Monday, August 1, 2016

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover: Review & GIVEAWAY!


IT ENDS WITH US
BY COLLEEN HOOVER
"Colleen Hoover reminds readers that love is a fragile thing, built from courage, hope, and tears. Every person with a heartbeat should read this book."
– Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Visit www.ItEndsWithUsBook.com for teasers, tour dates and more.

ABOUT IT ENDS WITH US:
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all-too-human characters, It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

MY REVIEW: 
4 of 5 stars

 This book will linger...

It's an ironic title, "It Ends With Us." Its fancier than ironic; its incongruous, a paradox. This story will do anything but end. This book will linger. It's like tiny grains of sand you find in random places weeks after you return from the beach. It's a thought you have as soon as you wake up, but aren't even aware you're having it. And then once you realize it, everything comes crashing down. 

It will linger leaving an aftertaste of hurt, confusion, happiness, sadness. You'll want so badly to be happy. You should be happy. You're suppose to be happy. The ending was happy. It was. Right? 

It was ambivalent. 

From the very first scene at the restaurant, I knew where this story was headed, and I was scared. I was terrified. Some people have anticipatory anxiety. I had anticipatory emotions. However, what I didn't expect was the link created between my emotions and that of the victim. I didn't want to see the ugly truth. Even in this moment, my heart still clinches so tightly to the good, the excuses echoing in the back of my mind. It brought me to a level of understanding that I never wanted to experience. I wasn't just a reader looking in, I was caught right in the middle of wanting something that I knew I shouldn't. Those wants still haunt me, the "buts" the "what ifs." I'm weaker than Lily because I still haven't let it go. It's like being caught in a storm of desperate rationalization. 

Part of me wishes I could have been more invested in the relationship between Lily and Atlas; there was so much depth to this story that could have been explored. I honestly feel they needed an entire book just to develop their foundation. It was difficult not being able to experience their story first hand. I think maybe that's why I was able to invest so much more into Lily and Ryle. Or maybe this was just how things were suppose to be. Maybe this is why it's so painful. So real.

I wouldn't call this book a love triangle, but two relationships paralleling each other. The names of the characters were a little distracting at first, but are overshadowed later by an emotionally poignant love story. Two different types of love stories. Love in a way you haven't experienced before.

This book pulled me out of my comfort zone, and won't easily be forgotten. 

READ ON!!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Please visit ColleenHoover.com.

FIND COLLEEN ONLINE: 
Website
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Grab your copy of IT ENDS WITH US:
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 THE GIVEAWAY
 #ItEndsWithUs 

Enter the Rafflecopter  to win a signed copy of IT ENDS WITH US and a limited edition Everything’s Better in Boston magnet (trust us, you’ll get it after you read the book)! (3 prize bundles in total) Contest is open until August 26th. 
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TOUR DATES

BOSTON, MA
Tuesday, August 2nd
BROOKLINE BOOKSMITH
7:00 PM
279 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02446

MADISON, NJ
Wednesday, August 3rd
SHORT STORIES COMMUNITY BOOK HUB
7:00 PM
23 Main Street
Madison, NJ 07940

NEW YORK, NY
Thursday, August 4th
STRAND BOOK STORE
7:00 PM
828 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

CINCINNATI, OH
Friday, August 5th
JOSEPH-BETH BOOKSELLERS
7:00 PM
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208

CHICAGO, IL
Saturday, August 6th
ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP
2:00 PM
Meiley-Swallow Hall
On the campus of North
Central College 31 S Ellsworth Street
Naperville, IL  60540

LOS ANGELES, CA
Sunday, August 7th
CHEVALIER’S BOOKS
6:30 PM
126 N. Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004

PHOENIX, AZ
Monday, August 8th
CHANGING HANDS BOOKSTORE
7:00 PM
6428 S. McClintock Drive
Tempe, AZ 85283

HOUSTON, TX
Tuesday, August 9th
BARNES & NOBLE – Town & Country
7:00 PM
12850 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77024

DALLAS, TX
Wednesday, August 10th 
HALF PRICE BOOKS
7:00 PM
5803 E. Northwest Hwy
Dallas, TX 75231 
www.halfpricebooks.com

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Friday, July 8, 2016

NEW REVIEW: Atticus by Leslie Fear

AtticusAtticus by Leslie Fear
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

He knew me from the moment I stepped through the broken window.

Studying me.

Watching me.

Changing me.

I was unaware of him at first; my life was too out of control to notice. The constant moving and lack of money after Mom divorced Dad was turning her into a different person. All she did was drink and she was now this angry person I didn't want to know.

But once I stepped through the window inside that house, I could feel the peace surrounding me. Hugging my body as if it had arms. Protecting me. Loving me. It was like the house knew what I craved and it felt too good to question any of it. So I went back, day after day. I hungrily guzzled up the euphoria like a raging alcoholic, reaching for another drink.

Just like my mother. 

 My Review
It has been way too long since I've read a good Paranormal book. I was so excited to read Atticus. GAHHHH....that synopsis.

It was good, a solid three stars. It started out strong, teasing me with vagueties (yes it's a word if I say it's a word) and intrigue. It was extremely creative, and kept me engaged the entire time. I was entertained, but it didn't really go further than that. Atticus pulled me along a little too fast. Even though it is a full length novel, it read more like a novella. There were so many amazing aspects of this story that could have been developed a little bit deeper. The characters, the history of Atticus, the romance. Without truly developing the quality of the story, there were so many random coincidences that just seemed to be thrown in. Mrs. Stephens' involvement was crucial, but it seemed to come out of nowhere, and the ending wrapped up way too quickly. Even in the end, it was hard for me to tie everything together. However, the cliffhanger has me believing that this book has just scratched the surface of what's to come. I'm excited to see where this story is headed, and I definitely need more Brad (love me some Brad). Despite my critiques, what the author did give me was enough to make me want more, to need more development. To crave more story. That right there, is what a good story is all about.

This story is perfect for any paranormal fan that it looking for something a little on the lighter side. A quick read, wrapped in a lot of mystery.

READ ON!!

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Sunday, February 14, 2016

F*ck Love Valentine GIVEAWAY: Win a signed copy of F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher

F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks

Helena Conway has fallen in love.
Unwillingly. Unwittingly.
But not unprovoked.
Kit Isley is everything she’s not—unstructured, untethered,
and not even a little bit careful.
It could all be so beautiful … if he wasn’t dating her best friend.
Helena must defy her heart, do the right thing, and think of others.
Until she doesn’t.

MY REVIEW
Well, she’s done it. Fisher has definitely caught me off guard with F*ck Love.

Based on the title, I guess I was expecting the literary version of angry indie chick rock, extremely well written angry indie chick rock, but an anti-love anthem of devastating proportions. I was definitely anticipating a book to tear my heart to pieces; pieces I was pretty sure Fisher would stomp all over. Twice. With heals

That wasn’t this book.

That wasn't this book in all the best ways. I entered F*ck Love with a bad case of anticipatory anxiety. I was afraid that I would be forced prompted to fall in love with something unobtainable. Forced to feel and desire something so badly, only to be denied. She would force me to want. Want something I knew I couldn't have. This is the Fisher way.

But not the F*ck Love way.

What I discovered reading F*ck Love, was an author in a completely different place in her life. It is no secret that Tarryn Fisher's words emulate real life. Her own personal experience breathes life into her characters, a catharsis of even the blackest parts of her soul. Her writing is her vulnerability, and her strength. But F*ck Love contained a glimpse of light that I've never seen in any of her other novels.

This book was emotional and intense, but I didn't feel like my heart was chained to a lead weight drowning in a chasm of anger and bitterness.

Don't get me wrong, that crushing feeling of honest and raw emotion is the very thing I love most about Tarryn Fisher novels, but this was something different all together. This was a reflection of a totally different person.

It was true. It was real. It was Fisher.
"You want to be you," he says.
"And that doesn't offend me."
I felt like she finally gave us her best version of a happy ending.

I was a little indifferent about things that transpired leading up to the end, the book taking an unforeseen turn. Specifically the addition of a secondary character which would unconventionally link this novel with others. This character was definitely intriguing, but something about it just didn't fit with this story. It was definitely creative and unexpected, but something about it lacked cohesion with what I had read up to that point. I didn't not like it, but like I said.....indifferent. I was also left with quite a few unasnwered questions, a few loose ends to be tied up, but instead I was left with a rushed sense of incompleteness.

Even though the main characters of F*ck Love reflected similarities of other characters found in previous Tarryn Fisher novels, the overall feel of this book was unique from anything the author has written before. She consistently uses her ability to weave profound feelings into actual thoughts. She is an artist.

If you are looking for something different in the world of Tarryn Fisher, this is it.
"The truth is often angry."
READ ON!

THE GIVEAWAY
*Open to US residents only
*Easy one click entry using rafflecopter
*Several ways to earn bonus entries
*One winner will receive an autographed paperback copy of F*ck Love

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Monday, February 1, 2016

NEW REVIEW: Beautiful Burn (The Maddox Brothers Series #4) by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Burn (The Maddox Brothers, #4)Beautiful Burn by Jamie McGuire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Lp6JYg
Google Play: bit.ly/1Ncb8i1
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1I4LScs
B&N: http://bit.ly/1T59ioP
iTunes: http://apple.co/1TKgDd4
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1LroGFq


Fresh out of college, Ellison Edson has fallen through the cracks of rock bottom. While staying in her family’s vacation home in Colorado, her behavior has finally gained the attention of her parents—but not in the way she hoped. Cut off from the millions she’s always taken for granted, and left alone to fend for herself, Ellie spirals further out of control, making a mistake she can’t take back.

Like his twin brother Taylor, Tyler Maddox is a member of the Alpine Hotshots, fighting wildland fires on the frontline. As arrogant as he is charming, Tyler’s nomadic lifestyle makes it easy to contain his relationships to one night. When he meets Ellie at a local party during off-season, her extreme personality and dismissive attitude fascinates him at first, but as his feelings deepen, Tyler realizes that the crippling inner demons of the woman he loves might be the strongest enemy any Maddox has ever faced.

 A leap of faith...

 I am going to be gratingly honest when I say that after the first few chapters, I was done. Done. Ellison was not a character I wanted to read about. I had no desire to continue. However, I decided that I needed to stop and decompress before doing anything rash. So I did. I set the book aside, and after much deliberation decided that Jamie McGuire has more than earned my trust over the years. I owed her some blind faith. It was time to take a leap.

 So I lept.

I lept right into Tyler Maddox.

Next to Travis, I am almost certain that Tyler has to be my favorite Maddox brother. Yes, I just went there. There was a unique softness to Tyler that I never picked up on with any of the other brothers. Yes, they all have huge hearts wrapped in tattoos, but Tyler was different. Tyler is different. He didn't need a woman to tame his wild Maddox ways. He had already grown into that man. In Tyler, being a Maddox wasn't a characteristic, it was a quality.

 Ellie took a lot more time to win me over. I realize now that Jamie McGuire very much intended for me to feel all sorts of hostile disdain for Ellie in the beginning. We were suppose to see her at her worst, and it was bad. So bad, it made me not want to read anymore. Definitely a new meaning to the phrase, "rock bottom." I'm so glad I didn't give up. Her growth was amazing. However, since the book encompassed such a huge amount of time, requiring large time gaps between scenes, it was sometimes hard not to see her initial transition as rushed. I kept on having to remind myself about the passage of time.

This was a reoccurring problem for me throughout the book. The big gaps sometimes gave the essence that something was missing, and I missed it. I missed the in between.

I guess it's always a problem of wanting more.

Speaking of more. My absolute favorite part about this novel was the time Ellie spent with the Hotshots. I cherished every moment. I would have loved more, more, more of this. There was so much this book had to include, so I understand things having to be scaled down, but I would have loved more scenes of Ellie and her boys. More scenes of Ellie at the fires. Seriously, I could read a whole book about Ellie and the Hotshots. When they all stood up for her at the bar, I died. I seriously died in a gooey puddle on the floor, and I might have even clapped. I just loved everything about this, them....the whole thing. Loved!!

 The end was a bit rushed for me and I seriously could have done without the whole Paige drama, but Tyler and the Hotshots made everything worth it. Tyler's unconditional heart is what made this book so special. Hell, Ellie even won me over in the end, but it was Tyler that held everything together. I'm so glad I lept.

READ ON!!

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Saturday, December 5, 2015

New Review: Outspoken by Lora Richardson

OutspokenOutspoken by Lora Richardson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Summary
Penny Beck is a girl who says yes when she means no. She keeps to herself, follows the rules, and does what she's told. After a disastrous experience with her boyfriend, she's determined to change from the spineless person she's always been into the strong woman she wants to become. All she needs is a little practice. On a cross-country trip to check on her grandpa, she strives to become bolder and more outspoken with the strangers she meets. Penny's plan is to practice saying and doing what she wants without worrying about what anyone else thinks. Then she meets Archer, an introspective loner to whom she finds herself drawn. She realizes she does care what he thinks, very much. Will Penny be able to stick to her plan, or will she revert back to her people-pleasing ways?

 Review

I almost fell....

Throughout the entire story, I was on the precipice of a cliff, coming dangerously close to falling in love with this book. Don't get me wrong, just because I didn't fall doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading Outspoken. In fact, it has been far too long since I've engaged in a good ole contemporary YA-romance. I definitely enjoyed the experience.

At first, the book started off a little slow, I felt like too much was being told to me. I wanted to actually be involved in the story, but once the story finally engages the reader, the momentum definitely picks up.

What was expected to be a story about a character's self discovery ended up being more about the relationship between Penny and Archer. However, I was completely and totally okay with this. I loved the slow development of their relationship. You definitely see something there from the start, but you get to experience it's growth.

There were also some great secondary characters; Penny's grandpa, George Baker (whom I lurved so much), Marissa, Mike...the list goes on. However, it was almost too much. With the addition of so many characters, I felt the author tried to tackle too much in one story. I kept wanting the focus back on Penny and Archer. With so much going on, I felt like some scenes were almost cut short. I was left thinking, "That part's over? What happened?" I can't help but feel that the shortened scenes were necessary in order to address all aspects of the story. I guess I just wished there was more focus.

Even in the end, after the last page, I was left with a bit of disappointment. "It's over?.....It can't be over." It just felt cut short. However, the author should feel proud that she created something special between Archer and Penny that had me craving more, I just wish I would have gotten it.

Definitely a unique YA-experience for those who need a fix.

READ ON!

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Review: Dare Me by Stella Rhys

Dare MeDare Me by Stella Rhys
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Links:
Goodreads
Amazon: Free with kindleunlimited

Summary  

 CALLUM

Lake and I never had a chance at normal. She was drop dead gorgeous from day one - our maid's granddaughter who became my mother's spoiled living doll. I hated that girl with all my heart and at the same time, I worshipped every inch of her skin, every word that she spoke. I lived for her and the twisted game of truth or dare we created to feed our f***ed up needs for shock, shame and one-upping each other. Lake was my drug, my bad lifestyle choice.

And I'd fallen in and out of love with her a thousand times till the day she disappeared.

LAKE

I know I ruined Callum Pike and going back to New York may be the worst decision I've ever made, which is saying a lot. But I'm willing to risk it. I never wanted to leave and now that I can, I'm going back - to be with the man I made, who made me. I know I screwed him up. I know he's hardened and become cold. I know the love we had is gone. But I need him now more than ever and no matter how much it hurts, no matter what kind of sick or satisfying way he decides to torment me, I'm going to fight through it.

I'm going to repent for the way I broke him and I'm going to find the Callum Pike I loved again - even if it tears me apart.

 Review

Not your typical 2 star book....

This review has been one that I have been agonizing over for weeks. There are so many pieces of this book that deserve more than just two stars, but in its entirety I was overwhelmed by other aspects that prevented me from truly loving this novel.

The prologued showed so much promise. I was truly engaged in the backstory. I spent most of the beginning wishing that I was able to experience the things I was being told about. Later, we experience some parts through flashbacks, but ultimately the past consisted of nothing more than just a brief glimpse here and there. However, I latched on to these moments and ached for more.

I found myself so caught up in the past, that it was hard for me to be present. It was the origin of Lake and Callum's relationship that had me so engaged. The love, the tension and intensity; this is the type of relationship that great stories are built upon. Their foundation was unique, twisted, full of passion and ultimately my favorite thing about this story. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel the same about the present. I felt more lust and eroticism than I did love, and the drama that transpired after Lake and Callum reunited was generic compared to the backstory.

If the author ever decides to write a prequel, a novel dedicated to the beginning. A story devoted to developing those brief glimpses into the past, I would definitely be the first one in line to read it.

READ ON!

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