Review: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

The Vincent Boys
by Abbi Glines
Publisher: Hot Key Books (UK) / Simon Pulse (US)

Release Date: November 2012

Format: Paperback, 257 pages

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him. 

 Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no. 

 Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist...

I don't usually do 'cover thoughts' but I cannot resist this time. I'm sure we've all seen some impressive looking cover models (Daemon from Obsidian!!) but I think I've found the HOTTEST cover model I've seen to date. Check out the sexy and badass looking guy on the left; one look at him and I've literally melted into a puddle! Gosh, I can stare at him all day...

ANYWAY, onto my review :)

Holy hell, that was one steamy and emotional rollercoaster! Honestly, the first quarter wasn’t all that great, but come the halfway mark and I was completely hooked. Oh Beau, why do you only have eyes for Ash? *sigh* I’m so envious of her! The Vincent Boys is officially my new guilty pleasure; I shall be re-reading it any chance I have :)

I have to admit I was pretty well…*disturbed* and very disappointed with Ash and Beau’s actions while Ash’s boyfriend Sawyer was away during the Summer. I can usually tolerate cheating in books (I didn’t bat an eye when I read The Last Sacrifice) but this time? I was upset with how Ash and Beau cheated behind Sawyer’s back.  Having said that, as the story progressed, I did start to like Ash and Beau more and their indiscretions in the earlier part of the book started to slowly disappear from my mind as I became more invested in their story.

Ash is, for the most part, a likeable character but she can also be exceptionally annoying at times. Sometimes she’d be really considerate of those around her, especially Sawyer and Beau’s friendship, but at other times, I’d find her a little self-centered and on more than one occasion I rolled my eyes in annoyance with the way she handled things. Then there were times I wish she’d unleash this other side of her that she’s been hiding for so long; this other side where she isn’t afraid to talk back to others and vocalise her exact thoughts. I’m happy to say though, by the end of the book, her actions- especially her willingness to let go- really moved me :)

As for the Vincent Boys, Beau is hands down my favourite of the two.  (If I wasn’t married to Noah Hutchins I’d totally pounce on him!) Beau is the town’s bad boy while Sawyer is quite literally, the town’s Prince Charming. Polar opposites, eh? No one messes with Beau, and if Prince Sawyer says one thing, no one dares to oppose. The majority of the book, my heart was with Beau, but towards the end, I started liking Sawyer as well. The ‘perfect’ Prince whom I found exceedingly boring for ¾ of the book did indeed impress me with his actions and words at the end! Now I can’t wait for him to find his other half :) (*cough*Lana*cough*)

Abbi Glines has undoubtedly left a favourable impression on me with her novel, The Vincent Boys. It’s my first book by her and it definitely won’t be my last. It’s steamy, sexy and riveting with an emphasis not only on love, but friendship.  At times it’s hilarious, others it’s heart-breaking, but most of all, it’s fun. The Vincent Boys is not to be missed! 

A massive thank you to Five Mile Press for providing a copy of The Vincent Boys for review!

Showcase Sunday 27-01-13

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky @ Books, Biscuits and Bites. Inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and The Story Siren, the aim of this meme is to showcase our newest books!

A very small book haul this week, but a fantastic one nonetheless :) 

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

APOLLYON! AHDSAUHDUIHAD MY LIFE IS OFFICIALLY COMPLETE. I haven't been able to read much unfortunately since I've been glued to the TV watching Australian Open :) Usually it's books > tennis but...I never miss the Aussie Open finals soooo...Apollyon will have to wait :P But I've already started and it's AMAZING at the moment! I just...hate Seth so much :/ 

Smitten: Unlucky Break by Kate Forster

This is a new YA/New Adult series published by Hardie Grant Egmont. I think there will be 3 more books in the Smitten series coming out soon :) I finished reading this yesterday, and it was surprisingly very enjoyable! I can't wait for the next 3 books<3

A massive thank you to Spencer Hill Press and Hardie Grant Egmont for the above awesomeness<3

What did you receive in your mailbox? Leave links!

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

The Sea of Tranquility 
by Katja Millay 
Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: June 4th, 2013

Format: Paperback, 448 pages

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk. 

 Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. 

 All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. 

 Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to. 

 The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

This was such a magnificent read :) I was so glad to have a whole day of free time, during which I didn't leave my iPhone (I read it on that) for one second except for dinner and such. I've read so many disappointing books lately, so I was so ecstatic when I finally found one that I wholeheartedly enjoyed!

Nastya, the girl who lost herself...

A broken soul, tormented by her past, she lives for the day when she can face the person who damaged her, and pay him in kind. Her vendetta is what keeps her living in this world. Once a talented musician, now, she can never play the piano again after her left hand was painstakingly crushed. As soon as I read the first word, I immediately sympathised with her; she's literally a walking zombie. How could someone so young carry the burden of something so devastatingly huge?  I can't say I loved her as a character since she made so many selfish and unreasonable decisions, but I was able to overlook them. It was impossible not to feel for her when so much pain was radiating from her. 

Josh, the boy who lost everything and everyone...

Josh is a character who is easy to love and understand. Like Nastya, he's also suffered a great deal for someone so young.  Josh likes to be left alone, and it's understandable as everyone around him has passed away over the years. He isn't the "hot, sexy" guy that has captured so many hearts, but it is his strong and caring heart and his considerate personality that makes it impossible not to fall for him. He's given Nastya a place to belong, a place where she can escape her past and look forward to the future. 

"I know at that moment what he's given me and it's not a chair. It's an invitation, a welcome, the knowledge that I am accepted here. He hasn't given me a place to sit. He's given me a place to belong."

His thoughtfulness and his pure love for Nastya has made him one of my favourite characters in YA fiction :)

Drew, the sweetest best friend....

Drew is another character who's different from what he seems. Drew has the reputation of a playboy; he's incredibly good looking, and girls obviously flock around him like moths to a flame. He's a character who's burdened by his reputation and what everyone thinks he's supposed to be doing as opposed to what he wants to do. No one knows that Drew is actually kind, loving and possibly the most caring friend in the world; he's stuck by Nastya and Josh's side throughout the entire book! His humour and hilarious innuendos gave the otherwise deep and serious story a lighthearted feeling and I loved how his snarkiness is also what brings Nastya and Josh joy and laughter :) Oh, and I believe Drew will make one of the best, most persuasive lawyers in the world. His unbeatable debating skills are so amazing!

A beautiful love story that is not meant to be...

While I was reading, I had this "love-hate" relationship with the romance. It was beautiful how their love slowly developed but I wish their scenes together as a 'couple' were longer...I guess it was understandable why the two were hesitant to recognise their feelings for one another; one's damaged to the point she's past caring about anything, and the other is afraid to let anyone get close to him, because they all end up leaving. It was so heart-breaking to read about their feelings for each other through their respective POVs, but unable to act on it. Still..I absolutely love these two :) 

It's beautiful. It's heart-breaking. And above all, it teaches us about forgiveness. Those who enjoy contemporary novels, and even those who don't, I would hand this to you on a silver platter, because you must read it!

 A massive thank you to Atria Books for providing a copy of  The Sea of Tranquility for review! 

Review: Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Spark
by Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington (US) / Allen & Unwin (AU)

Release Date: August 28th, 2012 (US) / October 2012 (AU)

Format: Paperback, 345pages

EARTH. FIRE. AIR. WATER. 

 He could feel flames coming through the floor, looking for him. Sparks and ash rained down. He wasn't going to make it. He was going to fail. Again. Then a hand closed over his wrist and pulled, hard. 

 Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. So when an arsonist wreaks havoc on his town all the signs point to Gabriel. 

 Layne is strangely drawn to him. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

 Gabriel can’t let Layne know that the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking. 

 THE FUSE IS LIT…

Sexy, exciting and thrilling, Spark is even better than Storm! I'll admit; when I read Storm, Gabriel was never my favourite Merrick brother- it was a toss up between Nick and Chris, but after reading the awesomeness that is Spark, I think Gabriel may be favourite Merrick brother now :)

 To everyone who first meets Gabriel, he'll come across as a douche. Admittedly hot, but certainly acts like a jerk to everyone. But deep down, Gabriel's still a boy; he craves what all humans crave for, whether it be love, closeness, friendship,he craves them all. Yet, the side he displays to the public is merely a mask to disguise his pain deep inside. It was so much easier to understand him, and the reasons behind his actions while reading Spark! I guarantee you'll begin to see Gabriel in a new light regardless of whether you liked him to start off or not :)

Laney, the love interest in this book is a character I liked from the very beginning. Upon first glance, they seem to be from different worlds; he, the hot, popular sport star who receives more attention than is needed, and she, a quiet, straight-A student who goes by unnoticed everyday, Yet, once you peel off the barriers, there's more in common between the two than anyone would've imagined. I absolutely loved the deep and meaningful romance that blossomed between the two! It felt so real, and so heart-warming every time a scene featuring these two came up, I was all giddy inside!! Seriously LOVE THESE TWO!!!

While I was certainly enamoured with the main characters, I have to admit the secondary characters weren't exactly likeable. It's probably because the majority of the time everyone else kept thinking Gabriel is such a jerk and that he purposely ruins everyone's life. No one bothered to even attempt to understand him, which really frustrated me. Becca and Quinn were two characters who really annoyed me. I liked Becca in Storm and I thought Quinn was a considerate and dependable friend to Becca, but in this installment? I wanted to strangle those two. IS IT SO HARD TO GIVE GABRIEL A BREAK? He doesn't deserve to be on the receiving end of your mood swings and rage! Oh, and honestly, I have no idea what Nick is doing going out with Quinn. He can do so much better!

I liked Storm. But, I absolutely LOVED Spark! There are so many heart-warming moments when Gabriel reveals his true self, and so some heart-stoppingly steamy scenes you do not want to miss! I mean, it's GABRIEL. You all have to read his book!<3

Level 2 Blog Tour: "Is It a Love Triangle" Guestpost by Lenore Appelhans

It's my pleasure to invite author and blogger Lenore Appelhans to stop by the blog today as part of the international blog tour for her debut novel, Level 2. 

 Lenore has kindly written a post on the 'love triangle' in her book. Many of you will probably immediately think there's a love triangle based on the words "Two Loves. One Choice" from the blurb. However, fear not! Lenore will be clearing up this matter in her guestpost below about how there can be two guys but no love triangle! Interested? Then read on!

Level 2

by Lenore Appelhans

Published by Simon & Schuster (US)/ Usborne (UK)/ Allen & Unwin (AUS)

on January 15th, 2013

 Three levels. Two loves. One choice. Debut novelist, Lenore Appelhans has written a thrilling otherworldly young adult novel about a place that exists between our world (Level 1) and what comes after life (Level 2). 

 'I pause to look around the hive - all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories ... I've wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.' 

 Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend ... and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her. 

 Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves. 

Is it a love triangle?

You might have read the following in the description of LEVEL 2: “Three Levels. Two Loves. One Choice.” And if you dig a little deeper, you’ll see there are two romantic interests in Felicia’s life, Julian and Neil.  You might have even heard about people picking teams.  All of this would seem to point straight to a love triangle right?  Well, that all depends on your definition of a love triangle.

I’m going to argue that there is no love triangle in LEVEL 2, mainly based on the fact that Felicia had relationships with Julian and Neil at different times in her life.  You see Felicia’s toxic relationship with Julian in her Germany memories. You experience Felicia’s sweet/awkward relationship with Neil in her Ohio memories (which take place long after Julian is out of the picture). In the current action in Level 2, Julian is there and Neil is not, but Felicia is clearly not interested in Julian – she accepts his “help” only because he promises to lead her to Neil.

I suppose if you subscribe to a very broad view of a love triangle – that if there’s even a slight possibility of romance between characters then it’s a love triangle - you might see a love triangle here (but then, you probably see love triangles everywhere). After all, Julian is still interested in Felicia romantically, so all Felicia needs to do is change her mind, right?

I like Malinda Lo’s distinction between a “love V” and a “love triangle”.  She argues that for there to be a real triangle, there needs to be some sort of a relationship between all angles of the triangle. She gives The Vampire Diaries as an example. Elena is connected to both Damon and Stefan, but Damon and Stefan are also brothers who share a brotherly love.  Note that in LEVEL 2,  Julian and Neil are not connected at all.

It’s also interesting to read Carrie Ryan’s perspective on love triangles in YA – that it is not so much about the choice between two different boys but more about the choice of who those two different boys allow the heroine to be.  In Felicia’s case, she is the “bad girl” looking for redemption from “good boy” Neil.  In that sense, if Felicia would choose to renew a romance with Julian, what would that mean for her character?

OK, I’ll admit it … there is a love triangle in LEVEL 2. But it’s not Felicia/Julian/Neil. It’s actually Felicia and her best friend Autumn competing for the affections of Julian.  And even though it’s a relatively minor part of the story, this one might even be considered a true “Malinda Lo-style” love triangle.  Not to mention it is also rarer to see a 2 female/1 male triangle than a 1 female/2 male in YA.  Diana Peterfreund has a great post explaining just why that is.

What’s your definition of a love triangle?

I find some of the points raised really interesting! I haven't read Level 2 yet, but after this post, I personally cannot wait to see how this not-love-triangle plays out :)

Find LEVEL 2:
Goodreads | Simon & Schuster

Find Lenore Appelhans at:
Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

Mini Reviews: Storm & I Made Lattes for a Love God

Storm
by Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington (US) / Allen & Unwin (AU)

Release Date: April 24th, 2012

Format: Paperback, 353pages

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death. 

 And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca. 

 Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all. 

 The storm is coming

The Merrick Brothers are hot. I remember thinking when I finished reading this book a while back, that after meeting the Merrick Brothers, you’ll be sure to forget ALL your previous YA boy crushes! Nick and Chris were my favourites in this installment (hmm…I may have changed after reading Spark!) but honestly, ALL 4 brothers, and even Hunter were swoon-worthy J

Love Triangles (and insta-love) are the bane of my existence. Usually anyway. However, the love triangle in Storm was tolerable; even though it seemed to play a significant role in the story, I didn’t mind it at all.

Our main character Becca was likable, but unfortunately I didn’t love her character. She’s strong, stubborn and brave…traits that I usually admire in a heroine, but Becca didn’t stand out. The thing is, I would forget about her character after reading Storm. I guess she's just not…memorable.

Brigid Kemmerer is a genius and I love her for creating these four sexy brothers! I’m positive I’ll be reading every book Brigid writes J

A massive thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a copy of Storm for review!

I Made Lattes For A Love God
by Wendy Harmer

Publisher: Allen & Unwin 

Release Date: November, 2012

Format: Paperback, 272 pages

 Elly Pickering has a juicy secret. A secret her PR mum won't let her tell anyone because if the kids at Oldcastle High knew that mega-star Jake Blake (yes, THE Jake Blake, teen sensation and all round heart-throb) was coming to Oldcastle to film his latest movie, they might just explode with excitement.

 Elly is determined to get on set and to get more than a glimpse of her Hollywood crush. But now thanks to an unfortunate incident involving a car, a red handbag and the paparazzi, it looks like Elly's lost a lot more than her opportunity to be close to Hollywood royalty. She's lost her dignity, her job and her best friend. How will she ever be able to get everything back to normal?

This has got to be one of the cutest, lightest and funniest books I’ve read in a long time!

The characters were honestly extremely immature, but I didn’t care half the time because 1) I vaguely remember myself thinking like them back when I was their age and 2) the layers of drama cause by these girls weren’t annoying in the I’m-going-to-pull-out-my-hair-and-scream kind; it was just amusing. They acted like the teenage girls they are and what they did were understandable. It was also hilarious reading about all the girls screaming, gossiping and fangirling over their latest celebrity crush! It reminded me of all the Beliebers and…well…some One Direction fans at my high school. (And no, I wasn’t one of them) The high-pitched shrieking of excitement and doing everything possible to see their idol in person felt familiar, and I couldn’t help but grin and support Elly and her friend’s wishes!

I Made Lattes for a Love God is a relaxing read; a book you can devour in one sitting after a tiring day at work or after finishing copious amounts of homework. (I read this in between studying for my exams!) It’s an easy read, so don’t think too much when you read this, just enjoy it! J

A massive thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing a copy of I Made Lattes for a Love God for review!

Showcase Sunday 20-01-13

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky @ Books, Biscuits and Bites. Inspired by Pop Culture Junkie and The Story Siren, the aim of this meme is to showcase our newest books!

It's been soooooo long since I did a book haul! This is the first Showcase Sunday of the year for me. Here are the books I acquired over the past 2 weeks :)

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

The Vincent Brothers by Abbi Glines

When We Wake by Karen Healey

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Hooked by Liz Fichera

I absolutely cannot wait to start Unravel Me! It seems most, if not all, Team Adam fans have converted to Team Warner now. I have a feeling I'll probably change to Team Warner too..but I DON'T WANT TO!!!! Urghh.. maybe I'll just stick with Kenji?<3 heheee

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Hysteria by Megan Miranda

The Laeduin: Disharmony Book 2 by Leah Giarratano

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

I bought Stolen after reading Sam and Leanne's reviews. I can't believe it's an Aussie book and I haven't read it yet! Will need to rectify that very soon :) Everything about Hysteria screams CREEPY. I hope I'll like it as much as I did Fracture :)

I also received a few ebooks from Netgalley; Dare You To by Katie McGarry (HOLY CRAP. SO AMAZING!!), The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead and The Fault in our Stars by John Green (I LOVE YOU PENGUIN AU!)

A huge thank you to Simon and Schuster, Five Mile Press, Allen and Unwin, Harlequin TeenAU & Harlequin UK and Bloomsbury for the above awesomeness<3

What did you receive in your mailbox? Leave links!

Review: Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

Nobody But Us
by Kristin Halbrook

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: January 29th, 2013

Format: Paperback, 272 pages

Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts. 
   
 They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run. 

 Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger.... 

 When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough. 

 Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.

Nobody But Us, from start to finish, was unfortunately a huge disappointment. Based on the blurbs and praises, I expected a debut that could rival the brilliance of Gayle Forman’s ‘If I Stay’, but what I received was possibly one of the most disappointing and tedious YA contemporaries I’ve had the misfortune to read.

The characters, while each possessing their own backstory and inner sufferings still lacked depth for me to relate to or admire. Zoe, a 15 year old who is constantly physically abused by her drunk father is so, so weak. Having witnessed her mother be the victim of her father’s daily physically violence, then die at the hands of her father, and now become the sole receive of her father’s violence, I suppose it isn’t strange that she’s always felt submissive and powerless. However, I did expect some inner strength of her; some dignity or resistance to exist within her. I didn’t expect her to simply submit to her father’s abuse and just…let it go all the time. It’s like she’s accepted that being punched, shoved, tortured will always be her life and she doesn’t plan to do anything about it.  She just wasn’t a strong enough heroine for my to admire, and even worse, one that didn’t show character growth. (Although I’ll admit that towards the end, she did come to her senses, but by then I didn’t care about her anymore.)

Then there’s 18 year old Will, abandoned at a young age and has jumped from one foster family to another throughout his life. I suppose he should be congratulated for wanting to do the right thing; wanting to protect the girl he loves. But at the end of the day, his actions felt immature and lacked common sense. It was difficult for me to really like Will, because half the time, I was expecting him to hit Zoe or something. I was constantly on edge, and no matter how many times he promised Zoe he would never hurt her,  I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he’ll explode and unleash all his bottled up anger on her. He’s violent and I’m sorry to say, a little unstable. Plus, I'm not sure if it's just me, but their relationship screamed 'UNHEALTHY' based on their actions, thoughts and declarations of love every 2 seconds (which was driving me insane! I couldn't tolerate it one second longer!)

There’s also an it’s-me-not-you type of problem – the slang/dialect. I’m usually fine with slang/dialect in novels, but in this case I couldn’t, for the life of me, imagine Will speaking like that. It sort of…ruined the overall story for me.

As for the ending, well…had this been a poignant, touching read, I would have bawled my eyes out towards the end. But in this case? I felt nothing. I simply ceased to care about anything else that happened in the story. I was like ‘right, so that’s it.’ *shrugs*

I suppose the only redeeming quality about this book is that it was short (only 200+ pages on my copy from Edelweiss). I planned to abandon it after 10% but then decided to finish it. A fast reader can probably finish the entire book within an hour. Overall, I believe Nobody But Us had potential – lots of potential in fact. It just failed to deliver. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I couldn't tolerate another second of Zoe’s tendency to blush at every.single.freaking.thing.Will.says.or.does. Give me a break!

A massive thank you to HarperTeen for providing an ARC of Nobody of Us for review!

 

Waiting On Wednesday #20

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming        releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Some Quiet Place

by Kelsey Sutton

Published by Flux

on July 8th 2013

 I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending. 

 Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself. 

 Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

If that eerie but stunning cover isn't enough to pique your interest, then the first sentience will certainly have you desperately aching to own a copy of this already! I, for one, immediately added this on GR when I read the blurb- it gives off this mysterious vibe and oh gosh, FEAR! I haven't met him, but I have a feeling I'll be falling for him...after all, his name is AWESOME. 

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: Find You In The Dark by A. Meredith Walters

Find You In The Dark 
by A. Meredith Walters

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date: October 10th 2012

Format: Kindle, 290 pages
Purchase: Amazon

Maggie Young had the market on normal. Normal friends, normal parents, normal grades...normal life. 

 Until him. 

 Clayton Reed was running from his past and an army of personal demons that threatened to take him down. He never thought he had a chance at happiness.

 Until her. 

 Maggie thought their love could overcome anything. Clay thought she was all he needed to fix his messy life. 

 That together, they could face the world. 

 But the darkness is always waiting. 

 Sometimes the greatest obstacle to true love is within yourself.

It's not every day I read about deep and serious issues such as bi-polar disorder, cutting and suicide. I had no idea Find You In The Dark dealt with these issues, and honestly, had I known, I probably would've stayed far away from the book. I guess it's just something I'm not comfortable reading about, and so my experience with this particular book wasn't exactly "good".

 The story itself is one that we've read a million times before - girl meets boy. Girl and boy fall in love. But no matter how many times I read these storylines, I can never get bored. Find You In The Dark however, steps up a level. It's Girl meets a boy who suffers from bi-polar disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. You can probably guess the sort of twisted and very unhealthy relationship the two main characters, Maggie and Clay have...to say "unhealthy" is probably an understatement. Their relationship is mutually destructive, and while I appreciate Maggie's love for Clay and her insistence on staying with him at all times, sometimes, in order to help, one should...let go.

 Detrimental relationships aside, I also had problems with the dialogue and the tone of the characters. They're supposed to be teenagers, 17/18-year old, yet the main character, Maggie sounded like a middle-aged woman impersonating an over-dramatic 13 year old. The excessive use of question and exclamation marks really didn't help either. Maggie's sarcasm was, the majority of the time, over-the-top and her 'snarky' comebacks were just plain annoying. It didn't help that she cared more about her unstable boyfriend, who, might I add, was constantly humiliating her and getting angry at her for the smallest things, than her friends, family and everyone else important to her.

 Clay, as mentioned above suffers from bi-polar disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. As mindful as I am of his condition, I couldn't tolerate his mood swings, spontaneous anger towards everyone and psychotic breakdowns. One minute he would be smiling, laughing with everyone, the next, he would start cutting himself and trash a whole room. I felt like smacking him at times when even though he says he loves Maggie and would do anything to protect her, he doesn't exactly try to accomplish that. It would help if he was doing as the doctors advised and taking the prescribed medicine..but no, he wouldn't do that.

 I guess this is a small problem, but as someone who is extremely stringent about grammar and formatting....the paragraphing really irked me. Conversations would be written in a huge paragraph and half the time I had to re-read the paragraph to confirm who was speaking. Yeah...it's an editing problem....but it really annoyed me. This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I know many people enjoyed it - check GR, it has an average rating of 4.2 and the majority of reviews show glowing praises. Unfortunately, this book was too heavy and dark for my liking; I just couldn't enjoy it.

A massive thank you to A. Meredith Walters and The Readiacs for providing a copy of Find you in the Dark for review