Three Reviews, Three Stars and one really messed up ending!

Every Rose by Lynetta Halat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What do you do when you realize you were foolish enough to throw away true, unconditional love?

Lorraina Dabney turns her back on her creativity and tumultuous upbringing to embark on a college career that will lead her to law school and to becoming what she values most in life—a controlled, powerful, respected woman. When she stumbles upon her childhood friend's artwork, she feels inspired to reconnect with him and her former self. This onslaught of emotion will send Lorraina in a tale-spin to figure out exactly why she abandoned all that she was, all that she could've been.

Coming from his own chaotic upbringing, Michael falls quickly and deeply in love with Lorraina at a tender age. Even her rejection can't stand in the way of his obsession. When she starts to date other boys, however, Michael finally relents, causing him to spiral further into a world filled with violence, drugs, alcohol, and women. Realizing this lifestyle will only lead to his further estrangement from Lorraina, Michael sets about to turn himself around before going to get his girl.

Michael Bang will have Lorraina questioning everything.

I debated long and hard on how to rate this one. Long and hard...hard and long. As I click the keys with bipolaric indecision, I'm still unsure.

I think my biggest problem with this book was the dialogue. The story, I really liked. The dialogue? I just can't get past it. Lorraine's voice seemed naive and immature. Michael, he seemed to be talking out of a Thesaurus. The words just didn't seem to fit the characters. They were forced, unnatural, and at times melodramatic. I even cringed during the boyfriend/girlfriend "talk". It was painful to read.

But did it ruin the book? I don't think so. However, it did keep my stars in check. I thought the story lying underneath was truly worth my time; it just needed to be executed better.

Now here's where my recommendation gets tricky. The ending! Holy shit-kabob, the ending. An experience that put me through the emotional ringer. She--they--she made him...no she didn't. She did!! I respect the life out of Lynetta Halat for taking the road less traveled. Hell, for taking the road that's closed for construction. She broke away from the obvious, the expected. She wasn't afraid to throw a curve ball and hit the reader right in the face. She showed no mercy and it was fabulous. If she would have drawn out and played with those emotions a little longer, the book would have been greatly improved.

The issues I had with execution and dialogue, were almost redeemed by the direction she took with the ending. She did what most authors are afraid to do and she emotionally pissed off the reader. I loved it!!!

With the emotional face plant you'll take in the end, this really is a great find; it's almost worth it, but the writing needs work. Enough work where I can't give it more than three stars. However, I can't count it out. If you're a reader that's able to overlook the exterior and see the story underneath, you will not have a problem, because the story isn't the problem.

It could honestly go either way.

READ ON!

  Summer's Desire by Olivia Lynde
 My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A girl who has lost her voice, and a boy who carries a world of anger bottled up inside. A girl haunted by soul-crushing guilt and regret, and a boy who knows he can't afford    the weakness of feeling—not if he is to survive.

Summer and Seth meet by chance and become unlikely friends. In each other, they find a safe haven... and respite from the darkness haunting them both.
Until they are betrayed.

Can they ever regain their friendship? And if they do, can they trust each other enough to take the biggest risk of all: falling in love?

Best friends falling in love is my aphrodisiac, my oyster, my silver bullet with rechargeable batteries. It's that one thing that gets me going every time. I can't resist.

So how come I didn't five star this jack rabbit??

I wanted to, I did. It started off strong....very strong, but....but....I don't know. It was good. No really; I enjoyed reading it, but it had some flaws that kept it from pulling in those extra stars. Flaws that didn't make this a bad book, or a waste of time, but flaws that had me swallowing my OMGs.

Like I said, I loved the beginning! However, I did find the voice of Seth and Summer as children a little aged; grownups trapped in children's bodies. I know their tragic lives caused them to grow up way too early, but it still seemed a bit misplaced. Even when they meet again five years later as teenagers, their dialogue was a little cheesy and unrealistic, but either way I loved their story!

I loved their connection. I loved Seth's deep seated need to protect Summer. I LOVE IT WHEN CHILDHOOD FRIENDS FALL IN LOVE!!

Olivia Lynde very much has a voice that mimics Kirsty Moseley. Fans of The Boy Who Sneaks In My Bedroom Window and Always You will really enjoy Summer's Desire. However, like Kirsty Moseley books the plot does get a little implausible and drawn out at times, but you're still drawn in. Even while writing this review and remembering Seth and Summer's story, I question my rating. I almost want to throw in more stars...almost. I'm torn really. There's enough things I loved that almost gave me beer goggles to its faults, but in the end I sobered up and realized that even though I wasn't in love with this book. I enjoyed my time with it.

READ ON!

  In the Air by Crystal Serowka
 My rating: 3 of 5 stars
  
It all began on a New York City sidewalk. It was so surreal. Juilliard, the enormous brick building that held my dreams and the possibilities of my future. I was prepared for the challenges ahead. What I didn’t expect was to lose my focus the second I met him. Living the dance was no longer the only important thing in my life.

The City opened my eyes, but he transformed me.

Two dancers. One big city. He was determined to make a new start. She was ready to make it in the ballet world. Neither expected love to play a part in achieving their dreams. They also didn't expect it to be so destructive. Samson and Natalia took the leap anyway, not worrying about the fall.

I have a guilty pleasure for dance movies, Center Stage, Step Up, Dirty Dancing...you name it!! I'm even obsessed with the Australian TV show Dance Academy...obsessed! SAMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when I opened In the Air I was met with the same excitement as I feel when I sit down to watch one of those movies. The excitement and smell of dance in the air. However, I didn't feel like I had time to fall in love with the story. The many point of views? Too many voices that took away from the development of the main characters. The book was over too quick and I wanted more time, needed more time to become part of the book.

It was a good book paced to perfection, but it was like being stuck on a plateau. I wished for more drama, more peaks. I even felt like the story was devoid of a real climax...a BOOM! Everything just happened so fast and then it was over. I felt like I was wham bam thank you mam'd!! It was over before the condom wrapper hit the floor. I felt very much the same way that I do after reading a novella.

I really enjoyed the characters and the story, but I needed more of it, more story. I felt like the story had all the potential in the world, but it needed to be taken further. I wish the author would have done more with it. I almost feel like this book would have been so much better as a movie, if that makes any sense at all. Perhaps the visual might have made the story come more alive. Who knows.

However, if you love dance and are looking for a quick read, In the Air is for you.

READ ON!

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