Review: Nomad by J.L. Bryan

Nomad
J.L. Bryan

Genre: NA Time-Travel Dystopia
Publication date: July 26th 2013

A new dystopian novel from the author of Jenny Pox - coming July 26.

They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.

-A copy was provided by J.L. Bryan for review-

JL Bryan has always impressed me with the level of originality and excitement he works into his novels (big fan of Jenny Pox), and I was yet again taken aback, this time by a time-travel dystopian that is full of thrills and has a kick-ass heroine to boot!

Time-travel dystopian! When I saw those words together my mind kind of flipped, making me unsure of what to expect. For one, time-travel is nothing to play around with if you're not fully committed to deliver. I have a low level of patience for ignored time loops and paradoxes, and while I'm still wrapping my head around the details of JL's take on it with Nomads and the universe taking care of itself, it's one of very few time-travel plots that I can say I'm ok with (and "ok" is about the best you'll get). Some things still hurt my brain if I think about it too hard, but that's time-travel for ya.

Taking us straight into the action, this story begins with Raven suddenly finding herself in 2013 with no recollection of where she is, nor where she's from. It doesn't take long for her to realize she's in unfamiliar terrain, though, with old-fashioned… everything and bizarre gadgets in her pockets. It also takes just as long for trouble to find her! Raven's personality and smarts made it easy for me to take a liking to her. She's quick on her feet and intelligent in a way that completely fits with where she's really from - the future is not a pretty place. It also makes her loyal to her cause. However great of a protagonist she is, though, she brought out my enthusiasm more than my emotions. Perhaps due to the nature of the plot with its distant past and new present, together with flashbacks and the Nomads theory, it made it hard to get attached with this nonlinear character building. I did, nevertheless, find myself intrigued and unexpectedly enthused by the peculiar romance that she stumbles upon with its sensual pull and lingering sense of wrongness. I was also surprisingly content with the direction JL decided to take with these two.

This plot brings in a layered butterfly effect that requires pinpointing what needs to be changed to bring about a full metamorphosis of Raven's future. This means most of the book takes place in our day and age, where she wants to try to make things better with a nudge - or bullet - but what if it isn't enough? Or makes it worse? Aside from this fun to ponder time-travel bit, I loved learning about the future Raven came from; especially the realistic plausibility of it all. The advancement in technology, the history that lead to this dystopian society, even the fashion, it's a solidly imagined world that is made believably futuristic without any overkill.

Highly entertaining with a time-travel aspect that is just as fascinating as it is perplexing, Nomad is a unique dystopian that's perfect for reluctant dystopian readers, or those who just want a different mix! You might as well pick it up; this book is in your future! (I've seen it!)

FYI - This book is considered New Adult; college life, sex, violence, and a few swear words thrown in.

4 Hot Espressos

Review + Playlist: This Love by Nazarea Andrews

Perfectly timed for summer, the This Love blog tour is dropping by today. This is a great summer romance for New Adult fans. Why don't you have a look at my review, and then you can check out the playlist for the book to put you in the mood! :)

This Love
Nazarea Andrews

Series: University of Branton #1
Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: June 25th 2013
by A&A Literary

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding.

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess his life had become.

They didn't know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket--her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help--the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he's got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she's thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realize something is there. Something that can't happen--he's a professor and she's a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

-A copy was provided by Nazarea Andrews for review-

A perfect for summer read, This Love is a forbidden love story involving a student and a professor that you know is doomed before it begins, yet you keep hoping, denying the fact that the end of their crazy, sexy summer is coming.

The beginning of this book was a little rough for me and left me uncertain as to if I would enjoy it. The story is told through a dual POV that switches quite often and abruptly which can take a while to get used to. Eventually I did get into the flow of it, though, and stopped even noticing. Another worry was how fast it was going. I don't mean the relationship itself as in insta-love, I mean the timeline passing by. In only the first 15%, weeks have passed while they meet, flirt, tease, make out, insist it can't happen again, fight impulses, make out some more, become text buddies, etc. I felt like all of that was a big blur. Fortunately the book does slow to a steadier pace in the midst of their relationship, letting us savor the best part of their summer - which is also the part that bears the most emotion.

I was surprised by how emotionally connected I became to these characters and their relationship after that speedy start. It first gives the impression that the book stays on the surface of emotional impact with underdeveloped, but fun, characters -- which can be ok for a light summer read. Instead, though, I found myself broken up over this doomed relationship of theirs and reveling in their happy moments. It became an up and down roller coaster ride with just the right amount of heart and tears. Both Avery and Atticus are likeable characters with problems and insecurities that are easy to relate to. The characters could use some tightening up, especially the secondary roles, but as the book focuses on the here and now it's not a big deal that we don't get a full three dimensional look at their individual lives.

Now, let's fixate on Atticus a moment - not hard to do, believe me. This is the kind of love interest I wish all books would aim for, not the pompous jerks we often get. Don't get me wrong, Atticus is not flawless, he's got insecurities and fears of his own, and an ex wife who's a total bag of farts. Most importantly, I love how deeply he cares for everyone in his life: his sister, his best friend, Avery. And how he loves without barriers. Another thing to note is how open they are with each other. They do keep some secrets about their past relationships at first - understandably - but we finally get a couple who communicate instead of assume and overreact. How refreshing! Level headed characters take the win! And just a heads up - this is a New Adult book with a mature, adult relationship, meaning there are (many and hot) graphic sex scenes.

This Love is a sweet, fun, and sexy beach read that I recommend to those who can't get enough of forbidden romances!

4 Hot Espressos

Playlist for This Love, by Nazarea Andrews

---

---

I write to music—a lot of music, and often times, Pandora channels keep me going while I’m drafting. But there are always a handful of songs that really stand out and remind me acutely of the characters and that list becomes my playlist.

Here is the playlist for This Love

Ours--Taylor Swift This is the theme song for the entire book, and where I found the title.

Skyscrapper--Demi loveatto. I loved the beauty and just general feeling of this song—it reminded me of Avery and I spent a lot of time listening to it when writing her point of view.

There Ain't Nothing--Brooks and Dunn.  When I heard this song on my husband’s phone after writing Atticus, I knew it summed up everything he felt for Avery.

Fix a Heart--Demi lovato This is for both Atti and Avery, separately. Both have had their hearts broken, and it definitely speaks to that.

Summer Love-- One Direction As This Love is a summer romance, it should be kinda obvious.

Springsteen--Eric Church It doesn’t speak to any particular scene or person, but it was played often and I loved it while writing.

Nobody Compares--One Direction How Atticus feels about Avery.

Should have Kissed You—Glorianna What Avery/Atticus feel most nights after work.

About the Author

---

---

Nazarea's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths
K.A. Tucker

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: May 14th 2013
by Simon & Schuster Audio

After a terrible car accident destroys her life as she knew it, twenty-year-old Kacey escapes to Florida, where she encounters an irresistible man determined to capture her wounded heart.

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both of their worlds

-A audiobook copy was provided by Simon & Schuster Audio for review-

Am I maybe getting tired of New Adult a bit? Although I don't feel I've read that many, I did read the top of the crop first. Ten Tiny Breaths was far from a bad book, I just can't say it's one of my favorites. The main - and really only - problem was that I got bored with the storyline that seemed to go nowhere for a while.

One thing to note in this New Adult novel is how the setting is not at college - or at any school - like most. Kacey is skipping college to be able to take care of her little sister after her parents died in a car accident. I found this gave a fresh standpoint; Kacey needs to become completely independent, if not for herself then for her sister. I loved this girl instantly. Kacey comes off as a hard shell but she didn't fool me; she can take care of herself and is a far cry from a damsel in distress, but she uses her tough, sarcastic attitude to hide her pain. The shabby apartment she found is turned into a surprisingly cozy home that quickly fills with great secondary characters. There's the hot neighbor for one. Then there's Storm... Another neighbor of theirs, Storm shows up with her daughter and porn star body in tow and weaves herself into Kacey's life. She's initially portrayed as a flighty stripper, but ends up becoming an important and solid player in this book. Storm's daughter, Mia, is just the cherry on top of this unorthodox family.

The romance in the book took a bit to convince me, especially when I looked at it from Kacey's point of view. For someone so emotionally withdrawn, she fell for Trent's charm very easily - and continually. Furthermore, Trent was leaning especially close to creepy stalker for a while, sitting in a club staring at her on a nightly basis. I don't know if this was supposed to make me swoon but I didn't find it especially appealing. At least they do have great chemistry which made their interactions fun to read nonetheless. And it did grow on me, whereas by the end I was completely invested in this frustrating relationship. *shrugs* What can I say?

My problems with this novel lay in the plot itself. I did love the stages of grief approach, and I was really enjoying the book during the first part, but then I realized I was thoroughly bored of waiting for something - anything - to unfold. Most of the book is used as a dramatic foreboding for an impending mental breakdown that we all know is coming. It felt like Kacey's behavior and inner musings were mostly used to make what's coming as tragic as possible. Even though there are fantastic characters to give the book a lot of liveliness, I still had the urge to press fast-forward on this audiobook at times. Once the lull is over, however, and even though I had predicted the twist chapters ago, the last part is so powerfully moving it makes it worth the wait. I was broken by Kacey's situation. Her grief bleeds through so much it's hard to bear. Some parts and reactions are a little extreme but I let that pass for how much emotional depth was put into it. If I have to believe it, at least let me feel it!

Ten Tiny Breaths is emotionally poignant and filled with animated characters that are easy to adore. The audiobook narrator was also great. I wish it would have kept my interest more towards the middle, but that aside, it's a beautiful, heartbreaking story.

3 Hot Espressos

Review + Giveaway: The Trouble With Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

The Trouble With Goodbye
Sarra Cannon

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: May 21st 2013

One night can change everything…

Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.

-A copy was provided by Sarra Cannonfor review-

The reason behind the 3 stars for this book is due less to dissatisfaction, than to it not standing above the rest. I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters, and the writing was good, I just didn't find it differentiated itself from the countless similar stories I've read in this genre.

Girl comes back from a terrible college semester, girl meets boy, girl and boy are obviously both broken, boy helps girl find her way out of her dark place. It didn't take long for me to put this whole story together and figure out what happened to Leigh Anne. I think this is done a little purposefully, though; how we're made to be aware of what happened before we're told explicitly. It does help to get us emotionally involved to some extent, making us immediately sympathetic towards our protagonist. Since we know what she's burdened with, this helps understand her character somewhat as well. Nonetheless, I found myself not especially connecting with her with any sort of emotional depth. Her situation, albeit extremely disheartening, didn't grasp me like I was hoping. It could be because it's a story I've read numerous times, but it could also be because Leigh Anne failed to let me in. The romance is also an aspect I neither loved nor hated. It wasn't exactly insta-love, but it did evolve into "I love yous" fairly quickly, not giving me a chance to feel it first.

Even though this plot is one I have read before, it's the kind of story you can read countless times and, since they all have different circumstances, still gets you enraptured in it. The Trouble With Goodbye was that kind of read for me. I got caught up in it pretty easily. It helped that this one was kept fun and sweet, giving us a reprieve from the darker toned books with equally hard topics. There were some minor things plot wise that annoyed me, however. The one most worthy of note is Leigh Anne's mother. I could not stand this woman whatsoever. She doesn't even deserve the title of "mother" with the disgusting way she acts in this story. Caring more about her image than what her daughter went through. Ugh! I know such cold motherly behavior does exist, but I had a hard time believing Leigh Anne's would be uncaring to such degree - not even coming through at the end at all. One thing it did offer is character growth on Leigh Anne's part, seeing as she has to unclaw herself from her dependence on her parents.

It seems like I mentioned more negatives than positives in this review, but really I did enjoy the book, I just don't have any comments in particular about it otherwise. It was a good book, it didn't blow me away due to 1) the flaws mentioned above and 2) not standing out from others I've read with this storyline. With that said, I can see those newer to the genre being easily captivated by this novel.

3 Hot Espressos

This post is a part of The Trouble With Goodbye blog tour:

Click on banner for full tour schedule!

Review + Giveaway: Bitter Angel by Megan Hand

Bitter Angel
Megan Hand

Genre: NA Contemporary/Thriller
Publication date: April 1st 2013

Torn between two realities.
A choice that will mean life or death.
But she won’t know anything… until she wakes up.

College sophomore, Lila Spencer lived Friday night twice. She doesn’t know how or why, just that she did. As if she split in half and went in two different directions.

Out clubbing with her friends, Heather and Nilah, the girls rock it out and party hard. What begins as an innocent night will lead to a deadly fight for their lives, and Lila might be their only chance for survival.

In bed with her boyfriend, Jay, Lila is safe and warm as she drifts to sleep in the arms of the man she loves. Until she is sucked into a horrifying nightmare of her friends' deaths.

As the sunlight warms her face on Saturday morning, the two scenarios collide. But there can be only one outcome. Will she wake up in her warm bed with Jay by her side, devastated and grieving for her friends? Or was she there to save them?

The answer is just the beginning.

-A copy was provided by Megan Hand for review-

Bitter Angel was a very mixed bag for me. The first part would easily get a 4 stars; it was intriguing and exciting, it even had my heart pounding with pure adrenaline. Unfortunately the second part left a little too much to be desired, garnering only a 2 if rated separately.

Let's start at the beginning: After Lila decides to go out with her two best friends at a club, she never thought things would turn into a life or death situation involving gang rapes and abduction. What's peculiar though, is she also remembers what happens if she had stayed home with her boyfriend, and that scenario was equally terrible. Although obviously not "realistic", I found this to be very interesting. The abduction was a terrifying situation; all too real and with tons of intensity. The other reality, staying home and leaving her friends to themselves, evened this out with a sweet romantic night, but with its own consequence in the end. The action does plummet after these initial sequences, though, when Lila wakes up for her redo and the story switches gears. Mostly this next part contains exhausting inner dialogue, a lot of fidgeting, and even an instance of garbage eating.

Yes. Garbage eating. *shakes head still in disbelief* So Lila is spying on this guy, right, hiding out in a back alley, when hunger hits. It has been SO long - like, 8 hours!! - since she last ate that she can not fathom going another minute in hunger, so she jumps into the dumpster and searches through trash bags until she finds Chinese food… and eats it!

I think my barf just barfed!

"It's smelly, but what leftover Chinese isn't? I decide it's fresh enough."

Eeeh yeah no shit it's smelly! Even if it was only a day old (which I very much doubt seeing as even the buildings on this street are rotting), it was likely amongst used condoms and dirty diapers. No one normal would resort to this unless they were seriously starving to death and trapped. Not someone who ate lunch the very same day! On the plus side, it has brought on random giggling fits for the past 2 days whenever I'm reminded of it. Though I doubt this was the intended reaction. Even ignoring the hobo habits, Lila doesn't have the most common sense in all of this ordeal, diminishing the tension of the story greatly. It's hard to be scared for someone who puts themselves in their own messes. It comes to no surprise that I'm not this girl's biggest fan, however I can't say I disliked her either. She does prove her strength and determination more than once which redeems her faults a little. Like I said: a mixed bag!

The plot itself veers away from the expected traumatic side of this story line and instead focuses on bringing justice down on sickening evil. I was both intrigued and, I admit, a little disappointed by this - I do thrive on those traumatic psychological thrillers - but it was still a refreshing change of direction for a story that could easily have been another same ol'. I was horrified yet completely immersed when we learn of what these people have been doing on a regular basis. Most of the horror takes place at the beginning of this book, but we get a great climactic ending that brings back a little of the excitement I was hoping would keep throughout.

While I have obvious complaints about this novel, I can't ignore the fact that I was holding my breath during the first part, drowning in Lila's fear and truly feeling her heart breaking in guilt and grief. Megan clearly excels at writing suspense and I will be watching for more from her!

3 Hot Espressos

This post is a part of:

Click on banner for full tour schedule!

Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Easy
Tammara Webber

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: November 6th 2012
by Berkley Trade

Rescued by a stranger.
Haunted by a secret
Sometimes, love isn’t easy…

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior…

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love.

A groundbreaking novel in the New Adult genre, Easy faces one girl's struggle to regain the trust she's lost, find the inner strength to fight back against an attacker, and accept the peace she finds in the arms of a secretive boy.

      -Source: Gifted from Jenni at Alluring Reads-

An amazing story involving first loves and true loves, Easy by Tammara Webber is highly emotional as it involves the topic of rape and a dark past, but in the end it remains a very heartwarming love story.

In a story like this the characters--their development and likeable qualities--are the most important, and this is where Tammara excels. As much as Jacqueline is created with tons of layers and a personality you can't help but adore, Lucas' character, with his tattoos, his Harley, and an extremely kind soul, is not neglected with his development one bit. These two characters become real, breathing, living beings that are effortless in getting us to care for them. Even though the chemistry between them is a character in and of itself, with palpable electricity and obvious attraction, the relationship never felt overly embellished, too perfect, or fairy-tail-ish. The imperfections and obstacles they endure make it less of a fantasy romance, and more a romance that you believe could truly happen. As a side but not a lesser character, Erin--Jaqueline's roommate and new best friend--lends the book a nice dash of humour, with my favourite being her amusing relationship advice. Her loyalty and support gives the perfect example of what a true friend should be. Throughout the story, the complexities of these characters become even more exposed as we discover layers that weren't immediately obvious, especially when Lucas' past comes into play, proving once again that character growth is just as important for a story like this to have its full effect.

The college setting is a great aspect to this novel. Having gone to college in business I found the economic chatter amusing and nostalgic. College days is a time in your life that will always stay with you, and while High School will (unfortunately) never be forgotten, college is where we really find ourselves--at least for a lot of us. This is one of the biggest allures of this New Adult genre for me, and this book portrays it perfectly. It's a time where, like Jacqueline, you make new friends, you start learning realities of the real world, and you say goodbye to your high school mistakes. Some darker consequences than what most will have to live through is introduced in this story, however, which keeps the tone of this college life on a slightly darker side than the norm, giving the story a bit of an underlying suspense. It provides it with a little oomph, alongside the romance, without it being overly dramatic to the point where it becomes emotional manipulation. Overall it's a wonderfully told romantic story.

I really have no complaints about this one; I mean, it has your expected "broken character with worst case scenario dark past", but even so, it was beautiful, sweet, romantic, and fantastically crafted. The only reason I hesitate to give a 5 is because of how it compares emotionally to my last 5 star NA read (Hopeless) which was a lot more affecting for me--that one truly gutted me until I was bruised. Easy is more a love story with some dark tones, while Hopeless is more dark tones with a love story. And yes I'm comparing the two because I'm thinking that, for some, whichever of these you will read first might possibly trump the other.

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli

Game. Set. Match.
Jennifer Iacopelli

Series: Outerbanks Tennis Academy #1
Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date:  May 1st 2013
by Coliloquy, LLC 

Nestled along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the world's most elite training facility. In this pressure-cooker environment, futures are forged in blood and sweat, and dreams are shattered in an instant.

Penny Harrison, a rising female star, is determined to win the French Open and beat her archrival, Zina Lutrova. But when her coach imports British bad boy Alex Russell as her new training partner, will Penny be able to keep her laser-like focus?

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. The daughter of two Grand Slam champions, she's hell-bent on extending her family’s legacy and writing her own happily-ever-after...until her chosen Prince Charming gives her the just-friends speech right before the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

With a powerful serve and killer forehand, newcomer Indiana Gaffney is turning heads. She’s thrilled by all of the attention, especially from Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and hot older brother, except he keeps backing off every time things start heating up.

With so much at stake, dreams—and hearts—are bound to break. Welcome to OBX: Where LOVE is a four-letter word, on and off the court.

-A copy was provided by Coliloquy for review-

It's funny how I can not sit through any sports game and stay awake to save my life, but movies and books on the subject, I love! Game Set Match is the perfect example of why; ultimately about sports,  the story is really about the characters, the dynamics between players, romances that bloom (what's better than 1 romance? 3 of them! ;), and feeling the excitement of the game by wanting these characters to win so much.

Not into Tennis? Honestly, don't let that deter you at all for one second. No one can be as clueless as me when it comes to how that game is played, but never did I feel overwhelmed, confused, or bored by it at all. On the contrary, I found myself enjoying the tennis matches the most. Jennifer makes you care about the characters so much that the matches become as intense to you as if you were the one playing. You want these girls to win so badly that I was literally holding my breath during one of the big matches. The only complaint is that I wanted to experience more of these games. Some are faded to black, and once or twice they're skipped completely and we just get the end result. This is what happens when matches are written to be so exhilarating, it leaves you disappointed when others were skimmed over. Still, I loved all the energy they radiated; even those we didn't get to see fully were bristling with so much anticipation that in one way it was fun to get treated to the result right away. My blood: it was pumping, dude! *jumps up and down ready to fight a bitch*

The matches wouldn't have been half as fun if there weren't such fantastic characters to root for. We're treated to three amazing point-of-views in this novel; these are 3 determined and confident girls who are attending tennis academy. Each one is dealing with her own difficulties towards the game, some towards other students as well--we get a hint of mean girl-ness caused by jealousy-- we also get romance entanglements, and most importantly, we get great and authentic friendships that bloom between the girls. Penny, Indie, and Jasmine, are all as incredibly likeable as they are genuine. They are the heart of this book. I enjoyed all three perspectives just as much as the other, and even now I have a hard time deciding who I would pick as a favorite--though I've been leaning towards Indy a little. Their voices never had me confused as to which POV I was reading, they're distinct with very different personalities. They're also at different stages in their lives and tennis careers so that we get to experience different degrees of accomplishments as well as the excitement that comes with them.

New Adult = same old same old? Not in this one. This is a story about 3 girls who are dead set on making it big; they are on the path to a very challenging and rewarding career, they're building new friendships, they're experiencing post high-school romance; they are new to adulthood. (Not a one with a dark past! I know, right?) To me this felt like the true meaning of New Adult, sex or no sex. That's right--no sex. These girls are in college, over 17 and independent, and there is definite talk of sex, as well as other mature content like drinking and swearing, yet it doesn't actually have any sexual content. We know they have sex, but we aren't privy of these experiences. From the New Adult I've read so far this does make it stand out in its genre, but I was completely fine with this. To be honest, it wasn't needed. NA is not just "YA with sex" like some think. And while there is romance, it's made part of the book, it doesn't overrule it (the cover might be misleading). I found it to be a perfectly balanced feel-good book, a little reminiscent of Miranda Kenneally's Catching Jordan.

Filled with vivacity, Game Set Match surprised me in the best of ways and turned out to be an absolute favorite. I was filled with pure contentment whenever I sat down to read (which was really only twice since I devoured it in mere hours). It's exactly what I needed at the time. My initial disappointment at the end feeling abrupt was quickly extinguished when I found out it's a planned series--previously thinking this was a stand-alone. There is no cliffhanger, but its made obvious there should be more to the story. My only hope is that we don't have to wait too long!

5 Hot Espressos

Review: If You Stay by Courtney Cole

If You Stay
Courtney Cole

Series: Beautifully Broken #1
Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: February 5th 2013
by  Lakehouse Press

24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

Seriously.

He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.
But he’s got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade.
So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right?
Wrong.

And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he'd better figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one…the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he’s working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

-Source: Gifted from Amy at Book Loving Mom-

Starting with a bang--and I mean really: check out the opening paragraph for yourself ;)--If You Stay is narrated mainly by Pax, a drug addict with a past that has led him to want to give no shits about his life. Our second POV is a sweet and innocent young girl, Mila, who meets Pax in the most unfortunate of ways. I think this is one instance where a single POV would have been much better for me. While I understand the appeal of a dual POV when it comes to a love story, especially of this nature where both characters are such opposites, I felt like one character (Pax) was much more developed than the other, more likeable, too, which might seem improbable when you first meet him, turning this book into a good read that could have been great if only I had cared for both sides equally.

Fortunately for me, it's Pax's story above all. We meet him in his lowest of the lows as a drug addict who just doesn't give a f*ck. He's the ultimate bad boy whom every girl should stay away from. He's not created for us to "like" him as a character, not to mention a love interest, but he was created as an obviously broken character who you have the strange impulse to want to fix. This is what makes his character sympathetic. You get to understand what's going on in his head and how badly he wants to change--which makes all the difference. I came to see him as someone very sweet who needs to be given a chance. Mila takes that risk. This girl, though, did not click with me. She is the definition of a "good girl", but this is not the reason why I disliked her. She was simply too naive for my taste. She jumps into a relationship with this guy with the immediate belief that he will change to become the perfect boyfriend material, even after Pax tells her that "he will try not to her her"--he emphasizes on "try". Automatically, this would have become a red flag for me, Mila seemed to be oblivious to this warning, giving her heart to him so easily. I also didn't like how she reacted when Pax finally unfolded his past. Getting pissed at how he shut her out when he was dealing with such a traumatic memory was just not ok for me. He needed someone to understand and leave him to deal, not someone who made him guilty for it. Our personalities just did not mesh, mine and hers. Even without our clashing minds, however, I never felt like I truly understood or got to know Mila. She wasn't as fleshed out a character as Pax, which leads me to think I would have enjoyed this book much more had we not gotten her perspective at all, and only saw her through Pax's eyes.

The romance in the book is extremely hot and definitely R rated, they also do not lack chemistry, but on that note it's a primarily physical relationship. Instead of taking time throughout the book to get to know each other on a more emotional level, they focus on their physical attraction; which, in reality, is fine as some couples do base themselves on their physical relationship, but as a reader I felt like the romance was more superficial.

This book, however, is more than a love story. It's ultimately about Pax dealing with his past, and finding a way to get through it without ruining his life in the process. It was an emotional read, for sure, with some very hard to imagine scenarios where you can't help but want to put yourself in the MC's shoes to try to take some of their pain away. This is the part of the book that I liked the most and I think it was well executed.

Hard to read at times, but If You Stay is also an inspiring story when you consider how far Pax comes. While I didn't love both characters, I predict that Mila will resonate with some readers better than I, making it a great reading experience all around as it's far from being a bad book.

3.5 Hot Espressos

Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Hopeless
Colleen Hoover

Series: Hopeless #1
Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: May 7th 2013
by Atria Books

Sky meets Dean Holder, a guy with a reputation that rivals her own. Holder has the ability to invoke feelings in Sky she's never had before. In just one encounter he leaves her terrified yet captivated and something about him brings up a rush of memories from the past that she’s worked so hard to bury away.

Sky knows Holder is nothing but trouble and tries to keep him at a distance, but he is adamant about learning everything he can about her. Sky finally caves to his unwavering pursuit, but she soon finds out that Holder isn't the person he's been claiming to be. When the secrets he's been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky's life changes forever.

-A copy was provided by Simon & Schuster for review-

Wow where do I start? At the amazing characters? At the sky rocketing chemistry? At the scenes that are so powerfully emotional that you want to curl into a ball and cry for days? I have nothing but praise for this gem that Colleen has created. This book rocked my world, and then it broke it in two.

Before we get down and heavy into the depths, let's talk about what started it all, and that is the characters. Sky is our protagonist and she could not have been a more enjoyable character for me. She does not have an ounce of superficiality on her body. This girl is honest, so honest that she blurts out the most random and embarrassing things because she doesn't want to play games or make assumptions. She's probably the most authentic character I have met in a book thus far. Her straightforward attitude is the cause of a few comical moments between her and Holder, but moreover, it's the reason she fits so well with him. Holder is definitely intense--especially at the beginning. He clearly has issues that he has a hard time voicing, which leaves him balancing on the edge of his abyss. I found their personalities to fit together perfectly, actually. I was not sure about Holder as the love interest at the start as he came off as a little forceful, but I was left intrigued by the reasons behind these actions. It's obvious he has motives beyond our understanding, and he never crossed any lines in my "book of unforgiving behavior", he's just a little... determined. It didn't take long until we got to see more sides to him, showing that his character is much more complex than the bad boy he's rumored to being. Together, these two sizzle! I have rarely come upon a romance that sparked as much as this one. Their chemistry is coupled with a shared connection that is positively explosive, yet convincing. I was lost to lala-land entirely while reading this novel.

Much darker than I had expected, Hopeless is a harsh read that will clobber your heart, leaving you bloody and broken. While I did guess at a lot of the events that would occur, this novel still left me disturbed and shocked, even when I did know what was coming. It's the kind of story that is not meant to leave you flabbergasted by the sudden twist of events--although the less perceptive than I might be--rather it's meant to rattle your bones with its raw, visceral intensity. The last half of the novel delivers some violently emotional scenes that displays exactly what kind of talent Colleen possesses to be able to embed so much power into the written word. I'm telling you, some of it took my breath away--I literally had the urge to look away until it passed, not because of anything gory (though one part is a little bit), but because of how much pain it entails. I was not expecting so much grit from such a pretty blue skied cover.

On the subject of covers, take a look at the full mockup and tell me you don't get chills (especially those who've read it):

Such a perfect representation. I'm hoping the published version is not changed as the front cover was modified slightly for the Atria release.

What else can I say? This novel was an honest to goodness extraordinary read that mesmerized me every step of the way. It's undeniably haunting, crazily romantic, and the type of story that you just don't get over.

5 Hot Espressos

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

The Sea of Tranquility

Katja Millay

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: November 13th 2012
by Atria Books

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

*A copy was provided by Artia Books for review*

 

Wow I did not expect this! To be completely honest the cover did not initially attract me to this novel so I never looked into it before I started getting all these recommendations. This is not always a good sign, however, since it raises my expectations, but I am happy to say that it was absolutely amazing. Not only does it involve a gritty, unapologetic story, we have characters who will tear your heart out with their grief and self destruction, leaving you feeling bruised and battered. It is not an easy story to read, I had my heart in my throat the whole way through, but it's ultimately a story of love and forgiveness, of acceptance and learning to live again. I came out of this feeling wrecked, yet completely satisfied.

Nastya is tough as nails, with an unconcerned attitude and a provocative wardrobe. Thick black eyeliner, barely there skirts, and black over black is her style. She is not what you would call a likeable character. She does everything possible to be an outcast, keeping people at arm's length, but you will be surprised how compelling a character she becomes. It's obvious that she harbors secrets, she has scars--some you can see and others you can't--and these will eat at your curiosity. Katja plays in the mystery of Nastya's past incredibly well, building it up from the beginning, and giving us fragments of it as the book progresses. Her emotional impact to this story is surreal. Her broken hopes and broken heart over her loss runs as deep as the ocean. I felt my own heart break for her on more than one occasion. I just wanted to go into the book and give her a big hug--but she'd probably punch me. Plus she scares me.

Nastya shares a narration with Josh, who is just as broken as she is. Between both of them, believe me, I was completely torn apart! Josh has lost more people in his lifetime than anyone ever should, especially at his age. Ever since I had a kid of my own I become extremely emotional when it comes to stories about parents and children being separated by death, and just thinking about a poor little 8 year old boy having his family torn apart like that broke a piece of me. When we learn about his past there is so much sorrow coming off of these pages; the way it's delivered to us through his perspective is so poignant that I could not help but developed a connection to him immediately. What he had to go through is not even something I could allow myself to emotionally grasp without having a break down.

It should not be a surprise to learn that these two find each other. They become each other's salvation throughout the story, in the very beginning of a love that is true and raw and shameless. Their relationship is as perfect as it perfectly flawed. It's also real in every way. It begins as a friendship that, yea, is a little unusual, but it's this unusualness that makes it all so irresistible. You want them to be together with every fiber of your being, and the chemistry this emits is unbelievable!

While it always comes back to the romance, friendship and family both play a large part in the story. We develop friendships that you will cherish as much as the romance. We also see the importance of family, and that a family is not only decided by blood.

Aside from characters developed to excellence, this book is filled with so much emotions ranging from heartbreak to laugh out loud funny that I turned the last page with a feeling of absolute fulfillment. This is what every books should be; bringing you in one hundred percent, mind and soul. Is there any question as to if I'd recommend this book?

5 Hot Espressos

*Note that this books is currently only available as an ebook. The paperback will be released in June, 2013.

Review: Awaited by Lynn Rush

Awaited
Lynn Rush
Series: Wasteland, #2
Release date: May 1st, 2012
by Crescent Moon Press

Goodreads / Purchase

The voice is a powerful thing…

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark.

He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate soul to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

*A copy was provided by Lynn Rush for review purposes*

  

In Wasteland we met half-demon David, in Awaited, we get acquainted with Russell. Theoretically, this could be read as a stand-alone - although I don't suggest it - meaning the book is in the same world, but we go through unique stories with familiar characters who will eventually meet up for the bigger picture. Like Wasteland, you can expect a lot of action and romance in this fast paced paranormal novel.

It starts with a bang when Russell and Durk's plane crashes and they meet the only other survivor - Annabelle. I had met Russell in the first book so I was happy to get to know him better as he's a great character. He's a very old soul who's starting to lose sight of himself in his loneliness. He's a complex hero; I grew to understand and admire his strength, his determination. Annabelle is an instantly intriguing character as well. She's mute, she has supernatural healing, and then she turns… bizarre. We meet her as a weak, feeble girl who grows immensely throughout this novel. Being mute makes it hard to get a read on her which left me equally sympathetic and wary. Thus, I enjoyed trekking through her history, as well as speculating about her future. She's a really peculiar character with a story that is positively engrossing.

With such intricate personalities, we clearly need some romance, and Lynn delivers. Russell feels an unexpected, but intense attraction towards Annabelle. Surprisingly, even though it's an instant attraction, it's deep and powerful. You know there are supernatural forces at work which makes it especially interesting; Russell's feelings for her are almost overwhelming even to himself. As with the first book, their connection is felt passionately throughout the story and only intensifies the plot. This is great since the romance itself plays a fairly big part in this book. Their tale is torturous and heartbreaking, but unquestionably romantic.

The world that Lynn has introduced us to in Wasteland is broadened in this sequel. We learn more about the war between angels and demons, as well as how their powers can be manipulated. This is one of the very few angel stories that I was able to get immersed in. It's creative with an original lore that gives us constant surprises and never ending action. The twists keep you perpetually glued to the pages while the plot is revealed in a consistent manner, giving us plenty of excitement without it being overwhelming.

If you're new to this series, you should know that it's labeled in the new New Adult genre, meaning it's not quite adult, but still very mature for a YA novel. It's got steamy scene with characters that are in their late teens/early 20s. Consequently, this is a story that both YA, and adult readers could really get into. If you enjoy great world building with compelling characters and lots of action - the Wasteland series has got to be on your shelf!

4 Hot Espressos

The Wastelands series so far:

Have a look at my review of Wasteland!