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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Unrequited is a vampire book. It is marked as a new adult novel, but it felt more as a young adult. It does span the college years of Ashton, so I think that is where the New Adult element comes into play. But it is completely clean so it would work for readers of young adult as well. These are a different twist on the conventional vampire. I enjoyed Emily Shaffer's view on them. It was strange how few of them there were in a world where vampires existed though. I really felt for Will. He felt completely alone. He honestly felt like there was a good chance that he was the only vampire out there. He is teaching at a local high school, and then he meets Ashton. And the story begins.
We get to know Ashton first basically through the story of her attack and change. It was really traumatic and I couldn't help but feel for her. I completely got her desire to be as normal as possible right now because now is the time that the least amount of questions will be asked. Right now she basically is a high school student. So it made complete sense to me what she wanted. What I didn't understand was why she had to be so rude to Will. I have such a soft spot in my heart for Will. He is the nicest guy. I didn't always understand why he picked Ashton. At times I felt like it was because she was the only female he knew like him. He honestly seemed too good for her. But his intentions seemed to come from the best place so I still rooted for the two of them for his stake.
When Griffin came into the picture it obviously complicated things. My initial impression of him wasn't correct. I will be the first to admit that I got it wrong when it comes to him. The book felt a bit rushed and choppy at parts. I would have liked for the story to have been stretched out a bit more, with some more detail added in, but the story still sucked me in. I couldn't stop reading because I honestly didn't know what was going to happen. Some things were predictable but not everything. Not the main things. It has been a while since I have read a story about just vampires. I liked it but like I said, these vampires seemed to be very different. They didn't need to drink blood to survive and the sun only made them tired if they were out in it for a long time. So they seemed more just like immortals to me. The book ended at a pretty bad spot in the story, with one heck of a cliff hanger. I have no idea what is going to happen next and that alone is enough to make me want to continue the series. Fans of vampires should check out Unrequited.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Unrequited is a vampire book. It is marked as a new adult novel, but it felt more as a young adult. It does span the college years of Ashton, so I think that is where the New Adult element comes into play. But it is completely clean so it would work for readers of young adult as well. These are a different twist on the conventional vampire. I enjoyed Emily Shaffer's view on them. It was strange how few of them there were in a world where vampires existed though. I really felt for Will. He felt completely alone. He honestly felt like there was a good chance that he was the only vampire out there. He is teaching at a local high school, and then he meets Ashton. And the story begins.
We get to know Ashton first basically through the story of her attack and change. It was really traumatic and I couldn't help but feel for her. I completely got her desire to be as normal as possible right now because now is the time that the least amount of questions will be asked. Right now she basically is a high school student. So it made complete sense to me what she wanted. What I didn't understand was why she had to be so rude to Will. I have such a soft spot in my heart for Will. He is the nicest guy. I didn't always understand why he picked Ashton. At times I felt like it was because she was the only female he knew like him. He honestly seemed too good for her. But his intentions seemed to come from the best place so I still rooted for the two of them for his stake.
When Griffin came into the picture it obviously complicated things. My initial impression of him wasn't correct. I will be the first to admit that I got it wrong when it comes to him. The book felt a bit rushed and choppy at parts. I would have liked for the story to have been stretched out a bit more, with some more detail added in, but the story still sucked me in. I couldn't stop reading because I honestly didn't know what was going to happen. Some things were predictable but not everything. Not the main things. It has been a while since I have read a story about just vampires. I liked it but like I said, these vampires seemed to be very different. They didn't need to drink blood to survive and the sun only made them tired if they were out in it for a long time. So they seemed more just like immortals to me. The book ended at a pretty bad spot in the story, with one heck of a cliff hanger. I have no idea what is going to happen next and that alone is enough to make me want to continue the series. Fans of vampires should check out Unrequited.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Deep Blue is the first book in the Blue Series. The Blue series is what I think has become the standard series setup for New Adult books. Each book is a standalone about a different guy and girl pairing. It is their story told in Dual Narrative between the two of them, and even though all the books focus on different couples and can stand on their own, they are normally interconnected in some way. Most of the time the series is about a group of friends, each one getting their own book. I understand that this setup might not be for everyone, and I have heard a lot of people complain (in general, not about this book) that it makes new adult books all seem formulaic and the same. This setup does not bother me at all. In fact, when it is done well I love it! There is still a ton of room for creativity in the plot and I really like the dual narrative point of view story telling for romances. I really enjoyed Deep Blue.
The Blue Series is one that I initially read out of order. I read the second book, Blue Crush several months ago and I loved Gen and Lewis' story. So I knew I wanted to go back and read the first book before the third book came out. And I have to say, it was kind of cool that I did read it out of order. It was fun to see the interactions between Gen and Lewis in Deep Blue knowing what was coming for them in their story. It was like having the ability to see into their future and it made me giggle and smile at times. But back to the book at hand. Deep Blue is the story of Gen's friend Cali and Jaeger.
It was so easy for me to see that Cali was in a dead end relationship. Her boyfriend seemed like a class A jerk. I loved seeing Cali react to Jaeger. That's what it felt like for me. He caused such a strong reaction in her thoughts and actions, and really all parts of her. Something that didn't even remotely happen with her ex. It was nice to see him get under her skin. And he was a real sweetheart. I thought their story was a great journey. They have a lot of stuff thrown at them. At times it felt like too much that Jaeger (and Cali) were dealing with, but I just rode it all out with them. What I liked most about Jaeger was his job. I thought it was beyond cool and I want to see some of his creations. I also really liked how well it paired with Cali's talent.
Blue Crush did a great job of giving you glimpses of all of the guys and girls from the first three books. I really enjoyed Deep Blue. I don't know if I liked it more than Blue Crush but it is really close. If you like New Adult romances, the blue series is one that you will be sure to enjoy!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Deep Blue is the first book in the Blue Series. The Blue series is what I think has become the standard series setup for New Adult books. Each book is a standalone about a different guy and girl pairing. It is their story told in Dual Narrative between the two of them, and even though all the books focus on different couples and can stand on their own, they are normally interconnected in some way. Most of the time the series is about a group of friends, each one getting their own book. I understand that this setup might not be for everyone, and I have heard a lot of people complain (in general, not about this book) that it makes new adult books all seem formulaic and the same. This setup does not bother me at all. In fact, when it is done well I love it! There is still a ton of room for creativity in the plot and I really like the dual narrative point of view story telling for romances. I really enjoyed Deep Blue.
The Blue Series is one that I initially read out of order. I read the second book, Blue Crush several months ago and I loved Gen and Lewis' story. So I knew I wanted to go back and read the first book before the third book came out. And I have to say, it was kind of cool that I did read it out of order. It was fun to see the interactions between Gen and Lewis in Deep Blue knowing what was coming for them in their story. It was like having the ability to see into their future and it made me giggle and smile at times. But back to the book at hand. Deep Blue is the story of Gen's friend Cali and Jaeger.
It was so easy for me to see that Cali was in a dead end relationship. Her boyfriend seemed like a class A jerk. I loved seeing Cali react to Jaeger. That's what it felt like for me. He caused such a strong reaction in her thoughts and actions, and really all parts of her. Something that didn't even remotely happen with her ex. It was nice to see him get under her skin. And he was a real sweetheart. I thought their story was a great journey. They have a lot of stuff thrown at them. At times it felt like too much that Jaeger (and Cali) were dealing with, but I just rode it all out with them. What I liked most about Jaeger was his job. I thought it was beyond cool and I want to see some of his creations. I also really liked how well it paired with Cali's talent.
Blue Crush did a great job of giving you glimpses of all of the guys and girls from the first three books. I really enjoyed Deep Blue. I don't know if I liked it more than Blue Crush but it is really close. If you like New Adult romances, the blue series is one that you will be sure to enjoy!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
The Edge of You is a clean new adult contemporary romance. There is some new adult content but it is mostly just alluded to, and I think would be appropriate for upper young adult readers. It is also a standalone book, which is refreshing. The Edge of You is a story that is equally about two people finding each other as it is a story about each of their journeys and dealing with loss/sickness. Maya and Jake are each dealing with a ton of stuff. Holy cow, you really feel for these two young adults. Their issues are at the same time very different, yet the same.
Jake is dealing with a sick mother and paying her hospital and medication bills, while trying to go to school. Maya is dealing with the death of her sister and her mother's alcoholism. They seem like very different situations on their face, right? But when you look a little closer at the two of them you see that they are both dealing with this pressure all alone. They each have the weight of their respective worlds on their shoulders and they both feel very lonely. The Edge of You had this undertone of despair throughout so much of it. It made the book feel dark, but the ray of light shining through was Jake and Maya relationship. You could so easily see them light up around each other. They were each others' hope. It was so beautiful to witness.
Maya was complicated for me. At times I thought she acted selfishly and a little immature when it came to Jake dealing with his mom, and then at other times she was so patient and understanding and very mature. It was like a struggle within herself. She knew the right thing to do, but she didn't always express it.
My favorite part of the book was Maya's paintings. I loved the descriptions of the light and her sister in her art. I thought it was really beautiful. I would love to see some inspiration pieces for her work. Theresa DaLayne did an excellent job with her description. Her writing was very emotional. The Edge of You is a story that will make you you feel both happiness and despair at the same time. It was an interesting combination for me. The Edge of You is a great read for people that like their romance realistic with a healthy dose of turmoil thrown in. At times, I simply did not know if this book was going to get a happily ever after for the characters. Life threw a lot at these two. And the journey this book took me on was worth it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
The Edge of You is a clean new adult contemporary romance. There is some new adult content but it is mostly just alluded to, and I think would be appropriate for upper young adult readers. It is also a standalone book, which is refreshing. The Edge of You is a story that is equally about two people finding each other as it is a story about each of their journeys and dealing with loss/sickness. Maya and Jake are each dealing with a ton of stuff. Holy cow, you really feel for these two young adults. Their issues are at the same time very different, yet the same.
Jake is dealing with a sick mother and paying her hospital and medication bills, while trying to go to school. Maya is dealing with the death of her sister and her mother's alcoholism. They seem like very different situations on their face, right? But when you look a little closer at the two of them you see that they are both dealing with this pressure all alone. They each have the weight of their respective worlds on their shoulders and they both feel very lonely. The Edge of You had this undertone of despair throughout so much of it. It made the book feel dark, but the ray of light shining through was Jake and Maya relationship. You could so easily see them light up around each other. They were each others' hope. It was so beautiful to witness.
Maya was complicated for me. At times I thought she acted selfishly and a little immature when it came to Jake dealing with his mom, and then at other times she was so patient and understanding and very mature. It was like a struggle within herself. She knew the right thing to do, but she didn't always express it.
My favorite part of the book was Maya's paintings. I loved the descriptions of the light and her sister in her art. I thought it was really beautiful. I would love to see some inspiration pieces for her work. Theresa DaLayne did an excellent job with her description. Her writing was very emotional. The Edge of You is a story that will make you you feel both happiness and despair at the same time. It was an interesting combination for me. The Edge of You is a great read for people that like their romance realistic with a healthy dose of turmoil thrown in. At times, I simply did not know if this book was going to get a happily ever after for the characters. Life threw a lot at these two. And the journey this book took me on was worth it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**I first discovered Penny Reid in her excerpt of a new adult story called Bunsen Burner Bingo in a new adult anthology. As soon as I was done with the story, I knew I wanted more! (that story got such a great reception that it is being made into a full length novel to be released in 2015!) And after reading Beauty and the Mustache, books #1-3 from the knitting in the city series are going straight on my wishlist! I loved Beauty and the Mustache. It is an adult contemporary so called "smart" romance. It is witty and adorable, and so, so well done. I know you will fall in love with Penny's writing just like I did. And her characters.
Beauty and the Mustache can be read as a standalone. I never felt lost or confused. The other stories were about her friends in Chicago in her knitting group. We got to see a good bit of them in this book, even though almost all of the story took place outside of Chicago. It was cool to see glimpses into their relationships. It not only made me want to read their stories, but I want all of Ashley's dynamic brothers to get their own stories as well. I loved their family dynamic. And there were so many of them. At first, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight. But my fear was completely unfounded. Penny Reid did a fantastic job giving each of the hunky brothers a distinct personality. I want to read their stories!
But Beauty and the Mustache was the story of their only sister, Ashley and Drew, a really good friend of the family. It is told entirely in Ash's point of view. Throughout the book, I longed to get inside Drew's head as well. This guy has one heck of a poker face. Even though I knew he had feelings for Ashley, even I didn't know what he was thinking some of the time. We did get one glimpse into his head in the epilogue of the story. And I was really surprised. He is a poet, but even his thought process was very prose like and lyrical. Watching him dance around Ash was so perfectly done throughout the story. Ash was home because her mother was dying. There was an undertone of sadness throughout the story, but not as much as you would think, because their mother had such a good attitude about everything. She was so sweet and funny. I loved getting to know her too throughout the story.
It was so funny. Drew was so reserved around Ashley. He had a lot of personal reasons for his reservations, but once he got past those reasons, he was not reserved at all. He did not hold back and he wouldn't let her pull back either. I loved how he said he was no good at playing pretend. He was a pretty straight shooter. His journal was also one of the most beautiful things ever. I am so glad that we got a glimpse into it. Beauty and the Mustache is a great read. As I am sure all of her books are. You don't have 2 out of 2 books being this consistently wonderful by a fluke. If you have not read a Penny Reid book, you need to...now. Seriously, just pick a book and read it! Start with book 1. Start with book 4. Just pick one. And mark your calendars for Elements of Chemistry (that full length novel I was telling you about earlier) I CANNOT WAIT FOR IT!This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Beauty and the Mustache can be read as a standalone. I never felt lost or confused. The other stories were about her friends in Chicago in her knitting group. We got to see a good bit of them in this book, even though almost all of the story took place outside of Chicago. It was cool to see glimpses into their relationships. It not only made me want to read their stories, but I want all of Ashley's dynamic brothers to get their own stories as well. I loved their family dynamic. And there were so many of them. At first, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight. But my fear was completely unfounded. Penny Reid did a fantastic job giving each of the hunky brothers a distinct personality. I want to read their stories!
But Beauty and the Mustache was the story of their only sister, Ashley and Drew, a really good friend of the family. It is told entirely in Ash's point of view. Throughout the book, I longed to get inside Drew's head as well. This guy has one heck of a poker face. Even though I knew he had feelings for Ashley, even I didn't know what he was thinking some of the time. We did get one glimpse into his head in the epilogue of the story. And I was really surprised. He is a poet, but even his thought process was very prose like and lyrical. Watching him dance around Ash was so perfectly done throughout the story. Ash was home because her mother was dying. There was an undertone of sadness throughout the story, but not as much as you would think, because their mother had such a good attitude about everything. She was so sweet and funny. I loved getting to know her too throughout the story.
It was so funny. Drew was so reserved around Ashley. He had a lot of personal reasons for his reservations, but once he got past those reasons, he was not reserved at all. He did not hold back and he wouldn't let her pull back either. I loved how he said he was no good at playing pretend. He was a pretty straight shooter. His journal was also one of the most beautiful things ever. I am so glad that we got a glimpse into it. Beauty and the Mustache is a great read. As I am sure all of her books are. You don't have 2 out of 2 books being this consistently wonderful by a fluke. If you have not read a Penny Reid book, you need to...now. Seriously, just pick a book and read it! Start with book 1. Start with book 4. Just pick one. And mark your calendars for Elements of Chemistry (that full length novel I was telling you about earlier) I CANNOT WAIT FOR IT!This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**See this full review and more at http://bookbriefs.net**
Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks is a quirky and really sweet love story. The story starts in 1999 and spans many years, following the characters throughout childhood, high school and beyond. It was lots of fun, super sweet, and gives you a couple that you just want to root for against all odds. Ben and Carrie are next door neighbors, Ben falling into the geek category and Carrie falling more into the burnout category by default. But they are each so much more than their stereotypes. Karen Gordon does an excellent job at both poking fun at and exaggerating the stereotypes as she does with making her characters grow and break the mold.
Carrie has it rough at home. Her mother is basically unhinged and all she does it take it out on Carrie. Only Ben and MG know what her home life is really like. And because of her mothers verbal abuse, Carrie has a big issue with letting anyone see her cry. As weird as this sounds, tracking her progress with this fear throughout the novel was really sweet and endearing to me.
Ben is just the sweetest guy on the planet. Yes, one of his choices tore me up inside but he eventually makes up for it. Although, I will say that I doubted it for a while there. Things got pretty rough for some characters for a while. This book took me on a rollercoaster ride of all the emotions imaginable. I wanted to see a little bit more of what happened at the end of the story. The first 65% of the story was wonderfully detailed and the pacing was perfect and then things all started unraveling very fast and once they started to resolve themselves I wanted the pacing to slow down again so I could enjoy the end, but it was still at the same heightened pace. It wasn't bad, but I selfishly wanted more Ben and Carrie.
Karen Gordon did a fantastic job with the writing in Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks. I laughed, I teared up, I awhed. It was quirky fun, had plenty of swoons and if you don't fall in love with Ben I officially think something is wrong with you.
Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks is a quirky and really sweet love story. The story starts in 1999 and spans many years, following the characters throughout childhood, high school and beyond. It was lots of fun, super sweet, and gives you a couple that you just want to root for against all odds. Ben and Carrie are next door neighbors, Ben falling into the geek category and Carrie falling more into the burnout category by default. But they are each so much more than their stereotypes. Karen Gordon does an excellent job at both poking fun at and exaggerating the stereotypes as she does with making her characters grow and break the mold.
Carrie has it rough at home. Her mother is basically unhinged and all she does it take it out on Carrie. Only Ben and MG know what her home life is really like. And because of her mothers verbal abuse, Carrie has a big issue with letting anyone see her cry. As weird as this sounds, tracking her progress with this fear throughout the novel was really sweet and endearing to me.
Ben is just the sweetest guy on the planet. Yes, one of his choices tore me up inside but he eventually makes up for it. Although, I will say that I doubted it for a while there. Things got pretty rough for some characters for a while. This book took me on a rollercoaster ride of all the emotions imaginable. I wanted to see a little bit more of what happened at the end of the story. The first 65% of the story was wonderfully detailed and the pacing was perfect and then things all started unraveling very fast and once they started to resolve themselves I wanted the pacing to slow down again so I could enjoy the end, but it was still at the same heightened pace. It wasn't bad, but I selfishly wanted more Ben and Carrie.
Karen Gordon did a fantastic job with the writing in Burnouts, Geeks and Jesus Freaks. I laughed, I teared up, I awhed. It was quirky fun, had plenty of swoons and if you don't fall in love with Ben I officially think something is wrong with you.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
As Long As You Love me is the second book in the New Adult 2B Trilogy. It follows the original roommates of Apartment 2B. As Long As you Love Me is Lauren's story. When the first book, I want it that way, left off Lauren had moved back home after college not working out. I felt for Lauren. For most of the first book, she was completely withdrawn and I had no idea what was going on with her until her breakdown at the end of the story. I was interested to get to know her better in this book.
Lauren gets back home and moves in with her mom. Her hometown is a small town so she runs into people from her past. It had to be strange for her to be back, but she was like a completely different person in As Long As You Love Me from basically the first page. I could feel her relief. It was like she was finally able to breathe, and the longer she hung around Rob, it was easy to see she was becoming more and more comfortable.
Even though As Long As You Love Me was told entirely from Lauren's point of view, we got to know Rob, Nadia's brother extremely well. I wish that we got to see his point of view a little better. I felt for Rob so much. I can't believe that everyone in his life belittled him so much. I can't even imagine everyone I know discounting me as dumb and just a pretty face. No one gave him any credit. It almost amounted to emotional abuse. My heart just broke for him. And it wasn't any one person, it really was everyone around him. He turned down a college football scholarship because he genuinely believed, because everyone told him over and over again, that he wouldn't be smart enough to make it in college. How awful is that??! So when Lauren ran into Rob and they started hanging out again, the thing that I loved the most about the two of them was how she was constantly reassuring him how great he was. It was a bit of a role reversal from most books, in the fact that the guy was the one with major insecurity issues. But Rob has a heart of gold, and I wanted so badly for him to believe more in himself.
I loved the Flipping/renovating houses theme running throughout As Long As You Love Me. I am a bit of a HGTV freak, so the YouTube Channel and TV show idea was the coolest thing ever. I would love to see some inspiration pictures of the house he was working on. My only gripe with As Long As You Love Me was what Lauren did when the idea of the TV show came up. I have a pet peeve when characters act this way, and while I "get" why they do it, it always makes me mad because I simply think there are better ways for them to handle things. It seems like an easy out. And I wanted to punch Lauren in the face. And hug Rob. But other than that bump in the road, As Long As You Love Me is a fantastic read. It is sweet and romantic, and the journey that Rob and Lauren go on. They spoke each others language. I actually laughed out loud when Rob mentioned "Lauren Bait". It was so cute. He knows her so well. This book felt really different than I Want it That Way, and I think I liked that best of all. Nadia and Lauren are very different people, so it was fitting that their stories felt completely different. The 2B trilogy is a wonderful example of New Adult Fiction. I am super excited for Max's story, but we need to take the word trilogy off, and write more books! I want Avery's story now that I have gotten to know her.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
As Long As You Love me is the second book in the New Adult 2B Trilogy. It follows the original roommates of Apartment 2B. As Long As you Love Me is Lauren's story. When the first book, I want it that way, left off Lauren had moved back home after college not working out. I felt for Lauren. For most of the first book, she was completely withdrawn and I had no idea what was going on with her until her breakdown at the end of the story. I was interested to get to know her better in this book.
Lauren gets back home and moves in with her mom. Her hometown is a small town so she runs into people from her past. It had to be strange for her to be back, but she was like a completely different person in As Long As You Love Me from basically the first page. I could feel her relief. It was like she was finally able to breathe, and the longer she hung around Rob, it was easy to see she was becoming more and more comfortable.
Even though As Long As You Love Me was told entirely from Lauren's point of view, we got to know Rob, Nadia's brother extremely well. I wish that we got to see his point of view a little better. I felt for Rob so much. I can't believe that everyone in his life belittled him so much. I can't even imagine everyone I know discounting me as dumb and just a pretty face. No one gave him any credit. It almost amounted to emotional abuse. My heart just broke for him. And it wasn't any one person, it really was everyone around him. He turned down a college football scholarship because he genuinely believed, because everyone told him over and over again, that he wouldn't be smart enough to make it in college. How awful is that??! So when Lauren ran into Rob and they started hanging out again, the thing that I loved the most about the two of them was how she was constantly reassuring him how great he was. It was a bit of a role reversal from most books, in the fact that the guy was the one with major insecurity issues. But Rob has a heart of gold, and I wanted so badly for him to believe more in himself.
I loved the Flipping/renovating houses theme running throughout As Long As You Love Me. I am a bit of a HGTV freak, so the YouTube Channel and TV show idea was the coolest thing ever. I would love to see some inspiration pictures of the house he was working on. My only gripe with As Long As You Love Me was what Lauren did when the idea of the TV show came up. I have a pet peeve when characters act this way, and while I "get" why they do it, it always makes me mad because I simply think there are better ways for them to handle things. It seems like an easy out. And I wanted to punch Lauren in the face. And hug Rob. But other than that bump in the road, As Long As You Love Me is a fantastic read. It is sweet and romantic, and the journey that Rob and Lauren go on. They spoke each others language. I actually laughed out loud when Rob mentioned "Lauren Bait". It was so cute. He knows her so well. This book felt really different than I Want it That Way, and I think I liked that best of all. Nadia and Lauren are very different people, so it was fitting that their stories felt completely different. The 2B trilogy is a wonderful example of New Adult Fiction. I am super excited for Max's story, but we need to take the word trilogy off, and write more books! I want Avery's story now that I have gotten to know her.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5
Wednesday is a quick and steamy second chance love story. It's really more of a second attempt at a first chance, because Aria and Tristan didn't really get much of a first chance. They were friends all throughout high school and each one had a crush on the other (without the other knowing) and just when it looked like they were about to get together, Aria has a secret pregnancy with the star football player and she gets married and runs out of town without so much as an explanation to Tristan. Flash forward four years, and Aria is back in town freshly divorced and her and Tristan's story begins.
I enjoyed Wednesday. I don't think it is part of a series, and it was a very quick read. I found myself liking the fast paced, but at times I wanted the story to be a bit more fleshed out and longer so that I could keep reading it. I liked the back stories on what brought both Aria and Tristan back into town, and I loved their wednesday connections. At times they were a bit frustrating characters though. I understood why Tristan had a dislike for Aria, but I didn't quite get why Aria was so mad at him. She had to know that he would be surprised and angry over her sudden wedding. From his perspective she went out on on date with the guy and now she was marrying him. I don't know why she would be mad at his reaction, she was the one hurting him.
Watching the two of them take one step forward and then two steps back kept the book interesting but at the same time, towards the end I just wanted them to get over themselves already and get it together. They both needed a good shaking. However, it was undeniable that they had a crazy connection. Watching them together was my favorite part of the book. Surprisingly, I also enjoyed watching Tristan with the "little guy". It was pretty cute how they bonded.
Right around the 70% mark when Aria and Tristan were slowly moving on past the no feelings wednesday time stage to the I want more with you stage, was when I wanted the book to slow down and get a little more detailed. But this was a fast paced story all the way through. It was perfect for a quick afternoon feel good read, but might feel a little short and rushed if you are looking for a longer story that you can savor more. Wednesday will leave you wanting some "wild Wednesday" time of your own.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5
Wednesday is a quick and steamy second chance love story. It's really more of a second attempt at a first chance, because Aria and Tristan didn't really get much of a first chance. They were friends all throughout high school and each one had a crush on the other (without the other knowing) and just when it looked like they were about to get together, Aria has a secret pregnancy with the star football player and she gets married and runs out of town without so much as an explanation to Tristan. Flash forward four years, and Aria is back in town freshly divorced and her and Tristan's story begins.
I enjoyed Wednesday. I don't think it is part of a series, and it was a very quick read. I found myself liking the fast paced, but at times I wanted the story to be a bit more fleshed out and longer so that I could keep reading it. I liked the back stories on what brought both Aria and Tristan back into town, and I loved their wednesday connections. At times they were a bit frustrating characters though. I understood why Tristan had a dislike for Aria, but I didn't quite get why Aria was so mad at him. She had to know that he would be surprised and angry over her sudden wedding. From his perspective she went out on on date with the guy and now she was marrying him. I don't know why she would be mad at his reaction, she was the one hurting him.
Watching the two of them take one step forward and then two steps back kept the book interesting but at the same time, towards the end I just wanted them to get over themselves already and get it together. They both needed a good shaking. However, it was undeniable that they had a crazy connection. Watching them together was my favorite part of the book. Surprisingly, I also enjoyed watching Tristan with the "little guy". It was pretty cute how they bonded.
Right around the 70% mark when Aria and Tristan were slowly moving on past the no feelings wednesday time stage to the I want more with you stage, was when I wanted the book to slow down and get a little more detailed. But this was a fast paced story all the way through. It was perfect for a quick afternoon feel good read, but might feel a little short and rushed if you are looking for a longer story that you can savor more. Wednesday will leave you wanting some "wild Wednesday" time of your own.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5
Sweet Unrest is a standalone read that will appeal to fans of reads that feel eerie, and have a healthy mixture of ghost story and voodoo magic. I loved the plantation setting that author Lisa Maxwell chose for Sweet Unrest. It was the perfect place for this tale to take place. I'm going to do my best to not give anything away because that is half the fun of this mystery. There are so many different layers and unknowns that come to light throughout the story, and I loved watching everything unfold bit by bit for the main character, Lucy.
The cast of characters were as rich and complex as was the scenery and landscape of New Orleans. I loved Mama Legba, Chloe, Piers and Alex. Lucy's family kind of faded into the background for me, but I didn't dislike them. They just weren't really the focus of this story. The focus came through Lucy's dreams and her trying to piece together the puzzle they presented.
Past and Present swirl together in Sweet Unrest. Sometimes it came in predictable ways and sometimes things were totally unpredictable. I loved it because it was always just enough to keep me on my toes. There were a couple of little snafus that I still don't understand, or wish were explained a little better and that was all that was holding me back from a higher rating. (like with a certain character that shows up at the end to help and suddenly knows everything that has been going on. If you have read the book, let me know and we can talk.)
The romance was sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. It just was never the focal point for me as a reader. I was way more wrapped up in the mystery. I liked the romance and I think the ending was very fitting, but Sweet Unrest was a lot more for me than just a simple romance. (even though there really was nothing simple about Lucy and Alex.) Sweet Unrest is all about the story. I really appreciated the research that the author did on Voodoo. I thought it really added a level of authority to her writing. I want to meet Mama Legba and have her read me. Voodoo + a chilling New Orleans setting that grows in the creep factor as the story goes on + a fresh and interesting mystery = a complex book that is sure to delight ya readers.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5
Sweet Unrest is a standalone read that will appeal to fans of reads that feel eerie, and have a healthy mixture of ghost story and voodoo magic. I loved the plantation setting that author Lisa Maxwell chose for Sweet Unrest. It was the perfect place for this tale to take place. I'm going to do my best to not give anything away because that is half the fun of this mystery. There are so many different layers and unknowns that come to light throughout the story, and I loved watching everything unfold bit by bit for the main character, Lucy.
The cast of characters were as rich and complex as was the scenery and landscape of New Orleans. I loved Mama Legba, Chloe, Piers and Alex. Lucy's family kind of faded into the background for me, but I didn't dislike them. They just weren't really the focus of this story. The focus came through Lucy's dreams and her trying to piece together the puzzle they presented.
Past and Present swirl together in Sweet Unrest. Sometimes it came in predictable ways and sometimes things were totally unpredictable. I loved it because it was always just enough to keep me on my toes. There were a couple of little snafus that I still don't understand, or wish were explained a little better and that was all that was holding me back from a higher rating. (like with a certain character that shows up at the end to help and suddenly knows everything that has been going on. If you have read the book, let me know and we can talk.)
The romance was sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. It just was never the focal point for me as a reader. I was way more wrapped up in the mystery. I liked the romance and I think the ending was very fitting, but Sweet Unrest was a lot more for me than just a simple romance. (even though there really was nothing simple about Lucy and Alex.) Sweet Unrest is all about the story. I really appreciated the research that the author did on Voodoo. I thought it really added a level of authority to her writing. I want to meet Mama Legba and have her read me. Voodoo + a chilling New Orleans setting that grows in the creep factor as the story goes on + a fresh and interesting mystery = a complex book that is sure to delight ya readers.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Just Desserts is a really sweet story about finding love in the aftermath of a loss. Quinn comes into Sadie, and her fathers' lives at the perfect time. They are sturggling to tread water both emotionally and financially. Sadie's mom passed away and left her husband and daughter her popular healthy diner. And they are both trying so hard to make it live up to her name in her mother's honor. She seemed like such an amazing woman and it was clear to see that she meant so much to both of them. But Sadie's dad wants to sell the diner because he knows that it is downhill for them. Quinn does fabulous restoration work and he promises to keep the integrity of the diner. I know that I just gave you a lot of back ground type information but one of the things that I loved the most about this story was the setup the author did. I thought this adorably sweet romance had a great plot to jump off of.
Quinn didn't want to step of Sadie's toes, and at the start of the story they were a bit too much ping ponging between extremes for the two of them, especially on Sadie's end. They were cold, they were hot and they were back to cold again so fast you could hardly keep up. But I cut her some slack because her emotions were all over the place with everything she had on her plate. (ha, another thing I loved was how they used food references at innuendo. I thought that was too funny.) After a while, they fell into a better routine around each other and that was when I really felt their connection and romance started to build.
I really liked how protective Quinn was over Sadie. He really looked out for her. Sadie had more demons to overcome in the story, so she had more character growth an Quinn, I felt like. She blamed her mother for leaving her and she just had so many negative emotions rolling around inside of her. Just Desserts is a great book for people looking for quick cute reads, and for people who like love after loss books. Just Desserts is a quick read that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Just Desserts is a really sweet story about finding love in the aftermath of a loss. Quinn comes into Sadie, and her fathers' lives at the perfect time. They are sturggling to tread water both emotionally and financially. Sadie's mom passed away and left her husband and daughter her popular healthy diner. And they are both trying so hard to make it live up to her name in her mother's honor. She seemed like such an amazing woman and it was clear to see that she meant so much to both of them. But Sadie's dad wants to sell the diner because he knows that it is downhill for them. Quinn does fabulous restoration work and he promises to keep the integrity of the diner. I know that I just gave you a lot of back ground type information but one of the things that I loved the most about this story was the setup the author did. I thought this adorably sweet romance had a great plot to jump off of.
Quinn didn't want to step of Sadie's toes, and at the start of the story they were a bit too much ping ponging between extremes for the two of them, especially on Sadie's end. They were cold, they were hot and they were back to cold again so fast you could hardly keep up. But I cut her some slack because her emotions were all over the place with everything she had on her plate. (ha, another thing I loved was how they used food references at innuendo. I thought that was too funny.) After a while, they fell into a better routine around each other and that was when I really felt their connection and romance started to build.
I really liked how protective Quinn was over Sadie. He really looked out for her. Sadie had more demons to overcome in the story, so she had more character growth an Quinn, I felt like. She blamed her mother for leaving her and she just had so many negative emotions rolling around inside of her. Just Desserts is a great book for people looking for quick cute reads, and for people who like love after loss books. Just Desserts is a quick read that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
4.5
A Week in New York is the first novella in a romance trilogy by Louise Bay. This is the first book that I have read by Louise and I can already tell I am hooked on her writing. I want to read all of her other books immediately. Her author bio says that she writes the kind of romances that she likes to read- sexy and fun. That is a perfect match for me. I also really like that these are novellas. It is kind of like a romance serial but each of the books is longer. More pages to enjoy. I loved A Week in New York. I am so glad that I signed up to be a part of the second leg of the blog tour too because I already know waiting until December or January to buy the book will be too long for me. I need to know what happens next with Anna and Ethan.
What I liked about Ethan was how he didn't even bat an eye about losing his rules for Anna. She is the girl that got under his skin and made him want more. He is a very casual guy, and normally that is enough for him, but the more time he spent around Anna you could see a shift in his behavior. Technically it happened rather quickly in the book since the whole novella is only 112 pages, but it didn't feel too quick. I thought Louise Bay did a fantastic job with her character progression and pacing. The whole thing felt very natural.
Anna has been burned in the past- although she never really told Ethan what exactly happened with her ex- and so all she is looking for right now is casual. She was more determined to stick to that than Ethan was, which I found funny. This story kind of reminded me of Elisabeth Grace's Indiscretion series, which I absolutely loved. I want to get a little more into Anna's romantic past in the next installment. I want Ethan to be able to pull it out of her, but that is the only minor complaint I had about the book. It was the perfect story to get lost in for a quick romantic fix. Once all three books are out, I can easily see myself going back and re-reading them all right after another. They are that good.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
4.5
A Week in New York is the first novella in a romance trilogy by Louise Bay. This is the first book that I have read by Louise and I can already tell I am hooked on her writing. I want to read all of her other books immediately. Her author bio says that she writes the kind of romances that she likes to read- sexy and fun. That is a perfect match for me. I also really like that these are novellas. It is kind of like a romance serial but each of the books is longer. More pages to enjoy. I loved A Week in New York. I am so glad that I signed up to be a part of the second leg of the blog tour too because I already know waiting until December or January to buy the book will be too long for me. I need to know what happens next with Anna and Ethan.
What I liked about Ethan was how he didn't even bat an eye about losing his rules for Anna. She is the girl that got under his skin and made him want more. He is a very casual guy, and normally that is enough for him, but the more time he spent around Anna you could see a shift in his behavior. Technically it happened rather quickly in the book since the whole novella is only 112 pages, but it didn't feel too quick. I thought Louise Bay did a fantastic job with her character progression and pacing. The whole thing felt very natural.
Anna has been burned in the past- although she never really told Ethan what exactly happened with her ex- and so all she is looking for right now is casual. She was more determined to stick to that than Ethan was, which I found funny. This story kind of reminded me of Elisabeth Grace's Indiscretion series, which I absolutely loved. I want to get a little more into Anna's romantic past in the next installment. I want Ethan to be able to pull it out of her, but that is the only minor complaint I had about the book. It was the perfect story to get lost in for a quick romantic fix. Once all three books are out, I can easily see myself going back and re-reading them all right after another. They are that good.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs