“There is no one I would rather see the sunrise with than you.”
I've never been more thankful to my reading buddies for introducing such a tragic yet “There is no one I would rather see the sunrise with than you.”
I've never been more thankful to my reading buddies for introducing such a tragic yet enthralling love story that left me deeply wounded because OH MY GOD THIS BOOK. Thinking about this book makes my heart hurt every single time. It's been a few days since I've put it down but the ache in my heart has hardly been soothed at all.
I'll be honest: I rarely pick up a book that involves a retelling because duh it's a retelling. I'm always afraid that it would be predictable in some ways but with The Wrath & The Dawn, I couldn't flip the pages fast enough!!
As the blurb mentioned, this is a story inspired by the A Thousand and One Nights; in this one we have a strong heroine by the name of Shahrzad or easily known as "Shazi" who volunteers herself to be the next bride of the King. By each sunrise, the King kills off his bride until he takes a new one in and the vicious cycle repeats. She vows to take vengeance for her friend who is just one of the many victims.
Right from the start, I already had the good tingly feelings that this book was going to give me the EPIC feels. The author's writing flowed through the pages beautifully and the characterization of Shazi was nailed down to my perfect heroine type. She was courageous yet it allows you to see her vulnerability when facing the throes of her death.
“A true plague of a girl. And yet a queen in every sense of the word.”
And the King, Khalid. BE STILL MY HEART. I didn't imagine I would fall head over heels for him but I did! In every way that matters, I truly did. Tortured with a secret that hangs over him, his brooding personality from the start drew me immediately. The romance and chemistry between Shazi & Khalid was so naturally beautiful- thinking about it still give me the goosebumps. It's just that good. I lost count on how many quotes I highlight from this book alone- simply amazing!
“What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered. “If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.” The weapons still in her grasp, she shoved against his chest. “No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.”
Easily another top read of the year for me, I can't believe I didn't find out about this book sooner last year! The book ends with a mini cliffhanger but thankfully, I heard it's a duology so the agony of waiting the next one will be worth it!!
Pick up this book, you won't regret it. Fans who are looking for an epic love story won't be disappointed because Renee definitely knows how to spin a tale that will captivate you and bring you down to you knees with this. I need my own King Khalid!!
“You have a beautiful laugh. Like the promise of tomorrow.” ...more
I'm probably going to be in the minority here for not loving this book as much as everyone did :( As much as I loved a tortured hero an3.5 STARS! ★★★☆
I'm probably going to be in the minority here for not loving this book as much as everyone did :( As much as I loved a tortured hero and a Scotsman no less, it was the plotline that didn't keep me invested in the story enough. I really loved the first half of the book but by the time I got to the second half, it sort of fell flat for me. The story was dragged out a little too long for my liking & thought that some scenes could have been condensed together without losing out anything important.
What I loved most about the book is the support for the cause of the dogs and I think the story executed that portion wonderfully. Lachlan's dedication to the cause really sets out an example and the fact that $1 from all purchases of The Play will be donated to animal charities is commendable.
The Play was definitely the heavier, emotional side of this series thus far. So if you're expecting something different from the first two, this would fit the bill....more
“Take it from a man who almost lost everything, you can’t focus on the end. You have to concentrate on what’s right in front of y4.5 STARS!!! ★★★★☆
“Take it from a man who almost lost everything, you can’t focus on the end. You have to concentrate on what’s right in front of you”
Oh. My. God. I cannot remember the last time I cried so hard over a read but this book completely wrecked me inside out. I mean, I was full-fledged sobbing into my pillow during the last 10% and I didn't know if I could even finish the read for crying out loud.
A. Meredith Walters has once again succeeded in punching me right in the feels (multiple times may I add) with this heartbreakingly beautiful read. There's just so much raw honesty in her words and so much truth in how we cope with the thought of life and death. This story had absolutely consumed me right from the start and I almost wished it never end.
"Stop thinking about your life in increments. Seconds. Minutes. Days. Look at the bigger picture and embrace whatever time you have. Don't look constantly toward the end. Enjoy the right now."
This book had everything I loved in a read. I laughed as much as I cried. The heavy moments were balanced out by the light moments. The pain from the heartache equally compensated by the joy in finding love. I felt like I was truly a part of Corin & Beckett's journey and I wanted to live alongside them. Forever.
Also I never thought I'd get to say this ever but there is finally, FINALLY someone who can match up to Augustus Waters. If you don't know who that is (shame on you!), he's my ultimate book boyfriend from my all time favorite soul-crushing beautiful read The Fault in Our Stars. I'm not even going to tell you how many times I cried reading this book or watching the movie. So yes, Beckett Kingsley, YOU DEFINITELY GAVE ME THE BUTTERFLIES FEELS.
This is a definite must-read for all you romance lovers who thrives on the great emotional punch in their reads.
"We are strong. We are Southern. We have secrets you will never imagine."
I've been contemplating if I should read this one after he3.5 STARS! ★★★☆
"We are strong. We are Southern. We have secrets you will never imagine."
I've been contemplating if I should read this one after her previous one was a miss for me but after succumbing to some peer pressure, I caved in. After finishing this one, I was quite surprised by how much I actually enjoyed reading this as AT switches from her usual erotica to the contemporary genre.
This was definitely a much lighter read coming from AT and what I really enjoyed was the heroine who really had some major backbone. And the rooster, Cocky. I really adored that chicken, makes me want to own my own pet rooster right now. Also a surprise cameo totally made up for this read! The heroine's snark towards the hero was also a much added bonus.
What didn't work so much for me was perhaps the pacing. A little too slow for me at the beginning to be invested in the read and at times, certain scenes just didn't catch my attention. Not sure if it's because Quincy sounds like a really secluded town and everything seems to be centered around these few characters only but, it was a struggle at times for me to get around this read. The read just sort of left me feeling rather...indifferent.
Overall I think it's an okay read but it just didn't give me the wow factor I'm looking for. The sexual tension is there, the humor is there, the romance was alright but it just didn't give me the excitement I usually get in a read. But even with all that, I'd still say it was a solid decent read if you're looking for something sexy and funny wrapped up in a Hollywood-meets-simple-girl romance read.
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Hollywood Dirt is a contemporary romance standalone read.
"Drawn in by gravity, fueled by a fire as old as the universe itself. He was never letting her out of his orbit again."
I've4.5 STARS! ★★★★☆
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"Drawn in by gravity, fueled by a fire as old as the universe itself. He was never letting her out of his orbit again."
I've never been happier to stumble across another book that took me by absolute surprise! For that I have to thank my lovely girl, Feifei who brought this to my attention. Pretty cover, wonderful blurb and a story that left me reeling with such happiness after putting it down. There's a part of me that wants to re-read some scenes just to relive all the amazing moments again!
The story itself is very simple one on its own. Josephine 'Jo' Kramer has just landed a summer internship in Puerto Rico under a prestigious astronomy programme. While there with a few others, she met Adam McCay but they started off on the wrong foot. When they got paired up to work on a project, it won't be long till they acknowledge the undeniable sparks between them.
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Initially, Jo was a rather hard heroine to love especially with her broody attitude and locking everyone outside of her world. She had no intentions on making new friends and only determined to work her arse off on her internship. But I was willing to look past that as I actually became more intrigued with her character instead. The more I learnt about what made up her insecurities, the more I accepted her and understood her actions.
Adam on the other hand is absolutely swoon-worthy, gah!! He's the dream guy; he got the looks and the brains and a wonderful heart of gold. The only problem was that Adam still hasn't gotten over his last love. Battling over his new-found attraction for Jo, he has to make a choice between fighting for the present or hold onto the past. I absolutely LOVED how Adam chose to sort out his feelings first before attempting anything with Jo. This is the level of maturity I would expect from a NA read and it delivered here.
"And if we ever kiss- when we kiss, it's going to be when I can give you everything. Because that's what you deserve."
I'm also in love with the setting of this book, the real places described and used by the author in this read really piqued my interest till I had to actually go look them up online. There was one scene where Jo & Adam visited Vieques Island which is known for its night view where the ocean water sparkles. And oh my gawd, it was breathtakingly gorgeous!!
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The picture above is in actual fact the real place itself. In that moment, I truly believed that Jo & Adam swam in a universe of stars. It was such a beautiful, romantic moment that has been etched into my memory now. Definitely adding that to my bucket list of places to go ♥
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When the Stars Align was definitely a solid read from start to end for me and one that I'm genuinely happy that I gave it a shot. It had a good balance of angst and romance, the steamy scenes were deliciously hot and the characters were so well-developed throughout. The story flowed well for me and the push-pull between the MCs was one that I could appreciate without getting really annoyed or frustrated at.
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Definitely one of the better NA reads I've had this year and cannot wait to read more from this author!
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When the Stars Align is a standalone contemporary New Adult romance read.
ARC kindly provided by Forever Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"Have you ever had that feeling...when you know deep down that you should do something? Like if you don’t do it, you’ll regret 4 STARS! ★★★★
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"Have you ever had that feeling...when you know deep down that you should do something? Like if you don’t do it, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life?”
It's no secret that J.A. Redmerski is one of my favorite authors after putting out books like her Killers series and The Edge of Never. This time around she brings her readers on yet another journey of self-discovery and a story that wants to make you put your life into perspective.
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Sienna Murphy, a 22-year old who's an event coordinator and despite her fear of heights (and flying), she recently landed a wedding gig in Hawaii. Goal-oriented and striving on stability, Sienna is not one who take risks. But when her path crosses with one Luke Everett, a surfer with a carefree personality, she begins to question her current life along with the choices she've made.
"Luke Everett is dangerous. He’s more dangerous than flying in a plane or jumping from a cliff into water or from a bridge attached by a giant rubber band or getting lost in the forest. Everything about him screams change and the unknown and if you let him in, your meticulously planned life will never be the same again."
The one thing I love about this author's work is that there's always something I could take away after finishing it. There was a lot in this read that resonated with me especially Sienna and in a way, I saw a lot of myself in her. There are days where you just want to throw all caution to the wind and leave your worries behind. Even when she started to learn about how much more she is capable of, there were parts of her that still stayed true to herself. I connected to her character easily and it was easy for me to understand the choices she made.
Both Luke and Sienna had a slow building relationship, no insta-love and their time spent together exploring Hawaii was one that captivated me throughout the entire read. And good gosh, Luke was such a gentleman of all sorts! Also did I mention he paints beautifully? Seriously. But what made me swooned the most is how Luke genuinely cares for Sienna and how he helped her to overcome her fears.
“Fear is just the part of you that wants you to fail. It’s all of your regrets and your pain and your failures wrapped up into one emotion. It’s a weakness, nothing more.”
The story wasn't laced with any sorts of heavy drama or angst but it was definitely geared more towards the emotional end. The main and side characters alike all had depth to them that allowed you to understand their fears and insecurities, to be able to connect to them and experience their journey. It's not just about letting go but it deals with the acceptance of loss and moving past it.
Once again, JA Redmerski writes a story that I believe everyone can easily relate to and brings you to places that you'd wish you could experience it yourself. It wasn't any grand or exotic story but to me, it was one that was honest and heartfelt. Luke and Sienna's story is more than just about learning to live and let go but to learn to heal and love again. Sometimes all we need is a simple story to remind us about the little things in life that makes us happy and this book did just that.
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The Moment of Letting Go is a New Adult contemporary standalone.
ARC kindly provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Everytime I pick up a LH Cosway book, I just know that I can expect something differe4 STARS! ★★★★
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"Break the rules, Karla. Just this once."
Everytime I pick up a LH Cosway book, I just know that I can expect something different each time. Reading her stories is just as good as living through her characters' lives and I find myself easily whisked away into their world. With endearing flawed characters and a pair of star-crossed lovers taking center stage, LH Cosway delivers yet another stunning read that will leave your heart pounding.
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Karla Sheehan and Lee Cross are two people leading very different lives; one who upholds the law while the other breaks it. Right off the bat from their first interaction, there was just no denying the sparks between them. Lee is a sexy flirt that can be intense at times but yet he also has this sweet, protective side of him. It's no surprise that a strong heroine like Karla would be tempted by this incorrigible sexy man!
A huge crux of the story will have the readers experiencing the ins and outs of the police scene where Karla always find herself crossing paths with the Cross brothers. The romance is a slow burn but the sizzling chemistry was always present when Karla and Lee are in close proximity. The atmosphere surrounding this read can be quite intense at times because all those hidden glances and sexual tension were just begging to explode already.
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What I really loved about this read (and in every LH Cosway read) is simply her characters. There wasn't anything extravagant about the plotline but it was her imperfect characters and their dynamics that stole the show for me here. Karla and Lee may be two people who share different beliefs about the world they live in but when they're together, they've allowed each other to view it a little differently. There's always more beyond the black and white of the world.
Admittedly I wasn't too sure where the story was heading in during the first half but the second half of the read got me back on the saddle which I really enjoyed. LH Cosway delivers yet another captivating read with Hearts of Blue that is filled with alluring characters which you can't resist falling in love with. The Cross brothers surely stole my attention already and I can't wait to get their stories next!
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ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
“Do you know what it’s like to like someone so much you can’t stand it and know that they’ll never feel the same way?”
After ha4 STARS! ★★★★
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“Do you know what it’s like to like someone so much you can’t stand it and know that they’ll never feel the same way?”
After having a bad streak of reads from NA and adult contemp alike, I decided to venture back into the YA genre and it was the best decision I made in a while. When I saw the paperback of this series in my bookstore and its lovely cover calling out to me, I just couldn't resist.
This was such a sweet, quirky read that features a heroine, Lara Jean Song Covey who hails from a Koran-American heritage which I REALLY ADORE. Not only does it add a unique flavour to the read but I really loved how homey the entire Covey family was. The narrative of Lara Jean was also done just right without coming off as annoying for a junior high girl and whilst there are some immature moments coming from the characters, it hardly bothered me at all.
The sisterhood of the Song sisters definitely was the highlight of the read for me and it just warms my fuzzy heart with how much they had each other's back. Margot, the eldest was the pragmatic one while Katherine "Kitty" was the baby girl of the family. All 3 girls have such a strong bond that puts a huge smile on your face as you watch them love and care for each other.
I loved the innocence of young love and how it was portrayed by Jenny Han in her read here. To learn about crushes and love and making mistakes, about taking chances and see where it leads you; I enjoyed every single moment of this adorable YA romance read. There's a subtle hint of love triangle thrown in the mix but was not heavily focus on. With a mini cliffhanger at the end, I already I need to read the next one ASAP!
“If you were mine, I would never have broken up with you, not in a million years.”
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To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the first book in a duet series.
“It occurred to me that more than loss, it was the longing that hurt the most.”
I can't remember the last time a book has made5 STARS! ★★★★★
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“It occurred to me that more than loss, it was the longing that hurt the most.”
I can't remember the last time a book has made me feel the way I did after this one. It involves a) asking myself where has this book been all my life b) kicking myself very hard for not reading this sooner c) wanting to stay in this fictional world forever d) wishing that I could have this kind of all-consuming love in my life.
I've read On Dublin Street a year ago and while it still remains as one of my all-time favorite reads, I admit I've put off the series after reading mixed reviews for the 2nd book. But after all my lovely buddies insisted that I MUST read the 3rd instalment here and it could be read as a standalone, I finally caved in.
Let me just say that it was undoubtedly the best reading decision I've made in a while. Samantha Young puts out a story that not only transports her readers to the streets of Edinburgh but breathes life into this story by creating these completely endearing characters that you'll fall hard for.
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Each book in the ODS series revolves around a couple and Before Jamaica Lane is Nate & Olivia's story. Olivia moved to Scotland with her father after her mother's death while they were living in the States. During her stay here, she meets Nate who is Cam's best friend and they easily bonded sharing similar interests. Both of them are polar opposites with Olivia being the shy and inexperienced one at dating while Nate is the walking playboy of the city who can have any lady he wants.
When Olivia develops a crush on one of the guys in the library she works at, her lack of experience in the dating department had her pushing her luck by asking Nate for some advice. What started out as flirty lessons turned out to be something much more when the lines started to blur between friendship, lust and love.
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There were just SO MANY things I loved about this read, honestly I'm flustered on even where to begin!
I can easily say that Olivia is one of the best heroines I've met and she's one of those women I can easily relate to, especially when it came down to her insecurities. She has a brilliant sense of humor with a touch of geek and above all, she has some major backbone. Her character growth was done so well that I swear she had me tearing up in a number of scenes, it made me feel so proud watching her firmly stand her ground. I was internally yelling "In your face, Nate!" when she didn't put up with Nate's bullshit anymore. In other words, she really owned her choices.
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Nate Sawyer <- Oh yes adding him to my precious list of book boyfriends this instant. Although he was being portrayed as a walking manwhore in the beginning, the author did an amazing job by slowly peeling back the layers and revealed a much deeper and emotional side to this sexy man. There's a reason for his commitment-phobe issues and you can't even stay mad at him for long because you know deep down, he really cares for Olivia. He just needed time to work out his issues and it was easy for me to empathize with him after hearing his past.
Another thing I really loved about this book is Nate & Olivia's connection right from the beginning. Their platonic relationship was fun to watch and had me chuckling at their geeky banters. Gradually it grew into something more when all the flirtatious and seduction lessons started and holy sex on a stick, the sexual tension was enough to burn down my reading device! Nate was absolutely divine in these scenes and if I was Olivia, I sure as hell wouldn't turn him down either. I need some Nate lovin' in my life!!
And then let's talk about that angst, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. Nothing spells out angst better than the amount of grovelling done on Nate's part to get Olivia back in his life. Pretty sure my heart went through some massive workout during these scenes followed by me being in a blubbering mess of emotions that had me tearing up multiple times as both of them ripped apart their defenses and bear their hearts out. By the last stretch, I may have even cried harder because of how it was all tied up beautifully for this couple.
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Samantha Young surely knows how to capture her readers' heart with her writing as I found myself consumed with Nate & Olivia's love story from start till the end. Perfect balance of romance, steam, angst and humor; the author delivers a read that will sweep you off your feet with her storytelling. Fans of the friends to lovers trope will highly enjoy this one and definitely one of the best reads of this trope I've come across so far!
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Before Jamaica Lane is the 3rd book in the On Dublin Street series and can be read as a standalone.
"Do you see those dimples? Yup. That’s the Julian Lefray I will be reporting to tomorrow morning."
The one thing that I can e3.5 STARS! ★★★☆
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"Do you see those dimples? Yup. That’s the Julian Lefray I will be reporting to tomorrow morning."
The one thing that I can expect when I pick up a RS Grey book is that I'll find myself reading something fun and hilarious with a dose of sweet romance. This one was no exception here and as I was flipping through the pages, I found myself chuckling at this author's witty, humorous writing!
Josephine is a small-town Texan girl with a big dream who runs a fashion blog called What Jo Wore. Moving to New York where she was about to attend a huge fashion event that could bring her closer to achieving her dreams, her stroke of good luck came in the form of one Mr Julian Lefray whom she bumped into that evening. Julian happens to be looking for someone to help him run his sister's fashion design company and being intrigued by Jo's character, he eventually interviews her and so the fun begins.
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I really enjoyed how this read was fun and light-hearted, completely drama-free and had characters all over the place that had me laughing over the things they say. Jo was a wonderful heroine and very relatable without even trying too hard. I loved that she was willing to fight for her dreams even when her family didn't believe in her but her optimism and creative ideas really pulled her through. Most of all, her inner monologues had me cackling far too many times.
"First, I needed a joke to break the tension between us. Why’d the chicken cross the hard body of Julian Lefray? To get laid. Which came first? The chicken or me? Shit. I was in trouble if I couldn’t think of a non-Julian related sex joke."
Julian also came as a surprise to me, he wasn't the typical rich, charming manwhore type. He couldn't deny the attraction he had for Jo but he was patiently sweet and fighting the blue balls when he's in close proximity with her. The flirtatious banters were just tethering the edge of an explosive chemistry. You can already imagine the sexual tension that was begging to be resolved and when it finally did, boy did it explode!
"The continuous tease of having to be around him the last few weeks had built up the desire in my veins. Each day the passion had built with no outlet for escape."
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Overall I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick read that is fun, sexy and hilariously entertaining! The read did however fell short for me as I found myself expecting a little more from the overall storyline. Perhaps I was hoping for some angst but this book being its light-hearted nature did serve its purpose which provided me a good laugh and kept me entertained. But it was just one of those reads that would not have a lasting impression on me.
Definitely looking forward to a spinoff book that features both of the MCs close friends- Lily and Dean. I think that'll be an equally fun one to read! :)
The Allure of Julian Lefray is a standalone contemporary romance read.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
"Houston may be good with bad dreams, but I come bearing nightmares. I also come with regret."
Having love the first book This is Falling in this series and meeting its endearing characters, I was really excited to be back on this bandwagon. When the author said she was writing a book about Paige, I was a little apprehensive on how it'll be written because for those who've read the series, you'll remember that Paige is well...let's say she's not the poster girl for your typical sweet heroine.
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Paige Owens is the twin sister of Cass (her story was the 2nd in the series) and is the total opposite of her carefree twin; she's the confident one, the girl that owns the playground and all in all, she's pretty much Queen B right down to the blonde hair and in heels to strut. The story starts off with her in the Delta House where she stays with her sorority sisters that is led by an even more almighty Queen B called Chandra. All hell breaks loose when Paige had photographic evidence of Chandra messing with drugs and did the unthinkable by anonymously sending them out to her college media press as a plot to avenge for Chandra's demeaning actions towards Cass in the past.
Houston Orrs is no star athlete or a smart geek, he's just a boy who works off a grocery store and makes pretty damn awesome sandwiches. But his life is far from simple when he shoulders a heavy responsibility (view spoiler)[ being a widowed father to a beautiful 4-year old girl called Leah (hide spoiler)].
When both Houston and Paige first met, it was no hearts and butterflies as Paige lashed out with her icy exterior to Houston even after he defended her multiple times. Things starts to complicate even more when Houston offers his spare room to Paige when the whole Chandra situation was blowing up badly on her.
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Honestly this read left me feeling very conflicted. It was like part of me enjoyed this read but another part had me wanting to tear my hair out at these characters.
I'm not gonna lie, it was really tough warming up to Paige. She was nothing short of an ice queen with her rather cold-hearted attitude especially towards such a sweet gentleman like Houston. On a personal level, I just wasn't appealed by her character and it frustrated me helluva a lot as she does this push and pull thing with Houston. It doesn't help that she just goes around most of the time with that abrasive behaviour but only allowing us to see some of her tender moments.
And here is where I feel torn with this book because I do get it. I get why the author portrayed Paige the way she is, that harsh exterior she puts up for everyone but beneath that is a girl who's just struggling as much to keep it altogether with expectations she's placed on herself since young. She believes she doesn't need anyone's saving, so she just builds up a fort so strong and refuses to let anyone in. I admired that the author made Paige stayed true to her character almost throughout the entire read despite the fact that it makes me want to badly knock some sense into her at times.
But Houston...GAH loved him! I swear Ginger Scott writes heroes that I'd like to kidnap and cuddle with them all night long. It was amusing to see how he relentlessly pursued Paige even after she shot him down multiple times. Honestly, I'm still a little baffled by what Houston saw in Paige that drawn his attention in the first place. Their relationship was quite a slow-build one and rather frustrating with Paige making it difficult with her indecisiveness. But I did love how we got to understand more of Paige's choices later on and having Houston be the one who breaks through her defenses.
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Overall I still enjoyed this one but probably my least favorite in this series. Also, I really wished it was Paige that had to do much more grovelling albeit that really touching move she pulled off for Houston in the end. But I did love how they finally got their deservedly HEA and it was just one of those moments that were aww-worthy. Also the Preeter brothers still definitely have my heart since the beginning and I hope Ginger will write an extended epilogue or a novella for all these characters after they graduate (yes a girl can dream) ♥
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The Girl I Was Before is the third book in the Falling series and can be read as a standalone although it is recommended to be read in order.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Art – noun | [\ˈärt\] : The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautifu5 STARS!! ★★★★★
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Art – noun | [\ˈärt\] : The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
What an amazing book!! Yet another read that took me by a complete surprise, Art & Soul was beautifully written with characters that were so endearing and realistic, a story that I'd say would appeal to everyone. Having not read anything by this author before, I was completely blown away by her ability to take such a simple plot and turned it into such an emotionally-fuelled journey with her writing. After finishing this, I was so afraid that I couldn't find the right words to bring it justice because I'd like to shout from the rooftops and tell everybody to READ THIS BOOK!!
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Art & Soul follows the story of Aria Watson whose passion is in art, her favorite kind being the abstract ones. She's always been the good girl, staying out of trouble at school but all that changed when one bad decision led to her being noticed by everyone for the wrong reason. Then there's also Levi Myers who plays the violin, the new boy in school that has been grabbing everyone's attention too. He just moved in from Alabama, staying with his dad who has separated from his mum and in hopes that moving to Wisconsin would mend the broken relationship between his parents. When both Levi & Aria got paired up for a school project that requires them to present a piece which infused art with music, what started out as a friendship slowly blossomed into something more and beautiful.
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The only way I could describe this book is that reading Art & Soul made me remembered why I fell in love with the New Adult genre in the first place. Reading this brought me back to a place I've longed for, it reminded me when I first picked up my first CoHo book, Slammed and fell in love with a simple yet wonderful read that had me smiling, laughing and crying throughout. You get the same high school setting; nothing extraordinary but it's the author's writing that will touch your soul with her words. I fell in love with all her characters, even the ones that I thought I'd hate for their actions. I felt like I personally got to know each of them and was alongside them fighting their own battles.
"I wanted Dad to want me a little. I wanted Mom to stop wanting me so much. I wanted to be wanted, but not wanted a lot."
What I loved most about Art & Soul was that it didn't just solely focused on the romance aspect between Levi & Aria but it became a story that presented love in all forms. You get to witness the true love that stemmed from a parent towards their own child, the love of a survivor who had a second chance at life and most of all, this book brought hope even when it seemed like there was none and the world was against you.
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The story flowed effortlessly with each chapter and the dual POV was done beautifully for both Aria & Levi. There were just moments in this read that left me breathless as the emotions brought upon by these characters were just so raw and real. It had me misty-eyed at one point but I couldn't put it down because I just needed to know that things will be okay thereafter.
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Even with the absence of smut that would probably shelved this as a YA genre instead, this book had all the right ingredients that still made it a wonderful read but more importantly, it had the heart and soul that truly made it an unforgettable one. It got me smiling, swooning, crying but by the end of it all, it left me with a huge smile and wanting so much more. I didn't want to part ways with these characters that I've come to known and love, I wasn't ready to say goodbye :(
This is one of those books that stays with you and be remembered for its heartfelt story. I know there won't be enough words to fully capture the beauty of this read but all I ask from everyone is to give this read a shot if you're just looking for something simple yet wonderful to read. This was such a hidden gem that I never thought I'd pick up any time soon but I'm so glad that I did! A huge shoutout of thanks to Jennifer who recc'd me this and loaned it to me in a heartbeat, otherwise I would have missed out an amazing read, so THANK YOU!! ♥
Again, I'd HIGHLY recommend this to everyone and no doubt a 2015 top read for me. The writing itself was enough to warrant 5 stars & had me highlighting all the quotes non-stop, enough said ;)
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Art & Soul is a standalone YA contemporary romance read.
"You don’t need to find the perfect thing all the time. Just find one that works, and go with it.
Ever since I read After I Do and fel4 STARS! ★★★★
"You don’t need to find the perfect thing all the time. Just find one that works, and go with it.
Ever since I read After I Do and fell in love with the way this author writes, I couldn't pass off the chance to read this one. This book played out a very interesting concept and paired up with Taylor's heartfelt writing, this was a unique story that had me reeling about it even after a night of putting it down.
This tells the story of 29-year old, Hannah who moves back to her hometown LA after travelling from place to place and is no longer sure of what she wants out of her life. The only constant is her best friend, Gabby who welcomes her home with open arms and allowing her to stay at her place till she figures out what to do next. They go out for a night of drinks where Hannah reunites with her high school sweetheart, Ethan and he invites her to spend the night with him.
Hannah is then faced with a crossroads decision. Will she follow Ethan back? Or will she follow Gabby back?
The book lives out on both decisions and concurrently, readers will get to read in alternating chapters of what Hannah's life will entail had she chose one scenario over the other.
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What made this book standout to me was how well the author presented the concept of Hannah living parallel lives. I was equally hooked to both stories and while both decisions resulted in very different consequences, it really left me to ponder on a lot of things. Witnessing the different outcomes of whichever decision Hannah made, you can't help but to reflect on her choices.
The thing that TJR does so well with her reads is the realism of her stories and her characters' actions. You take a moment to step back and ask yourself: What would have happened if you went down another road? Do you believe in fate? Do you believe that in alternate universe, there's another version of you living a life that took the other road? In fearing the choices we have to make in life, how would they have played out differently? It's amazing when a read touches you in that way and makes you think in such a profound way.
It's definitely an unconventional read and while it still bears the romance element, I would say that it's not the main focus of it overall. It's just one of those thought-provoking reads that provides you with interesting food for thought. TJR writes in a way that speaks from the heart and enables her readers to connect to her stories on a personal level.
Overall this is a read that I'd highly recommend if you're looking for something different in between your romance reads. The ending was one that took me by a slight surprise but I figured it fits perfectly with the overall message that the book brings. Even after putting it down a few days after, I can't help but wonder about all the other alternate universes I could be living in :)
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Maybe in Another Life is a standalone romance read.
ARC kindly provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
"I never expected her. Sometimes people sneak up on you and suddenly you don't know how you ever lived without them."
What a4.5 STARS! ★★★★☆
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"I never expected her. Sometimes people sneak up on you and suddenly you don't know how you ever lived without them."
What a complete hidden gem read! Who is this author and why haven't I read any of her books before? This needs to change pronto. I know there's already so many stellar reviews on this read, so I'll get straight to the point and tell you how this one absolutely worked for me.
Let me just say that I haven't picked up a NA contemporary college romance read since The Hook Up and that was equally a 4.5 stars read for me too. Ever since then, I've been wary about picking up another until this gem came flooding over my feed. I'll be honest: I wouldn't have thought of picking it up just based on the cover or blurb. Is there anything extraordinary about this trope? Nope. But did I enjoyed the hell outta it? Abso-facking-lutely.
"Exactly how old is your penis?"
"He's twenty, like me." Garrett answers seriously. "But he's way more mature than I am."
It really proves to show that you don't need an extraordinary plot to produce a spectacular read if you have the writing skills to put your own unique spin to an overused trope. With Elle Kennedy, she did just that and she aced it. From the likeable characters that came off real to the endless smartass banters, I completely devoured this one and I came off this read with a goofy smile on my face. Scratch that, I pretty much had a big dorky goofy smile on my face the entire time reading it. Also, I may have chuckled out loud a few times in public *cue the locker room scene*
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There's nothing I love more than a slowburn romance and with Hannah/Garrett, their relationship developed at an almost perfect pace. It's the kind that starts off with some love-hate banters, then grows into a delicious sizzling kind of unresolved sexual tension and finally BOOM! it happens. So much so that when it happened, I literally did an airfist and celebrated while sending squeeing text messages to my girlie, Rachel.
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I also liked that while Garrett came off like a manwhore, he was nothing but sweet and caring. He wasn't the typical reformed manwhore that changed his ways for the nerdy quiet girl. He was still who he is but there was just a side you didn't see before until Hannah came along. And Hannah, I loved that she didn't caved in to Garrett's persistence and I felt her insecurities due to her past was portrayed well and not OTT at all. It didn't take away her wonderfully witty persona or let it overshadowed her, it only strengthened her.
"You won't let anything bad happen to me, will you, Garrett?"
"Never."
Overall this is one of those that will take you by surprise because it sure as hell did for me. If it wasn't for all my book buddies recc'ing me this, I wouldn't have gave it a second glance and for that, I am very thankful :) And to those who haven't pick this up, this is where I urge you to give it a shot. Sure it may sound like your typical NA college romance read & it's predictable but the writing that Elle Kennedy brings to her characters and their banters truly made this read shine.
Oh and also, the sex is hot hot hot. What more can you ask for seriously? ;)
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The Deal is a standalone New Adult contemporary romance read.
♥ Thanks to my lovely girl, Rachel for the amazing buddy-read! Had so much exchanging all the amazing banters from the book & squeeing over these characters through the phone! ♥ ...more
"All that matters is that I have you. The rest is background noise."
I've always been wary when reading a collaborative work5+ STARS!! ★★★★★
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"All that matters is that I have you. The rest is background noise."
I've always been wary when reading a collaborative work but with this dynamic duo, all I can say is that they absolutely need to produce more babies like this in the near future! My first read from LH Cosway being Six of Hearts was an absolute huge winner for me and although I haven't read any of Penny Reid's work yet (this is an absolute blasphemy for me & shall be rectified!!), I've heard nothing but such high praises for her work. Added on with the amazing hype surrounding this read pre AND post release, inevitably I went in with high expectations and let me tell ya, that usually doesn't end so well.
But lo and behold, I've hit the jackpot with this one and got a one-way ticket to book heaven!
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The Hooker and the Hermit surpassed and bulldozed all my expectations, it went far beyond that. My virtual highlighter had a fieldtrip with the witty quotes and off-the-charts sexual innuendos from this read that if anyone saw my Kindle, one would think that a unicorn had pooped rainbow all over it. A pretty massive one in fact (I kid you not).
This read in a nutshell: Bring in one dirty-talker charmer that comes in the form of a rugby player named Ronan Fitzpatrick and a socially awkward world-famous blogger who thrived behind anonymity that is one Annie Catrel...Ladies and gentlemen, be ready to be dazzled by this highly entertaining read where hunky meets geeky. Proceed with caution when reading in public as there will plenty of LOL-worthy moments.
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I don't even know where to begin to express my ginormous love for this book. It literally encompasses everything I searched for in an ideal read. Brilliant wit, well-developed characters, engaging storyline, perfect amount of steam and angst. But mostly the BONUS ICING AND MY PERSONAL KRYTOPNITE: The dirty-talker hero who could melt my heart AND panties. Repeatedly. Move over all my fellow book boyfriends/husbands and make way for this lovechild of hobbit and leprechaun Mr. Irish panty-dropping Ronan.
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With a collaborative piece, it's usually difficult to find one where the writing flows seamlessly between chapters but with this one, there was no telling where one started and the other ended. It's really impressive as both authors achieved a perfect sync and gave each their own character an unique individuality while still maintaining an equal level of humor and wit. Both characters so beautifully flawed in their own ways, you can't help but be completely enamoured.
"Ronan, you are worth ten thousand Fitzpatricks and their self-important douchebaggery. Their stupidity is their loss, not yours."
I cannot stress how amazingly well-written is Annie's character. Her introverted persona was something that I could relate to on a personal level which gave this read an extra edge for me and given her backstory, my heart squeezed one too many times for her. I loved that she was real and while her actions may not be the most ideal ones, it's her flawed character that stood out to me in this read. In most books, we usually get the feisty, ballsy heroine that we'd love to be but with Annie, she's perfectly imperfect being that hermit sitting at the corner of the coffee shop and being awesome in her own way. She's the one that I could hear myself saying "That sounds just like me" as opposed to the "I wish I was her".
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And of course, there's Ronan who quickly swept me off my feet with his lovable charm and dirty mouth. His character was a like candy waiting to be unwrapped and oh boy, did I find a delicious layer hidden underneath coated with so much goodness! Ronan was such a multi-dimensional character; there was a certain tenderness beneath all that rugged sexy persona and his fierce loyalty to Annie made me swoon so hard.
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No doubt that this read has officially become the first one to hit my Best Reads of 2015 List and earned a spot on my all-time favorite reads! There was absolutely nothing that I didn't love about this read, if it had another 500 pages, I would happily gobble them up. This was the kind of read that gave me the flutters, set my panties on fire and made me roll in a puddle of happy feels.
I cannot recommend this read enough if you're looking for a light-hearted romance read that is guarantee to put a smile on your face and yet tugged at your heartstrings as you read it. These two authors are definitely on my auto-buy list for sure. So everyone, get yourself acquainted with this read now!
The Hooker and the Hermit is a collaborative standalone romance read by LH Cosway and Penny Reid.
“You’ll never be able to find yourself if you’re lost in someone else.”
There's probably a lot of superb reviews going around for thi4 STARS! ★★★★
“You’ll never be able to find yourself if you’re lost in someone else.”
There's probably a lot of superb reviews going around for this book already, so I'll just keep mine to a short and simple one :)
I've been a huge fan of CoHo since her Slammed series and while her recent work had been huge misses for me, I'm glad that November 9 has reminded me again why I loved her work in the first place. With CoHo, you can always expect her to produce a read that is original and creative and filled it with words that could pull at your heartstrings.
November 9 is a story within a story and I thought it was brilliant at how she incorporated references of common story tropes that most of us book lovers could relate to. The witty banters shared between Ben & Fallon cracked me up and I was really enamoured by the idea of them meeting up every year on the same day. It only made for their moments to be memorable each time.
Being said all that, this book was a clear-cut 5 stars for me right up till the 70% mark. I had my hunches on the plot-twist but I have to say I'm a little disappointed that it still happened. While I can understand why it happened, I can't help but feel that it ended up undermining Ben & Fallon's relationship from the start. (view spoiler)[Part of me wondered if Ben would have taken an interest in Fallon in the first place if he didn't feel responsible for the fire that he started and see past her scars. As much as I sympathise for Ben for what happened with him and how much he grovel back to make amends with Fallon, I guess I was a little disappointed that their relationship was started based on this. (hide spoiler)] The book would have been perfect enough for me without this plot twist but I guess that's just me.
Overall CoHo still delivered a heartfelt and inspiring read, one that she puts a creative spin to it and managed to put her readers through the wringer of emotions.
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