective reviews.

Overall, I think that the book set up hope for the rest of the series and I will probably look into reading its successors to see whether the story develops complexity wise as more characters are introduced.

My Rating: 2.5 /5 Stars

Book Review: Unforgettable: Always 2 – Cherie M. Hudson

Synopsis:

My name is Brendon Osmond. I’m a 25 year old post-graduate student who knows three things with absolute conviction. I know damn near everything there is to know about keeping in peak physical shape. I have a plan to make a lot of money from that knowledge. I’m an optimist who’s not easily rattled. But then the girl I fell in love with almost two years ago texts me out of the blue and everything I know is thrown out the window.

Am I rattled? No. Not until I fly to the other side of the world and discover the girl I fell for has kept a very big secret from me.A secret that mocks all my knowledge of the human body and how to keep it healthy. A secret that shatters my plans for my own personal training business. A secret with my eyes. A secret who needs me more than I can comprehend. Ask me again if I’m rattled.Now ask me if I’m still in love.

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I received an e-edition of this book courtesy of Momentum Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a pile of feels mixed with heartbreak, there were definitely moments when I thought I would require a box full of tissues to mop up my tears. But there were also moments of laughter and slight annoyance with Amanda scattered throughout.

One thing that I really enjoyed about the novel was the fact that it was written completely in a male POV. We don’t get that enough in romance, we really don’t and I wish we did because it’s interesting to be able to get inside a guys head. Hudson did a great job at creating Brendon’s voice which kept my attention for the entire length of the story.

The contents of this book are one huge spoiler minefield so I cannot disclose much without ruining their effects. Be warned though there are definitely some difficult matters brought up throughout.

Although it is part of a series, I read this book as a standalone and didn’t feel like I required more background information than was provided so I wouldn’t say that you MUST read the prequel, although given the fact that Hudson has a pretty good writing style and hell, any story with similar characters by the same author who writes well is bound to be pretty good – so I’d say go for it if you wish.

I definitely liked the realness of the book – the issues were not sugar-coated and the mixed feelings Brendon had throughout really shone through. I could understand why he was so hurt by Amanda and what she had done because her actions weren’t really understandable (although, don’t get me wrong I felt bad for the girl nonetheless because no one deserves to go through what she did ) and I heavily disapproved and wished at points that Brendon would leave before he was really hurt, which caused me to be annoyed as I couldn’t sympathise with some of the decisions that she was making as they seemed quite irrational.

Aside from the fact that I couldn’t connect with the female in this book,  I still definitely would say that this is a great read for fans on NA romances full of angst but with a plot that will make you feel all of the emotions throughout.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Book Review: Imperfect Love -Isabella White

Synopsis:

At 24 years old, Holly Scallanger has the perfect life. Everything a girl could want; a beautiful man, a stunning home, as well as being in the midst of preparing for the wedding of her dreams. This all vanishes the night she catches her fiancé, Brandon Morgan, in bed with her worst nightmare, Donna Sinclair, just a week before Holly is set to walk down the aisle.

Attempting to recover from his betrayal, Holly swears off the affections of men in order to pick up the pieces of her crumbling life. Unfortunately, meeting Jake ‘Hooligan’ Peters is not part of her plan. The tall, dark-haired and handsome as hell med student, sweeps Holly away from the pain of her past and reveals to her the bright future that lays ahead. That is until she falls pregnant just as Jake begins his internship at P&E; his family’s hospital.

Will this love at first sight  lead her to the fairytale she has always craved? Or, will she fall victim to a betrayal of the heart yet again?

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I received an e-copy of this book courtesy of Fire Quill Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book almost made me DNF, it dragged so so much due to Holly’s breakup and her inability to get over it, although I can’t really blame her for that – the circumstances in which that happened really weren’t great… but they did nothing to move the plot of the book along at a good enough speed for me to remain focused and willing to read.

I should have seen it coming, should have… It says right there in the synopsis – “love at first sight” – my number one foe. And okay, I didn’t actually mind how quickly their relationship came to be; that seemed quite realistic given Holly’s state and their general chemistry. What bugged me was the idea of how quickly it progressed until they were what seemed to be irrevocably in love with each other – that didn’t seem natural in the slightest.

I liked some of the supporting characters – Bernie being a particular favourite due to her sense of humour and supportive nature. That woman was an angel to Holly and honestly deserved the very best for that. However, some of the other characters didn’t sit right with me, Jake’s mum, Mara being the prime example. She was to put it gently – a bitch… And alright, I understand that as a mother her number one duty is to act in her child’s best interest – but when the child is in their mid/late 20s… you sort of expect them to be allowed to make their own decisions sans parental control. Yeah, no. Mara was overly protective which ended up being incredibly damaging at certain points of the story but I shall leave the details of those fiascos for you to discover.

One thing that I can really commend White for keeping is the plot. So many romance novels lose any ideations of plot and all things plot related when the MC falls in love. But this book managed to avoid that to a pleasant degree – there was still a story being told, even though it did involve a lot of romance.

However that being said, it did follow a lot of contemporary romance tropes and didn’t really offer much when it came to originality; but I guess that isn’t really a thing I can blame a book that follows its genre for doing so it may just be me seeking a romance that offers something new.

Another thing I (surprisingly) liked was the ending, it was emotional and despite myself I did end up attached to the characters enough to cry which is saying something seeing as it has become considerably harder for me to cry at works of fiction in recent days.

Overall, I’d definitely say that this was a decent book and I will be looking to read the sequel to see where the story progresses.

My Rating: 2.75/5 Stars

Lucian Divine Tour + Review – Renée Carlino

“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey’s life is at a standstill. She’s in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene inSan Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out herdays in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It’s absurd, but sometimesEvey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day. And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he’s a guardian angel, been on the job fortwo thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he’s brilliant, witty, andwarm—and bad—he’s brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as ****. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s gotproblems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, goingagainst the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. Butsometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God.

Yes, God as in God.

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I  received an eARC edition of this novel courtesy of InkSlingerPR (and Danielle Sanchez) in exchange for an honest review. 

This book had me at “My guardian angel is a drunk.” I just found the ideology of the entire scenario incredibly amusing, but this intrigue developed into a keen interest into what was going to happen at some point during the book.  The book was somewhat as intoxicating as the drinks that Lucian was so fond of.

Now, I know some readers will have an issue with the way that angels and the whole God/Jesus business is dealt with in this book, but being an atheist, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh take – and I’m pretty sure anyone with an open heart and mind will be able to do the same, regardless of their religion. After all, it is a work of fiction and should therefore be regarded as such.

This was actually my first encounter with Renée’s work, and boy am I glad I signed up for this tour. I will definitely be looking to explore more of her work in the future.

It was a great love story, heartbreaking at points- yes. But also full of shameless hope which I really enjoyed, I liked the optimism and resilience exhibited by all of the characters within the novel.

But in saying that, it came with a slightly decelerated insta-love…. which I guess was explained by the whole guardian angel shabang. I mean – I guess it’s understandable how quickly everything proceeded due to how long Lucian knew Evey, the whole connection felt by a soul and their guardian angel (when they had the chance to meet which was a big no no). But hey, I’m still me, and it bothered me – although admittedly not as much as it would usually, so huge kudos to Renée for achieving the impossible.

I really enjoyed the alternating POVs, I thought that it added a lot of insight into the story – padding it out a little and making it all seem a little more real. It was a good execution of split POV, probably the best I have read in a while when it comes New Adult romance.

However, the pacing felt a bit off. Some bits were mentioned in passing and were gone so quickly my head was spinning which did leave me slightly annoyed at points. And while the ending was touching and I was glad at what happened… I could sort of predict it from around the 50% mark for some reason. I don’t think I should have been able to, but for some reason I did and that’s what made me lower my rating for this book

Albeit, overall – the book was definitely a memorable one, and in a good way at that!

My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

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iTunes | KOBO | AMAZONPRINT

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Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women’s novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in nationalpublications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. Shelives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not atthe beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going toconcerts, and eating dark chocolate. Learn more at  www.reneecarlino.com

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Fire In You – Jennifer L. Armentrout: Release Day Launch, Excerpt and Giveaway

 

Some are born with fire in them.

✮✮✮SECOND CHANCES, HOPE, & RED-HOT CHEMISTRY…FIRE IN YOU, the final book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Wait For You World is here! Don’t Miss Brock and Jillian’s passionate and richly moving story in this standalone contemporary romance!✮✮✮

Let the FIRE IN YOU burn and grab your copy today!

 

About FIRE IN YOU:

From the # 1 New York Times and International bestselling author comes a richly moving story about heartbreak and guilt, second chances and hope. Full of familiar, fan-favorite characters and no two people more deserving of a happy ending, Fire In You will burn bright beyond the last page…

Jillian Lima’s whole world was destroyed in a span of a few hours. The same night her childhood love, Brock ‘the Beast’ Mitchell, broke her heart, her life was irrevocably altered by the hand of a stranger with a gun. It takes six years to slowly glue together the shattered pieces of her life, but Jillian is finally ready to stop existing in a past full of pain and regret. She takes a job at her father’s martial arts Academy and she’s going out on her first date since a failed relationship that was more yuck than yum. Jillian is determined to start living.

She just never expected Brock to be a part of her life again. But he’s firmly back in her life before she knows it, and not only is he older, he’s impossibly more handsome, more teasing and more everything. And when he sees Jillian, he’s no longer capable of thinking of her as the little girl who was his shadow growing up or the daughter of the man who gave him a second chance at life. He sees the woman who’d always been there for him, the one person who believed in him no matter what.

Brock knows she’s the one he should’ve made his, and what begins as a tentative friendship quickly turns to red-hot chemistry that sparks a flame that burns brighter than lust. Falling for Brock again risks more than her heart, because when the sorrow-filled and guilt-ridden past resurfaces, and a web of lies threatens to rip them apart, the fallout could lay waste to everything they’ve fought to build together, and destroy the dreams of those they care most about.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

 

Order a digital or paperback copy of FIRE IN YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout, writing as J.Lynn, AND fill out THIS FORM by December 3^rd, and get an exclusive bonus scene-an Epilogue featuring POVs from all the major couples throughout the Wait For You World!

FIRE IN YOU will be available in paperback and eBook November 28th, 2016!

Just enter your name, age, email address, and the order number from your digitalor paperback pre-order receipt at https://a.pgtb.me/M7KhMC to receive your exclusive FIRE IN YOU bonus scene! All entrants will receive the bonus scene on December 5th, 2016 through email using the email given when the entrant filled out THIS FORM.

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EXCERPT:

Making my way through the narrow pathways between the tables, I headed back toward the bathroom. Only once I pushed open the double doors and stopped in front of the water-spotted mirror did I realize I’d left my purse at the table, so there’d be no reapplying my lipstick.

I pumped soap onto my hands and waved them under the facet. Water flowed, washing away the suds as I slowly lifted my gaze to my reflection. Normally when I looked at myself, I didn’t really pay attention longer than was necessary to put makeup on without ending up looking like a tutorial gone wrong.

Standing here now, I really looked at myself, though.

I used to wear my hair up all the time, but I’d stopped doing that every day. My hair now hung in waves and the ends curled over the tips of my breasts. I also used to have heavy bangs, but thank God they were long gone. I’d finally learned how to put on eyeliner. That was another miracle. The slight flush of my face darkened my naturally tan skin. My lips were fuller and my nose straight.

My hair was parted to sweep to the left so it shielded my cheek…and my cheek didn’t look that bad, especially considering how it looked the first time I’d seen it after…after days in the hospital.

Hell, my entire face had been one hot mess.

There was a deep indentation in my left cheek, almost like an icepick had been shoved in there, and as I stared at my right jaw line, I was still amazed by what reconstructive plastic surgeons could accomplish. Half my face had literally been pieced back together with an iliac crest graft with a reconstruction plate and a crap ton of dentistry to give me back a full set of functional teeth.

Plastic surgeons didn’t have magic wands, but they were magicians. If you weren’t looking at me straight on, you’d have no idea that my right jaw was thinner than my left.

You’d have no idea what had happened to me that night.

Now I stared back at myself just like I had done that night, six years ago, standing in a bathroom, mere minutes before my entire life came crashing down.

It wasn’t that I hated the way I looked now. The fact that I was alive meant I was one of those rare, walking and breathing statistics.

But even knowing how lucky I was didn’t change the fact that I felt…deformed. That was a harsh word to use. I didn’t like to whip it out often. Doing so on what was so far a pretty good date was probably not a good idea.

Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. I didn’t need my thoughts going in that direction tonight. So far, the dinner had been amazing. Grady was nice and he was cute. I could maybe see myself going out with him again, to an art exhibit, and maybe coffee.

And that was what had freaked me out.

I was not going to let living freak me out.

Nope.

I could give him a chance and not worry about whether or not I was settling.

Turning from the sink, I dried my hands and then readjusted my hair so it fell forward, over my left shoulder and cheek. I walked out of the bathroom and into the narrow hall, gaze trained on the floor as I took about two steps before I realized someone was standing right outside the door, leaning against the wall. Before I nearly plowed into him.

Gasping, I took a step back. All I could see were finely cut black trousers paired with…with old black and white Chucks? What an odd combination, but those shoes reminded me of…

I gave a little shake of my head and stepped to the side. “Sorry. Excuse—”

“Jillian.”

I stopped.

Time stopped.

Everything stopped except my heart, because it was suddenly pounding in my chest too hard, too fast. That deep, rough voice. I recognized it all the way to my very core. Slowly, I lifted my gaze, already knowing what I was going to see but refusing to believe it.

Brock Mitchell stood in front of me.

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TRAILER: https://youtu.be/fDn7F_mJuok

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway (US ONLY)

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About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

Great Big Summer Wrap-Up!!

MY LIFE THIS SUMMER

I think it’s safe to say that this summer has actually been the best summer I have experienced in a loooooooooooooooooooong while.

I had a wonderful time in Poland and managed not to get lost on the way there and back – which I found quite admirable on my part, because it was my first time flying somewhere alone – (planes, you better be aware I am no longer terrified of you).

I enjoyed the natural beauty of my childhood home and revisited an old passion of mine, namely horse-riding; and now wish that it was slightly less expensive to continue riding in this country, because prices here are ridiculous in comparison…

But this is the sort of thing that I was allowed to see pretty much on a day to day basis seeing as I can’t actually count the number of times I visited the many lakes in the area which makes me want to return to it sooner than it’s probably possible. 

BUT I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS HOLIDAY HAS MADE ME EXTREMELY LAZY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS BLOG. 

And for that I am sorry, and I promise to be a good potato blogger now and post regularly. Or at least try a lot harder to not allow any doubts I may have about the existence of this blog get in my way of doing this. Because in all fairness, I do love writing this blog; it has changed my life – maybe not hugely, but I am now much more confident as a person, but have also had the chance to meet so many amazing people – one of those being one of my ultimate favourite authors whose books are complete auto-reads for me. Namely JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT herself thanks to the Chapter 5 Proof Party.

My photos with my beloved authors always end up looking a bit dodgy, but what gives.

So yes, I met THE QUEEN and creator of the books that have captured my heart. (Can we also talk about how she wrote a book in 7 days!!!???? I mean,  when I asked her about it she said it was largely caffeine fueled but that’s still a lot to write in a week. Especially something that was that good!) She was also kind enough to sign a pile of about 10 books for me, because she is truly the epitome of awesome 🙂

There were also cupcakes with JLA’s boys’ faces on them, and holy Daemon babies everywhere, they were amazing!

So yes, this summer has been amazing, but now school starts in what is now basically 5 days, and I am getting ready for the onslaught of work that A Levels will bring!

Especially after getting the grades I needed to get into my chosen subjects, namely Chemistry, Biology, Maths and French…. I’m not sure if those choices will be something I will be regretting but we’ll see how it goes in the next few weeks and I’m hoping this year will continue to treat me well.

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MY SUMMER IN BOOKS

READ: 20% of my Goodreads goal (10 Books)

• The Deviants by C.J Skuse
• Replica by Lauren Oliver
• The Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals #1) by Michelle Madow
• City in Embers by Stacey Marie Brown
• The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
• If I Should Remember by K.D Van Brunt
• The entire  Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkins
• The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles

Currently Reading:

Which has somewhat been disappointing so far, but I guess I will finish it seeing as my Kindle informs me I have about 15 mins of reading left in it. 

Received/bought:

So I did break my requesting/buying book ban a wee bit during these past few weeks, but I felt the need to because I was given the opportunity to review titles such as Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven and Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz.

And of course, the budget I was given on holiday also allowed for me to come back with 6 books (well, 3 of which were technically the Wreck This Box set, which included the insanely popular Wreck This Journal I have been meaning to get for a while).

But I do plan to cut back on requesting once again for a while, mainly because my shelves are getting worryingly full and I will soon just end up with stacks of books everywhere which won’t please any of the inhabitants in my house.

Have you read any of the books above? Or perhaps want to recommend any of your Summer reads for me to read this month – drop me a comment below

“There’s so much gray to every story—nothing is so black and white.”
― Lisa Ling

ARC Review: More Than Lies – N.E Henderson

Shortened Synopsis:

Will one too many lies be the final end…

NO ONE IS PERFECT.
I wish I could scream it at them, but they won’t listen. No one will listen. My parents ignore me. They expect me to be someone I’m not. I try to make them happy. I try to make everyone in my life happy, but I’m tired of it because no matter how hard I try it’s never good enough for my parents. For him….

When tragedy strikes Taralynn Evans in the worst way, she finds herself bargaining in distress, trying to find reason and rationality in what’s set before her, but will he give in when in most cases the good girl never gets the bad boy?

(Continued on Goodreads…) 

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I received an eARC of this book from Patchwork Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I can’t really say anything bad about this book, it had nothing wrong with it but it also lacked something.

Perhaps it was the lack of maturity displayed by the two MCs… I mean it took a bloody tragedy for the two to actually talk like adults. And even then they spent a good portion of their time stuck in the same old cycle of sexual tension and silent treatment which obviously work wonderfully when put together and get the characters very far in life. 

However I did like the split POV as for once it was executed well and actually added to the story as when one of the narrators was being a vague prat the other usually filled in the gaps which was nice to see. Also, we don’t really see nearly enough romance novels written from the guy’s POV and dear book gods, that needs to change please (with seven cherries on top).

Also, Tara actually wasn’t the typical moping and easily diverted female we sometimes see in NA novels with similar happenings, she was quite resilient and actually knew what she wanted most of the time. Shawn was another story but his character development made up for it. The “bad boy” player type changes into a somewhat mature guy who actually admits the fact that he’s been in love with a girl for absolute years and has been a complete douche about it for that period of time.

It was good to live through all of the realisations with him, I was sort of doing a happy dance when he came to his final conclusions at the end because by that time I was unfortunately somewhat emotionally invested in what was happening. I just wanted it all to end happily, or as happily as the circumstances allowed for it. Surprisingly though, I didn’t actually cry at any point during the course of the novel which was a strange sensation seeing as it’s usually incredibly easy to make me turn on the waterworks.

Unfortunately, some of the supporting characters fell a bit flat, there wasn’t enough explanation behind them (and their actions in some cases) which was disappointing, but I think it’s fair to say that the main characters made up for that fact.

The story itself was largely realistic , it definitely wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, but of course it wasn’t all terrible – some books don’t get that balance right, it’s one or the other so Henderson did a really good job in creating the plot. However, I did have a slight problem with the prologue seeing as it depicted a 6 year old Shawn saying things like “freaking”… and having a younger brother I can almost certainly assure you that little children do not speak like that – it bugged me to read words that belonged in the brain/mouth of a teenager coming from a little boy  but that problem was luckily resolved as soon as the book switched to present time in which the description was more acceptable.

All in all, I quite enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a NA novel which deals with not-so-perfect lives and weaves in some rather quality romance throughout.

 My Rating: Strong 3.5/5 Stars

“There is nothing like the time we have with those we love the most. Every moment is precious because we aren’t promised tomorrow. Hold on to them tight and cherish them while you’re given the chance.” 

-Taralynn Evans

ARC Review: Stars Melt to Milk – Brittany Touris

Synopsis:

Nineteen-year-old Janis has just started renting out her first studio for her dance school, Roc Ballet. Despite her troubled past, she’s beginning her adult life and things look promising.

Charlie is her nineteen-year-old boyfriend of two years. He’s always been supportive of Janis, telling her, “[you] need to do something that would get [your] blood pumping and make [you] raise [your] voice a little.” But as Janis’ future materializes, Charlie realizes just how lost he is.

Charlie is infatuated with the idea of finding a career he loves as much as Janis loves ballet. But he hasn’t done much since high school. Charlie finally decides to quit his job and dedicate all his time to find something he wants to do with his life. His mom, who is supporting him financially, isn’t too happy with this idea.

Charlie’s fear of the future starts to affect their relationship. They find themselves fighting more. And in the middle of all of this, the thing all confused young adults fear most happens – Janis becomes pregnant.

Janis is ready to handle this challenge and move to a new stage in her life, but Charlie isn’t quite there. Switching perspectives between the two of them, we discover whether or not love can survive everything.

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I received an eARC copy of this book from Smith Publicity via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

It is EXTREMELY rare that I do not finish a book, and by extremely I mean that I haven’t EVER put a book on the DNF file… And yet, somehow this book landed in that exact place

 I gave it a chance – a good 17% at that which amounts to around 70 pages… which I deemed enough to be able to justify ditching it – it just didn’t look like it was going to get any better and I really didn’t want to risk a book slump at the point in the year where I can actually get some reading done before exam period starts.

So, what provoked me? The incredibly slow pace of the novel was probably one thing that irked me the most; scenes that deserved some page-time got what felt like a split second and some that seemed slightly unnecessary were given what felt like a whole chapters worth…

This probably wasn’t helped by the fact that one of the MCs was a whiny little child trapped in a grown-ass man’s body… yeah, there simply isn’t any other way to describe Charlie. And whilst I largely suspect that he was depressed, and maybe even suicidal from some of the thoughts that crossed his head – his behaviour was often that of a petulant brat and whilst Janice was quite a bland character for me, I felt quite sorry for her and simultaneously impressed at the fact that she was still with him, with the way he constantly behaved.

Janice herself was probably the only half-good thing about the book. Other than her slight infidelity which she seemed really confused about 

I mean… Either stick with your boyfriend you claim to love or go with the other guy… Don’t sit on the fence and go back and forth for a few chapters whilst berating yourself for it. I simply cannot stand any cheating in books – it is simply unforgivable and Janice’s case annoyed me no less.

I really liked how Touris presented her ballet classes, those scenes were probably my favourites, those and the dance studio itself were definitely highlights of the book to the point where I finished reading.

Who knows, maybe I’ll come back to the story one day, maybe my rating is based on me not really connecting with the characters due to still being a young’un, perhaps I’ll understand them better at another point of my life. But until that point I cannot give the book a better rating in my review.

My Rating: 1/5 Stars

“I felt like the car would take us anywhere; I felt free.”

–Janice

2015 End of Year Survey

So the year is nearly over… And I don’t know where it has gone, I mean they say that time flows fast when you’re having fun… and sure, this year has been quite a bit of fun (a topic for another post perhaps?) but surely… it shouldn’t already be December 31st?

Anyhow, I’ve seen a few people do the 6th Annual End of Year Survey for this year, an idea that was created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner – and I thought I would give it a go!

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2015 Reading Stats:

Number of Books Read: 78/50

Number of Re-Reads: Three

Genre You Read The Most From: YA Romance (although that splits into Fantasy and Contemporary really)

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Best In Books:

1. Best Book You Read In 2015?

Well, isn’t this a tough cookie to start on? I will have to cheat, and split it into two sections. My utmost favourite contemporary read would have to have been Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling… it was such a wonderful novel, thought-provoking and beautifully written I couldn’t possibly pick any other book for this position. My other choice (from the Fantasy genre) would be Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout… because JLA… no other reason – well actually there’s a few, why don’t you read them here.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?   

All the Rage was probably one of those books, not by the fault of the author or the book itself… it was simply the best example of

syndrome.

Which was a shame… but I guess it has to happen sometimes. Read my review of it here.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?  

I’ll probably have to take a bad turn on this, and say Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List… it is my lowest rated book of the year at a generous 2.5 Stars, and I was so disappointed with it because I generally don’t tend to have problems with books in that particular genre and somehow it just wasn’t what I hoped it was going to be – so this is probably the most surprising disappointment of 2015. Read my review of it here

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? 

This would have to be Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout, my review (as well as my constant gushing in real-life conversations) made quite a lot of people either put this book on their TBR or even read it, as it was the case with two of my best friends whom I all-but threw the book at having finished it.

 5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015? 

The best series that I started in 2015 would have to have been The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski – I have yet to review the book  but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The best sequel of 2015 for me is Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout – another book I have yet to review. The series ender that I enjoyed the most was Tempting the Bodyguard by JLA… again…

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?

Stuck between two lovely ladies, who both produced books which had me enraptured and their names are Jennifer Donnelly and Heidi R. Kling!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I don’t usually read historical fiction… I was put off since I read a particular series (which ironically I cannot remember the name of right now) when I was seven or so, and since then I haven’t read A SINGLE historical novel (unless you count the Infernal Devices in which case please don’t because Shadowhunters and history aren’t in the same book in my brain, buddy). That is, until These Shallow Graves came along, and boy it was great and I will definitely try to read more historical fiction next year. Read my review of it here!

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Murder Complex is the answer to this one, it was probably the most action-packed novel I had the chance to read this year. Read my review of it here

 9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

There are quite a few of my 2015 reads that I will most definitely be re-reading in 2016. For example Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (because I want to continue the series), The Edge of Never, The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. We’ll see if any more get added to the list!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?  

It’s just so pretty, and I have an edition where the blood is 3D so…

11. Most memorable character of 2015?

Mercedes Ayres from Firsts. I read the book quite recently, which probably adds to this, but her character will probably stay with me for a looong while.

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?  

Probably Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar or This Raging Light by Estelle Laure. Both authors had incredibly captivating styles!

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015?

Vain by Amelie Fisher, because it handled the things I forget to think about sometimes, living in a very economically developed country… All The Rage by Courtney Summers, and Paint my Body Red by Heidi R. Kling. Boy, I’m cheating in these questions…

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?  

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare himself… and I probably wouldn’t have read it had it not been required by school for another few years.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015?

Don’t make me choose! I’m going to make it my goal for 2016 to put up a page on my blog with my favourite passages because the amount of trouble I’m having right now is ridiculous. But it would probably have to be:

“This is what we do. We make tea, and read books and watch people die.” from the Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Because let’s face it, it describes every single fandom perfectly.

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015?

Shortest: Unleashed by Kathryn Taylor at 46 pages

Longest: Night World, No. 3 by L.J. Smith at 732 pages

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

DEFINITELY The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins… because my mind was absolutely blown to tiny splinters whilst reading.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Katy Swartz and Daemon Black from the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout… and a few of her other couples too.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Lucille Bennett (from This Raging Light) and her sister Wren because honestly, they cared for each other so very much, and it was beautiful and heartwarming and it made me slightly jealous for not having as good a relationship with my brother as these two had.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: 

I wasn’t planning to prioritise the Frigid Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, but a ginger bookworm recommended it to me, and so I read it sooner than I probably would have, and I’m really happy that I did, because both books are amazing!

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015? 

Geoffrey Bass from Ryan Revisited… as well as all of JLA’s boys that I hadn’t met before this year.

23. Best 2015 debut you read?

I didn’t read many debuts, which is slightly weird, but I would have to say Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?   

More Than This by Patrick Ness takes the cake for this one… The world in this novel was so intricately and beautifully woven it could not be more perfect.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?  

Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout… Yes, there is a lot of her on this list but I cannot help myself. Either this, or The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015?

Literally the majority of the books I read this year made me cry at one point or another, so I cannot pick one and therefore won’t pick at all.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Definitely this one, seeing as JLA released it online (on Wattpad of all places) and it was amazing to see her raw writing – which didn’t disappoint.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Either Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan, or Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling. They were probably the ones that made me turn on the waterworks more than a few times, at full power…

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?

DEFINITELY (gosh I love it when a question is easy to answer) The Library at Mount Char. Those of you who have read it, will know exactly what I’m talking about.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Oooh, there was a series that had my blood boiling in a bad way and that was The Chemical Garden series by Lauren DeStefano… another book that made me mad, but this time thankfully in a good way was Firsts – and I don’t think I’m completely alone on that one.

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Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?

This year I met many lovely bloggers with equally lovely blogs – my favourite book blog (that contains written reviews) would have to be Kim’s over at By Hook or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff because she posts really honest, quality reviews.

Of course I would be lying if I didn’t like my best friend’s book blog too because although she is just starting out there’s potential for it to be something big, and amazing.

I also discovered what has now become a perfect way to waste time, and that is Christine May’s Booktube over at Polandbananasbooks.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?

Definitely my review of The Chemical Garden series because I feel it is the most me… which can’t really be a bad thing. Also, my reviews of Oblivion and Paint My Body Red because they were the most fun to write.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?  

Why do I go MIA? (and some tips for the unlucky souls who take exams). It was the most-commented on, non-review post and was also very relevant to my situation at the time (and also in the upcoming months) which was why I wrote it.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I haven’t had the chance to participate in any of those, perhaps because I am scared. But also because I simply don’t know how to participate, or what is best to participate in. And then there’s the fact that author signings are a rare occurrence in the UK and might happen once in a blue moon.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?

In reality, I’d say the majority of it, but when we zoom in on things I am most proud of it was probably when the authors of Oblivion and Paint My Body Red recognised my work and tweeted about it! Of course, there was meeting some of the blogging community whom I’ve been talking to which was also amazing.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year? 

Time… or lack there-of. Juggling school and exams and social life (although who am I kidding, I don’t own one of those) has been quite difficult, but I am somewhat managing it and therefore proud of my valiant effort.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Definitely my review of Oblivion by JLA – it reached circa 60 views in a single day!

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

My review of Paint My Body Red… Or any of the posts I enjoyed writing really which are mentioned above.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)? 

Bookbridgr! To all UK and ROI bloggers, this place has some really good review copies up for grabs! There’s also been Society6 on which you can find some bookish themed stuff, like blankets, pillows, t-shirts etc. etc.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Yes… Yes I did. And Goodreads makes me feel very good about it!

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Looking Ahead

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016?  

This will definitely be finishing A Banquet of Consequences because I think that’s long overdue.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)? 

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare! I can’t wait to return to the world of Shadowhunters. Also, The Power by JLA.

3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

I would have said Firsts, but of course I was lucky enough to have early access to the book and so don’t have to wait until January when it is released. So my answer to this one will be The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos.

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016? 

Torn by JLA, the second book in A Wicked Saga.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016?   

Definitely be more social and talk to more people in the blogging community, get rid of my fears when it comes to communication.

6. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone: 

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, despite the fact that the protagonist is largely unconventional, it is a good read if you go in with an open-mind.

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So this is it I guess, my 2015 Survey and I will be looking forward to do this again next year!