ARC Review: When We Met by A.L. Jackson, Molly McAdams, Tiffany King, & Christina Lee

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Publisher: NAL Trade
400 Pages

Today’s premiere New Adult authors combine their talents to tell four original stories from inside one house.

When four girls decide to live off campus together as juniors at a college in Michigan, they expect it to be their best year yet. Little do they know, it’s a year that will change the rest of their lives.

BEHIND HER EYES by A.L. Jackson
Unable to live down her ex-boyfriend’s deception, Misha is determined to avoid betrayal. When, the new guy next door, Darryn starts to get under her skin, her defenses start to crumble. But trusting Darryn seems impossible, especially if he’s not sure he can trust himself.

SAVING ME by Molly McAdams
On the outside, Indy is always ready for a party—but inside she’s breaking. Kier makes a weekly routine of saving the girl next door from herself on Saturday nights… but when will she be ready to remember him on Sunday morning?

FOULING OUT by Tiffany King
Working at a sports bar, Courtney has become a pro at sidestepping propositions from arrogant jocks—which makes her a more elusive catch for campus basketball star Dalton than he expected. But when he falls for the saucy waitress, Dalton will have to rethink his game plan to prove he’s not the jerk Courtney expects.

BENEATH YOUR LAYERS by Christina Lee
In order to ace her fashion internship, Chloe must team up with local college dropout and set builder, Blake—much to her chagrin. But after some "hands-on" experience, Chloe will have to ask herself if Blake factors into her carefully laid plans…

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A collection of four short stories based around a group of friends living in the same house. 

Behind Her Eyes by A.L. Jackson: 3 stars. I just want to start off by saying that you should not refer to one of your main characters as ‘boy-man-god’ every time you want to describe him. It was funny the first time but then it just got to be too much. 

Misha was burned by her first love. Her trust shattered in an instant. Then she meets Darryn, literally the boy next door. Soon Misha finds herself trusting someone again, feeling safe. But like most stories, Darryn is keeping a secret from Misha, one that shows her that you can’t trust anyone. It was a cute story about learning to trust yourself and others. 

Saving Me by Molly McAdams: 4 stars. Adams was the only author in this bunch that I hadn’t read before and I had heard mixed reviews of her writing. But in all honestly, her story was my favorite. 

Indy likes to spend her nights partying at the frat house next door, just getting lost in everything. More often than not, those nights end up with her safe in her bed with no memory of how she got there. Kier is the boy who puts her there. Every party he is there making sure she’s safe. I adored Kier and how patient he was with Indy. The little things he did, without her ever knowing, were so adorable. And the fact that he wasn’t doing any of it for credit. Indy never remembered him in the morning. Oh, how many times he wanted to tell her, but was afraid she wasn’t ready for that. So he took it slow, bidding his time and a friendship grew. The writing style and pacing really made me interested in reading more of McAdams work.

Fouling Out by Tiffany King: 4 stars. King was the reason I was so excited when I received this in the mail. She tells a story of old friends, first loves, and chances missed. Courtney and Dalton have a past, one that Courtney wants to forget. He was the one that got away and it kills her to admit it. Now he’s the star of their college’s basketball team and she’s working at the local sports bar. 

Dalton wants to get to know the girl who slipped away from him when he was younger. It was his fault that things got as strained as they did between the two of them. Pressure from his father to focus on his game left little time for anything else. But first, he has to figure out how to prove to Courtney that he’s not just the spoiled jock everyone thinks he is. I loved Courtney and Daltons relationship. His blatant flirting and her feisty comebacks made for a fun exchange to read. 

Beneath Your Layers by Christina Lee: 3 stars. Lee tells a story about two opposites coming together. The classic opposites attract. Chloe has her life perfectly planned out and getting glowing marks on her internship project is where everything starts. She comes up with this brilliant idea but just needs a little extra help getting there. Enter Blake, the complete opposite of Chloe. College drop-out, messy, nothing planned in life. 

When Blake offers to help Chloe, she’s hesitant at first. Nothing about him seems trustworthy and her future depends on this project. They fight, they don’t see eye to eye, and they’re extremely attracted to each other. Chloe was a little too uppity for me, I understood why, but it still kept me from bonding with her. However, I loved Blake’s brashness. He had a hard edge to him and he wasn’t just this perfect boy who did sweet things. He was vulgar and rough but he tried and in the end, that’s what is important.

Overall, this was a nice collection of stories and I enjoyed every one. They all flowed nicely and worked well together. It was believable that this was the story of a group of friends and a glimpse into their lives. 

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Real" Book Challenge October Recap

October was a pretty good month for reading. I found a bunch of random books while cleaning out some boxes in my room. I've pretty much made my goal already but I'm now just trying to see how high I can get up there. So here are the "real books" I read in October:


Well there you have it. It was a very successful month. So what are my totals so far?

Total So Far: 63
Current Level: Real Book Queen





Two more months until the end of the year. Can't wait to see how high I get! Until next month :)

 

Cover Reveal: The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

I am extremely happy to have been invited to join Jen Doktorski as she releases the cover of her upcoming novel, The Summer After You and Me. I really enjoyed (and reviewed) her other books Famous Last Words, and How My Summer Went Up in Flames. I can't wait to read this one as well--I'm sure I'll love it as much as her other books!

The Summer After You and Me 

by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: Spring 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

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I am stunned by the beauty of this cover. The coloring is phenomenal, and so eye-catching. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this book! What do you think of the cover?

ARC Review: Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: William Morrow
384 Pages

The dead of winter.
An isolated island off the coast of Maine.
A man.
A woman.
A sinister house looming over the sea . . .

He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes. It's going to be a long, hot winter.

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There is nothing I enjoy more than getting so absorbed in a novel that I read it in one sitting, staying awake all night just to come to the end and close the book (or application) with a satisfied smile on my face. I started Heroes Are My Weakness just before bed hoping to calm my brain down for some sleep, and ended up finishing the book while my mother snored across the room. This was a fantastic introduction to Susan Elizabeth Phillips's work!

Annie has no choice but to return to her deceased mother's cabin on Peregrine Island. It's the only place she has left since she put herself in debt trying to give her mother all she wanted in the little time she had left on earth. The island is nothing but a reminder of the torment she was put through as a teenager. Theo is staying the Harp House trying to focus on writing his next novel. Annie's return forces him to remember his awful past. When eery things start happening around the cabin Annie is staying at, Theo find himself pulled into solving the mystery of who is out to get her. The two must let go of their pasts to work together, and maybe find a little more between them along the way.

I loved how the main characters, Annie and Theo, had so much depth to their personalities. They had dark pasts that showed how horrible life can be, but the were well-rounded, and recognized the good in people. It was so easy to fall in love with them both. Annie was quirky, kind-hearted, and sharp as a tack. I aspire to be like her. The inclusion of her ventriloquism was a unique talent that made me like Annie all the more. I also liked the direction she took with said talent. Annie had my sense of humor, and an intelligence that showed through her biting comments to Theo. Theo is introduced as an anti-hero, and one that as a reader, I wasn't sure that I immediately liked. He is a mysterious, and tragic character that over time stole my heart. His past is heart-wrenching, but the development of his character as the book progressed was very well done.

The romance… Oh geez. Don't even get me started. I adored the relationship between these two. What started out as bitter and fearful, turned sarcastic and teasing, and then became sizzling and sweet. I was hooked reading as their love progressed. I found their chemistry undeniable. I rooted from these two from their first interaction. Their dialogue really is what made the story for me! I also liked the role that the island community played in the story, and in their relationship. The minor characters like Livia, Jaycie, and even Annie's puppets played a large role in the story as well, and were excellently included--the story would not have been the same without them.

Heroes Are My Weakness is not a fast-paced novel; it moves at an unhurried rate. That being said, the pace fits the content. I was never bored, nor did I feel like the plot was too stretched. The hint of mystery made the novel all the more addicting. I didn't want to put the book down because I just had to know what came next! And though I am now so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open, I am happy to have given the book a chance. It did not disappoint!

I wasn't expecting this to address such heavy topics as murder, suicide, or mental illness. While I did take issue with the way a few things were handled, I liked that the author included them in this book. They are pertinent to life today, and something that we as a society struggle with on a daily basis. I just didn't appreciate the way that Annie sometimes spoke about the women featured that had obvious mental problems. She was a bit too callous, and unfeeling about what those women struggled through. This is why my rating isn't a full five stars.

You can bet your buns that I will be reading more of Susan Elizabeth Phillips's work. I was extremely impressed by how quickly I fell in love with this story, and how I found it impossible to put it down for any reason but to pee. I can only hope that her other novels are as captivating as Heroes Are My Weakness was. 

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review via Edelweiss.

ARC Review: My True Love Gave to Me Anthology

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
320 Pages

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

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Christmas is my favorite holiday, followed very closely by Halloween so to receive a book of winter-themed stories so close to Halloween is like everything I could've ever wished. I love the lights of the season, and snow, and the funnel cakes and sweet hot cider they serve at the zoo. I love getting presents, and giving them in return. I love kissing people under the mistletoe, and the smell of gingerbread. Basically, I love it for every commercialized, superficial reason in existence.

My True Love Gave to Me made me crave the winter sweetness that I love so much.

This book is filled with twelve stories written by some of the most talented authors in YA fiction today. While I didn't find all twelve pieces amazing, it was an overall magical anthology. Each tale was delightful in its own way. I was unsurprised that contributing authors that I loved before produced fantastic stories for this winter anthology. Of all the stories, I have to say that I enjoyed Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, and Gayle Forman's most of all. I love their other works, so that I adored their stories in this book came as no surprise.

This is a quick read--maybe because I was immediately hooked from the very beginning. I could only put it down when my eyes started burning so badly that they watered and distorted my vision. It's a strangely wonderful feeling to be that in love with a book. My only complaint is that the stories ended! There were a few that I think had the makings of full-length novels, and the end of them had me yearning for more. Most were perfect just the way they were (and even then I wanted more just because they were so fantastic). I love the diversity in the stories; some were fantasy, others contemporary, all were utterly enchanting. I loved that I never knew which would come next, and that all of them were so unique, and distinct. No two were alike!

I need to go buy a physical copy immediately and reread this again as the holidays roll around (and probably a few times before then). They really help bring on the holiday spirit! I wish I could buy everyone a copy and make them read it, because it really is just a wonderful bunch of tales. I recommend it wholeheartedly, and hope that those who read it love it as much as I did! This exceeded my expectations, and reminded me why I love the holiday season so much! My True Love Gave to Me is sure to be an instant favorite for anyone who reads it.

P.S. Kudos to whoever designed the US edition's cover because from the moment I saw it, I knew I'd need to own it. I love that all the couples are included on the cover. That makes it even sweeter.

I received an e-copy of this novel for my honest opinion and review from the publisher via Netgalley.

ARC Review: Adrenaline Crush by Laurie Boyle Crompton

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
192 Pages

When a daredevil teen pushes herself too far, she must choose between two boys: the one who wants to keep her safe, and the one who dares her to return to her old self.

Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

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Adrenaline Crush was a short, authentic story about staying true to yourself even when faced with the most difficult of challenges. This is the first book I've read by this author, and based on my experience, I would not be hesitant to pick up another. It was quite charming, and my interest never strayed from the story once I started it.

Dyna is an adventurous young woman who never backs down from a challenge. She has goals and plans and confidence, until a horrible fall that leaves her with an injury that may keep her from all that she loves to do. When her spirit declines, her parents send her to a new aging healing center and she meets people who are suffering through traumas much like herself. With the help of her new friends, and family, she must remember how to be the person she has always known herself to be.

I really liked the author's writing style. Once I picked it up, I read it to the very end. The book is pretty short, but it makes up for its length by being entertaining. I generally enjoyed the narrator's point-of-view, with just a few issues here and there. Adrenaline Crush isn't a heavy story. It does deal with some tough subjects, but ultimately, the focus is lighthearted in that it is really about a young girl coming into herself and taking pride in who she really is.

For being as short as the novel is (under two-hundred pages), it does deal with some serious issues like heartbreak, and war, and mental illness. I liked the way the author handles the subjects--it's easy to misconstrue these subjects, but the author seemed to really have a good grasp on the basic ideals. It's nice to read a story that deface human struggle, or make it seem like a completely negative thing. Reading about these characters facing their problems head on was interesting, and true to the nitty-gritty of real life. 

It was great to see how large of a part the story Dyna's family was. Stories with close families, or families that become close after an ordeal are more enjoyable to me. Familial relationships always seem to be downplayed, and that makes me sad. I adored the personalities of Dyna's parents. They are sweet, but have a bit of a wild, thrill-seeking side (that their children definitely inherited) which can be seen through their tattoos, motorcycles, and behaviors. The characters in this story were pretty assorted in that sense, and that was nice to see. I think it's sad that parents in fiction so rarely have diverse appearances because in this day and age it's quite common.

Is this the best book ever written? No. It definitely had it's faults. Dyna was not the easiest character to root for. She could be selfish, and sometimes it was a bit difficult for me to understand her perspective. Partially because I am not adventurous/outdoorsy/etc, but also because she was often too immature for my tastes. Her insecurities could drive me insane, as did her romantic relationships. This book is also quite predictable in regards to Dyna's love life. The "love triangle" and Dyna's final choice were obvious to me just from the summary. While I am satisfied with her choice, it would be nice for a more realistic romance. That being said, I am fond of Adrenaline Crush. It was a unique story with a familiar lesson. I think those who give this book a shot will find something in it they can appreciate!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest opinion and review.

ARC Review: On the Fence by Kasie West

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
296 Pages

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

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This book was just what I needed. A light, cute, fun read.

Charlie is a tomboy. Growing up in a household with 3 brothers (4 if you include the neighbor boy, Braden) and no mother will do that to you. She loves every sport and plays every sport. There is not a girlie bone in her body. When she's forced to get a job at a local boutique after racking up some speeding tickets, she slowly gets pulled into the world of fashion and make-up and starts discovering her feminine side.

But that's the problem. How can she hide this side from her brothers who will surely ridicule her to no end? Instead, Charlie becomes two people: the "girl" while at work and the "tomboy" at home. But things start bleeding over, especially when Charlie brings home a date. Soon she's forced to decide which part of her is the real "Charlie" and what if it's both?

This was my first read from West and I enjoyed it. Yes, it had romantic elements but the focus was more on family. I loved scenes with her brothers (Gage in particular). They were hilarious and I believed that this family loved each other and would protect each other at any cost. Good thing the dad's a cop, right? And speaking of the dad, I liked how the author showed his struggle on how to raise a teenage girl. This was a family that worked.

But it is a YA romance, so of course there's a boy. Well,actually there's two. There's the one who she met while trying out this "girl" thing, then there's the one she's known since she was a child and who she has conversations in the middle of the night through the backyard fence with. Both were good guys, but one guess who my pick was. Yup, Braden. The boy next door. Her other brother. I adored Braden and was also amused at his jealousy. But aside from being the perfect choice for Charlie, I also loved how he was already part of the family. I could see the friendships between them all.

After reading this I am definitely interested in more from this author. Sometimes we just need these feel-good books. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.