NicoleeK

Goodreads Synopsis: For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—"Cupid Day"—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.

Review: 

I admit that the movie trailer made me interested in reading this book. I liked how even though she was living the same day over and over again it wasn’t too repetitive and it was interesting to see what would change in each version of that day.

Anytime I read a YA book set in high school there is always this hierarchy with popular mean girls and jocks at the top. Are all American high schools really like this? The abuse that Sam and her friends put Juliet through was truly awful. However, this story not only portrayed the negative impact bully’s actions can have on their victims but we also got an insight into the motivations of the bully’s and even feel sympathetic towards them.

I really loved Kent and I wanted Sam to be with him. He knew deep down she was still the girl he was friends with all those years ago. That no matter how mean she could be it wasn’t who she really was. I felt they didn’t get enough time though. Sam may have spent a few versions of that day with Kent but for him he only got a very little amount of time with the girl he’s been in love with for years…the poor guy.

I couldn’t stop thinking about this story when I had finished it. I was left wondering what happened to Juliet, Kent, and her friends? How were they effected by her death. Did her friends go back to behaving they way they always did or did they wake up to how they were treating people and decide to change? I’ll admit I wanted to see the fairytale ending of this story where Sam redeemed herself and wakes up on February 13th, lives happily ever after with Kent, and Sam and her friends no longer strike fear into those around them. Although I knew how it would end I kept hoping I would be wrong.

I really enjoyed this story more than I thought I would and I can't wait to see the movie!

Goodreads Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.

It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

Review:

This wasn’t quite the story I was expecting. Long Way Home started with a bang and kept me captivated all the way through! There are also some twists in there that I was not expecting!

I loved that in the first book we got to see Oz’s total devotion to the club, then we got to see a different side to the club and question their actions through Razors story. Now through Chevy and Violets we got to yet again see that no matter what the club only tries to do right by their family, and although they might take it a bit far at times they are only motivated by their loyalty to those they love.

Violet is such a strong female character! She is completely devoted to her little brother and to those she loves but she is not a damsel in distress who needs rescuing and is willing to speak her mind no matter what. Girl power! And of course Chevy is not only swoon worthy but, like McGarry’s many other male leads, he would risk his life for his family and is fiercely protective. I really liked that Chevy could choose a different path and still be accepted by the club.

And then there’s Isaiah! I was so excited when they even just mentioned his name! We didn’t get to see a lot of him or his interactions with his family which it would have been nice to see his reaction to the club and how he fit into their dynamic. I would have also liked to see Isaiah and Chevy get to know each other and how their relationship would have turned out.

I can’t believe this is the last book in the Thunder Road Series, I’m gonna miss all the gang. I would love a story on Addison and the “new member” that has taken a liking to her ;) All in all this was a great conclusion to the series as everything was summed up really well and I can’t wait to see what McGarry has in store for us next!

Goodreads Synopsis: The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.

There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.

Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.

Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.

But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.

Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

Review:

I went back and forth on my rating for this book as I did really enjoy the story and flew through it but by the end I did feel a little a little let down and was left with a lot of questions (see spoiler questions at end of review).

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect to the story and that until the end you really don’t know who the murderer is. However, as we’re progressing through the story there were some unnecessary details in there. The author I guess was trying to throw us off the scent but these details didn’t add anything overall so could have gone without.

I loved Callie and Tessa’s friendship! I found it to be very realistic that they would start off quite distant from each other but over time rediscover the bond that they had years before. The fact that Callie and Tessa were witnesses at the age of only 8 years old was awful! They not only had the trauma of having someone close to them being murdered but they had the added pressure of being the ones to put a man in prison for it. If thats not psychological trauma I don’t know what is!

This was quite slow moving in the beginning, we were getting information here and there, and there were quite a few plot twists I didn’t expect but I wasn’t blown away by the ending. It also turned into more than just a murder mystery which I thought was a bit too much going on all at once. I did really enjoy this book but had to take a star and a half off because there were some loose ends that weren’t tied up and the ending did feel a bit too put together. I would recommend this book to those who want to read it but just be aware that it does take a while for the storyline to pick up and for it to feel like a thriller mystery read.

*Spoilers*

My unanswered questions….

1.What was that ending with the 7 year old girl in the cellar?

2.Did Callie and Tessa stay in touch when they went off to college? I’m going to presume they did but I would have liked confirmation.

3.We never found out how Annette actually killed Lori. We know she said it was an accident but what actually happened? And was Annette the dark figure in the garden the girls saw?

4.How did Wozniak get Callie out of the house without Tessa hearing anything?

5.What happened with Ariels dad? We never heard anything more about him or his family.

Goodreads Synopsis: Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.

Ben returns to school, but he remains aloof, and Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Camelia makes the painful decision to let him go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events uncovers secrets from Ben’s past – and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who – before it's too late.

Review:

This was basically like reading the first book all over again. She was yet again receiving threats, never mind that she was kidnapped before she again does not inform her parents or the police blah blah blah, there was no development in the story whatsoever! The dialogue is awful as it seems we get nowhere from the conversations between the characters, Camelia’s friends have their own family drama but all they ever want to talk about is her and Ben, so boring! Camelia also went back and forth between trusting Ben in the first book and then he saves her life for the second time so you think she’d fully trust him but no she still doubts him in this one, what more does she want??

The teachers at their school also just let bullying happen by looking the other way when students were pulling pranks on Ben and calling Wes names, what kind of school is that! I don’t believe that a school would just let this much destructive behaviour happen in real life. We were also introduced to a new character Adam. After only 3 dates, where all Camelia talked about was Ben, he said he loved her…hold up, what?! You can see how all this is really rushed in order to get to the conclusion of the story.

Everything wrong with the first book just carried over to this one, there was absolutely no character development, the story didn’t progress in any way, I can’t think of anything positive about it. I just can’t deal with this series, maybe it gets better maybe it doesn’t but either way I won’t be continuing with it.

Goodreads Synopsis: Some secrets shouldn't be kept...

Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She's inexplicably drawn to Ben and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help-but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.

From the best-selling author of Blue is for Nightmares comes a story of paranormal romance that's sure to be a thrilling and chilling teen favorite.

Review:

When I read the synopsis of this book I thought it would be a unique mystery read but I was quite disappointed by it. It was a fast read as it only took me a few hours to get through but by the end I didn’t feel attached to any of the characters and the whole story felt rushed. It did have some similarities to Twilight, Ben rescuing her from an out of control car in the parking lot, them being chemistry partners, and him ignoring her in the beginning….there’s nothing wrong with Twilight but it just wasn’t original.

Camelia’s behaviour throughout the book got on my nerves. She was attracted to Ben the minute he saved her life and when everyone was saying he killed his girlfriend she wasn’t even a bit put off him, she knew she was in danger and her stalker had been in her house yet she didn’t bother telling her parents or the police and continued to stay home alone…makes total sense right? That’s not rational behaviour.

I did enjoy the mystery element of the story as even when I figured out who her stalker was I still doubted myself. However, throughout the story we didn’t get any interaction between Camelia, Ben, Kimmie and Wes all together so we didn’t really get a chance to get to know them. Camelia also didn’t seem a bit bothered that Ben completely ignored her in the beginning and then he suddenly liked her. He should have had to win her over in some way and spent time with her and her friends. Maybe then she would have actually trusted him instead of going back and forth between her saying she did and then doubting him when it came down to it.

I kept reading to find out the identity of her stalker but as for her and Ben ending up together or not it really doesn’t bother me as their relationship just wasn’t believable. This book isn’t all bad though it was entertaining, the writing was good and it had potential to be a great read but it just fell flat. I will give it a second chance and read the second book but I don’t have any high expectations.

Goodreads Synopsis: In the follow-up to Abbi Glines’s #1 New York Times bestseller Until Friday Night—three teens from a small southern town are stuck in a dramatic love triangle.

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.

Review:

I was really disappointed in this book. I loved the first book in the series and was so excited to read the next instalment. Unfortunately it just did not live up to my expectations.

I struggled to find redeeming qualities of this story as all the storylines were too far fetched and overly dramatic. Firstly, I thought through being in all 3 (Willa, Brady and Gunner) of their heads it would provide a greater insight into their dynamic but instead all we got were the two boys internally fighting for Willa and both thinking they know whats best for her….boring! Their internal monologue was so back and forth, first Brady couldn’t have Willa because he could never understand pain like hers but then Gunner couldn’t have her either because his life was too messed up and he would end up hurting her, neither of them were capable of another thought that didn’t revolve around Willa!! The 3 of them were best friends when they were younger yet we didn’t get a single scene of the 3 of them hanging out together. Gunner and Willa would shut Brady out because he has “a perfect home life and can’t handle darkness” since when does your home life determine whether you can be a good friend! This was just too ridiculous.

Then there’s Gunners family, just wow! Talk about drama overload. So his dad wasn’t his dad and it was bad enough who his real dad was but what really annoyed me was we never got an explanation from his mom. I know she explained things to Gunner behind the scenes but I would have really liked to have heard the explanation for why she was the way she was and didn’t care for Gunner. I feel it would have made a better story if his mom had loved him and it could have been the two of them against the rest of the family. I suppose that wouldn’t have fit with his “I’ve never felt loved” thing but I just couldn’t buy both of his parents not caring and his whole family being a dramatic mess.

Willa’s grandmother was also being way overprotective. Yes she made a mistake and it had horrible consequences but her grandmother needed to let her spend time with her friends and trust that she wasn’t going to get knocked up like her mom (which had nothing to do with the mistake she made). Keeping her from socialising was not going to help her move on with her life. I also felt that Willa never actually dealt with what happened to her. She went through something very traumatic yet it was just something else that took a backseat to the love triangle.

We had all this drama throughout the book and then voila last chapter everything gets worked out...how convenient. It ended quite abruptly and left us with so many unanswered questions! Brady never even found out about Willa and Gunner, some friends they were.

I hate to do this but I had to give it 2.5 stars as there was absolutely no character development, it was way too whiney and too focused on the love triangle that everything else was sort of brushed to the side. I’m really hoping the next book will be more in line with the first and doesn’t leave me down like this one did.

Goodreads Synopsis: Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story as I couldn’t not like one of Katie McGarry’s books but I would have to agree with the other reviews and say this was my least favourite of the series so far.

I think what annoyed me about West was how he wouldn’t visit Rachel in the hospital because he blamed himself for her accident, yes he stole her money which led to her having to drag race, but it was completely their dad’s fault for stalling the car! He also wouldn’t listen to Haley whenever she told him not to do something. His pride got in the way a lot which frustrated me. I was strangely happy about Denny being West’s real father, maybe I was just so relieved that West and Haley weren’t cousins! haha, nice twist there Katie!

Was it just me or did we not get the whole story of what happened with Haley and Matt? We know they fought and that it traumatised her but why? Her aversion to fighting puzzled me.

Although I had a lot of feelings throughout the book, it just didn’t make me emotional like the other 3 did. I liked West and Haley and their relationship but I didn’t get attached to them like I thought I would.

They kept mentioning Rachel and Isaiah and my heart just hurt because all I wanted was to continue their story, I could read about them for forever!! I love Abby!! I love her friendship with Rachel and I cannot wait to read her story to find out more about her life! I’m hoping we’ll find out more about Rachel’s progress in Abby’s story as well. I also hope we get a book from Jax’s perspective, I think that would be interesting.

Overall this was a solid 4.5 stars for me, Katie McGarry’s writing is just amazing and she really knows how to suck you into a story. Although I wasn’t as emotionally attached to this story I’m glad I read it as I did really like how it ended. I’m excited to read the next in the series!

Goodreads Synopsis: As yearbook photographer, Harper is responsible for those candid moments that make high school memorable. But her own life is anything but picture perfect. Her parents’ bitter divorce left her wondering what a loving relationship looks like. And ever since the senior class voted her and star quarterback Brody “Perfect Couple That Never Was,” her friends have been pushing her to ask Brody out.

Brody doesn’t lack female admirers, but Harper can't see herself with him. He’s confused about the match too. Yet they find themselves drawn together—first by curiosity about why the class paired them, then by an undeniable bond.

The trouble is, though they’re attracted to each other, they have a hard time getting along or even communicating well. If they’re the perfect couple, this shouldn’t be so difficult! Soon it becomes clear their class was wrong, and they throw in the towel. But they feel so changed from making the effort, they can’t forget each other. What if this match made in hell is the perfect couple after all?

Review: 

I read ‘Biggest Flirts’ a while ago and although it was a sweet contemporary story it didn’t leave a lasting impression. Even though I didn’t remember Harper from the first book I was looking forward to reading her story.

Right off the bat I hated Kennedy. I couldn’t understand how she put up with him when he would be so awful to her! Definitely not how you want your boyfriend to act. However I loved Brody!! Harper and Brody’s relationship developed from an attraction to a meaningful connection in such an honest way I couldn’t help but love them together. One thing I did have a slight issue with was Harper took cheating on Kennedy very lightly. Although she didn’t particularly like him, you would think she would have felt a bit guilty seeing as her parents marriage ended because her dad cheated on her mom.

Then Harper and Brody find out that they weren’t actually voted ‘Perfect Couple That Never Was’ so Harper just decides that because of this they shouldn’t be together, what? How does that make sense? Who cares about a title, you like each other and are good together so ye should be together, duh! Then after breaking up they just immediately get back together, no emotional heart to heart or anything. It just made me laugh how stupid that was.

Besides all that this was definitely better than the first book and was really enjoyable. Definitely a nice light read for those wanting to read about a cute romance.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Before:
Kelsey and David became best friends the summer before freshman year and were inseparable ever after. Until the night a misunderstanding turned Kelsey into the school joke and everything around her crumbled - including her friendship with David. So when Kelsey’s parents decided to move away, she couldn’t wait to start over and leave the past behind. Except, David wasn't ready to let her go...

After:
Now it’s senior year and Kelsey has a new group of friends, genuine popularity, and a hot boyfriend. Her life is perfect. That is, until David’s family relocates to the same town and he shakes up everything. Soon old feelings bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy Kelsey’s second chance at happiness. The more time she spends with David, the more she realizes she never let him go. And that maybe she never wants to.

Review:

This was one of those books that had an interesting premise but the reviews had me a bit skeptical to read it. There will be slight spoilers in this review but I will say first that this is a story that is overdone a lot in YA but is a quick contemporary read if your looking for something to pass the time.

I enjoyed that it was told alternatively by Kelsey in her Sophomore year (past), and her Senior year (present). However, this story was really back and forth throughout which did irritate me. This whole book could have been over pretty quickly if Kelsey and David had just admitted their feelings for each other but instead one would admit it then the other would deny it and vice versa. So frustrating.

Kelsey was also supposed to be such great friends with Candy but because the story revolved around Kelsey, David, and Ryan’s love triangle we never got to see much of them or their friendship. There was the aspect of bullying in Kelsey’s past but other than that there wasn’t much depth to the story. It would have been nice to see more interactions with her friends and family rather than them being in the background. I also still don’t understand how David could hang out with people who were really nasty to Kelsey. The two of them were best friends yet we never got an explanation of why he kept going back to them or why he would go out with all these bitchy girls when he knew he had feelings for her.

This whole story just seemed overly dramatised. I wouldn’t highly recommend it but it is a fast, simple read if your in the mood for some cheesy romance.

Goodreads Synopsis: From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a romance forged in the fast lane

The girl with straight A's and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

Review:

I’ve read this book at least 3 times now so its obvious how much I love it. I wanted to review it though because everyone should know how amazing this series is! I loved the first two books but this is one is definitely my favourite so far.

We have Isaiah and Rachel, two completely different people who are thrown together in an unexpected situation but develop a deeper connection through their love of cars and mutual understanding of each other and the struggles they have gone through in their lives. Their love was so beautiful and just filled my heart with so much emotion!

I loved how we got to see the characters from the first two books in this one while also getting to know Logan and Abby. Isaiah and Noah’s brotherly love and the love, loyalty and respect all the characters have for each other is so touching. I want to be a part of their group! It’s rare to find a book or series in which you love every character and feel as though you know them personally. This is the kind of story that when you’re reading you don’t even realise time is passing because you become so engrossed in the characters and what is happening to them that nothing else matters.

Katie McGarry’s books will leave you with the biggest book hangover but oh is it worth it! I would give all her books more than 5 stars if I could! I cannot recommend this author or this series enough, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Goodreads Synopsis: Big and sweeping, spanning from the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies who appear destined for powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training, and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and then when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands…

Review:

I’m a big fan of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead so I couldn’t wait to read some of her other work. The aspect of this story and the time it is set in really intrigued me. It took a while for the story to pick up but once it did I couldn’t put it down!

I loved Adelaide and Cedrics relationship and how it wasn’t love at first sight but that they became friends first and built up to the romance. Their scenes together were my favourite, not only would they make fun of each other but they were just so cute together! This story is also more than just romance and historical fiction, it also deals with friendship. Tamsin, Mira and Adelaides friendship was that of typical best friends, they each had noticeable characteristics that made the 3 of them a perfect match. Of course like Adelaide they all have their secrets which I can’t wait to find out about in the sequels! The next book follows Mira and I’m definitely interested in finding out what she’s been up to, although I have my suspicions.

The one issue I did have was that all the religious and political chaos throughout the book just sort of worked itself out. They had a way out of every situation. Obviously I’m glad there was a happy ending but everything was a bit convenient. I know we’re done with Adelaide’s story so everything had to be wrapped up but I guess instead of having the sequels cover the same time span as the first, they could have been a continuation and those issues could have been fleshed out a bit more.

This was still a really enjoyable read and although VA is still my fave by Richelle Mead, this story definitely sucked me in and I can’t wait for the sequels!

Goodreads Synopsis: Colleen Hoover, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe Someday brilliantly brings to life the story of the wonderfully hilarious and charismatic Warren in a new novella, Maybe Not.

When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change.

Or maybe not.

Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory.

Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Review:

This was definitely a change of pace to Maybe Someday and not as emotionally jarring. I loved Warren in Maybe Someday and this novella helped me understand why Bridgette is the way she is.

I love Warren's sense of humour and how perfect him and Bridgette are together. He’s the only one who could look past her mean comments and tear down her walls. Their witty banter was hilarious!

This was a really cute read that I finished in only a couple hours. I would have loved to have read a full novel of their story though!

Goodreads Synopsis: Sydney is living in an idyllic bubble—she's a dedicated student with a steady job on the side. She lives with her best friend, has a great boyfriend, and the music coming from the balcony opposite hers is fast becoming the soundtrack to her life. But when Sydney finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, the bubble bursts. The mysterious and attractive man behind the music, Ridge, gives Sydney hope that she can move on and they begin to write songs together. But moving on is harder than she expects, Sydney can only hope….

Maybe someday…

Review: 

I picked up this book because I'm a sucker for contemporary reads and I had read a couple of Colleen Hoovers other books that I enjoyed. However, this story really had me torn!

So I’m sure everyone knows by now that this story deals with cheating which can be a bit of a touchy subject. So the story starts off with Sydney finding out that her boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend (honestly I don’t even know why she was with him he was a total ass) but that leads her to moving in with Ridge and so the confusion ensues…

Sydney and Ridge are of course attracted to each other not only physically but emotionally as they find they have a lot in common. There is just one problem, Ridge has a girlfriend, Maggie, that he loves more than anything. I couldn’t not like Maggie, she was so fun loving and accepting, and even though her boyfriend lived with and wrote songs with another girl she didn’t get jealous at all!

This story was so heartbreaking as it wasn’t your usual love triangle and the lines that crossed into cheating became a bit blurred. Ridge and Sydney were genuinely trying to do the right thing and be mature about their situation but I couldn’t stand Maggie getting hurt.

Cheating is one of the main aspects of this book, but there are also some other curve balls thrown into the mix. It is definitely a painful and emotional story which leaves you feeling frustrated and conflicted. It did feel repetitive at times but I did really enjoy it. Although this is probably the most emotional Colleen Hoover book I’ve read so far it is a fast read and I would definitely recommend it.

Goodreads Synopsis:  He had held a secret that destroyed her world.

Everything she had known was no longer true.

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again.
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately?

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

Review:

This book started off right where Fallen Too Far ended. It’s also told in both Rush and Blaire’s POV which I thought might help me like Rush but unfortunately it didn’t. He’s always so angry and just does things without thinking it through first. His irrational behaviour really got on my nerves!

This book was so back and forth that nothing actually happened. Rush needed to stop thinking of it as a Blaire or Nan situation, one minute he would be telling Blaire how he loved her and how she came first and the next he would be ditching her or lying to her because of Nan. Also after we found out the big secret in book 1 they were all being so dramatic and blowing it way out of proportion. I know Blaire was hurt by the lies but they all just needed to get over it!

The only redeeming quality of this book were the secondary characters. I loved Bethy, Woods, and Grant. Not only were they fun loving and caring but they also showed great character development from the first book unlike our main protagonists.

The ending of this book was cute but thats about it. The story didn’t progress or develop much further because Rush and Blaire were going back and forth the whole time, it got old really fast.  The main reason I read this one was out of pure curiosity but I’m not sure if I’m going to read the 3rd book or at least not right away. I think I’ve had enough of Rush and Blaire’s toxic relationship and I don’t feel I’ll be missing out on anything either way.

Goodreads Synopsis: To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Review:

I was wary going into this as it had gotten generally mixed reviews and I was unsure of whether I would like it or not but I decided to finally read it and give my two cents.

I’m going to start off by saying that I didn’t like this book but I didn’t hate it either. I did not like Rush, from the very beginning he was being so rude and just generally acted like an entitled brat. I don’t understand how Blaire could have liked him when he would be so hot and cold with her. Throughout the book he was also increasingly giving off a Christian Grey vibe as he would tell Blaire what to do, eat etc which was really frustrating and is a trope I do not appreciate in books.

Then there’s Blaire, I thought she would be this independent, sassy character who would be able to stand up to Rush but turned out to be the opposite. She would just let him tell her what to do which frustrated me to no end!

I only read on in the book because of the “big” secret about Nan which you could nearly guess yourself. Throughout the story this secret was being built up and then we found out what it was and it was like “thats it?” I was expecting this to be more about a forbidden romance but instead got this story that revolved around an overdramatised secret.

I read the first book in Abbi Glines ‘The Field Party’ series and loved it so I was expecting more from this series than what I got. I gave this 3 stars as I found Rush was way too controlling but it was a quick read as it only took me a few hours to get through. The story is nothing spectacular but keeps you interested to see how things work out. I did read the second book as the ending definitely didn’t feel finished so you can read my thoughts on that in my next review :)

Goodreads Synopsis: When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night - but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy

Review:

Easy was one of those books that I’ve had on my tbr for forever, has got amazing reviews, and I thought I just need to read this book already! Of course with such high initial expectations comes the disappointment. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy this book very much but there was something lacking.

Lets start with the positives…..I loved her best friend!! She was so supportive of Jacqueline when she told her what happened with Buck and even broke up with her boyfriend because he wasn’t taking the situation seriously, major best friend goals! A lot of times in YA and NA stories there is drama created between friends for stupid reasons but this story dealt with strong female friendships which was refreshing.

This story also deals with the subject of rape and the author conveyed this issue in a respectable manner. I loved the message this story portrayed about how important it is for us girls to stick together and rally behind one another when it comes to getting justice for this horrible offense. There is still a lot of stigma around this issue which makes it difficult for victims to speak up out of fear of slut-shaming which shouldn’t be the case.

I did feel the story was a bit predictable and the main characters decisions seemed to revolve around boys - she followed her high school boyfriend to the college of his choice, didn’t go to a lecture for 2 weeks because of break-up with said boy, didn’t want to go to tutoring sessions because another boy might be there….you get the picture. I also felt she should have been more aware of her surroundings after what happened with Buck, especially as he showed no remorse and any time they crossed paths he was being really creepy, is that not just common sense?

I did give this 4 stars as I did really enjoy the book and couldn’t put it down until I had it read, however there was something missing for me. At times I expected big confrontations between characters but they never happened. I was definitely expecting more from the story but I can’t fault how much I enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a fast, easy read, with a cute romance.