It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.
Tag: book review
Book Review: Rome by Jay Crownover
Genre:
New Adult, unhealthy Contemporary, online Romance
Pages:
387 pages
Part of a Series?:
Book #3 in The Marked Men Series
Release Date:
January 7th, 2014
You Can Find the Book At:
GoodReads Summary:
Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed “bad boy” friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won’t let herself get burned again. She’s waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.
Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He’s stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he’s returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome’s used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he’s just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . ..
My Review:
While this review will not have any spoilers, there is potential for spoilers for Rule and Jet. Please click those titles for reviews!
Moving along in the Marked Men series…Rome. Oh Rome. I don’t even know where to begin with Rome.
I think what I mostly like about this book is Cora. Cora is a this tiny little pixie who is a spitfire and keeps her boys in line, and that sometimes includes Rome as well. But Rome brings out a softer side in her and I think she does that back for him. I think the circumstances that brought them together were unexpected but I love that they were able to bring them together. Okay, that’s so vague and its hard to write about Cora and Rome without writing spoilers.
So here’s the thing. Both Cora and Rome have their past affecting their future. Cora is confident but when it comes to love and all that, she wavers. She had her heart broken BIG time. And that’s enough to keep anyone at arm’s length. Then you have Rome who is back in civilian life and not quite sure what to do with it. He’s haunted by the experience he had in the military but he also misses it so much and isn’t really sure what to do with his life now that he’s out.
Bring those two together? And it just makes for an incredibly beautiful romance. Truly. I’m getting choked up just thinking about it. They are completely unconventional and they begin a romance after a sort of “whoops, did we just have incredibly amazing sex together?” thing and I think that’s amazing. They obviously had the chemistry and they just went for it and its incredible. The idea of the little spitfire and the big military guy together? Its kind of comical but I love it too at the same time.
But I also like what this starts for the series. Rome sort of ends up in a situation and it really sets up for the rest of the book. He and this place become a central part of the rest of the series and I love that. I love what it becomes and I wish it were a real place because it feels like a sort of home for them to come together and celebrate and that sort of thing. Its hard to explain if you haven’t read it but I really hate writing about spoilers but I really do love what this book sets up for the rest of the series. I love that we get to see Saint, who is going to appear later in Nash’s book, and I love that it just where this family really starts to become a family.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Stars
May Book Wrap Up!
Books Pledged to Read in 2015:
150
Am I On Track:
2 books behind. This seems to be the trend every month..
Books Read So Far:
59
Total Books For May:
12
The Heir
Saint Anything
Pucked
Scoring Wilder
Be With Me
Stay With Me
Fall With Me
The Proposal
Trust In Me
Frigid
PS I Still Love You
The White Rose
All Lined Up (Re-Read)
*********
How was your May?!
Book Review: What We Saw (ARC) by Aaron Hartzler
This review is based on an advanced reader’s copy of the novel obtained through Edelweiss at the permission of Harper Teen. This is in no way had an effect on the integrity of my review. Please note that published novel will differ from this ARC.
Genre:
Young Adult, and Contemporary
Pages:
336 pages
Part of a Series?:
Standalone Novel
Release Date:
September 22nd, 2015
You Can Find the Book At:
GoodReads Summary:
Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early—the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids.
But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?
This story—inspired by real events—from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time.
My Review:
I knew immediately that this was a book I needed to read. It sounded amazing for one thing, and I absolutely adore Aaron and his writing and his writing style. I knew that it would be good. I just didn’t know how good it was going to be.
This book completely blew my mind. As soon as I had downloaded it onto my Nook, I couldn’t stop reading. It was like a train wreck, you couldn’t look away. When it came down to it, I think the realism of this story, the fact that this is based on a true story and based on real events that happen all the time, I think that’s what drew me in and kept me there right away.
Kate is faced with an incredibly difficult obstacle. She was at the same party as Stacey. She was drunk, and yet she made it home and Stacey didn’t. Or so Stacey says. But she’s torn because the guys accused of raping Stacey are basketball royalty, the entire town worships the ground they walk on. There’s no way they did this…and even if they did, Stacey deserved it. She dressed provocatively. She’s from the “wrong” side of town. Its everything we face in the news, on Facebook, everywhere, all the time right now, and watching it through Kate’s eyes was hard to take.
This book was incredibly emotional for me. I felt so many different emotions at once. I felt sick and angry and anxious as hell. Its been awhile since I’ve had such a visceral reaction to a story and I felt this one all over. I cried, I got angry, I felt helpless, even though this is all fictional. But is it? I was so angry because this sort of thing happens and this sort of thinking-that a girl deserves it, that she should have taken care of herself, she shouldn’t dress that way or drink that much-exists all over the place and its WRONG. But because of the rape culture we have…people are confused. And Kate is confused. She’s torn between her feelings for Ben Cody, and for his friends and for the popularity they have.
I think the thing I had the most visceral reaction to was everyone’s thoughts about the boys and Stacey. The way they built up the boys, the way the boys acted like it was a joke, the way they tore apart Stacey…it made me feel awful every single time I read a line. People genuinely think this way! They do, and its just terrible and to read a book about something like this, something that actually really happened…it was hard to stomach.
But I think what makes this book as great as it is is that Aaron provides a beacon of hope about this. Sure, you feel hopeless at times, you realize how close to home this story hits because of how incredibly real it is. But at the same time, you have Kate. And Kate is the light in this story because you see her journey through uncertainty and confusion and determination and finally, resolution. She’s the light, she’s the hope. She’s the good. She gives you the hope that there are so many people out there that know to do the right thing. That’s what makes this book so beautiful. Kate. She’s an incredible character and you follow her through this book, experiencing the same emotions as her, wanting to reach into the pages and hold her hand and tell her its going to be okay, even if you’re unsure its going to be. She’s the beautiful bright spot of the novel and she’s what makes this book SO incredibly good.
This book doesn’t come out til September, and I’ll definitely repost the review closer to release day. I just wanted to share this now because I want to build up talk for this book NOW. It blew my mind. The writing, the characterization, everything…its just amazing. I already was impressed with Aaron from Rapture Practice and now I’m a complete convert. This is a one of a kind novel and I know that we will see more of this incredible talent in the future.
Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
Book Review: Royal Wedding ARC by Meg Cabot
Genre:
Adult, salve Contemporary, treat Romance
Pages:
Part of a Series?:
The finale book of the Princess Diaries series. Keep in mind! The first 10 are strictly YA while this is an adult novel!
Release Date:
June 2nd, 2015
You Can Find the Book At:
Check your local bookstore!
GoodReads Summary:
For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.
But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake” wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone–especially herself–that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?
My Review:
Getting my hands on this book meant the absolute world to me. The first time I read the first Princess Diaries book was when I was 12 years old. I am now 27 years old so you know how long I’ve been reading Meg Cabot and how much these books truly mean to me. I’ve been trying to get my hands on this book for ages and I legitimately cried when I did.
This book is exactly what I could have ever wanted in a final PD book. I’ve been waiting since I was twelve years old for Mia and Michael to live happily ever and in this book…we actually get to see this happen. It’s like…legitimately a fairy tale coming true! I’ve always loved the two of them together and loved that they managed to end up together in the end…as they should!
But it’s more than that! I grew up with Mia Thermopolis. I’ve always felt incredibly close to her as a character, she’s also felt very familiar and relatable. I’ve always wanted to find my own Michael Moscovitz. I followed her through her awkwardness of high school, figuring out friends and boys and school and all of that. I love revisiting the books but this book was amazing. It was written for us that have been around for years. Mia has grown up and so have I and the rest of the fans. Reading Mia’s diary again, as an adult, with problems that I legitimately understand because we are basically the same age. I loved it. I loved seeing them get engaged and having sex and growing up, renting apartments, doing adult things. It felt so weird but so right.
But I also loved that Mia was still SO Mia. She’s grown up but she’s still also awkward and she still does silly things and freaks out over the small things and I love it. I also love that there were surprises in the story that I didn’t expect and it was awesome. I was both extremely happy and bittersweet while reading this book.
Lastly I liked that we got to meet Olivia, Mia’s sister from Mia’s point of view. I have already read Olivia’s story but it was cool to read it from Mia’s side. Olivia sees Mia as cool and sophisticated and mature during the whole thing while we get to be in Mia’s head while she legitimately is like, what on earth is going on and I’m confused and what the hell do I do? It’s so Mia and I liked every bit of it. There was so much newness in this book, and honestly I thought it was an amazing end to the series. I thought Princess Diaries 10 was great and a fabulous ending but this one was just straight up perfect. I can’t imagine a better book to end one of my absolute favorite series!
Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
Book Review: Emily and Oliver (ARC) by Robin Benway
This review is based on an advanced reader’s copy of the novel obtained through snail mail at the permission of HarperTeen. This is in no way had an effect on the integrity of my review. Please note that published novel will differ from this ARC.
Genre:
Young Adult, viagra Contemporary
Pages:
352
Part of a Series?:
Standalone Novel
Release Date:
June 23rd, order 2015
You Can Find the Book At:
GoodReads Summary:
Emmy’s best friend, pill Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?
Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.
She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.
Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.
He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.
Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?
My Review:
Dear Robin Benway, WHAT DID YOU WRITE HERE?
Okay, so I’ve read Robin Benway’s books before. I loved her books before. She is a friend of mine and she’s awesome. She’s a fantastic writer, a great inspiration and I just adore her. Getting an ARC of Emmy and Oliver made me incredibly excited and I’m even more happy that I got it now that I’ve read it.
Emmy and Oliver is an INCREDIBLE story. Its one of those stories that seems so out there, so incredibly unbelievable, but its TOTALLY believable because things like this happen. Oliver is kidnapped by his father as a child and reappears years later, as a teenager. Its difficult for him, because he was told a different story, raised a different way and then uprooted and returned to the family that he hasn’t seen in years, a family he probably doesn’t really feel like he has a bond with. It brings to mind all these girls that have suddenly been found after decades of being missing. What an incredibly traumatic experience to be kidnapped, but also traumatic to come home as well. This is what Oliver goes through and its hard to imagine.
That’s when you enter Emmy, who fell in love with Oliver as a child and has always wondered where he is, and how he is, especially since his kidnapping had such a profound effect on her parents and her own limitations in her life because of it. So when Oliver returns, that’s an experience for herself. She has no idea how to handle it. She wants to pick up where they left off as kids but she also feels like he’s a stranger, like he’s delicate and she doesn’t quite know how to interact with him.
When you put it all together, its an incredibly emotional and HUMAN story. Both Emmy and Oliver together, watching them figure out their lives and each other, and the people around them is incredibly engaging, familiar and addictive. Even if you can’t relate, you want to. You want to feel close to them and Robin does such a great job at writing these characters that they feel so real. Their stories are real and the romance that builds between them is just awesome. It has ups and downs, and it not easy because of Oliver’s past, and its beautiful to see them try and work.
This book doesn’t release until summer, but its definitely one that must be on your TBR. I adore Robin, she’s a great friend and she has written a total winner. A year ago, she talked briefly about her book and Oliver and how she wished she could talk to him, and show him a little love because of the things she put him through, and now I totally understand. I’m very excited for the official release of this book and you definitely should be too!
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 Stars