REVIEW; The Truth About James (YA Series #2), by Sarah Tork

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: No

SPOILERS

Summary:

Annabelle is still losing weight but that's become the lesser of two battles. Having fallen for James just before school started, she now returns to see him at the height of popularity and mixing with the Queens. 

He doesn't want to let go of her, but Annabelle struggles to believe he really wants her when she sees him flirting in school and doesn't include her in his plans. He always has an excuse and Annabelle wants to believe in him, but as he continuously lets her down, can she find the courage to to walk away for good? 

My Thoughts:

*** Young Annabelle Review ***

I was glad I had this to read right after finishing Young Annabelle having felt like it wasn't a complete story. 

Annabelle: She was a lot more frustrating and pathetic in this book. James was her weak spot and I understand how she kept letting him back into her heart and although it was annoying to read again and again, it was realistic and we're all guilty of it. But I hate when people jump to conclusions and it was all she did consistently throughout despite having sworn to trust him. I didn't feel for her as much in this as I had previously. She played Dean as well and that wasn't cool either. Both main characters in this just weren't likable in the least.

James: Ughhhh... sorry but no. All his smooth talk and charm that won Anna over was just awful. I didn't care for him at all. His texting was that of a child and I couldn't imagine a male being so drama seeking. The conversations of them going back and forth were just annoying with the petty "I don't care" and "I'm done with this" blah blah. They did more superficial arguing than actually working anything out and getting to the point. He was so disrespectful and arrogant, wanting a relationship with Anna but then not confiding in her and telling her of his plans and blaming her when she asks him about where he's been. When Anna did walk away he'd rock up the next day as suited him and act like nothing had changed between them. 

Dean: Ahhh.. I didn't like him much at first as he just seemed like a player but he definitely had a lot respect for Anna. He had his flaws but he showed emotion and a real care for Annabelle and I was sort of rooting for him to really show up how crap James was.

Jenna: I loved her so much. She was a brilliant best friend and spoke so much sense. She was such a crucial person for the story as she was the voice of reason reminding Annabelle of what she deserved and what she was worth, which is an important message to relay in a story like this, as Annabelle followed her heart rather than her head. 

Story: Meh, there isn't much depth in this at all. It just childish arguments throughout. The texting was frustrating with the wrong grammar. Often there were exclamation marks in replacement of question marks. The same phrases were thrown about and even conversations on repeat. 

Overall: 

I wouldn't really recommend this. It's rather childish and just typical and predictable drama with little depth or story to anything. I still stick to my original view when finishing Young Annabelle, that all of this was too broken up and thrown together. It all would've flowed a lot better being the one book. 

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REVIEW; Young Annabelle, by Sarah Tork

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Annabelle is over 160 pounds and her mother doesn't let her forget it. Controlling her meals and watching the amount of calories she burns, Annabelle can't escape the constant reminder of not being good enough by being judged by her weight. 

Then she meets James; he sees nothing wrong with how she looks and doesn't try to hide how he feels for her. 

But no matter what he does, Annabelle can't let him in and constantly chooses to see him as a typical popular player. Can she possibly win him for good, as she battles every day with her body and her family to try and win the prize of being loved?

My Thoughts:

Annabelle: I often find it hard now to read stories with characters a few years younger than me, as I can often find them being immature as I subconsciously compare them to me currently. But even trying to think back to when I was 17, and how my friends acted, I really think she was quite childish still. She did put up with a lot from her control freak mother and horrible family, so I understand her want to lash out. But she needed a kick up the ass to just stand up for herself. She had no problem with being rude to James all the time, so I fail to see why this attitude wasn't integral to her persona and it infiltrate all of her relationships.


James: Meh. I liked the banter between the two, but he was annoying. He lead Annabelle on completely and really was up his own. I don't think we got enough insight into his character to be able to see why Annabelle fell for him, so it felt like it was all just her wanting to be accepted more than down to James himself. He didn't make an effort with Annabelle but just spontaneously appeared as it suited him and expected her to be chill with it all ~ he didn't speak to her for 2 weeks as his phone broke... but yet he knew where she lived and it was supposedly close by. If he really cared he would've dropped by to tell her.


Story: I really was disappointed with the content in this. From reading the blurb of the book, I expected the majority of the story to take place when Annabelle had actually returned to high school, but in fact out of 6 weeks, only one day was set in the new school year. I liked the idea behind it all though, but am put off that the first book actually had so little in the story. I was expecting a lot more and had it read in well under 3 hours and it felt like I'd just read a few chapters. But oh well. 


Theme: I'm a huge fan of how influential authors can be and them recognising this fact and not abusing this power. Writing a story involving self-image issues and weight needs to be executed in a careful manner as it's an issue nearly every young-adult/teen experiences growing up. Annabelle wasn't at an outrageous weight that required a diet or such drastic reaction to by her parents. She was described as having a round belly and love handles etc, (pretty normal) but it was clear she was self conscious about this part of her body, regardless of the number on the scales. THIS IS WHAT SHOULD'VE BEEN THE FOCUS! Instead of fighting against her mother about what she ate, there should have been more discussion over her self image issues- what she was conscious about, ~ like pulling her cardigan down so she could breathe out and keep her tummy hidden ~ the little things she did to battle her insecurities that the reader could relate to and James/Jenna whoever reassuring her (the reader too maybe) that there was nothing wrong with her body. Of course, keep the horrible mother character as the bully and the catalyst for feeling so awful, but there needed to be a balance as I felt there were things that weren't addressed that should've been in this theme. There was no element of self love, and I don't mean it should be promoting being unhealthy and taking the attitude of "I love myself so I don't care" but rather not having to be a certain number on the scales or not have an ounce of "wobble" to be considered healthy. I'm not overweight or fat etc, whatever word you want to use, and I am healthy, but it took me years to be able to focus on being healthy rather than being a certain size and this needed to be really incorporated into the story to really hit home the theme in this... *deep breath*

Overall: 

Okaayyyyyy. So, after all that, I do recommend this! It's a light read and definitely suitable for YA's out there. The writing is good and there's a good pace to everything as the story does move along quite well. I'm reading the second book straight after this so maybe certain issues are addressed in that, however I do believe it would've been better if this first book had more substance to it.

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REVIEW; Fallen Crest Family (Fallen Crest High #2), by Tijan

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Mason and Samantha are as strong as ever - and deeply in love. Whether or not people approve, they are meant to be. But Sam's mother is determined to keep them apart and control Sam's life. 

Doing what she can to maintain her relationship, Sam also has to deal with jealous bitches getting inside her head due to her association with the Kades.

Turning to running as her escape, Sam has to be as strong as ever and battle through all that life throws at her, especially as soon Mason will be gone to uni, and Sam will have to cope by herself. Can their love, and Sam, survive?

My Thoughts:

***Fallen Crest High Review***

Ahhhhhh!! My God!! 
I loved Fallen Crest High and Tijan jumped to my list of favourites so I was so excited to finally get the chance to read this! 

Sam: Why are people beating her down so much? Yeah, she was so bad-ass and strong in Book 1 - but, come on!!! She has so much to deal with, and her mother is so crazy and is doing whatever she can to destroy Sam and Mason. Sam is pretty much hated and targeted in school and every day is a battle. So, yeah, she gets upset and emotional at times, but I still think she is just as bad-ass as before. People need to remember she's 17 - how would you react in her situation? I understand her penchant for running as a release, but 4.5 hours on a whim? That seemed a little far-fetched when doing daily. 


Story: I'm not really too sure what the big story here was... It seemed a little lost at times. I would have preferred some more emotional intimacy between Sam and Mason though instead of always physical comfort. There were some aspects that didn't really add up as well. If Sam was only 17, is she legally allowed to work in a bar? And then Heather and her brothers owned it but they were around the same age as Sam... But I don't know American rules! 


Writing: I love Tijan's writing style. I just fall so easily into the story and become completely invested in her world within the first paragraph. Any twists or drama are delivered in such a gripping manner and the story flies. 


Characters: The Kade brothers are amazing. Mason is fantastic but I think I'm starting to prefer Logan. His affection for Sam is adorable and how much he wants to protect her. I love the mix of humour with angst they carry. It's also refreshing that we're reminded occasionally of the darkness they come from - they're not bad people but they do go around the law and there is a slight fear of them - making them so much more attractive. There's also a good character development. Sam was once a lot tougher but clearly times are taking their toll. Mason and Logan are tough as nails, but they have a sensitive side which reminds you their human and real. 

Overall: 

This is my favourite series. I love everything about it and the characters. A great second book but I feel it's one making the way for a great third book! A must read and if you haven't started the series then you definitely should! 

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REVIEW; Forever Too Far (Rosemary Beach #3), by Abbi Glines

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Blair and Rush want their happily ever after with their perfect family. But no matter what they do, something always thwarts their plans. 

Blair thinks that finally all the drama is behind them and that her and Rush can finally live their life. 

But torn between his family and his family with Blair, Rush can't seem to please either side no matter what he does, causing more drama. Every attempt at pleasing one, results in the sadness of the other. Can Blair and Rush have a happy ending? Or was their love doomed from the beginning?

My Thoughts

***Fallen Too Far Review***

***Never Too Far Review***

Story: I'm not really sure all of this warranted a full novel. It mainly followed Blair with her pregnancy and Rush being always sidetracked by Nan's desperate attempts for attention. To begin with, obviously the drama was needed by Rush going off to help her, but he had more than enough warnings that putting Nan first was harming Blair. He should've manned up and given Nan a good talking to much sooner. She was a massive bitch and although she needed help, Rush treating her like a fragile being wasn't helping her in the least. 

• This would've been a 4 star rating if there had been less of the Nan drama. It took up way too much of the book and it wore thin pretty quickly, especially as Rush was so hesitant to be stern with her.

• Blair and Rush's beautiful relationship was still strong in this. Although they'd their issues, it was still a gorgeous read and as brilliant as ever. 

• Grant and Harlow were such a lovely addition to the story. Although they probably didn't really fit into this book, it gives a nice branch into more of Grant's life that hopefully will be written about! 

After reviewing the previous two books, there's less to really comment on aside from the specific story. I think this was an appropriate ending and had suitable drama to keep my attention and still remain a decent read. I read all three back to back so the overall story just seemed like one long one and they did all blend quite seamlessly.  

Overall: 

It's the final installment of Rush and Blair's story. If you've started the series, I'd definitely recommend finishing it. Fallen Too Far is probably the best of the three, but overall, it's still a fantastic and gripping series and you will fall for Rush and Blair!

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REVIEW; Never Too Far (Rosemary Beach #2), by Abbi Glines

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance, Drama

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:

Blair is back home trying to sort her life out without Rush being in it. Meanwhile Rush is heartbroken and trying to find a way to get Blair back again. 

But when Blair is forced to return to Rush, she has to find a way to let him back into her life as he has to find a way to be around her without scaring her off again. She wants him back, but is terrified to trust him again after being betrayed.

But as they try to see eye to eye to make progress, other drama poses to threaten everything they've worked for, and their happily ever after doesn't seem to be a possibility no matter how much they try.

My Thoughts:

***Read Fallen Too Far Review***

So thankfully I had the second book to dive straight into after the cliffhanger of book one, but unfortunately, this wasn't as good as Fallen Too Far.

Blair: I really loved her in the first book. She was so self sufficient and independent. But in this, she lost her fight. She just got a little bit annoying making Rush really beg so much to get her back. He had kept something from her, and she deserved to be annoyed. But after finding out she was pregnant she needed to just get over it a little and stop pushing him away so much. She kept moaning on about how incompatible they were and just shuuuut uuuup already!! 


Rush: Still love him but maybe not as much... He could've easily been an ass with what happened but he stood up and took the role he was meant to. But at times I wanted to scream at him to wake up and stop always saying Blair was his priority but then choosing Nan and her stupid drama!!!!!!! Every. Single. Time... But I can forgive it simply as he is torn with his loyalties and just trying to do the right thing by everyone and his actions were entirely understandable considering his circumstances. He also really knew how to make it up to Blair, if she'd get over herself and accept his endless efforts of apology. Like, gah, despite his crappy decisions, when he gave his speeches to keep Blair, it was heart wrenching!


I loved how it alternated POV between Rush and Blair. It gave such a great insight into what both felt but how much they failed at just voicing it simply! Ah the drama that could've been saved if they just said what they felt/thought. But I know, in real life we don't know what the other person thinks so of course were silenced by our insecurities and worries.


Story: This definitely lived up to the first book on the drama element. I did accept the twists of Rush dealing with Nan's drama and Blair on her own drama journey... but the continuation of twisting the whole "Who's Nan's Father?" crap... it just seemed so dragged out. What's the truth? The real true truth? 


Ending: Umm...What? I'm in two minds about this one. In one way, it was an appropriate, albeit abrupt, end to their story. The reader could believe that was their ending and everything was good. But then it was sort of unsatisfactory after all the drama they'd gone through. At least I'd the final installment to start straight after but I think without it, Never Too Far would've felt just abandoned at the end rather than completed.

Overall: 

If you've read Fallen Too Far, I'd definitely say read this. It's a great continuation and still is a gripping read with plenty of captivating, emotional drama! 

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REVIEW; 3.A.M, by Nick Pirog

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Thriller, Suspense,  Mystery

Recommend: Yes

SPOILER-FREE

Summary:

Henry Bins suffers from a condition named after him. He sleeps 23 hours a day and only wakes up at 3:00am for one hour only. But one day he hears a scream from across the road and sees The President leave the house.

After realising the woman has been murdered, Henry's main suspect is The U.S. President. But can he discover the truth with only being awake for 60 minutes? 

And what happens when he too, comes to be on the list of suspects?

My Thoughts:

I love original pieces of work so when I stumbled upon this, I knew it was my type of thing. It was sitting in my Kindle Library for about a year until I got round to finally reading it and I enjoyed it. 

Novella: To start off, this is a novella. Something I had missed when buying it. It only has about 100 pages and this was a huge disappointment. Even more so as it ends at 70% on the kindle too... There was such a great story to this, but it was too fast and quick. I like proper meaty stories and this sounded like one - granted it was my mistake - but I felt this had so much depth to it, that it could easily have been a proper novel. 

Story: I'm pretty torn with this. Half of me wants to pick apart the errors or problems but then the other half wants to applaud the original idea. 

• The idea of Henry Bins is a really interesting one. How would only being awake for one hour affect and change the human race? How much would the world be altered. Could people be awake for different hours? None of this was really explored and it feels like a missed opportunity. It was simply explained Henry has this condition and just accept it and move on. This felt a little strange as I would've focused a lot more on his condition and the consequences as it was such an unusual aspect of the story. 

• Lassie... uhhh isn't he meant to be a cat? It really didn't fit. I have two cats and just... it was simply frustrating how Lassie was responding to Henry and how he spoke to the cat. Just not realistic and was completely unnecessary too. 

• Amongst everything else going on, there was a slight hint of romance which was as if it was thrown in for the laugh. It didn't fit in with everything else at all and was again, unrealistic. It would've been a lot better had the book been a novel as there would've been the appropriate room for development rather than plonking it in the middle of nowhere.

Plot/Ending: The main appeal of this book was the mystery of "Who Dunnit?" Did The President commit the murder? Most likely not, but we still don't know. I love trying to beat the character into working out the culprit and motive... but this? Come on... the conclusion came out of nowhere and it was just a messy conclusion. Didn't enjoy it or believe it. Just didn't feel right at all and was a slight let down... 


Positives?: Right, so I still rated this 3 stars so there must have been some good points. And there were... To have packed all that was into such a short story was impressive. Yes, I would've preferred something lengthier, but I can't change that. Henry Bins was an interesting character with how he has adapted with his condition and it was a unique and original concept. There were some fun scenes and I did laugh more than once. If you don't read too much into the finer points, it is a great little story. 

Overall: 

Do I/Don't I recommend this? Yeah, sure why not?! It's a short little story that has so much going on and makes for a great read. Won't take more than a few hours to get through and I did enjoy it. Maybe just read it with a light pair of eyes. 

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