REVIEW; Illicit, by Ava Harrison

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Contemporary 

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

NO SPOILERS!!! 

Summary:

Lynn leaves a party to get some fresh air on the beach after catching her boyfriend cheat on her. Carson leaves the same party to get space from everyone. Two strangers both finding solace on the same beach, staring at the night sky and bonding over the constellations. What turns into a wonderful night of passion, is soon tainted when Lynn turns up to class and finds Carson as her teacher, Mr Blake. They have an unimaginable amount of chemistry, but both know they can't revisit that night while she remains his student. 

My Thoughts:

I loooooove student/teacher romances to find out how different authors portray the taboo relationship and how it all develops. I think straight away there is such a strong boundary between right and wrong in society's eyes, and I love reading how that boundary turns grey between characters. 

Lynn: Poor Lynn catches her boyfriend cheating on her, and she goes to the beach for some space. When mysterious and charming Carson joins her, the two form a bond over constellation talk, which soon leads to swimming together and doing the deed. Lynn expects it to be a one-night stand and part of her healing process. But, she was held back a year and is still in high school. Her parents are divorced and she is left living with her evil bitch mother, as her dad stays away and pretty much ignores her calls. Thankfully, Lynn has her best friend. 

Carson: Bless him. Straight away when he realised Lynn would be a student he tried to do the right thing and get her to change classes. It was clear from that start that he was uncomfortable and it showed he had a conscience. But as he learns more about Lynn's life, they can't stay away and so the most wonderful forbidden romance ensues!

Story: There was a lot more going on than just a student/teacher romance. I think it was really beautifully written and Harrison addressed some serious issues and also didn't romanticize them at all (yay!). She includes a huge emphasis on counselling and seeking professional help for various issues and it's refreshing to read a serious topic being treated that way and not just thrown into a story for the lols. As for other drama... well it all added up for a good read. I felt the subplots were woven really well together with the main plot and it all seamlessly flowed as the drama intensified. 

Overall:

This was a highly addictive, dramatic read about a forbidden relationship and the stakes of being in love. It deals with some heavy topics and about healing and recovery. A beautiful story!  

Goodreads

REVIEW; Punk 57, by Penelope Douglas

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

NO SPOILERS!!! 

Summary:

Misha and Ryen were set up as pen-pals in 5th grade, both their teachers believing they were the same gender. Growing up, Ryen gave Misha the best version of herself, as she tried to be better for his sake. Ryen was the only girl that Misha ever cared about. She wrote him letters, nearly 3 for every one he replied to, but she knew he needed her. Her words kept him focused. They don't follow each other online, so to keep that distance in their lives and certain anonymity. But when Misha believes he has met Ryen in real life, he goes above and beyond to meet her. Ryen is unaware Misha has been right in front of her all along. 

My Thoughts:

I've been waiting to read this for so long and I wasn't disappointed. From the beginning I was hooked as we delve into Misha and Ryen's story, told from dual POV. 

Ryen: I really liked her because she truly wasn't perfect, possibly even not a nice character. For once we got a character that wasn't completely naive, innocent, oblivious to their good looks etc. Ryen was a bitch at times, allowing weaker characters to be bullied if it saved herself. Misha didn't like the real Ryen he saw in person, and so chose to torture her instead.  I think there was wonderful character development for Ryen, as she yearned to be the best version of herself that she wrote on paper to Misha and as she grew in real confidence to commit to her moral high ground and defend those in need and put the real bullies back in their place.

Misha: He was a total ass, but mostly for the right reasons. Misha is a musician and Ryen's letters and words act as a huge muse for his work. He meets Ryen on a night out, both unaware of who each other is, but he instantly learns that she is the Ryen behind all of his music. After numerous life changing events, Misha joins the same school as Ryen under the false name of Masen, shielding his identity from Ryen and gradually becoming a staple person in her life. He battles with admitting his real name, but he has other reasons to be in the same town and can't let his true identity be known. As Masen, he treats her like shit, trying to charm her into submission and crack her icy exterior and queen status. All the while Ryen can't help but fall for him as Masen, while feeling guilt about Misha. 

There was a great sub-plot propelling this story all along. We got the main hype about Misha and Ryen's online vs real relationship, but there was also a lot going on in Misha's life that kept the pace tumbling along nicely with a lot of suspense. There's quite a bit revealed about Ryen as she develops along with the story line, and it makes for a very surprising read. 

Overall:

This was a highly addictive read, full of drama and emotion, with an original plot. One of the best books I have read this year as the battle of choosing between who you are and who you want to be is explored in depth. 

Goodreads

REVIEW; Malik (Carter Brothers #1), by Lisa Helen Gray

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: No

Book 1

SPOILERS!!! 

Summary:

Harlow Evans has moved into her Grandmother's following the murder of her parents. Next door, 5 boys live with their grandfather - The Carter Brothers. On her first day at her new school, Harlow makes an enemy who will stop at nothing to humiliate and ruin her life. 
One Carter brother, Malik, claims Harlow as his, as they all fight to protect Harlow. 

My Thoughts:

I really don't know where to begin. The amount of notes and highlights for this book surpass any other - and not in a good way. 

Writing: I appreciate self-publishing and love that it's becoming such a huge thing. But come on! At least get an editor of some kind. It's known you can't self-edit as you read what you expect to have written and not see it for the first time, but the standard of writing in this is abhorrent. I was honestly so shocked, especially as it is so highly rated and yet very few comment on the grammar. There are no typos (congrats on using spell check) but the grammar is horrendous. 

“Whose going to be there?’’ - Who's surely?

"Myles goes back to reading his health and social workbook, and go back to the laptop." - Yep, makes sense...

“Or they were click flicks,’’- Chick Flicks or is click flicks a thing? 

"No one has lived there in over eighty year's" - It should be "years ", without apostrophe due to it not being possessive. (If it were, e.g. "she had eighty years' experience)

"he turns to study his food, with his one hand resting on my thigh" - using "his one" suggests he only has one hand and it doesn't read well. 

The author clearly had an aversion to commas; none would be used when using a name e.g. "What do you want Craig?" and it should read "What do you want, Craig?" It's vocative case and therefore is separated from the direct address!! This error was ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAMN BOOK! I learnt a lot of punctuation rules from reading alone, and then a little research over the years for essays and further understanding - this should be a basic trait picked up by the author if she actually reads! 

Also would be good if the headings weren't left as Word default - really added to the unprofessional nature. 

SHOW, NOT TELL. The unwritten rule of writing a good story, yeah? You plant ideas in the readers mind to leave them to piece together feelings, or emotions... or jokes! 

"The name sounds like bust-her-cherry and not Buster Cherry"

Thank you, for pointing the joke out. Would never have worked it out myself.

Harlow: What an annoying heroine. She appeared to only be affected by the murder of her parents when it suited her. Day to day life - there was no grieving whatsoever! She also happened to be a curvy, hourglass girl with brown hair and blue eyes... an hourglass figure which APPARENTLY all boys despise... um... what? Then to add to her innocence of ignorance, she never wore makeup!!! Oh, Em, Gee! A naive, innocent, poor orphaned 17 year old virgin, who is soooo beautiful and doesn't know it, but doesn't even attempt makeup as her parents said she didn't need it. Sorry, but if a teenage girl is insecure about how she looks, she will try makeup to boost her confidence, regardless of what her parents say... 

She also did my head in regarding her relationship with Malik. I get the whole being scared to trust shit, I'm the least trusting person there is, but I wanted to smack her. She was so dense she believed BULLIES WHO HATED HER over her boyfriend. Like, they've tripped you up, humiliated you countless times, and yet you still believe what they say about the guy who has been by your side since day one? Whatever. 

Carter Brothers: Now, there is a great opportunity for the series here- five insanely hot and witty brothers and their individual issues blah blah, wonderful. But 5 of them? And all 5 of them good looking and well built? Maybe 3 would've been realistic but I felt like I was reading a story from a teenage girl's fantasy of the perfect scenario. Oh, and all having names beginning with M? F sake. 

Insta-Love: Christ on a bike. THERE WAS F ALL ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK ANYWAY! Day one, and Malik just CLAIMS Harlow, and this is meant to be absolutely breath-taking and romantic?! WTF? There's no emotion or build up to their relationship (not to mention zero chemistry) and Harlow flips from being a scared little virgin to a flirty daring minx as quick as the wind changes. Come on. 

Bullying: I think authors have great power in what they write. Books often provide solace for struggling teenagers and therefore triggering topics should be presented well and dealt with carefully. It was all over the place here. It was all just used to propel the plot, with no real emotion behind it. Even rape was included and not very respectfully. 

Why were Harlow's parents murdered? Why did the murderer come back to kill her? NONE OF THIS WAS ANSWERED! I'm surprised it wasn't the classic death by car crash. At least you aren't left wondering why they were killed. A murderer returning to kill the daughter would suggest more than a mugging or random killing. But nope. Never got to know any of that. 

The story read like it was set in America. Even the names. Malik/Mason/Maverick/Myles - kind of all American names! There was some American english/terminology used too. The only giveaway to the setting was once or twice Pound Sterling currency was mentioned. 

Overall:

I think maybe YA would enjoy this more, as it all plays into the perfect fantasy of damsel in distress being saved by 5 guys.  

Goodreads

REVIEW; Pieces of You & Me (Pieces #1), by Pamela Ann

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: No

Book 1

SPOILERS!!! 

Summary:

Olivia and Greyson fell in love in third grade. Until Olivia broke his heart and a mutual hatred began. After returning home following a summer in Sydney, Olivia discovers her mother's new boyfriend is Greyson's father, and they will be living together. All Olivia has to do is get through her final year of high school before returning to Sydney for University with her boyfriend Liam. 
But Greyson won't let Olivia slip through his fingers again and will do anything to make her acknowledge their mutual feelings. 

My Thoughts:

Olivia: I didn't like her... Sorry! Back in third grade she was blackmailed into breaking Greyson's heart and causing the hatred between them for the remainder of their school years. Seriously?! Grow a back bone. Ok, as a young child you don't really know how to react but surely going through the teen years she could've just explained to him! She also gave in so quickly even though not giving in. Like, she agreed to be his date, asked him to sleep in her bed, asked to go with him racing - there was no real effort of rebelling against the feelings. 

Greyson: I didn't like him much either to be honest. I didn't think we got much of an insight into his character, other than his apparent disregard for every other woman except for Olivia who he was in love with - with no reasons really given. There was a lot of telling us that he loved her but, for me, no real signs to make me believe him one bit. He was such a possessive arrogant egotistical boy who tried to act alpha male as a romantic gesture and just no! I despise this in a male character we are meant to be rooting for. 

Story: I think there's a good premise of this story but for me it lacked. Maybe if I had been 16 or 17 reading this I would've soaked it all up, but I'm past all this empty romance. The book ends on a cliffhanger - something I don't mind - but again the drama was focused on miscommunication and that's such a pet peeve of mind in books (I think due to being my pet peeve with people in my life) and I just couldn't enjoy the book. I wasn't racing to pick it up and delve into their world. I didn't care about the characters. 

Also, read on kindle, the story ends at 82% and with a cliffhanger, and in that case I hate it. I never read excerpts of other books that are added at the end so just another negative for me! 

Overall:

Overall, probably wouldn't recommend this due to the lack of connection with the story and the characters. I just couldn't follow it or the drama/twists. 

Goodreads

REVIEW; Twisted Palace (The Royals #3), by Erin Watt

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Definitely 

Book 3 of 3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Ella has finally found a family and is loved by them all - she has never known happiness like it. But her boyfriend's stepmum has been murdered and Reed is the main suspect, with evidence stacking up against him. Amongst it all, Ella's father, previously presumed dead, has turned up and is trying to make up for lost time. Ella doesn't want to move away from the Royals and live with her father, and is terrified of losing Reed as she tries to do her own detective work into the murder of Brooke. 

Thoughts:

Drama: This followed straight on from the cliffhanger of book 2, so there will be spoilers in this review. Ella finds out her father is alive and her boyfriend is the prime suspect for murdering his soon to be stepmother. I thought the plot was going to be predictable and the final installment would not live up to the expectations of the first two books - and this was sort of true. The drama towards the end saved the book overall. I felt at times it wasn't too clear where the book was heading and then for the final climax, it all seemed a little rushed and then just tied up nicely with a bow to finish. It is quite a slow burner, but there is a lot of mystery that kept me reading.

Ella: I really like her character and her strength and we definitely see a more vulnerable side of her. She is wary of letting her father just waltz into her life and goes back to her default of fending for herself. It was so heartwarming seeing how she clearly views the Royals to be her true family after everything. Now, that being said - she annoyed me a little. I'll put this down to being a 17 year old girl but I didn't like how she flickered between believing and doubting Reed. Considering the amount of love they had for each other, I'm sure even if it were possible she would be blinded by love and be in denial. 

Romance: Meh. Ella and Reed finally do the deed but meh, Wasn't that interesting or exciting and just felt like it was all at the wrong moments for their personalities. Oh well. 

The Royals: I loved watching how their family dynamic changed and adapted due to Ella's presence. They really became a loyal unit rather than dis-jointed as at the beginning. They may not have been the average representation of family, but they were a great example of how a family acts, and it was beautiful seeing how a young girl could make them grow. 

Overall:

This was a perfect ending to the series. Everything was finished up nicely with a satisfying end to the overall plot. Such a brilliant series and recommend it for both YA/NA readers. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; A Different Blue, by Amy Harmon

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is... not even her age. Her mother left her with a stranger when she was two, and he raised her as his own, teaching her about life and how to carve wood, constantly moving around. 
With his passing she is left on her own to discover herself. Having to attend high-school Blue doesn't want to do an assignment involving telling her story. Her teacher, Wilson, is instantly drawn to Blue's attitude and wants to know more. And instantly an unlikely but strong friendship is born, as Blue embarks on a journey to discover herself and balance a relationship with her teacher.

My Thoughts:

WOWOWOWOWOWOWWWwwwwWWWwwWwwwWwWWWwow!

Blue: Blue Echohawk is such a compelling character. She has a beautiful story considering she knows nothing of it to begin with... she doesn't even know if she is 19 or 20. As a result, we go on a gorgeous journey of self-discovery and redemption and revelations. She had great wit and sense of humour but yet an ability to feel the highs and the lows with raw emotion that affected me. She was such a unique character with her own struggles and I feel responded to bucket loads of shit thrown at her with a strong armor of attitude and bravery. 

Once upon a time... there was a little blackbird, pushed from the nest. Unwanted. Discarded. 

Writing: I'm so used to reading NA novels with easy read language. The prose in this is so engaging and encouraging, with a vocabulary above average of that usually found in similar novels. Although this story was so compelling, the manipulation of language was what really drew me in and what I found addictive. It was so refreshing! 

Romance: So I stumbled across this due to student/teacher relationship. Firstly, for the majority of the book Wilson had a girlfriend and no romantic barriers were pushed whilst they remained student/teacher so there was none of that consequence dealt with. What was beautiful was how their relationship evolved into a true and caring friendship as Wilson helped Blue on her journey. Part of me wished there was more romance depicted between the pair but I sort of liked how delicate and slow their relationship bloomed and how it was focused more on the emotional connection. 

Overall:

I wasn't expecting this book to affect me as much as it did. I honestly thought it would be a sub-standard level of writing but yet it was so powerful and a story I will remember for a long time. There is a beautiful soft romance woven around the journey of self discovery and is just fantastic. So poignant. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Did I Mention I Love You? (DIMILY #1), by Estelle Maskame

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Eden's parents are divorced. She agrees to spend the summer with her father and his new family in California. She knows immediately she doesn't fit in. 
The eldest step-brother, Tyler is not happy she is a part of their family. But he can't ignore her when his group of friends take her in and show her the Californian lifestyle. Tyler's girlfriend doesn't make it easy for Eden to fit in either. Eden is thrown into a life of drama, secrets and deceit. But she can't ignore the feelings she has for Tyler, and the need to see him for who he really is.   

My Thoughts:

This is probably a 3.5 star rating. I loved the plot and the idea, but it was nothing special at the end of the day. 

Eden: I felt for her. She was thrown into a new life with a new family and a new group of friends and didn't feel like she fitted in. But she was so sincere and caring. I loved how she was determined to break down Tyler's walls and see the real him. Always being there for him despite being given the cold shoulder. She was such a good person. When she realised her feelings for Tyler, she couldn't continue if he was still with Tiffany - a girl who really didn't deserve that act of kindness and consideration from Eden. She's also very strong willed! She put an end to things for the greater good... I don't know how she managed that at all. 

Tyler: God, what a troubled guy. He had the typical rock hard exterior and acted like a right piece of work. He was hurting so badly and trying to put up a front to everyone, that he was on a direct path to self-destruction. He doesn't seem like a book boyfriend contender, but definitely a book best-friend. He's so charming and hides a wonderful personality behind his walls and I was cheering him on whenever he would let Eden in. 

I enjoyed this but felt the characters were too young. I would have rather they had been a year or two older just because I couldn't really place their mental age with their real one. It all seemed a little off. 

While this is about a forbidden romance it's also a great coming of age read. It deals with a lot of the pressures of being a teenager and growing up and dealing with all sorts of issues. There is drug and alcohol abuse as well as the usual insecurities we all feel. 

Overall:

This is a light quick but deep read. There are twists and turns and secrets and not too predictable. It will also probably drive you mad if you don't have book 2 ready to jump right into afterwards.

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Perfect Chemistry (#1), by Simone Elkeles

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Young-Adult, Romance,

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/3 (standalone stories)

NO SPOILERS 

Summary:

Brittney Ellis is from the North side and is the perfect girl: gorgeous looks, expensive clothes, new car, perfect blonde hair and the other half of the Golden Couple. At least that's how it all seems. Behind closed doors Brittney is struggling to keep it together with her absent father, arguing with her mother and caring for her sister. 

Alex Fuentes from the South side and is part of the Latino Blood gang. After his father's murder he stepped up to protect his mother and younger brothers. He doesn't have a bright future and is destined to continuing up the gang ranks. 

The north and south side people don't mix. But Brittney and Alex become chemistry partners and soon discover they have more than chemistry together. Love, secrets, lies. They have to try beat the odds to make a life together. 

My Thoughts:

It took me a while to get into this. I found a lot of the writing quite juvenile and there were a good amount of typos. 

Writing: there was too much tell and not just show. Nearly everything was explained to the reader, even when it was already clear and self-explanatory.

"My sister smiles wide when she sees me. 'Bwiee!' My sister can't enunciate words, but she uses verbal approximations. 'Bwiee' means 'Brittany,'" 

"Mario laughs, not believing for a second his girlfriend would cheat on him." - this line really irked me. It was obvious when he laughed that it was all banter and joking, it just didn't need the explanation that he knew it was all a joke etc. Give the reader some credit! 

Romance: the premise of this story is really heartwarming and cute. Two people from different sides of the track, coming together to bridge the gap. Their relationship is extremely slow and fragile 

- at least from Alex's side it was all down to win a bet. This definitely wasn't a steamy story, extremely tame and PG but yet in the same story there were gang fights and murder... If we can witness a bloody murder can we not handle more than a kiss between the two? 

Brittany: I hated her at first. I was on team Alex who viewed her as the fake blonde, wrapped up in appearing perfect even when her life was falling apart. But gradually we see the glimpses of her life that explain why she is so adamant to appear like she has everything together, as in reality, appearing like she's ok is the only thing she has that is ok! By the end I really felt for her and almost cried for her in the hospital scene. She's a huge advocate for stereotyping and not judging people based on what they seem. 

Alex: he wouldn't make it on to my book boyfriend list but he is sweet. He was part of a dangerous gang but I never felt scared of him. I felt he needed to be a little more intimidating, mostly at the start concerning Brittany, to really convince us of how dangerous his world was. We saw a huge inner turmoil and emotional battle with him, which showed his vulnerable side. The reader was exempt from the harsh version of him all the North sisters feared. 

Overall:

I enjoyed this but it was a simple read. I think it needed some work to really draw focus on the emotional scenes between Brittany and Alex. Cute story overall. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Broken and Screwed, by Tijan

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 1/2

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Alex's brother died in a car crash and her life has never been the same. Jesse lost his best friend that night, and has a special bond with Alex - they're both hurting over the loss of someone they love. Thrown into a world of despair and darkness, they both find strength in each other. 

Alex loves him, but she knows they'll never be together. Jesse doesn't want to feel, and Alex is the only girl that understands what he needs and he will take what he can get. 

My Thoughts:

Hot damn. This far surpassed FCH. There were no sex scenes but yet it was the steamiest novel yet. 

"The nights were the worst as I stayed in my home. I had been abandoned. I was haunted. And all I wanted to do was destroy everything."

For a book about not feeling, I certainly felt a lot. 

Alex: She is one great character. I really feel for her. She's not some damsel in distress but yet needs Jesse to hurt with him. She's absolutely rock solid. She's been through hell and back and in some depression but gives no shits. She was in no way portrayed as perfect or an unrealistic ideal of the perfect girl who had it all - making it so easy for me to feel for her and want to see her kick ass and get her happy ending. 

She's so far gone that she recognises Jesse is using her and that she doesn't care if it results in her being hurt constantly. 

"He was going to screw other girls tonight and I know she'll still go for him if he ever calls her. You do that too. You're both so weak. You're spineless" 

Jesse: OH MY GOD! He is amazing. He's so heartbroken and raw and hurting and I love how he is portrayed. Deep down he appears to love Alex, but he needs her to cope and that's all she will ever be. I love how Alex didn't change him in this - he wasn't some project needing to be altered by the girl. Am fed up of novels where the main female converts the bad boy to a whipped boyfriend. Jesse remains aloof and stern and it's so fantastic and captivating. 

Friends: I liked how her friends Angie and Marissa were sort of shit friends. Reminds us all that there are times where we have friends that aren't good for us. I felt bad that Angie wouldn't really try and sympathise but then Alex did a good job of blocking everyone out. Really got an idea of Alex's numbness to all when Marissa tries to take Jesse and Alex can't even react. 

Story: the trauma and despair in this is crushing and it only gets worse for Alex. What is brilliant though is all that occurs is a domino from her brother's death. Her parents reaction or grieving state directly impact Alex and makes for an even bigger heart-wrenching story beyond just Alex suffering the loss of her brother. She's really mourning the loss of her whole family and dealing with the realisation her parents care more for Jesse than they ever would for her.  

Overall:

Thank God book 2 was available when I read this. I was totally sucked into their bleak world and couldn't believe how strong their attraction spewed from the pages despite them not even being together in this book. Best Tijan read so far. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Paper Princess (The Royals #1), by Erin Watt

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes Yes Yes

Book 1 of 3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Ella's mother died, she never knew her father, and she has been working at a strip club to earn money. Then one day Mr Royal walks in, claiming to be a friend of her deceased father's, and now her legal guardian. Ella is now a part of the Royal family with five new brothers; Gideon, Easton, Reed and the twins. They aren't going to step aside and allow her to waltz in and be a part of their family and get a penny of their father's money. 

But Ella is made of steel and has a plan of her own. But it didn't involve falling for Reed, the leader of the pack. 

My Thoughts:

Fell into this immediately and desperately need book 2! 

Ella: at 15 she joined strip clubs to pay for her mothers medical bills. She has such strength to put herself out there and out of her comfort zone to get money and make ends meet. She's then thrust into a new school where appearances matter and yet has no interest in moving up the social ladder. She shows great character development - she's not above accepting money that she needs for college in return for her safety by staying with Mr Royal. She's so strong and resilient, the boys don't exactly welcome her in and make things difficult as she's pressured to live up to the expectations of being a Royal. I love how she's been through absolute hell and yet isn't some broken, despair girl needing a boy to help her.

Reed: he is so damn stressful, poor Ella! I'd have punched him so many times out of annoyance and frustration for just being all over the place. He's portrayed as violent and for once it's not romanticised or made seem like it's okay. None of the actions of any of the sons are excused. But at times you really believe he hates Ella but yet it's the opposite. He doesn't treat her delicately either - he is through and through a bad boy. 

Romance: the romantic storyline in this is very delicate and subtle. There's nothing explicit or too daring. The novel is inbetween a new adult and young adult book. But yet it's written in such a way like it's the next big budding romance.

Easton: whilst Reed is harsh and aloof, I think Easton is my favourite Royal. He is scary still, but laid back and hilarious and I loved watching the harmless flirting between Ella and him. He's so much more charming and warm, he's more of a book boyfriend than Reed.

Overall:

When reading this book 2 wasn't published yet and I'm devastated. I rarely read a book one and NEED the next book immediately but I was left heartbroken. One of the best books I've read and this series has made it into my favourites of all time. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Being Jamie Baker, by Kelly Oram

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Young-Adult, Romance, Paranormal

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Jamie Baker is the Ice-Queen or freak. After being in a car accident, Jamie managed to survive but changed forever. Jamie has been left with superpowers- she has super strength but when emotional, is alive with electricity. Socially exiling herself has worked well for Jamie, until she meets Ryan Miller. 
He is determined not to give up on her and break down her walls. And she needs him more than she cares to admit. 
But when Jamie realises she is facing a danger much bigger than being exposed, she has to risk everything, including the lives of those she loves, to try and protect herself and them.

My Thoughts:

I loved Kelly Oram's "Cinder & Ella" and fell for her cute writing style and adorable romances, so as soon as I got this book, I began reading it immediately and sacrificed many hours of sleep (which is serious business when you're up at 6am) to just read "one more page". 

Jamie: She had her flaws, but I did like her. I'm quite a sucker for Project Break The Ice Queen and Jamie made for a good one, although a bit of bitch. I liked her humour and how she was with Ryan, and loved how they both interacted. But her negativity and moping got a little teeny tiny bit thin quite quickly. Personally, I've I'd been graced with her powers, the first thing I'd investigate is how they can be controlled/ used. Jamie however, she had no interest in learning how they worked until she met Ryan. It seemed like such a waste!!  Granted, she'd been through hell and back with her accident and everything with Derek so she had all the reasons in the world to be sad, but some time has passed and I felt like she needed a little bit more umph and positivity just to have a life with her parents - but still remain an Ice Queen in school. 

Ryan: He's sweet, caring, genuine. Hard not to fall for his charm and humour but a little annoying. As with a lot of YA/NA novels, it's first obvious Ryan is from the imagination of a female. He understands Jamie too much and cares too much and has too much emotional connection and emotional knowledge to be a typical young guy. Sorry, they just don't exist like that. He was quite disrespectful at times with not acknowledging Jamie when she said no at the beginning, before they were close (but that could be down to Jamie saying one thing but meaning another.. I don't know). He's just not going to make it onto my book boyfriend list any time soon...

Superpowers: Jamie is not a superhero... she doesn't really do anything heroic apart from once. But she does have superpowers, which she has no interest in! I was really interested in her different quirks and abilities and enjoyed watching her practice with Ryan on how to control and manage them. My issue arises with the accident and how she got her powers. The whole drama surrounding the accident and Derek seemed like an afterthought quickly sketched in to enable the story some depth. 

Story: Not going to lie, I was hooked from the beginning with this. I loved watching Ryan dig deeper to try and figure her out and reveal Jamie's story. As per, the high school diplomacy was on point, with the usual rivalries and jealousy. One MAJOR issue in this book, and mainly why it lost a star - rape. In this, a side character gets raped by one of the popular guys. Jamie finds out and just warns him not to do it again... uhh... what? I recognise the influential powers authors have over their readers, and I think when such a sensitive topic is included, it shouldn't be done lightly and should also have proper conclusions. But in this it was just sort of dropped in like a bomb and then both characters ended up eating lunch together... riiiight. 
Classified as a romance, it does make for a cute love story. Of course, it's predictable but it doesn't run seamlessly for them both so it does keep the reader interested. 

There's also the added danger of Jamie being stalked by a reporter and questioning his motives. Does he want to expose her for a good story? Or is he trying to sell her out to a research company?  I enjoyed this level of danger as it added another dimension to the story just being centered around Jamie and Ryan. 

Overall: 

This isn't a deep or heavy story, just a cute little romance with a really original paranormal twist. It's exciting and fast paced and definitely hooks the reader with an unforeseen added element of a greater danger. Definitely recommend - I can't wait to read more! 

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REVIEW; Cinder & Ella, by Kelly Oram

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:

Ellamara's life is forever changed on her 18th birthday where she loses her mother in a car-crash and is left scarred from burns and sent to live with her father and his new family, after not having spoken to him since he walked out on her family. The only positive in her life is her best friend- Cinder, as she knows him by. Except he's an internet friend so she's never met him before. 

Cinder - or better known as the new most loved hottest actor, Brian Oliver, fell for Ella long ago, but doesn't want her to know his true identity as she's the only person who treats him normally. Fighting with the media's expectations and trying to protect his career, all Brian wants is Ella, but knows he has to protect her from his crazy life. 

But when fate intervenes and their paths eventually cross, can both of them accept each other's secrets? Or will the revealed truths about each of their lives prove too much to handle. 

My Thoughts:

Ah where to start? 

Firstly, I was a little apprehensive in reading this after reading negative reviews about it and was worried I'd feel the same and DNF. But c'mon guys! It's a HEA book! You should know what you're getting into from reading the blurb!!


Young-Adult: This is definitely for the teenagers/Young-adults so it's unfair to comment on any of the teen drama or cringe-worthy scenes. It's meant to be! If I were 5 years younger reading this I'd have fallen straight into their world and know I'd be OBSESSED with this story. So hence, I'm rating it from a teenager me - as that's who it's clearly aimed at. 


Research: Okay, so there were plot holes with the legalities of A LOT of things in this - mainly in relation to how easily Ella could be committed to a mental institution and how little control she had over her life but so what?! Normally, I am a huge stickler for exact details being correct, but again - 15 year old me wouldn't bat an eyelid at these holes and what about poetic license? It's meant to be a novel of highs and lows and drama. If it toed the line for being legality correct there wouldn't be a story! 


Ella: I think it's quite hard to write and depict a character who has been through hell and back and then is suffering and failing to cope brilliantly with new circumstance. It's borderline "feel immense sympathy" or "stop feeling sorry for yourself" and it can be easy to waver between the two as you get fed up of the self-pity. But I never did with Ella. Whilst I could see both sides of why people acted how they did ~ her father, Jennifer, Juliette ~ they never had any tact with actually noticing Ella's reactions and adapting their approach accordingly. They drove me insane and I don't know how Ella didn't throttle them with her cane to begin with. But she really was an extremely strong character - no way could I have dealt with even the bullying in school remaining together like she did. Made of steel!


Cinder: He's not Brian Oliver in my mind. Cinder is such a great book boyfriend. I didn't quite fall or swoon over him, but I did for Ella. He was a mix of the stereotypical Hollywood heart-throb, but with a lot more common sense. Depicted as a somewhat bad boy with a reputation, we didn't get much of an insight into this and his love and affection for Ella was so apparent through how he joked with her.


Fairy-tale: Obviously, this is going to be a romance adventure. Oh wow! It really was such a great twist on Cinderella. It had the slightest thread of the fairy-tale interwoven throughout but it was such an original twist. It is exactly as it sets itself up to me - a whirlwind of drama and despair but all fairy tales have happily ever after's? 

Overall: 

I read this in less than 24 hours and loved it. Don't take it too seriously and any die-hard romantic will fall in love with the story. It may not be the highest standard of prose or most factually correct, but look at who it's aimed at. If you look hard enough at anything you'll find imperfections, but choose to see the beautiful story, and they don't matter!

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REVIEW; Heartless, by Vanessa Marie

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Charlie has lived her life moving from place to place as her father moves with the military. She is finally excited to move when she discovers she will be returning to her original home town and will be reunited with her best friend Julian. 
Not having any interest in boys, Charlie can't help but give into the attraction she has for Sam - a cool, light-hearted 25 year old she meets in a cafe. But Charlie doesn't like letting people in and is always expecting to be let down. Sam manages to break down her walls and discover glimpses of her harsh youth and loves her for it. 
But just as they seem to be on the same page, Charlie starts back at school. And Sam walks into her Creative Writing class... as her teacher. 

My Thoughts:

Writing: At the beginning I couldn't help but cringe at the writing in this. The forced wit and banter among the characters seemed juvenile and childish. I'd really suggest re-writing the first 1 or 2 chapters as they just are such a turn off. However, as the story progressed the writing did also. The torment of life that plagued Charlie was described so emotively and I could really sense her suffering throughout. 


Characters: 

• Charlie: I loved her fight to begin with. She seemed so strong and sure of herself. But I got a little tired of the whole "selfless" act she tries to pull towards the end. Just feels a tad over done in so many novels where characters push people away for their protection. 

• Julian: He was awesome! Totally could see the twist involving him from the get go, but he's a best friend anyone would want. He was so good at giving Charlie the kick up the ass she needed but also he still had his breaking point, like every human

• Sam: Ooh la la! I'd say everyone reading this wished they were Charlie in the coffee shop! He had a great personality and charm that wooed the reader, but he wasn't perfect either. Charlie really got under his skin and seeing his anger and frustration play out, made him so authentic and realistic. He wasn't some glorified man who had no flaws, and this made him even more attractive. 

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives you the test first and the lesson afterward"

"Life is bullshit. It's not sunshine and fucking rainbows, it's dark clouds and acid rain" 

Story: Regardless of any drawbacks, this story drew me in and kept me up late in order to finish it. I immediately bought book 2 to continue their story. Sam and Charlie had such a rich relationship in the first half, and it was painful to read their pain when they realised their new situation. Throw in the drama of Charlie's health and it's just a rollercoaster of emotion! This also really went beyond the usual teacher-student romance. I liked how it developed between them two initially and the chemistry that pervaded the novel. 

Overall: 

I loved this a lot. I'm so glad I stuck with it even though my first impressions were quite negative. There is such a beautiful, heartwrenching love story that unravels in the pages of this. It is a little heavy dealing with difficult topics and the struggles of life - but an amazing read. Definitely recommend!

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