Book Review: The Next Forever (Pretty Amy #1.5) by Lisa Burstein

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Format: Kindle (arc)

Publishers: Entangled Publishing (Ever After)

Published:11th April 2011

Pages: 96

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Amy, Joe

Date Read: 30th - 31st March 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

One night in college can change everything…

Away at college, Amy just wants one night alone without her high school sweetheart, Joe. So when he invites her to go to the library, she heads off on her own instead. How she ended up at a house party with the mysterious bad-boy Trevor is another story…

Joe so isn’t going to the library. He needs space from Amy, too, so he’s decided to rush a fraternity, to get back the swagger he had in high school. But it doesn’t take long for the brothers to invite him to the real rush here the beer is flowing and one particular girl has set her eyes on Joe.

Over the course of one wild night, both Amy and Joe will have to decide if their futures belong with two new people, or whether the next forever will have their first loves in it.

I wanted this book because it was a New Adult book but what I didn't know was that this wasn't the first in the series. I wasn't going to read it I was going to get the first one which is a book that has been on my wishlist for ages (Pretty Amy) but I couldn't stop myself as it was a short book and am glad I did as I loved it.

I do like the cover but I think it is pretty much the same as other New Adult books. I do like the font of the title it really makes it stand out.

As soon as I started this book I fell in love with it and what I loved even more was that I didn't feel lost with what was happening. With it being a NA book it wasn't a cute, fluffy book but it felt more real with real issues which I wasn't sure I would like but I did. I loved that it was a quick read as I haven't been able to read much in the past couple of months but with it being short it was easy to get through, it also helped that it was an amazing book. After reading this book I know that I need to read the first book and maybe any other book that Lisa happens to write. The romance side of the book was a bit different to what I am used to reading about but I loved it all the same. It was very much a will they/won't they book that had me guessing all the way through.

I really like the characters as they felt more realistic than most other characters that I have read about which was a refreshing change. Amy definitely had some underlining issues that gave her an edge but you could tell she was all heart. Joe was sweet I didn't think I would like him but the more I read about him the more I loved him.

Overall a very entertaining book that will have you guessing all the way through...Will they cheat or won't they?

Book Review: Ever (Ever #1) by Jessa Russo

 

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Curiosity Quill Press

Published: 1st October 2012

Pages: 295

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Ever, Frankie, Toby

Date Read: 1st March - 8th March 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

BOOK ONE in The EVER Trilogy

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.

Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

I was asked by the author if I wanted to join a review only blog tour of this book and I jumped at the chance as it sounded like my kind of book, which I wasn't wrong about. Thank you Jessa for sending me a copy of Ever to review.

I am used to seeing a lot of girls and boys on the front cover but I still like this one as it looks as though it has captured a moment in the book. I also love the blurred look of it. The font of the title is my favourite kind of font so it captured my interest straight away.

When I first started it I was liking it but I didn't love it as I wasn't too sure about the things that was happening. Once I hit about halfway through things started to really pick up, to the point where I just couldn't put it down. The romance side of the story I didn't really believe until everything changed and now I can't pick who Ever should be with. As for the paranormal side of the story I didn't feel as though I was reading one as it just felt like normal (even though nothing was normal). I have only read a couple of ghost stories and all of them have been different to this one which I never expected ghost stories to be different to one another and I never expected everyone to be able to see the ghost. This book did have me close to tears a few times which i didn't mind as i just felt as though I was that invested in the characters. There was times when I thought I knew what was going to happen but I never really guessed right which I liked.

At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure I was going to like all of the characters and a few of them took me by surprise. Ever started of like your everyday teenager only she could see ghosts. I did feel as though she was a bit naive at times but apart from that she seemed like a good character. I loved Frankie from the moment we met him and I really did feel so sorry for him. Now Toby I actually didn't like to start with as I just didn't believe his intentions and it wasn't until nearer to the end when I actually found that I ended up loving him and believing him. Her best friend Jessie I also wasn't too sure about but in the end I found she was a great friend and there for her. Greg was another one of those characters that I just ended up loving when I thought I didn't.

Overall I found this was a great start to the series and I can't wait to find out what is going to happen next.

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

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Format: Hardback

Publishers: Headline Publishers

Published: 2nd January 2012

Pages: 236

Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Hadley, Oliver

Date Read: 25th February - 28th February 2013

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.
 

I had been after this book for awhile so imagine my delight when someone sent me a copy as a RAK, yet for some reason it took me awhile to read it but now I have I wish I had read it sooner.

I really like the cover in the way that it's all black and white apart from the heart as I feel you can can get a sense of what the book is about. Also I can imagine this cover as a part of a scene from the book which I love when that happens.

When I first started this book I wasn't quite sure I was going to like it as I wasn't too sure about Hadley but the more I read the more I could understand where she was coming from. I did find the relationship between Hadley and Oliver sweet to read about but I didn't feel as though it was a sizzling romance which I love to have in the contemporary romance books I read. I felt a lot of emotions when reading this book which did nearly have me in tears at one point but for the most part I felt it was sweet. This book wasn't just about love at first sight but also the relationship between a farther and daughter which I found a refreshing change. What I really enjoyed about this book was that it was set in 24 hours which I haven't read a book like that before but because of this I felt there was a few unanswered questions at the end of the book which was a shame.

As I said in the above character Hadley was one of the characters that I couldn't warm to at first but by the end she seemed like a sweet person who just had a few father issues. Oliver I felt was so sweet and caring although I didn't feel a huge love for him like I normally do with the male leads but I did really like him and I definitely felt for him towards the end.

Overall a very quick and enjoyable read but I didn't feel any spark there and I wish it wasn't a standalone book.

 

Book Review: Persistence of Vision (Interchron #1) by Liesel K. Hill

Format: earc

Publishers: Tate Publishing

Published: 29th January 2013

Pages: 386

Main Characters: Maggie

Date Started: 8th January 2013

Date Finished: 15th January 2013

Rating Given:

 

 

 

The Blurb from Goodreads:

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away...

*New Adult futuristic dystopian fantasy
 

I was contacted by the author of this book asking if I wanted to join her blog tour and to review her book which I thought it sounded like something that I would enjoy and I'm glad I accepted as it was a very enjoyable read.

 I like the cover as I like that the person on the front is tied into the story but it doesn't really say much about what the story is about.

When I first started this book I was really confused as to what was happening it even got to the point of me wanting to stop reading it, but, I continued on through and it got so much better that I didn't want to put it down. Things do get explained and then there would be other questions thrown into the equation but these ones didn't make the story confusing. There was still unanswered questions at the end of the story which i can't wait to find the answers in the next book. I loved that there was always something happening which started from the moment I read the first page as it made for a thrilling book. I did find some things was predictable but then there was other times I just wasn't expecting certain things to happen. With the romance side of the story it was very much a slow build up with loads of will they-won't they making me feel for both of these characters. I loved the ending as it has left me dying to know what happens next.

Maggie was the character everyone loved and I kind of understood where they was coming from as she was thrown into this situation and only wanted to help everyone but I did feel as though she was a bit too believing in what was happening. I loved Marcus he was such a sweet guy trying to hide the way he felt and the things that had happened to him made me feel so sorry for him. There was some other character that gave a bit of light relief to the whole story and I loved them for it.

Overall a confusing start but a great story building that has left me wanting more.

Book Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Format: Paperback

Publishers: MTV Books

Published: 17th March 2009

Pages: 245

Main Characters: Meg, John

Date Started: 1st January 2013

Date Finished: 4th January 2013

Rating Given:

 

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

 

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

 

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

 

 

 

 I had had my eye on this book for a long time so when I finally got a copy I was really happy and thought I was going to read it straight away. Over a year later I have finally read it and I just wish I had read it sooner.

I don't really think much of the cover as it's just a simple one but I still think it's effective. Even though there is just the two people on the cover I feel like you get a sense of what the story is about which I think is good.

I haven't read many contemporary romance books but for the most I have loved them and this is no different and is definitely a new favourite of mine. Usually in the contemporary book it's the boy that's the bad guy but this time around it was the girl which I thought was a refreshing change although there was times when he did get angry but I understood where he was coming from. I also understood where Meg's anger came from which made her a more likable character. The chemistry between Meg and John was sizzling and I just couldn't wait to see where their relationship took them next as one minute they was hot the next minute they was cold. I loved that I never knew what was going to happen next as there was a few revelations that shocked me as I just never saw them coming.

Both Meg and John was great characters that I would have loved to see more of. Meg was the rebel of the story (but for a reason and a pretty good one at that) which shocked me but also made me laugh as her humour just stood out. John was the good guy cop but I did feel like he had a inner rebel just waiting to get out. He also had a bit of a temper but I didn't mind that so much but there was one point towards the end where I felt he needed to stop and think. There was also a few other characters but we didn't get to know much about them which was a shame as I would love to have read more about John's friends they seemed sweet.

Overall a great book and I now can't wait to read more from Jennifer especially if her other books are as good as this one.

New Authors Challenge 2013

Artwork used (with permission) for the button is Anglerfish by Vlad Gerasimov.

 

This 2013 challenge is hosted by Literary Escapism and to join in with this challenge just click the image above.

 

Here's the guidelines for the New Author's challenge:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013.
2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience.
4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky. Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome. You don’t have to have a site to participate. You can link up via Facebook, GoodReads or even Amazon if you’d like.

Once you reach your goal, you don’t have to stop. Any new author you try, go ahead and head back here and add it to the list. Introduce us all to whoever you find. After all, there’s no reason to stop trying new authors, right?

In 2013 it will be my first joining any blog challenges and this one sounded like a great one to try considering I keep reading new books by new authors. I am going to start with challenging myself with 25 new authors but I'm sure I will read more than that!

Good luck everyone!

1. Goining Too Far by Jennifer Echols
2. Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill
3. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
4. The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines
5. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
6.