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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
4.5/5
Audrey Bell sold me on The Fall of January Cooper. I read her first novel, Love Show, and I can't even say how much I loved it. I would recommend it to fans of new adult everywhere. So I knew that I couldn't pass up The Fall of January Cooper. And when Audrey had me tearing up within the first two chapters of the book, I knew I was dealing with a powerful story. The romance aspect was a little tame compared to a lot of new adult, but the emotional slow burn reluctant romance between January and Christian was fantastic.
January starts the story out as a rich harvard student. Everyone painted her out to being this huge B**ch, but that wasn't exactly what I saw. I saw someone who was stuck up, yes, but not really a complete mean girl. I know that is what her friends described her as, but to be honest that only made me believe it less, because her friends were all beyond awful. I would hate to be associated with their group. Even if you disagree with me, and you do think she is a raging B, you will feel for this girl. There is no way that you can't. Her world crumbles around her overnight. Her and Christian have that in common. Everything in their lives took an awful turn in a split second.
Christian and his brother were both college hockey players. They got into a fatal car crash as they were arguing about Sam feeling inadequate to Christian, who is the star player. Sam died and Christian had a career ending injury. (and no I didn't spoil anything, this all happens within the first two chapters) It was so heartbreaking. I hate that his brother died while they were fighting, and it was such a guilt inducing fight too. The story moves forward by having January and Christian meet at and working at the bar in town. I loved watching the two of them interact with each other. It was different from each of their perspectives. For Christian, January got under his skin and was really the only new person in his life that could get him outside of his head. He didn't really interact with anyone, and the few that he did were very surface. I loved watching January edge her way under his skin. Even if they were bickering for most of the time. It was cute.
And January was ostracized when news of her father got out. I would say I wanted to punch her father, but what he did, didn't even shock me. I know that is kind of awful and jaded, but I have seen it happen more frequently than I would care to. (Think Joe Guidice from real housewives of new jersey.) These two are put through the ringer. The story is told in dual narrative between January and Christian, and each of them is really battling their own demons. I really didn't have much to complain about with this book, other than the fact that I wanted more story. I just wanted the story to keep going. I thought for about 60% of the book, the story was pretty evenly split between January and Christian's issued and I loved that about the story. But from there on, the main focus was on January and Christian helping her, which I loved, but I kept wanting to go back to Christian's family and see more of him and their issues dealt with.
I also wanted a little bit more of a steamy romance with them. I felt like we were tiptoeing around that for a lot of the book, and the slow burn romance was great. I loved the story, but when we finally did get to the romance, there was so little of the story left. I want another book about them. Maybe focusing on Christian's injury. Please Audrey! Give me more January and Christian. I love them!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
4.5/5
Audrey Bell sold me on The Fall of January Cooper. I read her first novel, Love Show, and I can't even say how much I loved it. I would recommend it to fans of new adult everywhere. So I knew that I couldn't pass up The Fall of January Cooper. And when Audrey had me tearing up within the first two chapters of the book, I knew I was dealing with a powerful story. The romance aspect was a little tame compared to a lot of new adult, but the emotional slow burn reluctant romance between January and Christian was fantastic.
January starts the story out as a rich harvard student. Everyone painted her out to being this huge B**ch, but that wasn't exactly what I saw. I saw someone who was stuck up, yes, but not really a complete mean girl. I know that is what her friends described her as, but to be honest that only made me believe it less, because her friends were all beyond awful. I would hate to be associated with their group. Even if you disagree with me, and you do think she is a raging B, you will feel for this girl. There is no way that you can't. Her world crumbles around her overnight. Her and Christian have that in common. Everything in their lives took an awful turn in a split second.
Christian and his brother were both college hockey players. They got into a fatal car crash as they were arguing about Sam feeling inadequate to Christian, who is the star player. Sam died and Christian had a career ending injury. (and no I didn't spoil anything, this all happens within the first two chapters) It was so heartbreaking. I hate that his brother died while they were fighting, and it was such a guilt inducing fight too. The story moves forward by having January and Christian meet at and working at the bar in town. I loved watching the two of them interact with each other. It was different from each of their perspectives. For Christian, January got under his skin and was really the only new person in his life that could get him outside of his head. He didn't really interact with anyone, and the few that he did were very surface. I loved watching January edge her way under his skin. Even if they were bickering for most of the time. It was cute.
And January was ostracized when news of her father got out. I would say I wanted to punch her father, but what he did, didn't even shock me. I know that is kind of awful and jaded, but I have seen it happen more frequently than I would care to. (Think Joe Guidice from real housewives of new jersey.) These two are put through the ringer. The story is told in dual narrative between January and Christian, and each of them is really battling their own demons. I really didn't have much to complain about with this book, other than the fact that I wanted more story. I just wanted the story to keep going. I thought for about 60% of the book, the story was pretty evenly split between January and Christian's issued and I loved that about the story. But from there on, the main focus was on January and Christian helping her, which I loved, but I kept wanting to go back to Christian's family and see more of him and their issues dealt with.
I also wanted a little bit more of a steamy romance with them. I felt like we were tiptoeing around that for a lot of the book, and the slow burn romance was great. I loved the story, but when we finally did get to the romance, there was so little of the story left. I want another book about them. Maybe focusing on Christian's injury. Please Audrey! Give me more January and Christian. I love them!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
I had heard such amazing things about Karen Ann Hopkins before and I have always wanted to try one of her books, but I didn't think I should start with the Amish series Temptation because I wasn't sure that would be my thing. As soon as I saw Embers though, I knew I had to get in on that book. The cover grabbed my eye instantly, and the fact that Embers was said to be a dark and gritty paranormal was more than enough to make me super excited about it. And now I can say that I know what everyone was talking about. Not only was Embers a great story, but Karen Ann Hopkins is a phenomenal writer. Her writing really makes a story, and especially the character jump right off the page.
Embers is first and foremost a story about Angels. But I am super happy to report that Karen's angels are her own. This was unlike other angel books that I have tried. The line between good and evil was not always so clear, and it made the story so unique and interesting. Ember herself was a treat. And this is also where Karen Ann Hopkins writing started to really impress me. You can tell so much thought and planning went into the character development for all of the characters. Ember was so fleshed out and real. She could have walked right off the page, which might have freaked me out a bit considering the world she was coming from. Just sayin'. But I would like to meet someone with her power. She has an afinity for fire and the things she can do are wicked cool.
The romance was a little light for my liking, but there was so many other things going on that you don't even really notice that it was on the lighter side until you are done with the book. I was so drawn into this world, I want the next book in my hands right now. (and I also want some more romance in the next one, but with all of the solid foundation work she did here, I think that will happen as the series unfolds.) I know angel books are hit or miss for a lot of people, myself included. I have read some that worked for me and some not so much. But Embers was a hit! Even if you are not a fan of angels, I would urge you to try Embers. There are tons of twists and turns to keep you guessing, the take on angels is different and the book really did feel dark and gritty, like it was pitched to be. It was such an interesting mixture. I can't wait to see what comes next in the Wings of War series.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I had heard such amazing things about Karen Ann Hopkins before and I have always wanted to try one of her books, but I didn't think I should start with the Amish series Temptation because I wasn't sure that would be my thing. As soon as I saw Embers though, I knew I had to get in on that book. The cover grabbed my eye instantly, and the fact that Embers was said to be a dark and gritty paranormal was more than enough to make me super excited about it. And now I can say that I know what everyone was talking about. Not only was Embers a great story, but Karen Ann Hopkins is a phenomenal writer. Her writing really makes a story, and especially the character jump right off the page.
Embers is first and foremost a story about Angels. But I am super happy to report that Karen's angels are her own. This was unlike other angel books that I have tried. The line between good and evil was not always so clear, and it made the story so unique and interesting. Ember herself was a treat. And this is also where Karen Ann Hopkins writing started to really impress me. You can tell so much thought and planning went into the character development for all of the characters. Ember was so fleshed out and real. She could have walked right off the page, which might have freaked me out a bit considering the world she was coming from. Just sayin'. But I would like to meet someone with her power. She has an afinity for fire and the things she can do are wicked cool.
The romance was a little light for my liking, but there was so many other things going on that you don't even really notice that it was on the lighter side until you are done with the book. I was so drawn into this world, I want the next book in my hands right now. (and I also want some more romance in the next one, but with all of the solid foundation work she did here, I think that will happen as the series unfolds.) I know angel books are hit or miss for a lot of people, myself included. I have read some that worked for me and some not so much. But Embers was a hit! Even if you are not a fan of angels, I would urge you to try Embers. There are tons of twists and turns to keep you guessing, the take on angels is different and the book really did feel dark and gritty, like it was pitched to be. It was such an interesting mixture. I can't wait to see what comes next in the Wings of War series.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Oh how I needed to read Prophecy. I haven't given a book 5 star in so long. I have read some meh books and a lot of good books. But there is a difference between a good book, or even a great book and a book that just warms you up from the inside out. One that you want to hug and start reading from the beginning again. That was Prophecy for me. I LOVED this book! I was excited when I read the summary and saw that it had something to do with Mythology, because that is a big hit with me. And then I read the authors foreword and she mentioned all the myths coming out and playing and mixing together and my excitement shot up a couple of levels. It was so cool to see the greek and roman gods mixing in with the norse gods. The end result was pure magic.
We knew Callie was something special right from the start, but Julie Anne Lindsey does a great job keeping exactly what a mystery for most of the book. We get hints and clues here and there, but it is hard to guess exactly what. And that was not for lack of trying on my part. I know a good amount about mythology and I couldn't even place her until just a little bit before the reveal. But you do know that Liam and his brother Oliver are something right from the start. They show up in town and live in the "haunted" Hale manor. Plus, they are super hot, so they attract a lot of attention. So much of the story is focused on Liam and Callie that we didn't get too see too much of Oliver until the second half of the book. I am hoping that we see more of him in the next book, but I am wary to say that I want him to get his whole own novel because I loved Liam and Callie so much. It might be selfish of me, but I want the two of them to be the focus of more books. I could not get enough of these two. They gave me constant butterflies. The book is bracketed as young adult. I think it is upper young adult with some new adult crossover.
Not only is the romance slow burning and fan-freakin-tastic, but the action and plot of this story kicks some serious gods booty. I really liked how Julie Anne Lindsey took a bunch of myths, put them in a blender, gave them a whirl and out came her awesome conglomeration. Why can't all the myths come and play together?? I think it is s brilliant idea. Prophecy seriously has it all, it has an intriguing plotline, hot vikings, a fiery heroine, and one heck of a romance. I want more from the Calypso series right now. It is already on my favorites list.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Oh how I needed to read Prophecy. I haven't given a book 5 star in so long. I have read some meh books and a lot of good books. But there is a difference between a good book, or even a great book and a book that just warms you up from the inside out. One that you want to hug and start reading from the beginning again. That was Prophecy for me. I LOVED this book! I was excited when I read the summary and saw that it had something to do with Mythology, because that is a big hit with me. And then I read the authors foreword and she mentioned all the myths coming out and playing and mixing together and my excitement shot up a couple of levels. It was so cool to see the greek and roman gods mixing in with the norse gods. The end result was pure magic.
We knew Callie was something special right from the start, but Julie Anne Lindsey does a great job keeping exactly what a mystery for most of the book. We get hints and clues here and there, but it is hard to guess exactly what. And that was not for lack of trying on my part. I know a good amount about mythology and I couldn't even place her until just a little bit before the reveal. But you do know that Liam and his brother Oliver are something right from the start. They show up in town and live in the "haunted" Hale manor. Plus, they are super hot, so they attract a lot of attention. So much of the story is focused on Liam and Callie that we didn't get too see too much of Oliver until the second half of the book. I am hoping that we see more of him in the next book, but I am wary to say that I want him to get his whole own novel because I loved Liam and Callie so much. It might be selfish of me, but I want the two of them to be the focus of more books. I could not get enough of these two. They gave me constant butterflies. The book is bracketed as young adult. I think it is upper young adult with some new adult crossover.
Not only is the romance slow burning and fan-freakin-tastic, but the action and plot of this story kicks some serious gods booty. I really liked how Julie Anne Lindsey took a bunch of myths, put them in a blender, gave them a whirl and out came her awesome conglomeration. Why can't all the myths come and play together?? I think it is s brilliant idea. Prophecy seriously has it all, it has an intriguing plotline, hot vikings, a fiery heroine, and one heck of a romance. I want more from the Calypso series right now. It is already on my favorites list.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
People throw around the "U" word in reviews all the time. Unique. But I can without a doubt confidently say that The Evidence of Things Not Seen earns every bit of the word Unique. Evidence of Things Not Seen centers around a very bright, socially awkward teen that disappears in a small town. We never actually get to meet the teen- Tommy, but the whole book is told about people that either find things of his or knew him in some way. Some of the chapters connected easily to him and his disappearance, while others are more glimpses into others lives and have a looser connection and are more philosophical in nature.
Some of the chapters felt like a stream of conscious narrative. The parts where they were talking to the police and you only got their side of the conversation. I also really enjoyed the excerpts from Tommy's journal in between each chapter. It left everything very open to what really happened to Tommy. There are endless possibilities, which is really what the book is about. Or one of the things anyway. On a side note, I feel like Tommy would be a kid in the candy story if he world jumped into Josephine Angelini's Trial by Fire, which also experiments with the concept of infinite possibilities and different worlds and traveling through time and space.
A few of the chapters felt a little unnecessary to me, but the overall feel of the book was very cool. I have never read anything quite like it. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the whole town's different connections to Tommy. Evidence of Things Not Seen is a book that will make you stop and think. The ending doesn't leave you with any hard answers, but it does leave you with various questions to ponder, which really is the whole point of the book. Evidence of Things Not Seen is a moving, though provoking and dare I say it- Unique book.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
People throw around the "U" word in reviews all the time. Unique. But I can without a doubt confidently say that The Evidence of Things Not Seen earns every bit of the word Unique. Evidence of Things Not Seen centers around a very bright, socially awkward teen that disappears in a small town. We never actually get to meet the teen- Tommy, but the whole book is told about people that either find things of his or knew him in some way. Some of the chapters connected easily to him and his disappearance, while others are more glimpses into others lives and have a looser connection and are more philosophical in nature.
Some of the chapters felt like a stream of conscious narrative. The parts where they were talking to the police and you only got their side of the conversation. I also really enjoyed the excerpts from Tommy's journal in between each chapter. It left everything very open to what really happened to Tommy. There are endless possibilities, which is really what the book is about. Or one of the things anyway. On a side note, I feel like Tommy would be a kid in the candy story if he world jumped into Josephine Angelini's Trial by Fire, which also experiments with the concept of infinite possibilities and different worlds and traveling through time and space.
A few of the chapters felt a little unnecessary to me, but the overall feel of the book was very cool. I have never read anything quite like it. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the whole town's different connections to Tommy. Evidence of Things Not Seen is a book that will make you stop and think. The ending doesn't leave you with any hard answers, but it does leave you with various questions to ponder, which really is the whole point of the book. Evidence of Things Not Seen is a moving, though provoking and dare I say it- Unique book.
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
Love's Last Call is the first in a new adult series called the Ladies of jezebel's. Jezebel's is a bar that both of the main characters work at. I had no idea when I started reading the story that this would be a series about some of the various secondary characters, but now that I know that I am super excited. I can't wait for Ronnie's story. We didn't get to really know any of the other shot girls, but I can't wait to get to know them too. Love's Last Call was a classic New Adult story. Told in Dual Narrative between Norm and Lucy. It was a secret romance, because shot girls and bouncers are NOT allowed to date. It is pretty much the only rule the bar has.
Norm and Lucy each have to keep their job for various reasons and because of that, they didn't rush into a relationship. I really liked that because it gave me, as the reader, a chance to watch them interact a bunch and get to know each other before they acted on their attraction for one another. Even so, Norm was more invested than Lucy. I felt for him. It was always her pushing to keep them a secret. You could tell that she genuinely cared for him, but I don't think she got how much she was hurting him. I just wanted to hug him.
But what I loved about Love's Last Call was how their inner geek-dom brought the two of them together. They love comic books and science fiction, and everytime Lucy brought up something else "nerdy" that she liked, Norm swooned a bit. I 100% approve bonding with other people over your nerdy loves. It makes me swoon a little too. Beth Matthews did a great job with the writing in Love's Last Call. I do wish the chapters were labeled with whose point of view they were, but it was easy enough to follow along. I loved Norman and I really liked Lucy, even though she was the thickheaded one most of the time. But when she came to that realization after meeting Norm's father, I started to love her. It is always great when a character has a breakthrough about themselves.
Love's Last Call was great. It wasn't incredibly different than many new adults out there, but it was a good quality book. If a book is well done and it is a formula that I like, I don't mind it when a book is a little predictable. And this one had all the elements that I love. And like I was saying earlier, I am very excited to read Ronnie's story. I know Lucy said her and Ronnie had a love hate relationship and that Ronnie liked to cause trouble and sit back and watch, but when it came to Lucy's friendship, I didn't see the hate. Only love. Ronnie was great towards Lucy. I can't wait to see her get her happy ending, hopefully in the next book.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Love's Last Call is the first in a new adult series called the Ladies of jezebel's. Jezebel's is a bar that both of the main characters work at. I had no idea when I started reading the story that this would be a series about some of the various secondary characters, but now that I know that I am super excited. I can't wait for Ronnie's story. We didn't get to really know any of the other shot girls, but I can't wait to get to know them too. Love's Last Call was a classic New Adult story. Told in Dual Narrative between Norm and Lucy. It was a secret romance, because shot girls and bouncers are NOT allowed to date. It is pretty much the only rule the bar has.
Norm and Lucy each have to keep their job for various reasons and because of that, they didn't rush into a relationship. I really liked that because it gave me, as the reader, a chance to watch them interact a bunch and get to know each other before they acted on their attraction for one another. Even so, Norm was more invested than Lucy. I felt for him. It was always her pushing to keep them a secret. You could tell that she genuinely cared for him, but I don't think she got how much she was hurting him. I just wanted to hug him.
But what I loved about Love's Last Call was how their inner geek-dom brought the two of them together. They love comic books and science fiction, and everytime Lucy brought up something else "nerdy" that she liked, Norm swooned a bit. I 100% approve bonding with other people over your nerdy loves. It makes me swoon a little too. Beth Matthews did a great job with the writing in Love's Last Call. I do wish the chapters were labeled with whose point of view they were, but it was easy enough to follow along. I loved Norman and I really liked Lucy, even though she was the thickheaded one most of the time. But when she came to that realization after meeting Norm's father, I started to love her. It is always great when a character has a breakthrough about themselves.
Love's Last Call was great. It wasn't incredibly different than many new adults out there, but it was a good quality book. If a book is well done and it is a formula that I like, I don't mind it when a book is a little predictable. And this one had all the elements that I love. And like I was saying earlier, I am very excited to read Ronnie's story. I know Lucy said her and Ronnie had a love hate relationship and that Ronnie liked to cause trouble and sit back and watch, but when it came to Lucy's friendship, I didn't see the hate. Only love. Ronnie was great towards Lucy. I can't wait to see her get her happy ending, hopefully in the next book.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
HOLY SMOKES! What a moving, powerful book. How did this one elude my grasp for so long?? The Sea of Tranquility has been classified both as Young Adult and New Adult. I could see it going either way, but I think it is closer to upper Young Adult. Especially since both of the main characters are in high school. Even though they are each wise beyond their years. I really don't know how to write a review that does this book justice. I have read a lot of really fantastic books, but the Sea of Tranquility will always stick out in my mind because of how much it moved me. This is a powerful book. It reminded me of the raw emotional power like in the books Lost and Found by Nadia Simonenko. And anyone that knows me, or has read my reviews of those new adult books, know just how high of praise that is.
The Sea of Tranquility starts off feeling very mysterious. It took me a couple of chapters to get my bearings because I didn't know what had happened to Nastya. Could she not talk? Or did she chose not to? I really didn't know for a good part of the start of the story. Plus, why did everyone give Josh such a wide berth. It takes a little while for you to get the answers, but once you do, you fall into an easy pattern in the book. I loved the day to day that Nastya and Josh fell into. It was weird, sure, but it was beautiful. Each of them is so deeply wounded. But watching them with each other was equal parts fascinating and heart wrenching. I fell in love with them a million times over. When Nastya left cookies for Josh I fell in love. When Josh made a chair for Nastya, I fell in love. The characters were not without faults, but their faults are what made them interesting. I wanted Nastya to open up to Josh. It seemed like she was never going to. And at first I thought Josh would be the one that was more closed off, but it ended up being her that wouldn't take a leap of faith.
I can't imagine going through what either of them has gone through. And they each had their own coping mechanisms. I am not in a position to judge how either of them dealt with it. There was one point in the story where I almost started crying because of what Nastya chose to do, and how it affected her and Josh. I was shocked. Sure, events and deaths in books have made me cry before, but I have never teared up just by reading about a choice that a character made. That was when I knew this book had really gotten to me. I have recommended this book to so many people already. There are plenty of books that I read and think, "this book would be great for fans of contemporary romance" or "for fans of new adult" or "fans of horror", etc, but no. The Sea of Tranquility is something that I think EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ. It is the most moving book that I have read all year. Hands down.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
HOLY SMOKES! What a moving, powerful book. How did this one elude my grasp for so long?? The Sea of Tranquility has been classified both as Young Adult and New Adult. I could see it going either way, but I think it is closer to upper Young Adult. Especially since both of the main characters are in high school. Even though they are each wise beyond their years. I really don't know how to write a review that does this book justice. I have read a lot of really fantastic books, but the Sea of Tranquility will always stick out in my mind because of how much it moved me. This is a powerful book. It reminded me of the raw emotional power like in the books Lost and Found by Nadia Simonenko. And anyone that knows me, or has read my reviews of those new adult books, know just how high of praise that is.
The Sea of Tranquility starts off feeling very mysterious. It took me a couple of chapters to get my bearings because I didn't know what had happened to Nastya. Could she not talk? Or did she chose not to? I really didn't know for a good part of the start of the story. Plus, why did everyone give Josh such a wide berth. It takes a little while for you to get the answers, but once you do, you fall into an easy pattern in the book. I loved the day to day that Nastya and Josh fell into. It was weird, sure, but it was beautiful. Each of them is so deeply wounded. But watching them with each other was equal parts fascinating and heart wrenching. I fell in love with them a million times over. When Nastya left cookies for Josh I fell in love. When Josh made a chair for Nastya, I fell in love. The characters were not without faults, but their faults are what made them interesting. I wanted Nastya to open up to Josh. It seemed like she was never going to. And at first I thought Josh would be the one that was more closed off, but it ended up being her that wouldn't take a leap of faith.
I can't imagine going through what either of them has gone through. And they each had their own coping mechanisms. I am not in a position to judge how either of them dealt with it. There was one point in the story where I almost started crying because of what Nastya chose to do, and how it affected her and Josh. I was shocked. Sure, events and deaths in books have made me cry before, but I have never teared up just by reading about a choice that a character made. That was when I knew this book had really gotten to me. I have recommended this book to so many people already. There are plenty of books that I read and think, "this book would be great for fans of contemporary romance" or "for fans of new adult" or "fans of horror", etc, but no. The Sea of Tranquility is something that I think EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ. It is the most moving book that I have read all year. Hands down.
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
Game On is the third book in the New Adult sports romance series, Night Games. The series each focuses on a different player on the baseball team, the New York Kings. I was already half in love with Jilly before I started Game On. I really liked him in Game Changer, and I was super excited that he was going to be getting his own book. And once I found out a bit more of his story, that he always seems to be the ones women are leaving- for who knows what reason, seriously, why??- I felt for him even more. He is such a sweetheart. He might not be the most expressive guy in the world, but he doesn't play any games. He doesn't hold any punches with the people that he cares about.
It is so clear to see that Jilly is crazy about Hailey. She is the one that got away from high school. And while she drove me kind of batty at times, I liked how happy she made Jilly. I have no idea why she self sabotaged everything with her and Jilly, and if she were my friend I would have shook some sense into within the first couple of chapters, but she eventually has her "light bulb moment" about her behavior, and she tried to change. So I was pleased with her growth. Because of my holdups with Hailey, I didn't love this book as much as I loved Sasha and Brooks story, but I really really love Jilly so it was a close call.
Something that I really loved about Game On was that Hailey was writing a series of books about the players under a pen name. I liked to imagine that the books she was writing were in fact the night games series that I was reading right now. It made it all really fun. Like looking in a window and seeing yourself looking in a window within the story. I still have to read the first book in the series, and getting to see a little more of Chase and Grey makes me even more excited to finally get around to reading their story. You won't be lost if you read this series out of order, but if you have the choice, I would pick reading them in order. Fans of sports romances and contemporary romances will love the night games series. And wait until you meet Jilly. You will love him too. I wanted to be the one to nurse him back to health with his injury. (Chase knew what he was talking about when he mentioned women wanting to do that. )
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Game On is the third book in the New Adult sports romance series, Night Games. The series each focuses on a different player on the baseball team, the New York Kings. I was already half in love with Jilly before I started Game On. I really liked him in Game Changer, and I was super excited that he was going to be getting his own book. And once I found out a bit more of his story, that he always seems to be the ones women are leaving- for who knows what reason, seriously, why??- I felt for him even more. He is such a sweetheart. He might not be the most expressive guy in the world, but he doesn't play any games. He doesn't hold any punches with the people that he cares about.
It is so clear to see that Jilly is crazy about Hailey. She is the one that got away from high school. And while she drove me kind of batty at times, I liked how happy she made Jilly. I have no idea why she self sabotaged everything with her and Jilly, and if she were my friend I would have shook some sense into within the first couple of chapters, but she eventually has her "light bulb moment" about her behavior, and she tried to change. So I was pleased with her growth. Because of my holdups with Hailey, I didn't love this book as much as I loved Sasha and Brooks story, but I really really love Jilly so it was a close call.
Something that I really loved about Game On was that Hailey was writing a series of books about the players under a pen name. I liked to imagine that the books she was writing were in fact the night games series that I was reading right now. It made it all really fun. Like looking in a window and seeing yourself looking in a window within the story. I still have to read the first book in the series, and getting to see a little more of Chase and Grey makes me even more excited to finally get around to reading their story. You won't be lost if you read this series out of order, but if you have the choice, I would pick reading them in order. Fans of sports romances and contemporary romances will love the night games series. And wait until you meet Jilly. You will love him too. I wanted to be the one to nurse him back to health with his injury. (Chase knew what he was talking about when he mentioned women wanting to do that. )
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
I noticed a lot of reviews for Blood Entwines saying that the main character annoyed them and that they were bored or confused while reading, so I was a bit disheartened heading into the story. But the premise just sounded so interesting to me, so I was still optimistic to see how I felt about the book. I mean, a blood infusion that leaves the main character Kara feeling DIFFERENT after, not to mention a hot guy battling a demon within him. Literally. It just sounds so cool and different. Right? So I picked up the book and decided to plow in and hope that I fared better than some people did while reading. And at the very start of the book, I did see what some people meant. It was a little slow, and there was a lot of jumping around because many things were happening to different characters at the same time that it was a lot to get thrown at you. It was jarring at times, but this is a book that builds as it goes on. You have to stick with Blood Entwines, because it was really good! I really liked how the author handled the plot line. There is a reason that the start of the book was kind of confusing.
I really liked Kara. I thought she was an intriguing main character. Even though the situations she found herself in would have made a lot of people feel overwhelmed and in over their heads, but I think she handled herself admirably. There are a lot of questions surrounding Jack, and Kara. I loved the mysterious atmosphere that Caroline Healy created in Blood Entwines. It keeps you guessing right until the end, and the writing was so vivid that I felt like I was watching the scenes unfold on a movie screen instead of just reading about them.
Some of the secondary characters play roles where you hate them so much that you almost love to hate them. If you have read the book, you know exactly who I am talking about. I wanted to wring Kara's "friend" Ashleigh's neck. I couldn' stand the girl, but I couldn't help but admire the character that Caroline Healy created in her. In a weird way.
I think there will be another book in the Blood Entwines series. This book didn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger, but there are still many things unanswered. Blood Entwines is meant to be a mysterious book that will keep you guessing, and the author employs a very unique story telling method that involves jumping between characters and plotlines, so at times it can be a bit confusing, but I promise everything comes together in the end. You just need to stick with the book. If you are a fan of original Young Adult paranormal books with multiple perspectives, I think you would really enjoy Blood Entwines. I am interested to see what is going to happen in the next book.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I noticed a lot of reviews for Blood Entwines saying that the main character annoyed them and that they were bored or confused while reading, so I was a bit disheartened heading into the story. But the premise just sounded so interesting to me, so I was still optimistic to see how I felt about the book. I mean, a blood infusion that leaves the main character Kara feeling DIFFERENT after, not to mention a hot guy battling a demon within him. Literally. It just sounds so cool and different. Right? So I picked up the book and decided to plow in and hope that I fared better than some people did while reading. And at the very start of the book, I did see what some people meant. It was a little slow, and there was a lot of jumping around because many things were happening to different characters at the same time that it was a lot to get thrown at you. It was jarring at times, but this is a book that builds as it goes on. You have to stick with Blood Entwines, because it was really good! I really liked how the author handled the plot line. There is a reason that the start of the book was kind of confusing.
I really liked Kara. I thought she was an intriguing main character. Even though the situations she found herself in would have made a lot of people feel overwhelmed and in over their heads, but I think she handled herself admirably. There are a lot of questions surrounding Jack, and Kara. I loved the mysterious atmosphere that Caroline Healy created in Blood Entwines. It keeps you guessing right until the end, and the writing was so vivid that I felt like I was watching the scenes unfold on a movie screen instead of just reading about them.
Some of the secondary characters play roles where you hate them so much that you almost love to hate them. If you have read the book, you know exactly who I am talking about. I wanted to wring Kara's "friend" Ashleigh's neck. I couldn' stand the girl, but I couldn't help but admire the character that Caroline Healy created in her. In a weird way.
I think there will be another book in the Blood Entwines series. This book didn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger, but there are still many things unanswered. Blood Entwines is meant to be a mysterious book that will keep you guessing, and the author employs a very unique story telling method that involves jumping between characters and plotlines, so at times it can be a bit confusing, but I promise everything comes together in the end. You just need to stick with the book. If you are a fan of original Young Adult paranormal books with multiple perspectives, I think you would really enjoy Blood Entwines. I am interested to see what is going to happen in the next book.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
This Morning I woke up Dead was a really interesting read. I am happy to see that this is going to be a series because the book initially explores the concept of three different realms of living and dead. It introduces a concept of a pre-earth. But once the idea of the afterlife is laid out, the story of Hadley and Dominic kind of take over and we don't really get to explore the ideas of pre-earth and earth again. So I would really like some more information about the different realms in the next book. But I didn't even realize that we didn't get more information about them until after I was done reading the book, because I was so swept up in the story of Hadley and Dominic.
The book is told in dual narrative between the two of them and I loved that. That is quickly becoming my preferred method of narration. I just love switching back and forth between the guy and the girl and getting the story from each of their unique perspectives. And in This Morning I Woke up Dead it was even more unique because Hadley and Dominic were in different realms of existence. The story includes numerous flash backs throughout and that was a good method for the story because we got to know more about Hadley and Dominic's relationship, ad well as learning back stories on Hadley's "guide" Logan and Dominic's sister helped make the story seem more complete. I liked how effortlessly Mindy Larson made everything flow. The book never felt disjointed and it was full of emotion.
Right from the very first Dominic chapter, I was hooked. He was so sad. This Morning I woke up Dead definitely drums up some emotion. Dominic struggles through so much of the book. I felt so bad for him. He was dealing with the loss of his finance and you could tell they had such a great relationship through their flashbacks. We got to see how they met and what they did. It was really cute. Their relationship did almost seem a little too perfect. I thought since the author made frequent use of flashbacks that she could have thrown in a short fight or hardship that they had to make the relationship seem more realistic, but even without that you could tell that these two shared a special kind of bond.
This Morning I woke up Dead was a really good read. I can't wait to check out the next book and see what is going to happen next. I hope we get to learn more about pre-earth and the concept of the realms and of twin flames. This book is an emotional journey for all of the characters and for the reader. It takes you through some tough times, but Mindy Larson does an excellent job. I really enjoyed this story.
The book is told in dual narrative between the two of them and I loved that. That is quickly becoming my preferred method of narration. I just love switching back and forth between the guy and the girl and getting the story from each of their unique perspectives. And in This Morning I Woke up Dead it was even more unique because Hadley and Dominic were in different realms of existence. The story includes numerous flash backs throughout and that was a good method for the story because we got to know more about Hadley and Dominic's relationship, ad well as learning back stories on Hadley's "guide" Logan and Dominic's sister helped make the story seem more complete. I liked how effortlessly Mindy Larson made everything flow. The book never felt disjointed and it was full of emotion.
Right from the very first Dominic chapter, I was hooked. He was so sad. This Morning I woke up Dead definitely drums up some emotion. Dominic struggles through so much of the book. I felt so bad for him. He was dealing with the loss of his finance and you could tell they had such a great relationship through their flashbacks. We got to see how they met and what they did. It was really cute. Their relationship did almost seem a little too perfect. I thought since the author made frequent use of flashbacks that she could have thrown in a short fight or hardship that they had to make the relationship seem more realistic, but even without that you could tell that these two shared a special kind of bond.
This Morning I woke up Dead was a really good read. I can't wait to check out the next book and see what is going to happen next. I hope we get to learn more about pre-earth and the concept of the realms and of twin flames. This book is an emotional journey for all of the characters and for the reader. It takes you through some tough times, but Mindy Larson does an excellent job. I really enjoyed this story.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
4.5/5
I loved Caged in Winter so much. And I didn't even realize until I was done with the book that the title involved both of the two main characters names, Cade and Winter. I knew Winter, sure but I thought the title was about the cage that Winter put up around herself to keep herself from a distance from everyone else. And now I feel silly that I completely missed Cade in it. He was totally encased by Winter. He couldn't escape her either. Caged in Winter is an emotional ride and I loved every single up and down. Cade and Winter are magical together. And Brighton Walsh did a fantastic job telling each of their stories.
I haven't met two young people so mature and so forced into becoming adults in a while. Their situations were so similar. The details were different, but the end result was the same. They were on their own forced to grow up and take care of themselves at a very young age. (and take care of others in Cade's situation) I admired the heck out them. Both of them. And I loved how persistent Cade was with Winter. She certainly did not make it easy. I have no idea how she went along this long completely on her own. I mean, I understand why she didn't want to depend on anyone else, but she could have had some friends in her classes or something. I can't even begin to imagine how lonely she must have felt. I really liked how strong Winter was. I wish she would have given into Cade sooner because it was so clear to me how wonderful of a guy he was, but that is what made their story interesting.
I love Cade. This guy is book boyfriend material. He is protective, and so sweet, and patient, and so there for you. Always. I loved how White Knight complex as Winter called it. Plus, he cooks. He can test his meals out for me anytime he wants. One of the things that I enjoyed the most about Caged in Winter was that it didn't follow the typical new adult story arc. It took subtle twists and turns and went in unexpected directions. It was a pleasure to read and discover what Brighton Walsh had in store for Cade and Winter. I loved every minute of this book. It is one that I would recommend to anyone that loves a good romance. And I can't even tell you how excited I am that this is the first book in a series. I know the second book is going to focus on Cade's sister, but I am really hoping that we get to see more of Cade and Winter.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
4.5/5
I loved Caged in Winter so much. And I didn't even realize until I was done with the book that the title involved both of the two main characters names, Cade and Winter. I knew Winter, sure but I thought the title was about the cage that Winter put up around herself to keep herself from a distance from everyone else. And now I feel silly that I completely missed Cade in it. He was totally encased by Winter. He couldn't escape her either. Caged in Winter is an emotional ride and I loved every single up and down. Cade and Winter are magical together. And Brighton Walsh did a fantastic job telling each of their stories.
I haven't met two young people so mature and so forced into becoming adults in a while. Their situations were so similar. The details were different, but the end result was the same. They were on their own forced to grow up and take care of themselves at a very young age. (and take care of others in Cade's situation) I admired the heck out them. Both of them. And I loved how persistent Cade was with Winter. She certainly did not make it easy. I have no idea how she went along this long completely on her own. I mean, I understand why she didn't want to depend on anyone else, but she could have had some friends in her classes or something. I can't even begin to imagine how lonely she must have felt. I really liked how strong Winter was. I wish she would have given into Cade sooner because it was so clear to me how wonderful of a guy he was, but that is what made their story interesting.
I love Cade. This guy is book boyfriend material. He is protective, and so sweet, and patient, and so there for you. Always. I loved how White Knight complex as Winter called it. Plus, he cooks. He can test his meals out for me anytime he wants. One of the things that I enjoyed the most about Caged in Winter was that it didn't follow the typical new adult story arc. It took subtle twists and turns and went in unexpected directions. It was a pleasure to read and discover what Brighton Walsh had in store for Cade and Winter. I loved every minute of this book. It is one that I would recommend to anyone that loves a good romance. And I can't even tell you how excited I am that this is the first book in a series. I know the second book is going to focus on Cade's sister, but I am really hoping that we get to see more of Cade and Winter.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs