Review: All of It

All of It by Kim Holden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

To start off with, I LOVED "Bright Side". I ADORED "Gus". And I ENJOYED "All of It".

I read the books out of order based on when they were published. Maybe this would have changed my rating of "All of It"? I don't know. I liked this novel, I really did. But it's not one that I will purchase for my own collection. And it probably won't be one that I re-read either. Now, Holden's other two novels? Totally bought all versions and will re-read when I can handle the mental abuse again.

Veronica. Man, she is something else. For the first 50% of this book, I flew through it and loved the story. I loved how Dimitri threw Veronica for a loop, making her stumble over her normal, everyday routine of life and got Veronica to live out of her box. But the second Veronica started doubting her life and decided that she needed to make a major change in order to keep the balance? Then I started to drag throughout the novel.

The "twist" of the novel was very obvious to me. (This is totally a spoiler to anyone who has read the series I'm about to mention...sorry about that!) Maybe because I just finished reading the Fallen series by Lauren Kate? Or maybe because it was supposed to be obvious to the reader. Either way, I almost wanted Dimitri to blurt it out and fess up way before he did, so Veronica would understand how much he really loves her, instead of letting her do her own thing for all those months.

I love Dimitri. He is so dedicated. So loyal. So mysterious, yet not. He has the patience of a saint, and with all of his knowledge, he still lives life to its potential, which I admire so much.

So overall, I enjoyed this novel. I probably should have read it before "Bright Side" to get the whole effect of the novel, but I can't change what happened so I'm enjoying this novel for what it is now. Kim Holden is one of my all-time favorite authors and I'm very excited to see what else she has in store for us next, because knowing her talent, it will be beyond believable!

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Review: Whisper to Me

Whisper to Me by Christina Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a good book! I didn't think I would like it as much as I did, but I really liked Kai and Rachel's characters. I can not even imagine what Rachel went through when she was thrown from the motorcycle with Miles - her ex-boyfriend. The rehab that she had to go through was so intense and long and discouraging, but Rachel dived right into the challenge to become herself again. I am so angry at Miles for the way he acted after the accident. And then to want her forgiveness again after 3 years?? No! He should be groveling at her feet, begging her to show mercy when she gives him what he deserves.

But that's just me. I'm a bit harsh and vindictive, apparently.

Kai. Sweet, sweet Kai. I dearly love him. He is so loyal to Rachel and only wants the best for her. Even if that means it's not him in the picture with Rachel. I loved how he took care of her but didn't use her or take anything too far with her. Instead, he treated Rachel with the respect she deserved. Gah, he touched my heart and I'm extremely jealous of Rachel. I loved that he was his own person and defied all odds against him to come out winning in the end.

I didn't think I would enjoy this book at the beginning. I'm so glad I finally got around to reading the eARC file I received (even though my review isn't "advanced" anymore...sorry!). Tons of readers will enjoy this story, I think, and I'll be looking out for more novels by Christina Lee!

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Review: He's Come Undone

He's Come Undone by Theresa Weir
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick read - flew through it and enjoyed Ellie and Julian's story. I really liked that the author wrote in both characters viewpoints so we were able to see what both Ellie and Julian were thinking.

I felt for Julian. He went through a terrible experience back in New Hampshire and still wasn't himself when he was "using" the girls. In most cases, I would say it's because he's a guy and doesn't think like a girl, but he really was going through a hard time and really should have been helped more. And what he went through? Gah, that must have been terrible.

Ellie's mum is a prick taking all of her money that she earned. And poor Ellie is just trying to get back to college so she can start her life with the job that she wants. I do think that getting a new hair style and clothes does not make a person more attractive. In fact, it demeans the person doing it because it's not really them - not in the way Ellie changed herself that is.

And Julian noticed the original Ellie and was intrigued by her much faster than the "new and improved" Ellie, so that's something to think about...

I enjoyed this story. I liked the running bit that Julian was determined to succeed, only because I love running. I don't like the way Julian ran his marathon because he could have died, but I could comprehend how he was feeling when he described what running was like. Glad I got an eARC, even though this review isn't "advanced" anymore... I think loads of other readers will enjoy this story!

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Review: Beloved Enemy: a young adult paranormal romance

Beloved Enemy: a young adult paranormal romance by Lacy Yager
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

So, just going to say this, the first line of the synopsis? "She's the unlikeliest vampire hunter ever. A scientist."? Totally misleading! Genevieve is so not a vampire hunter. She is, in fact, a scientist who is trying to find a cure to kill the inhumane vampires (also called Cats) in the world. But the hunter ya'll are thinking of? The one that can kick ass and use weapons and run fast? Yeah, that is totally not Genevieve. Which is quiet all right, but I was waiting for her to sprout some ninja moves and that never happened. I'm actually glad it didn't happen. I loved the sciencey, geeky Genevieve so much! She was brave but so so smart and was extremely into science it was adorable.

And Chad, the vampire, was trying so hard to stay away from normal, human Genevieve but seemed to always be stuck with her throughout their mission to kill the Cats. And he kept trying to ignore his feelings for Genevieve, but that didn't really work out too well for him.

I really liked this novel. I was a bit confused when I first started reading it and everything probably would have made a lot more sense if I had read the other novels in the series, but I wasn't aware that this was the 3rd novel until much later. However, I did catch on pretty quickly and fell into the story pretty well to understand what was going on.

So glad I got this eARC and am very sorry it's not so much of an "advanced" review as it should be. But I am glad that I got a chance to read this and I think a lot of readers will really enjoy it as well!

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Review: Her Royal Masquerade

Her Royal Masquerade by Natasha Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute novel. There was a point where I about lost it because of Mia's decision to stay with Vittorio as his mistress because I believe that everyone should have free will when it comes to their life, but Mia, while she didn't like the term "mistress" very much wanted to be with Vittorio and their time together wasn't necessarily forced.

I loved how Mia changed things around at the palace. She was disrupting every historical aspect of that place and making it 10x better for everyone who was involved in the palace. And I especially loved the story time with the kids in the kitchen - sitting on the floor in a circle. Made me smile!

Vittorio needed his butt kicked and I think Mia did a fantastic job doing that. Once he realized who Mia really was and made his blunder about keeping her in the palace, he didn't realize how drastically his life was about to change. And his reaction around Birgette? Priceless!

So, yes, I very much enjoyed this story and I think I would very much enjoy the rest of the novels in the series. I may just have to go find them and purchase them...maybe :)

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Review: Liam: Branded Brothers

Liam: Branded Brothers by Raen Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this novel, which for some reason I thought I wouldn't. Charla is an awesome character who I would love to meet in person. She is feisty and sweet and brave and loyal. I loved her with Jack. Most family members - blood-tied - wouldn't want to be with an old man with Alzheimer's, but Charla stuck with Jack for 2 years with this disease.

And I loved it when Charla tried to hard to convince herself that Liam was not the person she needed to be with, only to fall down that rabbit hole the next week. And I liked Liam too. He's pretty much everyone's fantasy in one body, making Charla's attempt not to fall for him hysterical.

This had just enough suspense and mystery in the story to keep the reader guessing, which was refreshing for a novel. I'm kicking myself because I didn't read this when it was still "advanced" part of the eARC, but I am glad that I got around to finally reading it. And I may even have to find the other novels in the series to see how the other brothers fall to the woman of their dreams :)

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Review: Broken by M. L. Young

Broken by M.L. Young
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The synopsis was amazing when I first got this book. It sounded very similar to "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire, which I absolutely love, so I was very excited to read another novel like that.

This is nothing like BD... First, I really dislike the dialogue in this book. It's stilted, awkward, and sounds like they are learning English as a second language and not sure which words to use in their sentence. Second, I don't really like Bailey. I mean, she's fine I guess, but there's no personality to her. She's just there and going through the motions, but not really getting into anything. Kyle is alright, but again, no feelings when it comes to him.

It's almost like the author knows how to write when they are doing, but not what they are feeling and doesn't know how to put it down in words to make it flow better.

So, yeah, this book. I just couldn't. I really wanted to like it, but definitely didn't, sadly.

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Review: Only for Him

Only for Him by Cristin Harber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a 70 page novel that goes by very quickly. But, in my opinion, it goes too quickly. Emma and Grayson have known each other since they were 6 years-old. Sadly, the reader knows them for 70 pages and for me, I felt like things were extremely rushed. It seemed like these two jumped into a relationship with the content I had reading, rather than them having years worth of memories that have finally bloomed into more than friendship. And I'm bummed that I feel that way, because I think this could have been a great story with just a little more information!

Grayson is a good guy, trying to do the right thing. His feelings for Emma are controlling his sense of duty to protect her, and he decides to cave. Emma has idolized and loved Grayson for as long as she can remember, so being able to finally be with Grayson is a dream come true.

But I just felt like things were missing between the two characters, and even though they grew up with each other, sometimes it felt like they were strangers having intimate scenes with each other. Very stilted and awkward I thought.

I almost gave this more stars, because of the ending. I almost decided I'm going to pay for the other 3 novels in the series, because of the ending. Because that was one kick ass ending. But then I had to remember how frustrated I felt throughout the first part of the novel, and how the author didn't give us a lot of content. And I had to realize that I probably wouldn't get any more information in the rest of the series, which would not only keep me feeling frustrated but also angry that I paid money for the rest of the story that would make me frustrated.

So needless to say, I'm going to end my journey with Emma and Grayson at the end of this novel even with the cliffhanger ending. I think it might be a bit better, but I just can't convince myself to spend money on this and committing myself, only to end up possibly disappointed. I'm glad I got the eARC and I can see from reviews on Goodreads that the rest of the series is very highly rated, so I'm positive other readers will enjoy this story. It's just not going to be for me.

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Review: This is Falling

This is Falling by Ginger Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've been recommended this book so many times via Goodreads and it dawned on me that I got this a long time ago as an eARC...which is no longer advanced anymore...oops...

Anywho, I was really excited to read it finally, after realizing my dumb mistake, and dived right in after searching through 1400 eBooks. And I really enjoyed it! I loved the characters - Nate and Rowe are awesome and adorable and I just want to squeeze them!

Rowe is so timid and quiet and jumpy. Obviously things happened in her past that have made her this way, and when we found out what that was, my heart went out to her. She is so brave going to school thousands of miles away after her past and I'm so glad that she got paired up with Cass as her roommate. And she is slowly recovering and becoming the girl she used to be during this novel, which made me jump for joy with each hurdle she flew over!

Nate is amazing. He saw Rowe and knew that was it. She was it for him and he didn't give up his pursuit to have Rowe in the end. He also knew it was going to be a rough ride by the way she acted around him, but he was willing to wait with patience until that time came. And that is the most perfect thing about Nate: he wanted to wait. And Nate wanted to help Rowe through her issues. I absolutely love Nate and his personality. I'm so glad that Ginger Scott wrote this is dual point of view, because Nate's thoughts were fantastic to read.

I'm so glad that I finally got to read this book and I enjoyed it immensely! I think anyone who loves New Adult novels will devour this story and beg for more by the end, because they won't want to sever their connection with the characters (what I'm going through right now). So good!

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Review: Schooled

Schooled by Piper Lawson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This novel started off amazing and I really loved Lex and Dylan.

Lex is a force to be reckoned with. She is constantly working, wanting to ace her senior year of classes in college while also launching a brand new company with her best friend to sell designer clothes. I have ambition and drive, but nothing compared to Lex's work ethic. In fact, I look downright lazy when compared to Lex!

And Dylan. Sweet Dylan who is shy but possessive and sweet but brooding. He is everything wrapped up in a very nice bow and he is slowly winning Lex's heart. I honestly think he knew what he was doing when "enlisting" Lex's help on kissing and anything to do with the physical aspect of a relationship just to get close to Lex, because a guy like him would not be able to get away from the swarming amount a female attraction he gets. But apparently there is such a thing as a good guy in the end!

Now, I said at the beginning of my review that the novel started off amazing. It did! If things had progressed rather than plummeted, this would have been a 5 star novel, for sure. Instead, Lex had to over think things with her ever active brain and ruin the perfect life she was having. Sure, I could understand ruining it once. That makes it realistic. No, this woman was so self destructing with lame ass reasons, she decided to keep ruining things between her and Dylan 4+ times!! And it was so AGGRAVATING!!! For such a smart girl, she is extremely dumb when it comes to her feelings.

After hearing the same damn excuses over and over, I just couldn't give Lex the benefit of the doubt anymore. I almost wish Dylan would have made her beg and grovel some more because she needs to learn how to accept what she is feeling and go with it.

So Lex ruined this novel for me. I do have to say that I really wish this would have been a dual point of view novel because I really, really want to know what Dylan was thinking this entire time. And why he put up with Lex's biopolarness when it came to their relationship.

Overall, I liked this novel. It definitely could have been better, but it was entertaining and eventually came around to me liking the story again. I think NA fans will really like this novel and I'm glad I got an eARC (even though it's not advanced anymore...I'm sorry...).

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Review: Faith

Faith by Elizabeth Hayes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very quick read, but I think that might be a strike against this novel. Faith/Laura is extremely self conscious about her life, which I don’t blame here. When she is diagnosed in remission from having cancer, Faith/Laura doesn’t really know how to take the news. It’s something she’s always wanted, but never thought it would actually happen.

So she gets a job, even though she doesn’t need the money, and makes friends in the strange atmosphere of her new employment. From there, she meets Bryce who she can’t seem to stop thinking about.

I think Faith/Laura is a fighter and for her to find a job just to have something to do every once in awhile was really heartbreaking. I’m glad things turned around for her and I did enjoy this story a lot.

I do feel like the reader zipped through this time period of Faith/Laura’s, and it didn’t really seem like the end when the last page came up in the novel. The relationship between Faith/Laura and Bryce seemed a bit forced and fast, but maybe that’s how it feels when people fall fast and hard.

I’m glad I got an eARC and I think many readers will enjoy this story!

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Review: Exclusively Logan's

Exclusively Logan's by Evie Knight
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I first started reading this, I was actually enjoying it. Logan finally got his wish to make things more physical with Marissa now that she wasn’t working for him, because he wasn’t going to go against his fraternizing with staff.

But then things started to go downhill for me after that. Marissa is not my favorite character. In fact, I really dislike her to the point of wanting to slap her. She was so self centered, which is fine. Be that way. But don’t drag Logan around when he obviously wants more in the relationship than she does. I mean, you can’t have it all sometimes, which sucks, but that’s life. And in life, sometimes we have to make hard decisions. Marissa didn’t want to make them. She wanted to somehow have everything, even though she wasn’t committing herself to anything worth wild with Logan.

And when the big surprise happened toward the end, Marissa didn’t care one bit about Logan’s opinion. He was willing to sacrifice Marissa, whom he loves, to get the end result and she was like, “I’ll have to think about it. I’m going to want to want this” nonsense. IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT HER! But in Marissa world, I guess it is.

I don’t know why Logan loves her as much as he does, because for 90% of the novel she was selfishly about herself and loved all of the sex that she and Logan had. He was the first one to say I love you and she said it days later, not even the same day as him. So I think Logan could have found someone 10x better than Marissa.

And sadly that’s why this novel has such a low rating – I just really hate Marissa. Also, when things were looking bleak, Logan decided to go back to his old ways, which I was very disappointed in.

So this book is not for me. I think some readers may like it, but after reading the novel, I can safely say that this book and I are parting away for good. I’m glad I got an eARC and I’m sure other fans will have a different reaction than what I did.

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Review: Hidden Heat

Hidden Heat by Carla Swafford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Bad boys and motorcycles are a weakness of mine when it comes to descriptions of novels, so when I saw this book, I snatched it right up. For the most part I enjoyed it. Cassidy is a contradiction the whole novel, going from hot and sassy, trying to find out where her brother is and marching into a bar with a baseball bat taking names, to a docile, meek, timid woman who follows orders without complaint. Throws the reader for a ride of whiplash to be honest.

The relationship between Cassidy and Thorne is from zero to sixty in the same page. Seriously, it was like, "I can't do that when I'm on the job", to "oh hell I can't stop myself".

I think fans who enjoy novels about motorcycle clubs and undercover work will enjoy this, but I don't think it's the best one out there. Things could have been changed to make it better and I just felt like the author randomly remembered something and added it to the story without any lead.

However, I did like the story and I loved the ending. This will be a good novel to read and it's a very fast read. Looks like it is part of a series but it might be Cassidy's brother's story next? That would be interesting to read and figure out why Storm is the way he is.

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Review: Welcome to Hickville High

Welcome to Hickville High by Mary Karlik
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I first started reading this, I really disliked Kelsey. She was such a snob from the city who looked down on anyone who did any hard work because it was "beneath her". And that rubs me the wrong way like you wouldn't believe, but I feel like no one should have that mentality when it comes to life.

I'm extremely glad that the situation was changed for Kelsey's family, because there is no need for teenagers to feel like they can spend $300 on a pair of shoes. Sure, when they have their own money that they worked for and earned, then they can spend that much money on frivolous things, but when it is their parents money it just makes me angry because then teens start to expect that treatment in life.

At the 60% mark of the book, I started to like Kelsey as a person. She realized her errors in life when she started to see the citizens of Hillside, TX and how they treat life = with respect. And the night of Homecoming? I was so proud of Kelsey for what she did; she was so selfless.

The situation with Drew and Zoe in Chicago was rough for Kelsey, I know. That was her life and what she was used to, so it makes sense that she was angry and wanted to go back to that life. But I'm glad things got resolved the way they did because it was for the best for Kelsey.

I love Austin. He is amazing and kind and hard working and loyal. And he can make the hard decisions in life when he needs to, knowing that it will help others in the end. Austin is such an amazing guy - I want someone like him!

So I grew to like this novel after a very rough start. I wanted Kelsey to stop acting like a spoiled brat earlier, but I think Mary Karlik did well in expanding the time she was a snob because that's how people would react in real life. Kelsey's life was just starting to get straightened out when Ryan's life went up in flames in the very last paragraph of the novel, so I'll be intrigued to figure out how she is going to wrangle herself out of that situation!

I think a lot of readers will enjoy this novel and I'm glad I was able to get a free eARC file!

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Review: When We Fall

When We Fall by Marquita Valentine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this novel. When I first started reading it, I felt like I was missing part of the story and was about to go grab the first book, even though it was Rowan and Seth's story, but I kept reading and things started to click and make sense for Jase and Piper's story. Don't get me wrong, I probably would have had an easier transition if I read the first novel, but this can be read as a standalone (I think anyway!).

Piper is feisty. She has a shitty time growing up with her parents they way they are and I'm so glad that she finally grew a backbone and decided to live her own life instead of their vision of her life. And that takes guts because she didn't know the first thing about living on her own and taking care of herself, so I give her a huge applause!

And Jase. Gah, he's pretty awesome! He tried so very hard to resist Piper, but she wasn't having any of it and there is only so much a guy can do, especially when he is attracted to the girl perusing him. And he wanted only the best for her, which is so sweet.

So, yeah, I really enjoyed this book. So glad I got an eARC file to read, even though it's not so advanced by the time I got around to reading it. Might have to look into more novels by Marquita Valentine!

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Review: The Hidden Twin

The Hidden Twin by Adi Rule
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I read the description of this novel, I was intrigued. But from the first chapter, I felt a disconnection from not only the storyline, but also the characters. And I did read the whole novel, but I never once felt an attachment to anything regarding this novel.

I wish the author would have found a way to make the world she created a little bit easier to understand. I'm pretty good about diving into a new world and very easy to follow along, but I feel like the author just tossed us into this story without any initiation of information. Just, "here ya go, figure it out!" mantra which unfortunately did not work for me throughout any of the novel.

And Redwing, or Lin, or whatever her name was? I did not feel any emotion for her what so ever. She was just there as the character and things happened to her and suddenly she went from being the hidden, cursed twin to the one to save the day, but I didn't feel any excitement or happiness for her.

I dunno, something was missing and sadly I did not really enjoy this story. I mean, it was okay, but definitely not something I will revisit again. But looking at all of the other reviews on Goodreads, I'm one of the few who feel this way, so I'm sure that other readers will enjoy this story when it is released!

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Review: Say Nothing...

Say Nothing... by T.A. Roth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

So I got both novels in this series from NetGalley, which I'm very grateful for, and I've enjoyed them both. I've found that I really don't like Ari though... I know she's been through a traumatic experience and she just wants to forget about it, but when it is staring right back at her, I feel like that is a great time to finally fess up to what happened so many years ago and resolve the terrible issue.

Instead, she decides to keep the damn secret to herself, which is tearing her apart and making her sick, shaky, and jumpy, let alone putting a strain on her relationship with Ben. A guy who is madly in love with her and would never want her to feel the way she's feeling. AND ARI KNOWS THIS!!!!!!! So why in God's green earth would she decide to keep quiet? I will never understand. Sure, be quiet, but also fight back, don't cower into a corner and be scared all of your life!

Okay, we've established that I can't talk about Ari without getting angry, so let's move on. When I read the first novel, I was "meh" about it. Wasn't sure if I was going to read the second novel. Then I found it on NetGalley, sent a request for shits and giggles, and was accepted for the copy. So yeah, I read it. I'm glad I did because the story is now at rest with me, but I wouldn't have died if I didn't get the novel. It was just nice to have the end of their story wrapped up. But it was a long and bumpy ride.

I love Ben. He is so into Ari it's sickening to watch as an outside, but would be an amazing feeling to feel if it was directed toward myself. He is always thrown with his feelings and he's always thinking about other people rather than himself. And he has sacrificed so much to help others, which is an admirable trait to have.

I think this will be a hit or miss for most readers. Depends on how they feel about Ari's decisions, in the end. I liked it, but I needed Ari to be more of a fighter than a flighter, but in the end it was a good series. Glad I got to read it and see how the ending was wrapped up.

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Review: Gifted Thief

Gifted Thief by Helen Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very unique book from others that I've read recently and I truly enjoyed it! It took awhile to get use the the scenery and the storyline because it's a bit different, but once I got the hang of it I dived right in and read it in one sitting!

I really like Integrity. She is spunky, determined, independent, and very smart. I would definitely like to be friends with her any day! And when she was forced to go into a territory where she knew no one liked her, she held her head up high and made damn sure no one knew she was a bit intimidated. In fact, she was pretty bad ass.

And Byron... I loved when they were in the hotel room and Integrity was trying to be all coy and whatnot. He is definitely not a man you want to mess around with unless you are able to take the consequences for your actions. Thankfully, Integrity can take the heat, and what flames there were with these two characters. I'm interested to see how things will pan out for them seeing as they are from two different clans, and one clan absolutely despises the other.

I'm glad I was able to get this free eARC copy and read it early! Just sucks I don't have the following novels so I can head dive into the story and figure out the ending, but I suppose I can wait until they are released to continue this really great story! Now I might have to inquire about the other novels Helen Harper has wrote and see if they are just as good as this series starter :)

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Review: The Finn Factor

The Finn Factor by Rachel Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cute novel. There were times when I wanted to bash Scarlett and Finn's heads together to make them understand that they are perfect for each other and they needed to stop fighting the inevitable, but that's how real life works, right?

Both characters have their inner battles: Scarlett needs to have stability in her life and stay in one spot after traveling with her hippie parents when she was growing up. Finn needs to be a protector, but most of all protect his heart from the heartbreak he felt when his parents died.

I think there could have been easier transitions in this novel to make it a bit more smooth, and the characters were a bit awkward in some places, but overall I did like this novel and thought it was a great story about two people needing to get past their own issues before they could really enjoy their lives together.

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Review: When You're Back

When You're Back by Abbi Glines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This...wasn't as good as the first book in Mase and Reese's story. I love stories about lovey-dovey nonsense, but there does come a time when there's a bit much in a novel, and unfortunately, it happened in this novel. Mase and Reese were all about the love they had for each other.

And then out of the blue, comes jealousy and not communicating, making the reader wonder if they really do love each other that much because you would think that trust and talking would happen with that much love.

I hated Aida. I mean, I really hate her. Almost as much as Nan. Maybe even more? I think it's an even tie. (Oh, btw, LOVED that Nan wasn't in this novel - not one bit!)

Now Captain - he is a very, very interesting character. I honestly don't remember him too much from the previous books because it's been a while since I've read Blaire's story, but this version of Captain was very intriguing to me. And the background story with Captain and Reese's father? LOVE!!! Brings an aura of mystery to Captain as well!

The ending was great. I think it the novel has no Aida, 10% of the book, and the last 60% of the book, it would have been a 5 star review for sure. But there was just a little bit too much mushy-ness for my liking and it docked it a star.

So glad I was able to dive in and read this novel right after Mase and Reese's first novel. Now I'll just wait patiently to get my hands on the last few of the series!

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Review: When I'm Gone

When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad I got this through my eLibrary!! Though I totally want to own my own copy, because I think I might have found my favorite book boyfriend in the Rosemary Beach series. It's definitely between Rush and Mase, because Mase is so swoonworthy and amazing and, gah. There are no words for how great Mase is.

We've met Mase a few times throughout the end of this series, but to be able to read his own story is fantastic. He is such a gentleman and a hardworking young man. I want to shove Reese away so I can have him for myself! And Mase is so selfless and always making sure that others are okay before he takes care of himself. The stories his mother was telling about Mase growing up and getting into trouble because he was protecting the ones he loves melted my heart.

Reese is in a very dark place. The beginning of this book? Very hard to read and I feel for Reese so much. And she has been through some terrible times. All she wants to do is learn, work hard, and be loved. The basics that everyone does everyday, but is a complete struggle for her. I just want to hug her and make everything all better for her so she can finally enjoy life.

These two are meant for each other and I loved every minute of this novel. Well, except for Nan's bit in the story. I could have done without her evilness tainting this story.

Also? I LOVE JIMMY!!!!! He is awesome! He is fantastic! He is marvelous! He is so protective of Reese and just wants to see good things happen to her. Makes my heart melt even more!

I cannot wait to get into the second installment of Mase and Reese's story. Definitely try to have both novels before starting, because you aren't going to want to miss either one with the cliffhanger novel Abbi Glines ends with!

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Review: Kiro's Emily

Kiro's Emily by Abbi Glines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a sweet novel. Kiro is not someone you would call sweet, but when he first met Emily and she put her magic spell on him, he became a sweetheart.

It was very weird seeing Kiro in this light since the readers of the Rosemary Beach series have only seen him as Nan, Mase, and Harlow's father - the big rock star who acts like he's 30 years younger. But I seriously think I might have fallen in love with him when he was trying to woo Emily.

And gah, Emily. She was so innocent and naive when she first met Kiro. She was so scared of her reaction. But that definitely did not stop her from sticking to her beliefs and I loved it so much when she rejected Kiro. The first time since Kiro became famous, someone finally rejected him and he just didn't know what to do.

Cracked me up.

And Dean's reaction when he found out what happened? Priceless. Dean was the only one who understood exactly what was going to happen before anyone else did. Smart cookie, that Dean.

I am so glad that Abbi Glines wrote this novel because it shows an amazing side of Kiro that we never would have seen in this series. I'm hoping that we see Kiro in the next couple of novels since it will be about Mase and found out what happened between the love Kiro had for Mase when he was a boy to the hatred Mase has for Kiro now.

Fans of the series will love this addition!

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Review: You Were Mine

You Were Mine by Abbi Glines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've finally gotten to read this! Yay! And I was able to read it without paying $8 for the kindle book! Double Yay! Thank goodness my online library had the eBook copy that I could borrow so I can finally find out about Bethy and Tripp's story!

I have been dying to figure out how things will be resolved between these two characters, and I am so glad that I finally found a way to read it. :) It was as good as I thought it would be.

Tripp is so sweet. Bethy went through a terrible time when Jace died and Tripp was there watching her every step of the way. She was on a downward spiral ready to need serious attention, but things started to look up. And Tripp waited 18 months of following her around to make sure she was safe, without talking to her, and having Bethy send evil looks at him the whole time. That, my friends, is dedication!

And Bethy. I understand her confusion and hurt, but she could have resolved her issues much quicker if she has just talked to Tripp during those last 18 months...

But the moment they were ready - it was steaming hot! I'm sitting in 60 degrees and was very warm blooded for such a chilly temperature... ;)

So, so, so glad I got to read this and can't wait to dive into the next books of the series to get caught up! Love Abbi Glines and love all of her series. If you are just starting to figure out the magic that she creates, know that I am a huge fan and will definitely tell you to read her novels!

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Review: One More Chance

One More Chance by Abbi Glines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is actually the first novel in this series that I haven't given 5 stars to... I feel like the story dragged on and the same information was repeated over and over. I think doing a flash forward would have benefited this story.

However, I did enjoy this novel a lot! Harlow definitely stopped being the girl who read her book all of the time, but she has Grant to keep her company and I don't think he would appreciate being ignored by a pretty girl so she could read her fictional story, haha.

I loved what Nan did at the end of the novel. There is hope for her yet.

I can't really talk about the stuff from this novel too much without giving anything away, so I will just say that it was a great addition to add to the series and I can't wait to move on to find out about the other characters in the novels!

If you haven't read Abbi Glines, you are missing out big time and should fix that problem! :)

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Review: Anything You Want

Anything You Want by Geoff Herbach
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've been trying, trying to read this book, but just can't. I find other things to do, start another book, then come back to it, only to abandon it and do something else, so I've decided to give up. Maybe I'm just not meant to read books that have a teenage guy as the main character? I've been having issues with that lately, and that is the common denominator. Maybe boys are too immature or weird or think way differently than I do, but I just couldn't handle Taco anymore.

I'm sure this will be a GREAT book for other readers and it will probably go off to win an award for something or another, but it just couldn't work out between the two of us. I hate giving books a 1 star, but in this case, I really "did not like it" like the 1 star description stands for.

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Review: The Mother Road

The Mother Road by Meghan Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I had no idea what I was walking into when I started this book... But boy did I learn very early on what this book was going to take me through! From the moment Marley and her friend Marisa were at yoga talking about a puckered butt whole, to the road trip where Marley had incurable diarrhea in a non-working toilet, this book pretty much left me speechless, but also breathless from laughing so hard!

I don't know whether to be dying of laughter, or dying of embarrassment of what I've just experienced when reading The Mother Road! And let me tell you, I was seriously laughing so hard tears came down my face. Especially when Marley dared Porter to scream bloody murder on Tacy (the RV's name), scaring the shit out of Marley's dad, Bernie, and causing Porter to also piss himself from Bernie's reaction, to then seeing Paul, Marley's brother, run around squealing when he thought a spider was on him (I totally understand, Paul. I get it!).

But the some of the topics were just too much, and talked about for an amount of time that could have been cut in half, making me just want to skip over the section all together.

As for Marley's family, they are a loving bunch, but man are they crazy!! All of them!! Even the dad! I don't know if I would be able to safely tell people in public I was related to them... But they do love each other very much, you have to give them that.

This was a very interesting, very different novel. I'm glad I got to read it and I'm sure there will be tons of readers who will find this to be their favorite novel yet!

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Review: Walk the Edge

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am so, so, so, so excited that I got this novel as an eARC!! The moment I saw it on NetGalley, I requested it like it was fashion going out of style!

I have been looking forward to reading Razor's story since we met him in NBH, and I was totally not disappointed with how Katie McGarry slayed this novel! Razor is as reserved and serious as you remember, but when he is around Breanna, Razor starts to slowly chip away the ice in his heart. She is starting to warm him, and not because she is throwing herself. Instead, she is slowly becoming curious about the bad-boy, bike clubbing guy that Razor is.

And Breanna. She has an interesting story, starting with her brain. I couldn't imagine being that smart that my brain literally wouldn't stop working. When she confessed everything to her older sister Clara about how she doesn't sleep and if she can't get a problem figured out it slowly eats her brain, I started tearing up!

Also, don't even get me started on Breanna's family! They are jerks! Being #5 out of 9 kids is, first of all, insane, but also really crappy for her. Not being part of the "older" kids and always having to take care of the "younger" kids, she is literally in the middle and never gets a break! I'm extremely glad she decided to loosen up with Razor and do stuff for her own self rather than be a punching bag to half of siblings and be a mom to the other half.

I wanted to punch Kyle so hard that he would re-think his terrible, evil ways. That jerk!

I love this story line, I love this series so much! I love it more than the Pushing the Limits series, which I also really enjoyed! I already want the next one, but of course I won't get that for FOREVER!!! So I suppose I'll just have to wait patiently... well as patiently as I can be ;)

So, so glad I got to read this early and I know fans will be loving every minute of this novel!

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Review: Summer of Sloane

Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. I really didn't think I would like this book as much as I did! If Goodreads would revisit their settings and give half stars, this would be a 4.5 star rating from me!

I thought I would hate Sloane after awhile because she was a broken record about her feelings toward her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. And she was, don't get me wrong. But she was JUSTIFIED in being a broken record! She DESERVED to do things for herself rather than having to listen to those two make excuses and try to win her friendship/relationship back. Because, really, why should she have to forgive them for breaking her heart and ruining her future? That's what Mick and Tyler did - all the things Sloane thought she was going to have in her future crumbled before her when she found out their betrayal.

So, yes, I thought Sloane did a great job going to Hawaii with her mom, step-dad, and brother, and proceeded to "do Sloane" and not worry about the terrible time that Mick and Tyler were going through. They did it to themselves!

Gah, the whole situation with those two makes me so ANGRY!!!

Anyway, moving on. I loved Sloane in Hawaii. She was doing different things and finally living her life, which she needed to do for this summer. And I so fell in love with Finn. He was all goofy and handsome and confident. I was a fan of Sloane+Finn.

But, really, I was a fan of Sloane. This girl has some great morals and she is a black-and-white kinda girl. So when the big plot twist came at the end with Finn, she stuck to her guns and did what she thought was right, even though you could tell it was killing her more to do this with Finn than it did with Tyler, making it obvious that she had more feelings for Finn. It would have been easy to have forgiven him and continue seeing him, but she totally stuck to her guns and for that I love Sloane.

I am very stunned as to how much I loved this book, and am so glad I was able to get a free eARC! I am definitely going to look into this author a lot more, after having a great response to this book!

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Review: Riders

Riders by Veronica Rossi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC (Preview Excerpt) from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I feel a bit like I'm cheating, writing this review on Goodreads when I only got an excerpt of the novel, but I wanted to put it on here and they didn't have the excerpt option, so here I am! Oh well.

I loved Veronica Rossi's Under the Never Sky series. No, seriously. I loved it more than Divergent, Hunger Games, Legend - any of the dystopian trilogies you can think of, hers was the best out there. So I was stoked when I saw she had a new series! And it's such a unique subject! The 4 horsemen!

I was a bit thrown when starting to read, but it's because that is how the story goes and you are thrown into it with Gideon, the MC (Gosh, I love the name Gideon!). He is captured and has to recount how he came to the place he was captured at, so we get the nitty gritty story from his storytelling.

So since this was a preview, I was left hanging with more questions than answers, but I'm most definitely going to get my hands on this book when it WHOLE novel is released.

I think readers are going to love this book, and it's through the main characters GUY point of view! And the cover is gender neutral! You won't even know that a female wrote this novel (well, to the point that I've read, anyway :) ). So excited for this series and I think it will be a great novel for YA readers!

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Review: More

More by Clare James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Yay - I got to read Jules and Foster's story! *happy dance*

Ever since I met them in "Before You Go", I wanted their story and I just finished it! It was just as rocky and dramatic as I thought it would be. But I loved it when Foster was taking care of Jules after she broke her wrist. This is a side that we never really got to see in Tabby and Noah's story. And the emotions and feelings Foster felt when he was around Jules? Amazingly sweet and naughty, all in the same scene!

The whole "secret" Foster was keeping definitely wasn't the worst secret in the world. I'm surprised Jenna kept her mouth shut the whole time about it, to be honest. I could do without Jenna. She's a downright bitch and loves every second of it, which is disgusting. But you gotta have the "villan" of the story, right?

So, so glad that I got to read this. I really loved seeing them together when Foster was taking care of Jules and how they finally caved in to their desires that have been stirring over the years.

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Review: Before You Go

Before You Go by Clare James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I'm pretty sure I got this from Amazon years ago as a free book, but completely forgot about it until I already requested it through NetGalley. Oh well, I finally got around to reading it!

Overall this was a good story. It's the typical New Adult angst where the characters have a dark past that has forever changed their future, but they find the one person who can make it all right again. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, except Jules because she is one spunky girl, so I didn't really have an emotional connection with them. I knew how the novel was going to end and was just waiting to finish it.

I do have to say, I would LOVE to read Michael's story. He seems completely selfless and I would love to see his happily ever after!

This will appeal to New Adult readers. I'm glad I got the eARC; thanks!

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Review: Snow Globe

Snow Globe by Jeanne Skartsiaris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very engaging story that kept me on my toes throughout the whole novel. This is part contemporary/part paranormal book that I think will appeal to a wide range of readers.

I definitely feel for Aja (pronounced Asia). She has had the short stick her whole life and now everything is starting to crumble around her. She's in trouble with the authorities, though she didn't do anything wrong. She's in trouble with the school, but thankfully she has the guidance counselor rooting for her side. And she's having a crazy police officer stalking her and trying to get her in a compromising situation, but Aja has had enough terrible luck in her life.

I loved the story with Aja at the nursing home. She thought old people were gross and weak, but she quickly learned how wrong she was when she started working there and seeing the tenants. In fact, she was royally pissed when she got fired there because she wanted to visit with some of the old people she grew close to.

The whole story with Officer Clay is just plain creepy and scary. I was reading the suspenseful part that included him breaking into Aja's house right before I went to sleep and I couldn't fall asleep for the longest time whenever I heard a weird noise in my apartment.... That is something I don't even want to read about because it could definitely happen!

I really enjoyed this story. It had enough to keep readers wanting more, and the ending was fantastic. No cliffhangers and there is a great conclusion that leaves the reader imagining how life will go for Aja and the people she cares about!

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Review: For Seven Nights Only

For Seven Nights Only by Sarah Ballance
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good story. There were times I wanted to slap Kelsie and Sawyer because they were being stupid and wouldn't just tell the other person what they were thinking, but they made up for it in the end.

I would be scared to go inside Kelsie's apartment - with the sink explosion and her cooking, it's a hazardous place to go into. Definitely loved Marmaduke - he's got character and totally gave Sawyer the run around.

I do have to comment that the title of the book is "seven NIGHTS" yet their seven dates did not happen in seven nights...Just a technicality that I needed to point out for some reason.

Overall this was a good story. The sex was hot between these two and they finally got their heads out of their butts to realize what was happened between the two of them, so it ended well. Could have used a little less angst, but that's the drama right? Glad I got this free eARC. Might have to look into more novels by this author!

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Review: Two To Wrangle

Two To Wrangle by Victoria Vane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book started right where Hell on Heels ended, making it an easy transistion to jump into the story. And sadly things didn't get any better for me to liking Monica or the overall story of the novel.

Monica and Ty are just two lost souls who don't know what they want. Or they do, but they are not lining up with one another. Once once person is on board with being with the other one, then the other one is running scared and finding excuses to run away.

It was a bit annoying for me.

I'm pretty sure that Monica and Ty's story is complete? The next book is about Zac. But I feel like so many things were left unanswered with Monica and Ty that the author will probably revisit them? Either way, I won't be returning to this series, no matter who the characters are, sadly.

A lot of readers will enjoy this story - it just wasn't for me.

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Review: Hell On Heels

Hell On Heels by Victoria Vane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Hmm. This book was something else. I really didn't like Monica - she was too stuffy and uptight for me to really like her as a character. She judged Ty right off the bat and didn't even give him a chance to give his side of the story, and for some reason she thought Ty was after her dad's money instead of what Ty told her and that Tom is more of a father figure to Ty than a business partner. So she was really too much of a bitch for me to really like her during any part of the novel.

And Ty is so biopolar that he doesn't know what he wants in life, let alone what he would want with Monica. Sure he had a crappy first marriage, but that doesn't mean that all marriages are like that one and he should give it another go if he thinks it will last. Live a little man!

Also, the writing is a bit stiff and awkward. The author goes from one viewpoint to another without any indication and it takes a bit to follow along at some points.

If I didn't get the second novel the same time as the first one, I wouldn't read it. But I'm going to give it another go and see if the story gets any better. One can hope, right?

If you are looking for a short, Southern novel set in Vegas about two complete opposites having no idea what to do with each other, this might be the novel for you!

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Review: Saven: Deception

Saven: Deception by Siobhan Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed my fair share of alien novels, so I had high expectations for this one. Especially because on NetGalley they compared this book to the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, which is my all-time favorite series out in the world (so far at least!). So because of that, I was a little disappointed with this novel. Not a ton, but was let down a bit because it didn't compare to the Lux series.

Sadie was a great character, though she did go from 0 to 180 throughout the novel. She was shy, quiet, reserved when she was living with her family, but then when she gets to Thalassic City she's completely different from her usually self. I know she said she wanted to be more vocal and active in her life, but one doesn't just go from one extreme to another without some transition.

And the connection between her and Logan was a bit much and was stressed too much in the novel. Especially when Logan was being a pain to her and ignoring her, only to intensely stare at her the next day. Talk about whip lash!

The secondary characters were all over the place, especially the ones that were loyal to Logan (who you find out later which characters are and aren't).

So this was an okay novel. I don't think I'll be getting the other novels unless they are available through NetGalley again, but weirder things have happened! I am glad I was able to read this eARC and I think YA readers will really enjoy the story that Siobhan Davis created!

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