ARC: Anti-Stepbrother, by Tijan - Review Pending

Soon I will post my review for Tijan's latest release, Anti-Stepbrother! 

So many emotions, so many feelings... I am in such a book mourning phase right now. 

Can't wait to share my thoughts!

REVIEW; Across The Hall, by N.M. Facile

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Recommend: Not really

Standalone

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Sylvia had her heart broken when Quinn ended their relationship together before heading to college. 4 years later, Sylvia is still hurting but trying to move on with her life. But when Quinn moves to the same university, and is living across the hall, Sylvia has to struggle with battling her old feelings. Meanwhile, she is trying to move on with bad boy Beau, but she soon realises she got more than she bargained for by dating him. 

My Thoughts:

Sylvia: I tried really hard to like her as the main character, but I failed. I found her to be insecure, dramatic and rather boring. Her relationship ended four years ago and she's still suffering like it was 4 weeks. Yes, he may have been the love of her life, but I doubt she has reason to still be so wrapped up in Quinn, especially as there was no contact between them to keep her hopes up. She is also extremely shallow; introduces the reader to her friends by describing them physically and on their looks alone, as if their personalities were irrelevant. I really don't understand why she stays with Beau for so long either, when dating him was such a chore for her to begin with. She needed to grow a damn backbone. 

Quinn: the chapters in this changed POV between Quinn and Sylvia. I usually like this in this a novel as it allows the author to both give snippets away to the reader, and also deliver the story from two different personalities. But in this it didn't work. Quinn was to female minded. None of his inner dialogue was from a realistic male perspective. He was so cringe and yet meant to be a gorgeous hot guy with great confidence but yet came across as unsure and insecure. 

Friends: The secondary characters in a story are always important for me. But in this, they were all insufferable. To be blunt, they were shit and cliché. They were all coupled off in serious relationships and everything was just too perfect. Kai is the typical quirky little Asian and Kerrington is a tall perfect blonde. They also believe being a good friend is acting like Quinn was a murder when he showed up. Give the guy a break!? Alright he broke her heart so take her side, but there's no reason to treat him so horribly before even getting to know him! 

Writing: This was way too descriptive in showing but then also telling, there was nothing left for the reader to put together. In the end, there was so much internal monologue that I had to skip loads to just get on with the actual story. It opens with an info dump load of who Sylvia is, her past, her friends, what she does, her friends' boyfriends etc. Slow. It. Down. 

Ending: it's nicely delivered so we slowly discover they're grandparents and all that they achieved in their life together. But again - huge information overload to which child belongs to who. We didn't need to know about Kai and Kerrie's children and grandchildren - it wasn't their story. I felt it was all too cliché in the end - especially with the accidental pregnancy drama. 

Overall:

I wouldn't really recommend this. It's an ok story but both main characters are highly unlikeable. Everything was too immature and there was nothing left for the reader to piece together. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Lionheart: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling, by Fran Seen

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Lula responds to a Craiglist advertisement  by a Mr Rahim, seeking a cleaner who will ask no questions and housing is included in his manor. Eager to escape her family and pay for her sister's physical therapy, Lula jumps at the opportunity. One rule though... she is not to look at Mr Rahim's face. No one who lives there has seen him properly. But Lula isn't one for living the safe life and pushes Mr Rahim until she gets a glimpse at who he really is, and once she sees, she cannot walk away.

My Thoughts:

*** Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review***

I love Fran Seen's work. Absolutely blown away... again. There is such a magnetic power to the stories she creates that lures me into the world of the characters. 

"My mom always told me that, when people warned you they were emotionally unavailable, to believe them. She said those people had good intentions. They were trying to warn you that their heart was broken, and in attempting to piece it back together, they were afraid of cutting you with their edges."

You know those times when you read something and it hits you right in the gut and you realise you've just read words that explain everything that's been going on in your brain as if the author has just ripped your own thoughts right from you and whacked them down on paper... yeah, that happened.

Lula: I loved her banter and attitude. She was so kind-hearted and of the best nature, but yet not timid or shy and afraid to challenge Alo. I laughed on so many occasions reading of her texts with him and how she challenged him. 

Alo: We discovered his past and history before Lula did due to the dual POV and I loved the insight into his struggling mind and his torment. He was a perfect balance of fierceness and mystery but yet with such a soft side.

Romance: This is technically a romantic story between the pair but yet there's nothing explicit or steamy. Instead it's all based on a gorgeous development of a relationship where the reader gets to see them both get emotionally and mentally close. I loved the scenes where Lula and Alo would focus on the sky and discuss the stars and their story. 

What's beautiful is the adaption of the Beauty and the Beast story is so far removed but with the same premise. Alo feels like he is completely alone and removed from the world, but once he accepts that he doesn't have to be and allows Lula to get close, it ends beautifully! The writing and format is so thought-provoking and entrancing, it's just fantastic. 

Overall:

This is an addictive and beautiful romantic story. With some complicated themes treated so delicately and honest, the pain and trauma will captivate you from the beginning to the thrilling ending. 

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Broken Prince (The Royals #2), by Erin Watt

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: So Much Yes

Book 2 of 3

SPOILERS 

Summary:

When Ella walked into Reed Royal's life, he wanted her gone. Now she has run off, heartbroken, and Reed will do anything to bring her back and earn her trust again. 
Around him the school is falling apart and he is surrounded by deceit and blackmail and his brothers blaming him. Ella can't handle any more lies or hurt but her heart misses Reed. No matter how much they really want each other, they know they aren't good together and Reed has a challenge on his hands to win her back.

My Thoughts:

After the cliffhanger of book 1 I was so excited to read what would happen between Reed and Ella. This book has it all! 

• Broken Heart
• Grovelling
• Secrets
• Lies
• Manipulative Barbie Witch
• Barbie Bitch
• Attempted Murder
• Actual Murder
• Plot twist that will give you 4 heart-attacks and kill you until Twisted Palace is released in October.

Story: I think it's always hard to write a brilliant 2nd book after such a successful 1st one but this blew me away. There was so much drama but everything is intertwined and delivered beautifully and woven into the overall story rather than random plot twists with no substance. And another cliffhanger! Or 2 really!! WHAT THE HELLLLLL!?!?! The writing in this is not astounding by any means, but the story is just so addictive and I can't stop reading. We also get to find out a little more about all the brothers, which is great, and then Brooke doing her best at ruining lives and just creating even more drama...

Reed: A lot of this book is from Reed's POV. This is necessary to fill in the blanks after Ella has run away. I'm usually not a fan of male POV's due to them being poorly represented but it sort of worked in this. His control and power was palpable and it was clear which chapters were told from Reed or Ella's POV just by the writing. 

Ella: I love her fighting spirit. She is so strong and proud and doesn't allow them to walk over her. Even though she still has feelings for Reed she remains so strong in her standing in making him properly work for her forgiveness and mean it. She is definitely far from a weak push over. I absolutely loved the scene where Ella humiliated Jordan at school. Brilliant.  

Overall:

This series sucks you in and breaks your heart each time, but it's totally worth the pain and torment for The Royals.  Just hurry up October, please!

Goodreads 

REVIEW; Broken and Screwed 2, by Tijan

Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: New-Adult, Romance

Recommend: Yes

Book 2/2

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Alex's parents have left her to fend for herself and she is angry. She has questions about her brother and his death and is demanding Jesse gives her the answers. But when she goes off to college she realises Jesse is considering a celebrity almost and being associated with him would put her right in the limelight. Also, once reunited the pair can't deny their chemistry, and soon fall back into old habits of finding strength in each other. But now Alex doesn't want a public relationship, and the secrets Jesse knows about the death of Ethan, may tear them apart for good. 

My Thoughts:

Alex: She is still hard as nails but opens up so much more. She is able so slowly let her guard down. She remains so strong solely to protect Jesse from knowing the truth about her parents- she doesn't tell him they upped and left her and don't care for her, so she doesn't shatter his illusion of the perfect parents. She's still happy with whatever she can get from Jesse, even if it means her own heartbreak. Alex also got money from her grandfather, enabling her to go to college and pay for anything. I liked for once a character didn't take the high road and turn down money just on principle of where it came from. 

"I hadn't known my grandfather was wealthy, but I capitalized on it. I had the money so I was going to use it"

Jesse: he is still as strong and powerful as ever, but we also get a rare glimpse of his caring side. He really wants to be with Alex, properly and not in secret but yet she's the one adamant to keep things quiet. Somewhere along the lines he found his closure, I think some of this coming from the truth concerning Ethan's death being finally exposed while he was keeping his promise to Ethan at the same time. 

Cord: It was really good being able to see more about him and see his character develop on the sidelines and see another side to him. Maybe he will get his own story? He was like an epic big brother figure and I loved his banter with Alex but yet his automatic protective nature as he know she is important to Jesse. 

Story: her parents in this really were horrendous and so awful, but it all makes sense to how they had acted, even if there was an attempt of justification and remorse. There's the added drama of the secrets surrounding the death of Alex's brother and her quest to really find out the truth. There isn't a huge epic romance, but yet there's still an exciting and realistic relationship built between the pair.

Overall:

This definitely lived up to the expectations set from the first book. It has everything and more, a story of jealousy, hurt and betrayal. And finally, all the answers we've been wanting from the beginning. 

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