Showing posts with label new adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new adult. Show all posts

7/30/2015

Review: The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
Release Date: November 2014
Age: Mature YA, New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Romance
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.

And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all...a love story.
I needed this book. And when I read this book I couldn't breathe, then I didn't need it. I didn't want it. I hated it because it made me cry. And then I loved it because it made me cry. I was lost in Moses' story, in Georgia's story, in their story. This book is raw and it packs a heady punch, a sucker punch that I saw coming but didn't believe and then it came and I cried, it's raw and awful and beautiful and broken and fixed and torn. It's real and it's not real because there's this paranormal element that I didn't realize was coming but Amy somehow made this seem real. Like it happens all the time and while I read her story it did, it did happen and I won't listen to anyone that tells me it didn't because fiction like this is real. Amy's writing is real and it's soft and crinkly and that may not make sense to you but it does to me.

I liked that it was told in alternating points of view between Georgia and Moses in the before and after over a large span of time. The characters begin the story as teenagers and end the story as adults. I was very connected to all of the characters in the book, except maybe Georgia's parents. It's a dark read full of tears and heartbreaks but the book neatly folds together.

Moses is my favorite character. He's just. He's someone you want to help but you can't reach. He's hurt and in pain but has to get through things himself. He's funny and serious and doesn't know how to love himself. I love him, don't tell my husband. But really, I do.

For such a seriously toned book, I was uplifted and inspired. No matter the story you're looking to read, read this one. Because it's not at all what you're expecting and even through all of the tears I can still smile about it. You need this book in your life, You need Amy's writing in your life.

Other books by Amy:  A Different Blue, Infinity + One, Making Faces

7/16/2014

Check Out: Pieces of Olivia

Pieces of Olivia: Charleston Haven #1 by Melissa West
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Penguin/InterMix
Age: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, College
Buy it: Amazon 

 Other books by Melissa, Gravity and Hover
Olivia Warren used to be a normal girl with a bright future.
But on one fated night, everything changed.

Hiding the scars of her past up her sleeves, Olivia transfers her enrollment from Columbia University to The College of Charleston, determined to pursue her own dreams for the first time in her life.

She intends to allow herself a bit of alone time to heal... that is, until she meets Preston.

Preston is best friends with her roommate, completely hot, and off-limits. But the chemistry between them is instantaneous—and as the pair begins to spend more time with one another, their feelings for each other build into something undeniable, something powerful enough to heal Olivia’s deepest scars.

Olivia tries to put her own past behind her and trust Preston, but she discovers that his past might be more present than she ever bargained for…

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

7/13/2014

Check Out: How We Deal With Gravity

How We Deal With Gravity by Ginger Scott
Release Date: July 8, 2014
Age: New Adult, Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Family
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The first week of sales will go to an Autism Organization in Arizona called Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC)

When her son Max was diagnosed with autism, Avery Abbot’s life changed forever. Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again.

But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women, booze and rock-n-roll—that was it for him. But it seemed fate had a different plan in mind, and with a dropped record contract, little money and nowhere to go, Mason turned to the only family that ever made him feel home—the Abbots.

Avery loved Mason silently for years—until he broke her heart…completely. But time and life have a funny way of changing people, and sometimes second chances are there for a reason. Could this one save them both?

The Inspiration Behind How We Deal With Gravity
by Ginger Scott

So why autism? Why a love story about a single mom, raising a child with autism? Why this story? To understand what inspired Avery and Mason and Max, I need to take you back to my beginning with autism.

My path with autism began as a journalist. I had just left the newspaper world where I was working as a breaking news reporter covering crime, courts and politics and entered the land of magazine writing, and I was hungry to write a story that really mattered. I mean really mattered. I was working for a fairly sizeable glossy magazine here in Arizona, and I had the opportunity to cover some pretty posh places and high-profile people. And I loved every minute of that. But I still felt like I was missing the grit, the power of real storytelling. And out of the blue, the idea of autism—what it’s really like to be a family living with autism—hit me.

I didn’t know much, a vague impression of what autism was. But I made my pitch, found a few key local connections and was off and running on my assignment. I read article after article, medical journal after medical journal, and book after book—and everything felt like it was upside down and impossible to understand. A typical journey for a person’s first experience researching autism, I would later come to understand.

Once I had soaked in what I could on my own, I took a deep breath and called an organization here in Arizona that would be my anchor, and hopefully put me in touch with families, doctors, therapists, teachers—people who could help me make sense of what I’d learned so I could tell the story to others. This place is called the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC), and when I first entered its doors, it was nothing more than a library room and a few resource offices for therapy, meetings and assistance.

But it was enough.

I walked into SARRC as a journalist on her mission for a good story, and I walked away changed forever. I met the founder, Denise Resnik, and spent time with her family learning first hand what went into raising a child with autism. But I also learned what went into igniting a wave of change—a movement. When the Resniks received a diagnosis of autism, they processed it with grief, anger, frustration, despair, hope and will, as many families do. And then they dug in and started something—something…big.

Since those early days, SARRC has grown into one of the national leaders in autism research, spawning programs like job training for young adults, genome studies, integrated pre-school programs and more. That tiny building has grown into an enormous one, and SARRC’s reach is mighty.
I have never been inspired by anything more my life, and that first story, which turned into my favorite thing I’ve ever written, ignited a passion in me to help however I can to spread autism’s story. Over the years, I have volunteered my writing services to SARRC, telling dozens of stories of families, doctors, programs, achievements, triumphs and inspirations. And over that time, I have had family members face autism diagnoses as well as many friends.

Fast forward to a few months ago, when another idea found its way into my head. I had a new story I wanted to tell—this time, as an author. Autism is a powerful subject in its own right, and the numbers, unfortunately, show that it’s something more and more of us are intimately aware of (the latest studies show one in 68 children in the US are affected). I’m not the same person I was when I first walked through SARRC’s doors. I’ve absorbed and helped share some pretty powerful true stories—stories of challenged marriages, crushed spirits and loss. But somehow, people find a way to persevere. And that…that…is what HOW WE DEAL WITH GRAVITY IS ABOUT.

Autism is consuming. It becomes a parent’s priority, and things like love, happiness…and life…take a bake seat. Ah but hope—hope. This one word is something I hear in every interview of every family affected by autism. So when I created Avery Abbot, I wanted to push her to the edge of almost losing hope—and then I wanted to give her chance. And that’s how Mason Street was born.

You see, love and hope are deeply intertwined, and I believe you need to use one to fight for the other. And when you are raising a child with autism, love and hope almost take on super human strength, because you need them to survive. And I wanted to tell a story that honored that fight. So while GRAVITY is a love story between two people who are losing hope, it’s also my love song to the many mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and grandparents who have opened up their hearts to me and shared their stories with me over the years. They’ve changed me, and I hope I do them justice.

4/03/2014

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
★★★★★
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Publisher: Atria
Age: New Adult
Genre: Music, Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction, College
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.
Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…
I kind of stalk Colleen Hoover and as soon as she mentioned another book I may have, definitely did, squeal and freak and sit quite impatiently waiting for the release. Which felt like it took FOREVER. Then, on release day, I bought the book but waited a few days to start it and seriously read it the slowest I have ever read a book. Yes, I was excited, but I was savoring every second and detail. No lie, this book took me over a week to complete. I KNOW. For me, that's nuts. But, I didn't want it to end, I was enjoying the story and characters way too much.

My favorite thing about Colleen's books is the surprise journey she leads the reader on. Reading the blurb I always think her books sound pretty straight forward and then.. she does the Colleen thing and just completely blows my freaking mind.

The added element to hear the songs created in the story was so fun and it introduced me to another artist to follow. You need to read this book and I know a lot of you have or will, but those Colleen-virgins seriously need to jump on the bandwagon. You know who you are.

3/04/2014

Review and Giveaway: In This Moment by Autumn Doughton

In This Moment by Autumn Doughton
★★★★☆
Release Date: August 2013
Age: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, College, Drama, Tragedy
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Every moment possesses its own kind of magic...
Aimee Spencer learned the hard way that for some moments, there are no take-backs, no rewinds, no do-overs. A year ago her world imploded and Aimee has been running ever since. She doesn't want to feel. She doesn't want to remember. To bury the ghosts that haunt her, she is living a life that has become unrecognizable.

Cole Everly is a golden boy with a cocky smile and an attitude to match. He's grown accustomed to girls throwing themselves at his feet, but when Aimee trips and literally lands in his lap one afternoon, she's not at all what he expects. Difficult, damaged, closed-off. If Cole needed to make a list of qualities to avoid in a girl, Aimee would probably match up with every single one of them. He knows that he should stay away but he's drawn to her in a way that he can't exactly explain.
In this honest and absorbing story, Aimee and Cole struggle to sort out the thin spaces between loss and love. Ultimately, they will need to learn how to navigate through the pieces of the past if they want to hold on to the future and each other.
I kept hearing about this author, Autumn Doughton, and was recommended her books a few times by trusted sources. I was browsing Amazon and In This Moment was only $.99 for Kindle so I snatched it up, read it through, and quickly became a fan of Autumn's myself.

Here's the thing about this book, it is nothing that stands out in the New Adult category. I spent the first half of the story thinking I had read it before (I hadn't) but it's so familiar and similar to the other books out there. There's the popular college jock, emotionally damaged loner girl, their friendship, their romance, rocky times, love, you know. For me, that was a good thing. I needed something to get me back into the reading mood; and Cole and Aimee's relationship pulled me in until I finished their story.

Cole Everly is all strength and charm, with a past full of girls that he doesn't care about. Aimee has had a difficult couple of years and isn't looking for romance and certainly isn't looking in the direction of Cole. She's guarded and locked away inside of herself. Full of blame and depression that's eating away at her, but meeting Cole was a great thing for Aimee. Slowly throughout the book the reader has the opportunity to watch her grow, trust, forgive and eventually love.

The mystery aspect of Aimee's past is enough to keep anyone intrigued and hooked. Autumn does a great job building up to the details of her past and the tragedy she had faced. She's a weak character, full of flaws; but those flaws and weakness make her the admirable survivor. I can't imagine the will it takes to make some of the decisions (good and bad) that she did. But I can appreciate how multidimensional she is.

This book features some tough issues, drama, and sadness. But, it's a book full of tomorrows and possibilities, it's uplifting and challenging and one to not overlook. It's not all dark clouds and sad eyes and it is very well written, lacking the cliches and unsympathetic nature that some books of this genre possess. I say read it! Especially if you enjoy New Adult romances, Cole does not disappoint ;)

GIVEAWAY
Enter to win a kindle copy of In This Moment!


9/01/2013

Stay With Me Review

Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick
★★★★☆
Release Date: August 2013
Age: New Adult, 17+
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Love, College, Famous, Rock Star, Actor
Format: ebook
Source: Author via Netgalley
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
With one look, I’m his . . .
With one touch, he’s mine . . .
With one kiss, it changes everything between us . . .
I’ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing—I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.
When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.
But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.
Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.
Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same—or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.
Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me.
This book melted my freaking heart to the core! Caleb Fox is one considerate and down to earth sweet heart who completely knocked Hailey (and me) off her feet. Even as she fights it she can't help but let him into her heart. When things get crazy, he's there, comforting and supporting her. He is dreamy and so are his friends!

Plenty of times I've read books about the guy rock star and the normal every day girl. But, Stay With Me is about the girl rock star and the normal every day guy! Elyssa has mixed it up and what a phenomenal surprise it is! Thrown into the spotlight as a child and held there by a controlling parent, Hailey struggles to find herself in adulthood as she branches out on her own and finally does whatever she wants; which in this case is attend college.

Hailey's mother is crazy! She's a horrible person and parent and I can't believe the crap she continues to put poor Hailey through. The only good thing her mother does is build up her strength to shut her out completely!

On the opposite of the spectrum we have Caleb's family. A caring and strong unit that Hailey blends right into. His sisters were adorable and star struck, Elyssa couldn't have painted a better picture of them! My favorite member of the Fox household (besides Caleb) was Daphne (Hailey's new best friend and Caleb's younger sister) she was spunky and held her own secrets. Her relationship with one of Caleb's friends was an added bonus to the already great story!

 Stay With Me is a terrific terrific read, one that I couldn't put down until the end. I felt so many feelings throughout the book, so many emotions, and so much to love! The words flow easily from page to page and the love story is powerful and consumed me completely!

8/07/2013

Blog Tour: Near & Far Review and Giveaway

Near & Far (Lost & Found #2) by Nicole Williams
★★★★☆
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Age: New Adult/ Mature YA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook
Source: AToMR Tours
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.

If he wasn’t so charming, his sunny disposition and incessant grin would get old. Fast.

Falling in love with the girl who had at first seemed immune to it, was the best thing to happen to Jesse since the Walkers adopted him into their family when he was five. But loving the girl who has her fair share of secrets is about as easy as that same girl loving the boy who seems to have none.

As Jesse’s life continues at the ranch, and Rowen begins making her mark in the Seattle art community, they begin to wonder where the middle ground is. Or if there even is one.

As push comes to shove and choices aren’t only needing to be made, but forced to be made, Jesse and Rowen have to face what their lives might look like without the other.

Can two people with such tragic pasts and different presents, go on to expect a promising future? Whatever the answer, they’ll need a lot more than love to make it.
Near & Far is the second book in the Lost & Found series by Nicole Williams. It is no secret that Nicole is one of my favorite authors and getting to read and review this book made me crazy excited. If you haven't read Lost & Found yet, please please please do so! Here's my review of L&F to check out and read that one before reading this book (or this review)!

In Near & Far we follow Rowen and Jesse through the first year of their long distance relationship. With a change of scenery, from the Montana Ranch to Seattle streets, their story is very different than when we last read about them. They're trying everything they can to make their love last despite the hours between them, but soon their busy lives get in the way. They have to work hard to make everything work, but when one of them shuts down and keeps everyone out; I kept asking myself how is this going to work?

There's a new addition to the ranch at Willow Springs, she's Josie's cousin Jo and I did not like her one little bit. She's trying to sink her claws into Jesse, and with Rowen so far away she definitely thinks she has a chance. Then back in Seattle there's Rowen's T.A. Jax, and oh man he is trouble! There are also two new characters, Alex (Rowen's roommate) and Sid (Alex's boyfriend/Rowen's boss). I kind of loved Alex! She's a ball of fun and full of surprises, always made me laugh. She's a fierce and loyal friend, even if she's extremely unconventional in her ways ;)

We are introduced to a new side of Jesse, and Rowen has to be strong woman to face his demons with him. But, it was like a role reversal of the first book and it worked very well in this one! Some things come to light and the characters are introduced and reintroduced to someone I never saw coming..

I felt like Nicole upped the drama aspect in Near & Far. There was trouble in the water in L&F but it seemed like there was a lot more happening here. The rocky waters build up and seemed to wither away, the ending is why I gave this book 4 stars. I don't know. I will not spoil anything but if you've read it and want to discuss, I'm here! I still really enjoyed this read and will of course continue to read anything Nicole writes, because she's fantastico! I'm looking forward to Garth Black's book (because the boy has seriously grown on me!), Finders Keepers!


TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY
2 Print copies of Near & Far - International
$50 Gift Card from Amazon.com - International



ABOUT NICOLE
Blog | Facebook | Twitter
I’m the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of the LOST & FOUND series, the CRASH series, and a handful of others. Basically, I get to do what I love. Every single day. I write romance because I’m a sucker for a good love story, and I write happy endings because there are too few of them in real life.






7/24/2013

Blog Tour: This Time Around Review and Giveaway

This Time Around by Ellie Grace
★★★☆☆
Release Date: July 15, 2013
Age: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook
Source: AToMR Tours
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords
Nora Montgomery left home and heartbreak behind in South Carolina when she moved to New York City after her high school graduation. Now, four years later, she returns home and is forced to confront the past she left behind and the reckless boy who broke her heart. It’s not long before the pieces of her past begin to blur with the present and she realizes that the feelings she had for her first love never really went away. As old dreams resurface and new truths come to light, she begins to question the future she's always planned on.
Jake Harris has spent four years regretting the night he let her get away. When she finally reappears in his life, he is determined to win her back and prove how much he’s changed. She might never forgive him for that night, but if he tells her the truth about what really happened it will shatter the world she thought she knew. If he doesn’t, he might not get a second chance. He’s already lost her once and he won’t lose her again.
They come from two different worlds that are threatening to tear them apart…can they make it this time around?
This Time Around is a light and easy to get into story. It's a sweet romance that I found to be enjoyable while predictable.

Nora has always done what was expected of her, except when it came to Jake. When she leaves him behind after feeling betrayed by him she continues to pursue the dreams laid out for her; all the while ignoring her own. Jake, a reformed "bad boy" has followed his own dreams and made something of himself. When they're thrown back together for a wedding of two friends their old flames ignite and this time they do what they want and not what others expect.

Nora and Jake were pretty ordinary characters. Their romance is hot and steamy and they definitely have strong feelings for each other but there is nothing about This Time Around that stands out from any other New Adult Contemporary Romance. I didn't really connect with either of them on any level and at times I felt myself pushing forward in the story.

Susie, Nora's best friend and the bride to be, was kind of wishy washy to me. I felt like one minute she was throwing this couple back together and the next she was making sure it was the right move. My favorite character was probably Ethan, her fiance and Jake's best friend.

If you're looking for a cute romance filled with steamy scenes and an easy to follow plot, this one is for you. It's a good book that I definitely enjoyed but was not wowed by and will recommend to some looking for a light read!

You can read the first 3 chapters of This Time Around on Ellie's blog!

ABOUT ELLIE
TWITTER | FACEBOOK | BLOG
 
Ellie Grace is an avid reader, chocolate lover and caffeine addict. When a story popped into her head that she couldn’t seem to shake, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer. When she’s not writing, she’s usually curled up with a book by one of her many, many favorite authors.




 GIVEAWAY
(5) Circle Charm Bracelets - US
(3) eBook copies of This Time Around – Gifted by the author from Amazon - Open to countries that can accept gifted eBooks from these stores.*


*No purchase necessary. Must be 13 years of age and older to enter unless stated 18 + years of age. Must reside in countries able to receive eBooks via email. The retail value of the items is $1.99 USD/ebook. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winners will be selected after July 31, 2013   randomly by Rafflecopter. Entries will be reviewed for accuracy. Participating blogs and AToMR Tours are not liable for purchasing, shipping or emailing the items, winner not receiving the items, or lost items shipped/emailed. This sweepstakes is sponsored by the author and items will be provided via email or shipped by the author. If the items are not claimed via email within 24 hours of receiving notification the item will be forfeited with no winner or an alternate winner may be selected at AToMR Tours discretion with email verification by July 31, 2013. Any taxes associated will be paid by the author unless otherwise stated. AToMR Tours has the right to obtain and publicize the winners name and likeness. Void where prohibited by law.










7/18/2013

Blog Tour: Found Review and Giveaway



★★★★☆
Release Date: July 12, 2013
Age: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Supernatural
Format: ebook
Source: Inkslinger PR
Levi might be hot, strong, and have a cool set of wings, but it's not enough to make up for keeping Allie in the dark.
Allie's tired of being left with more questions than answers. She's tired of loving a guy who refuses to level with her. Most of all, she's tired of her life spinning out of control.
Desperate to save Jess no matter the personal cost, Allie has to face the possibility that the only one she can trust is herself.
Found is the third book in Alyssa Rose Ivy's paranormal romance trilogy, The Crescent Chronicles. Read my review for book 1, Flight, and book 2, Focus. Since this is the last book in the series I do not recommend A. Reading this review if you haven't experienced the greatness that is books 1 and 2 nor B. Reading this book if you haven't experienced the greatness of those 2 books. This is a series that you will become immersed in and consumed by. It features characters that are down to earth, even when their not, and a story line that will continue to surprise you. It's a fantastic trilogy and I definitely recommend it if you need a little supernatural in your life!

Found starts off right where we left everyone. Levi is his sexy godlike self and Allie is back to her bad ass-"I'm going to do everything by myself" "Don't call me your Queen"-ways. My favorite part of the book involves a crying Allie and a supportive Jared, yes I described Jared as supportive (you have to read it to believe it!). Tiny Spoiler: The one character that really surprised me was Toby, by the end I was finding myself really liking him and feeling so bad for him. It still doesn't excuse his ways, but I understood him just a bit more. As Allie accepts her role in this world she meets more and more important people, including Levi's grandmother (who may or may not have scared me a bit). This whole book has a more comfortable feel surrounding it, now that Allie has confessed that she loves Levi as much as he loves her. But, when a shocking revelation comes to light, Allie begins to question both of their feelings and shuts him out Allie-style. It's a fun series to discuss and if anyone has read it and wants to delve into feelings and anything else feel free to email me!

This book is a wonderful ending to the series and I was very happy where Alyssa took the trilogy. Everything is resolved nicely and works out just right, and there are just enough bumps in the road to keep you interested and waiting impatiently for the resolution. Thank you so much to Alyssa for the opportunity to read and review this series, it's a fantastic blend of snarky attitudes, sexy sexiness, paranormal romance, and more!! I can't wait for more Pteron madness from this great author!

ABOUT ALYSSA

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.




TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY



7/03/2013

Losing Hope ARC Review and Hopeless Giveaway

Losing Hope (Hopeless #2) by Colleen Hoover
★★★★★
Release Date: July 8, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Age: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Abuse, Love, High School, Realistic Fiction
Format: ebook
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Preorder it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.
I have to start this review here, with my review of HOPELESS. That book blew me out of the water, I can't express how much it affected and tore me apart. The revelations and discoveries were heart stopping and I was utterly overwhelmed and consumed by the book that Colleen Hoover gifted to us, because it is a rare gift and an extraordinary treasure. If you haven't read Hopeless, really you could read Losing Hope as it is mostly a retelling from Holder POV BUT! I recommend Hopeless, I recommend it to everyone to read, and I think you'll love this book that much more if you already love these characters and are familiar with the events of the first book.

This review may contain spoilers from Hopeless, just a warning.
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Are you sure you want to continue?
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I really think you should go read Hopeless first and by should I mean have to.
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Hopeless is only $.99 for Kindle at this moment, I think it's worth a go! Get it at Amazon !
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How about I host a giveaway for Hopeless.
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Okay, I'll get back to business now.
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JUST GO BUY HOPELESS ALREADY!!!!! Then preorder this one ;)
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Losing Hope starts in the before. Before Les conquers her battle with the demons of her past. Before Holder sees Sky. Before, before, before. We get a glimpse into the emotions that Holder faced through the 2 most, I won't say devastating, life altering events of his life. The events that leave him Hopeless, until the sky opens up for him.

My favorite thing about this book are Holder's journal entries. Getting inside his head and seeing his grief morph into something close to living again, his life and Sky's change together and it's beautiful and broken at the same time. Reliving the disastrous ending of Hopeless was hard for me, what these characters go through was so intense and horrible. Those emotions rocked me and while it was easier to read the second time, it was still hard to digest.

I live and love Dean Holder. He's this solid unmoving force in Sky's life and even when she wanted to push him away, he made her resolve crumble. And, to me this meant that deep down somewhere she knew who he was and what he really meant to her.

This book is all kinds of epically great and just the BEST companion to Hopeless. Colleen Hoover is one of my favorites because she seems to pour a piece of herself into her books and she just nails the emotional turmoil and drama on the head. I loved Hopeless and I love Losing Hope just as much. Yes, this review is just turning into a love-fest.

At the end of Losing Hope we get a glimpse past the last page of Hopeless. Just as the beginning was before, this is after. After the truth is exposed, after it all. It's a truly perfect ending, and theirs this beautiful note left from someone very important and it just gave me all kinds of crazy butterflies. Just, way to go Colleen!

I want to quote the crap out of this book! I want to share my favorite lines and your sure to be favorites as well. As this is an ARC I will wait; but rest assured that as soon as my copy of Losing Hope gets here next week (it's out MONDAY!) I will be creating a post of my favorite lines from Losing Hope, my highlighter is READY. Most are ramblings inside Holder's head. My favorite of them all is how Holder is explaining how he's falling in love with Sky one piece at a time. Ahhh! I can't wait.

So, for more than obvious reasons this book is a 5 star for me. Those Hopeless fans probably already have it preordered; if you don't, get on that. :)


GIVEAWAY
If you don't have a dollar to spend right now; I'll spend it for you!
This is for a Kindle copy of HOPELESS by Colleen Hoover, gifted from Amazon.

6/19/2013

Blog Tour: The Art of Love Review

The Art of Love by Anne Whitney
★★★★★
Release Date: June 17, 2013
Age: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Abuse, Art
Format: ebook
Source: Book Brats
Buy it: Amazon | Smashwords | Kobo
Marina Phillips has spent her entire life as her father’s victim. But enough is enough. All it took was one moment of realization to send her fleeing across the country into the unknown of New York City with no plans and no money. A new life without the constant torture is all she wants, but what she finds waiting is something she never expected.

Fitz is New York’s premiere playboy artist. Sexy, tattooed, and coveted by women and men alike, his performances are heralded as the coming of a new god of modern art. But when Marina wanders into his show, she becomes the inadvertent piece he’s always waited for – a girl to sculpt, to change, and to craft in his own image.

She never expects to fall head over heels into the world of parties, drag queens, agents, and artists craving for her and her benefactor. She didn’t even expect to begin falling in love with someone like Fitz, the sexy, pretentious man of her nightmares.

Above all, Marina never expects her father to stage a cross-country mission to paint her as a kidnapped girl taken by a psychopath.

With her life on the line, Marina has no choice but to accept Fitz’s proposal – change everything she is, inside and out, for the chance to start anew. But Marina has plans of her own. Plans that will rock her world forever.
This book.. Oh man, this book! It turned my world upside down for the 2 days I spent trapped in its pages and then it took another 2 days to recover from it! The Art of Love is raw and real, it's brutally honest and a thousand times broken. I am a fan, a huge fan!

Marina has had an upbringing that is unimaginably horrifying, and it affects her everyday. She picks up and leaves after an especially awful night and puts her old life behind her as she enters New York City without so much as a second thought or money. Once there she becomes a fixture in the lives of 3 artists who take her in and transform her into something new, something she doesn't recognize and hopefully neither will her past.

The first and most important of these artists is Fitz. He is eccentric and endearing, he's this crazy naked beautiful tattooed man with a history of secrets all his own, and he may know a thing or two about transformations. As a nude performance artist his work thrives when he gains a muse of his own, only Marina won't let herself open up completely and feels unworthy of love. Their relationship is tested throughout the book and I found myself screaming and yelling at these characters, who I wanted desperately to be together, to work it out. Fitz is a character that you can't help wishing he was real.

Derek is another performance artist, only not the nude kind. He wears clothes to his performances. Virdian is a painter, a Cuban painter! I never read about Cubans, which is crazy because we're AWESOME! As a Cuban myself I couldn't help but appreciate her goals of leading her own life and not succumbing to the future her family has laid out for her. She's kind of badass and protective of Marina, she rounds out the 4-some perfectly. The best part about this book is the family that these 4 characters make together. When Marina gets thrown into the mix it's like she's been living in NY all along. When her confidence builds it's like watching a baby bird learn to fly.

This book is just a phenomenal read, filled with cheeky moments and quite a bit of male nudity (who doesn't love that). We see everything in Marina's eye, as she is the narrator, but it would've been fun to have a looksie into Fitz's mind! It's a sweet and emotional story that is deep at times but quite funny at others. I'm head over heels for these characters and their daily lives and it makes me want to up and move and follow my dreams. Holding nothing back Anne Whitney delivers an exciting New Adult romance and coming of age that is leagues ahead of others in the category and features a dynamic set of characters in a new favorite story. If you're looking for a sweet and sexy romance, built around a deep and inviting plot this book is definitely for you!!

6/15/2013

Dirty Little Secret ARC Review

Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
★★★☆☆
Expected Release Date: July 16, 2013
Publisher: MTV Books
Age: Mature YA, New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Music, Drama, Family
Format: ebook
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Preorder it: Amazon
Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…
Jennifer Echols books have always been an escape for me, she has an uncanny ability to create likable characters and page turning plots. Dirty Little Secret, while a good read, wasn't quite what I was expecting. It is a novel filled with music, romance, and family drama. There were parts I loved, like when Bailey shows her raw talent, and parts that I didn't enjoy as much.

Bailey made me think of Rowen from Nicole Williams' Lost and Found. She's in a dark place in her life and she's hiding behind a mask, a shell of the girl she once was. She's left feeling betrayed by those closest to her and betrayed, in a way, by herself. In the book she is secretly pursuing her love of music in any way she can and trying to stay out of the publics eye as her sister chases fame and hits it big. She's given up on the life-long dream she's had, but is awoken by a chance encounter. The opportunity she gets when she meets Sam is all it takes to help her follow her dreams again.

Sam is one of those characters that is fun and endearing, easy to fall in love with. But, just when I thought I had him figured out he became this heartless mess. In his defense he makes his intentions to get stardom in anyway he can clear, but he ends up hurting Bailey in the process. When he turns back into his charming self I had myself doing double-takes, like, what just happened? I don't know what it was about him, but I found myself wishing Bailey would move on. He adds a great element to the story but I wish his character was a little different.

Bailey, from the beginning, was hard for me to reach and identify with. Her parents are awful and have no regard for her happiness or well being. She's not a strong character or a likable one. She's dark and moody, and really has every right to be.

I don't listen to country music, at all, but Jennifer left me fascinated. Her musical knowledge and obvious research (or experience) made her an expert on guitar chords and pitch. The book is very well rounded and well put together, fueled by family drama and enhanced by an interesting background rags to riches story, it is a book I couldn't put down and had to know the ending.

The thing that this book lacked for me, don't throw anything at me, was heart. I didn't connect with these characters like I wanted to, the plot was not executed like I was expecting; it's a Jennifer Echol's novel and I was looking for more. I am still a huge fan of hers but this one book fell a little flat for me. That's not to say that it isn't good, but it wasn't all-that for me, maybe for the next person.

The next Echols book on my list is Such a Rush. I purchased a copy a few months back and I plan on picking it up soon and checking it out!

6/14/2013

Left Drowning ARC Review

Left Drowning by Jessica Park
★★★★★
Expected Release Date: July 16, 2013
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Age: New Adult, 17+
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Family, Friends, College, Death, Depression
Format: ebook
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Preorder it: Amazon
What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?
Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.
Ever since I read Jessica's Flat-Out Love, see my review here, I've been a stalker blog and facebook follower of hers. When I was on Netgalley and saw this title up for review I jumped for joy and thanked my lucky stars that I'm auto-approved for Amazon titles because I don't think I would've survived waiting for approval!

Just a heads up, this book is an all consuming ball of fire that will light up your life, and darken it too. Throughout this story you'll want to drink, you'll want to cry, and then you will cry. You will laugh, smile, and grow to respect and appreciate the loved ones in your own life. You will become a Jessica Park obsessee like myself and you will spend so much time going over the occurrences of this story that you will know each day by heart. You will rant, rave and recommend it endlessly and then you will want to email me so that we can compare notes. I'm not joking. I'm in love with unperfected perfection, I'm in love with faults, and I see beauty in excess baggage; lucky for me this one has it all. Left Drowning is one of those books that you read and it never leaves you, and you don't want it to. It's unforgettable.

My initial reaction after closing this book was pure sorrow. Only because I seriously missed these characters after barely finishing the last page. I didn't want it to end. From the very beginning when Sabin crashes into Blythe's life I knew I was going to love him. Then when we meet Chris I knew this book was going to be an all-time favorite, and it is. It is re-read worthy and every bit as fabulous as one would expect a Jessica Park novel to be. She takes fictional families and makes the reader feel every ounce of emotion she pours into the pages, it was an extraordinary experience to be introduced to these characters and I'm having a hard time letting go.

Blythe and Chris share one of those truly epic love stories. One built up from the beginning and all consuming, that have readers grinding their teeth and blushing at the same time. I would compare it to the feelings from Tarryn Fisher's novel The Opportunist, the early Liv and Caleb when they're in college. I loved Chris, he's beautifully broken with a painful past that mirrors and shadows Blythe's own horrors. Then I found myself waning to punch Chris in the nose. Then I couldn't stop crying and I had to put the book down to compose myself before diving back in. The connection that is clearly drawn between these two reaches farther than I ever thought it would. Way to go Jessica Park, I'm a mess.

From an unforgettable slew of characters to a beautifully damaged romance to discoveries and connections that will shock and surprise anyone, this book sits on the shelf among my favorites.

5/22/2013

Second Chance Boyfriend Review

Second Chance Boyfriend (Drew + Fable #2) by Monica Murphy
★★★★☆
Release Date: April 6, 2013
Age: New Adult 17+
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Love
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Lost. That one single word best describes my life at this very moment. I lost the last games of the season and both my team and my coach blame me. I lost the last two months because I drowned in my own despair like a complete loser. And I lost the only girl who ever mattered because I was afraid being with me would destroy her.

But now I realize how truly lost I am without her. She has become my story…and even though she acts like she’s moved on, I know she still thinks about me just as much as I think about her. She’s beautiful, sweet—and so damn vulnerable, all I want to do is help her. Be there for her.

Love her…

If only I could convince Fable to give me a second chance. Then I wouldn’t feel so lost anymore, and neither would she. We could be found together.

Forever.
With the way that One Week Girlfriend ended I anxiously awaited the release of this sequel. On the day it came out I purchased it, excited to get back into this love story. But like most books I buy, it got lost in my TBR pile. A month later I stumbled across the title in my kindle app and decided it was time to revisit Drew and Fable. Since it is the second book in the series I highly recommend reading book 1, especially before reading this review, but definitely before reading this book.

I loved One Week Girlfriend, the first book. I loved the sexual tension, the build up, the alternating POVs and most of all the friendship and love story that evolved between two wonderfully different but beautifully pieced together characters. The ending broke me, it had me screaming MARSHMALLOW in search of my own savior from the cliffhanger that was KILLING me. I think most who read One Week Girlfriend don't need to be persuaded to seek out this second book, for me it wasn't even a choice I had to know what happened next. This final book definitely sums up Drew and Fable's story for us. As a reader and fan of the first installment this sequel does not disappoint.

Second Chance Boyfriend begins two months after Drew leaves Fable. Fable begins working at a new restaurant and things are going great for her in that respect, but there's definitely a Texas sized hole in her chest whether she admits it to anyone or not. Drew's trying to help himself and is coping with everything in his life, but he still can't hear Fable's name without his body stiffening. As a reader you are dying for that moment when they see each other again as a firm believer in HEAs I was holding my breath for them.

Next to the lead characters, my next favorite is Owen, Fable's younger brother. I love Owen. I love the way he loves Fable like something fierce. He's strong and capable of anything if he keeps his head on straight. I'm looking forward to hearing his story! Like, really looking forward to it.

The villain of book 1, for me [and all of you I'm sure], was Adele. Woman is just wrong. In this book we're still dealing with the pain and emotional baggage Adele has caused and is causing, but I really came to hate, yes I said hate, Fable's mom. Her degree of carelessness and cruelty is unimaginable. Monica Murphy definitely pulls some strong feelings out of her readers and makes us experience the hurt with her characters.

Second Chance Boyfriend became a much darker story at the end. We see resolution and closure to a dark part of Drew's past. His secrets become revealed and repercussions occur. This along with the demons, or demon, of Fable's life build into a heart breaking yet uplifting concluding chapter. It was a rocky but beautifully constructed and executed love story. I recommend this series to anyone who will listen. If your looking for drama, romance, an unforgettable story, and well drawn characters then this one is a must read!
"Maybe it was a mistake leaving you.
 And I don’t know how to make it right.
 Regret fills me every single day.
 So much of it builds up I
 Hate myself for
 Missing you. Hurting you.
 And I want you to know i...
 Long for you
 Love you
 Others may come and go in our lives but...
 We belong together"

5/10/2013

Blog Tour: Lost and Found Review and Giveaway




Lost and Found by Nicole Williams
★★★★★
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Age: Mature YA/ New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Family, Love
Format: eBook
Source: AToMR Tours
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.
After numbing pain for the past five years with boys, alcohol, and all-around apathy, she finds herself on a Greyhound bus to nowhere Montana the summer after she graduates
high school. Her mom agreed to front the bill to Rowen’s dream art school only if Rowen proves she can work hard and stay out of trouble at Willow Springs Ranch. Cooking breakfast at the crack of dawn for a couple dozen ranch hands and mucking out horse stalls are the last things in the world Rowen wants to spend her summer doing.

Until Jesse Walker saunters into her life wearing a pair of painted-on jeans, a cowboy hat, and a grin that makes something in her chest she’d thought was frozen go boom-boom. Jesse’s like no one else, and certainly nothing like her. He’s the bright and shiny to her dark and jaded.

Rowen knows there’s no happily-ever-after for the golden boy and the rebel girl—happily-right-now is a stretch—so she tries to forget and ignore the boy who makes her feel things she’s not sure she’s ready to feel. But the more she pushes him away, the closer he seems to get. The more she convinces herself she doesn’t care, the harder she falls.

When her dark secrets refuse to stay locked behind the walls she’s kept up for years, Rowen realizes it’s not just everyone else she needs to be honest with. It’s herself.
Nicole Williams is an author that I sit on the edge of my seat when she announces new titles. I would stalk and follow her around like a lost puppy if I didn't have a job to get to and children to teach. And, the best part? This lady is INCREDIBLY sweet and easy to talk to! Meeting her last at RT was seriously the highlight of my year (and years to come).
"Rowen? Is something wrong?" He sounded like he was about to start snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Because your eyes are doing something kind of crazy right now."
That's because you're practically naked and were descended from gods.
Lost and Found is a story about a life changing move for Rowen Sterling. Relocated to a ranch in Montana Rowen agrees to work for the summer but has no idea what's in store for her. She trades in her fishnets and mini skirts for some jeans and boots and begins a journey of self discovery and ultimately finds herself and someone to love like she's never loved before. Shedding a negative skin and self image Rowen's transformation is uplifting and freeing, while she becomes better to and for herself she doesn't change who she is inside just makes herself a little better and adds some self worth.

Nicole does troubled boys right, we learned that with Jude Ryder; but what she does even better is troubled girls. Girls with secretive pasts, buried secrets, demons, problems, and mommy issues. Girls who wear their emotions in their makeup and hair color. Her characters in Lost and Found are immensely diverse from each other and the other characters of hers we're familiar with. The only similarities I found was that Garth made my skin crawl like Anton did. Nicole's writing and the way she builds up her characters around each other amazes me with each new book of hers I read, she is a GENIUS.
"That was one hell of a dance."
I loved the way Jesse and Rowen meet, I love the shock she receives when she finds out who he is, and I love the way their relationship forms. I also enjoyed his back story and his close relationship with his family. His mother, Rose, is amazing and one of my favorite characters in the book. Everything about this book screams masterpiece! Seriously. There isn't anything I'd change. Except maybe his inexperience, but that made the story just a little bit unexpected.
"I love you, and I'm sure, Rowen. Now why don't you help me figure out how thiat whole rocking-your-world thing works."
I'm no stranger to Nicole Williams writing and as a huge fan I can say that other fans will not be disappointed in this new love story. So, read on and share the book love! Then go read all of Nicole's other books (Up in Flames, Great Exploitations, Crash, and Eternal Eden[FREE]) you will thank me later!

ABOUT NICOLE
I'm a wife, a mom, a writer. I started writing because I loved it and I'm still writing because I love it. I write young adult because I still believe in true love, kindred spirits, and happy endings. Here's to staying young at heart *raises champagne glass* . . . care to join me?





TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY

5/07/2013

This Girl Review

This Girl (Slammed #3) by Colleen Hoover
★★★★★
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Age: Mature YA/New Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Drama, Love
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache.

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.
This book is BUTTERFLYING PERFECT. It's everything a fan could ask for and everything we didn't think to ask for. This Girl is the third book in the Slammed series and I definitely recommend reading both book 1 and 2 before reading this review or this book. So go. Read them. Then email me so we can gush about how much we adore Will...

 Slammed and Point of Retreat were two of the most emotionally charged and inspiring books I've ever read. They sucked me in, held me, and consumed me wholly. This Girl is just about as perfect as a companion book to one of the greatest series could be. With all of the raw feelings and forbidden love seeping from the pages it's a book that I will be reading and rereading for a while to come.

In This Girl the reader has the opportunity to relive all of the happy and sad moment from Slammed in Will's point of view. We get inside his head and see what he was thinking when everything was going on. There's a little drama in the midst and some revelations leave Lake feeling insecure and hurt. This book ties up the series nicely as it flashes between the past and present as Lake and Will are on their honeymoon. Layken wants to know everything he'd been through when they fell in love and he expels all of his secrets for her. It's a beautiful and unforgettable story that ties into the other books well.

 Slammed was so fresh and deep and it stands out in the YA genre as something different. I love the poetry woven through out and I loved the poetry included in This Girl. Colleen Hoover, you wonderful author you, I just have to say that you have a gift, a real talent and I will definitely be reading anything and everything you write!

If you haven't seen them yet here are the new covers for Slammed and Point of Retreat!




MORE FROM COLLEEN
We know that I could go on and on about Slammed but let's talk about some other books by Colleen. Hopeless is one of my favorites (all of her books are my favorites) this one is truly a remarkable and unputdownable book and Losing Hope (from Holder's POV) is coming out in July! She's also got Maybe Someday, a New Adult stand alone coming out in 2014. Another title to expect from her in 2014 is Ugly Love. As soon as I hear or know more about these and other titles by Colleen I'll be sure to spread the news!