Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines

This is the first book in the Perfection series by Abbi Glines.

When Woods sees Della at the gas station, not understanding how to put gas in her vehicle, he knew that he was going to have a one night stand with her and would remember every minute.

He just didn't know that she would stay in his mind for months afterward. Nor did he think that he would imagine being with Della when he was with his future fiance, Angelina.

And the one thing he did not see coming is Della coming crashing into his personal life. Because now that she has come back into his life a second time, he's not sure if he will be able to let her walk away again.

A one night stand was not on Della's to do list, but she is just starting to get out in the world, so she supposes that it's okay. Besides, she has other things on her mind; like where her next place of sleeping will be. Or where she is going to be able to get the money to find somewhere to sleep.

But when things go wrong at her current stay in Dallas and she needs to leave fast, one of her co-workers sends her to his condo in Florida. Tripp just wants to make sure that she is safe and is near his friends because he knows that they will take care of her if she needs it.

Trouble comes, though, when Della realizes that she is back at the place where she had the best one night stand of her life. And then she finds out that he is going to be her new boss at the country golf course.

Yep, things are about to get interesting. Because once she sees Woods, everything from that one night comes rushing back to her. And boy, was that one of the best nights of her life.

However, she finds out that he is about to be engaged. After the last encounter she has, Della knows not to get in that situation.

And Della has her own problems to deal with. Because when certain things are said or done, an attack is triggered. And Della is transported to the days where she was locked inside with yelling and confusion. To the days where she needs to get past, because she will not turn into her mother.

The connection between Della and Woods is too hard to ignore, but if Woods doesn't do what his father insists, everything Woods has worked for his whole life will go up into smoke. Now, though, Woods is wondering what exactly he wants in life. Maybe it's Della. But first, he will have to figure out his life and get past the walls Della has put up. And Della has to figure out how to escape her dark past.

Can things work out between Della and Woods, or will they forever be trapped in their own personal hells? Read Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I've pretty much decided that anything by Abbi Glines is a must read and buy no matter how much it costs because it will be awesome. This book was well worth the wait and the money I spent from the minute I clicked on the available link to buy on Amazon!

I got this and finished it in 3 hours. I didn't take any breaks and I flew through this novel, loving every minute of it!

I've got to say, this is a very dark and edgy book. The situation that Della went through makes my skin crawl. I could never imagine going through that. She may think she is crazy, or will be, but I think Della is very strong and amazing.

This book is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of sexual scenes in here, very descriptive. A lot of language and it really suited for older readers. But it is very emotional and very heart wrenching.

All in all. For older readers, this is an amazing book! I would most definitely recommend it to other NA lovers out there and for any Abbi Glines fans this is a must read!

And Woods. Oh, Woods. What to say about him. He is definitely different than what we were introduced to during the "Too Far" series, but that's what I like about point of view novels. We got Blaire and Rush's thoughts about him in their books, but Woods is definitely a lot different than what they perceived him to be. And honestly? I really liked Woods. He was always trying to make everyone else happy, but realized that he wasn't happy with his life. The struggles he had really showed how much he wanted to change, and what he really wanted in life.

And the ending! I cannot wait to see what happens in the next novel! I had an idea what might happen with Della and Woods, but this ending brings all kinds of possibilities!

Amazing novel! So glad I got it when it was released and finished it! Now I just have to wait until the next one :-/ I would most definitely tell other older readers to read this and hope that everyone enjoys it as much as I did!

Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron

This is the second novel in the Fall and Rise series by Chelsea M. Cameron.

My review of #1: Deeper We Fall

*I received this as an eARC by the author in exchange for a review.*

After being abused by Zach, Katie realized that people are not who they seem or act sometimes. Which is definitely true for Stryker, the bleached hair, lip and eyebrow pierced friend in Katie's circle.

Katie knew she didn't want to be in a relationship, but a friend's with benefit arrangement never hurt anyone. And that's what Stryker was for her. Whenever she wanted sex, he was more than happy to oblige.

But there was something about Stryker that got under her skin. It was just him and his sister Trish. No other family. He had a really dark past that he didn't want to talk about, so Katie didn't mention it. But she did invite Stryker to her home for Thanksgiving.

That turned into a disaster, though, when her mother insulted him and didn't like him based on his appearance.

Stryker knew that he and Katie weren't meant for each other, but that didn't stop him from wanting to protect her when she needed it. Going to her family's house for the holidays was also a bad idea, but he wasn't known for his smarts.

And he did try to stay away from her, but there is an undeniable attraction between the two of them. Even more than just the physical attraction they give into. They can easily talk to each other and have similar tastes in things.

When a close family member of Katie's dies, Stryker is put in the middle of Katie's life, and he does so with ease. Which scares the living daylights out of him, because it's always just been him and Trish - no one else.

Just when he realized how much he truly cares about Katie, he does another stupid thing to ruin a good thing in his life.

Can he make it right with Katie, or will it be too many strikes against Stryker? And will Katie figure out what she wants in life, or will she just keep floating through, hoping that the answer will come to her? Read Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I was so excited to get this book as an eARC from the author! I really enjoyed the first book and was curious to see how Katie and Stryker got together. A hookup relationship was not what I was expecting, given that Katie was in a serious relationship with Zach during the first novel!

And I love how Cameron wrote Stryker. Yes, he has bleached hair and a lip and eyebrow piercing. Yes, he has tattoos. No, he's not a jerk. He is just trying to live his life with little complications. Well, that was before he met Katie, the pink tornado that came into his life.

Katie is a mess after everything that happened, so she just wanted a release from life and the horrors of what she went through, which I completely understand. And Stryker was willing to be used - had no problem with that. But when real feelings came into the picture, both of them were scared to death.

One thing that I do have to say is how often they missed classes. It was A LOT! I'm  surprised they still had decent grades with how much they missed!

Overall, I really liked this book. I'm not sure if I like the first one more or less, but it's always difficult to compare sequels when it is about different characters.

I also really appreciate how Katie dealt with Stryker and his "bad decisions". She wasn't like most girls who felt betrayed and didn't speak to the guy for so many weeks and then miraculously forgave him afterward because she missed him. No, Katie took 1 minute to think it over and then said, "screw it", it was a mistake and made sure that Stryker was okay.

That takes some dedication and instant forgiveness in my book.

This book will be released April 20, 2013, so just a few more days before everyone can purchase this eBook! If you love New Adult novels or Cameron's other novels, this is a must buy! Definitely a different route she took in the NA genre, and lots of events that take place in this one novel! So glad I got an eARC (Thanks again Chelsea!) and can't wait to see what else she will write in the future!

Wait for You by J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Avery moved from Texas to West Virginia to get away from what happened at home 5 years ago. No one at her college knows the rumors that spread like wildfire at home, and she can finally be at peace - well mostly. She doesn't trust guys and is very much a loner, but she likes it like that.

And she even made some new friends at school - something she didn't have at home after the incident. So life was going well, until she ran into the most beautiful guy she's ever seen.

Cameron Hamilton. And yes, she literally ran into him before class. That was before she ran away from him just as fast.

Only getting away from Cam isn't that easy, especially when he decides he wants to be around some more. So not only do they have the same class together, they were made partners for that class. All semester. And the best part? He's across the hall in her apartment building.

The more Avery's around Cam, the more relaxed she gets around him, which is weird because she is never relaxed around guys. And now she's doing things that she swore she wouldn't do, like to go parties or drink. Because everything relates to that one Halloween night 5 years ago. And she won't go back to that dark place.

But Avery is not the only one that is hiding a dark past. Cam also has a secret he is keeping from Avery, something he is not proud of, but would do again in a heartbeat if it happened again.

When Avery's past comes back to haunt her, she needs to make a decision. Can she confront it and retell it to Cam, who has become a huge part of her world, or will it forever haunt and terrify her to the point where she can't tell Cam, and might lost him for good? Read Wait for You by J. Lynn to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I put in the title Jennifer L. Armentrout because J. Lynn is her pen name for adult and new adult novels, and I want to make it very clear that I love this author no matter what name she uses! So, yeah, it's the same amazing writer for all of the reviews that I've done for her novels - just to make sure everyone knows that!

I loved this book. Avery is a tough cookie. She went through a horrible ordeal and came out a survivor, if not a little wounded by it.

But Cam - he's hilarious and sexy and protective. He's everything one could want in a classmate/class partner/neighbor across the hall.

So, yes, this is a lot like the other New Adult novels that have been released, but I think the author put enough new content in to make her own novel in this "new" genre.

My favorite part is the Sunday morning breakfasts. That is such a small detail in a college student's life, but the author made it a big deal and it was also the way that Avery and Cam got to relax around one another without a crowd around to make Avery nervous or self-conscious.

Oh! And Raphael! Cam's turtle! Hilarious introduction at the apartments with his turtle. Just little things like that really make this novel come to life and unique, while also having me laugh out loud while reading.

And the dark pasts for both Cam and Avery made me understand the characters even more. But what happened to Avery, after I found out, really made my jaw drop. I knew something along the lines happened, but not that!

So yes, I would recommend this novel to other New Adult readers. It's a must read and I think a lot of people will like the small things that happen between Cam and Avery!

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

This is the first novel in The Coincidence series by Jessica Sorensen.

Callie is extremely excited to go to college and get away from everyone who has made her life a living nightmare since seventh grade. She dresses gothic with black eyeliner and fingernail polish, along with baggy clothes and a bob haircut.

But when she gets to college, she is able to be herself again. She is slowly learning to trust other people, especially Seth, her best friend since she started college in the summer and so did he.

Kayden is ready to go off to college to get away from his parents. Sure, he had a great life in high school with his friends as one of the popular football players and he got a scholarship to go to college, since he father won't spend a penny for him now that he's not in his house now.

But both Callie and Kayden have a dark secret in their past. Callie found out Kayden's the last night of high school when she went to a party to find her brother, and instead saved Kayden from getting beaten by his father in the back yard. And from the looks of the scars on his chest, it didn't look like it was the first time it had happened either.

Callie's secret is only known by Seth, and he had to work his way to find out what exactly happened to her.

As it happens, Callie is the one person that saved Kayden on that night at the party, but he never got a chance to say thank you. When they bump into each other at the same college, Kayden didn't recognize Callie at first because she is wear color clothes and her hair is longer. She doesn't wear black all of the time and her clothes actually fit instead of being baggy on her.

There is no reason that Callie needs to hide at college. The nightmare is at her house and at high school.

Slowly Callie and Kayden start to become friends, though Kayden is the only boy that Callie has known where she will let him touch her without flinching too much.

When they both go back home for the holidays and face their demons, things are starting to become alright for them both. Until they have to face the person responsible for the nightmares they face every night. And something horrible is about to happen to one of them that might go far beyond where it should... Read The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen to find out what will happen to these two haunted characters.

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I've had this book for awhile on my Kindle after buying it for $0.99 on Amazon and I'm really glad I got around to it! This is a great novel and had me on my seat every chapter!

Callie, Kayden, and even Seth have dark pasts. Kaydens the reader finds out right away but Seth's and Callie's are a little harder to figure out because they don't want to talk about it, but they finally come out and say what happened to them to make them leery to trust other people.

I understood exactly what happened to Callie before it was revealed, so I was expecting how she acted around Kayden. However, her character developed so much throughout the novel and I was very happy to see her trusting other people by the middle of the novel.

And Kayden. He was always trying to impress his father, but the more he did, the madder his father got over some small, tiny detail that didn't even matter. So eventually he started to things he wanted to do, especially when he went off to college and didn't have to see his father every day to hear criticism and get punished.

But I have to say, that ending. Man! Sorensen left us hanging and yearning to find out what happens next, because that is not a way to end a novel! It was such a horrible scene and it better be resolved in the next novel, because I have to know what happens!

Both of the characters grew a lot throughout this book and I really liked it! I think other novels who love New Adult novels now would really enjoy this story and will need the sequel right away - just like I do!

So yes, I recommend this novel for older readers and I will definitely be reading this series, even if it is a little bit more charge than my usual $0.99 on Amazon for eBooks, haha!

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This is the first novel in the Hopeless series by Colleen Hoover.

Sky has finally gotten her adoptive mother to let her go to public school for the first time in her senior year. She wanted to get used to the public system rather than being home schooled since she is going to college the year after.

Right before she starts school, she meets Dean Holder - the only guy she's ever felt anything and she just saw him. Most guys that she makes out with leave her feeling numb, which she likes because she doesn't have to feel for awhile.

But Holder made her feel so many emotions and he hadn't even touched her - just looked at her and Sky was done for.

When Sky went to school, she already had a reputation as the slut or whore, since she has made out with different guys, even though she's still a virgin. Rumors and lies spread fast in high school, Sky figures out.

Holder fascinates Sky and even though she's hear rumors about him and his past, Sky wants to get to know Holder. But he has many different sides and Sky is not able to understand most of them.

He also gets very jealous around Sky, even though they aren't dating and she's not dating anyone else. But when comments are being made about Sky, Holder will most definitely fight back, unless Sky can talk him out of it.

The chemistry between the two has not gone unnoticed, and with Sky's no filter problem, she blurts out that she wants more with Holder. But he pans it out and let's it linger between the two, keeping their "firsts" spread apart and last longer.

However, things slowly start to go horribly wrong. Sky is having flashes and memories about her life before the adoption. Things she finds out she made herself regret. Things about her best friends when she was 3 and information about her real parents that Sky is now just realizing she wished she never remembered.

Because everything Sky has thought about herself is horribly wrong. She doesn't even know her real self anymore after the secrets get unburied. Now Sky has to deal with what happened, and how Holder is involved in all of her past dark secrets that he knew about before Sky did.

To find out what happened to Sky, and what will happen between Sky and Holder, read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I read Hoovers other novel, Slammed, and enjoyed it, but didn't love it. But this novel? I read it in one sitting and wanted more!

I literally laughed out loud (especially when Sky didn't know what "lol" meant), made me gasp, hold my breath, and I cried. Oh, boy, did I cry at the end. I definitely went on an emotional roller coaster ride through this novel and loved every minute of it!

This novel was so intense - even before the big secret was revealed. Holder is an intense guy and Sky actually feels things when he's around, so that alone is intense.

And speaking of the big secret? I most definitely guessed correctly on everything that was revealed long before it happened. But when I guessed it, I didn't want it to be real. It was so horrible and that is why I cried at the end. Because even though I guessed correctly, I really didn't want my guess to be right.

Hoover did an amazing job. Even if all readers guess what happens at the end, it is still emotional and heart breaking - especially when we read about Sky and Holder's reaction and emotions to the revealing.

Even though I heard tons of great reviews from this novel, it took me awhile to spend money on it for the eBook on Amazon, but I finally did and boy am I sure glad I experienced this novel. I will definitely not be forgetting this story any time soon, and I'm curious to see what Hoover is going to write about for the sequel of this novel. I will, however, be waiting to find out the minute any information about the sequel comes out, because I need to read more about Sky and Holder.

I would most definitely recommend this novel to my friends and any older readers, as the content is very graphic in some areas. Go read it. Now. You won't regret it!

One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy

This is the first novel in the Drew + Fable series by Monica Murphy.

Living in a college town, Fable is able to work at a local bar and get steady tips from all of the drunk, rich students. She also has a reputation that follows her around, saying she is easy and is a slut. Fable only does what she has to in order to bring in money for her family.

Her mother drinks too much and parties with her boyfriend of the month, so Fable has to be the responsible one and take care of her 13 year old brother Owen. Which is getting harder because Owen is getting more defiant and running around with the wrong crowd.

When Drew confronted Fable outside of the bar after her shift, Fable thought it was to hook up, which she was not doing. But Drew threw her a curve ball: he wants to pay Fable to be his fake girlfriend for one week, over Thanksgiving Break.

Fable was going to say no, but when she heard it was for $3,000, she couldn't pass it up, so off to Drew's parents house she went, fake girlfriend status in tow.

Throughout the week, Fable and Drew realized that they have a lot in common. And that they are mutually attracted to one another.

But they made a deal, and in one week they would no longer have to talk to each other.

That will be hard to do though. Because the reason Drew wanted Fable at his house had to do with his father and stepmother. And now Fable is getting closer to Drew's secrets. At first he didn't want her Fable to know, but now that she's getting closer to his dark secrets, he's finding out that he might be able to trust her.

But can he fully give himself to Fable, or will Drew forever be haunted by his dark past? Can Fable find a way to get Drew to open up, or will their "relationship" be over in a week? Read One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

I gotta say, I'm glad I got this book for $0.99 and didn't wait until it was free! I really enjoyed it and flew by, even though I'm upset that there is another one and I have to wait for it!

I absolutely loved Fable. First, her name is awesome, even though she probably gets a lot of crap for it. And secondly, she is single-handedly raising her younger brother and avoiding her mother. She just needs to leave her mother and have one less ungrateful person to take care of, but that's just my opinion.

And Drew. Oh, poor Drew. I figured out what happened to him to make him want a fake girlfriend over the holidays before it was revealed, and my heart was breaking for him over and over throughout this eBook.

There was a lot of messed up topics and events in this book, but I really loved it. Fable is amazing because once she finds out, she doesn't run away yelling. Oh, no. Our Fable stays right by Drew's side and makes him realize that he is not at fault. It's only Drew that is running away, even though he doesn't want to.

The only bad part about this book was that I found out it is part of a series... And the second one isn't out yet! So I have to wait until I find out when it comes out and snatch it, because I need to know what happens. Now!

Okay, enough ranting. I really enjoyed this and I think other readers who are having a New Adult kick like I am will enjoy it as well. I would recommend it for older readers because of the topic content, but I'm really glad I got it and would recommend it to others because I enjoyed it so much!

The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers

When Ellen's father tries to drown her in their pool while drunk, Ellen's mother (after accusing Ellen of doing something to make her father mad) decided to move Ellen and her older brother Austin away from their father.

Ellen was all for that, since she was almost strangled to death, but her mother makes is seem like it is her fault, when it's technically her father's fault for being a brutal, angry, abusive drunk. And Austin is permanently angry with Ellen, treating her as if she didn't exist.

Which is how Ellen survives: being invisible.

But when they get to their new town and their new school, Ellen sticks out like a sore thumb. She is the only red head and everybody is gorgeous.

When she gets hassled at lunch in the cafeteria by a bunch of boys, while also getting asked out on her first day by an attractive, but cocky, guy named Derrick, she is saved by a mysterious loner: Neil.

Everyone at school has so much hostility and fear toward Neil that Ellen doesn't know what to do. However, Neil is the only nice person at her school and offers to sit with her at lunch, so she won't turn down that kind of offer.

The more Ellen gets to know Neil, the more she likes him. But with everyone warning her away, she wonders what the big secret is.

Even though she is dating Neil, against everyone's warnings, she's still getting attention from Derrick. He won't leave her alone and he is always showing up.

Suddenly, Neil starts to ignore Ellen, giving her no clue as to what had happened between them. Now that she's suddenly alone, Derrick is around more and more, and Ellen finds that she likes to hangout with him.

But when they start to date, he becomes possessive, threatening, commanding. Ellen wants out, but she's afraid to make Derrick too angry.

After much difficulty and close calls, they do break up and suddenly Neil is around again.

And he has answers to Ellen's questions. The questions she's been dying to ask all year - since that first day she met him. But what are the dark secrets that Neil is hiding? Will it be too much for Ellen to handle? will she end up leaving him for good, or can they work through Neil's past? Read The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I got this off of Amazon for free and finally got around to reading it on my kindle. I thought it was an interesting story, the beginning sucked me in because Ellen was being choked and drowned by her father in the pool. That is definitely a scene that will capture any reader's attention.

I felt really bad for Ellen. She obviously didn't get love from any of her family members, and learned to blend in and hide from situations. She would jump at every loud noise or when someone yelled too loud, which I can completely understand after what she went through.

I really liked Neil. Sure, there were rumors about him at school, actually, in their whole town, but he treated Ellen with respect, which is more than what Derrick did in that cafeteria.

And he really cared/looked out for her. Whenever she was in trouble, he would come running to save her.

Because I read this on my Kindle, the formatting was a little off, so that bugged me a little bit. There were also some grammatical and punctuational errors that I noticed right away, but it didn't deter me from reading the whole novel.

I'd give this novel 2.5 stars. It was a good book, but there was a lot thrown into it and it seemed it could have been wrapped up faster than what it was. I did like the supernatural aspect of it, even though it seemed thrown in there at random times, where other times it could have been a contemporary novel.

If anyone is looking for a survival, supernatural, high school novel, I would recommend this book, but it wouldn't be my first choice to give to other readers.

I do wonder, though, if there is another novel coming? A sequel? Because if there is, I will read it because I want to know what happens between Neil and Ellen. The ending was very bland and sad toned, so I would want to read more to get a happier ending.

Charade by Nyrae Dawn

This is the first novel in the Games series by Nyrae Dawn.

For three years, Cheyenne has been dating Gregory, who has been in college for the past year. Chey sees her and Greg getting married and having the normal life.

But that was before she walked in on him cheating on her with another college student. On the first day she came to school.

Now Chey is stuck at a college she only picked because Greg was there, and she most definitely broke up with him after she found out he was cheating.

And she might have also indicated in her anger that she was already seeing someone, to get back at Greg. The only problem is that she knows no one on campus.

When she sees Greg fighting with a hard core, don't give a care guy outside of the coffee shop, Chey decides to ask the mystery  man to pretend to be her boyfriend. She'd even pay him, since she now has more money than she knows what to do with.

But she misjudged Colton. Sure, he needs the money to help his mother pay the bills while she's slowly dying from a disease, but he's not desperate that he would pretend to be someone's boyfriend. He doesn't do commitments - even if they are fake.

However, he can't get the dark haired, rich girl out of his head. There is something about her. Chey doesn't act like a spoiled rich girl. She makes comments that rich girls don't. And she doesn't take Colt's crap, which is something he's not used to very often.

After witnessing Greg harass Chey, Colt ends up taking her deal. Only after awhile it's not a charade to make Greg jealous. Now Chey is going with Colt to see his dying mother. He's taking care of her and not getting paid to do it.

Will their charade end up a real thing? Or will they just play the game until they both get what they want? Read Charade by Nyrae Dawn to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
So, just a forewarning, this is a NEW ADULT novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Adult (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

This is an eBook that I bought on Amazon, and I'm really glad that I purchased it for $2.99 instead of only sticking to free eBooks!

Chey is one tough cookie. She walks in on her boyfriend cheating on her and decides to find a way to make him pay rather than sulk around all year at a school she didn't want to go to. That takes guts. Plus she didn't forgive him right away like most females do, so I admire her for that as well.

And she had a lot of problems when she was younger, so seeing her as a strong woman was really encouraging. Going from nothing and a mother who loved to party more than take care of her daughter to a rich life can get to a person's head, but Chey was always grateful for what she was given after living with her aunt and uncle.

And Colt. Good old Colt. He may have tattoos and hangout with the crowd that drinks too much and is around drugs, but he is an amazing guy. He goes to see his dying mother and spends time with her. He loves her and wants to do anything to get her better, but it's not possible. So he wants to stay with her as much as he can before she passes.

He's an amazing guy, no matter what he wants others to think.

So yes, I really liked this novel. It was about strength, both mental and physical for both of the characters. And the reader was also able to get into both Chey's and Colt's head as it was an alternating viewpoint throughout the novel.

There is also going to be another novel in this series, but will be following a different character, Adrian, who was mentioned a lot throughout this novel.

I would recommend this novel to other, older, readers! I was skeptic getting the eBook but I found that I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be reading the second novel, and will be looking for more of Nyrae Dawn's novels!

My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron

Starting sophomore year for college in Maine, Taylor is excited to be rooming with Darah and Renee. But she has to room with a new person because one of their friends decided to room off campus.

So it was a huge surprise when she answered the door to Hunter, with tattoos, buzzed hair cut, and a guitar case. Who just so happened to be Taylor's new roommate. And by roommate, it actually means that he and Taylor will be sharing the same bedroom.

Taylor is not having it. She calls the housing residents only to find that they are closed on opening day (really?) and cannot find anyone that will fix this situation. Sure, her college is co-ed rooming  That doesn't mean that Taylor wants to be one of those housing units.

After drawing a name out of a jar to determine whether Taylor, Darah, or Renee will room with him, it just so happens he draws Taylor's name. She's stuck with him.

And then he propositions her enough to make her punch him in the face and kick him where it hurts. It's going to be a wonderful semester living with this bad boy attitude, guitar playing, and shockingly good cook.

But Hunter makes a bet with Taylor: prove to him that she sincerely hates him, or loves him, and he will move out that day. Sounds easy, right? Except that Taylor can't really hate him. Sure, she hates what she reminds her of, a dark time 8 years ago that she never wants to remember. But as for hating Hunter alone? She really doesn't.

Then Taylor finds out that she has a class with him: human sexuality, oh joy. She also gets a job at the library, only to find out that Hunter will be working there as well!

Looks like Taylor better get used to Hunter being around constantly, and always making ensuendo's to her that make Taylor blush every time she thinks about them.

Taylor has a good reason not to trust the male gender. Something horrendous happened to her 8 years ago and she has never been able to get over it. But somehow, Taylor gets the feeling that Hunter may be the one person to block all of her walls that she's built.

But the unthinkable happens - the man that terrifies her the most in the world may be coming back into her life. And Taylor cannot handle that.

Will Taylor be able to have a true friendship/relationship with Hunter? Can both Hunter and Taylor get past their tortured histories enough to let the other one in, or will they forever be doomed to stay in the dark memories of their past? Read My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
So, just a forewarning, this is a NEW AGE novel, which means that it's a little bit more mature and graphic than a YA novel but not too racy like an adult novel. Mainly, New Age (NA) novels are set in college and are about characters who are starting to grow up, but still do things that are immature.

Ahh!!!! I. Loved. This. Novel!! Loved, loved, loved it!

Okay, on to the review portion. So, I was hooked from the first chapter. And after Taylor punched Hunter, I fell in love with this novel. And I still had 200 + chapters to go!

Taylor is a girl who can take care of herself. After what happened to her when she was younger, she made sure she would be ready for anyone that threatens her at any given time. And Hunter made her feel feelings that she didn't want to feel, which made her feel uneasy and she wanted to express what she thought of that.

Hunter loved it.

Now, I know a few reasons why I fell in love with this novel. One, Taylor was known as the "Ice Queen" in high school because she stayed away from boys, completely ignored them, read a lot of books, and was very anti-social. I was like that in high school, only my name was a bit nastier.

Second, she starts working in a library. I worked in a library and still do today.

Third, she was very determined to stay away from Hunter. It was actually quite successful that I was on my seat waiting for the two of them to finally kiss!

The dark pasts for both Hunter and Taylor were very horrible. I can completely see two people today in real life acting the way Hunter and Taylor did because of what happened to them. And if you want to know what it is, you're going to have to read the book ;)

I loved this book. Maybe not as much as Beautiful Disaster, but it is a very close second.

I would definitely recommend this to any older young adult reader, since it is a New Age novel. But I will most certainly be telling everyone I know to read it right away, because I want everyone to experience this wonderful novel!

Also, I think I read somewhere that there is going to be a sequel?!? If so, I will most definitely be getting it! I wonder what Cameron will write about with the sequel. I don't care who/what it is about, I will have it in my collection.

So, what are you waiting for?!? Go get this book!! :)

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Astrid moved from New York to a small-country town, which is a big adjustment. She still thinks of herself as a city New Yorker, but to her dismay her parents have not yet moved back there, making Astrid an outsider in their small town.

Astrid also has a secret that no one besides Dee knows - she is secretly dating a girl. Astrid doesn't see anything wrong with that, but she knows that there is a "right" and a "wrong" in her small town and if anyone knew about her secret they would shun her even more than they already do.

Things at home are hard. Her mom pretends that she is still in New York by dressing up as if she is going to work, when she actually works at home. Her dad has started to smoke weed, so now he is high all of the time and can't keep a job for very long. And her younger sister, Ellis, wants to be popular and her mom's "mini-me", so that means liking Astrid is out of the question.

Because Astrid has no one to love and no one loves her, she sends her love to the sky. Specifically, to the planes that fly over her back yard. Every time one flies over, she sends all of her love to somone who needs it.

And it actually works. Someone who is lost or feels unloved on that plane will get a burst of love or understanding when Astrid sends all of this love their way.

With Astrid's "girlfriend" Dee pressuring her to come out of the closet so they can start dating for real, Astrid is unsure if she is gay or just bi-curious. And with the looming knowledge that her parents and the residents of the small town will treat her differently, Astrid is not sure if she wants to do that.

But not being herself and hiding her true passions is not a good thing either. Will Astrid finally let her friends and family know? Or will she stayed locked away in a place where she has to give her love away to complete strangers because her closest friends are too small minded? Read Ask the Passengers by A.S. King to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
When I first started reading this, I didn't realize it was about LGBTQ. Goes to show how much I read the description, eh?

And at first I wasn't able to connect with the novel. Astrid is a bit weird, but she is also very lost, not knowing what to do with the person she is and the people she knows.

As I got more into the novel I found myself really wanting to know what happens, so I think this was a very good novel.

I liked the way that A.S. King portrayed Astrid. I also like how she created Dee as well, because Dee was already out and was pressuring Astrid to do the same. I think that is very realistic when a person is trying to find out if they are lesbian/gay or not.

While I have not read many LGBTQ novels, I am really glad that I picked this one up at my library to read.

I think that any girl would like this novel, even if they don't like girls. It tells about high school bullies, rumors, confusion, and loneliness, which every girl goes through at one stage or another.

Also, I've never read any of King's novels, even though she has a few out. I may have to pick another one of them up to see what else she has written about.

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

Growing up through foster homes has made Jane very leery and on guard. She doesn't trust many and can figure out if someone wants more than what they are saying.

It also made her work extremely hard to succeed and get an education to get out of the slums of town. So she was happy to get a scholarship at the Birch Grove Academy for Girls who has a prestigious reputation and mostly rich girls go there.

Right away the headmistress Mrs. Radcliffe took Jane under her wing and gave her clothes, food, and a place to stay.

And on the plus side, Jane got to tutor the headmistresses handsome son, Lucien - aka Lucky. But she also saw the other son, Jacob, or Jack, even though it seemed that he hated her.

With the two Radcliffe brothers stealing Jane's attention, she has to really focus and make sure that her grades didn't drop.

But things are very odd at Birch Grove Academy. And Jane is trust right into the weirdness of the history.

Not only does Jane have to adjust from living in the slums to having her own cottage on campus, but now the Radcliffe's are asking her to be a Companion - something that most would jump at the chance to be.

Jane, though, has always looked over her shoulder, and does intense research. When she starts looking into the past of two girls who disappeared from Birch Grove Academy, she realizes that everything is not as it seems. Can Jane get out of this situation before it's too late? Or will she decide to stay and be wanted for once in her life? Read Dark Companion by Marta Acosta to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This was an...interesting novel.

Jane has had a hard life. After her mom died when she was 6, Jane grew up in foster homes. The last place she was at she was there for 4 years before she was able to transfer to the Birch Grove Academy. But being in foster homes and living on the wrong side of the block made her very protective and she knew what to do to get out of horrible situations.

But the way Jane acted around Lucien and after she found out about their secret, I couldn't feel pity for Jane anymore. She ignored her own health and her own wants, thinking only of what would be best for Lucien.

Sounds good in theory, but this girl has been fighting for the past 4 years to get to a better place and she wanted to dehumanize herself just to be like the "rich" people.

Thankfully Jane came to her senses and redeemed herself in my opinion by the end of the novel, but throughout most of the novel I just kept shaking my head at her.

The two characters I loved were Mary Violet - one of Jane's new friends at Birch Grove Academy. She said the most random and hilarious things that I found myself laughing out loud.

The other character I loved was Jack. He was so random and extremely different from his brother. I couldn't wait for the next time he randomly popped up in the book to have an odd conversation with Jane.

So, this book just wasn't for me. But for anyone who wants a Dark Gothic novel about an orphan girl trying to find her way in life, I would definitely recommend it to you.

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Mary Zane

When she was younger, Mary grew up on Jar Island. She and a fellow classmate, Reeve, would take the ferry to the main land for school. You wouldn’t exactly call it a friendship since Reeve tortured Mary about being overweight, but they grew friendly since they had to spend so much time together.

Until Reeve did something so unforgivable and humiliating toward Mary that she finally left Jar Island. But now she’s back. Different than before and wants to make Reeve pay for what he did to her when they were younger.

Lillia Cho

Lillia always loved coming to Jar Island for the summer vacations and spending time with her summer friends that she finally convinced her parents to live their year round. She’s the popular girl, cheerleader, and her family is wealthy.

But when Lillia finds out that one of her friends, Adam, was seeing her younger sister, Nadia, in secret, along with doing something so horrifying, Lillia decided she was done with guys. That guys needed to pay for how horrible they treat girls.

Kat DeBrassio

Kat is considered “white trash” at school. She lives in the poorer part of town and everyone thinks she does drugs because of her older brother. Many don’t remember that Kat used to be best friends with Lillia and Rennie, until Rennie ditched Kat when Lillia came to live at Jar Island year round.

Many also don’t know that Kat spent a lot of her summer vacation hanging out with Alex Lindly – one of the “popular boys” who don’t associate with Kat during the school year. School isn’t exactly the best of times for Kat, so when Reeve says one too many untruthful statements, Kat decides to get revenge. Reeve will be sorry she was so mean to Kat all of these years after she’s done with her.

Read Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian to find out how each girl gets their revenge!

My Thoughts/Reflections

When I heard that Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian were writing a book together, I was so excited! I love both of their novels and knew that they were going to create an amazing book together – which they did!

This was a great novel. Each character has a reason for getting revenge and their back story, or flash backs, were a great key idea for the reader to really get to know the characters and see why they are ready to seek revenge.

I think my favorite girl out of the trio is Kat. She’s down to earth and fights for what she wants. She’s the one who initially came up with the idea to get back at the ones who tortured each girl. And I think I can relate to her out of the three of them.

The nice thing about this book is there are three girls, so the reader should have someone they can relate to. There are different situations for each girl: one fighting her weight, one living in a high class society – both at home and at school, and one trying to get through senior year so she can leave a prejudice island full of people who know everything about everyone.

This is part of a series and the authors do leave us at a little cliffhanger, so I’m excited to read the next book Fire with Fire sometime in 2013 (no date that I know of yet)!

Also, I labeled this book as a contemporary, which for the most part it is, but at the very end I think the authors are cooking up something supernatural? Maybe? I’m excited to find out more in the continuing books!

I would recommend this to every female reader. There are so many situations and events that happen that I think any girl can relate to and it is so well written that I flew through the book really fast!

Crash by Nicole Williams

Things haven't been going well for Lucy for a few years. And her senior year in high school is no different. She had to leave her prestigious private school, leave the house she grew up in, and move to the shabby beach house her parents bought awhile back to go to a public school, which has metal detectors at the doorway.

Not exactly what she had in mind for senior year.

But then she saw him. Jude Ryder. Bad boy to the extreme and for some reason kept attracting her attention whenever he was in the same room as her.

Only he was arrogant. The first words out of his mouth were, "I don't do girlfriends, relationships, flowers, or regular phone calls. If that works for you, I think we could work out something special."

So Lucy said no, she didn't want that. Which is how she got the one guy in all of Southpointe to get out of his 'use-her and lose-her' philosophy.

Now the whole school thinks she's either a slut or a magician, because Jude is not the same guy who left their school last year.

He pays attention to her, follows her to her classes, and is pursuing her rather than having Lucy chase after Jude.

But Lucy is unsure if her and Jude will work out. She needs to keep her nose clean because she wants to go to Julliard to be a dancer. She dances any type of dance, has since she was 3, and she's not going to chance losing that opportunity over a boy who has been to jail too many times to count and has dealt drugs, stolen cars, started fights, etc.

Only she can't stop thinking about him and when she's with him, everything just feels right.

Lucy has no idea what to do, and then the worst thing that could happen, happened.

It may be too much for Lucy and Jude to get past, because the event that unfolded 5 years ago has connected these two much more than they ever thought possible, or ever wanted to know about.

Can Lucy and Jude find a way to be together despite all odds? Or will it be too much for them? Read Crash by Nicole Williams to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Many reviewers have compared this book to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, and I can see the resemblance a little bit, but I don't think it was as great as BD was.

For some reason, the characters rubbed me the wrong way. Some of the things that occurred in the book didn't fly for me either.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great novel with unexpected twists and turns that made my jaw drop when reading them. But I felt like there was too much in one novel to really delve deep into the characters and that the reader only got the dramatic love you/can't stand you scenes.

Which is how Lucy and Jude's relationship was.

So anyway, Lucy is an okay character. She likes to self-doubt herself, likes to make excuses, and happened to date the wrong boy who had a dark past because she couldn't get over Jude and made a dumb decision.

Jude has had a harder life than Lucy maybe. So to say he's a troubled boy would be an understatement. And for some reason I absolutely loved him. He was possessive, angry (very, very angry), and reckless. But somehow he pulled it off.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I would give it a 2.5 rating, because I really loved it and I really hated it. Others who've read it have adored it, so I must be in the minority.

For anyone who wants to read a book somewhat similar to Beautiful Disaster, this might be a book you could try. I'm not making any promises, just a suggestion.

Also, there is a sequel coming out, Clash, in September 2012. So basically, now-ish. I might *might* get it to see how things go for Lucy and Jude now that they are in college, but I'm not sure if I will or not. Guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Echo Emerson
Before the incident, Echo had it all. She was part of the "it" crowd at school, ate with the most popular and most beautiful girl in the building, and had things going great for her.

But after the incident, she was regarded as a "freak", and where ever she went there were whispers about her and what she did.

Only 3 people know what really happened to her that last month of sophomore year.

And only 2 people know the details of that horrible night.

Echo is not one of them.

She has this void in her mind where she can't remember what exactly happened to her to give her the hideous scars running up and down her arms.

Echo wants to remember, but no one will tell her what happened. And no one was willing to ask her, what happened, until Noah came into her life.

Noah Hutchins
Noah is known as the "smoking-hot, girl-using loner" who wears the black leather motorcycle jacket. All the girls fantasize about him, but none want to be the next used one-night stand in his book.

But that is not the whole Noah Hutchins. Going from foster home to foster home has made Noah grow deep, tough skin. He doesn't care what others think of him.

Until he meets Echo.

After his new guidance counselor Mrs. Collins gives Noah an ultimatum, Noah and Echo find themselves together a lot.

This doesn't bode well for Noah as he needs to keep his eye on the prize, and Echo should not be his prize.

These two students are about to learn first hand that there is some truth to the phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Because neither Noah nor Echo are who they appear to be to the rest of the student body at Eastwick High. There are terrors so horrible that they may just need each other to lean on one another to survive the horrors that will come in the near future.

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. I have been reading great reviews about Pushing the Limits, and I was not disappointed!!

I read this book in one sitting. I didn't want to put it down when it was finished, but it had to happen. I absolutely loved this novel!

Not only does this novel have the typical high school setting where everyone's opinion matters and if you don't like it you're an outcast, but there is so much more to this book that makes the reader need to keep reading to unravel the next clue to both Noah and Echo's lives.

The situation with Echo is heartbreaking. She is so confused and wants answers, but finds road blocks at every turn. Following every rule her father makes, she never stops to think that maybe she can find the answers that she need on her own, until she meets Noah.

And Noah is so much older than his age. He has been through so much and he has grown up too quickly to just be a senior in high school. He's already making plans to take care of a family instead of doing what normal high school seniors are thinking about.

With the two back stories of Noah and Echo, the reader is zipping through this novel at a fast speed to figure out the troubled past that both Noah and Echo lived through.

It is dark and edgy, a roller coaster of emotion and romance that will leave the reader wanting more by the end of this novel.

I would most definitely recommend this novel to anyone! Boys and girls! And, this is through the viewpoint of both Noah and Echo, giving any gender of reader a chance to connect to the characters of the story.

I will now be recommending this to anyone that likes contemporary because I feel that this can open up reader's eyes to events that could happen and how the characters bravely fought their way through these challenges.

And, to make things EVEN BETTER, the author Katie McGarry is going to write an add on novel about a different side character that was introduced in this novel (Beth) called Dare You To, which will come out sometime in 2013.

I cannot wait to read more of McGarry's novels and she will definitely be on my "To Watch and Read" list for future novels from this great author!

Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Noelle doesn't like going to high school. Well, who does? But Noelle is one of the poorest students at this high school - everyone else is really rich, so she gets bullied and picked on.

But Noelle also doesn't like to be at home. Her mother always complains about work, she blames their poorness on Noelle, and doesn't leave any food for Noelle to make lunches.

So Noelle is stunned when gorgeous, rich, and nice guy Julian starts to talk to Noelle - and not to make fun of her or bully her. He actually talks about topics Noelle can relate to.

That all stops, though, when Julian asks her out on a semi-date and Noelle turns him down. But Noelle knows that once Julian finds out exactly what Noelle goes through between her mother and the bullying classmates, he won't want to be with her.

When a classmate that Noelle somewhat knew, Ali, commits suicide, Noelle realizes that she needs to start changing her attitude toward life. And to start sticking up for herself instead of letting the bullies get away with every mean thing they do.

But a life of being bullied puts pressure on a person. Can Noelle finally go after what she wants and stand up to the bullies? Or will she stay the same shy, timid, and scared person she's always been? Read Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This book has a great message to the readers. Bullying is a huge part of high school, no matter where you live and I think it's a great topic to write about and show the readers that anyone can find help they need when being bullied.

I'm just not sure that this was my favorite novel. It's a very short novel, just 202 pages, but it seemed to take me forever to get through it.

I loved how Noelle grew as a character and a person throughout this novel. She started to make more friends, found a group that she loved, and maybe found her lifetime goal career after she gets out of high school.

And I love her determination to her her friend, Sherae, after a bad relationship ended abruptly.

Just, for some reason, I found something to be lacking in this story. Nothing horrible, just something little that I was missing.

This topic can really be helpful to teen girls (or guys as well) who are bullied. I think that any teen reader should pick this up and read Noelle's story to see how well she grew throughout the last semester of one high school year.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The first day of high school is always a little intimidating and scary. New places to go, new upperclassmen.

It's torture for Melinda. She went to an after-summer party with a group of her friends before the school year started. As a freshman, she should be a nobody who has her middle school friends. But after that party, everyone in high school, from freshmen to seniors, knows her name.

She called the cops at the party and ruined it for everyone who was there. Some even got arrested.

But something happened at that party that made her call the cops.

Something she's never talked about. Not a single word to anyone.

So Melinda starts off high school as an outcast. A loner. She has no friends and a lot of the student body hates her on sight.

With all of the hostility toward her, Melinda starts to hide. She becomes mute. By not talking, she's able to hide in herself.

Her grades are going downhill, her parents are disappointed in her, and she's lost the will to live.

The only class that she's even remotely interested in is Art, but that doesn't help her GPA or her personal life.

When someone Melinda used to be close to was hanging out with the wrong crowd, Melinda felt she needed to come clean as to why she called the cops.

But after a whole year of silence, could Melinda finally speak up and tell everyone what really happened? Will anyone believe her after all of this time? Read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have been meaning to read this book for so long. I don't know why it's taken me so long, but I'm glad I finally bought it and read it.

This book is so profound. It's about a hard, harsh topic, but unfortunately it happens to high schoolers.

Laurie Halse Anderson did a wonderful job portraying an abused girl and hearing her side of the story. The writing was really well and it was worded like a 14 year olds thoughts and reasoning.

It was also something that a 14 year old should never have to go through.

Melinda made a shell of herself. She stopped talking, stopped caring. She felt like there was nothing left to live for. She had no friends and the one she made - a new transfer student - ditched her to join a more popular group. Everyone hated her for calling the cops and she was an outcast.

But she was still able to care for a person that she was close friends with in middle school. She was also trying to do what everyone wanted, while also feeling a fraction of who she used to be.

This was an amazing novel. I wish I would have read it sooner, but I'm glad that I finally bought it and added it to my personal collection.

I think all teen girls should read this. It can happen to anyone and reading through Melinda's story is not only informative but also eye opening and heart wrenching. The topic may be too mature for some parent's viewpoints of their daughters, but this book should be read by all at one point or another. I know that if I have a daughter, I will try to get her to read this book and have a detailed conversation about it after she's done to talk about what she should do if anything like this ever happens to her or any of her friend's.

Again, a great novel that I will not forget anytime soon.