ARC Review: Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

Expected publication: July 1st 2014 by Simon & Schuster UK

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn't have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with her first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt. 

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlour to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red. 

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she'll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever - even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

In the first instalment of The Maddox Brothers series, readers can experience the rush of reading Beautiful Disaster for the first time, all over again.

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REVIEWS FOR JAMIE MCGUIRE'S BOOKS HERE

Review for Beautiful Oblivion:

I have a confession to make. I read this book in its entirety and loved it. I have read Beautiful and Walking Disaster, however in between those books and this one I've also tackled around 75 books in between. So, my confession is - I didn't remember who all the important characters were. Therefore when the last page of this one 'revealed' the secret, it was completely lost on me.

To make up for the amazing suspense that McGuire kept going throughout the book I speed read Walking Disaster and then read this one again. OH BOY!!! Then I picked up all the clues!! The 'Spaceballs' one is genius. So is Travis' declaration about his brother being in love with Cami. 

No, I'm not going to spoil anything, this book sort of runs parallel with the others, but reading it like this actually gave me room to contemplate. Yes, Cami's 'boyfriend' did let her down on so many occasions. But he was genuinely sorry and (his status is revealed at the end of Walking Disaster) does have pressure and a stressful job which doesn't warrant much if any free time. I actually felt sorry for him because I think he genuinely loved Cami but couldn't put her first.

As for Trent? Well, I thought he was a cutey, a very sweet guy who like Travis, has an affinity to all things pretty but also has a devoted streak running through him. Especially when it comes to Cami.

Overall, this book didn't have the same story impact as the first two books. Those books had a storyline which packed a punch. This one relies more on the suspense, and soap opera style drama. 

Still thoroughly recommended :)

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You can reach Jamie McGuire here: 

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ARC Review: See Through Me (Lose My Senses #1) by Sera Bright

See Through Me (Lose My Senses #1) by Sera Bright

Expected publication: May 8th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

There's only one person I want to see when I return home. But I know he won't be waiting. It's the reason I feel safe enough to come back. I’m so wrong. 

Ash Townsend isn't the same quiet boy from next door. He's tall, dark and demanding answers. He wants me, but he doesn't trust me. Why should he? When his own family tried to break him down, he still sheltered me in this town full of liars. And I repaid it by leaving him without a word. 

But I'll do anything to protect him. I have the scars on my wrist to prove it. 

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Review:

To begin with, we learn that Katie left her small town after high school under a cloud. This is a classic case of small town syndrome with everyone gossiping about everyone else's life. Katie's back because her family home may be repossessed. Her mother ran out when she was young, her father was an almost non existent parent. Katie's family was her childhood friend, Ash, who lived close by. 

As the story continues we are taken back through the lives of Katie and Ash and their friendship. Both have suffered trauma and neglect from their parents, whether intentionally or by ignorance. They looked out for each other when nobody else wanted or cared to. Soon it becomes apparent that Katie and Ash are more than best friends and have a friendship that defies the odds.

For some unapparent reason Ash's parents despise Katie. So much that Ash is even punished by association. A mystery begins to unfold as we go backward and forward and unravel their past and present. Only days back in the town Katie is once again being victimized by an unknown source. When Ash and Katie enter each other's lives again we see a distinct difference in Katie's feelings for Ash. She's avoiding him at all costs. We only learn later why.

Katie and Ash's story is touching. At times, I won't deny, I did want to throttle Katie for acting the way she did around Ash. At times she was cruel but acted mostly indifferent. It's only the climax of the story when we learn why she puts barriers between herself and her only true friend.

This is an angsty, emotional read. The writing is great, the steady pace well thought out, and the differing emotions for each new encounter were well emphasized. My only criticism would be that the ending, when the dirt comes out, could have been overcome so easily if they'd just talked openly instead of pushing and shoving each other with misdirection and anger. But then we wouldn't have the story, would we? And, the ending? Odd. Once the resolution happens we have no solid finish, but hey, do we really need it?

-CBx

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You can reach Sera Bright here:

Web

Goodreads

ARC Review: Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes

Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Publication: April 8th 2014 by St. Martin's Press

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Synopsis:

How did my life get so broken? It’s a question Lacey St. James asks herself every day. Stuck raising her little brother in a trailer park while she works a dead end job at a grocery store, she has a stalker exboyfriend, a bad reputation, and no way out. 

And then, she meets Everett, who changes her entire existence.

Everett is an outsider who’s housesitting his family’s mansion off the coast, and for reasons Lacey can’t understand, he’s completely transfixed by her. He seems determined to show her that life can offer more than she’d ever hoped for, if only she believes in herself. She desperately yearns to trust him, but what happens when she finds out that everything he’s told her is a lie? 

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Review:

This book follows the same New Adult pattern as I've read countless times. There is nothing new here. The story has become so depressing I'm considering putting the news on to hear some happy news. At this time I'm at 72% and don't know if I can read any further. Some situations in the story have come across as so unbelievable that I just can't continue. 

The premise is pretty bleak. Lacey has been verbally and emotionally abused, raped, and still lives in the same town as these other horrible people. She's trying to get on with her life but as she keeps saying - its a small town. As in, everyone knows everyone else or is connected somehow. The part I've just read about her visit to the police station has me so angry because I just can't believe that what happens next and that turn of events would actually happen in real life. Not where rape is concerned. Laws are in place for this no matter where you live. As I wrote, the pattern is standard NA. The only person Lacey seems to trust is hot new boy in town, Emerson. In time she turns to him to aide her woe. 

Along with that I'm also getting tired of the same titles to books like this as in "...into me, ...on me, ...into you, ...around you" etc. I think the publishing companies should change their advertising tactics and become more original. The books could be mistaken for being in the same series by different authors. I'm also wondering if the more horrific the story, the more stars the book gets. An extra star here for the writing. The author does that very well. I know readers are probably wondering why I still read NA. I'm hoping soon I'll come across an original gem :) 

- CBx