A freebie from the Kindle store.
I thought it was great and the heroine was likeable. The opening scene was very funny.
It's fairly short (so a quick read!), but I wish it was longer because it would have allowed for a bit more character development. The first half had good pace, but from the middle and especially towards the end everything just happened too fast.
But nevertheless, it was an entertaining read, and I can't wait to read the second one.
I thought it was great and the heroine was likeable. The opening scene was very funny.
It's fairly short (so a quick read!), but I wish it was longer because it would have allowed for a bit more character development. The first half had good pace, but from the middle and especially towards the end everything just happened too fast.
But nevertheless, it was an entertaining read, and I can't wait to read the second one.
I can actually understand why people are smitten with this book.
And I really, really wanted to like it. I tried so hard.
First of all, it goes on...and on...and on. I can think of at least three places where it should have ended. During the Paris afterparty scene somewhere in the middle I was just about yawning with boredom.
Also, it has what I like to call the Twilight (or 50SoG) formula. Complete with a Jake POV chapter at the end. I'm guessing this is popular now, but really, why retell the same story from another POV? Why not just switch between POVs during the book?
The story was OK. The characters were OK (but I have to say that I really liked the supporting characters, especially Will). And sadly, the whole thing was that - just OK.
That being said, I can't get over one thing and it's a deal breaker for me.Tru cheating on Will completely took away from the story for me. It also took at least half a star from this review, because maybe if I liked the heroine more, I would have liked the book more, too.
The way she does it is vile. Two years of a stable relationship that she seems perfectly happy in at the beginning, thrown away with such recklessness and a "happy birthday".
For starters, I feel like her relationship with Will was completely unnecessary, at least at the time that stuff starts happening between Jake and Tru.
Actually, maybe I would be able to get over the cheating if it weren't for the way she handles the aftermath. The whole hiding away thing, and lying to show more Will, stringing him along when he comes to Paris, having sex with Jake with Will just outside the door, I felt for him so bad.
That is not a likeable heroine to me.
And then, she has the nerve to call Jake out on his supposedly cheating on her. I actually snorted during this part. Why yes, Tru, you are a hypocrite.
Anyways, I just feel like it should have been handled differently, seeing as it did nothing for the story really, quite contrary.
I really wish I liked this more, but there are better love stories out there. show less
And I really, really wanted to like it. I tried so hard.
First of all, it goes on...and on...and on. I can think of at least three places where it should have ended. During the Paris afterparty scene somewhere in the middle I was just about yawning with boredom.
Also, it has what I like to call the Twilight (or 50SoG) formula. Complete with a Jake POV chapter at the end. I'm guessing this is popular now, but really, why retell the same story from another POV? Why not just switch between POVs during the book?
The story was OK. The characters were OK (but I have to say that I really liked the supporting characters, especially Will). And sadly, the whole thing was that - just OK.
That being said, I can't get over one thing and it's a deal breaker for me.
The way she does it is vile. Two years of a stable relationship that she seems perfectly happy in at the beginning, thrown away with such recklessness and a "happy birthday".
For starters, I feel like her relationship with Will was completely unnecessary, at least at the time that stuff starts happening between Jake and Tru.
Actually, maybe I would be able to get over the cheating if it weren't for the way she handles the aftermath. The whole hiding away thing, and lying to
That is not a likeable heroine to me.
And then, she has the nerve to call Jake out on his supposedly cheating on her. I actually snorted during this part. Why yes, Tru, you are a hypocrite.
Anyways, I just feel like it should have been handled differently, seeing as it did nothing for the story really, quite contrary.
I really wish I liked this more, but there are better love stories out there. show less
This is not your typical YA novel. Although I wouldn't normally pick it out myself to read it, I heard great things about it and wanted to see for myself.
I read it in one sitting. It's fairly short, and Tiffany King's writing keeps you engaged the whole time.
The first half of it is great! Wonderful pace, interesting characters, great dialogue.
I especially loved Amy and Rick.
I had issues with Kim and Mason's relationship, as usually, the couple fell in love within weeks while literally exchanging just a couple of sentences during this time. I just feel this cannot be accurate.
Probably the biggest issues I had with it was how they went trekking in that rain completely unprepared. I'm a bit of a hiking/trekking addict and I just had a lot complaints with how they went out there in that weather.
Mason mentions that the hospital is what, close to two hours away from the camp? Doesn't that mean they should be carrying some serious antibiotics with them? What if Alyssa was hurt, and they were stuck out there, wouldn't they need them? I don't know, I'd think of bringing them with me.
Covering up an open wound with the raincoat seemed like such a bad idea to me.
Next, they let Kim go trekking in rain in tennis shoes?! This baffles me to no end. I suppose maybe she didn't have appropriate footwear, but she could have borrowed some. If not, under no circumstances should she have gone with him - it is just not safe. No matter how good your guide you just need proper gear, trekking show more shoes, especially if you are leaving on the most difficult trail in that rain where there's sure to be some serious slippery mud! You need good ankle support and good soles, and waterproof shoes. Mason says that Rick would expect that they wait out the rain out there if it gets too heavy. This means even more extra gear. Extra socks. Cotton balls, vaseline, aluminum foil, flint&steel to start the fire. This should all have been in the emergency backpack.
And seriously, the walkie-talkie thing? It should have been attached to him with a strap or to his waistband or chest, secure under the raincoat, or something. You simply cannot afford to lose it if you have to take it in the first place.
I'm just saying, for someone who claims to be the best guide in the camp, he made a couple of beginner's, very irresponsible mistakes. When they first start out on the trek, he keeps going too fast for her even though he knows she is a beginner, can't keep up and doesn't know the trail. Just, no. It scares me that someone should let him be responsible for 15 year-old boys on trekking trips. This is not the behavior of a good guide.
And then, the second half of the book. The pace was wonderful until after the hospital. Then everything happened way too fast, we didn't have the time to actually get to know the new characters who had potential to be really interesting. Brad and Dan and Car.
Kim's logic of letting Mason come to her while dealing with things like losing a limb and learning to live his life without it was ridiculous. Very egoistical.
However, overall it was a good read and I would recommend it, despite my issues with it - I'm just being nit-picky. show less
I read it in one sitting. It's fairly short, and Tiffany King's writing keeps you engaged the whole time.
The first half of it is great! Wonderful pace, interesting characters, great dialogue.
I especially loved Amy and Rick.
I had issues with Kim and Mason's relationship, as usually, the couple fell in love within weeks while literally exchanging just a couple of sentences during this time. I just feel this cannot be accurate.
Probably the biggest issues I had with it was how they went trekking in that rain completely unprepared. I'm a bit of a hiking/trekking addict and I just had a lot complaints with how they went out there in that weather.
Mason mentions that the hospital is what, close to two hours away from the camp? Doesn't that mean they should be carrying some serious antibiotics with them? What if Alyssa was hurt, and they were stuck out there, wouldn't they need them? I don't know, I'd think of bringing them with me.
Covering up an open wound with the raincoat seemed like such a bad idea to me.
Next, they let Kim go trekking in rain in tennis shoes?! This baffles me to no end. I suppose maybe she didn't have appropriate footwear, but she could have borrowed some. If not, under no circumstances should she have gone with him - it is just not safe. No matter how good your guide you just need proper gear, trekking show more shoes, especially if you are leaving on the most difficult trail in that rain where there's sure to be some serious slippery mud! You need good ankle support and good soles, and waterproof shoes. Mason says that Rick would expect that they wait out the rain out there if it gets too heavy. This means even more extra gear. Extra socks. Cotton balls, vaseline, aluminum foil, flint&steel to start the fire. This should all have been in the emergency backpack.
And seriously, the walkie-talkie thing? It should have been attached to him with a strap or to his waistband or chest, secure under the raincoat, or something. You simply cannot afford to lose it if you have to take it in the first place.
I'm just saying, for someone who claims to be the best guide in the camp, he made a couple of beginner's, very irresponsible mistakes. When they first start out on the trek, he keeps going too fast for her even though he knows she is a beginner, can't keep up and doesn't know the trail. Just, no. It scares me that someone should let him be responsible for 15 year-old boys on trekking trips. This is not the behavior of a good guide.
And then, the second half of the book. The pace was wonderful until after the hospital. Then everything happened way too fast, we didn't have the time to actually get to know the new characters who had potential to be really interesting. Brad and Dan and Car.
Kim's logic of letting Mason come to her while dealing with things like losing a limb and learning to live his life without it was ridiculous. Very egoistical.
However, overall it was a good read and I would recommend it, despite my issues with it - I'm just being nit-picky. show less
I loved this.
Evan is such a no-nonsense heroine, it was refreshing. She doesn't play games, she doesn't make excuses for herself or for Winch, she doesn't play coy. She is just this strong, determined young woman. I loved her.
And Winchester is a great character too, I could completely relate to the way he had all this burden on his shoulders, despite being so young. All that responsibility makes you kind of stop living your life for yourself and live it for everyone else. His family infuriated me.
I did have a problem with the romance aspect of it because it got too intense, too fast. But yeah, I still thought it was sweet.
When I was younger (20-ish, just about past YA but not exactly on level with your regular contemporary romance) I always wished there were more new adult novels out there that I could identify with.
I'm so glad there is now a wide selection of these out there. Liz Reinhardt has a wonderful way of writing, straight to the point, that keeps you engaged the whole time. I can't wait to read her other books.
Evan is such a no-nonsense heroine, it was refreshing. She doesn't play games, she doesn't make excuses for herself or for Winch, she doesn't play coy. She is just this strong, determined young woman. I loved her.
And Winchester is a great character too, I could completely relate to the way he had all this burden on his shoulders, despite being so young. All that responsibility makes you kind of stop living your life for yourself and live it for everyone else. His family infuriated me.
I did have a problem with the romance aspect of it because it got too intense, too fast. But yeah, I still thought it was sweet.
When I was younger (20-ish, just about past YA but not exactly on level with your regular contemporary romance) I always wished there were more new adult novels out there that I could identify with.
I'm so glad there is now a wide selection of these out there. Liz Reinhardt has a wonderful way of writing, straight to the point, that keeps you engaged the whole time. I can't wait to read her other books.
I swear, this was like reading bad Justin Bieber fanfiction.
The story is rushed, the characters are shallow, and it could have used a lot more editing.
The story is rushed, the characters are shallow, and it could have used a lot more editing.
I had some free time yesterday that turned into a free night because I couldn't put this down.
Olivia. I just loved Olivia. When you love a scheming, lying, manipulative bitch like her character is, you know you're reading a good book! What I liked about her is that she knows the kind of person she is. She doesn't make any excuses for herself. It's just the way she is.
I'd say she even blows it out of proportions at times. Obsession is a weird thing.
Like the abortion. I think Jessica would have done it either way. Or when she reacted badly to Caleb cheating on her. I'd be half-mad, too, although not as extreme.
Caleb was such a fun character. I loved him when he was younger, I loved him when he meets her again in the music shop.I kind of called on the whole amnesia thing early-on. Something just didn't add up, and he sort of gave clues about it. He called her Duchess, and he gave her her favorite flowers. If you add that to the whole hiring her as Leah's lawyer, he is a scheming bastard, too, I think.
Together they were so good. I mean, Olivia does have some major issues, and he was always there for her, and they were so good together, from that very first meeting by the tree until the very end. She needed a savior. He was it.
Until he cheated on her. I will not make excuses for him! I think he knew that that was their end, too. That he was to blame for their end, and not her throwing herself on the first person she met when she left. It seemed that he was blaming himself show more when they were in that hotel room. He knew he did wrong, she was just reacting. And he hurt her.
But here's the thing - it's hard loving someone and always feeling like they don't love you back the same way - and not even because she can't, but because she didn't want to! Yeah, she was broken but he did nothing to make her think he would make it worse. He was sweet, caring, patient. I think in the end he gave up on her and them. It broke my heart that he did that, but really, I think she would never have changed if he didn't.
And after everything that happened on that camping trip and everything, she was still the same. She ran away, the coward! I hated her for leaving. It's not like she had anything to lose if she told him the truth, and we know he already knew everything anyways. He should have told her! I hated him for not telling her, for not looking for her harder after she left. Their love was such a waste at this point.
And after learning that he eventually did marry Leah, I gave up on them, too. Too late. Some things you don't get over, and I really didn't think they will recover from this. I saw the ending way before it happened. I knew they won't end up together. I didn't think they deserved to, either. They should have fought harder for their love, they didn't deserve a happily ever after.
Still, when they had that final conversation in Rome, my heart shattered into a million little pieces. It was so final. I felt such strong resentment toward Caleb at that point. He just gave up on them, AGAIN. And to Olivia, because she let him, AGAIN.
Actually, the whole Rome thing was disgusting. Caleb should not be in love with Leah. He shouldn't have been so happy on that balcony with her. He was deceptive towards Leah, as well as Olivia. This is when I finally decided, he is not worthy of either of them, I think. He may have been a good person before, but this settled it for me. That was just low.
What pains me is that the whole thing could have been avoided if only they just talked about it. I hate it when I want to scream at characters - TALK. PLEASE TALK. PLEASE, PLEASE TALK. And they never did. Both of them just settled for the second best. But I'm torn. I'm a HEA kind of person, and at the same time I was reasoning that love should conquer all.
The bittersweet ending just about killed me.
This is a pretty severe reaction from me, that's why this whole review is just a bunch of scattered ramblings. I'm still thinking about it, and it's breaking my heart. I effing loved this book. I didn't expect to like it, though. The blurb put me off, but thanks to a friend here (hi Michele!) urging me to read it, I did. And I'm glad.
The prose is beautiful and skillful, you can see the different levels of maturity in Olivia at different times. You almost feel as obsessed as she is. I felt everything, without being told what to think and feel. It's full of twists and turns you don't see coming. The dialogue was natural and kept the whole thing fast paced.
I see that the sequel is from Leah's POV and continuing the story from where it left off. I didn't exactly hate Leah. She was neither the villain, nor the heroine to me. I hope I get to decide on that in that sequel. So, I'll be reading it.And I hope the Caleb/Olivia story is over. I can't invest myself in their self-destructive relationship again. Maybe I will wait for a couple of reviews before I read it. Probably not.
Expected publication: December 28th 2012
Please tell me this is the correct publication date. Is it December, yet? I don't think I can wait that long! show less
Olivia. I just loved Olivia. When you love a scheming, lying, manipulative bitch like her character is, you know you're reading a good book! What I liked about her is that she knows the kind of person she is. She doesn't make any excuses for herself. It's just the way she is.
I'd say she even blows it out of proportions at times. Obsession is a weird thing.
Caleb was such a fun character. I loved him when he was younger, I loved him when he meets her again in the music shop.
Together they were so good. I mean, Olivia does have some major issues, and he was always there for her, and they were so good together, from that very first meeting by the tree until the very end. She needed a savior. He was it.
But here's the thing - it's hard loving someone and always feeling like they don't love you back the same way - and not even because she can't, but because she didn't want to! Yeah, she was broken but he did nothing to make her think he would make it worse. He was sweet, caring, patient. I think in the end he gave up on her and them. It broke my heart that he did that, but really, I think she would never have changed if he didn't.
And after everything that happened on that camping trip and everything, she was still the same. She ran away, the coward! I hated her for leaving. It's not like she had anything to lose if she told him the truth, and we know he already knew everything anyways. He should have told her! I hated him for not telling her, for not looking for her harder after she left. Their love was such a waste at this point.
And after learning that he eventually did marry Leah, I gave up on them, too. Too late. Some things you don't get over, and I really didn't think they will recover from this. I saw the ending way before it happened. I knew they won't end up together. I didn't think they deserved to, either. They should have fought harder for their love, they didn't deserve a happily ever after.
Still, when they had that final conversation in Rome, my heart shattered into a million little pieces. It was so final. I felt such strong resentment toward Caleb at that point. He just gave up on them, AGAIN. And to Olivia, because she let him, AGAIN.
Actually, the whole Rome thing was disgusting. Caleb should not be in love with Leah. He shouldn't have been so happy on that balcony with her. He was deceptive towards Leah, as well as Olivia. This is when I finally decided, he is not worthy of either of them, I think. He may have been a good person before, but this settled it for me. That was just low.
What pains me is that the whole thing could have been avoided if only they just talked about it. I hate it when I want to scream at characters - TALK. PLEASE TALK. PLEASE, PLEASE TALK. And they never did. Both of them just settled for the second best. But I'm torn. I'm a HEA kind of person, and at the same time I was reasoning that love should conquer all.
The bittersweet ending just about killed me.
This is a pretty severe reaction from me, that's why this whole review is just a bunch of scattered ramblings. I'm still thinking about it, and it's breaking my heart. I effing loved this book. I didn't expect to like it, though. The blurb put me off, but thanks to a friend here (hi Michele!) urging me to read it, I did. And I'm glad.
The prose is beautiful and skillful, you can see the different levels of maturity in Olivia at different times. You almost feel as obsessed as she is. I felt everything, without being told what to think and feel. It's full of twists and turns you don't see coming. The dialogue was natural and kept the whole thing fast paced.
I see that the sequel is from Leah's POV and continuing the story from where it left off. I didn't exactly hate Leah. She was neither the villain, nor the heroine to me. I hope I get to decide on that in that sequel. So, I'll be reading it.
Expected publication: December 28th 2012
Please tell me this is the correct publication date. Is it December, yet? I don't think I can wait that long! show less
"My name is Callum Tate and I m going to take care of you, Harper Bailey.”
And boy, does he ever make good on his words.
I loved Callum & Harper. The story is heartfelt, at times heartbreaking, and leaves you wanting more even though it has a pretty satisfying ending.
I loved the way it was written, the pace is perfect and you are never once bored.
Callum is such a good guy. In one word, he is capable. You have this feeling that whatever he sets out to do, he will do it. I loved the way he took care of Harper and kept an optimistic front for her sake at all times, even when things weren't looking that good.
I had no doubt that Harper would eventually be able to take care of herself but I was glad she had Callum.
Their relationship was heartbreaking. JUST TALK.
The villain of the story is detestable and creepy, and I was constantly scared for both of them.
I'm going to read Thomas & January, too. I can only hope it's as good as this is. I'm officially a Fisher Amelie fan!
And boy, does he ever make good on his words.
I loved Callum & Harper. The story is heartfelt, at times heartbreaking, and leaves you wanting more even though it has a pretty satisfying ending.
I loved the way it was written, the pace is perfect and you are never once bored.
Callum is such a good guy. In one word, he is capable. You have this feeling that whatever he sets out to do, he will do it. I loved the way he took care of Harper and kept an optimistic front for her sake at all times, even when things weren't looking that good.
I had no doubt that Harper would eventually be able to take care of herself but I was glad she had Callum.
Their relationship was heartbreaking. JUST TALK.
The villain of the story is detestable and creepy, and I was constantly scared for both of them.
I'm going to read Thomas & January, too. I can only hope it's as good as this is. I'm officially a Fisher Amelie fan!
I expected this to be something of a cross between fluff and smut. But I don't think I got either! I liked it despite it being your typical boy-meets-girl story.
I mostly liked it because I felt the characters were well thought out and the obstacles they were facing actually made sense. I thought both characters were actually great. And I really loved the horse and car talk :).
I loved Trick's (seriously, best character name, ever) integrity and that he didn't want to start something with her while she was with someone else.It was somewhat of a foreshadowing, but I didn't know what happens in the end so it's not like I realized it at the time.
Cami (I prefer her real name, though, Camille) was just your typical girl with something close to daddy issues.
I didn't like it because...well, the whole love-after-three-sights thing? Authors seriously need to get over this. There is nothing better than reading about characters falling in love over a period of time, it feels real. This? It's more lust. And I approve of that, as long as the I-love-yous don't come after a month. Too intense, too fast.
Overall, I was surprised at how tame this was. When it comes to writing I had the same issues I had with "Down To You". The narrative had short, simple sentences that just felt abrupt. But unlike "Down to You", which was kind of a guilty pleasure, I really really liked, this was just good.
I mostly liked it because I felt the characters were well thought out and the obstacles they were facing actually made sense. I thought both characters were actually great. And I really loved the horse and car talk :).
I loved Trick's (seriously, best character name, ever) integrity and that he didn't want to start something with her while she was with someone else.
Cami (I prefer her real name, though, Camille) was just your typical girl with something close to daddy issues.
I didn't like it because...well, the whole love-after-three-sights thing? Authors seriously need to get over this. There is nothing better than reading about characters falling in love over a period of time, it feels real. This? It's more lust. And I approve of that, as long as the I-love-yous don't come after a month. Too intense, too fast.
Overall, I was surprised at how tame this was. When it comes to writing I had the same issues I had with "Down To You". The narrative had short, simple sentences that just felt abrupt. But unlike "Down to You", which was kind of a guilty pleasure, I really really liked, this was just good.
I love Tammara Webber.
I promise you, nothing in this book will meet your expectations, but I don't mean that in a bad way. It's such a good read. The writing is wonderful, the characters are great.
I have to say I'm a Reid trooper. He seemed like such an unlikely hero. Reading his POV was like watching a train wreck. It was really hard to read. Every time he got a chance to screw up, I was hoping he wouldn't, but the reality is that he wouldn't just change overnight, and Tammara Webber kept crushing my hopes for him. I love his character so much, and I'll be reading the other books just for him. Also, I'm shallow and I love characters named Reid.
I promise you, nothing in this book will meet your expectations, but I don't mean that in a bad way. It's such a good read. The writing is wonderful, the characters are great.
I have to say I'm a Reid trooper. He seemed like such an unlikely hero. Reading his POV was like watching a train wreck. It was really hard to read. Every time he got a chance to screw up, I was hoping he wouldn't, but the reality is that he wouldn't just change overnight, and Tammara Webber kept crushing my hopes for him. I love his character so much, and I'll be reading the other books just for him. Also, I'm shallow and I love characters named Reid.
First thing's first: Shannon McCrimmon can paint a beautiful scene with words. I could see the setting before my eyes. Wonderful prose, I was taken aback. I didn't really expect it to be so good.
However, it was sometimes a bit repetitive, and the author often points out the obvious. Also, I get that Finn is a well-read, smart young woman, but the use of words like "obsequiously" and "acquiesced" was a bit over the top. Why not simplify? But it didn't bother me too much.
Finn's somewhat melancholic voice had me a bit depressed. I completely understood why she was that way, she lived a very sheltered life orchestrated by her controlling mother, and living like that must have been really lonesome and sad. I'm just saying, it really got to me how...lifeless she was. At first she seems like she likes it that way, but soon you realize that she was very unhappy with that life. I loved watching her coming out of that shell and learning to live her life to the fullest.
The whole cast is actually great and colorful. Her grandparents and Jesse, Hannah and Meg, too, even her motherand father . Meg and Hannah were something different than usual in these kinds of books. I loved them.
It's a pretty fast read, with perfect pace so it can be read in one sitting (which is what I did!). I really liked it. I love kindle freebies!
However, it was sometimes a bit repetitive, and the author often points out the obvious. Also, I get that Finn is a well-read, smart young woman, but the use of words like "obsequiously" and "acquiesced" was a bit over the top. Why not simplify? But it didn't bother me too much.
Finn's somewhat melancholic voice had me a bit depressed. I completely understood why she was that way, she lived a very sheltered life orchestrated by her controlling mother, and living like that must have been really lonesome and sad. I'm just saying, it really got to me how...lifeless she was. At first she seems like she likes it that way, but soon you realize that she was very unhappy with that life. I loved watching her coming out of that shell and learning to live her life to the fullest.
The whole cast is actually great and colorful. Her grandparents and Jesse, Hannah and Meg, too, even her mother
It's a pretty fast read, with perfect pace so it can be read in one sitting (which is what I did!). I really liked it. I love kindle freebies!
Oh my god.
I wanted to take a bit of a break from the books I've been reading lately, they were starting to resemble each other. So I'm thinking: Young assassins? Hell yeah!
But I had my fears that this would be somewhat of an over-the-top story, and it wasn't, and I'm so glad I read it.
First of all, I need to talk about Annabelle. I loved how she was portrayed as way more mature than a normal 17 year-old girl would be. Because that is realistic, given the life she lives - she is not a normal teenage girl. She is capable, calculated and efficient, she just gets things done. She doesn't need saving, and she doesn't have obvious issues and drama that need fixing.
And Gabriel. First of all, I love that name. He is a bit of a jerk at the beginning, cocky and arrogant, and the only thing I didn't like about his character was that all of a sudden he turns his life over and stops being the Gabriel that we meet initially. But that's okay. I also liked it that, even though Anna is this highly trained assassin, perfectly capable of taking care of herself (and probably him, too), he's still protective of her.
And I loved Jackson, and I can't wait to read his book. I always love a cynic, and he seems like a huge one!
Max, too, initially I liked him even more than Gabriel. I hope we don't get an angsty Max in the next book. I just really like his character.
And now I need to talk about the story so, spoilers.
I called it on the aunt. Since she was in on everything Gabriel's father was doing, show more it just seemed logical, especially when she acted like he was all legal, given that she was privy to his business. I wish I knew why she did it, though. It took her a while to try and get Gabriel killed. I thought it would have been sooner, and I was starting to doubt my intuition!
Oh, Anna completing the Xavier kill was awesome, I was expecting the author to go a different route from that. Like, she would have a change of heart and stuff, help them all escape or something, but where's the story in that?
What I didn't see coming was Gabriel shooting Anna! OH MY GOD. I literally sprayed my tea all over myself when that happened. I didn't really think she was dead, you know, but still, I was shocked! He gave no inclination that he would do it. The way I saw it I thought maybe they would fight and stuff, and then he'll leave and that's it. BUT NO. He goes BAM! and I'm like WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. It was completely unexpected. (I know this sound incoherent, but it was really how I felt!)
And then when she shot him, I was shocked all over again! I just love the two of them. Most of the time I had no idea what to expect.
I loved it when the Greek guys got her. They were no match for her, really - if they didn't have those tranquilizers it would have been futile to try and get her.
Oh, I also want to say is that April Brookshire is a good writer! She writes good suspense.Like when Anna is trying to do the kill at the Halloween party! My palms were sweaty! I was scared that she would get caught. And then when she actually does it. Coldblooded. It was almost perfect. Or when they see each other for the first time in Paris. Again, almost perfect.
Good dialogue too.
I really can't wait for the second book. I was super excited when I read "winter 2011/2012" and imagine my disappointment when I realized it's not out yet! I want to read Jackson's story and see some more of Anna/Gabriel! show less
I wanted to take a bit of a break from the books I've been reading lately, they were starting to resemble each other. So I'm thinking: Young assassins? Hell yeah!
But I had my fears that this would be somewhat of an over-the-top story, and it wasn't, and I'm so glad I read it.
First of all, I need to talk about Annabelle. I loved how she was portrayed as way more mature than a normal 17 year-old girl would be. Because that is realistic, given the life she lives - she is not a normal teenage girl. She is capable, calculated and efficient, she just gets things done. She doesn't need saving, and she doesn't have obvious issues and drama that need fixing.
And Gabriel. First of all, I love that name. He is a bit of a jerk at the beginning, cocky and arrogant, and the only thing I didn't like about his character was that all of a sudden he turns his life over and stops being the Gabriel that we meet initially. But that's okay. I also liked it that, even though Anna is this highly trained assassin, perfectly capable of taking care of herself (and probably him, too), he's still protective of her.
And I loved Jackson, and I can't wait to read his book. I always love a cynic, and he seems like a huge one!
Max, too, initially I liked him even more than Gabriel. I hope we don't get an angsty Max in the next book. I just really like his character.
And now I need to talk about the story so, spoilers.
Oh, Anna completing the Xavier kill was awesome, I was expecting the author to go a different route from that. Like, she would have a change of heart and stuff, help them all escape or something, but where's the story in that?
What I didn't see coming was Gabriel shooting Anna! OH MY GOD. I literally sprayed my tea all over myself when that happened. I didn't really think she was dead, you know, but still, I was shocked! He gave no inclination that he would do it. The way I saw it I thought maybe they would fight and stuff, and then he'll leave and that's it. BUT NO. He goes BAM! and I'm like WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT. It was completely unexpected. (I know this sound incoherent, but it was really how I felt!)
And then when she shot him, I was shocked all over again! I just love the two of them. Most of the time I had no idea what to expect.
I loved it when the Greek guys got her. They were no match for her, really - if they didn't have those tranquilizers it would have been futile to try and get her.
Oh, I also want to say is that April Brookshire is a good writer! She writes good suspense.
Good dialogue too.
I really can't wait for the second book. I was super excited when I read "winter 2011/2012" and imagine my disappointment when I realized it's not out yet! I want to read Jackson's story and see some more of Anna/Gabriel! show less
Charade is anything but a light read. Both main characters have heavy issues which actually make sense, and they work together to overcome them. I don't think they even realize in the beginning how much they need someone to rely on. At times it's frustrating, at times it's sweet, but mostly it's just heartbreaking.
Chey and Colt are so different that I thought the only relationship they could have is the one they fabricate in the beginning. But really, this book is not about pretending to be together. Over time they become best friends, each other's comfort and they fall in love. It's an opposites attract story where you realize they weren't as opposite as they seem at first.
What I really liked was all the honesty. I know they both kept saying that it's all a game, but in my eyes, they weren't really playing any games. Never once do they pretend or lie to each other, and when they fall in love they still stay honest and play along with their feelings instead of creating some major drama that separates them.
This is so rare in romance, I kept expecting it - some "big misunderstanding" or that they would run off scared, and the author could have so easily fallen into that trap to separate them but she never does and I love her for it. This has the same appeal as [b:Her Best Worst Mistake|13633179|Her Best Worst Mistake|Sarah Mayberry|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336096474s/13633179.jpg|19242891] has for me, because the characters don't let go of the good thing they show more have.
Nyrae Dawn deals with the subjects of abandonment and a dying parent in a respectful way. Colt's feelings watching his mother dying seemed a logical reaction. He is disgusted with himself but can't help it. I wouldn't either. Chey has abandonment issues and keeps everyone at arm's length. Both are deep characters that change during the events of the book, and it's perfectly believable.
The writing is simple but effective. There is nothing I would add or take away. The pace is perfect. The final chapters had me silently weeping.
This is my first time reading a Nyrae Dawn book. I like the way she writes and I will definitely be reading more of her. show less
Chey and Colt are so different that I thought the only relationship they could have is the one they fabricate in the beginning. But really, this book is not about pretending to be together. Over time they become best friends, each other's comfort and they fall in love. It's an opposites attract story where you realize they weren't as opposite as they seem at first.
What I really liked was all the honesty. I know they both kept saying that it's all a game, but in my eyes, they weren't really playing any games. Never once do they pretend or lie to each other, and when they fall in love they still stay honest and play along with their feelings instead of creating some major drama that separates them.
This is so rare in romance, I kept expecting it - some "big misunderstanding" or that they would run off scared, and the author could have so easily fallen into that trap to separate them but she never does and I love her for it. This has the same appeal as [b:Her Best Worst Mistake|13633179|Her Best Worst Mistake|Sarah Mayberry|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336096474s/13633179.jpg|19242891] has for me, because the characters don't let go of the good thing they show more have.
Nyrae Dawn deals with the subjects of abandonment and a dying parent in a respectful way. Colt's feelings watching his mother dying seemed a logical reaction. He is disgusted with himself but can't help it. I wouldn't either. Chey has abandonment issues and keeps everyone at arm's length. Both are deep characters that change during the events of the book, and it's perfectly believable.
The writing is simple but effective. There is nothing I would add or take away. The pace is perfect. The final chapters had me silently weeping.
This is my first time reading a Nyrae Dawn book. I like the way she writes and I will definitely be reading more of her. show less
Oh, this was good!
I only read The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle, and I must say that I wasn't a fan at all! But this changes things drastically.
First of all, it's a great story, a wonderful idea. I honestly didn't see any of the twists and turns coming and every single one of them caught me off guard. The second half of the book is where it gets really interesting, and it turns into a real page turner. You can't guess who the bad guy is, and nothing is as it seems at first, not even the main character. And that's what makes it good.
James struck me as a bit of a naive person in the beginning. I mean, sure, she saves his life but do you really trust a homeless person who seems to keep her mouth shut about her past to let her into your life like that?I know they're supposed to be these star-crossed lovers, but James has been human for a while and has absolutely no recollection of their shared past.
And Lucyna (I don't like the name!), I loved her character, even if at times I thought she was being selfish with James.
I know the romance aspect of it is supposed to be too intense, too fast, so I was okay with it in the end.
But there were things that I didn't like about this, too.
We don't know what it actually was that made Luce change form after the car accident or why. The way the villain was dealt with was kind of anti-climatic. We don't even get to see his downfall, it's a fade-to-black thing.Isabel just shows up and tah-dah. Same thing with James and Luce. They are show more brought back to life when Isabel turns back time. Well, isn't it just convenient that she could just do that? Talk about deus-ex-machina.
I'm still not a fan of her writing style - the author keeps telling you what to think. She is also stating the obvious a lot. There is no real character development and at one point out of the blue we get a James POV which was...convenient, but unnecessary. There were maybe other ways to handle the whole thing. And finally, the book could have used a lot more editing.
But the story won me over and I liked it.
So, an angel story that's not an angel story that's an angel story (I know I'm not making sense. That's how I felt about it, though). I loved it, loved the premise, and the characters. And it turned out to be really good, I'm glad I gave the author another try. show less
I only read The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle, and I must say that I wasn't a fan at all! But this changes things drastically.
First of all, it's a great story, a wonderful idea. I honestly didn't see any of the twists and turns coming and every single one of them caught me off guard. The second half of the book is where it gets really interesting, and it turns into a real page turner. You can't guess who the bad guy is, and nothing is as it seems at first, not even the main character. And that's what makes it good.
James struck me as a bit of a naive person in the beginning. I mean, sure, she saves his life but do you really trust a homeless person who seems to keep her mouth shut about her past to let her into your life like that?
And Lucyna (I don't like the name!), I loved her character, even if at times I thought she was being selfish with James.
I know the romance aspect of it is supposed to be too intense, too fast, so I was okay with it in the end.
But there were things that I didn't like about this, too.
We don't know what it actually was that made Luce change form after the car accident or why. The way the villain was dealt with was kind of anti-climatic. We don't even get to see his downfall, it's a fade-to-black thing.
I'm still not a fan of her writing style - the author keeps telling you what to think. She is also stating the obvious a lot. There is no real character development and at one point out of the blue we get a James POV which was...convenient, but unnecessary. There were maybe other ways to handle the whole thing. And finally, the book could have used a lot more editing.
But the story won me over and I liked it.
So, an angel story that's not an angel story that's an angel story (I know I'm not making sense. That's how I felt about it, though). I loved it, loved the premise, and the characters. And it turned out to be really good, I'm glad I gave the author another try. show less
The blurb had me all excited, I love a good love triangle. Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would.
There is so much unnecessary drama in this I can't even begin to explain.
Robin is a real drama queen. Her lack of self confidence was annoying as hell. She constantly puts herself down how she's just plain and average but for some reason two guys are fighting over her and it baffles her. There is no real development to her character. The way she goes on and on how Drake hurt her and now she's afraid to let Elliott in made me roll my eyes. Dramatic, much? The guy kissed her twice. She was very immature for an 18 year old girl, and she contradicts herself a lot. Needless to say, I didn't like her one bit. She loves Drake, then she loves Elliott, all of it in space of two weeks. Just. No.
Drake was...well, I honestly thought he was such a shallow character the book would have been better if he wasn't in it at all. We don't get to know him, learn anything about him, and he doesn't contribute anything significant to the story, except for being a device for Elliott and Robin to have their fight over. He acts like he couldn't care less about Robin and all of a sudden he's admitting to all these feelings and it was just so random and I couldn't care less about because I disliked his character by this point. The author goes out of her way to make you dislike him from early on portraying him as a douche bag player without a single redeeming quality.
And then Elliott. show more He sees her once and he's madly in love with her and wants to marry her? Again, no. Other than this I liked his personality and character which is why I'm being generous rating-wise. He was a good character.
Another reason I'm giving this more than one star is the ending. She ends up with the good brother and I couldn't help but smile at that. I love a HEA as much as the next person.
If you are looking for a quick, light read with a lot of teenage (unrealistic, though) drama, read this. The premise is good, but to me, the book just didn't deliver. show less
There is so much unnecessary drama in this I can't even begin to explain.
Robin is a real drama queen. Her lack of self confidence was annoying as hell. She constantly puts herself down how she's just plain and average but for some reason two guys are fighting over her and it baffles her. There is no real development to her character. The way she goes on and on how Drake hurt her and now she's afraid to let Elliott in made me roll my eyes. Dramatic, much? The guy kissed her twice. She was very immature for an 18 year old girl, and she contradicts herself a lot. Needless to say, I didn't like her one bit. She loves Drake, then she loves Elliott, all of it in space of two weeks. Just. No.
Drake was...well, I honestly thought he was such a shallow character the book would have been better if he wasn't in it at all. We don't get to know him, learn anything about him, and he doesn't contribute anything significant to the story, except for being a device for Elliott and Robin to have their fight over. He acts like he couldn't care less about Robin and all of a sudden he's admitting to all these feelings and it was just so random and I couldn't care less about because I disliked his character by this point. The author goes out of her way to make you dislike him from early on portraying him as a douche bag player without a single redeeming quality.
And then Elliott. show more He sees her once and he's madly in love with her and wants to marry her? Again, no. Other than this I liked his personality and character which is why I'm being generous rating-wise. He was a good character.
Another reason I'm giving this more than one star is the ending. She ends up with the good brother and I couldn't help but smile at that. I love a HEA as much as the next person.
If you are looking for a quick, light read with a lot of teenage (unrealistic, though) drama, read this. The premise is good, but to me, the book just didn't deliver. show less
I would give five stars to the story. It was new and kind of different than anything I've read lately. There was "the big misunderstanding" that I hate so much but it actually fit the story for once and I loved the way the author dealt with it. The story was a bit slow at times, and it didn't really have a high peak, that moment you wait for the whole time you read a book, but I didn't mind. It was a sweet story, told in a sweet way, with a bit of a cliffhanger in the end (that I thought wasn't really necessary, but anyways).
I loved Leah and the way she handled everything life threw her way. She is strong and capable. Her love and care for Caleb was touching, and she was suitably mature for her age considering everything. I related to her on a personal level, too, which is why I liked her so much and found her a believable character.
And Chase is wonderful, perfect in every way but it's not unrealistic. Don't be fooled by the blurb, because Chase is not a bad boy. He is actually a really good guy, and during the whole book he did everything perfect. His family is loving and wonderful and it's no wonder he was such a nice guy.
(Is there a prejudice that because someone has tattoos and piercings, they're automatically a bad boy/bad girl? This is so wrong.)
The romance is sweet, and there was obvious chemistry between Chase and Leah.
Actually, as I write this, I'm even contemplating giving it five stars, but I just can't justify that. The book is not just about the story, is show more it?
The writing is awful. It's full of grammar and spelling mistakes that I'm pretty sure nobody went over twice (or even once) to fix. There's a considerable lack of proper punctuation.
I'm downright offended that the author let someone pay $4.99 (Kindle price for me) to read something like this. I'm trying not to be harsh, but I just can't help myself, it really was that awful. It was full of the usual they're/their/there and it's/its and your/you're mistakes, a lot of who's/whose and it also had one of my biggest pet peeves - the would of/should of. This is just wrong.
It doesn't just happen once, it goes on and on throughout the book and after maybe the tenth time I realized that they're not so much of typos or slip-ups, but that the author actually cannot use them properly. There are also these never ending sentences and improper use of tenses, and a bunch of repetitive sentences that sort of just up the word count without really telling you anything new.
Here's an example
...you'll see when we get there, we probably have about two hours in the car before we get there. We'll get there... (Chapter 16)
See what I mean?
I know the temptation of self-publishing, of just putting something together and putting it out there, but I expect to be treated with respect as a reader and I didn't see it here. It could have used a lot more work, and an impossible amount of editing.
So, with five stars for the story, and a one measly star for writing, it goes down to three stars and I think I'm being generous. The author does have talent for storytelling and I hope she keeps writing, but I'm also hoping that next time she will pay much more attention to these things. I'm also looking forward to see what happens next in their story. show less
I loved Leah and the way she handled everything life threw her way. She is strong and capable. Her love and care for Caleb was touching, and she was suitably mature for her age considering everything. I related to her on a personal level, too, which is why I liked her so much and found her a believable character.
And Chase is wonderful, perfect in every way but it's not unrealistic. Don't be fooled by the blurb, because Chase is not a bad boy. He is actually a really good guy, and during the whole book he did everything perfect. His family is loving and wonderful and it's no wonder he was such a nice guy.
(Is there a prejudice that because someone has tattoos and piercings, they're automatically a bad boy/bad girl? This is so wrong.)
The romance is sweet, and there was obvious chemistry between Chase and Leah.
Actually, as I write this, I'm even contemplating giving it five stars, but I just can't justify that. The book is not just about the story, is show more it?
The writing is awful. It's full of grammar and spelling mistakes that I'm pretty sure nobody went over twice (or even once) to fix. There's a considerable lack of proper punctuation.
I'm downright offended that the author let someone pay $4.99 (Kindle price for me) to read something like this. I'm trying not to be harsh, but I just can't help myself, it really was that awful. It was full of the usual they're/their/there and it's/its and your/you're mistakes, a lot of who's/whose and it also had one of my biggest pet peeves - the would of/should of. This is just wrong.
It doesn't just happen once, it goes on and on throughout the book and after maybe the tenth time I realized that they're not so much of typos or slip-ups, but that the author actually cannot use them properly. There are also these never ending sentences and improper use of tenses, and a bunch of repetitive sentences that sort of just up the word count without really telling you anything new.
Here's an example
...you'll see when we get there, we probably have about two hours in the car before we get there. We'll get there... (Chapter 16)
See what I mean?
I know the temptation of self-publishing, of just putting something together and putting it out there, but I expect to be treated with respect as a reader and I didn't see it here. It could have used a lot more work, and an impossible amount of editing.
So, with five stars for the story, and a one measly star for writing, it goes down to three stars and I think I'm being generous. The author does have talent for storytelling and I hope she keeps writing, but I'm also hoping that next time she will pay much more attention to these things. I'm also looking forward to see what happens next in their story. show less
What I really liked about this is how you have a character that is literally missing from the whole book still have such strong presence in it that you can't help but love him.
It is very rare in YA that we get to read a whole book from hero's POV, and this is another thing that is amazing about this book.
Ryan is such a sweetheart, a truly lovable, colorful character that has so many layers it's unbelievable. You can't help but fall in love a little with him. I thought he handled his best friend's death, his whole family situation, as well as the Chrissie thing in a very mature way. It's a lot for a teenager to take on, but he never thinks twice about it.
The way he blamed himself for Michael's death was killing me.
The title change of this book makes sense to me - the book is not that much about Emily as it is about Ryan and his struggling with these issues, the least important being his relationship with her. And while I think Emily helped him through all of it, I'm almost certain he would have pulled through even without her, he is just that guy. As a matter of fact, I found Emily to be the overbearing-girlfriend at times, so I wasn't always a fan.
I fell in love with the way it was written - the pace was perfect, the dialogue was flowing naturally, and most importantly, the characters were believable and three-dimensional.
It is very rare in YA that we get to read a whole book from hero's POV, and this is another thing that is amazing about this book.
Ryan is such a sweetheart, a truly lovable, colorful character that has so many layers it's unbelievable. You can't help but fall in love a little with him. I thought he handled his best friend's death, his whole family situation, as well as the Chrissie thing in a very mature way. It's a lot for a teenager to take on, but he never thinks twice about it.
The way he blamed himself for Michael's death was killing me.
The title change of this book makes sense to me - the book is not that much about Emily as it is about Ryan and his struggling with these issues, the least important being his relationship with her. And while I think Emily helped him through all of it, I'm almost certain he would have pulled through even without her, he is just that guy. As a matter of fact, I found Emily to be the overbearing-girlfriend at times, so I wasn't always a fan.
I fell in love with the way it was written - the pace was perfect, the dialogue was flowing naturally, and most importantly, the characters were believable and three-dimensional.
Hm. I am so torn about this. It's a pretty cookie-cutter story and that's what I didn't like about it. But on the other hand, I did like the way the story unfolded (at least until...a certain issue I never like in books). And while the characters were also pretty cookie-cutter, the issues they deal with and the way they deal with them were not, and all of them were pretty well developed. I loved the dynamic between the girls. Guys, eh...didn't feel it as much. The chemistry between Chris and Mia was great, though!
What is different about this is that Chris is not saved by the power of love, as often characters are in books like these (think Christian Grey, Gideon Cross, or whatshisname from The Mighty Storm - Jake something). He actually seeks professional help and in the end he still hasn't worked his issues out. Mia doesn't believe she can save him with some TLC alone, the way heroines often do. She calls him out on his bullshit all the time, which I really liked, because she didn't come of as a sad, pathetic, lovesick puppy willing to do anything to be with him.
So, you know, it actually felt realistic.
Another thing I liked is that they don't just fall in love at first sight - I'd say they start off by disliking each other, they weren't even together that much. There's some serious attraction, but it's well over half of book when anything serious even happens between them.
Though, I couldn't shake off this feeling that the only reason he was falling for her was that she show more took his nightmares away and he somehow made it out in his head to be more than it was. What if she didn't? And why did that happen anyways?
And his dependency on her to get through the night was unsettling (and the way he went about it, barging into her room, manhandling her, etc. - seriously, not cool. I can't approve of this.) I was happier when he agreed to seek help (even if he was reluctant).
I wasn't a fan of the whole pregnancy thing, but I'm usually not. It slowed the story down so much and it got boring. But! I wasn't really put off by it, and that's a first.
I just feel that often authors invent a baby in order to force the characters to stay together and work through those issues and that's what it felt like here too.
If there wasn't a baby, would they ever get (back, or at all) together? I'm not so sure.
I won't talk about the continuity/editing issues I found because I believe the author will fix this eventually. Actually, some of them made me laugh :) - it happens when you read a funny constructed sentence at 5 in the morning.
So yeah, I can't agree with people saying this was like 50SoG (although there's the whole inner whore inner horny teenager thing in this too, which made me gag) or Bared to You, or Beautiful Disaster, or whatever, because the author actually takes the time to let the characters fall in love, work through their issues, and she doesn't just invent a solution to all their problems and tah-dah, happy ending. Oh, speaking of which, the ending was kind of anti-climatic, like she wanted to continue the story instead of ending it. It just wasn't a this is why I read this book ending that leaves you wanting more.
So yeah, if you're into this kind of story, rock stars, heroes with troubled pasts, etc, I'd definitely recommend the book. Just be prepared to suffer through a lot of unedited writing that will make you cringe at times (or laugh. whichever.) show less
What is different about this is that Chris is not saved by the power of love, as often characters are in books like these (think Christian Grey, Gideon Cross, or whatshisname from The Mighty Storm - Jake something). He actually seeks professional help and in the end he still hasn't worked his issues out. Mia doesn't believe she can save him with some TLC alone, the way heroines often do. She calls him out on his bullshit all the time, which I really liked, because she didn't come of as a sad, pathetic, lovesick puppy willing to do anything to be with him.
So, you know, it actually felt realistic.
Another thing I liked is that they don't just fall in love at first sight - I'd say they start off by disliking each other, they weren't even together that much. There's some serious attraction, but it's well over half of book when anything serious even happens between them.
Though, I couldn't shake off this feeling that the only reason he was falling for her was that she show more took his nightmares away and he somehow made it out in his head to be more than it was. What if she didn't? And why did that happen anyways?
And his dependency on her to get through the night was unsettling (and the way he went about it, barging into her room, manhandling her, etc. - seriously, not cool. I can't approve of this.) I was happier when he agreed to seek help (even if he was reluctant).
I just feel that often authors invent a baby in order to force the characters to stay together and work through those issues and that's what it felt like here too.
If there wasn't a baby, would they ever get (back, or at all) together? I'm not so sure.
I won't talk about the continuity/editing issues I found because I believe the author will fix this eventually. Actually, some of them made me laugh :) - it happens when you read a funny constructed sentence at 5 in the morning.
So yeah, I can't agree with people saying this was like 50SoG (although there's the whole inner whore inner horny teenager thing in this too, which made me gag) or Bared to You, or Beautiful Disaster, or whatever, because the author actually takes the time to let the characters fall in love, work through their issues, and she doesn't just invent a solution to all their problems and tah-dah, happy ending. Oh, speaking of which, the ending was kind of anti-climatic, like she wanted to continue the story instead of ending it. It just wasn't a this is why I read this book ending that leaves you wanting more.
So yeah, if you're into this kind of story, rock stars, heroes with troubled pasts, etc, I'd definitely recommend the book. Just be prepared to suffer through a lot of unedited writing that will make you cringe at times (or laugh. whichever.) show less
I've been meaning to read the other Anne Eliot's book, Almost, but never got to it. However, this came highly recommended by a friend, and the blurb sounded promising, so I immediately pushed everything else and started reading this.
The book is cute, funny and heartbreaking, all at the same time. I was literally cracking up, sighing in contentment and fighting tears throughout the whole book. My whole face was hurting from so much smiling in the end.
The two main characters are both so convinced they are less than what they really are, it was painful to read.
Hunter's depression seemed very real, and the way he was dealing with it, before and after the...accident was very realistic. This isn't a light read, even if you don't have any history of depression, just know that Anne Eliot captured the feel of it perfectly.
The thing I liked about Hunter was his honesty throughout the book. I thought he wouldn't admit to his feelings, leave and hope to get over it, and it was so awesome to see the author do the complete opposite. I have hope that a real person would do exactly what he did.
But what the author did perfectly is show Hunter as a normal teenage boy despite his celebrity status, and I love her for that. Often celebrity bad boys in books are presented as some untouchable gods and then a girl comes along and they change their personality completely because of her. Well, not here. Hunter really is a decent, normal teenage boy, with some major issues, and I never had a show more feeling that his fame got to his head so much. We see this in the whole "asset" conversation he has with Vere. It is what it is. He just liked his music.
Vere's issues are minor to Hunter's but I know to her they were huge. She is so extremely shy you feel shy for her when she gets herself in one of those situations. Her fixation on Curtis was hilarious.
The evolution of their relationship was really natural. It was delightful watching Hunter fall head over heels for Vere. She is like a ray of sunshine and he learns to appreciate and need her like that.
The book is written in a simple, but elegant way and the alternating POV fit really well with it. The character development and the pace are perfect. I'm not just talking about Vere and Hunter, all of the characters have some real depth, even if they're not so much in the book. I wouldn't change a thing about it, really. The ending is swoon worthy.
I'm definitely going back to read Almost soon. show less
The book is cute, funny and heartbreaking, all at the same time. I was literally cracking up, sighing in contentment and fighting tears throughout the whole book. My whole face was hurting from so much smiling in the end.
The two main characters are both so convinced they are less than what they really are, it was painful to read.
Hunter's depression seemed very real, and the way he was dealing with it, before and after the...accident was very realistic. This isn't a light read, even if you don't have any history of depression, just know that Anne Eliot captured the feel of it perfectly.
The thing I liked about Hunter was his honesty throughout the book. I thought he wouldn't admit to his feelings, leave and hope to get over it, and it was so awesome to see the author do the complete opposite. I have hope that a real person would do exactly what he did.
But what the author did perfectly is show Hunter as a normal teenage boy despite his celebrity status, and I love her for that. Often celebrity bad boys in books are presented as some untouchable gods and then a girl comes along and they change their personality completely because of her. Well, not here. Hunter really is a decent, normal teenage boy, with some major issues, and I never had a show more feeling that his fame got to his head so much. We see this in the whole "asset" conversation he has with Vere. It is what it is. He just liked his music.
Vere's issues are minor to Hunter's but I know to her they were huge. She is so extremely shy you feel shy for her when she gets herself in one of those situations. Her fixation on Curtis was hilarious.
The evolution of their relationship was really natural. It was delightful watching Hunter fall head over heels for Vere. She is like a ray of sunshine and he learns to appreciate and need her like that.
The book is written in a simple, but elegant way and the alternating POV fit really well with it. The character development and the pace are perfect. I'm not just talking about Vere and Hunter, all of the characters have some real depth, even if they're not so much in the book. I wouldn't change a thing about it, really. The ending is swoon worthy.
I'm definitely going back to read Almost soon. show less
WHAT? WHAT?
I don't feel like my thoughts are coherent enough to even write this review but I have to talk about it somewhere!
This is, hands down, one of the best books I've read this year! Not just because of how original, emotional and brilliant the story is, and not because I'm a huge sucker for road-trip/traveling stories, but it's written in exactly the way I like it and I am just blown away by it.
Actually, I'm writing this on zero sleep because I got the "one more chapter" disease reading it - I really just wanted to read the first chapter while getting ready to go to bed to see if I'd like it...and see how that turned out!
Andrew is the perfect hero! I have never said this before, and probably never will again, but yeah, he really was perfect. He is a genuinely nice guy with just the right amount of cockiness, but there are just so many more layers than that to his character. You seriously can't help but fall in love with him and everything about him!
I loved Cam, too. She is strong but fragile at the same time, and honestly, I admired her bravery to just get away from everything and leave. I love it that she breaks all her rules and doesn't fight herself breaking them.
And I loved their banter and camaraderie, the way they were teasing each other (the pool playing scene? brilliant.) the chemistry between Cam and Andrew was just...perfect. Somehow their relationship progressed in very realistic way and I really really liked that.
So many feelings about this.
You don't show more see the twist coming at all, at least not one like that. I mean, I guessed there was something going on, but it kind of all comes crashing down when you least expect it with a BAM! and it's a lot to take in.
The last two chapters made me gasp and cry in turns.
At one point I started toying with the idea that there is some secret authors' agenda to stop giving their characters a HEA since I've read so many books with sad endings lately.
No, I actually have to say it: when I read the end of that letter I was sobbing so hard it was hard for me to breathe. Then the last chapter starts and it's so melancholic and then...then I started crying even harder because yeah, b l o w n a w a y...happy tears, though.
I mean, just wow. The pacing of this is perfect, the switching of POV was unexpected but welcomed - I was concerned about this in the beginning, but really, the author handles it perfectly, she gives these two characters two completely different voices! Oh and yeah, some of the best sex scenes I've read in a while.
I haven't read anything by J.A. Redmerski before but I will definitely try to, now that I've seen what she can do! show less
I don't feel like my thoughts are coherent enough to even write this review but I have to talk about it somewhere!
This is, hands down, one of the best books I've read this year! Not just because of how original, emotional and brilliant the story is, and not because I'm a huge sucker for road-trip/traveling stories, but it's written in exactly the way I like it and I am just blown away by it.
Actually, I'm writing this on zero sleep because I got the "one more chapter" disease reading it - I really just wanted to read the first chapter while getting ready to go to bed to see if I'd like it...and see how that turned out!
Andrew is the perfect hero! I have never said this before, and probably never will again, but yeah, he really was perfect. He is a genuinely nice guy with just the right amount of cockiness, but there are just so many more layers than that to his character. You seriously can't help but fall in love with him and everything about him!
I loved Cam, too. She is strong but fragile at the same time, and honestly, I admired her bravery to just get away from everything and leave. I love it that she breaks all her rules and doesn't fight herself breaking them.
And I loved their banter and camaraderie, the way they were teasing each other (the pool playing scene? brilliant.) the chemistry between Cam and Andrew was just...perfect. Somehow their relationship progressed in very realistic way and I really really liked that.
So many feelings about this.
You don't show more see the twist coming at all, at least not one like that. I mean, I guessed there was something going on, but it kind of all comes crashing down when you least expect it with a BAM! and it's a lot to take in.
The last two chapters made me gasp and cry in turns.
No, I actually have to say it: when I read the end of that letter I was sobbing so hard it was hard for me to breathe. Then the last chapter starts and it's so melancholic and then...then I started crying even harder because yeah, b l o w n a w a y...happy tears, though.
I mean, just wow. The pacing of this is perfect, the switching of POV was unexpected but welcomed - I was concerned about this in the beginning, but really, the author handles it perfectly, she gives these two characters two completely different voices! Oh and yeah, some of the best sex scenes I've read in a while.
I haven't read anything by J.A. Redmerski before but I will definitely try to, now that I've seen what she can do! show less
I am a bad, bad, bad person.
At the ending I thought:So, Rhye. One down, one to go. Our time will come, Rhye.
I know, I know! I picked a side right away, and that's never a good thing!
This was such a good book, and with a little more editing it could have been perfect. But I'll get to that later.
First I want to say that I loved all the characters. They could have been a bit more developed but since it's such a short read I didn't expect them even this good.
Jay is such a strong girl. The things she went through...ugh, honestly, I'd be scared out of my mind of that creep. I understood her need to have control over things in her life, and my heart ached for her because she alienated herself from everyone. She is so intense!
The chemistry between her and Kane was great, although I had my usual too intense, too fast issue with their relationship, but even the characters admit it's like that. And then there was also JT (what's his real name? I keep thinking the one and only Justin Timberlake!) and I loved his character, and the two of them together made so much sense andI even shed a tear when he died! I promise I did! I'm not a horrible person.
But the one that stole my heart was Rhye. When you read it, you'll see why. There's just something about a bad boy reformed, and falling in love and I guess I was just in that mood today. Like I said, I picked a side right away. I wish we saw more of him. He ended up being what she needed him to be in the end.But I still have hope!!! You show more see, he was the only one that put her first (well, he wasn't, but I'm giving him credit for it because I liked him! I'm being a proper fangirl here!) and called JT to take care of her. He read her like an open book, knowing she wanted to commit suicide and that something was off about her, and who it was that she needed in the end. My heart ached for him when he gave her up to be happy :(. It was so selfless of him.
I just liked his character so much.
Now, what I meant about the writing and editing is...there were a couple of grammar/spelling mistakes, but nothing I can't overlook. Dialogue could have used proper punctuation so that I wouldn't have to stop and mentally put it there, but that's okay, too - it's a self-published book and I didn't expect it to be perfect. What I minded was switching between past and present narration, sometimes even in the same sentence. It's confusing. I'd understand if it was a flashback, but it wasn't.
However, seeing as this is Nicole Reed's debut, there's really no way but up.
It's a wonderful story, maybe a bit crammed with issues,rape, teenage pregnancy, absent parents, underage drinking, drugs, promiscuity, abortion, depression, suicide and death all in one , but I think the author dealt with it all in a good, respectful way. I definitely recommend this to everyone. I can't wait for the sequel.
I have to say I disagree with the cover, though. Definitely don't judge it by the cover. show less
At the ending I thought:
I know, I know! I picked a side right away, and that's never a good thing!
This was such a good book, and with a little more editing it could have been perfect. But I'll get to that later.
First I want to say that I loved all the characters. They could have been a bit more developed but since it's such a short read I didn't expect them even this good.
Jay is such a strong girl. The things she went through...ugh, honestly, I'd be scared out of my mind of that creep. I understood her need to have control over things in her life, and my heart ached for her because she alienated herself from everyone. She is so intense!
The chemistry between her and Kane was great, although I had my usual too intense, too fast issue with their relationship, but even the characters admit it's like that. And then there was also JT (what's his real name? I keep thinking the one and only Justin Timberlake!) and I loved his character, and the two of them together made so much sense and
But the one that stole my heart was Rhye. When you read it, you'll see why. There's just something about a bad boy reformed, and falling in love and I guess I was just in that mood today. Like I said, I picked a side right away. I wish we saw more of him. He ended up being what she needed him to be in the end.
I just liked his character so much.
Now, what I meant about the writing and editing is...there were a couple of grammar/spelling mistakes, but nothing I can't overlook. Dialogue could have used proper punctuation so that I wouldn't have to stop and mentally put it there, but that's okay, too - it's a self-published book and I didn't expect it to be perfect. What I minded was switching between past and present narration, sometimes even in the same sentence. It's confusing. I'd understand if it was a flashback, but it wasn't.
However, seeing as this is Nicole Reed's debut, there's really no way but up.
It's a wonderful story, maybe a bit crammed with issues,
I have to say I disagree with the cover, though. Definitely don't judge it by the cover. show less
Aw, this was seriously too cute.
Both Dylan and Ziah are wonderful characters and there is some great chemistry between them. Their friendship is so effortless even though they are trying to resist it in the beginning, and then, once things start to happen it was lovely to read. I was left wanting more in the end, I must confess.
Nyrae Dawn really does write some of the best male characters.
I also loved Derrick and Lora, they were so adorable together.
I won't boast about either author because I've already done that before - but just know, this is them at their best. Writing quirky, interesting characters and a story laced with humor but at the same time it's not just a light read.
Both Dylan and Ziah are wonderful characters and there is some great chemistry between them. Their friendship is so effortless even though they are trying to resist it in the beginning, and then, once things start to happen it was lovely to read. I was left wanting more in the end, I must confess.
Nyrae Dawn really does write some of the best male characters.
I also loved Derrick and Lora, they were so adorable together.
I won't boast about either author because I've already done that before - but just know, this is them at their best. Writing quirky, interesting characters and a story laced with humor but at the same time it's not just a light read.
For some reason I had really high expectations for this. I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it and I really hoped the book is just as good.
Severine is an independent and strong young woman, but I can see how her world was turned upside down when she met the Sloan brothers. She has all these walls built up around her, and I totally blame the mother - nobody should go through their life that cut off from the world. I really liked her even if at some point I wanted to smack her on the head repeatedly. I just didn't get her in that way -why she went for Mac instead of Thayer in the first place. It was pretty obvious they were meant to be but okay .
I liked Mac in the beginning. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I liked him in the whole book. Macsen has issues, and I can't even begin to explain how heartbreaking it was finally learning the story of Sloan family and why they were so at each other, but Macsen is the one that I think carried the heaviest burden of them all. So in the end I really felt for him even when I tried not to. I actually loved Severine and Macsen together, they had an easy relationship. He has this calm about his character that just seemed to work for Severine's.
Thayer, on the other hand, is just so intense, a complete opposite. The chemistry between him and Severine was amazing! I swear the sparks were flying from my reader. And once they finally got together it was everything I thought it would be! They were so real with each show more other, I loved that - and I kept wishing Severine would just let go of all her doubts and indecision and go for it. The second half of the book is my more favorite half, I have to say. Everything about him was wonderful. My favorite scene is probably the whole basketball game bit! I went back to re-read that when I was done.
And I was so pleased with the ending! Like I said, to me, these two were really meant to be and I was glad when they found their way back to each other.
I'm not usually a fan of siblings-in-love-triangles stories for obvious reasons but I'll say I really loved this. The writing style is...can I just take a wild guess that English is not author's mother language?I'm trying to check it on her site and here on GR but there's nothing about where she's from. I'm not guessing this just because of the writing but also because there were a couple of references that a European would make...but I could be way off base here.
Anyways, it was very simplistic in style but I didn't mind one bit - I'll take a short and simple sentence over a never-ending one every day of the week. Honestly, sometimes all the flowery writing can get exhausting, so this was refreshing to read - and it's somehow unique, too. I've never read something like this. The dialogue, for example, is great in this sense. I'd quote some things here but I'm afraid they're spoilerish.
Overall I'd say that if you love a good love triangle, a strong female character, and two swoon worthy heroes, then I definitely recommend this! The author gives you a couple of teasers for the sequel - and now I'm dying here wondering what will happen. I'll be super mad if...she ruins Severine/Thayer for me!!! So let's just agree you won't do that to me, Calia Read. So yeah, looking forward to the next book. show less
Severine is an independent and strong young woman, but I can see how her world was turned upside down when she met the Sloan brothers. She has all these walls built up around her, and I totally blame the mother - nobody should go through their life that cut off from the world. I really liked her even if at some point I wanted to smack her on the head repeatedly. I just didn't get her in that way -
I liked Mac in the beginning. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I liked him in the whole book. Macsen has issues, and I can't even begin to explain how heartbreaking it was finally learning the story of Sloan family and why they were so at each other, but Macsen is the one that I think carried the heaviest burden of them all. So in the end I really felt for him even when I tried not to. I actually loved Severine and Macsen together, they had an easy relationship. He has this calm about his character that just seemed to work for Severine's.
Thayer, on the other hand, is just so intense, a complete opposite. The chemistry between him and Severine was amazing! I swear the sparks were flying from my reader. And once they finally got together it was everything I thought it would be! They were so real with each show more other, I loved that - and I kept wishing Severine would just let go of all her doubts and indecision and go for it. The second half of the book is my more favorite half, I have to say. Everything about him was wonderful. My favorite scene is probably the whole basketball game bit! I went back to re-read that when I was done.
I'm not usually a fan of siblings-in-love-triangles stories for obvious reasons but I'll say I really loved this. The writing style is...can I just take a wild guess that English is not author's mother language?
Anyways, it was very simplistic in style but I didn't mind one bit - I'll take a short and simple sentence over a never-ending one every day of the week. Honestly, sometimes all the flowery writing can get exhausting, so this was refreshing to read - and it's somehow unique, too. I've never read something like this. The dialogue, for example, is great in this sense. I'd quote some things here but I'm afraid they're spoilerish.
Overall I'd say that if you love a good love triangle, a strong female character, and two swoon worthy heroes, then I definitely recommend this! The author gives you a couple of teasers for the sequel - and now I'm dying here wondering what will happen. I'll be super mad if...
I took my sweet, sweet time with this because it was so wonderful. I ~think I haven't read Sarra Manning before, but somehow I had high expectations which were not only met but exceeded!
Amazing writing, great chemistry between Max and Neve - wonderful, realistic, lovable characters that you really get to know and love inside and out - and I'm not only talking about Neve, but you get to know Max so good as if the author wrote the book from his POV as well! The story grips you from the very beginning and really, I thought they were doomed because of the way how things started between them.
Neve has so many body image issues (understandably) but not in an annoying way that I usually find these heroines to be. While she does wallow in self-pity and has a bit of a problem with instant-gratification, she is determined to reach her goal and finally find that happy place even if at first she has this huge misconception of what happiness should be for her. Actually, my heart was breaking for her every time she would talk in such a condescending way about herself, or let Charlotte get to her!
And Max...where do I even begin? I loved him - everything I thought he would do, everything I usually expect in a book like this from the hero, he did something completely different and I loved that so much because he kept surprising me. He never really gives up on her, even when she was at her lowest (or meanest. Or stupidest.) The author completely makes you change your opinion on him from show more their first encounter by the end.
The book spans over a time period of five months and this was great, there's none of that insta-love nonsense which makes it believable.
I have to say I'm glad I gave this a chance. It's not very chick-lit-y, in my opinion it's not as light as I like them to be. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes (that are actually awesome!) so be warned if you like your chick-lit clean. Overall, a wonderful book which I would recommend everyone read! show less
Amazing writing, great chemistry between Max and Neve - wonderful, realistic, lovable characters that you really get to know and love inside and out - and I'm not only talking about Neve, but you get to know Max so good as if the author wrote the book from his POV as well! The story grips you from the very beginning and really, I thought they were doomed because of the way how things started between them.
Neve has so many body image issues (understandably) but not in an annoying way that I usually find these heroines to be. While she does wallow in self-pity and has a bit of a problem with instant-gratification, she is determined to reach her goal and finally find that happy place even if at first she has this huge misconception of what happiness should be for her. Actually, my heart was breaking for her every time she would talk in such a condescending way about herself, or let Charlotte get to her!
And Max...where do I even begin? I loved him - everything I thought he would do, everything I usually expect in a book like this from the hero, he did something completely different and I loved that so much because he kept surprising me. He never really gives up on her, even when she was at her lowest (or meanest. Or stupidest.) The author completely makes you change your opinion on him from show more their first encounter by the end.
The book spans over a time period of five months and this was great, there's none of that insta-love nonsense which makes it believable.
I have to say I'm glad I gave this a chance. It's not very chick-lit-y, in my opinion it's not as light as I like them to be. There are a couple of graphic sex scenes (that are actually awesome!) so be warned if you like your chick-lit clean. Overall, a wonderful book which I would recommend everyone read! show less
First I want to say that I've stumbled upon Cassandra P. Lewis somehow through Twitter, announcing the book is a freebie in the Kindle store. She won me over with her eagerness and since the story sounded interesting and I wanted to give it a shot. The cover makes me cringe, though, I am not a fan, at all, and if I was judging it by the cover I'd never have picked it up!
She wrote a good book. It lacked in some departments, and felt more like a first draft - amateurish writing, heavily unedited, a lot of never-ending sentences, and the dialogue could have used work, but all in all it was an okay read and I can tell that Cassandra P. Lewis has a talent for story telling. I am positive that with a bit more work on it, it would have been infinitely better.
The story is thought through and while parts of it were unrealistic -mainly the thing about Rosie writing a novel, sending it to her publisher and having it published within a month-or two, I'm not sure, but either way a serious publisher would never send the book to print straight from the author, or at least I don't think so - overall it's a cute love story with a satisfying ending.
She does create an array of interesting characters that all bring something to the story, Rosie's best friend Pippa and her brother Rafe especially. Even Michael, Rosie's controlling, dull ex-fiancee.
Both Rosie and Jackson are somewhat contradictory to themselves but I won't hold it against the author as I've seen it done before by authors with show more more experience and credit. There is obvious chemistry between the two main characters, and I'd also say that the author succeeded in giving them different voices in alternating POV. I'm glad to say that the story wasn't as predictable as stories like these usually are. Jackson does something I wouldn't expect in a sugary story as this, and then Rosie does something I didn't expect, either.
Speaking of which, Rosie is so great. She is strong and whatever happens she doesn't really let it bring her down for too long. I loved her romance-author side, she tries to see love in everything. After the betrayal she picks herself up and moves on with her life, and doesn't endlessly mope around.
Jackson is a commitment-phobe and stays true to his character until the very end. I liked that a lot. I also found his issue to not be as...as big deal as he was making it out to be, but I guess it was to him.
So yeah, I'd say there's more to this indie author than I expected. Like I said, I was won over by her enthusiasm in her tweets, but I'd say even without that I'd like this story enough to give it this three star rating. I'm glad I gave it a chance. Keep writing, Cassandra Lewis, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with next! show less
She wrote a good book. It lacked in some departments, and felt more like a first draft - amateurish writing, heavily unedited, a lot of never-ending sentences, and the dialogue could have used work, but all in all it was an okay read and I can tell that Cassandra P. Lewis has a talent for story telling. I am positive that with a bit more work on it, it would have been infinitely better.
The story is thought through and while parts of it were unrealistic -
She does create an array of interesting characters that all bring something to the story, Rosie's best friend Pippa and her brother Rafe especially. Even Michael, Rosie's controlling, dull ex-fiancee.
Both Rosie and Jackson are somewhat contradictory to themselves but I won't hold it against the author as I've seen it done before by authors with show more more experience and credit. There is obvious chemistry between the two main characters, and I'd also say that the author succeeded in giving them different voices in alternating POV. I'm glad to say that the story wasn't as predictable as stories like these usually are. Jackson does something I wouldn't expect in a sugary story as this, and then Rosie does something I didn't expect, either.
Speaking of which, Rosie is so great. She is strong and whatever happens she doesn't really let it bring her down for too long. I loved her romance-author side, she tries to see love in everything. After the betrayal she picks herself up and moves on with her life, and doesn't endlessly mope around.
Jackson is a commitment-phobe and stays true to his character until the very end. I liked that a lot. I also found his issue to not be as...as big deal as he was making it out to be, but I guess it was to him.
So yeah, I'd say there's more to this indie author than I expected. Like I said, I was won over by her enthusiasm in her tweets, but I'd say even without that I'd like this story enough to give it this three star rating. I'm glad I gave it a chance. Keep writing, Cassandra Lewis, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with next! show less
Can Anne Pfeffer write a bad book? The answer is - NO!
I read this both excited, because I loved [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] so much, and with dread, because I loved [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] so much. I just didn't think it would even come close. Was I ever more wrong?
Alex is such a great girl, and so well-rounded I could easily relate to her. The author does a great job of layering her personality, I almost felt like I knew her. She has all these hopes and dreams and you can see that she's destined for something big, but she has a weird relationship with her friend, Zack, a mom that is the child in their family, and to top it all, they're practically always broke. I really felt for her because it all seemed so hopeless. Good thing she is stubborn, too, because she doesn't let anything bring her down.
I didn't like Zack, from the beginning.I couldn't help it, I just thought she deserved better than him. It felt like he just wanted to be with her because he was feeling like he would lose her as a friend if he didn't.
What I really didn't like about him was the whole Rosie thing. It just made him a weak, confused boy in my eyes.
I thought Alex would eventually end up with him anyways, and I was all ready to hate on this book because of it.
The Jeremy thing was a shocker. Because I was rooting show more for him. So kudos to Anne Pfeffer for totally surprising me. Speaking of which, I loved Jeremy. She does the same thing she did with Ryan in [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] - he comes from money, he has all these things on a silver platter, but it doesn't define him. To me, this is more than a good character, he felt real.
The ending was just perfect.
We don't even get a lot of time with him, but I warmed up to him instantly.
It is wonderfully written. There's good chemistry between the characters, beautiful descriptions of this little island, and there's real conflict in the way Alex wants to break her ties with where she comes from, but she still feels like it is a big part of her and it's hard to leave it all behind.
If you liked [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037], you will love this, too. I definitely recommend reading it!
Actually, I think I may need a sequel for this. I just want to know where the story goes. show less
I read this both excited, because I loved [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] so much, and with dread, because I loved [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] so much. I just didn't think it would even come close. Was I ever more wrong?
Alex is such a great girl, and so well-rounded I could easily relate to her. The author does a great job of layering her personality, I almost felt like I knew her. She has all these hopes and dreams and you can see that she's destined for something big, but she has a weird relationship with her friend, Zack, a mom that is the child in their family, and to top it all, they're practically always broke. I really felt for her because it all seemed so hopeless. Good thing she is stubborn, too, because she doesn't let anything bring her down.
I didn't like Zack, from the beginning.
What I really didn't like about him was the whole Rosie thing. It just made him a weak, confused boy in my eyes.
I thought Alex would eventually end up with him anyways, and I was all ready to hate on this book because of it.
The Jeremy thing was a shocker. Because I was rooting show more for him. So kudos to Anne Pfeffer for totally surprising me. Speaking of which, I loved Jeremy. She does the same thing she did with Ryan in [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037] - he comes from money, he has all these things on a silver platter, but it doesn't define him. To me, this is more than a good character, he felt real.
The ending was just perfect.
It is wonderfully written. There's good chemistry between the characters, beautiful descriptions of this little island, and there's real conflict in the way Alex wants to break her ties with where she comes from, but she still feels like it is a big part of her and it's hard to leave it all behind.
If you liked [b:Any Other Night|14059049|Any Other Night|Anne Pfeffer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337973763s/14059049.jpg|19695037], you will love this, too. I definitely recommend reading it!
Actually, I think I may need a sequel for this. I just want to know where the story goes. show less
It's a cute story. I guess the heroine was likable, but Jack is the one that made the book for me even though what he did with hiding the money and phone battery was wrong. I suppose he had good intentions.
The elder's antics cracked me up so much, I loved them.
However, I think I would have liked this more if it started with the waking up in that van and then slowly revealed what happened before. Or at least, cut before everything happens so that we wonder, a little mystery would have been more exciting than just wondering if Laney will believe Jack what happened. It would have given Jack and Laney more time together on this adventure, too - it takes half the book for things to happen before waking up in Texas, I guess it was just too slow for me.
I did like Stephanie Hale's writing, it's witty and engaging, and there is obvious chemistry between Jack and Laney.
It's a short, light read with a satisfying ending, perfect for days when you just need some sugary YA to get you through the day, and overall I liked it.
The elder's antics cracked me up so much, I loved them.
However, I think I would have liked this more if it started with the waking up in that van and then slowly revealed what happened before. Or at least, cut before everything happens so that we wonder, a little mystery would have been more exciting than just wondering if Laney will believe Jack what happened. It would have given Jack and Laney more time together on this adventure, too - it takes half the book for things to happen before waking up in Texas, I guess it was just too slow for me.
I did like Stephanie Hale's writing, it's witty and engaging, and there is obvious chemistry between Jack and Laney.
It's a short, light read with a satisfying ending, perfect for days when you just need some sugary YA to get you through the day, and overall I liked it.
Send by Patty Blount
Wow. This was... Had I known this was so heavy maybe I wouldn't have read it.
Why I even expected something lighter after reading the blurb, I don't know. Believe me, it will make you feel everything along with Dan and the feelings are not at all pleasant. Regret. Guilt. Horrible self-loathing.
Dan is a good person, I can say that without doubt. The guilt he lives with was killing me. He was a thirteen year old boy - I don't think he was even capable of knowing the consequences of what he was about to do before clicking "Send". When I look back at my thirteen year old self, I can definitely tell you that I wouldn't be able to separate right from wrong in a mature way.
He constantly tries to do something to redeem himself, all the while fighting with his inner demon that what he did is irredeemable. It's heartbreaking, every time things start to look up, he dreads that something will happen to bring him down, and even worse, he thinks he deserves it.
I think that we are always taught to sympathize with the victim. But clearly, nothing is black and white - the perpetrator does not always have to be a monster. I guess we all make mistakes. Dan never really justifies what he did, now a new adult, he knows what he did was wrong, but can you really blame a child for such a lapse in judgement? I don't think I can, at least not in the way I would a grown-up. Dan has a family that is so loving and supportive of him, and I can't imagine what this whole thing must have felt like for show more them. Did they fail him as parents? And that's the thing with this story, you are just left wondering. Is he really a bad person? Was the punishment too hard for what he did considering he was just a child? Am I a bad person for thinking they should have cut him some slack? I just don't know.
Julie...I just don't know how believable that was. What were the chances of her being Liam's sister? It's like some cruel joke.
I was convinced it wasn't her, and kind of disappointed that the author went that way.
The ending is...realistic. You are left to your own imagination to see the story off.I would love to think Dan/Kenny and Julie work it out, but is it realistic? I don't think so. There are just too many ghosts between them to be able to do it. I'm kind of sad because I just can't envision a happy ending for the two of them.
I think I may need a sequel for this, just to know he's okay. I feel oddly connected to this character.
Clearly, this book is thought-provoking. Sometimes it's worth hearing both sides of the story, even if your first instinct is to judge. I recommend this book, but be prepared because it's not a light, happy read. show less
Why I even expected something lighter after reading the blurb, I don't know. Believe me, it will make you feel everything along with Dan and the feelings are not at all pleasant. Regret. Guilt. Horrible self-loathing.
Dan is a good person, I can say that without doubt. The guilt he lives with was killing me. He was a thirteen year old boy - I don't think he was even capable of knowing the consequences of what he was about to do before clicking "Send". When I look back at my thirteen year old self, I can definitely tell you that I wouldn't be able to separate right from wrong in a mature way.
He constantly tries to do something to redeem himself, all the while fighting with his inner demon that what he did is irredeemable. It's heartbreaking, every time things start to look up, he dreads that something will happen to bring him down, and even worse, he thinks he deserves it.
I think that we are always taught to sympathize with the victim. But clearly, nothing is black and white - the perpetrator does not always have to be a monster. I guess we all make mistakes. Dan never really justifies what he did, now a new adult, he knows what he did was wrong, but can you really blame a child for such a lapse in judgement? I don't think I can, at least not in the way I would a grown-up. Dan has a family that is so loving and supportive of him, and I can't imagine what this whole thing must have felt like for show more them. Did they fail him as parents? And that's the thing with this story, you are just left wondering. Is he really a bad person? Was the punishment too hard for what he did considering he was just a child? Am I a bad person for thinking they should have cut him some slack? I just don't know.
Julie...
I was convinced it wasn't her, and kind of disappointed that the author went that way.
The ending is...realistic. You are left to your own imagination to see the story off.
I think I may need a sequel for this, just to know he's okay. I feel oddly connected to this character.
Clearly, this book is thought-provoking. Sometimes it's worth hearing both sides of the story, even if your first instinct is to judge. I recommend this book, but be prepared because it's not a light, happy read. show less
This was a fun, short book that can be read in one sitting. Unfortunately, I though it was too short to get to know anyone except Kate, the main character, too well. But that's okay, it's entertaining and funny and Greg is actually quite likable.
Zach is vile! Yuck. I must say I was a tiny bit annoyed at Kate for wanting him back after that first scene, let alone the rest of the things he did, I was just about to smack her on the head when she finally came to her senses. Then she left them again.
It's a fun concept though, something I've thought about once before when I read freakishly specific horoscope for the day. What would it be like if you followed everything it says? Well, Kate does exactly that, a little too literally, but it all works out for the best.
So yeah, I liked it, it gets a 3.5 from me.
Zach is vile! Yuck. I must say I was a tiny bit annoyed at Kate for wanting him back after that first scene, let alone the rest of the things he did, I was just about to smack her on the head when she finally came to her senses. Then she left them again.
It's a fun concept though, something I've thought about once before when I read freakishly specific horoscope for the day. What would it be like if you followed everything it says? Well, Kate does exactly that, a little too literally, but it all works out for the best.
So yeah, I liked it, it gets a 3.5 from me.