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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo is a young adult standalone contemporary romance. This book had me giggling and smiling right from the very beginning. I seriously loved this novel. I can't wait to read more by Maurene Goo because this was everything I am looking for in a cute, feel good contemporary romance. This tag line right here sold me from the get-go: "A funny young adult novel about a Korean-American girl who uses K-Drama techniques to snag the boyfriend of her dreams." Umm, yes!!! And it was every bit as adorable as you think it would be. I loved all of the k-drama inspiration, and I really loved Desi's list to finding her perfect boyfriend. It was hilarious.
Desi and I clicked from the very first page. As soon as she was describing trying to make her pencil move with her mind, and she was so deep into her concentration, she had her dad come into the room and feed her soup, I was instantly 100% invested in Desi and in I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Not to mention, her dad! Desi's dad and Desi's friends are all kinds of awesome! Desi is a go-getter on crack. She is seriously good at everything, because she comes up with a plan to be the best. I liked this because she is not a mary-sue, she works her butt off. She was awful at soccer when she first started, but it was the sport she wanted to play so she practiced and practiced and practiced until she improved. Same with school. Same with her extra-curriculars. Same thing with everything she attempts. She is incredibly impressive. So when she sets her sights on a boyfriend, she knows she needs a plan because she is adorably bad at everything that is boys. Her friends call all of her attempts at flirting, Flailures- aka flriting failures. Insert a dad who is obsessed with K-drama and a daughter that loves a formula solution, and boom! You have Desi's new k-drama plan to landing her crush.
I Believe in a Thing Called Love would make an amazing RomCom. It is super funny, super cute and super feel good. I liked Desi's crush, Luca, but Desi was the real winner of the story for me. I wanted her to succeed because I loved her. Her flailures were pretty epic and hilarious to read about too. If you are a fan of romantic comedies and of K-dramas, you will get a huge kick out of I Believe in a Thing Called Love. I really loved this book!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Desi and I clicked from the very first page. As soon as she was describing trying to make her pencil move with her mind, and she was so deep into her concentration, she had her dad come into the room and feed her soup, I was instantly 100% invested in Desi and in I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Not to mention, her dad! Desi's dad and Desi's friends are all kinds of awesome! Desi is a go-getter on crack. She is seriously good at everything, because she comes up with a plan to be the best. I liked this because she is not a mary-sue, she works her butt off. She was awful at soccer when she first started, but it was the sport she wanted to play so she practiced and practiced and practiced until she improved. Same with school. Same with her extra-curriculars. Same thing with everything she attempts. She is incredibly impressive. So when she sets her sights on a boyfriend, she knows she needs a plan because she is adorably bad at everything that is boys. Her friends call all of her attempts at flirting, Flailures- aka flriting failures. Insert a dad who is obsessed with K-drama and a daughter that loves a formula solution, and boom! You have Desi's new k-drama plan to landing her crush.
I Believe in a Thing Called Love would make an amazing RomCom. It is super funny, super cute and super feel good. I liked Desi's crush, Luca, but Desi was the real winner of the story for me. I wanted her to succeed because I loved her. Her flailures were pretty epic and hilarious to read about too. If you are a fan of romantic comedies and of K-dramas, you will get a huge kick out of I Believe in a Thing Called Love. I really loved this book!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn is a young adult standalone contemporary romance. I loved this book. This is going to be a unique review because there were a few issues I had with the main character, but they really didn't detract from my enjoyment one bit because while reading Wesley James Ruined My Life, I had a major case of perma-smile. I really really enjoyed myself while I was reading this story. It just had this adorable quality to it that I can't pin point. Jennifer Honeybourn did a great job with the writing, because this book won me over big time.
Wesley James Ruined My Life is the story of Quinn and her ex best friend turned bitter enemy Wesley. Wesley and Quinn used to be super close, then they had a huge falling out when they were younger and Wesley and his family moved away for five years. Quinn basically blames Wesley for every bad thing that is going on in her life. Now that Wesley is back in town, Quinn has plans to get revenge on him. Quinn was totally obsessed with getting back at Wesley for what he did. It was a bit much. Normally, it would have been more off putting to me, but as I said before, it really didn't bother me. I still liked Quinn, I loved Wesley and I found their time together to be super cute. Don't get me wrong, Quinn certainly goes a little over board with her hatred for Wesley. Everyone around her tells her she is being unreasonable, but she has total blinders on. But I couldn't help but love Quinn. I loved that she worked at Tudor Times. I love her fascination with history and England. I just loved it all. I loved Wesley most of all. He is such a great guy. I liked him so much that I wanted to see more of him and Quinn together, once she finally got her head out of her butt. I just wanted more of this story because I was enjoying it so much.
Bottom line: Wesley James Ruined My Life is an adorably cute read that put a smile on my face that I couldn't wipe away even after I was done reading it. I loved this story. Even though I thought Quinn was a little bit crazy at times, it didn't dampen my enjoyment of this book one bit. Wesley James Ruined My Life had an it factor for me. I can't pinpoint what it was, but it worked and I really, really enjoyed this novel. I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Honeybourn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Wesley James Ruined My Life by Jennifer Honeybourn is a young adult standalone contemporary romance. I loved this book. This is going to be a unique review because there were a few issues I had with the main character, but they really didn't detract from my enjoyment one bit because while reading Wesley James Ruined My Life, I had a major case of perma-smile. I really really enjoyed myself while I was reading this story. It just had this adorable quality to it that I can't pin point. Jennifer Honeybourn did a great job with the writing, because this book won me over big time.
Wesley James Ruined My Life is the story of Quinn and her ex best friend turned bitter enemy Wesley. Wesley and Quinn used to be super close, then they had a huge falling out when they were younger and Wesley and his family moved away for five years. Quinn basically blames Wesley for every bad thing that is going on in her life. Now that Wesley is back in town, Quinn has plans to get revenge on him. Quinn was totally obsessed with getting back at Wesley for what he did. It was a bit much. Normally, it would have been more off putting to me, but as I said before, it really didn't bother me. I still liked Quinn, I loved Wesley and I found their time together to be super cute. Don't get me wrong, Quinn certainly goes a little over board with her hatred for Wesley. Everyone around her tells her she is being unreasonable, but she has total blinders on. But I couldn't help but love Quinn. I loved that she worked at Tudor Times. I love her fascination with history and England. I just loved it all. I loved Wesley most of all. He is such a great guy. I liked him so much that I wanted to see more of him and Quinn together, once she finally got her head out of her butt. I just wanted more of this story because I was enjoying it so much.
Bottom line: Wesley James Ruined My Life is an adorably cute read that put a smile on my face that I couldn't wipe away even after I was done reading it. I loved this story. Even though I thought Quinn was a little bit crazy at times, it didn't dampen my enjoyment of this book one bit. Wesley James Ruined My Life had an it factor for me. I can't pinpoint what it was, but it worked and I really, really enjoyed this novel. I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Honeybourn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle is the second book in the young adult contemporary North Pole, Minnesota series. I liked the first book in the series, Any Boy But You, but I enjoyed this book even more! Each of the books in the North Pole Minnesota series can be read as standalones, so you don't have to read them in order, though if given the choice, I always prefer to read a series in order. Elena, the girl from the first book, only makes very small appearances in this story, so there isn't much overlap.
Artificial Sweethearts is the story of Sam and Tinka. I flat out loved Sam. He is the biggest sweetheart on the planet. And Tinka is so fabulously complex that I found her fascinating. Overall, this couple won me over. Here are the things that I loved about Artificial Sweethearts. Sam and Tinka are up front with each other right off the bat. That was so refreshing to see. Yes, Tinka had her own secrets that she was keeping from other people, but with each other they were totally real and honest from day one. Watching their romance go from fake to real was adorable. I know it has been done a million times, but I am still a sucker for a good fake romance story. It works for me (almost) every time. And it worked for me in Artificial Sweethearts. I love Sam and his family and I love how good Sam and Tinka are for each other. They genuinely had each other's backs so many times throughout the book. I liked Sam way more than I liked Tinka, but even Tinka won me over. I think she is a good person. I really do. (even with what I am about to say in the next paragraph.) And I think she got to relax and be the best version of herself with Sam. And Sam is so awesome- it is about time someone recognized that about him. I hated seeing him be the running joke in his family. It was also super refreshing to see the male character in the story be the one with body issues and insecurities. I don't think I have encountered that in a young adult book yet.
I did have a few, minor, issues with Artificial Sweethearts. I loved how multi-dimensional Tinka was. She is a very complex character. But that being said, she is not always the best person. I do think a few of the insults that her ex best friend, Karen threw out at her were pretty accurate. Tinka is selfish. She is also not a very good friend. When she moved away, she basically dropped her best friend. She didn't call or text her and she flat out ignored all of the phone calls and text messages that Karen was sending her. And she did it all for basically no good reason. I think that is pretty harsh thing to do. Then there was the whole issue of hooking up with her current best friend's boyfriend right after he dumped said friend. Tinka does not always make the best decisions, and she certainly does not handle her mistakes maturely. But I genuinely think she is a good person, and I loved her interactions with Sam. They felt like two different people to me, which made it hard for me to figure out my feelings on Tinka while I was reading. Overall, I liked her, even though she annoyed me at times. The characters I did not like were Tinka's parents. They did not seem interested in their daughter for anything except renovation help. The only thing they seemed to care about for a majority of the story was getting drunk with their new friends. I wasn't a fan of them.
Overall, my annoyances were only a small part of the story, and they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment much. I fell head over heels in love with Sam. I loved that Artificial Sweehearts was told in dual narrative. I want to see more Sam and Tinka because they really won me over. Artificial Sweethearts was a cute read. One that I really enjoyed.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Artificial Sweethearts by Julie Hammerle is the second book in the young adult contemporary North Pole, Minnesota series. I liked the first book in the series, Any Boy But You, but I enjoyed this book even more! Each of the books in the North Pole Minnesota series can be read as standalones, so you don't have to read them in order, though if given the choice, I always prefer to read a series in order. Elena, the girl from the first book, only makes very small appearances in this story, so there isn't much overlap.
Artificial Sweethearts is the story of Sam and Tinka. I flat out loved Sam. He is the biggest sweetheart on the planet. And Tinka is so fabulously complex that I found her fascinating. Overall, this couple won me over. Here are the things that I loved about Artificial Sweethearts. Sam and Tinka are up front with each other right off the bat. That was so refreshing to see. Yes, Tinka had her own secrets that she was keeping from other people, but with each other they were totally real and honest from day one. Watching their romance go from fake to real was adorable. I know it has been done a million times, but I am still a sucker for a good fake romance story. It works for me (almost) every time. And it worked for me in Artificial Sweethearts. I love Sam and his family and I love how good Sam and Tinka are for each other. They genuinely had each other's backs so many times throughout the book. I liked Sam way more than I liked Tinka, but even Tinka won me over. I think she is a good person. I really do. (even with what I am about to say in the next paragraph.) And I think she got to relax and be the best version of herself with Sam. And Sam is so awesome- it is about time someone recognized that about him. I hated seeing him be the running joke in his family. It was also super refreshing to see the male character in the story be the one with body issues and insecurities. I don't think I have encountered that in a young adult book yet.
I did have a few, minor, issues with Artificial Sweethearts. I loved how multi-dimensional Tinka was. She is a very complex character. But that being said, she is not always the best person. I do think a few of the insults that her ex best friend, Karen threw out at her were pretty accurate. Tinka is selfish. She is also not a very good friend. When she moved away, she basically dropped her best friend. She didn't call or text her and she flat out ignored all of the phone calls and text messages that Karen was sending her. And she did it all for basically no good reason. I think that is pretty harsh thing to do. Then there was the whole issue of hooking up with her current best friend's boyfriend right after he dumped said friend. Tinka does not always make the best decisions, and she certainly does not handle her mistakes maturely. But I genuinely think she is a good person, and I loved her interactions with Sam. They felt like two different people to me, which made it hard for me to figure out my feelings on Tinka while I was reading. Overall, I liked her, even though she annoyed me at times. The characters I did not like were Tinka's parents. They did not seem interested in their daughter for anything except renovation help. The only thing they seemed to care about for a majority of the story was getting drunk with their new friends. I wasn't a fan of them.
Overall, my annoyances were only a small part of the story, and they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment much. I fell head over heels in love with Sam. I loved that Artificial Sweehearts was told in dual narrative. I want to see more Sam and Tinka because they really won me over. Artificial Sweethearts was a cute read. One that I really enjoyed.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Need You by Stacy Finz is the first book in the Garner Brothers series. The Garner Brothers series will be a series of interconnected standalone romances, set in a small mountain town on the west coast. I enjoyed Need You by Stacy Finz. I thought it was an enjoyable story and I loved getting to know the people in the town. I think this is a series I will look forward to continuing. In the end, this book didn't blow me away, but it was a good read.
Here is what I liked about Need You:
I loved the small town setting. I thought the town sounded beautiful. I loved that it was surrounded by mountains and lakes. And I really love that in a small town book you really get to know a wide group of secondary characters. Especially when the series is going to be set up to be a group of interconnected standalones. Now all of the secondary characters can really come to life throughout the books. I will continue to read for this fact alone. I loved so many of the residents.
I also really like the Garner brothers. This book was the story of Colt and Delaney, but I can't wait to read TJ and Wes' story as well.
I liked the romance. Colt and Delaney have a great bickering relationship right from the very start. I found both of them to be hilarious together. They are neighbors, and watching them go from hate to annoyance to something more was a lot of fun.
Here is what I didn't love about Need You:
Need You started out very strong for me. I was digging everything about the book, but then it started to get a little boring. I can't really pinpoint why but at the 60% mark my reading had slowed down a lot and by the 75% mark I was really forcing myself to push through. I still liked the characters, I still liked the romance, but something wasn't clicking as much as it was at the start of the book. I liked the ending of the story and overall, I did enjoy Need You. It just fizzled out a bit for me at the end.
Bottom Line:
Need You is a cute read that sets up the stage for what seems to be a great series set in a small town. Even though the book fizzled out for me near the end, I still enjoyed this one and I am interested in reading the next Garner Brother's story. Need You comes out tomorrow so be sure to check this one out if you love small town romances.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Need You by Stacy Finz is the first book in the Garner Brothers series. The Garner Brothers series will be a series of interconnected standalone romances, set in a small mountain town on the west coast. I enjoyed Need You by Stacy Finz. I thought it was an enjoyable story and I loved getting to know the people in the town. I think this is a series I will look forward to continuing. In the end, this book didn't blow me away, but it was a good read.
Here is what I liked about Need You:
I loved the small town setting. I thought the town sounded beautiful. I loved that it was surrounded by mountains and lakes. And I really love that in a small town book you really get to know a wide group of secondary characters. Especially when the series is going to be set up to be a group of interconnected standalones. Now all of the secondary characters can really come to life throughout the books. I will continue to read for this fact alone. I loved so many of the residents.
I also really like the Garner brothers. This book was the story of Colt and Delaney, but I can't wait to read TJ and Wes' story as well.
I liked the romance. Colt and Delaney have a great bickering relationship right from the very start. I found both of them to be hilarious together. They are neighbors, and watching them go from hate to annoyance to something more was a lot of fun.
Here is what I didn't love about Need You:
Need You started out very strong for me. I was digging everything about the book, but then it started to get a little boring. I can't really pinpoint why but at the 60% mark my reading had slowed down a lot and by the 75% mark I was really forcing myself to push through. I still liked the characters, I still liked the romance, but something wasn't clicking as much as it was at the start of the book. I liked the ending of the story and overall, I did enjoy Need You. It just fizzled out a bit for me at the end.
Bottom Line:
Need You is a cute read that sets up the stage for what seems to be a great series set in a small town. Even though the book fizzled out for me near the end, I still enjoyed this one and I am interested in reading the next Garner Brother's story. Need You comes out tomorrow so be sure to check this one out if you love small town romances.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**The Alchemists of Loom is the first book in the Loom Saga by author Elise Kova. The Loom Saga is a young adult high fantasy series that I have completely fallen in love with. You know the feeling you get when you pick up a book by a new to you author- you are excited and hopeful that the book will be excellent. (but also a little nervous because you want to enjoy the novel so badly...and what if you don't. What if you are the person that the book didn't work for.) But then, as you read, the story exceeds all of your expectations. You completely fall in love with the characters and the story and the world. And then you finish the book and you find out that the author has SO MANY OTHER BOOKS! Multiple series with multiple books written. It is like stumbling on to a gold mine. That is what discovering Elise Kova felt like to me. She dropped a gold mine in my lap! And I couldn't be happier about it.
I loved everything about The Alchemists of Loom. I loved the characters. I loved that it was written in multiple perspectives. I beyond loved the world and the magic system. I even loved the tiny speck of romance to come. (which by the way is huge for me. For me to love a book that has little to no romance in it is a big deal for me as a reader.) The Alchemists of Loom was a complete hit for me. I am already reading book 2, The Dragons of Nova and loving it as well.
In the Alchemists of Loom we are introduced to two worlds. The sky realm of Nova and the ground world of Loom. Dragons inhabit Nova and Fenhri, Chimera and Alchemists inhabit. The Dragons of Nova rule over both of the worlds. I loved the complex world, magic and caste system put in place. And it was pretty complex. In Nova there are different dragon houses and many different levels within each house. In Loom, the alchemists are divided into different guilds, which are linked to different trades. The guilds are branded into the Fen's faces. Our main characters are Ari, an unmarked chimera known as the White Wraith. And Cvareh a dragon on a secret mission. I am not going to tell you anything more than that because The Alchemists of Loom was really a delight to read and discover for myself. I love Elise Kova's writing style. She does drop you in the middle of this intricate world, but she shows it to you in really organic bits and pieces.
Ari and Cvareh are fantastic. I loved watching the development of their relationship. It was so fantastic. I am rooting so incredibly hard for these two, you have no idea. I especially loved their stark differences, which turned into similarities as the book progressed. It was really something to behold. Dragons are very showy. They love bright colors and are very fashion forward. Ari on the other hand, is not. She is as her name suggests- white and grey in everything about her. Ari and Cvareh are so special, both in their unique abilities but also in their fierceness. I love how badass Ari is. It is so nice to see such a strong female character.
It is really hard to do justice to this book in a short review. The adventure Ari, Florence and Cvareh set out on is so exciting, the magic fascinated me and I love the politics of the two worlds. I am itching for more in this series and more from Elise Kova in general. I need to buy all of her Air Awakens series because I am addicted to her writing. The Alchemists of Loom is one of my favorite reads of 2017 and the Loom Saga is shaping up to be on of my favorite fantasy series. This is a book you do not want to miss.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I loved everything about The Alchemists of Loom. I loved the characters. I loved that it was written in multiple perspectives. I beyond loved the world and the magic system. I even loved the tiny speck of romance to come. (which by the way is huge for me. For me to love a book that has little to no romance in it is a big deal for me as a reader.) The Alchemists of Loom was a complete hit for me. I am already reading book 2, The Dragons of Nova and loving it as well.
In the Alchemists of Loom we are introduced to two worlds. The sky realm of Nova and the ground world of Loom. Dragons inhabit Nova and Fenhri, Chimera and Alchemists inhabit. The Dragons of Nova rule over both of the worlds. I loved the complex world, magic and caste system put in place. And it was pretty complex. In Nova there are different dragon houses and many different levels within each house. In Loom, the alchemists are divided into different guilds, which are linked to different trades. The guilds are branded into the Fen's faces. Our main characters are Ari, an unmarked chimera known as the White Wraith. And Cvareh a dragon on a secret mission. I am not going to tell you anything more than that because The Alchemists of Loom was really a delight to read and discover for myself. I love Elise Kova's writing style. She does drop you in the middle of this intricate world, but she shows it to you in really organic bits and pieces.
Ari and Cvareh are fantastic. I loved watching the development of their relationship. It was so fantastic. I am rooting so incredibly hard for these two, you have no idea. I especially loved their stark differences, which turned into similarities as the book progressed. It was really something to behold. Dragons are very showy. They love bright colors and are very fashion forward. Ari on the other hand, is not. She is as her name suggests- white and grey in everything about her. Ari and Cvareh are so special, both in their unique abilities but also in their fierceness. I love how badass Ari is. It is so nice to see such a strong female character.
It is really hard to do justice to this book in a short review. The adventure Ari, Florence and Cvareh set out on is so exciting, the magic fascinated me and I love the politics of the two worlds. I am itching for more in this series and more from Elise Kova in general. I need to buy all of her Air Awakens series because I am addicted to her writing. The Alchemists of Loom is one of my favorite reads of 2017 and the Loom Saga is shaping up to be on of my favorite fantasy series. This is a book you do not want to miss.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net***Please Note: This is a series that must be read in order.
If you are new to the series, check out my review of book one- The Alchemists of Loom HERE**
The Dragons of Nova is the Second book in the Loom Saga by author Elise Kova. The Loom Saga is a young adult high fantasy series that I have completely fallen in love with. I absolutely LOVED the first book, The Alchemists of Loom, and the second book- The Dragons of Nova was every bit as good as the first! In the Dragons of Nova we get to really delve more into the politics and struggles in the worlds of Loom and Nova and we get to revisit old characters and get to know some new characters as well. This series is one that instantly grabbed me and has yet to let go. It is by far one of the best series I have read in 2017. And the third book, The Rebels of Gold is scheduled to release in December of this year! How amazing is that? Thank you Elise for not making us wait for a long time.
The Dragons of Nova picks up right where book one left off, with Ari and Cvareh on their way to Nova. Whereas the first book mainly took place on Loom, this book mainly takes place on Nova. I loved that because we get to really get to know both of the worlds by immersion. Nova is fascinating. It is so different from Loom but i loved the dichotomy of the sky realm and the ground realm. The Dragons of Nova rule over both of the worlds, which is where a lot of the struggle stems from. In the Alchemists of Loom we got to see the struggle from Loom's perspective, and The Dragons of Nova was a lot more about the conflict between Nova and Loom, but from the perspective of Nova, as well as the inner conflict on Nova between the King of Nova and Cvareh’s sister, the head of the Dragon house of Xin. I loved that we got to see several layers of the conflict going on. Because we are adding extra perspectives and characters to follow and because we were delving a little deeper into the root of the issues between the worlds, sometimes the pacing of The Dragons of Nova was a bit slower and more dense than it was in The Alchemists of Loom. But at no point did the pacing leave me feeling bored. There is tons of action, fighting adventure and yes some romance in The Dragons of Nova. I don't think anyone could get bored in Loom or Nova. Elise Kova is a master story teller. Her worlds are like no other, in my opinion.
Ari and Cvareh are fantastic. Their relationship is ever evolving and I loved seeing so much of them in The Dragons of Nova. You all know I am rooting hard core for these two. We also got to see more of Florence and Petra in this installment. I loved Flor in the first book but I don't love her quite as much. Ever since the end of the last story she seems darker. I understand why that is, but I just loved Flor's personality when she was with Ari in the first book and I want that girl to show through some more. Petra is super interesting as well. She is a complex character, as are most in this book.
The Loom Saga falls somewhere between a young adult and a new adult fantasy. I think it would appeal to readers of both genres, but this is not strictly a young adult novel. I don't want to go into too many plot details because this story is so amazing when you get to experience it in real time. But I will say this, everything about this world fascinates me- I love the characters, I love the adventure, I love the magic and the different houses/guilds, and I really love the complex political structure. The Loom Saga is shaping up to be on of my favorite fantasy series. This is a series you do not want to miss. Read the first two now so you are ready for the Rebels of Gold in December 2017.This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
If you are new to the series, check out my review of book one- The Alchemists of Loom HERE**
The Dragons of Nova is the Second book in the Loom Saga by author Elise Kova. The Loom Saga is a young adult high fantasy series that I have completely fallen in love with. I absolutely LOVED the first book, The Alchemists of Loom, and the second book- The Dragons of Nova was every bit as good as the first! In the Dragons of Nova we get to really delve more into the politics and struggles in the worlds of Loom and Nova and we get to revisit old characters and get to know some new characters as well. This series is one that instantly grabbed me and has yet to let go. It is by far one of the best series I have read in 2017. And the third book, The Rebels of Gold is scheduled to release in December of this year! How amazing is that? Thank you Elise for not making us wait for a long time.
The Dragons of Nova picks up right where book one left off, with Ari and Cvareh on their way to Nova. Whereas the first book mainly took place on Loom, this book mainly takes place on Nova. I loved that because we get to really get to know both of the worlds by immersion. Nova is fascinating. It is so different from Loom but i loved the dichotomy of the sky realm and the ground realm. The Dragons of Nova rule over both of the worlds, which is where a lot of the struggle stems from. In the Alchemists of Loom we got to see the struggle from Loom's perspective, and The Dragons of Nova was a lot more about the conflict between Nova and Loom, but from the perspective of Nova, as well as the inner conflict on Nova between the King of Nova and Cvareh’s sister, the head of the Dragon house of Xin. I loved that we got to see several layers of the conflict going on. Because we are adding extra perspectives and characters to follow and because we were delving a little deeper into the root of the issues between the worlds, sometimes the pacing of The Dragons of Nova was a bit slower and more dense than it was in The Alchemists of Loom. But at no point did the pacing leave me feeling bored. There is tons of action, fighting adventure and yes some romance in The Dragons of Nova. I don't think anyone could get bored in Loom or Nova. Elise Kova is a master story teller. Her worlds are like no other, in my opinion.
Ari and Cvareh are fantastic. Their relationship is ever evolving and I loved seeing so much of them in The Dragons of Nova. You all know I am rooting hard core for these two. We also got to see more of Florence and Petra in this installment. I loved Flor in the first book but I don't love her quite as much. Ever since the end of the last story she seems darker. I understand why that is, but I just loved Flor's personality when she was with Ari in the first book and I want that girl to show through some more. Petra is super interesting as well. She is a complex character, as are most in this book.
The Loom Saga falls somewhere between a young adult and a new adult fantasy. I think it would appeal to readers of both genres, but this is not strictly a young adult novel. I don't want to go into too many plot details because this story is so amazing when you get to experience it in real time. But I will say this, everything about this world fascinates me- I love the characters, I love the adventure, I love the magic and the different houses/guilds, and I really love the complex political structure. The Loom Saga is shaping up to be on of my favorite fantasy series. This is a series you do not want to miss. Read the first two now so you are ready for the Rebels of Gold in December 2017.This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Chasing Eveline is a young adult contemporary by Leslie Hauser. This book felt so different than the books I normally read. It was like a breath of fresh air for me. Overall, I relaly enjoyed this book. It started out as a bit of a surprise for me because it was much more somber and melancholy in its' tone than I was expecting, but I quickly fell into the groove of the story and I really came to like to characters and their journey.
Ivy is the main character of the story. She is going through a tough time after her mom left her and the only thing that makes her feel close to her mother is the band Chasing Eveline. Her mom used to love the band and Ivy has become obsessed with it. I loved that it was a non-mainstream indie rock band that was the focus of the story. Now, I will be the first to admit that I know little to nothing about indie rock, but I really enjoyed how authentic all of the music elements in the story felt. It was very 80s throwback and Ivy and Matt seemed to know what they were talking about, so it was really easy for me to default to them as the authorities. I loved that they embarked on this journey to reunite the band.
They each had their own reasons for doing so but I loved watching them and their journey. It was at times funny, at times kooky and at times sad. Matt and Ivy are both very realistic portrayals of teenagers. In fact, that was what I loved the most about the story. Everything felt so authentic to me. My only issue with the story was that it did feel a little slow in parts. But the story line itself more than made up for that fact.
Bottom line: Chasing Eveline was a read that I really enjoyed. If you are a fan of inide rock, you will love all the references in this book. But even if you are not I would try Chasing Eveline out. I wouldn't necessarily call it a fun read, even though it did have fun parts, but it was a read that I related to and I very much enjoyed. If you are looking for something a little different, something utterly realistic and something with great characters with their own inner strength, I would recommend checking out Chasing Eveline.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Chasing Eveline is a young adult contemporary by Leslie Hauser. This book felt so different than the books I normally read. It was like a breath of fresh air for me. Overall, I relaly enjoyed this book. It started out as a bit of a surprise for me because it was much more somber and melancholy in its' tone than I was expecting, but I quickly fell into the groove of the story and I really came to like to characters and their journey.
Ivy is the main character of the story. She is going through a tough time after her mom left her and the only thing that makes her feel close to her mother is the band Chasing Eveline. Her mom used to love the band and Ivy has become obsessed with it. I loved that it was a non-mainstream indie rock band that was the focus of the story. Now, I will be the first to admit that I know little to nothing about indie rock, but I really enjoyed how authentic all of the music elements in the story felt. It was very 80s throwback and Ivy and Matt seemed to know what they were talking about, so it was really easy for me to default to them as the authorities. I loved that they embarked on this journey to reunite the band.
They each had their own reasons for doing so but I loved watching them and their journey. It was at times funny, at times kooky and at times sad. Matt and Ivy are both very realistic portrayals of teenagers. In fact, that was what I loved the most about the story. Everything felt so authentic to me. My only issue with the story was that it did feel a little slow in parts. But the story line itself more than made up for that fact.
Bottom line: Chasing Eveline was a read that I really enjoyed. If you are a fan of inide rock, you will love all the references in this book. But even if you are not I would try Chasing Eveline out. I wouldn't necessarily call it a fun read, even though it did have fun parts, but it was a read that I related to and I very much enjoyed. If you are looking for something a little different, something utterly realistic and something with great characters with their own inner strength, I would recommend checking out Chasing Eveline.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman is a young adult contemporary romance that put a huge smile on my face. I really, really loved this book. It was cute, it was swoony and it was a whole lot of fun. Just what I love in my summer beach/pool reads. Max Holden is total book boyfriend material. I did have a few minor issues with the story, which I will discuss below, but overall I really enjoyed Kissing Max Holden.
Kissing Max Holden is told from Jillian's point of view. She grew up next door to Max Holden and they used to be very close, but because of personal issues in Max's family, he has withdrawn a lot and because distant with Jillian. It is interesting because Jillian and Max still ran in similar friend groups at school so they are circling around in each other's lives. I love a friends to more story, so I really liked the various facets to Jillian and Max's relationship. It is clear that they still know each other very well. I also kind of liked that they kissed right at the start of the story and then danced around each other afterwards. Sure, there was fall out on both of their ends because of the kiss and there were some things in the story that bothered me, but it was hard to care too much about either of the things I am going to mention because Max and Jillian were just so darn cute.
So, what were my issues with Kissing Max Holden? Well, I didn't love the idea that Max had a girlfriend, particularly because his girlfriend is so witchy. I also really, really didn't like what Jillian's dad did.Cheating on her very pregnant step-mom. It just really bugged me. But, as I mentioned earlier, even these minor annoyances couldn't keep the smile off my face. I really, really enjoyed this book. It is a light read that is perfect for an afternoon by the pool or at the beach.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman is a young adult contemporary romance that put a huge smile on my face. I really, really loved this book. It was cute, it was swoony and it was a whole lot of fun. Just what I love in my summer beach/pool reads. Max Holden is total book boyfriend material. I did have a few minor issues with the story, which I will discuss below, but overall I really enjoyed Kissing Max Holden.
Kissing Max Holden is told from Jillian's point of view. She grew up next door to Max Holden and they used to be very close, but because of personal issues in Max's family, he has withdrawn a lot and because distant with Jillian. It is interesting because Jillian and Max still ran in similar friend groups at school so they are circling around in each other's lives. I love a friends to more story, so I really liked the various facets to Jillian and Max's relationship. It is clear that they still know each other very well. I also kind of liked that they kissed right at the start of the story and then danced around each other afterwards. Sure, there was fall out on both of their ends because of the kiss and there were some things in the story that bothered me, but it was hard to care too much about either of the things I am going to mention because Max and Jillian were just so darn cute.
So, what were my issues with Kissing Max Holden? Well, I didn't love the idea that Max had a girlfriend, particularly because his girlfriend is so witchy. I also really, really didn't like what Jillian's dad did.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Legally Charming is the first book in the new adult contemporary romance Ever After series by Lauren Smith. This is my second book by Lauren, and I liked it more than I did the first book of hers. (Which was the first book in her British Stepbrother series.) Legally Charming was a very cute read. I enjoyed it. Since the series is called Ever After you can make some assumptions that they are going to be cute, slightly cheesy romances. And they are...but I dug that about this book. It was the kind of cheesy happy I was in the mood for.
Legally Charming is the story of Felicity and Jared, who are swept up in a whirlwind quick romance. So if insta love isn't your thing, this might not be the book for you. (They didn't fall in love at first sight, but they did fall in love within a week.) But, like I said, I really liked the story and sweet romance between Jared and Felicity. I loved how chivalrous Jared was. He really goes out of his way to make sure Felicity was taken care of. I don't buy for one second that Jared used to be a bad boy.
I enjoyed Legally Charming. I love that the story was on the longer side (almost 400 pages), I really liked the characters, I loved their sweet romance, and the writing is great. I get a weird kick about reading stories where one of the characters is a lawyer. I like seeing what kind of legal stuff the author is going to work in. (I know, I know only other lawyers appreciate things like that, but I can always tell when the author is actually an attorney. Lauren is.)
But there were a couple of things that had me wavering between 3.5 and 4 stars. One was just how quickly they fell in love. It seemed a little abrupt, even for me. And then there was the other thing. Now, I should put a disclaimer in. Most people would not be annoyed by this thingan unexpected pregnancy. It is just not something I like popping up in my books. It's my own weird hang up. I think it's because I am not ready to have kids that it is something that I just don't want to read about in my romances...but this i'm sure could be a whole other discussion that we can read all kinds of things into...but I digress. I just don't prefer it in the books I read. but it is not my cup of tea. So that kind of had me groaning, because I knew it was going to take the story into a different direction. It still ended up being a good story. Even with that thing.
Bottom line: Legally Charming is a great read. If you are a fan of sweet romances, you will really enjoy this one. I can't wait to read the next book in the Ever After series!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Legally Charming is the first book in the new adult contemporary romance Ever After series by Lauren Smith. This is my second book by Lauren, and I liked it more than I did the first book of hers. (Which was the first book in her British Stepbrother series.) Legally Charming was a very cute read. I enjoyed it. Since the series is called Ever After you can make some assumptions that they are going to be cute, slightly cheesy romances. And they are...but I dug that about this book. It was the kind of cheesy happy I was in the mood for.
Legally Charming is the story of Felicity and Jared, who are swept up in a whirlwind quick romance. So if insta love isn't your thing, this might not be the book for you. (They didn't fall in love at first sight, but they did fall in love within a week.) But, like I said, I really liked the story and sweet romance between Jared and Felicity. I loved how chivalrous Jared was. He really goes out of his way to make sure Felicity was taken care of. I don't buy for one second that Jared used to be a bad boy.
I enjoyed Legally Charming. I love that the story was on the longer side (almost 400 pages), I really liked the characters, I loved their sweet romance, and the writing is great. I get a weird kick about reading stories where one of the characters is a lawyer. I like seeing what kind of legal stuff the author is going to work in. (I know, I know only other lawyers appreciate things like that, but I can always tell when the author is actually an attorney. Lauren is.)
But there were a couple of things that had me wavering between 3.5 and 4 stars. One was just how quickly they fell in love. It seemed a little abrupt, even for me. And then there was the other thing. Now, I should put a disclaimer in. Most people would not be annoyed by this thing
Bottom line: Legally Charming is a great read. If you are a fan of sweet romances, you will really enjoy this one. I can't wait to read the next book in the Ever After series!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Forbidden is the first in a new, new adult serial romance. Set at Cambridge university, I was first drawn to this series, before I even knew the name of the series. I am normally not one for future brother/stepsister trope books, but the main character completely won me over. So when I realized the series was called Her British Stepbrother, I was already knee deep in the story and totally engrossed. No way was I backing out. And boy am I ever glad that I didn't. I really enjoyed this story, and cannot wait to continue on with the serial.
Forbidden, and I presuming the entire series, is told in dual narrative between our two main characters, Kat and Tristan. Kat stole the show for me. I loved her personality. Forbidden is a decadent story, but through it all Kat shone through. Even though this was completely out of her normal persona, Author Lauren Smith did an excellent job placing Kat in this new situation and both making her seem completely like herself, and not out of place at all. That is not something easily accomplished. And then there is Tristan. What, oh what should I do with you Tristan? I had to respect his driven in his pursuit of Kat. He was certainly single minded, but he was also extremely thoughtful. He actually surprised me how much thought he put into wooing Kat in a way that she would appreciate. (That is always a big thumbs up from me.)
I probably will wait until the next two parts comes out so I can read them back to back, as that is my preferred method with serials, but I am really glad that I read this first book now because I am not sure that I would have picked up the series once they were all released and I saw that this was a new brother/stepbrother trope. And that would have been a shame, because I would have been missing out on a well written, and deliciously fun read.
Bottom line: if you love new adult romances set in college with smart characters and great writing, this is a good serial for you to check out. And if you are fans of hot British men, you will not be able to resist Tristan. Forbidden is a great read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Forbidden, and I presuming the entire series, is told in dual narrative between our two main characters, Kat and Tristan. Kat stole the show for me. I loved her personality. Forbidden is a decadent story, but through it all Kat shone through. Even though this was completely out of her normal persona, Author Lauren Smith did an excellent job placing Kat in this new situation and both making her seem completely like herself, and not out of place at all. That is not something easily accomplished. And then there is Tristan. What, oh what should I do with you Tristan? I had to respect his driven in his pursuit of Kat. He was certainly single minded, but he was also extremely thoughtful. He actually surprised me how much thought he put into wooing Kat in a way that she would appreciate. (That is always a big thumbs up from me.)
I probably will wait until the next two parts comes out so I can read them back to back, as that is my preferred method with serials, but I am really glad that I read this first book now because I am not sure that I would have picked up the series once they were all released and I saw that this was a new brother/stepbrother trope. And that would have been a shame, because I would have been missing out on a well written, and deliciously fun read.
Bottom line: if you love new adult romances set in college with smart characters and great writing, this is a good serial for you to check out. And if you are fans of hot British men, you will not be able to resist Tristan. Forbidden is a great read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs