Back to Reality, Danielle Allen

Received ARC of this book for an honest view.

After reading the first book in the Back to Life series I must say I was excited when Danielle asked me to review this one as well. I loved the first book, so I was nervous about the second; would it live up to my expectations? Would Sahara go for the Tyree the guy I was rooting for or would she go to Manny her childhood love?

I must say Danielle Allen didn’t disappoint me, throughout the book there was a good amount of drama, love and sex. Although I was kind of hoping in this book Sahara would be a bit of a stronger character she was still struggling to find herself and quite weak.

The relationship between Sahara and her best friend is back to what it used to be like, they are stronger than ever and even when Sahara runaway again she told her where she was going and what she was doing.

My favourite part of the book was near the end when Manny and Sahara sing a love song together, even though I was rooting for Tyree in that part of the book you could really feel the chemistry between the characters and see them both come to terms with their feelings.

What I did find about the book was that Sahara writing letters was a bit repetitive. I know that her therapist told her to write her feelings down in a journal, I just wish Sahara was strong enough to face people instead of hiding behind words, tell everyone to their faces how she really feels, because for me it was just a sign of how weak of a person she is and at the end of the book although she made a choice and is happy, the final letter made me feel as if she still had so far to come before she would be strong.

Overall I give this book 3.5* I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a great book.

For the Back to Reality Blog Tour

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 13

Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine

Fallen Crest Public (Fallen Crest Series #3)

Coming December 30, 2013

Sam's first day at Fallen Crest Public doesn't go well. Some girls want to be her. Some girls want to destroy her. And some just don't like her. All in all, despite being protected by Mason and Logan it's still only the strong survive. 

Sam will not only have to survive, she needs to learn how to conquer too, but there's another battle growing. Things are about to come to a disastrous end between the towns, Roussou and Fallen Crest. 

Sam's other main dilemma? 

Keeping Mason and Logan from getting arrested or hospitalized.

Add to your Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 12

Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine

Back to Reality (Back to Life #2), Danielle Allen

Coming December 1, 2013

Her past: Emanuel Mills was her first love. The guitar playing, adventure seeking, IT whiz was everything she ever wanted.

Her present: Tyree Barker was her last love. The cultured, educated, successful entrepreneur was everything she needed.

But when Sahara Lee's past and present collided, a series of events occurred that changed her life forever, leaving her future up in the air.

As a college freshman, a tragic accident changed the course of Sahara's life. Ten years later, just when she started putting her life back together, Sahara's world was rocked again due to a similar accident.

Heartbroken and guilt ridden, Sahara fell into old familiar habits before quickly realizing that she wasn't the same Sahara Lee anymore. Unable to live a lonely, loveless isolated life anymore, Sahara decided that the way she coped before wasn't going to work this time around.

Time didn't heal her wounds, but forgiveness might.

Add to your Goodreads

My review will be up on December 3rd 

Working It, Kendall Ryan

Amazon UK

Amazon US

ARC received by author for an honest review

‘Working It’ is about Ben a drop dead gorgeous male model and Emmy a southern bell from Tennessee, so obviously they fall in love.

I enjoyed this book, although I didn’t love it. In my opinion it wasn’t one of Kendall’s best pieces of writing and was quite short.  I loved the idea of Ben being a model, not a really rich business man like most erotic novels, and his description was mouth-watering. I think that if the book was longer his feelings towards Emmy and their relationship wouldn’t have been as rushed.

I liked Emmy’s character although I didn’t think she was very strong willed, she gave in very easily at every difficult situation, sleeping with him for the first time, the threesome and the baby, she debated it for a second and went crawling back to Ben every time, doing anything to please him. And as much as I enjoyed reading the scene with Bray I felt it was very out of place in the book, came out of nowhere and innocent southern Emmy went along with it as if it was a normal thing.

My favourite character at the beginning of the book was Fiona, I saw a lot of comparisons to Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada, however as the book went on she became a lot more desperate and to me her character changed a drastic amount, she went from this strong woman who runs a business, to this desperate woman who tries to manipulate Ben into loving her.

To me the book had a lot of potential, the characters were all amazingly written and the story line could have been great, but because the story was so short I didn’t think the relationships had enough time to grow and we were sort of being thrown from scene to scene. That being said I will be reading the next 2 books in the series to see what happens with Ben and Emmy and if Fiona continues to get in between them.

The book could have been better, but like I said I will be reading the next book in the Love By Design series, so I give this book a 2.5 star rating

Working It, Kendall Ryan is now....LIVE

Emmy Clarke is out of her depth in New York City's fashion world, but when she lands a job as an assistant at a modeling agency it seems like the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Working under the notorious Fiona Stone is a nightmare, but there's one distinct perk: ogling the ridiculously hot male models who parade through the office - particularly rising star Ben Shaw.

Ben is everything Emmy's not: exquisitely gorgeous, highly paid, and well-traveled. He's also got more issues than Vogue. Emmy looks after Ben on photo shoots, but she refuses to become another one of his lusting groupies. Ben find Emmy's refreshingly real attitude to be surprisingly attractive.  

Add to your Goodreads

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 11

Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine

Finding Me (Bad Boy #2), S.K Hartley

Coming January 27, 2014

Cover not yet released 

The lines are blurred between what is real and what isn't, the darkness that was once a place I feared was now a place of safety. If I stayed in the darkness, the hellish reality of what was truly happening no longer seemed real. 

But I was about to be pulled out from under the consuming blanket of dark shadows, and plunged into the murky depths of my past. I was about to be shown my demons and all it's evil sides, all of it's pain and grief. I could only hope I survive it. 

What happens when the world you once knew crumbles and falls at your feet?

Who will find me? Who will save me from my demons?

My dark prince or my white knight.

And will I find myself in the process.

Add to your Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 10

Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine

Girl In Love (Kylie Ryans #3), Caisey Quinn

Coming January, 2014

Cover not yet released 

Synopsis not yet released

Add to your Goodreads

Back to Life, Danielle Allen

Amazon USA

Amazon UK 

"Before you, I just existed. I didn't really live. I didn't really feel. I was going through the motions. And then I met you..." I stroked his face and gazed up at him. "And you brought me back to life."

Danielle Allen asked me to read the ARC of this book for an honest view. I didn’t read the synopsis or other reviews before reading it, so I did not know what to expect. I found that this book was extremely well written, captured by attention for the first page and held it all the way through. I couldn’t put it down, literally, I read it in a day, and by the end of it I had the biggest book hangover.

Back to Life is based around the main character Sahara, who pretty much ran away from home after an accident changed her life. 10 years after she finally started living again, thanks to Tyree ‘The Game Changer’

I have never felt so emotionally drained by the time I finished the book, and I just want to read the sequel to find out what happens. Danielle wrote the book from Sahara’s point of view, so when she was drawn to Ty, I felt like I was, the way she described situations, feelings, experiences was beautiful. The way she wrote Ty’s character had me rooting for Sahara to choose him from beginning to end. He was loving, funny, sexy and worked hard to get to where he is. The dream boyfriend.

However, it’s not all smooth sailing which kept me interesting, Sahara had to return home because of unresolved issues, and of course she sees her first love Emanuel, which turns her world upside down. I was not a fan of Emanuel from the beginning as I knew he was going to change things between Sahara and Ty.

The book ending on a cliff hanger destroyed me, I just wanted to read the happy ending for Sahara and Ty but I couldn’t as it hasn’t been written yet. Reading their love story in this book gives me hope that it will continue and survive in the book/s to come.

I would recommend this book to anyone, as I think it is suitable for all YA and Adult readers. I give this book a 5* rating, I was really impressed. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 9

Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine

Sentinel (Covenant #5), Jennifer L. Armentrout

Coming November 2, 2013

It's a beautiful day for war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

Add to your Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 8

'WoW' hosted by Breaking the Spine

Allegiant (Divergent #3), Veronica Roth

Coming October 22, 2013

One choice will define you. 

What if your whole life was a lie?

What if a single revelation - like a simple choice - changed everything?

What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power, struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known. Tris is ready. Perhaps beyound the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties and painful memories.

Add to your Goodreads

Soulmates, Holly Bourne

Amazon USA

Amazon UK 

Poppy is a 17 year old who doesn’t believe in love.

Noah is a heartthrob guitarist sleeping with women to fill a void.

I haven’t cried at a book in a long time, but the ending of this book broke my heart, I cried. I cried for the love that couldn’t continue and the love that had such potential. It is such a beautiful book and an amazing love story.

At the beginning I wasn’t took fussed about this book, Poppy seemed to annoy me because she was such a cynic; she hated clichés and the ‘norm’. She moaned a lot, especially about where she lived in ‘Middletown’ but as the book went on and she met Noah she got less annoying. I am not sure if it’s because her character changed so drastically and she became a cliché or if it was because I loved Noah.

From the Noah appeared in the book I loved him, he wasn’t afraid to tell Poppy how he felt even though she could throw it back in his face, he wasn’t scared of this unseen force pulling them together, he embraced it and wanted to be with Poppy, he loved her.

The friendship between Poppy and Ruth got on my nerves, I found myself kept wanting to shout at Poppy to just stop being friends with her; she was so snobby and slutty. Throwing herself at Noah in front of Will and Poppy was really low, but Poppy would just let it slide and I never understood why.

The ending of this book shocked me, I thought this would be a classic Young Adult love story and they’d live happily ever after, but I was so wrong. They were torn apart, unable to stay together because of what their love was doing to the world, the freak weather and power outages. I cried, I felt like their love was so strong and should have been able to overcome anything, but the one thing they couldn’t do was sacrifice the world so they could be together, and it was heart wrenching. Reading the letter Noah wrote to Poppy at the end honestly broke my heart, I woke up after reading this book feeling drained – honestly had a book hangover.

I enjoyed the storyline of this book, even though Poppy's character was annoying, it was well written. A real love story. I give this book a 3.5* rating.

Waiting on Wednesday 7

Only one 'WoW' this week

hosted by Breaking the Spine

Pretty Little Things, Teresa Mummert

Coming March 11, 2014

Annie grew up with a warped family who didn't shelter her from the horrors of the world. In fact, they threw it at her feet.

When she meets a boy who shows her affection shew struggles with feelings she had never experienced before. But her family is not willing to let her go easily.

Even if Annie is able to escape their control, the damage done to her will haunt her for the rest of her life.

Add to your Goodreads

Unravel Me, Kendall Ryan

Amazon USA

Amazon UK 

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi. “I will either find a way or make one"

This is the second book of Kendall Ryan’s I have read (The Impact of You was the first) and I loved it. I love how Kendall can write funny, sexual and meaningful life changing scenes all in one.

This book was different as it has Ashlyn Drake falling in love with amnesia patient ‘Logan’ who is on trial for murder. The whole storyline had me intrigued from the beginning, I kept wondering; how is Kendall going to make our hearts lie with a so called murderer? But let me tell you, by the second time you see him in the book you’re hooked.

My favourite scene was of course the famous tattoo scene Aut viam inveniam aut faciam tibi. “I will either find a way or make one" I love how books make things more believable, because in real life no two people would get this tattoo, in the exact same place in the same font. But when Ashlyn sees Logan’s it makes you believe that they are meant to be.

The book is extremely well written and just flows and I must admit I fell in love with Ashlyn; she is a smart woman getting her PhD so is obviously hard working and not afraid to go for what she wants. She also shows you how powerful and strong women can be without men, as well as seeing how broken and lost a woman can be with a broken heart.

This book has a bit of everything, loss, hurt, love, heartbreak, friendship and HOT sex scenes it really is an uplifting story when you finish the book, and everything is tied up in a perfect bow. The way Kendall writes their sex scenes is intense yet they are put in the book in the right place to in a way help the reader see the bond between them, see the connection of their relationship and the love that comes from them.

I really enjoyed this book and will carry on reading books by Kendall Ryan, I give this book a 4.5* rating.

COVER REVEAL & TEASER

Whats Left Of Me, Amanda Maxlyn

Book Summary

Life works in mysterious ways.

Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.

I refuse to cry.

And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.

He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.

But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.

Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.  

Teaser

I’m grateful when I reach the door to the ladies room that there isn’t anyone around. I reach for the handle when I hear from behind me, “Not going to use the men’s room again?” I know that sexy voice. It’s the same one as earlier this evening in this same area.

With my heart picking up pace, I turn around smiling sweetly, “No, I’m going to sit down and pee this time.” My smile spreads a little wider and I say a silent thanks to sweet baby Jesus for letting me find my voice this time.

He doesn’t respond. He just steps closer to me with the corner of his lips spreading upward.

I don’t breathe.

I can’t breathe. Not when he is this close.

God he smells amazing. Like a mixture of spice and mint. Maybe a hint of beer too. It's the type of scent that would awaken a primal desire within any female, and good God do I feel awakened.

“You ran off before I could thank you for the dance earlier.” No, thank you. His voice is a faint whisper and his face is now so close that our noses are almost touching. I glance down at his very attractive red lips just as the corners of his mouth move up into the most beautiful smile. Shit. He knows I’m looking at his lips.

I’m transfixed by him. In this very moment, I would do whatever he said or answer to any name he called; even if it was one of those fluffy names like baby or princess. All I can think about is the desire flowing through my body for those lips to be on mine. I would take him in this hallway. There I said it. Or, did I think it?

Do something.

Anything!

I look back at his lips. 

Waiting on Wednesday 6

I managed to narrow my choice down to one, so here's my 'WoW' 

hosted by Breaking the Spine

Storm Warning, Elizabeth Lee and Caisey Quinn

Coming December 12, 2013

Severe Storm Warning Tip #1:

Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #2:

If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepare to take shelter immediately.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #3:

They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.

Add to your Goodreads

Girl on Tour, Caisey Quinn

                                                                     Amazon USA

                                                                      Amazon UK 

Finally Kylie and Trace got together and even better Trace seems to be getting help for his drinking at the end of the first book, which made me want to read on, see them finally be happy together.

Once I read the first book I went straight onto the 2^nd without getting up for air, I just needed more Trace and Kylie in my life. 

I liked the storyline Caisey came up with for the sequel and I liked the new characters Mia and Lily (not so much Gretchen) I also liked Kylies even feistier attitude.

I was looking forward to seeing Trace and Kylie together happy, but obviously there is three box so that was never going to be the case and what happened was you very rarely saw them together at all because they were both on their own tours. But they seemed to make it work at the beginning with skype and phone calls, also planning to meet up when their shows were in the same area.

I liked Mia’s character and how bitchy she was and it was nice seeing Kylie around different people other than Trace and her best friend, you almost got to see a different side to her a girly side which was great.

I didn’t like Gretchen, only because of the drama she causes between Kylie and Trace, but as a character she is a great one and Caisey has written her really well. The alcoholism, but also her insecurities come out, and her bitchiness of course.

This book wasn’t so much about the music even though they were both on tour, there wasn’t many lyrics being shown in the book apart from the one Kylie, Lily and Mia wrote together to perform closing the show every night, which was a shame as I enjoyed that in the first book. But there was a lot more drama and arguments, which weren’t overdone and wasn’t too many, they were all different.

I cannot wait for the final book; I don't want to wait until January 2014! I give this book a 4* rating, it was good but not as good as the first.

Books Coming Soon: Carter Reed, Tijan

 

Carter Reed, September 30, 2013

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family's mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He's a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he's also Emma's secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she's the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

SNEAK PEEK

Girl with Guitar, Caisey Quinn

                                                                     Amazon USA

                                                                      Amazon UK 

Kylie Ryan’s has the dream of most Southern Girls who can sing, make it in the country music world and be as big as Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, after her father dying and her step monster kicking her to the curb she hops on a bus from Oklahoma to Nashville to pursue her dream. When she gets a lucky break and is given the chance to tour with Trace Corbin she can’t believe it.

Trace Corbin is a platinum selling artist in the country music world, but he is also a drunk, when Kylie joins his tour she calls him out on his shit, and he slowly falls for her, while pushing her further away at the same time.

Caisey Quinn had me with the opening page of this book and the plot was fantastic and I think it helped that I love country music and want to live in a southern state of America.  I loved the sexual, heated and argumentative tension between Kylie and Trace, Caisey wrote this book in a way that even though Trace is a major douche bag and an alcoholic you route for him and Kylie to get together. This book was also funny, there is one scene that stuck in my mind when Kylie plays Poker with Traces band mates and manages to swindle them out of $400 by pretending she doesn’t know how to play.

Trace has had a troubled past, but that does not excuse him for missing sound checks and sometimes shows altogether and Kylie being the spitfire she is doesn’t take it, because it’s not only his dream he’s ruining its hers. After a big blow up because Kylie had a glass bottle thrown at her because Trace was a no show, everything kicked off and Kylie told Trace exactly what was on her mind and something that was said must have changed something in him because the next night he was on stage performing.

“Damn, the boy could sing. And Lord, those jeans. Oh no. She was becoming a Trace Corbin fan girl. She could feel it happening and she was powerless to stop it.”

This book flowed great, and I enjoyed the battle Kylie was having with herself at times, not knowing what was going on in her head, because how could she be falling for Trace Corbin the biggest arsehole in country music? But sober Trace was making her lose her heart, the one who took her to see his family, had a mud fight with, lost her virginity too. But like every good book nothing lasts for ever and it all came crashing down.

I thought Kylie was a good strong female character, very admirable. Strong willed, talented, innocent, and not afraid to fight for what she wants and a right spitfire. The way she stands up to everyone is amazing. I didn’t like Trace at the beginning, I thought it was very cocky but when he started to sober up and Kylie was falling for him, I was falling for him too. I was so wrapped up in the book I was feeling what Kylie was feeling and I love that about books and I’m so happy Caisey made that possible.

The book being about country music, it of course contained music and the lyrics to songs that were written were included in the book which was fantastic, they felt like real songs and tied scenes together and tied up mood and feelings and were a big part of the book which I loved.

I loved this book and cannot wait to read the rest in the series, I give this book a 5* rating and I recommend this to anyone who wants to read a light hearted yet heart breaking love story.  

Fear of Falling, S.L. Jennings

Kami had her two best friends, they were her family. She didn’t need anyone else and in her eyes it wasn’t worth it, the pain of seeing them hurt when she couldn’t return their feelings.

Blaine has just got his life on track, owning Dive, he’s moved on from the playboy he used to be and is now just trying to survive.

I must say after reading some of the reviews for this book I was disappointed. I thought it was going to be amazing, and it had the potential to be, the storyline was a good one. However I found it so repetitive. And Blaine’s nickname for Kami was so fitting ‘Roadrunner’ because that’s what she spent the whole book doing, running away from her feelings, running away from her fears, running from her father.

I liked Blaine’s character but at the same time thought he was a bit silly sticking around trying to ‘save’ this girl he didn’t even know, she didn’t let him in enough to be able to love her in my eyes, all she did was push him away and he was always there when she came to her senses and came back to him, which I found was unrealistic.

I don’t even know where to start with Kami’s character, there was so much potential to make her character great, to show the reader how you can grow and change your life with the right people around you. But Kami’s character to me just seemed too weak, to scared, didn’t care whether she lived or died and I didn’t like that.

The ending of the book when it only took her 3 months after her father attacked her one last time, to finally get her life on track was a little farfetched. If anything she should have been more broken then she was at the beginning because it was a new opened wound, but she just got on with her life, living happily without Blaine after she sent him away, it just didn’t really add up to me. She had spent the whole book being broken and unable to love and be loved and she got over that so quickly without any help and after an attack that should have ruined her.

I feel that S.L. Jennings had such a good story line, but failed to make it as good as it could have been. I give this book a 1.5* rating.

Freebie 3

Choices, Sydney Lane

USA Link: http://www.amazon.com/Choices-ebook/dp/B00DK7EGCI

UK link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Choices-ebook/dp/B00DK7EGCI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1379504093&sr=1-1&keywords=choices+sydney+lane

Fate brought her here, but will her choices destory her dreams?

Quincy Priest made all the right choices in her small town, black-and-white life. But being perfect is tiring. So. Very. Tiring.

Wanting desperately to step out of her sisters shadow, Quincy jumps at the opportunity to attend college with her best friend. The quiet bookworm with family secrets comes out of her shell. But when Quincy meets not one, but two perfect guys, she has to make a choice. In doing so, she might forfeit the relationship she secretly longed to find.

Declan. Sweet, handsome, and perfect. He makes her feel cherished for the first time in her life.

Brody. Sexy, hot and irresistible. He could tear down her carefully built walls. 

Before she can become the woman she wants to be, Quincy will make mistakes. And suffer one unimaginable loss.