Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green

🌟🌟🌗 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

Like most kids, Katie was a picky eater. She'd sit at the table in silent protest, hide uneaten toast in her bedroom, listen to parental threats that she'd have to eat it for breakfast.

But in any life a set of circumstance can collide, and normal behavior might soon shade into something sinister, something deadly.

Lighter Than My Shadow is a hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to prey on the vulnerable, and an inspiration to anybody who believes in the human power to endure towards happiness.

^{*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*}

I thought that the symbolism within the drawings was well done. It was interesting to see how the author was able to include the Katie's issue by drawing scribbles of varying degrees. I also thought that the use of pages looking like they were ripped wherein she showed herself in the present talking about the past were creative and interesting. I believe that these drawing will help people to be able to understand eating disorders in a very abstract way.
It is a difficult novel to read because it is one thing to read something that deals with a character with an eating disorder and another to see the drawings of a character going through it. There are times when the drawings show her emaciated body and there is some nudity as well. It is important to be aware of your own triggers before beginning to read this graphic novel because it is not a light read at all. I'm not sure that I completely understood the progression the story. It seemed to jump around at times and I had to reorient myself to where the author went. Overall, it had a fairly good flow to it and the author leaves the ending open.

Let Her Go by Briana Pacheco

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BLURB
Zoë Whitmore is in love with her best friend, but haunting memories and a guilty conscious have been holding her back from letting her be with him.

Owen Stevenson is unknowingly paying for the sins of his father. He doesn't understand why Zoë can't look at him for more than a few seconds or why his touch is unsettling at times. All he's ever wanted was to love her, to protect her, and to be hers, but it's not so easy.

She pushes, he pulls.
She hurts, he loves.

Both are holding onto ghosts of their pasts and in order for them to peruse a relationship they'll have to let them go.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23491528-let-her-go

Briana Pacheco has done it again! This may be my new favorite of her books but I should go back and read Sky Full of Stars again just to be sure. I loved this book so much! It was such a gut wrenching story but at the same time it was a story about unconditional love. 
I thought that this book would be good but it surpassed my expectations. It ended up being so much more than what I thought that it was going to be. In the New Adult genre, there are many books in which the main girl in the story has been through some kind of trauma and feels she isn't good enough to deserve the love of the love interest or has been ruined in some way. I thought that perhaps this book would be similar to that. There was an element of that to the story but it was mostly her carrying around the burden of the secret as well as the guilt from choices that she made. I think that is what made this book so unique coupled with the perpetrator of the abuse and the connections that the characters had with him. It made for a complex and emotional story that I won't soon forget. 
I think that this book will stick with people after they finish reading it. It is an important story that needs to be read so that readers can learn the power that trauma holds over the survivors as well as how it can be overcome. This was a beautifully written story with perfect pacing and emotions that leapt off of the pages. I loved the characters and felt as if they were real people that I cared about.

Zoe had such a beautiful soul. I wanted to reach inside of the book and take her pain away. It hurt my heart to see her struggling to stay afloat while her pain was attempting to drown her. There were points in the book where I had to take breaks and at one point had to ask my husband for a hug. The author was able to write her point of view as if she herself had been through the painful experiences that Zoe was experiencing in the book. 

Owen was such a dreamboat...well my version anyway. He was the total boy next door package mixed with romantic nerd. He loved with everything in him and it was a pleasure to get to be in his head. My heart broke for him at one point during the book when he is home for Christmas. It was the hardest scene to read in the entire book. There was so much anger and pain inside of him that was pouring out.

PURCHASE LINKS – 99c for release day only!

US: http://amzn.to/2gHIXSJ
UK: http://amzn.to/2wWB95D
CA: http://amzn.to/2glBuvH
AU: http://amzn.to/2z9kMTW

Free in Kindle Unlimited
 
AUTHOR BIO
Briana Pacheco is the author of New Adult novels (DON'T LET ME FALL, SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY, A SKY FULL OF SECRETS, and LET HER GO), a twin, a dreamer, a tattoo lover, easily swooned by accents, and a little bit of an extrovert but a whole lot of introvert. When she’s not reading, writing or people watching, she can be found listening to music, perfecting resting bitch face, or at Dunkin’ Donuts.
 

AUTHOR LINKS
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Briana-Pacheco/e/B00JVZ1SVK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianaPachecoAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8176758.Briana_Pacheco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianapacheco1/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brianapacheco1/
    

GIVEAWAY

There is a giveaway for a $15 Amazon gift card + signed paperback of Let Her Go (1 winner, open internationally)
 

Direct Link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba3ffd551686

Something in the Way by Jessica Hawkins

🌟🌟🌗 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
An epic, three-book saga of forbidden love coming 2017.

It was a hot summer day when I met him on the construction site next to my parents’ house. Under the sweat and dirt, Manning Sutter was as handsome as the sun was bright. He was older, darker, experienced. I wore a smiley-face t-shirt and had never even been kissed. Yet we saw something in each other that would link us in ways that couldn’t be broken...no matter how hard we tried.

I loved Manning before I knew the meaning of the word. I was too young, he said. I would wait. Through all the carefully-chosen words hiding what we knew to be true, through his struggle to keep me innocent, and through infinitely-starry nights—I would wait. But I’d learn that life isn’t always fair. That no matter how much you achieve, none of it matters if you suffer the heartbreak that comes with falling for someone you can never have. Because even though I saw Manning first, that didn’t matter. My older sister saw him next.

^{I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review}

I thought that the book was interesting and the subject matter grabbed my attention. It was a complex situation which drew me in because I wanted to know what choices the characters would make or how they would react to situations and each other. I thought that Manning was a great character even though he made some questionable decisions. When I say questionable, I'm not talking about taking things too far with someone underage. I know that some people might automatically jump to that due to the nature of the blurb about the book. Manning was strong and seemed like a stand up guy. He was polite, honest, and had things that happened in his past that he was clearly still trying to deal with. 
The main reason that I had trouble with this book was the other characters in the book. I started off liking Lake because she seemed mature for her age and not into many of the things that teenagers get caught up in at her age like make-up, drinking, and partying. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders but then she changed towards the end of this book. I found her to be annoying, clingy, and desperate. She appeared to loose all of her maturity. I hated her sister, Tiffany, even more so. I didn't think that she had any redeeming qualities. She treated those around her like trash and attempted to manipulate people to get what she wanted. 
I didn't understand what happened at the end of the book and why the author wanted to put that drama at the end of the book. It didn't make any sense as to why Manning made the decision that he did at the end. 

My Best Friend's Ex by Meghan Quinn

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

When I found an eviction notice taped on my apartment door, I had two options: find a comfortable cardboard box to call home, or move in with Tucker Jameson.

Seeing that cardboard makes me feel itchy, I chose the latter. Which shouldn't be that big of a deal since Tucker is one of my good friends. And because he's still pining after his ex-girlfriend and I'm trying to finish my nursing degree, there is nothing to worry about in the romance department, making my last semester an easy one to conquer.

Boy, was I wrong.

Rules are set, dinners are made, conversations are had, and a shirtless, swoony roommate walks around in nothing but a pair of black briefs, ruining me for every other man.

Before I know it, I turn into a panting, lust-filled woman begging for Tucker to kiss me, touch me, and show me exactly what is hiding under those briefs.

But with great orgasms, comes great consequences.

Tucker might be my friend and roommate but he’s also my best friend's ex-boyfriend, making him completely off-limits. At least that's what my brain is telling me, my heart is speaking an entirely different language.

I loved this book! Meghan Quinn really has a way with comedy as well as working it into a romance story seamlessly. She had already impressed me with a few of her other books and this one is no exception. It had so many laugh out loud moments and the romance was beautifully done. 
The main characters are both sweet and caring towards each other. I wanted nothing more than for both of them to be happy. Tucker had had a rough go of things and was still attempting to cope with the fallout. It is clear from the beginning of the story that he has a long way to go before he will be able to move on with his life. Emma is also dealing with things at the start of the book. When Emma runs into Tucker at a bar and her friend blurts out that she needs somewhere to stay, Tucker graciously offers for her to stay with him. It was clear from the start that Emma is a vary caring person that puts the needs of others above her own. Tucker also seems to be this way but both are struggling with the loneliness that comes from not having a significant other. Emma seems to have no luck in that department and Tucker has had a bad break-up. They begin to heal each other as the story progresses with Emma making Tucker laugh again and Tucker helping Emma to loosen up/not constantly study for her nursing program. 
I loved the way that the romance progresses because it has a natural flow to it. It is clear to see that they care for each other from the start but they are not automatically professing their undying love for each other. Their personalities compliment each other and they have a very playful and loving relationship.

Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant

🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

The more I touch someone, the more I can see and understand, and the more I think I can help. But that’s my mistake. I can’t help. You can’t fix people like you can solve a math problem.

Math genius. Freak of nature. Loner.

Eva Walker has literally one friend—if you don’t count her quadruplet three-year-old-siblings—and it’s not even because she’s a math nerd. No, Eva is a loner out of necessity, because everyone and everything around her is an emotional minefield. All she has to do is touch someone, or their shirt, or their cell phone, and she can read all their secrets, their insecurities, their fears.

Sure, Eva’s “gift” comes in handy when she’s tutoring math and she can learn where people are struggling just by touching their calculators. For the most part, though, it’s safer to keep her hands to herself. Until she meets six-foot-three, cute-without-trying Zenn Bennett, who makes that nearly impossible.

Zenn’s jacket gives Eva such a dark and violent vision that you’d think not touching him would be easy. But sometimes you have to take a risk…

^{*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*}

I enjoyed the unique point of view that the character of Eva was able to provide to the story. She was a Math genius which means that everything that she talks about always comes back to that subject matter. Math is black and white whereas human interaction is more difficult and filled with subtle nuances that were hard for Eva to understand. I thought that her gift was interesting although I feel that the author could have taken it further somehow. We meet her when she has all but given up touching other people so there are not many instances when her gift is explored in the book. 
The story was a bit lackluster for me. I guess I wanted something more from the book...more drama surrounding Zenn's secret or a more in depth look at how each of them have been affected by their pasts. I saw the secret that Zenn had coming from miles away. I'm not sure if this was intentional on the author's part or not but I would have liked it to be more shocking considering the both of the characters reactions in the story. Everything seems to blow over fairly quickly (within 30 pages) with everything being accepted and hardly any hardship whatsoever. 
It seemed as if the author focused quite a bit on Eva's gift until around the halfway point of the book and then focused more on the secret than on her gift. I'm not sure if the book would have been better if the author would have chosen to keep the focus on Eva's gift throughout the book or not but it made the book seem a bit divided when I read it.

 

New Praetorians 1 – Sienna McKnight by R.K. Syrus

🌟🌟🌗 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
A YEAR AGO Sienna McKnight, fresh out of West Point Military Academy, led her Special Ops team through a frozen hell at the bottom of the world to bring back something they wanted.

TODAY, March 19, she is on her way back to the Gulf of Oman and its hostile shores to challenge her own destiny.

TOMORROW, March 20, Sienna will fall. She will rise again. She will be reborn. She will become the heroine no one expected.

Like Batman Begins or Wonder Woman, Sienna McKnight starts Sienna’s story.

Science fiction/fantasy; suggested for 16+ (violence, mild profanity) 65k words

SERIES OVERVIEW: In the near future, soldier Sienna McKnight seeks revenge on her terrorist cousin. They both gain extraordinary powers during the series and engage in an epic battle over the fate of humanity and a unique orphan girl.
 

^{*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*}

The book had excellent bones to it! Sienna was an interesting character. I found her to be extremely strong and hell bent on revenge. I truly feel that she could kick even the most muscly guy's butt. I was happy that she did in fact remind me of Sarah Connor from Terminator just like the blurb said. She only gets more awesome as the book progresses. I could tell that there were hints of a very interesting story as well but it lacked description and world building. Why is there a war going on? Where did all of the technology come from? Is it supposed to be set in the present or in the distant future? I wanted more from the plot of the book other than Sienna being focused on revenge. There is also a portion of the book in the second half that is trippy. I didn't understand what was happening or why. I imagine that it is what is feels like to be on drugs. I basically had to guess what had happened during that portion of the book.

I will say that  the author did a good job of making this book a thrilling, action-packed ride. There is no point in this book that I would consider boring. Once the action starts, it does not stop or even let up for a second.

Clean Break by Lisa Suzanne

🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

Reese Brady needs a clean break from the family she destroyed and the brothers who shattered her heart. When an ex attempts to rekindle an old romance, she basks in his familiarity and friendship until the night he surprises her with tickets to see her favorite band.

Everything spirals out of control when she receives a desperate call from the man she never thought she’d hear from again. Will Reese get the clean break she seeks, or will she be forced back into the center of everything she’s trying to escape?

This forbidden romance series featuring a rock star and his business mogul brother must be read in order:
A Little Like Destiny
Only Ever You
Clean Break  
 

^{Received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review}

The first book in this trilogy reminded me a lot of Thoughtless by S. C. Stevens. It had a very similar story line so it felt predictable to me. I wanted more character development for the characters but mostly the brothers. I needed more information about each of the brothers other than one is a rock star and they have bad blood between them. 
I didn't understand Reese! Why  won't she just break up with Brian?! There is no substance to the relationship. He doesn't really treat her well. He ignores her at dinner parties except for when she is supposed to talk him up but is not told that ahead of time. I liked Mark better for her because he was more realistic in his expectations of her and what was between them. He didn't treat her poorly either. Sure being with him would be difficult considering his job but he loves her.

I didn't understand why there was so much back and forth between Reese and the brothers in the second book especially on Mark's end. He fights for her so hard for so long and then he just gives up?!? What?!?
The conclusion to the trilogy was by far the best of the three. Although it felt like the ending of the book went on for a while. Everything that happened between Mark and Reese seemed to be realistic to me and I was happy that they don't just jump back into each others arms at the beginning of the book. Her emotions seem to be all over the place but it makes sense considering everything that happened in the first two books. 

A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the nanny.

When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I've been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I've been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.  

***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review***

I loved both of the main characters. I saw myself in Charlie which I think a lot of people will. Who doesn't at one point feel like they are failing as a parent or feel like they are not where they want to be in their life? He was trying his best to provide for his children and struggling under the weight of everything that he was dealing with. I love the effort that he puts into being a parent. It is a lot of hard work being a parent and mistakes are made but he keeps trying. Hannah was a breath of fresh air as a character. I loved how it seemed so natural and effortless for her to care for and nurture children. I have known both women and men that are like this and I am in awe of them. I don't feel like these types of characters are written about enough in books.  I enjoyed the fact that they were not dramatic characters and that the drama in the book comes from other characters.
I feel like after what happened to Hannah with her previous nanny placement, the progression of her physical relationship with Charlie was a bit quick for me. It seemed odd and threw off the pacing of the book. I'm not sure why Hannah would be so quick to be physical with Charlie when they each struggled with the boundaries between them.
I thought the the kids were funny and sweet. They reminded me of my son and the antics that he gets up to. There was one scene in particular that takes place in the book that reminded me of something I went through with my son and it felt like Stacie Hart took a page straight out of my journal. I could feel the emotions of the characters and felt that the author truly understood what it is like to feel scared and helpless when it comes to your children.
The story line wasn't particularly unique but there were elements that made the story appear fresh. Hannah, is from Holland and the author added a cultural aspect to the book by adding a second language and speaking about traditions in that culture. I think that the story is also made fresh by the fact that Hannah is new to America and has taken a job as a nanny but has quite a bit of trouble fitting in in a new country. She seems to feel out of place which is added to the fact that she had some issues at her last placement for her job.The characters were refreshing in personality and how loving/nurturing they both were not only with the children but with each other.

Hush by Nicole Hart

 🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:
Sometimes, we're taught to hide our truth. We're led to believe it's our own fault. As if somehow, we should protect the evil that was unleashed upon us. We're convinced that the punishment will swallow us whole. But maybe, the only way to let go of the fear, is to expose the devil. Look him in the eyes and give him the Fuck You that he's always deserved.

Darkness surrounds me.
Flames engulf me.
Born from the ashes.
Like the phoenix,
I will rise.

 GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36240236-hush

^{*Received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review*}

This story felt so fragmented to me. There didn't seem to be a clear focus in the book. It begins by focusing on the home life of the sisters for a good while then all the sudden it is 12 years later and random things are happening that make no sense because they aren't explained well. I don't feel like the villian's motivation are explained and the author doesn't seem to hint that it is who it is. It seems like the character does a 180. I appreciate that the author appeared to want to make the story less predictable but I don't feel that it was done well. 
  

PURCHASE LINKS

US: http://1click.bz/HUSHAMZNUS
UK: http://1click.bz/HUSHAMZNUK
CA: http://1click.bz/HUSHAMZNCA
AU: http://1click.bz/HUSHAMZNAU
B&N: http://bit.ly/2zCbkZl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gC0hYB
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xnDA1e
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2iye9aD


 



AUTHOR BIO
Nicole Hart is a contemporary romance author with a new love for psychological thriller and mystery. She is a lover of words and story telling. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her husband and two kids. She's from the one red light town of Boyd, Texas and enjoys life on her old country road. She survives on coffee, sarcasm and old country music. 

AUTHOR LINKS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornicolehart
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authornicolehart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolehartbooks

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan

🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Synopsis:

You never know who’s watching…

Corinne’s life might look perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF attempts it’s her last chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny part of a doll house outside her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.

But as more pieces begin to turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too familiar. Someone knows about the miniature rocking horse and the little doll with its red velvet dress. Someone has been inside her house…

How does the stranger know so much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are they waiting for…?

I thought that this book was well thought out. It seemed as if the author went in with plot that was very well outlined because each event leads to another like a perfectly put together puzzle. My problem with the book was the plot. It felt like a paint by numbers thriller. There wasn't really anything new. It reminded me a bit of the movie Single White Female with the exception of attempting to take over someone else's life by looking and acting like the subject of obsession. I kept hoping that there would be something that I wouldn't be able to predict but everything was fairly obvious.



 

The Lost Causes by Alyssa Embree Schwartz, Jessica Koosed Etting

🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

Misfits. Outcasts. And the only ones who can find a killer.

They’re the last people you’d ask to help with anything, much less a murder investigation. The rich girl, the obsessive, the hypochondriac, the addict and the hot-tempered athlete—people think they’re beyond help. Lost causes. But where the world sees losers, the FBI sees its only hope.

With the help of a dangerous serum, the FBI erases the teens’ past problems and unlocks a psychic ability within each of them. In return, all they have to do is help find the killer who’s turned their small town upside down.

But as they close in on a suspect, they expose a conspiracy that puts them directly in harm’s way and makes them wonder who—if anyone—they can really trust.

If anything happens to them, will anyone even care?

 **I received this copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I did not see many of the twists and turns in this book coming! I enjoyed being able to sit back and know as much as the characters as the story progressed. I found it interesting that I didn't find this frustrating whereas with other books I would have. I think that this is due to the flow of the writing in this particular book.  The book has an appropriate pacing and I found that I didn't have to wait long before another part of the mystery would be revealed or something else would happen to keep me on the edge of my seat.

I had to get used to the point of views switching back and forth in the book because they were not clearly labeled. There were times where I found myself backtracking to make sure that I understood who was speaking at certain moments in the book.

I found all of the characters engaging  which is rare for me. I usually dislike at least one of the characters in a book but I found that I could relate in some way to each of "the lost causes". They are each dealing with some type of mental health issue and are not coping with them very well. Each of the them provide a unique voice to the story as well different psychic abilities. I found it interesting that their abilities seemed to coincide with the issues that they were dealing with. I would explain why but I don't want to give away too much. The characters reminded me a lot of the characters from The Breakfast Club but with special abilities.

I'm sure that there is going to be a sequel considering that there were a few unanswered questions as well as a huge breadcrumb left at the end of the book. Personally, I'm hoping that the authors delve more into one of the FBI agents past. I know that there is more to him than meets the eye. He is a puzzle that I want to solve.  

 

Kiss Me in New York by Catherine Rider

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

It's Christmas Eve at JFK in NYC.

Charlotte is a British student, waiting for a flight home after the worst semester of her life. Anthony is a native New Yorker, surprising his girlfriend at the airport after three months apart. Charlotte has just been dumped, and Anthony is about to be dumped, right in the middle of the holiday crowd.

Charlotte's flight is canceled when a blizzard blows in, and Anthony can't bear to go home. So, they set out into the city together, clutching a book Charlotte picks up in the airport gift shop: Ten Easy Steps for Getting Over Your Ex. For this one night, they'll focus on healing their broken hearts ... together.

Step-by-step, the two struggle to put the past behind them. But the snow is so enchanting, and the holiday lights are so beguiling, that soon their shared misery gives way to something else. Soon, they're not only over their exes --- they're falling for each other.

Then a subway ride splits them up by mistake. Will they reunite before Charlotte's flight leaves New York forever?

*I received this copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* 

I loved this book! It was such a cute, fun, romantic read! I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys romance novels as well as the movie Sleepless in Seattle. It only has nods to the movie so if you are thinking that it will just be a rehash there is no reason to worry.

The two main characters, Charlotte and Anthony, have recently had their hearts broken by significant others causing them to dread the holidays. They meet at the airport after Anthony has just been dumped and Charlotte suggests that they try to get over their Exs by following the steps in a self help book on getting over Exs. 

I enjoyed being along for the ride with these two characters as they attempted to get over being dumped. They are each wonderful in their own ways. Anthony is a romantic at heart who has big dreams for his future but is also grounded. He is very sweet, intelligent, and loves with all of his heart. He doesn't always react in the best of ways because he is upset over his breakup but I loved him all the same. Charlotte adds quite a bit of humor to the novel because of her British slang that no one around her seems to understand and her spontaneity. I really felt for her because she wants to feel like she belongs somewhere and is searching for that place. After having her heart broken, she is not sure that New York is that place. The city does not seem to look or feel the same because her sense of wonder has been lost. I appreciated the fact that the characters were very different (where they come from/backgrounds) but at the same time they were similar (likes/dislikes). 

It was interesting to see how Charlotte and Anthony interpreted the steps in the book as well as how they navigated everything. The author is able to show how each of them have a different perspective on things as well as what they gave up/ lost of themselves in the course of their relationships. It was a great way to highlight their personalities through watching the steps unfold over the course of the book.The author includes the steps at the beginning of each chapter and they are written in such a way that it really feels like you are reading the self help book along with them.

The author gives a glance at some deeper topics in each of the characters lives but doesn't delve into them because that is not the main focus of the book. These topics do, however, add depth to the book so that it is not just another simple, quick romance. I feel that this book is about what it takes to not only get over a broken heart but also finding out that we may wear rose colored glasses in relationships so that we are not able to clearly see when a relationship is not working. It is about finding that person that elevates you without taking away who you are as an individual.

 

Trust in Me (Fight for Me #3) by Jessica Linden

🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis: 

As the heir to a large pharmaceutical company, Marco Adamo had it all. But when a drunk Marco crashes his car, leaving him unharmed but his best friend in critical condition, Marco’s life is thrown off track. In an attempt to regain control over his life, Marco flees to the military and returns, ready to own up to his actions and his past.

Four years later and returned a changed man, Marco meets the beautiful Kat Delegrage. But before their relationship can blossom into something real, Kat learns that Marco was the man behind her brother’s severe injuries. Kat vows to keep Marco out of her life…until a shadowy man from her past threatens her, making her realize that she’ll need to trust Marco to protect her…and in the process, find a way to let him into her heart for good.

 

^{*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*}

I know that this is the third book in the series but I haven't read any of the other books in the series as this is my first book from this author. 
I thought that the book starts off with an interesting premise albeit predictable. The characters seemed interesting enough and they appeared to have good chemistry. I thought that the author portrayed Marco's feelings about the accident that he and Ryan were in well. The guilt did seem to be eating him alive. The only character I can say that I truly I liked was Ryan and he isn't in much of the book.  I enjoyed his perspective on life and his views on the accident. It didn't feel as if he and his sister were siblings though. There was something off about their relationship that made it feel more like a friendship than a familial relationship. I didn't like the main the characters all that much. They were bland and it felt as if I had seen them before in other books that are New Adult. 
It felt like there was quite a bit going on with no set up and then with little development. It was hard to sympathize with what the characters were going through when I don't feel like the author gave enough background to give the amount of depth needed. I wish that the author would have focused on one plot point so that it was more developed. 

Dead of Night (Aftershock #1) by Carlyle Labuschagne

🌟🌟🌗 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Synopsis:

In a dark and desolated After Earth, love still does exist, but the cost of bearing such a flaw is death.
World War III has left Earth in utter turmoil. People’s beliefs are said to be the cause of the worldwide destruction. After The Clearing new laws are set about - to show certitude in anything besides the law is weak and chargeable as mutiny. To be illogical and have faith in religion is illegal, to be limitless is dangerous. And Illness is seen as a defect – all flaws that are inexcusable.
But to love is the greatest betrayal of all man kind. It is a fault the world has long forgotten and punishable by death, a fatal risk Aecker and Opel are fully prepared to take - because in love there is freedom. But how far can they push back before it claims their lives and of those they care about?

^{*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*}

I bounced between 2.5 and 3 stars for this book but ultimately went with the lower rating because I needed more from this book. There were a lot of good ideas behind it but they could have been executed better. I kept thinking that I had accidentally skipped the first book and was somehow reading the sequel. I actually double and triple checked that this was the first book in the series. The author immediately throws the reader into the thick of things which would be fine if there was more explanations about things. The world building was just okay for me. I wanted to be able to understand who the warring parties were and more about the technology of the time. The environment itself is never explained either and seemed as if it should have been discarded and added to a different story. There were some kind of dust storms and acid rain but the reader is never told why those things were taking place.
There is never any kind of background given to any of the characters which is probably why I had no idea why they were doing the things that they were doing. All I know about Aecker is that his parents are dead and that the people around him see him as a nerd who is not as manly as the other men.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

🌟🌟🌟🌟out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Synopsis:

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” 

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

When I began reading Dark Matter, I wasn't sure that I liked the writing style. It felt like the author was talking at me by having the main character narrate and describe everything himself rather than having the author describe things and being inside Jason's head to know how he is feeling. I'm happy to say that I grew accustomed to the style of writing and was able to understand and enjoy where the author was coming from as far as the voice of the book. It also helped when dialogue was introduced between characters because I didn't focus as much on Jason's voice in the story. 

I know that it probably sounds like I didn't like Jason but I actually really appreciated him as a character. He was different. He was a scientist through and through. He looked at problems and the world through such a scientific lens that everything was a piece of the puzzle or a breadcrumb for him to follow in order to solve it. I was an intriguing way of looking at the world and I found that I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to know what he would uncover next. His emotions jumped off he page and I felt them right along with him. I liked that he was geeky and not a person that would be in a fight or even begin one in the first place. He had so much drive and determination when it came to what he really wanted. I wouldn't say that he really needed to grow as a character because I liked him to start with but the author did help him to grow through his experiences in the book. He seemed like a more exhausted, fuller, and completed version of himself by the end of the book is that makes sense. 

I loved the story! It reminded me of a young adult trilogy that I read by Claudia Gray called The Firebird Trilogy except Dark Matter was of course a more adult version. I thought that it was a well thought out story and the ideas presented were interesting to consider. It was so thought provoking and a testament to how far a person will go to get back the life was stolen from them. Is there such a thing as good enough or close enough or does one need things to be exactly as they were? I liked how the author put so much emphasis on how much power that the choices we make have. Every choice creates a ripple effect and you never know what exactly would have happened if you had chosen a different path. 

I loved the direction the story took up until things started to get weird for me which was around page 255. The story became a bit more difficult for me to follow at that point. I wish that the author wouldn't have taken it that far but it didn't deter me enough that I stopped enjoying it. I couldn't seem to wrap my head around that particular idea because I just came away with more questions. 

With Love (Letters in Blood #2) by Liz Lovelock

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BLURB

Dear Captor,

Do you find pleasure in my tortured screams?
My darkened cell is my own living nightmare.
Why do you continue to play this game? Why don’t you just kill me?
You’ve almost broken me all over again—but I’ve held firm. I’ve pushed through the pain you’ve inflicted. And now I’m seeing a side of you I never knew could exist. A side I connect with. A side I could grow to like.
Your touch on my skin . . . it ignites a fire within.
Only time will tell what will come of it.

With love,
Elenore.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36287531-with-love

 

***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review***

I love the second part of this story! We find out so much more about not only Eleanore but her captor as well. He intrigues me. I want to know more about his past. The author reveals a few things about Eleanor that I already suspected so they didn't surprise me. It did help to further develop the story making me further invested in what happens next. The author also gives the reader more information about the captor which was only enough to intrigue me. I wanted to know more so that i could fully understand the environment he was raised in.

I'm hoping that Eleanor survives and ends up being with Roman. I'm not so sure that will happen given the direction that the book goes in at the end of this one. I'm afraid for her which is saying something considering what happened to her in the first part of the book. I know that in dark romance that the main character usually ends up with her torturer but I am hoping that this one will be different. I love Roman! He is such a good guy but even he seems to have a darker side to him. He wants to get vengeance for Eleanor for all that she has been through. I appreciate that about him as well as his strength. 

I have my suspicions on who the captor is but I could be wrong. He could be a completely random person but I believe he is someone that we have met already. 

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#1 Dear Captor

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#3 Forever Yours – Releasing November 15, 2017

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AUTHOR BIO

Liz is from bright and sunny Queensland, Australia. She has always been a reader. When she was little, she’d be up late reading Garfield and Asterix comic books and also Footrot Flats. When Liz hit high school, they gave her Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden, and from there her love of books continued to grow.

Liz keeps a notebook and pen beside her bed for when those late-night ideas pop into her head, plus she’s a stationery addict and loves pens, notebooks, and, well, anything stationery.
 
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