Book Review: Swimming to Tokyo by Brenda St. John Brown

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Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository

Format: Kindle

Publishers: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Published: 28th July 2014

Pages: 235

Genre: YA/New Adult, Contemporary Romance, 

Main Characters: Zosia, Finn
Date Read: 28th June - 30th June 2015

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
The rules for swimming are simple:
Rule #1: There is no lifeguard on duty.
Since her mom died three years ago, nineteen-year-old Zosia Easton’s been treading water. Living at home. Community college. Same old Saturday nights. So when her father breaks the news he’s taken a job transfer—and by the way, it means renting out the house that’s been her refuge—a summer in Tokyo feels like it just might be a chance to start swimming again.
Rule #2: Beware of unexpected currents.
Finn O’Leary has spent God knows how many years trying to drown out his past. Juvenile detention. Bad decisions. Worse choices. He’s managed to turn it around – MIT, Dean’s List, a sexier-than-thou body with a smile to match – at least on the surface. When his mom asks him to spend the summer with her, Tokyo seems as good a place as any to float through the summer.
Rule #3: Swim at your own risk.

  I received a review copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I do like this cover as it's very summery exactly what you need for this time of year as well as it's also eye catching especially with the title. I may like this book but I think it's the wrong cover and title it didn't flow into the story.

I felt a little let down by this book because I was expecting more of the swimming involved into the story especially when the reason why I wanted to read it was because of the swimming as I am a huge lover of sports in the books I read at the minute. Once I was able to get over the non-swimming issue I was able to get into the story but not all the way through as there was a lot of moments that just bored me. As for the romance side of the story I just didn't feel it, there was times when I thought here we go but in the end I just didn't feel any spark between the characters more like best friends. The friend side of their relationship was cute and they was there for one another. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending it felt a little forced and not finished, I would've liked it to have gone a few years into the future as I don't believe in Zo and Finn as a couple so I would liked to have seen if they where actually still together and how they sorted through their issue's.

I actually liked the two main character as they both where fighters especially Finn as his childhood wasn't a good one and to still have a smile on your face is amazing. As friends they brought the best in each other but as a couple I wasn't a fan. There was a couple of secondary characters that I liked and would've liked to see more of especially Zo's Grandmother she was a great addition to the story. I didn't like Zo's Dad as he was such a hypocrite. He wasn't there for Zo when she needed him the most and then changes and doesn't want her seeing Finn. I also didn't like Finn's parents, his father was horrible the things he put Finn through unforgivable as for his Mum she just seemed to be background noise I don't feel as though she was needed in the story.

Overall if I didn't know about the synopsis and cover before hand I would have enjoyed it more than what I did do.

The Fine Art of Pretending (The Fine Art of Pretending, #1) by Rachel Harris

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Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository

Format: Kindle 

Publishers: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Published: 30th September 2014

Pages: 256

Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance, 

Main Characters: Aly, Brandon, Justin 
Date Read: 2nd February - 6th February 2015

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.
With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.
But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

I requested this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a cute cover which I think matches the story perfectly even if it's not a part of a scene I could still imagine this happening. The cover did interest me and was one of the main reasons why I wanted to read this book and I just love it when the cover matches just how good the story is.

After reading some really dark books I wanted a cute, light-hearted book and thankfully I chose right as this book was just what I needed. This was my only second read written by Rachel Harris and both I have enjoyed but for me this book blows the other one out of the water as I was hooked from the very start of this book to the very end. I think what makes this book so good is that it relatable to teenagers today and just made me think about how school was for me. Even though when I first read that synopsis and maybe the first few chapters I thought it was going to be a shallow story but in reality it was anything but shallow with a hidden meaning behind it. The relationship between Brandon and Aly was so sweet and I think this is down to the fact they where friends first it made their feeling for one another seem real. I loved the ending as this could be a stand alone novel but thankfully there is more to come and even though it will be new main characters I'm sure we will see more from Brandon and Aly.

All of the characters where likeable even the ones that where a bit mean as there was glimmers of kindness so I was able to warm to them even if I didn't love their characters I still liked them. Aly is definitely one of my favourite female characters ever as she showed that she wasn't this perfect person who loves themselves as she was very self conscious, but she was also a very likeable character. I loved Brandon as even though he was one of the most popular boys he was still likeable as he was sweet and always there for Aly he was just going through things that made him do certain things. I didn't think I was going to like Justin but I did in the end as he was more than what everyone made him out to be and I felt sorry for him at times. I loved Aly's friends as they where very supportive but they where also funny. I also loved some of Brandon's friends especially Carlos as he was so funny I hope he gets his own book.

Overall a cute read that will have you smiling and laughing along.

Book Review: Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend, #1) by J.K. Rock

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Format: Kindle (earc)

Publishers: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Published: 2nd July 2013

Pages: 324

Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Lauren, Matt, Seth

Date Read: 1st may - 7th May 2014

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.
They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.
But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

I have wanted this book for awhile now, so when I spotted it on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to request it and I'm glad I did as it was an enjoyable read but just not the best read...

I don't think that the cover is amazing but I do like the composition and the lines down the sides which makes it stand out a little more than it would have done without it. I do like that the title is just as simple as the rest of the cover as it ties in with the rest of the cover.

When I first started Camp Boyfriend I thought it was going to be a five star book, however the more I read the more things started to annoy me. I do usually have a love/hate relationship with the love triangles in the books I read but with this one I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. I did like that I never knew who she was going to choose which I liked that it kept me guessing but for the most part I didn't feel like either of the boys was worthy of her attention. For the most part it was heavily based on the romance side however, there was a lot about friendship and family which I for the most part enjoyed. I really enjoyed the book closer to the end and found myself not wanting to put it down which was what it was like at the beginning which I also loved it was just the inbetween that I wasn't a fan of.

For the most part I wasn't sure what I felt about Lauren as she had a lot of selfish ways but then at the same time she was also selfless. I did feel really sorry for her at times and I just wanted to tell her their not worth it. At first I didn't think that the boys she 'liked' didn't really know the 'real' Lauren but the more we got to see of Matt the more I realised that he loved no matter what. Both the boys had there moments when I loved them but they also had moments when I didn't as Seth didn't believe her and Matt was a jerk a few times. I really couldn't stand Lauren's old friends as they were all selfish and never seemed to be there for Lauren when she needed them the most but some of them did have moments of sweetness.

Overall I did enjoy Camp Boyfriend for the most parts but a lot of the characters annoyed me which I think is the main reason why I didn't enjoy it all the way through.