**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

Diamonds in the Rough is the perfect follow up to The Secret Diamond Sisters. It is just as gossip girl-y, fun, and scandalous as the first book. I really liked that we got to know each of the sisters a lot better. As well as Madison and the whole cast of secondary characters. Just like the first book, Diamonds in the Rough is told in multiple points of views between the Diamond sisters and Madison. Each of the chapters was clearly labeled and it was really easy follow along. It was cool to read the book this way, because Michelle Madow's writing style and voice changes with each of the sisters. It added to their very distinct personalities. Madison stereotyped the sisters and dubbed them as follows: Peyton- the slut, Courtney- the goody two shoes and Savannah- the wannabe. And I have to say, at first glance, I can see why she put them in those categories, but throughout the course of the story I watched each of the sisters grow and disprove their stereotypes. I loved that.

Courtney is still my favorite. I just have a soft spot for her. I like Savannah and Peyton too, and I like them each a lot more than I did by the end of the first book, but Courtney is the closest to me, so I think that I relate to her the easiest. When I read The Secret Diamond Sisters, I thought Peyton had a bit too much of a bad attitude and that Savannah acted a little too old. Diamonds in the rough turned these opinions around completely. I loved how Savannah conducted herself. I still like Nick, but Damien wormed his way into my heart too. He really seemed to be there for Savannah and care about her. I am still a little wary, but I might just be overprotective of her. Peyton showed another side of herself too. She mellowed out a bit, and I think she is starting to trust Adrian and Rebecca. And she should. I absolutely love how awesome Rebecca is with the girls. There are far too many books with "evil" step-parents. But Rebecca is so genuine and nice and there for the girls. It was great to see.

Diamonds in the Rough is such a fun read. Since there are multiple main characters, we only got snippets of romance from each of them. It was a pretty romance light book actually, but there is so many other things going on that it never felt like it was lacking in the romance department. We got to see each of the girls romantic interests and some of them made progress and some of the girls took a couple of steps backwards, but each of them are not set up for an interesting romance in the next book.

I wanted to grab some snacks and sit down and enjoy this book like my favorite shows. It is addictive and chock full of rumors, and drama in the best way. If you like Gossip Girl or the A-List books, these books are perfect for you. I can easily see them being made into a tv series. I am actually kind of surprised that it hasn't been picked up for one yet. I would watch it in a heartbeat. And I love the writing. It is fun and  Michelle Madow incorporates many different story telling techniques that really work with the tone of the book.  I love the way she works in posts from the anonymous high school forum website. Not only are they fun to read, but they aren't just fluff and filler; they actually advance the storyline. It was a really cool way to weave certain facts into the story, without us simply being told what was happening in a chapter.  I also loved the numerous pop culture references, and the names she used for the celebrities. Not to mention all the soap opera level secrets throughout the story. Some of the bombs dropped were crazy! I can't wait to see what is going to happen next.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

Her Perfect Game is the second book in the new adult Hot & Nerdy trilogy by Shannyn Schroeder. I knew after I read the first book, Her Best Shot, that this was a series formula that I was going to love. Her Perfect Game starts out at the same time that Her Best Shot starts out, but from a different friend's point of view. This is Charlie's story and I loved her and her hacking con even more than I loved Layla. I have always had such appreciation for people that know their way around computers. I am decent myself, but some of the things people can do just blow my mind. Plus, I have a bit of a nerdy streak in me when it comes to computer games as well. So this was the perfect storyline for me to get into.

Her Perfect Game was almost completely about Charlie, Win, and Jonah. Her friends only showed up in phone call cameo's and she still never told them her secret- that she had dropped out of college. I kind of wish that got addressed more. The book was split between a con and hacking convention, both of which took place in Chicago over the same weekend. I loved that you had to passed a series of secret tests and challenges before you were even invited to participate in the hacking competition. Charlie is good. Really good. It was so cool to get a little insight into the things that she could do. I have no idea if these types of conventions exist for hackers, but I am so hoping that they do. And the fact that companies send people to scout them for jobs, is so freakin' awesome!

I love how Shannyn Schroeder has created the perfect blend between a shorter story that reads really fast, and enough detail to make the story feel full and complete. This one felt more fleshed out than Her Best Shot. I am super excited to read the next book, but I don't want the series to be done yet. I am really hoping for a fourth book that has all the girls together. Maybe the can finally go on that trip together that they always wanted. Or maybe it could be an NSA/computer security issue that Charlie, Layla and Jonah need to tackle. I just want more. If you like new adult, this is a series that you should be reading. The Hot and Nerdy series is such a great premise and I love how it was executed. I want to read 50 more books like these.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Priya In Heels is a standalone title from Entangled Embrace's new adult line. I have said it before, and I will say it again- I love that Entangled has multiple different lines of books because it allows the reader to really have a good idea of what they are getting when they choose a book. Priya In Heels is a great example of a well done new adult book. It was fresh, romantic, ton of feeling and emotion and it took the readers on one heck of a journey. Holy cow, the author is not afraid to torment her characters a bit, or a lot. She puts them through the ringer.

Priya is indian and I loved how culture filled both her and her family and the book were. I feel like I got a lesson on Indian culture and the way it meshes, or doesn't mesh in some cases, with american culture. Old school v. New school. Priya never wants to disappoint her parents. I loved how close she was with them, although that turned out to be a large source of the conflict in the book. I really felt for her. I have felt that pull of wanting to appease both yourself and your parents. And it must have been 100 times harder for Priya because of the cultural divide. As Tyler likes to point out Priya has lived in America her whole life. She is American just as much as she is Indian.

Speaking of Tyler. There are so many things that I loved about Tyler. I loved that he never gave up on Priya. (even though I might have a time or two) and I loved how sweet and determined he was. The reasons that he left her were the cutest thing ever. I want those little reason cards littering my place. I loved how much he was willing to do for her. He really is a gem of a guy. I have no idea how Priya didn't wake up and see this way, way sooner. They were so cute together, but they have one heck of a bumpy road. At times you will have no idea how it is going to work out for them, but this book is on the longer side so there is plenty of time to ride out the ups and downs with Priya and Tyler.

Ayesha Patel has done a wonderful job creating a novel with a strong and unique voice. I really enjoyed how cultural this book was, but at the same time how accessible it was to me as a reader, who didn't know too much about Indian culture and especially religion. It was woven into the story in a way that made you feel knowledgeable but never lost. I had minor issues with Priya herself. I really liked her as a character, but I wanted to shake her and have her come to her senses a few times. And there was one scene where she was antagonizing over what to do and then all at once in the same night she makes this huge decision (for her). I felt like that was a little rushed. If it was this big of a deal for her, I thought she shouldn't have rushed into it as quickly as she did. But other than that, she was likable and I really felt the pressure she was under. It was so palpable throughout the story and it helped me relate to her. Priya in Heels is so worth a read.

 

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

Promise me This is the fourth book in the Between Breaths series. Each book can be read as a standalone, and I have found with this series that this is really the case. Sometimes you get a mention or a cameo of a character from another one of the books but not very much. They basically all just live in the same city/world, but other than that each book is completely focused on the main characters. Which works out great for people that want to pick and choose which books they want to read or to read them out of order. You won’t be lost at all.

Promise Me This is the story of Nate and Jessie. They both work at the tattoo shop, but on the surface they seem like complete opposites. There were so many things I enjoyed of their dynamic. I liked that at first glance they each didn’t appear to be the kind of person the other would go for. Jessie likes her guys rough around the edges, slim and cut with tats galore. And Nate is anything but that, Jessie thinks that he lives up to her nickname for him after all, which is Square. Nate has always had a crush on Jessie but he keeps people at a distance because he doesn’t trust himself to not turn out like his father. Just the fact that he was so worried about treating women badly made me know that he was nothing like his father. Another thing I liked about the two of them, was that while Nate always kind of had a thing with Jessie, she never thought twice about him that way until she walked in on him with one of his hookups. It was like the veil had been lifted and she saw another side of him.

So much of their boding took place on a short trip they took together. I loved everything about this trip. I loved Jessie’s passion for photography and I really loved how Jessie started to peel back the layers and get to know Nate. It brought me to realize what was my favorite thing about this couple. So much of their connection and communication was nonverbal. She really just got him. It was so clear to see. She could tell when he was getting lost in his head, and she was able to pull him out. I fell in love with their nonverbal dance completely. It made me think- now these two people are perfect for each other.

Just like in Before You Break, Promise Me This deals with a tough issue that may be difficult for some people to read about. It deals with domestic abuse. Nate had a tough childhood, and I really liked that this was address so classily in this book. Therapy was used and Jessie helped Nate along the way too. I loved Jessie and Nate so much. They are each such strong characters on their own and to see them weave themselves into the others life was beautiful. There are no other words for it. Whether you have read all three books or none of them, read Promise Me This. It is a great New Adult Contemporary Romance.

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 



Beautiful Collision is the first book in the new adult suspense thriller series, Desperation. It starts off right in the middle of the action too. The main character is on the run. We don't know from who yet and we don't know any of the details as to why, but you are thrown right in the middle of the action. It certainly was an effective way to draw the reader in. Beautiful Collision is told in dual narrative between Gray and Thane, the guy sent to keep an eye on her. I loved the way T.G. Ayer told the story. It flips back and forth between Gray and Thane, with more chapters from Gray's perspective and also scattered throughout where flashback that gave us details slowly on the who and why Gray was running from.

I really liked both Gray and Thane. Gray is a tough girl, that is very apparent right from the start of the story. And she certainly has not had an easy life, but she never whines and plays the poor me card. She doesn't even make excuses, she just keeps moving forward. It is a very admirable quality for someone her age to have. And I also loved that even though she was escaping, she still wanted to pursue an education. It was risky sure, but it was important to her. I think the more I got to know her the more I liked her and admired her. Thane too. The more he really watched Gray (or Sara) the more he fell for her. And I don't blame him. She is a great girl.

The flashbacks in the story played a huge role in describing the kind of man that Gray was running from. At first, I didn't like the flashbacks. I caught myself skimming them because they are very violent. But as the story went on and I became more and more invested in the characters and plot, I liked the flashbacks more. Because they are basically the sole method for understanding the background and just who this awful man is. Thane is part of the FBI and he wants to take the guy down. I won't tell you what he is involved with because I am not sure if it is supposed to be a secret or not, but it is some pretty heavy stuff. This book is not for the easily offended or faint of heart. It deals with some very dark issues and some awful crimes. But it is an excellent read, and the ending left me dying for the next book. It does end in a cliffhanger, so you should be aware of that, but don't let it deter you. The second book in the desperation series is coming out in early 2015 so you won't have too long of a wait. If you like suspense, thrillers or dark and gritty books, this is a great new adult series for you to check out.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 



She Dreamed of Dragons is a young adult book, although I think it would be better in the middle grade market, that creates a lovely new world of witches and mages. I liked the tension between the wiches and the mags because it added to the history behind them. Because they were in a constant feud, we actually learned a lot more about each of the races. There are all different kinds of mages, and one of the rarest of all is the dragon mage. I personally think the mages are more interesting than the witches. They have the power of various creatures living within them.

She Dreamed of Dragons has a main character, but this is more of a book with a cast of characters. I liked the main girl, Trina and a few of the other characters, but for the most part the characters were kind of lackluster. And that was my main problem in this book. No one had any real depth, which is part of the reason that I think this book would work a lot better as a middle grade read. It was more simplistic and the plot was kind of one dimensional. It wasn't bad by any means, but it wasn't overly complex or overly interesting. I liked the idea behind the story a lot and that kept me interested enough to want to finish the book, but it was kind of boring for me throughout.

It felt too young and everything felt too overly happy. There was not enough conflict added into the story to make it appeal to older readers. But I think it would be a hit with readers looking for a younger feeling book. It was age appropriate and fantastical to hold young readers attention. It just wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it would be older feeling and maybe even a bit darker with the mages and even a curse going around. I can see other people really enjoying this fantasy book, but it wasn't what I was expecting and it fell a bit short for me.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

The Quiet Game is the first book in the Penn Gage series. He is a prosecutor turned author, turned detective (kind of). I thought the mystery in the Quiet Game was really compelling, but the audiobook narrator kind of took away from the story. He did about 3 or 4 of the voices well, but all of the other voices sounded comically bad. He could not do a woman's voice at all. And the story is a serious one, so it was distracting. But if you could get past the bad female and secondary character voices, you can't help but get sucked into the story.

There is a decades old civil rights murder in this small southern town. It is a cold case and because of some meddling from a journalist and some help from Penn Gage, the case is about to get re-opened. There are national forces involved and the whole thing gets crazy really quickly. It was a pretty good murder mystery and there was a lot of legal stuff going on. Most of the legal aspects of the story were accurate, but some of the trial parts were a bit sensationalized. But nothing too bad.

The story is very light on the romance (but that might change later in the series) and very heavy on the action. It made for a very fast paced read and the audiobook listening flew by. I listened to the whole thing on a one day car trip. Everyone in the car liked the story and it was engaging enough and interesting to make everyone want to keep listening. I think this would be a better book to read, because the characters were interesting and the mystery was really well done. I didn't really like any of female characters, but there were plenty of male characters to like. If you like action packed murder mysteries with a strong male lead, check out the Penn Gage series.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

With a Twist is the fourth book in the Last Call Series by Sawyer Bennett. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the series follows a group of friends so it is always nice to be able to read them all. I didn't read the first 2 books in the series, but I started with the 3rd book- Sugar on the Edge and I fell in love with Gavin, so I knew I would have to continue on to see more of their stories. And I think I liked Wyatt's story, With a Twist, even more!

Sawyer Bennett just knows how to write really good contemporary romances. I go into her books confident that I will enjoy the characters and the story.  I know this sounds really strange, but even though the book dealt with some super scummy people and some horrible crimes, the romance between Wyatt and Andrea was a fluffy feel good romance- at least to me. These two seemed so solid when they were together. They worked great as undercover partners, and they worked great romantically. There was no insecurity or drama between the two of them that they had to overcome. They had each other's back and that was that. There were personal issues, sure, but as a couple, I just really liked them together. They meshed.

But outside of the nice Wyatt and Andrea bubble, there were some pretty despicable things going on in the undercover sex slave ring, that Wyatt and Andrea were looking to blow wide open. Wyatt is a cop and Andrea is a FBI agent. I will say this about them, they are each really, really good at what they do. The only rub I had, and it was a small one mind you, was that Andrea's age seemed a bit off to me. Initially, I got the impression that she had been a field agent for more than a few years since she was applying to a very prestigious unit within the FBI, but then her age put her around 27. And then I found out she had graduated Law School. If she went straight through undergrad and law school with no breaks, that would put her graduating at 25. The vibe I had gotten from the story was that she had more than 2 years with the FBI, so the ages just seemed a couple of years off to me. But like I said, that is pretty minor.

Wyatt trumped Gavin for me. He is my favorite guy in the series so far. I just loved his protective and honorable spirit. He is the kind of guy I would go for. (Now, don't get me wrong...I would go for Gavin too. Just if they were standing side by side, Wyatt would win out.) The Last Call Series is a great example of a contemporary romance series where each book really does feel like a completed standalone. The characters pop in from time to time to say hi from the other books, but the main focus of the stories is always the new couple. I love that.

Next, I want to tackle some on Sawyer Bennett's legal fiction. Or maybe her hockey books. Hockey and Law?! She is a woman after my own heart. Bottom line: If you like contemporary romances, The Last Call Series should be on your TBR list.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

Make it Last is the third book in the Bowler University series by Megan Erickson. Each book can be read as a standalone, but I really enjoyed reading them together. This is a great group of friends, and it helps to read their stories in order. Cam was always kind of the quiet pensive one in the group. He was never too rambunctious, he was never a womanizer. And because of that he faded a little into the background of his louder, more in your face friends. To me, that made him all the more mysterious. I was really excited to get to see his story. I love this series so much, so I was sure that Megan Erickson would make me fall in love with Cam. And she completely did with Make it Last.

Make it Last is a second chance love story for Cam and his high school sweetheart, Tate. Tate is new to the series, and her and Cam did not end on good terms at all. Since Cam always kind of seemed like the quiet one in the group, he held a soft spot in my heart. So I wasn't sure how I would feel about Tate wronging Cam. And I will admit that she started off on my crap list. But she quickly wormed her way into my heart. Her story is powerful and heartbreaking as well. This book had a sadder tone than the first two for me. And back to my initial impression of Cam- he is a sweetie, but he is far from quiet. Back in his home town, Cam really started to open up, and let us see who he really is. Cam just can't help but want to take care of everyone around him.

Make is Last is a great addition to the Bowler University series. Fans of the first two books will love Cam and Tate's story. I loved, loved, loved that Cam and Tate started communicating again through their virtual world game, even after they had seen each other in person around town. They created a whole life for the two of them in this world, back when they were dating and they started to use it again, now that they were back in town. It was really cute. Cam and Tate's story will touch your heart, that's for sure. This is an all around great series.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

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Atlantis Rising is a young adult paranormal. I am unsure whether it is going to be a series or not. I am leaning towards yes, but the end of the book stopped at a good place, so there is a chance that it will be a stand alone. Atlantis Rising is an interesting story dealing with some interesting creatures. I liked that each of the creatures in this world had different powers and different clans.

The book took a little while for me to get into, and I was a little thrown off by the whole Atlantis thing. I first assumed it would be an underwater story with mermaid types, but there was no reference to that. They were pretty human like, except for the magical powers. There were people that could push emotions into other’s heads, people that were extra charming, and people that could even push thoughts into people’s heads. Those were the most rare, because if they were good, they could make people do things while making them think it was their own choice.

I was really intrigued by the whole mate concept among their people- which were called the dewing. But I didn’t like how it ended up pertaining to Allison. I wanted to see the process and see how it happened. Atlantis Rising was a very quick read, and I would have liked it to be a little more fleshed out on some aspects. This was one of them. I also wanted to know a little more history on how the dewing came to be. We did learn a lot about the different abilities they could have, but not too much on the people themselves.

Overall, the story was interesting. I really liked the whole cast of characters, and the romance was light. It was secondary and the action and background information really drove the story, since the whole world of the Dewing was new to Allison. Not to mention the whole stop the evil leader plot. That lent itself to a very action packed book. It wasn’t without its’ imperfections, but it was still an enjoyable read.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs