Showing posts with label 3 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3 Stars. Show all posts
{ARC Review} The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Labels:
3 Stars,
Book Review,
Marie Rutkoski,
Young Adult
·
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Published: 3rd March 2015
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley fair & honest review
Rating: 3/5
BLURB:
The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince is the event of a lifetime. It means one celebration after another: balls, fireworks, and revelry until dawn. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit. She's a spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.
A Slow Beginning With An Impressive Finish!
REVIEW:
The story:
I have to admit I'm torn with this book. While I did enjoy the overall story, I felt it was very slow to get going and it made it very difficult to get into. For the first 50% of the book, nothing really happens. There are a few developments here and there, but for the most part it just felt like there was lot's of talking and parties and…that's pretty much it. Things started to get repetitive and the plot stalled. It wasn't until the 2nd half of the book that the pace started to pick up and the story started to captivate me. The last 10% was the strongest most exciting part of the story, where I couldn't read fast enough and the ending left me desperate to read the final instalment!
The characters:
Kestrel has changed since the first book. She's tougher, stronger and in an attempt to shield her from all the horrid thing going on she has developed an almost coldness to her, appearing like nothing phases her. But it does. That warmth is still there, especially when she's thinking of Arin and the her loved ones, but she sees it as her responsibility to protect all sides in this war.
Arin is as aloof as ever. He wants to stand up for his people and protect them from the emperor, but in doing so he continually puts himself in danger. Arin's selflessness is unwavering and despite his better judgment he continually tries to not only save the people but also hopes that Kestrel is not lost to him forever.
The romance:
The romance between Kestrel and Arin is very minimal is this book. Not that this is a bad thing, as the other elements of the story did require the main focus. The development of the war between the two countries and all the intrigue between different characters. There was some rather strong sexual tension between them when they were together, but their 'on screen' time is quite limited and we don't really see much of the relationship at all.
The writing:
As I mentioned earlier it was the pacing of this book that let it down for me. It felt like this 2nd instalment is designed to set us up for the 3rd book rather than tell any important story itself. Even the blurb is extremely short and says very little. It makes me wonder if perhaps this series should have been a duology.
The actual writing was quite beautiful. Rutkoski's prose is simply stunning, with language that made you just want to stop and appreciate it's beauty.
"If an emotion could have a sounds, Kestrel thought that the one she produced by that question might sound like the glass petals had, ground beneath the heavy vase."
"The way they don't look feels like they're staring."
"Spring pinched the world open. Tight buds split along their seams and spilled out their colors."
FINAL WORD:
I've seen so many amazing reviews for this book, so perhaps it was just me that felt the pacing was just too slow. I will most definitely read The Winner's Kiss and I really hope it continues with the same level of intrigue and excitement that the end of this one had!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: mild
Violence: medium / several stabbing and descriptions of war violence
Language: mild
Drugs & alcohol: mild / some underage drinking (which is acceptable in this world)
{ARC Review} Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
Labels:
3 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Dystopian
·
Author: Kate Jarvik Birch
Published: 1st July 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley for fair & honest review
Rating: 3/5
BLURB:
I was bred to be the perfect pet. I was bred for my beauty and grace, to be a showpiece, an ornament to sit upon the couch, to sing, to dance, to play the piano and paint. I was bred to willingly put my owner's happiness before my own.
Until Penn. The handsome and rebellious son of the congressman who owns me, he's the only person who's seen past my perfect exterior to the girl underneath. Falling for him is forbidden. Falling for him is freeing.
But there's a dark underworld lurking beneath my pampered life. The only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn's family is escaping it, because if I fail, I face a fate far worse than death...
Interesting & Unique Concept, But Lacked Emotional Depth
REVIEW:
The story:
This is such an interesting an unique concept, with young girls being bred as 'pets' for wealthy 'owners'. It's a premise that had a lot of potential, but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations.
After being 'purchased' as a 'pet', she moves into her new home with the family. To Ella her new home seems perfect; new clothes, a beautiful bedroom and access to basically anything she wants. As she gets to know her family, it's their son that intrigues her the most and has her wishing for a future she's been taught is never possible - it's her job to make her owners happy - her feeling mean nothing. Penn is the only one who treats her as an actual person and not property or toy to be played with.
The idea of these girls being bred as pets is obviously ethically wrong and quite disturbing, but what happens to them isn't all that bad in comparison to characters in other dystopian worlds. Basically they just have to sit around in expensive dresses looking pretty and occasionally play an instrument or sing. They aren't slaves - they are literally treated like a well loved dog - which is of course wrong and extremely weird, but it didn't really evoke the kind of anger I'm used to feeling with a dystopian world. I mean obviously it's extremely wrong keeping a person as a pet, but I wanted to see something more extreme. Everything that happened seemed watered down and it was all rather...bland MAJORLY CREEPY, but bland.
I also found it difficult to understand what the benefit of these 'pets' were. They don't really do anything, they don't have to cook or clean, and Ella only occasionally plays the piano for her 'owner' (yeah that word is weird). The only mention of what the owners get out of it, is a 'status symbol' of their wealth, but surely there are better & less weird ways than owning a person as their pet, I just don't get how it's appealing to these wealthy people - especially the wives?!
The characters:
Ella is extremely naive to the ways of the world because of her upbringing in the 'kennels' where she was trained to be a pet. She can play the piano perfectly and has impeccably manners, but can't read, swim and doesn't understand was sex is - she's never even heard of a kiss! Because of this, she's quite gullible at first, but starts to realise that things may not be the way she's always been told. I did enjoy seeing her grow and realise she might be able to think for herself and have a real future
Penn was a cardboard cutout character. He's hot (of course), can play the guitar and has an eclectic taste in music, which leads him to be completely misunderstood by his parents. But that's really it. I couldn't picture him in my head and I just could connect with him on an emotional level.
The romance:
Ella & Penn's romance was rather empty. At first Penn doesn't like her because he doesn't like the idea of pets, but he comes around to her quickly. I did enjoyed seeing him treat her like she was a regular girl and not a pet. It really highlighted how differently everyone else treated her. But I didn't really feel the connection between them. Despite that I did think their first kiss was adorable, where he shows her what a kiss is - so sweet!
The writing:
The overall feeling of this book was very cold and clinical. The entire book lacked any emotion and as a result I felt very detached from the characters and their story. There was a small amount of mystery surrounding what happened to the family's previous 'pet', with 'subtle' clues being dropped. But those clues where about as subtle as a smack in the face and most people will work out what happened very early on. It was very slow to build and it's not until the very end of the book that any real action takes place. This was the most exciting part of the whole book and I really enjoyed the last 15% of it. It left me asking where all this excitement was in the rest of book?!
FINAL WORD:
Unfortunately this story and the emotionless writing style just didn't work for me. While the premise of the book was really interesting I just couldn't get invested into the character's story enough. The ending is what saved it for me, it grabbed my attention and has me intrigued for a sequel. I just hope that it will continue on with the excitement from the last few chapters.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / some kissing, discussions of sex, pregnancy & 'spaying' human pets
Violence: mild / some minor gun violence
Language: very mild/ occasional sh*t, no f words
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{ARC Review} Rain by Amanda Sun
Labels:
3 Stars,
Amanda Sun,
ARC,
Book Review,
Fantasy,
Young Adult
·
Series: Paper Gods #2
Author: Amanda Sun
Published: 24th June 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Source: eARC provided via Netgally for fair & honest review
Rating: 3.5/5
BLURB:
American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.
When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.
A Culturally Rich Story, But I Was Hoping For More Action
REVIEW:
The story:
So after reading the first book I was torn, there were parts I liked & parts I didn't, and this book is much the same.
Katie has decided to stay in Japan and face the dangers of the ink with Tomo. After reuniting with each other, Tomo decides to stop drawing hoping it will protect them from the dangers of his drawings. But Tomo continues to loose his control over the ink, and the danger escalates. Katie turns to the only person she thinks might be able to help, Jun. But while looking for information to help Tomo, Katie makes some startling discoveries about her own past and her connection to the Kami Gods.
Meanwhile, Tomo & Katie's relationship is further put to the test, as Shiroi, Tomo's pregnant friend makes it clear she's after Tomo and threatens Katie to stay away. Katie's not only afraid of loosing Tomo to Shiroi, but she fears the ink will soon take over his mind completely. It's getting harder and harder to know who is on who's side, and who she can trust.
I feel like very little progress has been made since the end of Ink. A few revelations are made towards the end, but not much when you consider the length of the book. I'm hoping we get to see a bit more action in the next book.
The characters:
Katie hasn't really grown up much since the first book. She's still extremely naive and very impulsive, not really thinking things through properly. I was hoping to see some growth and see her become stronger - perhaps even discovering some inner Kami powers, but no - maybe in the next book?
Tomo is such a sweet and extremely forgiving character. No matter how many mistakes Katie makes, he forgives her. However he does get jealous when he hears Katie refer to Jun by his first name (in Japan using first names is something you do with someone your close with). I liked seeing him like this, showing some emotions, that he normally keeps so well hidden.
The romance:
The so called love triangle element didn't really work for me. It felt so forced and did nothing more than irritate me with Katie's "I love Tomo so much, we are soooo perfect together"..."but Jun is really gorgeous". I just didn't understand why she was suddenly suggesting she was attracted to Jun, when it was clear she was in love with Tomo. Her relationship with Tomo was much more believable and I would have preferred seeing more time spent on the cultural issues that they faced in their relationship - that part was actually really interesting.
The writing:
The pacing of this book is quite slow in the beginning, and it's not until the end that we get to see any real action or excitement. I still love Amanda's use of Japanese language throughout the story, which created an rich atmosphere, it felt like I was really in Japan.
The ink illustrations that I loved so much from the first book were used again, but I felt they could have been used a little more effectively, especially at the climax of the story. It seemed like there were less of them this time sadly.
FINAL WORD:
This was a decent sequel to the Paper Gods series, but I felt there could have been more. This could be one of those series that may have been better suited to a 2 book series rather than 3. However, it was still entertaining and I will be back for the 3rd book to see how things wrap up.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: mild / some kissing, minor mentions of sex, teen pregnancy (minor character)
Violence: mild / some fighting - not overly detailed
Language: medium / several f words
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{ARC Review} Before We Kiss by Susan Mallery
Labels:
3 Stars,
ARC,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance
·
Title: Before We Kiss
Series: Fools Gold #14
Author: Susan Mallery
Published: 27th May 2014
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley
Rating: 3.5/5
BLURB:
Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool's Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life.
Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend's bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her "wild youth" to raise her sisters. She doesn't want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would've been nice.
His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event. As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam's luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?
One Of Mallery's Steamiest Books Yet!
REVIEW:
The story:
Poor Sam has been extremely unlucky in love, and has been hurt too many times to count. Worst of them all was his ex wife Simone who wrote a tell all book about her marriage with the NFL star. With so much heartache he's all but given up on woman and love. And after a fun night out with Dellina turns into his own personal nightmare, he doesn't think he's luck is ever going to change. After discovering a her spare room filled with wedding dresses he panics and runs, believing she's a crazed woman trying to snag him as her husband. Now he has to work with Dellina planning an important party for his company, and is forced to face her for the first time since their passionate night.
But after Dellina is finally being able to explain the little misunderstanding, things between them settle into a comfortable working friendship. That is until the sparks start to fly between them and they struggle to ignore their growing attraction.
The characters:
For a tough ex NFL player, Sam is actually quite sensitive - not that he'd like to be seen that way. After all the pain and hurt he's gone through romantically he really doesn't trust woman at all. After growing up with parents who wanted to be involved in every part of his life, he values his privacy and is vary wary of people's intentions. I really enjoyed seeing him relax and open up around Dellina, it showed how much he trusted her.
Dellina, is a very organised and efficient woman and it was clear she was in her element planning the party. After loosing her parents at an early age, she took on the responsibility of caring for her sisters. So it was really great to see her able to enjoying her own live now. It was also interesting to see her explore her sexuality, it showed how open and trusting she was around Sam.
Sam's parents were some very interesting characters. They reminded me of the parents in Meet The Fockers! They most certainly have some boundary issues and don't know the meaning of over-sharing, especially when it comes to sex. They added a real spark to the storyline and created some very interesting scenes!
The romance:
Despite their romance starting out as a one night stand (prior to the beginning of the book), their relationship built nice and slowly. After they overcome the initial awkwardness, they start to build a strong friendship, and it's that friendship that makes the romance so much more believable. The love scenes in this book are the most experimental I've read in any of Susan Mallery's books, with pressure points and g-spots being explored several times. It certainly made for some seriously steamy scenes!!
The writing:
Told in third person, the story alternates between Sam & Dellina's perspectives. But we also get the occasional mini chapter of Dellina's sister, Fayrene's story, as she tries to subtly persuade her boyfriend into proposing to her. Plus we get a few bonus chapters about Mayor Marsha, which was interesting. I liked the extra little side stories, it just added something extra and filled the book out nicely. It also introduces the plots for the next couple of books in the series.
FINAL WORD:
This book is all about trust and learning that love is worth the risk in the end. Before We Kiss is another fun and sexy adventure in Fool's Gold…"The Destination of Romance"
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium-strong / several descriptive sex scenes
Violence: mild / domestic violence with minor character
Language: mild
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{Tour Review} Deep Surrendering by Chelsea M. Cameron
Labels:
3 Stars,
Adult,
Book Review,
Chelsea M. Cameron,
Contemporary Romance
·
Title: Deep Surrendering
Series: Deep Surrendering Episode #1
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Published: 20th Mar 2014
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for fair & honest review
Rating: 3.5/5
BLURB:
She's all about rules. He lives by none but his own. When these two meet, the results could be disastrous.
When Marisol Everly’s friend Rory sets her up with Fin Herald, Marisol doesn't expect that it will amount to anything, .but that was before she saw Fin's searing blue eyes and mischievous smile. Not to mention, he seems absolutely fascinated by her mundane life. He's everything that a girl could want, but there's something else that ripples under the surface of his flirty behavior. Something darker. Something that fascinates Marisol, but scares her at the same time. Is she willing to risk falling into an abyss she might not get out of?
A Cute Romantic Story With Quirky Secondary Characters
REVIEW:
The story:
Deep Surrendering is a spin off from the Sweet Surrendering series and will be written as part of a serial with short novellas released each month (roughly 12 novellas). We follow Marisol and Fin after their mutual friend, Rory sets them up. Their is an immediate spark of attraction between them, and after a fun night out Marisol would like to see where things could go. But Fin is very hot and cold, flirting with her one minute and brushing her off the next. The only clue to his erratic behaviour is Fin claiming he's all dark & twisty and not good for her.
The characters:
Marisol is the kindhearted good girl. She always takes the safe option and never takes any risks. That is until she meets Fin. She knows that he scares her a little bit, but she's also oddly drawn to him and his mysterious personality. And for the first time in her life, she's taking a risk.
Fin was a bit of a surprise character, especially already having met him in Sweet Surrendering. On the surface he's a confident and powerful business man, but we soon learnt that there are some dark and angry things lurking in his past that makes him a very intriguing man.
The romance:
The romance between Marisol & Fin started out quite normal - meeting through friend and going out for a fun and flirty first date. But when things start to get more intimate, that's when it gets interesting.This book is a lot hotter than her others, with some mild domination even making an appearance.
The writing:
After reading most of Chelsea's other books, I've come to know and love her writing style. However this book is her most steamy one yet! I think she may have been channelling her inner Fifty Shades of Grey!
FINAL WORD:
I've been excited to read Marisol & Fin's story, and although it wasn't quite what I was expecting I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if I'm going to like the whole domination thing as I'm not really of fan of that sort of book, but am looking forward to learning more about Fin's past and will wait & see where the story leads!
CONTENT:
Sexuality: strong / sex scene - mild domination
Violence: none
Language:
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{Review} The Destiny of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Labels:
3 Stars,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance,
Jessica Sorensen,
New Adult
·
Title: The Destiny of Violet & Luke
Series: The Coincidence #3
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Published: 7th Jan 2014
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by via Netgalley for fair & honest review
Rating: 3/5
BLURB:
Luke Price's life has always been about order, control, and acting tough on the outside. For Luke, meaningless relationships are a distraction-a way to tune out the twisted memories of his childhood. He desperately wishes he could forget his past, but it haunts him no matter what he does.
Violet Hayes has had a rough life. When she was young, she was left with no family and the memory of her parents' unsolved murders. She grew up in foster homes, living with irresponsible parents, drugs, and neglect, and trying to fight the painful memories of the night her parents were taken from her. But it's hard to forget when she never got closure-and she can't stop dreaming about what happened that tragic night. To make it through life, she keeps her distance from everyone and never allows herself to feel anything.
Then Violet meets Luke. The two clash instantly, yet they can't seem to stay away from each other. Although they fight it, they both start to open up and feel things they've never felt before. They discover just how similar they are. But they also discover something else: The past always catches up with you...
Great Romance but VERY slow beginning
REVIEW:
The story:
Although this is book #3 in the Coincidence series, it's more of a separate story as we follow the dual POV of Luke (Kayden best friend) and Violet (Callie's roommate). Luke's relationship with his mother is strained at best and we finally get to find out why, she's a drug addict and forced her son to help her shoot up when he was only a kid. As a result he's cold and has little care for anyone else's feelings.
Violet has bounced around foster homes since the age of six, after her parents where murdered. She's afraid to trust or rely on anyone, believing that they will always let her down, just like everyone else has. But after a chance encounter with Violet, they strike up and odd friendship. They tease and bicker back and forth, but there is a light flirtatious vibe between them, and a unique understanding that they are more similar than they first thought.
The characters:
After meeting Luke in The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden, I was excited to read about his story. However I felt his character was very different in this book. Violet labels him as Mr Stoically Aloof, and that is the perfect description of how I originally felt about him. However this time, I actually found him to be a bit of an ass. He uses women and speaks about them like they are disposable. It's not until he starts to have feelings for Violet that we start to see some of that original warmth about his personality - but that warmth only extends to Violet. Also, having a descriptive sex scene with a random girl, where Luke treats her with no respect whatsoever didn't help with me liking his character.
From the first two books in this series we are lead to believe that Violet is a cold, heartless 'slut', and she's more than happy for people to see her that way. However she's actually a scared and lonely girl, who hasn't had anyone to really care about her since she was 6. It took some time to warm up to Violet, but once I did I felt extremely sorry for the horrible things she went through. She's strong and very resilient, but struggles to let people get close - for understandable reasons.
The romance:
I really enjoyed the teasing flirtatious banter between Luke & Violet. At first the insults where a defence mechanism to keep each other at arms length. But as they spent more time together it started to become more fun and seeing them make each other laugh, was beautiful, since it was such a rare thing for either of them. They both had such a great understanding of how they had dealt with their horrible childhoods, that it brought them closer together. Their romance was really well developed.
The writing:
It took me a very long time to get into this story, and I think the main reason for this was the lack of character interaction and dialogue. The first 50% of the story is mostly made up of Luke & Violet's internal monologue, TELLING us about their feelings, when I would of preferred SEEING it. The MCs spend so much time telling us how tragic their lives are and how they struggle to forget their issues, it felt like they where on a constant pity party. With The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden, we got to see them struggling with everyday life, rather than them just telling us about it and I felt a lot more sympathy towards them. Unfortunately it took me till over half way through to start to feel compassion for Luke or Violet.
I'm also coming to see a pattern in Sorensen's books, always having unfinished cliff hanger endings. Dramatic endings are all well and good when it fits the story, but doing it every time, suggests it's a tactic to force readers to come back for the sequel - and I'm not a fan of this.
FINAL WORD:
Despite a very slow beginning and my hatred towards unnecessary cliff hanger ending, I did enjoy the story. The romance was strong and I will be back for the sequel to see where their story leads.
CONTENT:
exuality: medium / sex scenes, some sexual abuse
Violence: mild-medium / several fights
Language: medium / regular use of f word
Drugs & alcohol: strong / drug use/dealing, heavy drinking, smoking
{Review} Star Attraction by Vanessa Stubbs
Labels:
3 Stars,
Book Review
·
Author: Vanessa Stubbs
Published: August 21st 2013
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Source: eARC provided by through Netgalley for honest review
Rating: 3.5/5
BLURB:
He's the most famous and most desired man in the world.
She's a hard-news journalist trying to keep her job.
When Sydney girl Madison Edwards is sent to interview Hollywood heartthrob Jamie Hall, as far as she's concerned it's an embarrassing blot on her credibility. As far as Jamie is concerned, Madison is just one of the thousands of people who want a piece of him. They both turn out to be wrong.
When an unimaginable attraction develops between them, they're momentarily blinded. Could it be true love or just the glare of the paparazzi's flashbulbs?
This stellar debut is a deliciously seductive story of our times, about celebrity and stardom – and about finding something real and true, even when the whole world is watching.
REVIEW:
The story:
This story wasn't quite what I was expecting. I was imagining a story about a celebrity & journalist falling in love, and although that does happen the main storyline is more focussed on the celebrity culture and how it affects their lives separately. We see how Maddison's work at a newspaper affects her life and her relationships with her girlfriends. She becomes so invested in her career that she's completely oblivious to how she's hurting her best friends. She also starts to question her motivations for becoming a journalist and where she wants her career to go in the future.
And then we see the other side of the media with famous actor Jamie Hall and how fame has affected his life. He's sudden rise to fame as an international heartthrob has robed him of his privacy and he starts to doubt if this is the life a wants. The romance between Maddison & Jamie almost becomes a side story to these career & media based main plot points.
This story also starts off quite slow, with plenty of backstory & plot development and very little dialogue. It's not until about 50% into the book that the story starts to really gain momentum with more character interaction. The conflicts between Maddison & Jamie and also with Maddison and her two best friends, where what made the story more engaging.
The characters:
To be honest I found it a little difficult to like Jamie. He has the public image of the typical Hollywood heartthrob, but the narrator constantly tells us that he is much more sensitive and a decent person, who doesn't care about fame and money. However many of his actions contradict this. At the very beginning we are introduced to his character at promotional party with all these gorgeous women throwing themselves at him, but he has no interest in them or the party and just wants to go home. But then only a few scenes later he's on a plane and the flight attended makes a pass at him and he ends up skrewing in the bathroom. I felt like I was being told that he was this stand up guy, but his actions just didn't convince me. Another example was his attitude towards Jessica, a young actress he has a relationship with - he seemed to have very little respect for her:
"Jamie enjoyed having sex with Jessica even though their conversation left him indifferent, depressed even."
At the beginning Maddison comes across as a little snobby and almost looks down on her friends, Sabine & Lucy because of their jobs (journalist at fashion magazine & call centre operator). However over the course of the book she learns a lot about how her job at the paper has changed her and she's not happy with what she sees. She mellows by the end of the book and I grew to like her a lot.
Secondary character Lucy was probably my favourite character. She's down to earth and a very relatable character. We get a few chapters scattered throughout the book that follows her life at a dead end job at the call centre. But things start to look up after a romance starts to blossom with her adorably sweet co-worker Stuart. I really loved their little side story & would be happy to see more!
The romance:
The romance between Jamie & Maddison was one of the strongest elements in this book. In all their scenes together their connection is undeniable. However I felt there weren't enough scenes with them together. The majority of this book involves scenes with only one of them, and surprisingly there where more love scenes with Jamie and women other than Madison - and this bothered me a lot. I read stories with romance to see the two main characters together, not with other people. An idealistic opinion perhaps, but this is fictional after all.
The Writing:
I really liked the writing style. The descriptive language was very effective:
"Cracked brown Formica tables sat uncomfortably close together and seventies lampshades leaked weak light into into the smoky atmosphere."
"The foreshore was virtually deserted. A storm was brewing blue-black against a yellow horizon. The sea and sky were one. Dog walkers were the only people braving the wind’s bluster. The air was drunk with salt."
FINAL WORD:
Despite a slow start and not quite being the story I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. While I did have trouble connecting with Jamie's character, I was still invested in their story & was happy to see he & Maddison get their HEA together. I think this book would appeal to fans of The Devil Wears Prada and Confessions of a Shoppaholic.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / short non descriptive sex scenes
Violence: none
Language: mild-medium / several f words
Drugs & alcohol: mild
{Blog Tour + GIVEAWAY} In Harmony by Helena Newbury
Labels:
3 Stars,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance,
New Adult
·
Title: In Harmony
Series: Fenbrook Academy #2
Author: Helena Newbury
Published: September 21st 2013
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided by author for honest review
Rating: 3.5/5
BLURB:
Everyone expects her to succeed...
Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music...not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.
Everyone expects him to fail...
Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.
But what no one expects...
When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love...and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible...
REVIEW:
The story:
Karen, the serious & studious cello musician is so close to making her (and her father's) dreams come true as she nears graduation from The Fenbrook Academy. She has worked her whole life, pushed by her overbearing father, for the opportunity to perform in front of scouts for the NY Philharmonics Orchestra. But after her duet partner is injured her chances aren't good, with the only option being to perform with notorias bad boy and soon to be drop out Connor.
Their friendship starts out rocky, with neither one relating to the other - either musically or personally. But as they spend more time practising together they start to understand each other better and so their romance begins.
I felt sometimes that the sexual side of things was a little forced. Not so much the actual love scenes, but there are a lot of discussions between Karen and her friends about their sex lives that just felt a little unnatural. I think there purpose was to add to the sexual tension, but if anything it actually diminished it a bit. Sometimes less is more, and rather than being told about their sexcapades, it would have been more natural to just see the characters in their romantic situations.
The characters:
Karen is a sweet and extremely sheltered character. Her whole life has been pre-chosen for her by her father, and she makes few decisions for herself. For much of the story, she's quite helpless and is constantly being rescued by Connor - whether it be from tripping over, spiders, the recital or overly groppey men that she seems to attract. It wasn't until late into the book that she makes a stand, and starts to take charge of her own life. It was such a relief to see her finally make this huge step.
Connor isn't as simple as a 'bad boy'. Yes he skips class and acts like he doesn't care that he won't graduate, but he has his reasons, and once his secret comes out, it was much easier to understand his attitude.
The romance:
The romance between Karen & Connor worked well in the 'opposites attract' kind of way. They are both very different, but they compliment each other so well and that is reflected in the musical aspect of the story. Just like their two very different instruments, they must work hard to to make it work, but they find similarities and embrace their differences.
The Writing:
I felt the musical parts of the story were really well written. To have music come to life just from the writing is not an easy thing to do but I think Newbury was very successful in achieving this. I felt like I was right there listening to the must and feel the energy they created during the final performance.
FINAL WORD:
Overall this was a fun and sexy story. The musical element to story gave it a real difference and made the story more engaging. All this is a standalone I would recommend reading Dance With Me first, as it does setup a lot of the secondary characters.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium-strong / strong sexual dialogue, sexual assault & sex scenes
Violence: mild-medium / fist fights
Language: medium / some f words
Drugs & alcohol: medium / main character get drunk
GIVEAWAY:
Review: No One's Angel by Kelly Walker
Labels:
3 Stars,
Book Review
·
Title: No One's Angel
Author: Kelly Walker
Published: September 6th 2013
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley for honest review
Rating: 3/5
BLURB:
Tess used to spend more hours than she'd care to admit playing her favorite computer game, using the nickname Angel. She could pretend her life was different, and she could pretend Arion was just a friend. But a girl needs more to keep her warm at night than pixels, and she traded her virtual heaven for a real-life hell. Now she's on the run from a past she won't talk about, and the only place she has to go is the doorstep of the friend she's never actually met.
When Angel disappeared from their nightly games, it nearly destroyed Arion. He threw himself into work and women, but he can't help knowing the one-night stands will never compare to the angel who haunts his dreams. At first, when she shows up soaking wet and scared-shitless on his doorstep, he thinks his prayers have been answered.
But the more Arion tries to keep Angel close, the more her fear drives her away. If they are ever going to have a chance for a future, they'll first have to deal with the past that hasn't forgotten her any more than she's forgotten it--and Arion will have to learn how to let her go.
REVIEW:
The story:
I really loved the unique storyline that this book takes. It opens with Angel/Tess suddenly appearing on the doorstep of the only person she feels she can trust - Arion, her online gamer friend. After not having spoken for the past year he both surprised & happy to see her, but it's clear that she hiding from something or someone and Arion wants to be the one to save her. We know that she's running away from her abusive boyfriend, but there is more to story that is revealed throughout the book.
The is quite slow paced and it does take some time before the 'big reveals' occur. However when they do the story picks up immensely. The suspense element was probably the strongest part of this book, with the climax of the story taking on an intense edge of your seat feeling.
The characters:
Tess, although she goes by her gamer name Angel, is a very damaged character. She doesn't trust anyone, but despite this she wants her life to change and stop running from the things she scared of. I love that we get to see how much Angel grows over the course of the book, and I felt that she was a much stronger person by then end.
At the beginning I really liked Axel or Arion (his gamer name). For the most part he was the perfect guy - hardworking, dedicated to his employees & his family and very protective of Angel. However as the story progressed I felt he was a little too possessive and that bothered me. After everything that Angel has been through she needed someone patient & understanding. Arion's possessive behaviour also brought out his violent streak. And although his violence was never directed at Angel, he did beat up a guy in front of her, and has thoughts like:
"I honestly don’t think I would’ve shed a tear had I killed the guy"
It would only take one moment where he looses control of his anger to hurt her. Later, when Angel clearly tells him she needs space from him he 'lets her go', but ends up following her and watching from his car. Despite the fact that this is to protect her some his actions just didn't sit well me.
The romance:
The romance in this story was different, because it was already established through their online gaming relationship. And although they've never met before in real life they feel a strong connection towards each other. Despite this connection, I felt the romance was a little underdeveloped, because we don't actually see any of their gamer romance. Perhaps a prologue or flash backs could have helped convince me of the depth of their relationship. Once the story progressed I did start to see their connection develop, but it still felt fast because we haven't seen any of their earlier interactions.
The Writing:
I really enjoyed the unique element to this story - online gaming relationships. And while some consider them 'strange', they do happen. I think the author did a great job of showing both sides to this story, with Arion's friends thinking their relationship was weird, while Angel & Arion both show that it is possible. I also felt the suspense aspect of the story was well written too. The climax of the story was very effective and I was completely drawn into the story.
FINAL WORD:
I'm still not sure how I feel about this book - there were certainly elements that I felt could have been improved, however the climax of the story was very strong and had me completely engaged. I also love that it has a non-cliffhanger HEA ending. Overall I did enjoy reading this one, and the unique storyline does make it worth a read.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium / sex scenes (not overly descriptive)
Violence: medium / domestic violence & bashing
Language: medium / some f words
Drugs & alcohol: medium-strong / a character gets drunk, drink spiking
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