Wednesday, July 31, 2013

WoW: Working It - Kendall Ryan

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine to spotlight releases that we're looking forward to! Here is my choice this week...

Working It

Title: Working It
Author: Kendall Ryan
Is it a sequel? No
Release Date: August 5th, 2013
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Straight-laced Emmy Clarke's assistant job at the modeling agency provides her with one distinct perk – getting to watch pretty mancandy parade around all day. But having to work under the ultra-bitchy Fiona Stone barely makes it worth it. Emmy enjoys looking, but she's not stupid enough to fall for one of the tempting specimens. Especially not rising star Ben Shaw.

Ben is everything Emmy's not: well-traveled, highly paid and exquisitely gorgeous. He's also got more issues than Vogue. Against her better judgement to get involved, Emmy's southern roots kick in, and whenever he's on set, she makes sure he's treated well and looked after. But she refuses to become one of the pathetic groupies lusting after him, and soon Ben's drawn toward her refreshingly real attitude.

Against the backdrop of fashion shows in NYC, Paris and Milan, their casual flirting turns into more, and they embark on a journey of sexual discovery. But when Ben's twisted past is uncovered, it threatens both their relationship and careers as the bitter Fiona digs her flaw in, unwilling to let her golden boy go without a catfight.

Filled with passion, jealousy and heart-thumping sex, Working It is the tale of falling for a supermodel.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

My Comments:
Kendall Ryan's recent releases didn't blow me away like her Hard to Love did. That book was just so fucking hilarious and heart-warming. But I haven't given up hope that maybe this book might be better than her previous ones! I'm definitely lowering my expectations but, man, I want a book like that again.


What are YOUR choices this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

[Review] Left Drowning - Jessica Park

Released: July 9th, 2013

What does it take to rise from life's depths, swim against the current, and breathe?


Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meetings ends Blythe crashing into something she doesn't expect – an undeniable attraction a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she's been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family's traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

"We don't have to know everything. If you believe in fate and some kind of meaning and sense in this fucked-up world, then believe it with abandon, love. Enjoy it."

Intense and emotional. A story not only about the connection and relationship between two broken people, but also about loyalty and trust. How the past can fully well affect our future. It's about moving on and letting go. It's about having to pull yourself out of rocky waters to avoid drowning everyone else along with you. Not only about saving the people around you but also about finding yourself.
"So I have spent four years without touch and affection and without wanting any. But now there is Christopher Shepherd, the boy who changed all the rules."  
Jessica Park has blew me away once again. FUCK! I mean, really, who can write such beautiful books? Flat-Out Love was absolutely ah-may-zing! I freaking loved it. And now there's Left Drowning. This book just grabbed me by the shirt, tore me to pieces and threw me to the flames. Wow, that sounded brutal but it's true. My God, I cried so many times reading this book.


This book was honestly draining me emotionally. It was so fucking intense and tiring. All the drama and all the problems. Jesus. But that's what made it so damn good. I've never read another book as intense as this one. Nada. Zero. Zilch. But after I read this, even though I was so empty in a way, I also felt a sense of freedom. And I think that's exactly how Blythe felt with Chris. She was exhausted and just so drained with having to deal with him but he set her free. He had set her free from the moment he met her. No, it wasn't the cheesy love at first sight kind of thing but it was the kind of relationship that changed you. The kind of connection that bounds you together as if it was by fate.

It began really slowly as the author set an easy, relaxing pace. They meet, they became friends. Blythe meets the whole Shepherd clan. The whole family is so freaking perfect. I love the whole Shepherd family.
"I am hit with the enormity of the impact that this family is having in my life. They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself."
The whole damn family saved her. It wasn't only Chris, which shows that the novel didn't merely focus on their romance. It shows how the greatest group of people can pull you out of the waters and onto the land.

It started with Sabin when he stole Blythe's coffee one morning. God, Sabin is just this giant ball of energy. He is so damn hyper all the freaking time. He's enthusiastic, exciting and hilarious as fuck! He's probably my favorite Shepherd. Blythe wasn't only close to one of the Shepherds, but she loved all of them. This I really loved. Sabin was her safe haven. Her sanctuary. Her rock. She went to him whenever she's upset or angry.
"I feel grateful, though, that Sabin was my home base tonight. He let me come back to him as often as I needed to ground myself. When the noise was too much or the social interaction felt overwhelming, he remained my rock."

And then Estelle. This girl is just awesome. Freaking Neon Jesus. She's absolutely lovely and hilarious, just like the whole Shepherd clan. Although she is usually so honest, she gives out a certain mysterious aura, especially when she keeps leaving at night to meet God-knows-who.

Eric. Eric is just so adorable. Him and Zach are the cutest. The fact that Blythe and Eric can hang out – and it's just the two of them – is perfect. I'm glad that it isn't awkward between Blythe and the other family members to hang out together. It shows how they have REAL friendship instead of bonding through Chris.

And then there's Chris.

*really deep, long sigh*

I had mixed feelings about his character. At times, I want to just pull him into a huge hug and thank God for his existence. Other times, I want to smack him on the head with a baseball bat and scream out: "GET A GRIP AND PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!" Because this was actually him most of the time:


Chris is so focused on teaching Blythe how to survive that he becomes blind to his own situation. He doesn't realized how his family trauma has created such an impact on him.

That's the whole family. Although they have this outgoing, fun, exciting exterior, they are slowly breaking apart on the inside. You realize that once Sabin starts to get drunk and reveal his truthful thoughts. My heart was aching the whole time for this family because they went through so much shit in life and the fact that no one – not one single damn person – was there to save them fucking sucked. 

The way the whole story unravels and comes together is fucking brilliant. CLAPS FOR JESSICA PARK. Because this woman is a story writing genius. The clusterfuck is all over this book and you can see it through the characters, but when we come to the ending/conclusion, it all makes sense and every issue is resolved.

P.S. The sex was bloody-motherfucking HOT! It was sexy and intense and my God, Jessica Park sure as hell can write a sex scene. Wait, scratch that, sex scenes

"This book is for everyone who has survived. You are not broken. You can love and be loved, despite what may feel like the eternally brutal nature of the world. Even when you're drowning and so far under, this is always time to reach for someone who will teach you how to breathe again."


Minor Faults:

MY RATING:

5 TAKE-ME-NOW APPLES!!!!!

About The Author:


Jessica Park grew up in the Boston area and attended Macalester College. After spending four years in the frigid north, Jessica hightailed it back to the east coast. She now lives in New Hampshire with her husband, son, bananas dog named Fritzy, and two selfish cats. When not writing, Jessica indulges her healthy addictions to Facebook, Rick Springfield, and super-sweet coffee beverages.

Check her out in these sites:

Monday, July 29, 2013

[Review] Lick - Kylie Scott

Released: July 1st, 2013

Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this.


Evelyn Thomas's plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure as hell never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened.

One thing is for certain, being married to rock and roll's favourite son is sure to be a wild ride.



"Love isn't always smooth or straightforward. It can be messy and painful… Doesn't mean it isn't still the most incredible thing that can ever happen to you."

*shrieks to the heavens above* I am fangirling over the characters in this book like cuh-razy! The plot itself was unique and special *winks* I mean, when you imagine yourself waking up with a massive hangover, with a super hot guy next to you and a giant ass diamond ring on your finger. Man, oh man. It's like a super "oh holy shit" moment. And that was exactly it for Evelyn! She had blanked out on the night of her birthday thanks to tons of drinks. Being married to, as I quote, "rock and roll's favorite son", is a killer wake up call.

The book was easy to read and very fun! A lot of hot sex plus the sarcastic comments and witty remarks. This book pretty much blew me away. Well, I wasn't expecting that much from it except for the fact that almost everyone gave it such good ratings. But the romance! The sex! The cute little moments! UGH!


I've liked Evelyn's character from the start because she's not afraid to speak her mind. I guess that was what attracted David to her in the first place. She's a tough cookie and God, I just absolutely love her character! And she's so adorably awkward! Just look at this:
David: "What's the plan here, Ev? How were you going to convince me?" 
Evelyn: "Oh. Well, I was um… I was going to seduce you, I guess. And see what happened. Yeah…"
My God. I just want to pack her up in a suitcase and take her home with me. But Evelyn is the type of girl who has everything all planned out in front of her. With her dad already "brainwashing" her into thinking that it's her idea that she wants to be an architect, she wants everything in life by the guidebook. David's appearance in her life threw her for a loop. Especially when she didn't remember anything about that lovely little night.

David is a variable that she can't control in her life and so she's afraid of him. Afraid of the things that might happen with him. Afraid of the things that might not happen with him.
"You asked me this morning in the car if I thought you were scary. The answer is yes. You scare me shitless. I don't know what I'm doing here. But I hate the thought of leaving you."
I liked how Evelyn's character handled things. She was pretty much almost calm throughout the whole thing, aside from the slight panic in the beginning. But otherwise, I really liked her character. It's weird because sometimes I'd feel annoyed with the heroines in books. But not this one.


And then there's David *le super deep dreamy sigh while drooling* David Ferris has now made it to my top list of book boyfriends because… wow. Not only is he smoking hot, but he's also a hopeless, desperate romantic too. He can seem like an eager kid at times but there's also those moments where you just want to pull him into a hug.

He's a musician who hasn't written anything in two years. Two. Freaking. Years. Because he lost his music mojo. But now that Ev's in his life. His inspiration's back because he now has a new muse. My God.
David: "I wrote two songs."
Evelyn: "Mmm. That's nice."
David: "No, you don't understand. I haven't written anything in over tow years. This is fucking amazing. And they're about you."
As if having a rockstar for a boyfriend isn't good enough, he had to go and write songs about her. How can you not fall in love with this man? And when he's at his lowest. When he's insecure. SWEET MAMA. I just want to hug him to pieces!
"Ev, you're sad, you're tired, and you've lost weight, and I fucking hate that I'm the cause of it. I'm going to make this right with you one step at a time. Just… give me a little room to maneuver here."
He's so cute all the fucking time and I just alwekrjawlkejr
Evelyn: "Why don't you go back to LA?"
David: "My wife lives in Portland."
*silent shrieking* It may not seem like much by quotes but when you read the book, you will fall in love with David "please fuck me" Ferris. He's also funny ;) especially when he's interacting with Mal, it's just the cutest bromance ever,
David: "Close the door down there and lock it. Don't you come up here under any circumstances. Not till I tell you it's okay. Understood?"
[pause] Mal: "What if there's a fire?"
David: "Burn."
Mal: "Fuck you.
And I felt so bad for his character since he remembered everything about that night but Evelyn remembers nothing. It's all a pitch-black memory for her. But still, I swoon at David.


Hehehe. I just really like this book even though it was pretty fast-paced. The relationship began with a rocky start, but then, as it developed and evolved, you find out that they're best friends but they're also dating! Which is the most adorable kind of relationship to me.

They did the whole thing backwards. Hell, they got freaking married before they dated. The book was hilarious and an easy, fun read. Plus, the characters were just awesome. Including Lauren, Mal and Nate. I love Mal so much, you will too. Trust me.

Minor Faults:
  • Book was too fast-paced-ish

MY RATING:

5 HELLO-DAVID-FERRIS APPLES!!!!!

About The Author:


Kylie Scott is a long time fan of erotic love stories and B-grade horror films. SHe demands a happy ending and if blood and carnage occur along the way then all the better. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and one delightful husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

Check her out in these sites:

Saturday, July 27, 2013

[Review] Frigid - J. Lynn

Released: July 15th, 2013

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.


Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

"I've loved you my entire life, and I would love you for the rest of my life if you'd let me."

This book was just an 'ehh' for me. It had a great plot. You know, the typical best friends with unrequited love and they're the only two too blind to see that they were in love with each other. Man, I had such high hopes for this book, I guess that's why I was pretty bummed that it was just an 'okay' kind of book.

J. Lynn wowed me with the Gamble Brothers Series. The characters were fantastic and the plot line interesting. Not to mention, the guy messes up ;) I'm a sucker for those. But then this book barely had any romance in it. Well, it is a romance book but it didn't focus on the romance. I'm confused how to explain it myself.


Let's start of with Syd. My God, this woman is stubborn as hell and I really don't understand how she twists around half the shit that goes through her head. Kyler's more straightforward and sometimes you can misunderstand his words, but Jesus Christ, her self-esteem is so fucking low that she thinks that Kyler doesn't give two shits about her.
[Sydney] "Kyler avoided me the next day like I was some ugly chick he'd drunkenly brought home from a bar and couldn't get rid off."
WOMAN, HOLD UP RIGHT THERE. First, Sydney, this is horribly rude. "Ugly chick he'd drunkenly brought home" Really? Now that's just mean. And of course it'd be awkward after what just happened. He's avoiding the awkwardness and not you! Get a grip, woman!

And then in the end? It wasn't even Kyler's fucking fault. It's her twisting mind doing it all over again. Kyler ends up apologizing for this. As much as I absolutely love a man begging for forgiveness, I thought that he didn't have to since he didn't. actually. do. anything. wrong. Plus, she keeps berating herself and then berates Kyler. Which he totally doesn't deserve.
[Sydney] "I was nothing more than a hookup when it was said and done. And this - this was typical Kyler, going from one girl to the next. It wouldn't even be the first time he'd been with two girls in one day … or at one time."
What. The. Fuck. Can you at least ask him first? Jesus, Syd.
Oh, man, if I went on and on, I'd have a long list. So now I'm moving on to Kyler.

I honestly would've given this book 2 apples if it wasn't for Kyler. He was just so damn sweet even though I have no idea what the appeal to Syd is. She's so stuck in the past and the insults that affected her. On the other hand, Kyler is so sweet and thoughtful. He doesn't want to hurt Syd. He thinks that she's too good for him.
[Kyler] "She'd locked me out. God knows I could help her, hold her hair and shit, but she actually locked me out."
See? This is the thing with Syd. Once she misunderstands Kyler's intentions, she shuts him out. I'm just like, WHY?! Kyler is so considerate though towards her and I freaking love guys who care so much for a girl. He's always taken care of her when she does stupid shit.
[Kyler] "I'm most sorry for hurting you. I know i have. I know I've hurt you before with the other girls. I hurt you by not being up front about Sasha. I didn't mean to lie. I just wasn't thinking, because Sasha and I aren't like that."
And he rambles on and on, begging her for forgiveness. I felt so bad for him since he didn't do anything bad. God, I loved Kyler's character so much. It was thanks to him that the book was saved.


Minor Faults:
  • Sydney. Just Sydney as a whole because I wanted to punch her throughout the whole book.
  • How Syd kept making similes, and comparing herself to things like a "fat, angry baby" or "ugly chick" Some were just plain rude.
  • Etc. etc. 

MY RATING:

THREE APPLES!!!!!

About The Author:

Jennifer L. Armentrout writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. She's written the Gamble Brothers series, Wait For You and Frigid under this name. Aside from these, she also writes YA Paranormal series and many more, including the Covenant Series, the Lux Series, and so much more! When she's not hard at work, writing, she spends her time reading, working out and watching zombie movies.

Check her out in these sites:

Friday, July 26, 2013

FF!: Clockwork Angel Fancasting

For this week's Fanmade Friday!, I present to you a fancasting for... *drum rolls*

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The whole series blew me away from the first book, Clockwork Angel, with the captivating characters and such mindfucking storyline. It's young adult and takes place like Clare's Mortal Instruments series with Shadowhunters - half-angel, half-human creatures - as they fight against the darkness that threatens.

Tessa Gray:

Okay, my first real choice would've been Astrid Bergès-Frisbey because she has Tessa's look down to a 'T'. She just has Tessa's look, or how I always imagined Tessa to be. But then I found out that English is her fourth language is it'll be hard for her to play an American girl. Another casting would be Hailee Steinfeld who's 16 and it'll be perfect since Tessa is 16 as well. She's a terrific actress and it'd be fantastic if she was Tessa.


Will Herondale:


My God, there is not even a single doubt for me. Aaron Taylor-Johnson during his Nowhere Boy years was A+++. He was Will all the way. I couldn't imagine anyone else playing him. He was cocky, horribly handsome, and just alkejrlkwjer. I'm speechless. And he's English ;)


Jem Carstairs:

So, a lot of people think that Anthony Neely would be a great pick for Jem. But since I don't know his background, whether he's a good actor or not, I'm not that sure. He probably has the look down. I mean, I think he could pull off the silver hairs. I really hope he's a fantastic actor so if they end up casting him as Jem, he'd play the role well.






Charlotte Branwell:

Gemma Arteton does have Charlotte's look. I'm familiar with some of her work, such as her roles in Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Quantum of Solace. From what I've seen so far, I think that's she's a great actress and she has Charlotte's look down. She looks wise and beautiful at the same time.







Jessamine Lovelace:

I'm only familiar with Gabriella Wilde with her role from Three Musketeers but, from that movie, I could only say that she was pretty good. She's undeniably stunning and that would really suit Jessamine. She has the look but, since I've never seen her other roles, I don't know if she'd be good for Jessie.






That brings us to an end to my Fanmade Friday! I'd fancast the rest of the characters but that would list a lot of them. Have you read Clockwork Angel? If you have, who's your dream cast? If you haven't and you're a big fan of young adult books, you should definitely give it a try! Leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments below! :D

Thursday, July 25, 2013

[Review] The Perfect Game - J. Sterling

Released: October 11th, 2012

He's a game she never intended to play.


And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.

The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind… like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.

They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.

Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful.

"Our scars don't point us in the direction we're headed, Cass, they simply remind us of where we've been."
I read this book so long ago and now I'm finally writing a review on it.

Oh. My. God.

Every time I think about this darn book, I keep thinking about the way Jack just fucked things up. Oh yes, he sure as hell did. But let's get to that later. This review's not going to be as long as my usual since I forgot most of the story already except for certain details.

Basically, the book started out so well. God, I loved the characters so damn much. I mean, you've got the complete package of the smoking hot jerk and his snarky love interest. The book was also very nicely written since I liked the author's writing style.

Cassie was awesome since she stood up to Jack unlike the other girls who fell at his feet. This may seem like a cliché and well, it is. It's the typical plot but I was really hoping that the author would develop it into something much more. Something unique.

The first half of the book, I was like:
The other half, not so much:

*sighs in deep agony* I had so much hope. SO. MUCH. DAMN. HOPE. Hope that this book would turn around and become what I expected. My hopes were stepped on, crushed, crunched, thrown to the wolves. 

Jack. Jack. Jack. You stupid idiot. Yes, he did one silly mistake because thought with his dick and not his head. He could've easily turned things around and make things right. But what did he do? He was impulsive and did something ridiculously, unbelievably stupid. I mean, really? The least you could do was check if it was true? Even I expected something was up. I get that he was trying to do the right thing, but puh-lease where is the logic in all this?


A lot of people loved this book and its average rating is around 4 in Goodreads. That's why I got it in the first place but I was horribly disappointed sorry to say. I wish that the author did something better with Jack so that he could actually think straight. 


Minor Faults:
  • Jack being a stupid, reckless idiot.
  • The ending was so rushed and unbelievable
  • MY GOD I WAS JUST SO ANGRY WITH THE PLOT AND DEVELOPMENT
  • so much more I can't even list down

MY RATING:

2 AND A HALF APPLES!!!!!

About The Author:


J. Sterling got fired from her last job. So she said, screw them, and started writing her first book. With this, she realized that writing books that mean something to her is a million times better than working her ass off for someone who doesn't really care about anything other than the bottom line. She feels more satisfied and her heart more full.

Check her out in these sites:

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

WoW: The Marriage Merger - Jennifer Probst

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine to spotlight releases that we're looking forward to! Here is my choice this week...

The Marriage Merger

Title: The Marriage Merger
Author: Jennifer Probst
Is it a sequel? Yes. 4th book to the Marriage to a Billionaire Series
Release Date: July 30th, 2013
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Her sisters have found wedded bliss with their wealthy, wonderful dream men but not Julietta Conte. She's stayed on terra firma as top executive of the family's corporation, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Work is her passion, and her trendy Milan apartment her sanctuary… until Sawyer Wells, a masculine masterpiece in a suit, lures her out of hiding with an irresistible offer: an exclusive partnership with his international chain of boutique hotels.

Julietta's been burned before - and trusting her brother-in-law's friend, whose powerful gaze alone has her rethinking the best use of a conference room, is the riskiest proposition. But with a once-in-a-career chance to take the bakery global, will she mix stone-cold business with red-hot seduction?


My Comments:
I was honestly not that pumped to read the fourth book since honestly the second book was not that good and the third a disappointment. The first one though I absolutely, super duper love with all my heart. So I'm hoping this one will make up for the last two. Crossing my fingers!


What are YOUR choices this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

[Review] Pulse - Gail McHugh

Released: July 9th, 2013

How do you keep existing when your heart is so splintered, so completely torn to shreds, your pulse is fading?


You're… broken. How do you move forward when every breath is nothing more than a constant ache? Living becomes an insidious reminder that you threw away the single largest part of yourself. Your… soul. No amount of distraction can pull you from the torture of losing you… life.

Now that Emily Cooper has walked away from her first love, she finds herself running toward her only love. Unraveling fast, but clinging to hope, Emily risks all she has left on the man that has consumed her every thought and dream since the day they met. Will Gavin take her back? And if so, will their reunion be a collision of two hearts destined to complete one another and rekindle a love that knew no boundaries? Or will scars from their past rip open, tearing slowly at what each of them was meant to be? Can fate, the ultimate game changer, mend the shattered road it laid out from the start?

Only time will tell…

Tick-Tock…

"Our past is imperfect, but our future's breathtaking."

All I felt was pure, unadulterated love for this book. I fell in love with Emily and Gavin in Collide because they've always been the right-person-wrong-time kind of couple. They're such a great ship even though it may seem pretty normal in the first book. The love they share in this one is mind-blowing. I laughed, cried, grinned at every single moment they shared.
"We were written for one another, and I wouldn't change one line in our romance novel. The good, the bad, the in between. It's ours. We own it."
I don't think I've ever read about a couple who's more obsessed for the other than them. Well, maybe I have but right now none of them comes to mind. I'm still stupidly grinning over their adorableness.

At first, I thought Emily was going to turn into one of those stupid girls who just gives up and lies around waiting for the guy to come back to her. I had a bad feeling initially that I was going to hate Emily's change of character in this book. BUT THANK JESUS CHRIST. Gail McHugh knew better than to turn Emily into a whiny girl-in-love. Can we have a round of applause for this first please?
clapping gif
Thank you. Now, moving on to Emily again. She's such a strong character. You should've seen my surprise when I realized that she was actually chasing after Gavin. My God, I was like, "YES! YES! YOU SMART GIRL! YOU GO GLEN COCO!" I was so damn proud okay.
"Something inside me told me I was supposed to be with you, but I fought against it. So many things about you scared me at first, and then you showed me who you really are. Please forgive me for fighting against us, Gavin. Please forgive me for not fighting for us when I knew we were supposed to be together."
She actually admitted her mistakes! If she just sat around, waiting for Gavin to come around, it probably would've been too late and she would end up wallowing in self-pity.

That would've sucked. Ass.

But, she didn't! So, thank you, Emily. She was an awesome character throughout the whole book honestly. I loved how selfless she was and how much she truly cared about Gavin. She had her insecurities but instead of burying them deep down and causing misunderstandings, she actually talks to Gavin about it.

And then there's Gavin. Super shmexy. Super sweet. Super duper awesome. He is the perfect boyfriend. He goes alpha caveman 24/7 but he doesn't just shove around people impulsively. He's so considerate of Emily and her feelings. We could see how much he truly was head-over-heels for her.
"Clichéd or not, her smile lit up the room like a ball of fire in a darkened sky. Clichés were created for her. End of story."
MY GOD AND HIS INNUENDOS??? I melted.
"You can drive every stick I own whenever you want."
His "showdown" with Dillon?

Rock and roll my man.

I was so damn proud of the way he handled everything. Yes, he lost his temper at times, but then again, who doesn't? But, the ending? The way he took care of shit. A+++. I give him a million applauses.

The thing that I completely salute to in their relationship is their complete trust in each other. Whenever they have problems or issues - even teeny tiny uncertainties - they always talk to each other and work things out. This way, no misunderstandings would be caused. When they let the other blindfold them, I think that's just the ultimate sign of trust. You have to fully give up your sight and, giving up what you see means that you trust the person completely.

This book was just so good. Gail McHugh added minor conflicts to most of them but resolved them in the same chapter so it doesn't sound too dramatic. And when it seems that it's all going to fall apart, she just saves the book.

Don't get me started on the love quotes. Jesus, this whole book is a quote.

Minor Faults:
  • She pulled a my-English-teacher-hates-this-thing in one scene and I must say I did too. I was slightly pissed but glad. You'll find out when you read it.
  • Two many lists like "One: bla bla bla, two: bla bla bla" or "First: bla bla bla, secondly: bla bla bla" 

MY RATING:

5 SUPER SHMEXY APPLES!!!!!
I was close to giving it a 4.5 but I loved it way too much \(^o^)/

About The Author:


Gail McHugh has always been a lover of writing, but mostly dabbled in creating poetry while raising her three beautiful children. She is grateful for her husband of fifteen year's presence. Without his help, writing would be an impossible endeavor. In late June 2012, she felt the urgent need to write and she began writing one of her first novels, Collide.

Check her out in these sites:

Monday, July 22, 2013

[Review] Avoiding Commitment - K.A. Linde

Released: July 29th, 2013

Jack and Lexi never had a typical relationship. After 2 years without speaking, she receives a phone call that changes everything. He unexpectedly asks her to convince the new girl, Bekah, that he's ready to commit. Jack is calling now after everything they had been through because there is another woman. She can't believe it. Follow Lexi in this heart wrenching drama as she relives her past relationship, or lack thereof, with Jack, and not just in her own mind, but to his fiance-to-be. Throw in Bekah's hot brother who always seems to be in the right place at the right time, a past with more secrets to unravel than you can even imagine, and you get a recipe for disaster. Find out what happens to Lexi as she travels to Atlanta to get the closure she so desperately desires from Jack, and how the bumps of life seem to keep getting in the way.


"You were the only one I saw when I closed my eyes." "Then why wasn't I enough when they were open?"

I was expecting so much from this book because the ratings were good and there are so many terrific reviews on this. So I tried it out. I'm not sure what to say about it other than it was a so-so kind of novel. It was up and down, fast-paced, back and forth. Kind of like jumbled up all over.

Though, I must admit that I absolutely love the way K.A. Linde revolved between Lexi's past and present. It gives us an insight on how she dealt with him in the past, how their relationship was, and compared it to how it was today.

Jack and Lexi have this connection. It's like they're always with the right person at the wrong time. It's either the fact that Jack's in a relationship, or Lexi's the one dating, and maybe even both! They are never at the right place and time. But they have this fire that's been blazing for so long and it's so hard for Lexi to put it out that she becomes so attached to Jack, she can't even stay with one guy long enough. I kind of felt bad for her.


So, Lexi. She's actually this vivacious, attractive and stunning woman. She can capture men's attention in the room and she can have her first pick. She's strong-minded, intelligent and stubborn as hell.

But there's only one teensy little issue. Jack.
"And Lexi had to deal with that fact. She had to deal with knowing that he hadn't chosen her. He didn't want her."
She is so obsessed and in love with Jack that she's blinded by her surroundings. Lexi has so many great friends that care so much for her well-being, especially Chyna. I love Chyna's character because she was rooting for Lexi to get over Jack. She needed to. Lexi still hasn't gotten over him even after all those years and it's bringing her down.
"I did those things because of my lack of control. When you touch me, Jack, I completely succumb to you. I give into your every whim."
I'm guessing that it's because Jack's her first love and all but he's such a fucking idiot. I fucking hated him. I felt so bad for Lexi because she's still so in love with him that she can't see what a true jackass he was. She had to learn how to let him go. But, their whole relationship is a never-ending, torturous cycle. They get together, they're apart, they date other people, end up together again. And repeat.
"She had worked a year to get him out of her life as much as she possibly could. He always had a place in her heart since she had loved him so obsessively for such a long time, but she had been able to extract herself from him to an extent."
Lexi felt like this but she couldn't help it:


I guess Jack would be the other main character in the story as he was the love interest. But, God, I honestly wanted to murder his character. I wish he'd just stop giving Lexi false hope by saying that they'll be together someday, but he needs more time.
Lexi: "I wanted answers." | Jack: "And I don't have any."
What a fucking dick. I mean seriously, all she wanted was closure. She needed him to just make a fucking decision. But he just keeps stringing her along, as if she'd always be there for him to use. He's draining her whole life. She's wasting her time, pining for him every single second. Once she starts to walk away, he says things like this:
"You have always been what I want. I just made mistakes along the way. I told you that I would make it up to you, that I would show you what I could be for you, if you would only let me."
So, after he says these things, they're together. And he leaves again. He just has Lexi for his own convenience, the fucking prick.


I was praying the whole time for Lexi, "JUST DUMP HIS SORRY ASS AND JUMP ON RAMSEY!" Oh Ramsey. At first, I thought he was merely interested in her physically. But by the end of the book, he was really considerate and it was as if he really cared for her. Ugh, I think it may be my new otp since I hate Jack.

I'm not sure if I'm going to read the sequel because I was actually pretty happy with the ending. I would've given this 0.5 less if it wasn't for the ending. The only things that saved this book were the ending, Lexi finally doing the right thing, and the author's writing style. Oh, and Chyna! Love that girl ;)

Minor Faults:
  • It was too repetitive. Sure, Lexi was in love with him but it was the same thing over and over.
  • Jack's a complete jackass and I want to murder him. But I guess that was part of his character.

MY RATING:

3 AND A HALF APPLES!!!!!

About The Author:

K.A. Linde graduated with her Masters in political science from the University of Georgia in 2012. She also has a bachelors in political science and philosophy. She wrote the Avoiding Series while struggling through advanced statistical modeling and writing her thesis. She enjoys dancing and writing novels that keep you guessing until the very end. She currently resides in Georgia with her boyfriend and two puppies, Lucy and Riker.

Check her out in these sites:

Saturday, July 20, 2013

[Review] Losing Hope - Colleen Hoover

Released: July 8th, 2013

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

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

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder's head during all those hopeless moments - and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

"But I've learned over the past year what it really means to be able to miss someone. In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with."

LA LA LA. I want to shut off my feelings. This book was so freaking intense, it's unbelievable. Somehow, I find it much more interesting when a book's written in the guy's point of view.

If you loved Holder in Hopeless, you are going to fall hopelessly in love with him in this one. Since it's all told by Holder, we figure out more about his character and understand deeper about his past and why he is the way he is.

This book not only focuses on the romance between Sky and Holder. It's also telling the story about a young boy who lost a friend and has been carrying all this guilt inside of him. And then there's also the complications with his family. He's maturing so fast in such a short period because his whole environment had affected him.


Okay, let me start off by saying that Dean Holder is so fucking perfect with all his imperfections. He's cracked but not broken. He's strong but he's not unbreakable. He's cocky but he's not arrogant. He's like this giant contradictory.

Now, let's begin with his looks. Dean Holder is so motherfucking gorgeous. I mean, all the ladies want into his pants and it's only the rumors and his reputation that's holding everyone back. Everyone trusts the gossip and believes that he did all the bad shit for all the wrong reasons. But, really, it's impossible to not be attracted to him.

And then there's his vulnerability. I think that the fact that he feels so responsible for all the shitty things that's been going around him is very noble of him. He carries around so much guilt inside of him that it consumes him. Everything from Hope to Les. He feels like he's letting people down.
"Then that reminds me of the pictures she was at my house for, then that reminds me of Les, then that reminds me of Hope. Then of course I'm consumed with guilt again."
God, in scenes like these, I just want to hug him!

And he's so damn grown up that, because of what happened around him, he realized something:
"We lived in this perfect world where adults are always right and bad things don't happen to good people. Then, in the span of a minute, you were taken and everything we thought we knew turned out to be this false image of life that our parents had built for us. We realized that day that even adults do horrible things. Children disappear. Best friends get taken away from you and you have no idea if they're even alive anymore."
Holder turns into a realistic character as he accepts that the world isn't as perfect as the adults around him has made it seem to be. Crime happens. Hate exists. Shitty things just hit us like a ton of bricks without a warning. 

Enough of the depressing stuff *wipes away tears* GOD, NOW COMES THE ROMANTIC SIDE. I can quote so many things from this book that include all of his sweetness. He has such a way with words that leaves you speechless.
"Time has completely stopped, and all I'm thinking about while we kiss is how this is what saves people. Moments like these with people like her are what make all the sufferings worth it."
"I live you, Sky...I live you so much."
And their sense of humors match and that's so freaking adorable *squeals* Really, they could probably make a good comedy team with their texts and banter. Holder's actually pretty witty in both an intellectual and cocky kind of way and that's just alerkjaelkr best.
"Those texts will inflate your ego so much, you'll explode. We need to rectify this situation before you start suffering from delusions of grandeur."
I love how they're so easygoing with each other and they end up having a best-friends-slash-boyfriend-girlfriend kind of relationship. That's just the best kind of dating.


Minor Faults:
  • There's too much repetition of the words 'hopeless' and 'helpless'. I get that Holder felt that way but Colleen kept using those two words over and over.

MY RATING:

4 AND A HALF APPLES!!!!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

❤ READ MY REVIEW OF HER BOOKS ❤
Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5) ❊ 5 APPLES!!!

About The Author:


Colleen hoover is a huge fan of music and she has an eclectic taste. She's addicted to diet pepsi, and it's a serious case. She gets excited with friend requests on goodreads. So far, she's written two series, which include the Slammed series and the Hopeless series. She is expected to have two more books coming out in 2014.

Check her out in these sites: