Arc Review: Sideswiped (Off the Map #2) by Lia Riley

Sideswiped (Off the Map #2) by Lia Riley

Published by: Grand Central/Forever

Published on: October 7th 2014

My Rating: 5 out of 5

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Read my Upside Down (Off the Map #1) by Lia Riley  review here

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Synopsis

It was only meant to last the summer . . .

Talia Stolfi has seen more than her share of loss in her twenty-one years. But then fate brought her Bran Lockhart, and her dark world was suddenly and spectacularly illuminated. So if being with Bran means leaving her colorless NorCal life for rugged and wild Australia, then that’s what she’ll do. But as much as Talia longs to give herself over completely to a new beginning, the fears of her past are still lurking in the shadows.

Bran Lockhart knows that living without the beautiful girl who stole his heart will be torment, so he’ll take whatever time with her he can. But even though she has packed up her life in California and is back in his arms for the time being, she can’t stay forever. And the remaining time they have together is ticking by way too fast. Though fate seems determined to tear them apart, they won’t give up without a fight—because while time may have limits, their love is infinite . .

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Review:

I feel very blessed to have read this book. Bran and Talia are a tantalisingly perfect couple who face very real hurdles in their 22 to 24 year old lives that isn't normally covered in NA books of late. Firstly, if you haven't read Upside Down then I suggest you pick up a copy pronto.

The story carries on right after the first, with very little left between books. Talia moves on from her life in Santa Cruz. She has a few ideas of what she wants to do now that she's been left without a family home base and Australia plus living with Bran for the next four months is a natural choice. She loves Bran, the only guy, or person in general, who really gets her.

Bran has his own demons. He loves Talia and wants her with him for all time. But he won't do a long distance relationship and early on after her arrival back to Tasmania he realises he's got an uphill battle to keep her by his side. But Bran has his own ambitions in his periphery. Ambitions he's always dreamed of and is passionate about.

Talia and Bran are both realists. They want to live life with meaning. They want to serve a higher purpose. Talia still dreams of joining the Peace Corps and Bran still dreams of travelling to Antarctica for the Sea Alliance. They know their places will be rewarding to them but they also know that time is precious. And for the four months they have together, well, they have to make the most of it.

After living together for a short while Talia and Bran learn so much about each other. They both love the other fiercely, there's a give and take which they adapt to, there's an understanding. But those demons that lurk could be the big catalyst to their own downfall.

So, what to do. Do they succumb to shelving their dreams just to be together or do they compromise? Do the long distance relationship thing while they fulfill their dreams? This book takes you on their journey with surprising gender role reversals. Talia, who suffers from OCD, grows so much from the first book. She knows that her home is with Bran. When they are together she is calm. He helps her through her compulsive ways and puts otherwise complicated actions into perspective.

Who eventually becomes the giver and who becomes the taker of their relationship? The answer may surprise you.

A fantastic sequel in a compelling series, Sideswiped delves deeper into Bran and Talia's already complicated lives with heart-wrenching consequences :)

-CBx

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You can reach Lia Riley here:

Web

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Review: Upside Down (Off the Map #1) by Lia Riley

 Upside Down (Off the Map #1) by Lia Riley

Published: 5th August 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found 

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act. 

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

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Review:

Let me start of by saying, this book wasn't what I expected. It was a ton better on every level.

For starters Talia is, from the very beginning, still trying to get over her sisters death. Usually at a time of grief family members support one another. But in Talia's case both her parents have effectively shut down as well. Leaving nothing for Talia, no coping mechanism, not joint grief counselling. Her mother has hopped off to Hawaii, and her father can barely look at Talia. Everything here screams "You're being so unfair on your 'living' daughter, help her". But no. 

Talia has OCD, convinces herself daily that she's dying, spends countless hours on MD websites to study symptoms of her soon-to-be demise, although I think deep down she knows she's being neurotic. One of her best friends was actually her sisters best friend so that's always awkward, even though they usually all hung out together. And then there's the 'mistake' of sleeping with her sisters ex-boyfriend on the one year anniversary of her death. For Talia a trip to Oz is a chance to breath again. And I don't blame her.

We meet Bran a few chapters into the story. An activist to the core, he fights everything his father stands for. Bran was basically brought up by his sister in between boarding schools. His parents are incredibly wealthy but are too busy enjoying their own life to really give a damn about Bran. From the time Bran and Talia got together they clicked. Not in an insta-lust kind of way. There's snark, sarcasm, innuendos and gobble gosh in gosh bucket, Bran spots Talia's OCD in a blink of an eye. Nobody had ever noticed her little traits before. They get along well but soon Bran puts on the breaks. He's hiding something, in fact, he's hiding lots of things and Talia tries to uncover why.. 

I enjoyed reading both characters stories, my heart broke a little for both of them and it certainly picked up at other times ;) The tale is well developed and follows a nice arc to its conclusion. Meeting and falling for someone is always difficult for both sides but if you work it through then a rainbow will always appear. And Talia waited for hers and finally got to see the colours of life.

The story is set in Austalia which makes for a refreshing change. But it isn't lingo/slang heavy. The pace is steady and we have 2 POV's. But that's not the end of Talia and Bran's tale. There is a sequel, and I can't wait to pick it up :) 

- CBx

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You can reach Lia Riley here:

Web

Goodreads

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: 

Web 

Twitter 

Facebook 

Goodreads

ARC Review: FANGIRL_15 by Aimee Roseland

FANGIRL_15 by Aimee Roseland

Expected publication: July 8th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating : 5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Chloe is in love with Lucien.

He’s enigmatic, compassionate, generous and intelligent. Likes classical music just as much as kicking ass and knows his way around a kitchen, though he’d never admit it. His Samurai swords are an extension of his personality and a lifetime of heartache has taught him to wield them unfailingly. He’s gorgeous yet humble and can’t see past his own scars. Lucien feels deeply for his chosen family and is absolutely worthy of love. Sounds perfect, right?

The only problem is that Lucien is a character in a novel.

The Dark Riders is one of the best selling paranormal romance series of all time, and it was destined to have eight installments, one for each of the brothers-in-arms. Lucien’s story was supposed to be book eight, where he’d finally find true love and live happily ever after. Except the writer died before his story was published. Worse yet, book seven was finished by some poser that thought killing off one of the main characters would bring a more modern twist to the finale.

Chloe is absolutely devastated by the news that one of her “friends” is dead and that the series is canceled. She has a quasi-nervous-breakdown at work and ends up falling asleep in the lounge. Her midnight escape from the locked office lands her in a deserted parking lot after hours where an unseen force has been waiting. Just. For. Her...

This supernatural assault strands her in an alternate reality where the Dark Riders are real and the horrible ending created by the publisher hasn’t happened yet.

Chloe decides that she’s been brought there to fix all of the storylines and tries her best to convince the monsters around her that she’s there to help. She ends up mangling their plots more often than not and now must race the waxing moon to find a way home before Lucien accidentally falls in love with her instead of his destined mate. The Fates are working against her as Chaos interferes and the truth about what really dragged her over threatens to destroy everything that Chloe holds dear.

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Review:

Just so you know, I haven't read any of the authors other books. I picked up Fangirl_15 from Net Galley because I loved the synopsis. I didn't expect to be giving the book 5 well-worth-them stars.

To me Fangirl_15 sounded a little Matrix-y mixed with something that JR Ward would write. A delve into the world of a supernatural Brotherhood and lets face it, who hasn't wanted to dive into a story and make sure the hero had a better ending than what the author wrote.

I wasn't expecting what I read. Chloe is average everything. Neither tall, nor small, neither large nor thin, neither pretty nor unpretty. Her life is simple, basic and without excitement. Except when her favourite Dark Riders books get published. The bad news for Chloe is the Series author has died and the latest installment has been finished by a nobody author with average writing. To make things worse the writer writes an ending that Chloe believes shouldn't have been written in that certain way.

A string of strange events occur. One where Chloe dreams of being with her book boyfriend of the series, Lucien. While his physical looks sound quite horrible to look at, Chloe has fallen in love with him because of his beautiful eyes, his heart of gold, and his compassion towards his brothers and their previous plights. Eventually Chloe wakes up from one dream and realises she IS actually in the fictional world that the author has created. Astonished, she meets one of the 'Brothers' and gets taken to their mansion.

From here on in Chloe sees a way of enjoying herself while helping the Brotherhood in their next endeavour. Because, well, she's going to wake up in the real world any moment, right?

Uh-uh. It never happens. Her path is clear, her task is in hand. She must right the wrongs of the plot holes and the storyline. Little does Chloe know that her own story is pivotal to how the ending really happens.

Firstly, I have to comment on the writing. I don't often get on with 3rd person perspective but it worked so well with this story. Also, I loved Chloe as a character. She has her own flaws, she has a fair amount of self-doubt. But her intentions are so from the heart that you can't not like her. Lucien also came across as someone who you could easily judge because of his demonic looks but he's a haunted, tortured soul who deserves to be loved. 

The excellent side cast of many made me laugh and feel appreciation for how they treated our heroine. I wonder what the Dark Riders books are really like. After reading this I honestly would want to have read the books myself!

With a good, steady pace and lots of very dramatic, dare I say it, romantic tension the ending is one I didn't expect but somehow made sense. This was an ending I was happy about!

Definitely pick this one up if you love supernatural, spurned lovers, tortured heroes and an average heroine who changes the entire game plan!

-CBx

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You can find Aimee Roseland here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills 

Published September 9th 2013 by Little Dove Publishing

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She’s an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She’s perfect...

Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex. 

Then she meets her soulmate. But he doesn’t want her.

When it comes to girls, twenty-five-year-old Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love. His gym and his brother are all he cares about... until he meets Nora. He resists the pull of their attraction, hung up on their six year age difference.

As they struggle to stay away from each other, secrets will be revealed, tempers will flare, and hearts will be broken.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy... where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things.

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Review:

I lost a lot of sleep by reading this book. It kept me up until well after 3am this morning. Does that mean its good? Well, for the most part, yes.

We're brought into Nora's world very abruptly. Early on we begin to see the relationship between Nora and her mother. How patronising the woman is, and completely uninterested in Nora in any way, shape or form, other than a walking human doll to dress up and tell how to act. And then Nora did what she did and blew me out of the water.

We get introduced to Leo at this point. Leo is a lot older than Nora. When it began I did have this skeevy feeling because of the age gap. I thought it wrong. But gradually as the story continued this didn't bother me.

Nora and Leo DO have an insta-lust thing going on from the start but it doesn't amount to much when Leo puts the brakes on any kind of relationship happening between them other than friendship. As we continue through Nora's days and weeks we see a side of her character actually bloom. The freedom of getting over her guilt (her step-brother did a terrible thing to her) and her mother's denial of the incident. 

One thing that stood out to me when I finished was that Leo was entirely right to stay away from Nora in the beginning. Nora grows leaps and bounds in this book. Almost like going through the stages of grief. Finally at the end she becomes someone else. Someone who is well grounded, someone who has a family as such who help her and nurture her, someone who has learnt by her mistakes. 

 I loved the romance, the will-they-won't-they. I loved how Nora and Leo became this 'entity' even before they became a couple. There were moments when I thought Leo was an idiot and he didn't appear to have any friends of his own age. But the ending rounds everything up nicely. Yes, we don't know why her mother treated Nora so badly, and we don't know who her mother was before she became Mrs Anchor-woman. But, frankly, I couldn't care less!

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You can reach Ilsa Madden-Mills  here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: The Trouble with Goodbye (Fairhope #1) by Sarra Cannon

The Trouble with Goodbye (Fairhope #1) by Sarra Cannon

Published May 21st 2013 by Dead River Books

From: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

One night can change everything…

Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.

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Review:

It's hard to dismiss a book that deals with such a hard hitting subject. I especially liked The Trouble with Goodbye which is a story about honesty, truth and courage against adversity.

Leigh Anne is a likable character. At little naive at times but still working out what it means to have her independence on her own terms. She makes mistakes. We all do. Sometimes she makes choices based on her 'before' life which only reminds her of why she left her small town in the first place. Sometimes she sucks it up and makes new steps to begin living by her own rules and not those of her well-to-do parents. These decisions she could certainly be commended for. 

I especially liked Knox but as a character he didn't really have any flaws that would mar his credibility as a hero of the story. His past life, as painful as it was, seemed to be exactly that. He was well on his way to living in the 'now', and with a little help from Leigh Anne, developed as his own person.

I've given this review 4 out of 5. The only things I felt lacking were a sense of drama or emotional tension that is common in New Adult books now. At times I was reading dialogue and descriptions of the tragedies that happened but I didn't altogether feel the pain behind them. Having said that, the subject detail is given openly and without bias, and for that Cannon can be commended for tackling this delicate subject.

Now I'm looking forward to Penny and Mason's story. And I pretty much think there'll be fireworks!

-CBx

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You can reach Sarra Cannon here:

Web

Goodreads

ARC Review: Until Alex by J. Nathan

Until Alex by J. Nathan

Expected publication: June 20th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

On the outside, Hayden is every girl's living breathing fantasy, brooding and devastatingly gorgeous. He spends his nights losing himself in alcohol and faceless girls, but it's all just a facade. An elaborate cover for the emotionless shell of a man he is. One who harbors too many secrets and destroys lives the way his was destroyed. It’s the reason he avoids relationships and keeps everyone at arm's length…

Until Alex

Alex’s life just shattered into a million pieces, leaving her with more grief than she knows what to do with and guilt so deep it’s destroyed the carefree girl she once was. Now she’s hundreds of miles from home, living with an aunt she doesn't know, finishing senior year at a college she’s never been to, and trying desperately to get through a single day without breaking down. She's never felt more alone in her life... 

Until Hayden

The trouble with Hayden is who he wants to be and who he is are in constant flux. And though he’d die before letting Alex learn the truth about him, he can’t be sure he's strong enough to let her in…or push her away. She’s the one person who just might see the real him.

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Review:

At first I thought this was one of those generic NA books with the same dramas arising. 

HOW WRONG I WAS!!

Until Alex is the story of Hayden and Alex. Both with harrowing pasts, new and old. By lack of choice, Alex arrives to stay with her aunt. The same building Hayden lives in. Hayden sees the girl by the pool, the one who hasn't stopped crying for four days. Alex sees a guy so closed off from anyone else, someone who doesn't get involved. Unless they're the flings he brings home most nights.

Initially both sides are wary. Tension grows and unexpectedly both Hayden and Alex begin a kind of friendship, but one only on middle ground. Neither are willing to let the other over to their side just yet.

The story telling is brilliant, well paced, and full of suspense. Lots of unsavoury characters begin to reveal themselves and mess with our protagonists, but each time the other one has them covered.

I actually really liked both characters who are neither without flaws. Alex is a little naive at times but she's incredibly brave. And Hayden proves himself more than once to be her knight in shining armour, despite his demons.

This is a story of trust. Of baring your soul regardless of the consequences. There are a few twists and turns especially near the end and, altogether a great story to get your teeth into. This is one you won't want to put down.

-CBx

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You can find J Nathan here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Before He Was Famous (HotFlush #1) by Becky Wicks

Before He Was Famous (HotFlush #1) by Becky Wicks 

Published May 29th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Falling in love with your best friend isn’t always a great idea, especially when he’s Noah Lockton - the sexiest, most famous new talent on the planet. When 21-year-old small-town photographer Chloe Campbell is offered the chance of a lifetime – to join her celebrity childhood friend Noah on tour as an exclusive blogger for a New York magazine – she’s certain both have put what happened four years ago behind them. But his eyes still burn; his voice is still a jackhammer to her heartstrings; all his songs are about her. Is it possible that that night still haunts them both?

The music industry is a machine, spinning hype and rumors as much as his records. It’s not just Noah’s girlfriends who’ve got it in for Chloe (there’s no stopping the Twitter-obsessed, cat-loving pop-star Courtney Lentini for starters). Pretty soon, the jealousy and media frenzy surrounding these so-called-friends takes a life-changing turn and it seems making love means making enemies at every turn. When tragedy threatens to pull the final curtain on their relationship, both Chloe and Noah must make a choice. As much as this world leaves them starstruck, is living their dream really worth living without each other?

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Review:

This story has all the enactments of a great tale. Two people who have known each other for years. Lots of insider jokes and great development of all the characters. As the story progresses into darker unfamiliar waters its interesting to see how they all cope. Because the great thing you realise while you're reading is that Chloe and Noah are totally out of their comfort zone.  

Aside from Chloe and Noah, there's a Brit (imagine Russell Brand) manager who speaks in cockney rhyming slang, an arrogant photographer who moonlights as a Pap, and a crazy girl called Courtney who only appears to be in the music industry for the image.

The story twists and turns. Noah becomes more famous than even Justin Bieber. The music side of the story sheds unbecoming light on what happens behind the scenes. And then Chloe becomes a moving target of a pyscho stalker.

All together the story was good but at times it slowed down so much I did flick through a few pages. If you like to read about music people then you'll enjoy the hype that surrounds Noah. The love side is genuine (thank god) and I'll definitely be reading the next installment. 

-CBx

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You can reach Becky Wicks here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Unexpected (Unexpected, #1) by Amity Cross

Unexpected (Unexpected #1) by Amity Cross 

Published February 4th 2014 

From: Free on Amazon

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Blair is looking for an escape. West is looking for a connection.

One down and out woman. One isolated rock star. Life at the top is lonely, but so is life at the bottom.

Blair is just looking for someone to take the edge off her crappy life. Dull the pain, breathe a little life into her neglected body. A chance meeting at a bar leads to a night of passion. No names, no personal details. Just sex.

Well, it wasn't personal until she sees the guy standing on a stage ten meters in front of her. How the hell didn't she realize that the guy who blew her mind is the guitarist out of that dirty rock'n'roll band, Affliction? And why is he chasing her down the street? And how does he know her name?

Sometimes you find the things you didn't even know you were looking for in the most unexpected places.

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Review:

This was a freebie from Amazon and I love rock stars so I thought, why not? I must admit, it's sat on my kindle for about a month. Once I started reading though, well, it is kind of addictive. 

Blair doesn't come across as a nice person. Actually she's a self-confessed super-bitch. She likes one off sex to take the edge off and this particular night, the night she meets super hot and tattoed West, ends in a different way to her normal slam-bam-thank-you-sir kind of nights.

West is on the look out for a connection. That's it. Call it sex, call it chemistry but when he meets Blair in that seedy bar he feels it immediately. Note: for those of you who hate insta-love then you'll hate this. Both parties think the other is hot and f***able. So they do. Blair does a runner straight after, only to see him on stage the following night. He chases her out of the venue then gets her to commit to spending the week with him. It doesn't happen quite so quickly as that but, you get the idea.

The story is short and has plenty of scope. There aren't that many characters in the story, and the rock star life described is very stereotypical of New Adult rock star stories. Personally, in real life, I don't think these two would have a chance at making it. But, hey, this isn't real life, is it?

I liked West, I didn't like Blair too much. I felt the connection sure enough, but I didn't get down into the depths of the characters. Yes, we're told why Blair is the way she is, and we're told why West feels alone. Apart from a few conversations between them which always ended abruptly (if not rudely) it was difficult to get into their minds.

Anyway, a good quick read, and yes, there are lots of hot scenes. There is also sequel :)

-CBx

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You can reach Amity Cross here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

Published May 20th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

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Review:

I picked this one up not realising it was a series however it is a great standalone novel. Later in the story we do pick up the girls from the first 2 books but there was no impact or reduction of reading enjoyment by going for this first. 

Whisper to Me was a great read, don't get me wrong. I did enjoy reading about Kai. He's a bass player who is trying to find his way in the world through music. His past keeps coming and biting him in the ass though and he finds himself back in his home town and working for his Native American family who own a casino.

Rachel has been friends with Kai and his sister Dakota since forever. They helped her get over a nasty accident, an ex who dumped her, and all the repercussions that followed. After three years away at college Rachel comes home for the holidays and settles back into living with her best friends. 

The only thing is, Rachel's changed. But then so have Kai and Dakota. Rachel wanted to get away from her past life and recreate herself at college. So much that she's almost forgotten Who she really is any more. 

The writing is awesome. I haven't read any of Bell's previous books but I did like the story, flow and pace. However, the little things irked me. Firstly, Rachel, Kai and Dakota are supposed to be childhood friends. There are many references to what they used to do as children - playing, antics, habits etc. Also lots of emphasis on how Kai looked after Rachel after her accident. But I couldn't pick up on the these past relationships and put them together with the people I was reading about. I almost felt like they could have been strangers with no background. If the author had written a few chapters in between with some scenes of back story I may have bought it but it came over as too contrived. Dakota and Rachel had no mutual understanding or girl friend chemistry that I would have expected.

This book does get hot. The love story between Kai and Rachel is the reason the pages turned so quickly but I felt it went on too long before the final professing.

I will try out the other books now and hope there are more to come in this series.

ARC Review: Since Forever Ago by Olivia Besse

Since Forever Ago by Olivia Besse

Published May 13th 2014 by Wunderland Press

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Fresh off the heels of a devastating breakup, Riley Benson is a mess. But with her ingenious plan to become a ball-busting heartbreaker herself, she’s pretty sure she’ll survive. After all, what better way is there to get revenge than to move on?

Riley’s determined to become the perfect bachelorette—she’s going to drink like a bro, belch like a beast and swear so much that she’ll make even the most seasoned sailors blush. After all, those are the qualities that every guy’s secretly looking for…. aren’t they?

Max Fletcher is in love with the girl who gave him chicken pox and his first broken leg. When his best friend seems to finally be out of the picture, he can’t help but want to keep Riley all to himself. And, after coaching her with the very best of the very worst love advice, it seems as if he might actually get what he's wanted after all those years. But just as the two come to the realization that they're actually kind of perfect for each other, along comes a secret that threatens to tear them apart.

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Review:

Yesterday I finished reading two heavy, dramatic NA novels and had thrown a DNF out the window when Since Forever Ago landed in my lap (or on my kindle, so to speak). An interesting premise, two characters who know each other well, and what's not to like about a hidden love?!

I wasn't expecting what I read. Firstly, if you like really mature characters who act older and worldly-wiser than their 21-year old selves then this is NOT the book for you. If you're looking for a strong female who is so sure of herself she could be Wonder Woman, then this is not for you.

What Since Forever Ago IS is witty, quick, indecisive, messy and so lacking in self esteem it's cute and funny. And that's Riley Benson, the main character. She's so naive about boys I don't know how she got through a 6 year relationship. Actually I do. Her boyfriend, Noah, was a selfish, manipulative douche who told her what to wear and picked on her for all her failures. Somehow that's got to cloud your judgement when you think you're in love with someone and he's only making you into a better person, right? No, not right at all. Riley is a basket case. And then she finds out Noah cheated on her.

The story of a close-knit group of friends at college is very dialogue friendly. I loved the way it was written especially with Riley and Max. Max has been in love with Riley from a very young age but he's never told her. They're best friends and she relies on his input more once her break-up with Noah happens. Max feeds her lots of spiel about what guys Really like and Riley falls for it. It's all rubbish of course, because Max doesn't want Riley dating any one else. Time and again she proves that her innocence and lack of understanding where guys are concerned is her greatest downfall. 

Riley makes a mess of things in a spectacular fashion. As the dominoes in Riley's life began to crash towards the end of the book I was hoping for a more dramatic ending. That's really my only quibble. 

Take it for what it is. Read it and enjoy. Laugh at Riley's inadequacies for what they are. I liked this one :) 

-CBx

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You can find Olivia Besse here:

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Review: So Much to Learn by Jessie L. Star

So Much to Learn by Jessie L. Star

Published: February 21st 2014

From: Free on Amazon

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

"I need to learn," I said in a very small, quiet voice. "You have to teach me…" I faltered here as the whole thing was really just too sordid to put into words. I thought I had a good grasp of the English language, but I had no clue how to put my dilemma to him. 

"Teach you…?" He prompted. 

"Teach me it!" I finally choked out. "What happens when you actually like the…touching and the….the…fondling and the…it, you know." I had never been so embarrassed in my life. The age old 'you could have fried on egg on my face' adage actually seemed kind of plausible I felt that hot and flustered. But - would you believe it? - Jack still hadn't cottoned on to what I was on about. He looked at me completely blankly and I could almost see his mind whirring as he tried to connect the bits… 

After a rather hideous break up with her boyfriend due to her inability to 'put out’, Talia bullies her brother's best friend into teaching her the complexities of a 'full' relationship. Turns out uni courses have nothing on life lessons! 

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Review:

Let me start by saying this is a heart-wrangler story. By that I mean it will have your emotions all over the place. Your heart will do that stop/start thing multiple times and by the end you'll be so exhausted from the twists and unexpected turns you'll have to think about it for a while before you can function.

Things you should bear in mind before reading. This is a long book. The narrative is very full with descriptions and back story. The characters are all fully flushed out to so for me I didn't mind it too much. Secondly, if you want a hot steamy read with lots of flesh and all the rest then you'll be disappointed. This is not a 'sexy' book in the strictest term, though we do get lots of emotions flying back and forth. The story is also told in Australian English. I'm British English so fully familiar with the terms and phrasing but many might find the writing odd with unfamiliar grammatical words and sentences.

So, Natalia who is also called Talia or Tally has grown up with a close family network. That being her really cool mum, dad, older brother Matt and his best friend Jack. Jack has a sad history in his own family so basically lived with Talia's family since she was young. Now her, Matt and Jack all share an apartment in the city. Talia is 18 and studying Law at the same University the other two go to. Her best friend Simone comes from their small town back home and they've been friends since children also. Other characters are a member of their group such as Micky and Sam (brothers) and Tommo (again, who lived near them back home). The group is tight but they still have gripes with one another. Tally and Mickey don't get on from the get-go. In fact, Micky is downright rude to her most of the time.

Tally had an altercation with a guy at a party some time ago which didn't end well. Now she has touching 'issues'. She's just caught her boyfriend of six months in bed with another girl and he says it's because she's frigid and won't 'put out'. She's horrified that maybe something's wrong with her. She needs someone to help her get over these issues. Someone she trusts wholeheartedly. Someone like Jack.

As I wrote earlier this book has lots of twists and unexpected turns. The story is thorough and extensive. This isn't a simple tale of Talia overcoming her issues. But actually its about Talia becoming aware of who she really is and learning about love. She makes a lot of mistakes over the course of the story. She upsets people with her non-filtered mouth but she isn't unkind underneath all her normal confidence. 

On the whole I liked her. The only time I didn't was her jealous outburst at Haley because she thinks she's after Jack and being insincere all the time. The other characters also have their own problems and Talia learns how to balance her own judgmental attitude mixed with ongoing drama with being a good or sometimes not so good friend. The odds don't always go in her favour. 

Jack is a great character. I really liked him from the start mainly because he wasn't fickle when Talia was around although his hardest test was sleeping with his best friend's sister and living with the guilt of not telling Matt. Matt himself is a typical older brother. Very protective and always looking out for her. Eventually it becomes his downfall when he learns about Talia and Jack.

All in all a great book despite it being long and slow sometimes. I'd like to read more from Jessie Star now :)

-CBx

You can find Jessie Star here:

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Review: Wicked Games (Games #1) by Jill Myles

Wicked Games (Games #1) by Jill Myles

Published: March 4th 2011

From: Free on Amazon

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Abby Lewis never pictured herself on the survival game show, Endurance Island. She’s just not the ‘survival’ type. But when her boss offers her a spot on the show and the opportunity of a lifetime, she packs her bags and heads to the tropics to be a contestant. Once in the game, though, it’s clear that Abby’s in over her head.

No one’s more competitive than sexy, delicious – and arrogant – Dean Woodall. Sure, he’s clever, strong, good at challenges, and has a body that makes her mouth water. He also hates Abby just as much as she hates him. That’s fine with her; she’ll just ignore the jerk.

But the rules of Endurance Island are working against them. Abby and Dean are teamed up – alone – on the beach. It’s either work together, or go home. Stuck with no one’s company but their own, they learn they might just make a good team after all.

And Abby learns that with just a little bit of kindling, the flames of hate can quickly turn to flames of passion…

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Review:

I've seen the TV shows like this but have never read a story based on a survival show. I could only imagine that what was presented on TV was cleverly edited and did not show the characters as their true selves. We've all seen I'm a Celebrity, Survivor and Big Brother at some point.

Abby works for a media company. One that has a hand in the survival show in question, Endurance Island. Someone has dropped out of the celebrities and the production company think it would be a great idea to put an 'insider' into the running. Someone who can scoop the dirt and also write about her experiences after the show with a major book deal. Therefore Abby is more pushed than asked to take the final place. She isn't an ideal candidate but in her favour she did, with the help of a professional, edit a survivalists handbook a while ago. She picked up more than a few tips on how to survive when dropped on a desert island. 

Abby arrives and is immediately thrown into the competitive world of the twelve celebrities. They all want the prize of 2 million dollars badly. So much that they will literally step on you or shame you at every opportunity. The other competitors see Abby as weak and don't make her feel comfortable in her new surroundings at all. She's paired with the hottest guy on the show although she has no idea who he is and what he does in the real world.

Dean Woodall openly admits his eye is on the money but he does want the challenge of competing. He wants to win, and he'll do whatever or whoever he can to get what he wants. He doesn't understand why Abby is being so difficult and in the beginning is scared to have a conversation with her in case she chews his head off..again.

Abby and Dean get put into couples who must get through the first few days together. That means working together on tasks and getting along. They don't. In fact, they make themselves into a spectacle because of their instant dislike of one another. Eventually though, they do start working as a team and get good results.

But Abby starts feeling more for Dean than she should. Firstly she's the insider, she should act professional being as the cameras are on them all the time. And secondly, everyone who's in the competition has a game plan. Abby unfortunately doesn't. Her mindset is different because her goal isn't to win, just get as far as she can.

I did enjoy this book. The dynamics of the game are well thought out and there are some funny moments when Abby and Dean spar constantly. As with the game structure, this book has a structure to it as you travel through the days and weeks from Abby's POV. At times she is a little naive around Dean, she doesn't exactly know what his deal is but we're given little snippets from Dean's POV at the start of each chapter. As the story carries on you can see the different competitors begin to use and lie to each other to disrupt the accord of the game. 

There are some things I didn't like, however, that just felt off to me. I would say that if I was a media plant I wouldn't get hot and heavy (very sexy heavy) with my partner because it would always be on my mind that a) cameras are there, and everyone's watching, and b) when the show gets aired my entire family would see what was going on, and c) I have a job to do and that's the only reason why i'm there.

So, in contrast, Abby and Dean's closeness is believable but to go further? Obviously without this there wouldn't be a point to the book but that's my thought process.

The writing is great though the ending was a little predictable and finished very quickly. The other thing that struck me was how little we actually know about Abby at the end. After the show finishes she doesn't talk about her family or work at all. Something I felt could have taken away the one dimensional aspect the story had at times.

Still, there are others in the series featuring different characters for other reality TV shows. I might take a chance and try them out :)

-CBx

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You can reach Jill Myles (who also writes as Jessica Clare) here:

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Review: Fix You (McDaniels Brothers series) by Christine Bell

Fix You by Christine Bell 

Published: March 27th 2014

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Olivia Beckett’s once-charmed life is falling apart. Her family is about to lose everything, and she has almost no chance of continuing her college education. She can't even seek solace from her high school sweetheart. He's changed. She doesn't recognize the boy she used to know— his violent behavior is escalating and it scares the hell out of her. Her whole world is crumbling, and she has no one to turn to……

Sebastian “Bash” McDaniels is an up and comer in the boxing world working nights at the local college bar until he can land the fight of his dreams that will get him the hell out of Boston and away from his family's tragic past. He’s weeks from his goal when Olivia Beckett comes tumbling into his life in a flash of silky dark hair and haunted eyes. When he saves her from a potentially brutal beating, they begin to grow close, but Olivia's ex isn’t ready to let her go so easily. 

Bash can't bring himself to walk away, but fixing Olivia just might leave him broken…

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Review:

This is a short story where we're introduced to Olivia and Sebastian (Bash). Olivia's long term friend and now boyfriend has been going through changes recently. More into drinking and impressing his friends, one night Olivia takes the brunt of his obsessive jealousy and nearly takes a beating from him. Bash steps in just in time and stops him.

Unfortunately that one action costs Bash his job as Olivia's boyfriend comes from an influential and bullying family. Olivia can't turn to her own family to help because things aren't too good for her parents. While Olivia opts out of a planned holiday she instead takes up self-defense lessons with a reluctant Bash. Bash himself has his own family problems. Plus he keeps being told by his brothers that he can't get "involved" with anyone now, he must keep his eye on his 'boxing' prize.

Ultimately Olivia and Bash can't deny their chemistry or connection. But things turn badly for one of them. And this leads straight onto....yes! the next book! Cliffhanger alert!

I did like this, and will definitely follow up with the next installment. I wouldn't say the story line is entirely original but there is certainly promise of being a great series. 

And, sometimes I wished Olivia had a bit more of a spine but that's just me! 

Read it!

-CBx

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You can reach Christine Bell here:

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Review: Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise #1) by Chelsea M. Cameron

Deeper We Fall (Fall and Rise #1) by Chelsea M. Cameron 

Published by: DRC Publishing

Published on: January 24th 2013

My Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves To Kill a Mockingbird as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.

The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache

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Review:

This is one of those books that gets you thinking. Firstly, the story is so so. By that I mean, yes, its touching and I do feel sorry for Lexie's condition and I pretty much hate Zack Parker from the outset. As the characters start to come together in the book as friends I began to pick more than a few clichés though, and that was disappointing.

Charlotte and Will are twins, and Zack and Zan are brothers. Will's best friend is gay. Charlotte's new best friend, Audrey, is a Harry Potter fan and her other friend from work, Trish, is a little off the wall, Stryker has things pierced and Katie is in adoration of a certain colour. These aren't sidekicks that I haven't read in many other New Adult books and as the book begins to develop I couldn't help wishing for a little more originality.

So, the brothers Zack and Zan were in the same car as Lexie when it crashed. They were all victims of drink driving but it was Zan that was driving. Charlotte blames the brothers for putting her friend through hell and reducing Lexie's quality of life to that of a child. I don't blame her. Her emotions on meeting them at college are of hatred and I can empathize with that. But when Zan, the younger brother, keeps popping into her life, Charlotte eventually gets beyond the verbal insults and has a semi-discussion with him.

All things come to a head when Zack turns on his current girlfriend who is also Charlotte''s roommate. Initially I didn't like Katie but she did begin to grow on me. Charlotte, I think, also felt the same way. Katie has a cliché being obsessed by the colour pink with shallow uninteresting friends of her own.

Zan and Charlotte begin a relationship which the book is mainly focused on. While I was reading the build up I just couldn't seem to get to the guts and glory layer of their feelings. Yes, there was lots of kissing, sighing, biting, nipping. I don't know whether it's because the writing isn't as explicit as a lot of NA, but I just didn't feel it from Charlotte's point of view. Zan, I did get. And then, all of a sudden, we have the ILY's. I thought this was too soon. I do agree that they make a solid couple, but the whole love story part of it wasn't deep enough for me.

I will be interested in reading the follow on books in the series to see what happens to them all but this wasn't a stand out book. The writing is quality though, the pace did drift at times but I'm not knocking the author on her ability in any way, she can certainly write. Hmm, now I'm back to thinking again :)

-CBx

You can reach Chelsea M. Cameron here:

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