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; In Too Deep (Roomates Trilogy #1), by Mara Jacobs

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Lily Spaulding, daughter of a political consultant, is a freshman at an elite college , sent to keep an eye on her room-mate Jane and keep her out of trouble. 
But Lily may be the one needing help to stay out of trouble... When carrying out her swimming lessons with young kids, she notices Lucas Kade, older brother of one of her students, Andy. As soon as she sees Lucas, she knows she wants him and can tell he feels the same way. 
Lucas has a dark past and is trying to stay on the straight and narrow to be a good role model for Andy. But when push comes to shove, can Lucas ever rid himself of his past? And where does Lily fit in to his life? 

My Thoughts:

This book had me crying - out of despair and from laughter. 

Note: Although part of a trilogy, still a stand-alone book. Next in series focuses on different characters from this book.

Lily: Lily is the daughter of a political consultant and comes from a family of money. She fits in with the stereotype student that attends her college. However, she doesn't want to be there - she doesn't want to have to look out for Jane and keep her out of trouble and instead befriends Jane. I liked her from the start: I loved her daring attitude and confidence that she had when around Lucas but also her loyalty to her friend and backbone to stand up to her father, is all truly admirable. It frustrated me so much how much a loyal person she was when she wouldn't break her promise to her father!!! But overall, she is a heroin that you can't really fault for much. She never created petty or insecure drama and always remained so level headed throughout everything. 

Lucas: Mmmmm...Ultimate Book Boyfriend from the start. He's probably one of the best angst/troubled/bad boy in a novel written by a female. He never went overboard with mushy talk or steered clear of it completely - he actually acted like a genuine love-struck 21 year old who didn't know how to react to his feelings. He didn't automatically profess his undying love in a grandeur way, but still got it across fairly easily... hard to describe but when you know how a lot of guys his age act and read NA, it can be a huge downfall if the love interest is too "fantastical" and not realistic enough. 

Insta-Love: I hate insta-love. I always moan about it and unfortunately this is how their story begins - literally love at first sight. It was probably more lust at first sight than anything more but either way... A little bit annoying none-the-less. Especially how it all just worked out from the beginning and there was no cat and mouse chase - they both just presumed the other was game. It just took away from believing their love was real as it all was a bit too quick. There was good tension and build up to when they finally got together, but even still, I feel this could've been so much more exciting if there was more story between the Locker Room Saga and The Graffiti Wall. 

Story: As a story overall though, I enjoyed it. Typical opposites attract and good girl/bad boy drama, but it had its own originality and twists. Even Lucas with his past, it wasn't that predictable and showed that he wasn't actually a bad person or had a really traumatic rough life, although still had it bad. There was a very good balancing of the supposed "bad" and "perfect" lives both Lucas and Lily had so it helped blend the dichotomy of them being total opposites. 

5-Stars?: I think what was missing for me was just "more". I wanted more insight into Lily's life other than the random glimpses we got from phone-calls. We found out so much about Lucas, but hardly anything about Lily. As already said, I would've liked to have seen a better build up between Lucas and Lily rather than mutual assumption their feelings were reciprocated. Also, there wasn't really a lot of drama and when Lucas got into trouble again, I expected there to be more hostility from Lily - although she understood his circumstance, I don't think an 18 year old hormonal female would immediately get it. There needed to be just a little bit of anger or annoyance or some repercussion... but maybe that's just me seeking more drama. I just felt my tears of sadness hadn't even dried when they got back together so didn't seem like a lot of drawn out misery. 

Overall: 

This is exactly what it seems - a fun, exciting love story between two people seemingly not meant for each other. You get sucked in from page one and the tension and lust will keep you up reading for hours until you're finished. 

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REVIEW; I Am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS

Summary:

Pilgrim is a top secret agent, set out for retirement to lead a normal life, under the radar. Brought along to comment on a murder scene, he sees more than anyone else, and finds himself swept up into the investigative world again. 
Meanwhile, a Saudi-Arabian man is plotting against the world and fabricated an expert plan to eradicate America.
Can Pilgrim solve the crimes and stop him? Or will the hunter become the hunted?

My Thoughts:

This book!!
Firstly- it's extremely hard to write anything about this without giving things away, but with how sparse the blurb of the book is, it leads you nearly blindfolded into the depth of the story so I really don't want to spoil it for others.

I'm at a total loss as to where to even start with this one. At being 889 pages long in the paperback version, it's definitely a wrist-ache but totally worth it - it was a story to get utterly lost in. 

Pilgrim: Code-name for our main character, Pilgrim. He is a legendary secret agent in the top levels of security, with intelligence and skill like no other. Assuming different identities throughout his life, no one is really certain of who he really is. I loved how the story was told through his eyes; getting inside the mind of a natural investigator as he picks up minor details of the state of a room to conclude to momentous reasoning. 

Pace: This book is long but just right. There are four parts to it: 

1. Introduction to Pilgrim- the story opens in a murder scene in a hotel room with an unidentifiable victim
2. Introduction to The Saracen/main plot - the Saudi-Arabian who grows up to mastermind the plan to bring America to its knees
3. Pilgrim is sent on his mission - Their paths intertwine and the present time thriller unfolds
4. Attack/ End.

The pacing in this is executed brilliantly. The reader gets an insight into the past of both crucial characters and witnesses pivotal scenes that shape their character to lead them to their current choices and decisions. The breakdown of the story into 4 sections helps the intake of the story- the huge quantity of information is put forward in a more enticing way that enables the past/present flow naturally together in a seamless progression of events. Even though the setting/time often changed from chapter to chapter, it was simple still to follow what was going on. 

Writing: Hayes' writing is captivating. Every word appears to be chosen carefully as the passages are succinct and have punch. There is no stream of consciousness or meaningless chatter/waffle that plagues so many stories. There are also subtle hints intertwined that help the reader follow along the path of Pilgrim's mind, without any neon flashing signs pointing to evidence - there's no insult to the intelligence of the reader needing everything explained. In saying that, yeah, there were some repeated phrases here and there or similar descriptions for things - but in 900 pages of course there'll be some repetition!  

Story: Again, I don't want to give much away - half of the success of this novel for me was not knowing where it was going to lead me. But this was one hell of a story. It was so well thought out and constructed, with back stories and thought processes and intertwining plots and conclusions that all fitted together like a jigsaw when moments before things seemed totally irrelevant or unrelated. Hayes' doesn't hold back with the imagery either- warning, not a book to be read when eating!!! But it's all effective, it's a scary book in one way as it's so easy to see (and even understand possibly) how one can come to the mind-frame of seeking revenge and how a plan so huge and detrimental can be orchestrated by an individual. 

Overall: 

I can't remember when I last read a book this good. So many lately have been 5 star reads and this just supersedes them completely. I'm in such book-mourning and urge everyone and anyone to try read this. The second half is definitely a lot more exciting than the first- down to the story developing compared to more of a background lesson - but definitely worth the time to read. 

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REVIEW; Entangled - novella (Evolve #2.5), by S.E. Hall

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

NO SPOILERS

Summary:

Laney and Dane are back, and fighting over how to decorate Laney's new Duplex over the summer months. Entering bets and wagers, they go head to head to prove their point. 

Meanwhile the usual drama surrounds them and they also have a wedding to attend... 

Enter into another chapter of their epic love tale, before the new semester begins. 

My Thoughts:

*** Emerge (Evolve #1) Review ***
*** Embrace (Evolve #2) Review *** 

I normally skip the little side novella's as I'm more interested in the greater story, but I'm glad I read this. We got to revisit Laney and Dane and it was refreshing getting inside their minds again and watching them start the next stage of their relationship together. 

"How do I tell her, without sounding like a psycho, that I want to know every facet of her every day? If she laughed, I want to know what was funny. I want to know what she ate, what she wore, who she saw. I want to connect with her on a youthful, carefree level. She needs to know I can relate, that I like to have fun, too. I miss her when we're apart and want to recreate every moment when we're together."

Ahh, so cute! I nearly felt this story conveyed the love and chemistry between Laney and Dane a lot better than in Emerge, despite being a fraction of the length. It's also cool seeing Laney continually develop and become more confident in all aspects of her life. 

There was also a great flow to the story; with the inclusion of Sawyer who will be the focus of Entice, so it fitted in nicely to the overall series. All books in this series could be read as stand-alone books but I love how they incorporate aspects from all of the characters. 

Although, I really wish "baby" would be cut of these books by 50%. It's so grating. 

Overall: 

Decent little novella to support the overall series. Definitely recommend to read if reading the rest as adds in good character support and helps build the story and relationships. Well worth it! 

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Top 5; Book Boyfriends

As it's Valentine's weekend, I thought I'd share a special little post dedicated to us readers, whose Valentines are wrapped up in one of our favourite stories as a fictional character, one we fall for harder than the main character does, and who we will forever compare our future partners to and live in hope we will find someone that makes for decent competition... Here's my current list, of my top 5 book boyfriends!

Rush Finlay - Rosemary Beach 

Bad-Boy Rush is your typical troubled soul. His charm and wit (and apparent great looks) win you over to begin with. But his sensitive side that slowly becomes uncovered makes the reader fall for him even more. He's perfect...

“Talk. We are going to talk first. I want to see you smile and laugh. I want to know what your favorite show was when you were a kid and who made you cry at school and what boy band you hung posters of on your wall. Then I want you naked in my bed again.”

Rule Archer - Rule 

He starts off being awful and totally unattractive with his blasé and dismissive attitude. To have made it on here though, he must've changed and boy did he. As he fell for his love interest he let his own walls down and his true personality emerged, and we all fell for him! 

"My struggle came with the fact that Rule was complicated. He was brash, mouthy, careless, thoughtless, and often cranky and generally an insufferable pain in the ass. But when he chose to be, he was also charming and funny, artistically brilliant and more often then not, the most person in the room and I had been head over heels in love with both sides of him since I was thirteen years old." 

Noah Shaw- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Noah Shaw... he has a reputation that precedes him and he is arrogant and cocky. You may see past his charm and attitude to begin with, but following him as he slowly falls for Mara is so enticing and captivating, we've all been bit by the love bug. He just one of those characters that was built with a magnet and you can't hide from the attraction.

“Noah's eyes held my face. I swallowed hard. The juxtaposition of him sitting in a room full of people while staring at no one but me was overwhelming. Something shifted inside of me at the intimacy of us, eyes locked amid the scraping of twenty graphite pencils on paper.

Sam Greyson - Chasing Hearts

Sam Greyson is really one of my favourites. Hot damn. His humour is infectious and he seems like the type of guy you fall for immediately. His added moments of anger and desperation show he's only human and can also make mistakes, just attracts the reader more to him as he isn't portrayed as some Godly Perfect figure that only exists in novels. 

"Life isn't always what we want it to be. It sounds like you've had the short end of the stick for most of yours, but it doesn't mean you don't have the right to be happy. If you give me the chance, I'd like to be the one to show you what that's like." 

Jack McLachlan - Beauty from Pain

Mr McLachlan is more the one and only Book Husband! Major Swooooon. He is decisive and powerful and knows what he wants - or he thinks he does. But when he falls in love, he reallyyyyy falls in love and his caring and loving nature makes for an addicting read that make us all want one of him.

"I've known pain my whole life, but this is a new kind for me. It isn't born of something wrong or ugly. This pain is conceived out of beauty - my love for Jack Henry McLachlan. I embrace it. I clutch it as tightly as I can with both fists because I never want to forget the love I have for him. Loving him will forever be my Beauty from Pain."

Interested in reading more? 

Fallen Too Far
Rule (The Marked Men, Book 1)
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Heartless (The Chasing Hearts Series Book 1)   
Beauty from Pain: Beauty Series - Book 1

REVIEW; Embrace (Evolve #2), by S.E. Hall

Rating: ★★★★☆

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

SPOILERS (If haven't read book #1)

Summary:

Evan Allen left his university to be with Laney... but he was too little too late. Now at her uni, seeing her with Dane is killing him. Knowing nobody doesn't help him either. 

But Sawyer and the others kindly take him in and help him to meet other people. Evan soon begins to find his feet again and get back on the scene, and realises his situation isn't as bad as he thinks. 

Losing Laney may have been the wake-up call he needed to embrace his new life.

My Thoughts:

*** Emerge (Evolve #1) Review*** 

I really loved the first book in this series and was so excited to continue the drama. But part of my was a little let down with this one...

Evan: Gah, I felt SO bad for him at the end of Emerge and was eager to see how his chance at luck went. The only negative for me was that it was obvious this was written by a female. There were times where his reactions and thoughts were definitely not male characteristics and had the typical traits of a "perfect guy" created by countless authors. Now, he's meant to be the die-hard romantic "good guy" but it was a little too much at times. Maybe he was just too cutesy for my liking but I fell a little out of love with him in this and his double standards with Whitley got quite frustrating considering how much she cared for him. 

Format: Quick little point out - kindle edition needs format editing. Nearly every "texting" conversation is all over the page and a there are numerous sentences where it stops mid line and continues on the next one. Just interrupts the overall flow for the reader. 

POV: Mostly portrayed from the POV of Evan, I enjoyed how it swapped over so we still got the insight into Laney and Dane's life and it wasn't a strong cut off to Book 2. They were still included as integral characters, although slightly sidelined as this was Evan's story. It was all executed quite smoothly and the writing style appropriately adapted per character. 

Whitley: Ah, bless her! Even I nearly fell for her. Like probably most readers, I wasn't a fan of her in Emerge, but we aren't meant to be. We only see the bitch side of her and immediately dislike her meddling nature, but we ~should~ know we women are bitches usually when we're hurting or defensive over something and this is exactly her situation. She is such a great person underneath her defensive nature and persona she plays and I loved reading more about her person. Her unconditional love and affection for Evan from the start was so endearing and even her warming to Laney showed how mature and kind-hearted she really is. 

Character Development: There was great development of the characters in this. Evan changed dramatically through the story and in fairness, so did Laney. I felt sorry for her position as she wasn't really to blame for the whole "love triangle" as such. (Read Emerge review for further dissection of that mess!) I could understand how awkward and guilty she felt at the beginning but then she also got mad as Evan was only trying to move on and live his life accepting he'd lost Laney. As she woke up to realising how he must have felt etc, she matured greatly and even welcoming Whitley into her group despite everything. 

Love/Romance: Mehhh... this is where this book fell down for me. I couldn't connect with the romance in this AT ALL. I don't know why seeing as I loved it in Emerge. It all just seemed like the same scenes retold and possibly with different characters at times but it was just dull. I'm so tired of reading the "baby" in every romantic scene in every book now too... just major cringe. 

Overall: 

It may have let me down a little, but I still loved the journey this book took and how the overall story continued and grew. I cannot wait for book 3 being focused on Sawyer - I bet this will be the best one yet!!

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