Swoon Thursday #43
Labels:
Jennifer L. Armentrout,
Swoon Thursday
·
Swoon Thursday is a weekly event hosted by YA Bound.This is how it works:
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog.
This week, I’m SWOONING over:
Series: The Dark Elements #1
Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Published: 25th Feb 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: eARC provided by Harlequin Australia for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
His arms tightened around me, crushing me against his chest as his hips rocked against mine. We were skin to skin in some areas, tangled together, and each breath we took, the other seemed to inhale. Our chests rose; our hearts pounded. His skin was hard and smooth under my clenching fingers.
He gripped my hips, tilting me up and bringing us closer together. When he kissed me again, it was that deep, scorching kind of kiss that pushed me to the edge of the cliff. I was ready to jump off headfirst, to finally feel everything I’d always believed to be denied to me.
My fingers dug into the smooth skin of his biceps as his free hand trailed down my stomach, fingers circling my belly button and then lower, under the band of my jeans. Every muscle in my body locked up in a strange way. Not a bad way, but it was intense, too much and not enough.
Um yeah JLA certainly know how to bring the swoons! I seriously LOVED this book, it was excellent!!!
So what's making you swoon this week?
{Review} Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery
Labels:
4 Stars,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance
·
Series: Fools Gold #10
Author: Susan Mallery
Published: 28th May 2013
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by Harlequin HQN via Netgalley for honest review
Rating: 4/5
BLURB:
He won't hesitate to put his life on the line...but will he ever risk his heart?
Falling for Justice Garrett was a high point in Patience McGraw's otherwise awkward adolescence. Even after he disappeared, Patience never forgot the boy who captured her heart. Now, he's back in Fool's Gold, California, and her passion for him is as strong as ever. But how can she trust that he won't abandon her again-and her daughter, too?
When bodyguard Justice Garrett was a young man, witness protection brought him to this idyllic town and he never forgot its warmth, or the sweet beauty of his childhood friend. He's returned to open a defense academy, and the Patience he once knew is all grown up. He can't resist her smile, or her curves. But Justice's past doesn't make him husband, or father, material.
Patience and Justice think they'll succumb to just one kiss... Then one more... Okay, just one night together. But they might learn that falling in love is beyond anyone's control.
A Cute Romantic Story With Quirky Secondary Characters
REVIEW:
The story:
I have to admit I don't normally like romance stories with children in them. It's not that I don't like kids, but the characters are often dealing with issues that I simply don't relate to. But this book didn't have that issue for me. At 29 Patience is a single mother after the father of her daughter Lillie ran off a few months after she was born. But with the help from her own mother Ava, she has created a warm and loving home for the three of them.
But Patience's stable life gets a massive shake up when Justice comes back to town Fool's Gold years after he mysteriously disappearing back in high school. At the time Patience was hopelessly in love with him, although never had the chance to tell him. Now that he's back the attraction between them is still there, the question is can they overcome their pasts to find happiness together?
The characters:
Patience is a strong and dedicated woman. She'd do anything to protect her daughter and her mother (who is suffering from MS), and is very driven at giving her daughter a good future. She's a small town girl and could never dream of leaving Fool's Gold.
Justice has had a rough life, with a dangerous and violent father making his life hell. Even after he escaped, he was still tormented by the fear of turning out to be just like him. He pushes people away and avoids any real emotional connections in fear of hurting people. Although in truth he is the exact opposite of his father - he's kind, caring and committed to protecting the one's he loves.
There was also a fun and colourful cast a characters from the small town of Fool's Gold. Everyone knows everyone's business here and they all have interesting things going on in their own lives. I have to give special mention to Felicity, who is the oppitomy of social awkwardness, and I'm looking forward to reading her story, I think it will hilarious!
The romance:
Even after 15 years apart, the powerful connection between Patience & Justice is still there. At first they are a little reluctant to start anything - Patience is concerned to bring a new man into her and her daughter's like, worrying that he too might abandon them. And Justice believes he's not good enough for her, afraid he'll turn out just like his father and hurt the woman he loves.
The writing:
The pacing of this book was very effective. It's a quick and fun romance with plenty of little side stories, that there was always something going on. It has a very similar vibe to a lot of British chick lit novels.
FINAL WORD:
Just One Kiss was a quick and cute romantic story. The small town setting and interesting and quirky side characters made some fun scenes. Overall a great little chic lit novel!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / sex scenes
Violence: mild-medium / a shooting (not overly descriptive)
Language: very mild / occasional sh*t
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{ARC Review} Before You Break by Christina Lee
Labels:
5 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Christina Lee,
Contemporary Romance
·
Title: Before You Break
Series: Between Breaths #2
Author: Christina Lee
Published: 18th Feb 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
BLURB:
A sexy, emotional New Adult romance about a bad boy on the edge and a good girl about to lose control…
The star catcher of the college baseball team isn't supposed to have skeletons in his closet. But Daniel Quinn is hiding a guilty past so dark he refuses to let anyone get close. Except there’s something about gorgeous, studious Ella Abrams that goes beyond the electric attraction between them—something that makes him want to open up.
Ella has suffered enough heartache and guilt to fill one of her psychology textbooks, but she keeps that part of herself hidden behind a bubbly exterior. Until she receives an anonymous call while working the suicide helpline and the voice on the other end touches something inside of her that she can’t ignore.
Soon Ella and Quinn’s physical connection heats up, even as their deep and revealing hotline talks intensify. But by the time Ella realizes that her seductive jock and her sensitive caller are the same guy, it might be too late to save him—or to stop herself from falling too far.
*A companion novel to ALL OF YOU
A Touching & Poignant Story With A Swoon Worthy Romance!
REVIEW:
The story:
This is certainly a very intense and emotional story. Quinn is struggling to deal with the pain and guilt from a tragedy years earlier, and is living a life he never really wanted. He's confused and alone and calls in a desperate moment calls a helpline after contemplating suicide. On the other end of the line is Ella, and over several phone calls they build a connection, with Ella helping him learn how to forgive himself and heal.
Meanwhile at college, Ella and Quinn, begin a new friendship, unaware their paths have already crossed. As they get to know one another the heat and attraction between them is undeniable and they embark on a intense and emotional romance. However when they discover their unlikely connection, will it bring them closer together or break them apart forever?
The characters:
Ella is an incredibly compassionate and caring character. She's had such a terrible loss at a young age, and through tragic circumstances, but instead of breaking down she uses it as motivation to help others. She's not perfect and does make mistakes, but that just made her all the more relatable.
Quinn is such a tortured soul and racked with guilt. He has such a low image of himself, he can't even see how incredible he really is. He doesn't feel worthy of Ella and is reluctant to become intimate with her until he can completely commit to her. He's a very genuine and kind guy, and it was so rewarding to watch him overcome his issues and forgive himself.
The romance:
The chemistry between Quinn and Ella was perfect. From their first scene together, you could feel their attraction, but it the beauty of their romance was the slow burn. It developed slowly, building their relationship with a perfect mix of sweet and steamy interactions. It was beautiful to see that the romance is kept separate from the 'healing' part of the story. Neither character's issues where resolved purely because they fall in love. They support and help one another, but ultimately they heal themselves, and for me that made their romance so much more special!
The writing:
With most books it takes at least a few of chapters for me to start to connect with the characters and their story. However within the first couple of pages I was already emotionally invested and teared up at their very first conversation. THAT is an example of how amazing Christina's writing is. I also felt she respected the very serious topic of suicide. She doesn't gloss over it or simplify it to make the subject more palatable, instead it's the centre of the story and highlights how it effects so many people is so many different ways.
FINAL WORD:
Before You Break is a touching and poignant story of heartbreak, forgiveness and the power of letting go.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / some descriptive sex scenes
Violence: mild
Language: medium / some f words
Drugs & alcohol: medium / characters drink ad get drunk in one scene
Other: suicide is a major theme throughout the book
Have you read this book, or the companion novel All Of You?
What did you think?
{Cover Reveal} Contradictions by Tiffany King
Labels:
Contemporary Romance,
Cover Reveal,
New Adult,
Tiffany King
·
USA Today Bestselling Author of Misunderstandings
Tiffany King
Contradictions
A Novel
Coming December 2014
From The Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Group (USA) LLC
When everything starts spinning out of control…
Three years into college, Tressa Oliver’s life is a nonstop party. She’s skating by in her classes, and there’s no shortage of drinking, dancing and general hell-raising. The only aspect that hasn’t been much fun: she can’t shake the toxic jerks that always seem to gravitate toward her.
It will take someone totally wrong…
Trent Lawson is the classic anti-bad boy: smart, boring, and way too serious. To a wild girl like Tressa, there’s no way in hell they’re compatible—especially since Trent seems to see straight through her defenses.
To set her right.
When a college prank goes terribly wrong, Tressa starts to suspect that her partying ways are leading nowhere fast. Now, she has to turn to the last person she ever thought she’d ask for help—and quickly discovers that there’s more to Trent than meets the eye…
Praise for the novels of Tiffany King
“A MUST-READ for New Adult contemporary romance fans.”
—New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young
“Sweet and sexy! Great characters and an intriguing romance…So good!”
—New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iphone and ipad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.
Where to connect with Tiffany
Web page- authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Twitter-@AuthorTiffany
Facebook-Author Tiffany King
{ARC Review} White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Labels:
5 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Jennifer L. Armentrout,
Paranormal Romance,
Young Adult
·
Title: White Hot Kiss
Series: The Dark Elements #1
Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Published: 25th Feb 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: eARC provided by Harlequin Australia for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
BLURB:
One kiss could be the last.
Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.
Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.
Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.
But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.
Jennifer Armentrout Makes Gargoyles Sexy!! With Sharp Witty Dialogue And Yummy Boys To Swoon Over!
REVIEW:
The story:
Layla lives quite a difficult life - not a true Warden, but not a full demon either, she's trapped in world where she doesn't really belong anywhere. She doesn't have the ability to transform into a gargoyle, but she does possess the ability to take someone's soul, with just a kiss. For this and many other reasons some of the Wardens want her gone. But she's protected by Zayne and his father, who have raised her to suppress her special power.
However, recently there has been a mysterious increase in Demon activity, all with one thing in common; they're after Layla. And in particular the appearance of the frustratingly sexy Upper Level Demon, Roth, who just wont leave Layla alone. The one constant in her life has been Zayne, but now things are starting to change, with Zayne father pressuring him to find a nice Warden girl to starting making little Warden babies with, he's not always there when Layla needs him most. To Layla's surprise it's Roth who protects her from the new dangers she's facing and together they set out to save not only Layla, but the entire world from destruction.
The characters:
Layla is an awesome heroine - I mean come on she's part Demon!! She's such a sheltered girl in the beginning and she's been taught all her life to hate the demon part of her. What kind of life is that - hating part of yourself? After meeting Roth, he shows her not to fear the Demon blood in herself. Watching her grow and discover herself was excellent!
I am so surprised by how much I LOVED Roth!! He's meant to be the bad ass Demon, but I can't help but love him. It's almost like he thinks he supposed to be bad because of what he is, but that's not all there is to him. He's caring and very protective of Layla. One of his actions in particular melted my heart. Plus he's got a sexy cocky attitude to swoon all over!
Zayne is a really nice guy. He's caring and has always been there for Layla. But there where a couple of times where I felt he let Layla down - not intentionally, but he still did it. He sometimes treats Layla like she's younger than she really is and doesn't respect her opinions, which was frustrating. But overall I still really loved Zayne (but never as much as Roth!)
The romance:
Okay so there is a bit of a love triangle with sweet 'good' guy Warden, Zayne, and sexy bad boy demon Roth. Now For me I pretty much always go for the good guy - yes bad boys can be fun, but in the end I want the sweet caring guy to win the girls heart. But Roth is not all bad, he's actually really sweet, and is actually quite selfless when is comes to Layla. Put simply I'm all TEAM ROTH!!
I don't doubt that Zayne cares for Layla, but can he ever give Layla what she wants, or needs? Roth is a little darker and edgier than Zayne, and he's sexual innuendoes will make you swoon! I loved how he drew Layla out of her shell. She's been trapped in a world where she's never belonged and Roth gives her the freedom to just be her - not a Warden, not a Demon, but just Layla. As they grew closer, she started to trust Roth more and their connection got stronger…with some yummy yummy scenes JLA is known for!!
The writing:
I don't know what else to say other than Jennifer Armentrout is AWESOMESAUCE!!! She writes unique and creative stories with the perfect balance of action and romance. The pacing was beautiful, as everything leads up to an epic climax and that has be craving Stone Cold Touch!
I don't know what else to say other than Jennifer Armentrout is AWESOMESAUCE!!! She writes unique and creative stories with the perfect balance of action and romance. The pacing was beautiful, as everything leads up to an epic climax and that has be craving Stone Cold Touch!
FINAL WORD:
Loved loved loved LOVED it!!! Jennifer Armentrout makes gargoyles sexy!! With sharp witty dialogue and yummy boys to swoon over, White hot kiss is to to be missed!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / mildy descriptive sexual scene
Violence: medium-strong / some bloody fight scenes
Language: mild / several sh*t, occasional douche
Drugs & alcohol: mild / minor underage drinking
Swoon Thursday #42
Labels:
Christina Lee,
Contemporary Romance,
New Adult,
Swoon Thursday
·
Swoon Thursday is a weekly event hosted by YA Bound.This is how it works:
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog.
This week, I’m SWOONING over:
Title: Before You Break
Series: Between Breaths #2
Author: Christina Lee
Published: 18th Feb 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
We stayed that way—lips joined, gazes locked, and breaths stolen. As if the world had stopped
spinning while we branded the memory of each other's mouths and eyes and hands.
And then his tongue fluttered against my lips, demanding entrance, and I was lost Entirely over-the-moon lost. He groaned as his tongue slid past my lips, filling my mouth so completely, as he explored every inch in a languid rhythm. And he tasted ... God, he tasted like the best kind of dessert. Like banana cream pie and fried dough mixed together.
As he caressed my tongue, my teeth, the roof of my mouth, I was sure the rush I felt had nothing to do with sugar.
I slid my hands down his biceps to his waist and pushed firmly against him. I wanted to get as near as I could in case this was the first and last time I'd have this opportunity. He released my mouth and dragged his lips along my jaw and then down to my neck. I felt his hot tongue against my skin as he bit and licked his way to my ear. His hands slid down my back to cup my ass.
"Damn it, Ella. You're sexy as hell."
Oh Christina Lee, you create such swoon worthy heroes! I mean who wouldn't want to be called sexy by Quinn, the seriously yummy baseball player with tortured soul. But he is also super sweet and caring with Ella and these two have some sweet and oh so steamy scenes! I LOVED this book so much!!
So what's making you swoon this week?
{ARC Review} Chasing Wishes by Nadia Simonenko
Labels:
5 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance,
Nadia Simonenko,
New Adult
·
Title: Chasing Wishes
Author: Nadia Simonenko
Published: 30th January 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
BLURB:
"I wish I didn't have to go home. I wish I was someone else—someone with a future..."
For sixteen-year-old Nina Torres, it feels as if life is nothing but a dead end. Despised by her rich classmates and afraid that she'll become just like her drug-addicted mother, Nina's future seems to get dimmer every day.
There is one bright spot in her life though...
Sitting beside her one night, the only person in the world who cares about her makes a promise. No matter what happens—no matter how much Isaac's wealthy family disapproves—he and his girlfriend Nina will be together forever.
Fate plays a cruel trick on Nina, though, and a visit from Child Protective Services the next morning turns Nina Torres into Irene Hartley, a woman with a future but who will never see her beloved Isaac again.
Nine years later, a blind and incredibly handsome young entrepreneur hires Irene to be his personal assistant. Terrence Radcliffe reminds her so much of Isaac that she can hardly believe her eyes, and she's falling for him fast. Irene knows that fairy tales don't come true, but she allows herself one last wish. She wishes that she could finally say goodbye to Isaac and let herself take a chance on Terrence.
What she doesn't know is that Terrence is also searching for someone: a shooting star who streaked through his life nine years ago, and he won't give up until he finds her...
A Stunning Romance - Just Like A Modern Fairytale
REVIEW:
The story:
Wow this story was absolutely beautiful. It actually almost felt like a modern fairytale retelling in some ways. Nina is sort of like the Cinderella in her world, poor and horrible neglected by her junkie prostitute mother. And then we have Prince Charming, Isaac, the wealthy popular boy with the beautiful smile. We get to see some flash backs to when they met in high school. Nina was the poor hispanic girl, who was on scholarship to a wealthy selective school. She was teased and tormented with racial insults everyday and I was at the point of tears, reading some of the things she has to deal with. Isaac was the only person in her life that showed her any kindness, and the simple act of him giving her a cookie at lunch was touching. But after being Child Services place with a new family and change her name to protect her, she fears she will never see Isaac again. Isaac is crushed and more than that he's tired of his family's social and racial hypocrisy - leaving his family behind for college he changes his name in hopes of building a happier life away from them
Nine years, and two new names later, Irene and Terrence still haven't forgotten each other. While reading to children at the library, Irene gets the shock of her life when she sees Isaac walk in. But when the librarian greets him as Terence, she realises it mustn't be him. Terrence, now blind needs a new assistant and fate then steps in as he Irene the job. Irene not only assists him in his everyday life, but also describes the world around him, which made for some truly touching scenes, and it's not long before their mutual attraction burst to life.
The characters:
Terrence (Isaac), is now a scientist, has commented his adult life to his job. Since the age of 21 Terrence lost his eyesight to a generic disease. He has struggled to adjust to his new life and resents having to have people help him with everyday activities. But he also misses to small thing, like seeing the sunset or the view from his window. He's disability has changed him since high school, and he is a bit darker now. But as he grows closer to Irene, we start to see the happy side of him break through.
After such a painful childhood Irene is finally starting to find her feet. While still struggling financially, she has friends and still holds onto her dream of becoming a voice actress. Irene is one of the toughest and most resilient characters I've read in a long time. She has every reason to hate the world, but instead she has such a positive outlook, it was quite inspiring.
The romance:
I love stories where high school sweethearts rekindle their love years later, but Chasing Wishing takes it a step further since neither of them actually recognise each other. Watching them fall in love again as the different people that they've become was magical. Their connection was magnetic, and as Irene helps Terrence adjust to his blindness, their relationship deepens. The climax of the story was so perfect and the epilogue finished the book superbly!
The Writing:
Nadia has a such a fluid and almost poetic style of writing. She has such a talent for writing about heavy and tragic stories in a way that evokes so many emotions, and makes understanding the characters state of mind so easy. The visual descriptions where some of the most impressive I have ever read. While reading Terrence's initial POV chapters, I found it very difficult to picture his house or any of the characters and places around him - but the was the point. I could understand how lost you would feel not seeing the world you live in. And the contrast was incredible when Irene describes the scenery around them - I could see the world burst to life in my mind in vivd details, it was incredible!
I also loved how she alternated between chapters from the present with Irene and Terrence , and 9 years ago with Nina and Isaac. The flashback chapters gave a heartbreaking insight into the world that they grew up in.
FINAL WORD:
Chasing Wishes in a unique and beautiful take on second chances. Nadia's writing was flawless with vibrant imagery and breathtaking romance. A story with depth and substance and characters that you won't want to say goodbye to!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / sex scenes
Violence: mild
Language: medium / some f words
Drugs & alcohol: mild-medium / character get drunk in one scene
Other: Racism is a major theme, with many racial slurs and discrimination throughout
Swoon Thursday #41
Labels:
5 Stars,
ARC,
Contemporary Romance,
Nadia Simonenko,
New Adult
·
Swoon Thursday is a weekly event hosted by YA Bound.This is how it works:
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog.
Okay so this book was so swoony that I couldn't pick just one so I have chosen TWO swoons, because this book deserves it!!
This week, I’m SWOONING over:
Title: Chasing Wishes
Author: Nadia Simonenko
Published: 30th January 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
Isaac stares silently up at the sky for a long time before looking back down at me, and for a moment, he almost looks scared.
"I wished for..." he starts, but I cut him off before he can finish.
"Don’t tell me your wish or it won’t come true!"
He inches closer and smiles awkwardly before saying anything. Suddenly I realize just how quickly my heart is racing. Why does being around him do this to me? I... no, I can’t let myself think like that. I can’t let myself think about things that can never happen between us.
"It can’t come true unless I tell you," he whispers, and before I can say anything else, he kisses me.
My arms somehow find their way around him as we snuggle up together against the warmth of the chimney, and all my fears fall away. God, this is wonderful! I’ve never felt like this before, and as Isaac presses his lips to mine again, I feel a tear trickle down my cheek.
I let out a soft sigh as his lips touching mine, and suddenly he yanks me in close, spins me around, and pushes me back against the door with my hands pinned on either side of my head. My heartbeat races faster and faster as his lips crash into mine in a heady kiss, so perfect, so intoxicating that my legs start to shake.
Terrence releases my hands as he slowly trails his fingers down my arms, setting my skin on fire as he gently traces the curve of my neck, and I draw in a sharp, excited breath as he fumbles with the top button of my blouse. I can’t believe I’m letting him do this, but... but I want it. I want to feel his hands on my body, to feel his warmth and his strong arms around me.
"God, I need you right now, Irene," he whispers, his voice quiet but urgent and so filled with desire that it sends an icy-hot shiver down my spine.
This was such a beautiful story! Every scene Isaac and Nina was magical. I chose these two swoons, one sweet and one steamy because that pretty much sums up this book - the perfect balance!
So what's making you swoon this week?
{ARC Review} Captivate by Vanessa Garden
Labels:
4 Stars,
Young Adult
·
Title: Captivate
Series: Submerged Sun #1
Author: Vanessa Garden
Published: 1st January 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Source: Paperback provided by Harlequin Teen Australia for fair & honest review
Rating: 4/5
BLURB:
In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems...
For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.
Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko...the King of this underwater civilisation.
Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets...
A Creative And Unique World But Some Inconsistencies
REVIEW:
The story:
Firstly I must say this story is not what I was excepting. Call me crazy, but when I read 'underwater world' and saw the cover I naturally assumed this was a mermaid story. Well I'm disappointed to say, from early on we learn that's not the case. Instead, we are taken into a world under a crystal dome in the depths of the ocean, where Humans live. Although there are no mermaids, I did love the creativity of the story. Marin is a city, with it's own population, laws and a King - Marko. The live down there happily, occasionally surfacing to trade in the normal world. However after three generations, the women of Marin can no longer have children, (possibly because of lack of moonlight and time spent under the ocean) and it's up to Marko to save the city and dwindling population.
Marko's sister, Syliva, pressures him to find a human girl from the land above and bring her back to repopulate Marin. So Marko's bodyguard and best friend Robbie, does just that - essentially kidnapping the poor innocent Miranda and taking her back to live in Marin. She's held captive until it's time for her to marry King Marko, and have his children (artificially - no actually baby making activities will be forced on her thankfully)
The characters:
I liked Miranda a lot. She's different from the average YA heroine, she's a little chubby and has a relatable personality. Her character was developed well, with a strong background about her guilt over her parents death, and a strained relationship with her sister. It gave her depth and substance, as well as a darker side.
I struggled to connect with Marko at first. He's not exactly the warmest of characters when we meet him, and I felt he showed very little kindness to Miranda at first. However of the course of the story, we get to know him and he grew on me. He has a lot of pressure on him to save the city and being so young, he's struggling to deal with it all. He tries to connect with Miranda and show her kindness.
Robbie was a sweet character, and I actually preferred his character over Marko. He had remorse over the fact that he was the one that kidnapped Miranda, and he showed great care towards her. He wanted to help her escape so badly, but fear and loyalty to his best friend Marko prevented him from doing it.
The romance:
For me the romance was something I struggled with. The fact that the 'hero' and love interest, Marko, kidnaped Miranda, didn't work for me. Even though it's suggested he's not happy about it, he still did it and keeps her there against her wishes. And when Miranda starts to have feelings towards Marko, I couldn't help but feel she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, which just prevented me from truly accepting their relationship. Marko did grow on me, and I think in the 2nd book I might be more accepting of their relationship, but the way it started just felt wrong.
The Writing:
I really enjoyed Garden's descriptions of the underwater world. I could see it all in my mind, and that was probably my favourite part of this book. But while this was a fun and creative story, there where a few inconstancies that I couldn't ignore.
For example the whole point of Marko kidnapping Miranda was because she's able to have children, while the all the third generation women in Marin can't. But it's pointed out that two girls, Poh & Henrietta, (and many others) are 'Drowners', meaning they almost drowned in the ocean and were rescued and brought back to Marin to live. Therefore, since they where born and lived up on land, shouldn't they be able to have children still - why do they have to kidnap some innocent girl?
Also how is one girl going to save the entire population of Marin, is she supposed to pop out an entire generation of children? If so, then what happens? They'll all be related, so they can't reproduce with each other. Do they continue kidnapping women to make more babies?
FINAL WORD:
While I did struggle with the romance and some inconstancies, I still enjoyed the story and I do plan on reading the sequel. The idea is quite unique and I look forward to seeing where Vanessa Garden takes the story next!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / some kissing and suggestive conversations about sex
Violence: medium / punishment is death by shark - descriptions of person killed
Language: mild
Drugs & alcohol: mild-medium / Miranda is drugged when kidnapped, main characters drink wine
{ARC Review} Girl In Love by Caisey Quinn
Labels:
5 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Caisey Quinn,
Contemporary Romance,
New Adult
·
Series: Kylie Ryans #3
Author: Caisey Quinn
Published: 4th Feb 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
BLURB:
She's living her dream...
Kylie Ryans is the biggest thing to come out of Nashville since, well, since Trace Corbin. With a hit album and a powerful label behind her, she appears to be the girl who has it all.
But appearances can be deceiving.
Fresh out of rehab, Trace Corbin is ready to take on the world. Just not the girl he walked away from. Because if there's one thing he knows for certain, it's that the people you love are the ones who have the power to destroy you.
As their worlds collide, they'll have to make the ultimate choice. Follow their dreams, or give it all up for love.
They say love conquers all, but for Kylie and Trace, it just might wreck everything they've worked for.
REVIEW:
The story:
Wow, just wow!! This story was everything I hoped it would be and more!! Trace & Kylie sure don't make it easy on themselves (or us for that matter!), and we are taken on one hell of an emotional roller coaster. After the heartbreaking ending in Girl On Tour, Kylie struggles to recover from her broken heart. She closes herself of from the world around her and focusses on her music. Her career is taking off, but she's never been more unhappy or felt more alone in her life.
Trace, now out of rehab is ready to make his musical comeback, and his record label knows just the person he should tour with...Kylie of course! After both reluctantly agree to their joint tour, things start to get interesting, and the sexual tension between them is ready to explode. However Kylie is determined to shut her heart away forever and tries to convince herself and everyone else she's moved on by singing a song she wrote which basically went like this:
Oh Kylie you are so wrong *shakes head*
My heart broke so many times in this book I almost didn't survive, but I can guarantee you that the ending is so worth all the pain. It was simply perfect!
The characters:
Kylie is a little darker in this book, she's edgier and lost a lot of the innocence she had from the first two books. She's learned some hard lessons, that have left her feeling completely alone in the world. She's shut her emotions away and exists in a content state of numbness. It's not until Trace comes back into her life and challenges her zombie like existence, that she starts to feel things again.
Trace has worked so hard to overcome his alcohol addiction, but being around Kylie and reliving his heartbreak everyday is a huge challenge for him. He's a much stronger character in this book, and it was great seeing him make such huge progress in his recovery. He still makes mistakes, usually involving Kylie, but that just make him all the more believable as a character.
And I must mention Steven, the tattooed guitarist. He's there for Kylie after her breakup with Trace, and although neither of them have strong feeling for each other there is a little blurring of the friendship lines. I wanted to hate Steven, because he was getting in the way of Kylie and Trace getting back together, but instead I actually kind of fell in love with him. He doesn't use Kylie or treat her badly, he's actually really sweet and I'm hoping that he & Mia may get their own spin off novella.
The romance:
Kylie and Trace or Trylie (hehe I love that name) don't make things easy on themselves. Kylie is so afraid of getting her heart broken again that she's determined to keep away from Trace as much as possible, but touring on the same bus in such close quarters made for some extremely sexually charged scenes! It's clear to absolutely everybody, except them, that they are still hopelessly in love with each other, and it'll just be a matter of time before they succumb to their attraction. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes, mixed perfectly with those seriously steamy ones we all love!
The Writing:
Caisey is one of those fabulous authors that doesn't just write about emotional stories, but weaves the emotions into the pages. She doesn't sugarcoat things, people make mistakes and life is mess. Her characters have realistic flaws, that make them so believable and relatable. You know exactly how the characters feel and are right there with them every step of the way. I have loved absolutely everything this women writes and I doubt that will ever change!
FINAL WORD:
After reading Girl On Tour I was ready for Trace & Kylie to get their happy ending, and I couldn't be any happier at how their story finishes. I cried, cringed and laughed my way through this series and loved every second of it!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium-strong / sex scenes
Violence: mild / minor punch up
Language: medium / several f words
Drugs & alcohol: strong / main character deals with alcohol addiction
{Cover Reveal} Fight For You by Magan Vernon
Labels:
Contemporary Romance,
Cover Reveal,
Magan Vernon,
New Adult
·
Author Magan Vernon has a new release coming and today we are proud to share with you all the steamy cover!
Also, you could win 1 of 5 eARCs of FIGHT FOR YOU. :)
About FIGHT FOR YOU....
Nicky Ragusa lives his life inside the cage, circuiting the underground ring to escape his fate as the mafia prince. When Jackie Marks crashes into his life, he’ll take the fight outside the cage.
But the battle for Jackie’s heart comes with a steep price. Nicky’s father has wanted him to take over the family business for years, and the time for running is over. Now Nicky is right where his father has always wanted him: in the middle of a war.
All Nicky has ever wanted to do was fight. Now all he has to do is fight for her.
EXCERPT
Every time my fist smacked against the bag, I expected a surge of pain, but nothing came. I was numb. All I did was hit the bag for days, trying to get my head somewhere else, anywhere else but my reality.
“Nicky, I think you killed it. That plastic thing isn’t going to ever see its little punching bag babies again.” Coach stood next to the bag, looking at me with his eyebrows creased and a bead of sweat glistening on his forehead like it always did when he was nervous.
“Just lemme get a few more punches in. That’s all I need.” I took a few more jabs at the bag. I wanted to feel something. Anything. But still there was nothing.
Coach grabbed my wrists, stopping them in mid air. “Nicky, you’ve had enough. It’s late. Tracy’s called at least twenty times to tell me to get my ass home. It’s past nine. I’ve missed dinner and putting the kids to bed.”
He gripped tighter onto my wrists. “It’s time to leave. The fight’s this weekend. You’re ready, kid. You know that as well as I do.”
I slumped my shoulders and shook my head. I’d been at the gym a lot longer than I thought. Every part of my body groaned from those tiny movements. Finally some sort of feeling. “Yeah, say that when el Lobo has his foot in my ass or some other move he pulls out. I need to be ready for him. That fucker fights dirtier than he looks.”
Coach sighed, dropping my wrists. “You’re your father’s son, Nicky.”
I stared at him. The defeat in his eyes. He didn’t mean the words as an insult but they hit me harder than punch ever could. My father was never who I wanted to be.
“You’re right, Coach.” I turned away slowly and walked to the weight bench, sitting down. I slowly peeled back the tape that bound my hands. They were so worn from the day’s wear that they looked more gray than the bright white they were when I first got to the gym after work.
Coach walked over and patted my shoulder. “You’re a good kid, Nicky. You just have a hard head sometimes.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I didn’t look up from my hands, just focused on unwrapping each one, instead of looking up at the disappointed glint in his eyes. It was the same conversation we had every night. He’d ask me to come to stop by his house, make some crack about his old lady making too much food anyway and how the kids wouldn’t bother me too much. I’d, of course, say I had some work to catch up on from the office or that my mom was making pasta and asked me to stop by. None of which were true and he knew it.
But tonight he didn’t fight me.
“All right, Nick, think ya can lock up when you’re done? You know, the old lady has been on my ass out being out late every night and with the fight this weekend ...” his words trailed off. I didn’t need to look up to know that he was raking his fingers through his salt and pepper crew cut, the way he always did when he was nervous. I’d seen it a million times when I was in the cage.
“Yeah, Coach, you’re fine. Go, be with Tracy and the kids. You don’t need to babysit me. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
I stopped unwrapping my hands and looked up at him, forcing a smile. Did I really want him to leave so that I would be alone? No. Sure, I could have called up my cousin Dominic, but he would probably still be at the Candy Shop. Some guys enjoyed going to the strip club every night. To me, it would always be the place that my father did his backroom deals with some battona on his lap. I knew all of this because he started taking me when I was in middle school. He said I had to learn the family business young if I was going to take over.
“Yeah, Coach, I’m positive. Now go on. Don’t make me kick your ass.” I patted him on the back.
“Not before the fight, Nick. Save that for the scumbag wolf, will ya?” He stepped back, holding his hands up. I imagine that at some point Coach was a good fighter and could probably still hold up with the best of them, but now in his early forties, he wasn’t as spry as he used to be and I was pretty sure I could take him out with one kick. Though I’d never try, but if someone else did I’d kill them. That was a fact.
“Will do.”
He nodded and stared at me, shoving his hands in his pockets. I knew he wanted to say something else, but we both knew that he wouldn’t. That wasn’t his style. He kicked the shit out me in training and in the cage. Other than that, he tried to stay out of it too much. That’s why he had stayed in my life so long.
“Goodnight, Nick.”
“Night, Coach.”
About The Author...
Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. When not writing she spends her time fighting over fake boyfriends via social media.
GIVEAWAY
Win 1 of 5 eARCs of FIGHT FOR YOUR BELOW! Open INTERNATIONAL.
Swoon Thursday #40
Labels:
Caisey Quinn,
Contemporary Romance,
New Adult,
Swoon Thursday
·
Swoon Thursday is a weekly event hosted by YA Bound.This is how it works:
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog.
***ADULT CONTENT***
This week, I’m SWOONING over:
Title: Girl In Love
Series: Kylie Ryans #3
Author: Caisey Quinn
Published: 4th Feb 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review
Rating: 5/5
Her fingers slid up his chest as her lips brushed the stubble on his chin. He bent down and wrapped his hands under her ass as tightly as he could. Lifting her onto his waist, he slammed her against the wall of the elevator hard enough to rattle the whole damn thing.
He groaned as she pressed herself against the rock-hard ridge in his pants. He heard her sweet surprised gasp as she took in a breath.
“Feel that, baby?” he hissed through his teeth. The whimper that escaped her lips in response said hell yeah she felt it. She gripped the hair at the nape of his neck hard enough to make his eyes water as she nipped and licked his earlobe. Her thighs flexed around him and he groaned
in anticipation of her tight heat. He couldn’t wait to get inside of her. To give her every single inch of himself.
Who doesn't love a little elevator sexiness?! The sexual tension between Trace and Kylie was incredible, Caisey sure knows how to write a swoony scene!! I highly recommend this series if you love NA romance!
So what's making you swoon this week?
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