Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

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Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.

So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way.

Love and Luck was not at all what I thought it was going to be. I had thought that it was going to be a road trip romance with some angst thrown in. It was actually a book centered around self discovery and family. During the road trip, the main characters discover things about each other and find their inner strength to declare who they are as people and what they are each passionate about.
I think that it is easy to relate to Addie because who among us hasn't made mistakes regarding the opposite sex that we regret and who among us hasn't at one point felt invisible. I loved how each of the main characters brought a different energy to the book. Rowan was sensitive and a peacemaker for Ian and Addie when their arguments got out of hand. Ian brought an unapologetic passion and at times vulnerability to the mix. When all of these traits were brought together it made for an interesting energy that made me want to keep reading to see how the characters and their relationships might change over time.
It took me a second to get used to the guidebook parts at the beginning of each chapter but came to appreciate the background information. It was interesting to learn about different landmarks around Ireland and different tasks used to get over heartache. 
I thought that I would miss the element of romance in the story but I actually didn't. I loved the relationship between Addie and Ian even though they are dealing with some issues. That is the kind of relationship that I would like to have with my brothers where we care about each other and are best friends that support each others goals. It was so heartwarming to see their beautiful relationship displayed throughout the book despite obstacles. 

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

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The Outsiders is about two weeks in the life of a 14-year-old boy. The novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis and his struggles with right and wrong in a society in which he believes that he is an outsider. According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

I decided to give The Outsiders a second chance because I think that I might have been unfair to the book. I had to read this back in either middle school or high school. I can't remember exactly when but I hated required reading in school as I'm sure most kids do because teachers pick the novels that most kids are not into at a younger age. I have to read a popular book from the 60s to complete a reading challenge so I decided to read The Outsiders for the second time to see if I liked it any better than the first time. 

This reread was an interesting one for me to say the least. I was hooked into the story very quickly. I enjoyed each of the characters especially Soda which is probably because he is a friendly, happy go lucky character of the greasers. I really felt for both Johnny and Darry because each of them are trying to get through life but it is a struggle for each of them. They are having to cope with things in their young ages that others wouldn't normally have to. I liked Ponyboy a lot more reading the book this time because I feel like as an adult I can empathize with him easier. When I was a kid I didn't deal with anything like he does in the book and I think that might be one of the reasons why the book didn't interest me back then. I couldn't understand what the messages of the book were and I can comprehend them much better now. It's okay to be different and that just because you have less doesn't mean that you have to be of the same mindset as those that let that jade them into hating people with more. I think that the author is also trying to say that sometimes life gets out of our control and it is okay to fight the tide and try to swim rather than letting the water sweep us away. 

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Dhonielle Clayton, Katie Cotugno, Jocelyn Davies, Nina LaCour, Emery Lord, Katharine McGee, Kass Morgan

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Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. MEET CUTE is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of "how they first met" from some of today’s most popular YA authors. 

Readers will experience Nina LaCour's beautifully written piece about two Bay Area girls meeting via a cranky customer service Tweet, Sara Shepard's glossy tale about a magazine intern and a young rock star, Nicola Yoon's imaginative take on break-ups and make-ups, Katie Cotugno's story of two teens hiding out from the police at a house party, and Huntley Fitzpatrick's charming love story that begins over iced teas at a diner. There’s futuristic flirting from Kass Morgan and Katharine McGee, a riveting transgender heroine from Meredith Russo, a subway missed connection moment from Jocelyn Davies, and a girl determined to get out of her small town from Ibi Zoboi. Jennifer Armentrout writes a sweet story about finding love from a missing library book, Emery Lord has a heartwarming and funny tale of two girls stuck in an airport, Dhonielle Clayton takes a thoughtful, speculate approach to pre-destined love, and Julie Murphy dreams up a fun twist on reality dating show contestants. 

This incredibly talented group of authors brings us a collection of stories that are at turns romantic and witty, epic and everyday, heartbreaking and real.

I went into this book thinking that it would be filled with cute romance stories that would entertain me and possibly frustrate me because I would want more pages for each one. Honestly, this book was a bit of a mixed bag. I really enjoyed some of the stories and wished that I hadn't spend the time reading some of the others. It was because of that that I decided to give Meet Cute three stars because although I liked some of it the other quarter to half of it I could have done without. I didn't believe the chemistry between some of the characters and it seemed as if some of the authors were trying to hard to being their characters together or to make the characters super unique. I can't really seem to remember what stories belonged to which authors now but there were a few that had a special spark about them that really drew me in to the story. Those were the stories that I wanted more from more so than the others. 

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

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Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved? 

I think that I picked up Tell Me Three Things at exactly the right time. I've been in and out of a reading slump and trying to read whatever I end up being in the mood for. I really wanted to read a romance but I didn't want it to be too fluffy. This book fit those perimeters perfectly. 

Tell Me Three Things is more than just a romance. Jessie is having a hard time adjusting after the death of her mother when her father suddenly decides to move the both of them into a new house in a different state with a woman he married and her son. The book follows her journey of navigating her new life without her mom with the help of SNa fellow student at her new school wishing to be her guide anonymously. I really enjoyed all of the conversations that she had with SN. There were funny, witty moments but also moments of "real talk" where each of them spoke about areas in their lives that were difficult for them. I figured out who SN was pretty early on in the book so the wait to finally have his identity revealed was extremely frustrating. (FYI he isn't revealed until the end of the book) 

I liked a lot of the characters but the majority of them were not very fleshed out so I think I gravitated towards those ones. I thought that Jessie's stepbrother Theo was a kind of character that I haven't seen before which made him interesting for the novelty but also he seemed to have a complexity to him that I liked. I also liked Jessie because she encountered problems in the book that I have in my life as well so it made it easy to understand her and root for her. However, I think that Ethan was actually my favorite character. He was different from the rest of the students that Jessie encountered and I wanted to know why he was physically present but didn't seem emotionally present with anyone. He was also quirky which I am a sucker for  in a character if it is done right. 

Tell Me Three Things is what I would describe as a fluffier version of loss book. It won't destroy you by making you too emotional but it will get the emotions across so that it doesn't feel as if the author is just glossing over the issues either.

The book was a sweet romance but also an emotional story of loss and finding your place and path in life afterwards. All in all and enjoyable reading experience. 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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I am not one for the classics. I think that this is because I had to read so many in school and it tainted the experience of reading them. I have been seeing a lot of booktubers and reviewers reading the classics and it made me curious. I wasn't sure what I was in the mood to read the other day but when I found the audio book of Pride and Prejudice I thought that it would be a good introduction to the classics. I have seen pretty much every movie adaptation of this book and thought that listening might help me to get through the book easier as well. 

When the audio book began, I discovered that I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator. The words that were emphasized in the dialogue seemed odd to me and it seemed like the narrator's accent was fake. I don't know if she was trying too hard or if there are so many audio book versions of the book that the narrator wanted to stand out. 

I was surprised to find that I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It turns out that the movies that have been made are fairly good adaptations so there were not many surprises in the book. Besides some differences in the dialogue which I assume were to make Pride and Prejudice more relatable for viewers the movies are very similar. I did think that Elizabeth and Darcy are easier to sympathize with in the movies. Elizabeth seems much more immature in the book and Darcy appears a bit haughtier. It was interesting to see them interact with each other in the original context and to have more background information on more of the characters. It made me hate Lady Katherine even more than I did when I watch the movies! 

Escaping from Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3) by Kerri Maniscalco

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In this third installment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. . 

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea. It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?

I think that this installment in the Jack the Ripper series is the most frustrating by far! I loved the first book and didn't think that I could love the sequel any more than I loved the first. I found out that I was dead wrong because I absolutely loved Hunting Prince Dracula. It was even more creepy and dark than the first book. I also loved the interaction between Thomas and Audrey Rose. That is where my issues began with Escaping From Houdini. I have come to expect fun, witty interaction between Thomas and Audrey Rose and I found that to be lacking in this installment. I was really upset by the direction that the author took their relationship in especially with how Hunting Prince Dracula ended. I can understand what the author was trying to do to a point but I hated it. 

I also didn't understand how the timing and flow of the story could be so off kilter. I'm not sure what happened but this installment felt drawn out in a way that I didn't appreciate. I felt like a hundred or so pages could have been cut out and the story would have been improved greatly. 

Honestly, both of my complaints are just annoyances that I was able to get over. I still thought that the story-line was interesting and different from the past two books. I thought that the author would stay with the horror point in each story but it didn't seem to be the case in this one. This is not a complaint but rather I was confused by it. I'm hoping that the last installment will have that element back in the story. That being said, I thought that the addition of the carnival in the story made for an interesting way to inject the creepy factor. I also enjoyed the pictures that were at the beginning of the chapters. It reminded me of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It made the story feel more real. 

Back to Me by Brittany Taylor

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Sara: 
I've been in love with my best friend, Graham, for six years. The only problem is, he doesn't know it. 
I've done everything to live the life I've wanted for myself. Get out of the small town I grew up in, graduate college with an art degree, and become assistant to one of Dallas' most prominent artists. 
But despite my small successes, I still feel an empty hole burning inside me. A desire for the one man who always manages to leave me breathless. 
Maybe it was time to tell Graham how I felt.
But how could we live a happy life when a chance encounter from the past continues to haunt me, threatening to destroy everything?

Graham:
I've been in love with Sara for as long as I can remember. Regardless of my insatiable need to keep her close, I haven't been able to tell her.
Why? Because she deserves someone better, someone who could lay the world at her feet. 
Instead, I'm a man filled with a life of regret and who can only promise her an unstable future. 
But when an opportunity with the Dallas Museum of Art comes my way, I can’t help but wonder if this is it: The way to finally make her mine. A chance to tell her how I feel and show her the kind of man I could be. I'm just hoping that after six years of keeping my love a secret, there aren't others standing between us and the perfect life I've dreamed of.

I was fortunate enough to win a copy of Back to Me through an author group (Cohorts) on Facebook. When I read the synopsis for the book, I knew that I wanted to read it. I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers romance. This also has the most beautiful cover I have seen in a while and I love how it coincides with the story rather than just being another pretty cover. 

I wouldn't say that it is rare for me to like both characters in a duel point of view romance but I will say that I don't usually love them both. That wasn't the case for this book. I loved both Graham and Sara but for different reasons. I appreciated the vulnerability and tenderness that Graham had. He was a sensitive guy who appeared to be anxious in a variety of settings. I found that I was rooting for him to get the girl and have his dream made real. I also cared about Sara because she had so much quiet strength and passion. This might sound weird but I also enjoyed her as a character due to her imperfections. I loved how she wasn't perfect like I feel so many heroines in romance are portrayed to be. 

The author does a fantastic job of leaving breadcrumbs and foreshadowing of things to come later in the story. I loved this because I knew that there was the potential for certain issues to manifest or escalate later on in the book. Problems don't just randomly pop up in the story with no reference point whatsoever. The was a moment for me towards the middle of the book where I became nervous about what direction the book would take. I was nervous that the author might fall into using a typical plot point that bothers me in the genre. I won't say what it was because it would spoil a major point in the book. She surprised me and took the book in a direction I wasn't expecting which made me enjoy the book even more. I gained so much respect and appreciation for the author at that point because she was creative enough to do so.  


This is the first book that I have read from this author but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any other books that she has written because I really enjoyed this one.  I would highly recommend Back to Me for fans of the romance genre.

Eleanor & Grey by Brittainy C. Cherry

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Greyson East left his mark on me.

As the young girl who first fell for him, I didn’t know much about life. I did know about his smiles, though, and his laughs, and the strange way my stomach flipped when he was near.

Life was perfect…until it wasn’t, and when we were forced to go our separate ways, I held on to our memories, let go of my first crush, and wished for the day I’d find him again.

When my wish came true, it was nothing like I imagined.

I couldn’t have known when I took the nanny position that it would be his children I looked after, that my new boss would be that boy I used to know, that boy who was now a man—a cold, lonely, detached man.

The smile and laugh I had loved so much were gone, now distant memories. Every part of him was covered in a fresh pain.

When he realized who I was, he made me promise to do my job and my job only.

He made me promise not to try to get to know him, not to recall the memories I’d treasured all this time.

But, sometimes, I saw the boy I’d once known in his stormy eyes. I saw the Greyson who smiled and laughed, who had stolen a young girl’s heart, and there was no doubt in my mind that this boy was worth fighting for.

I was given a second chance with the one who’d left his mark on me. All I hoped was that somehow I’d leave a mark on his soul, too.

 *Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

First of all, can we all just appreciate that beautiful cover for a minute?! I love the watercolors around the main characters. It is sooo pretty!

After I read the synopsis of Eleanor and Grey, I knew that I wanted to read it. Well that and .....I haven't read a bad book from Brittainy C, Cherry yet! I can honestly say that I really had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I should have had tissues next to me because it put me through the ringer emotional wise. 

Eleanor has got to be one of my all time favorite heroines when it comes to romance. I knew immediately that i liked and connected with her. I too hated parties because of the loud noise, too many people, and found that I was very different from my peers. I loved how she didn't really care about being accepted by others and found joy in reading and caring for those closest

to her. At first, I wasn't sure that I was going to like Grey because like Eleanor I judged him prematurely. I was thinking that he was going to be another jock love interest and almost wrote him off. He turned out to be much more than that and sports were more of a passing topic of conversation. I enjoyed the fact that neither of them were in need of "fixing" when they met but instead needed someone to be their friend. It was interesting to see the parallels between them and how they each seemed to come into the other's life when they were most needed. 

My heart broke for each of them throughout their struggles. Although, I found that Eleanor's struggles were much more relatable and emotional for me. I would attribute this to being more involved as a reader in what she was dealing with and only witnessing the aftermath of what Grey went through. I think that this is also why I was drawn more to the first half of the book far more than the second half. However, I loved the book as a whole as well. 

I would say that if you love Brittainy's other books or enjoy books by authors like Colleen Hoover, Amy Harmon, and/or Kandi Steiner than this book is right up your alley. I would recommend it but remember to bring your tissues. 

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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About Brittainy:

Author Brittainy C. Cherry is an Amazon #1 bestselling author.

She has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing.

Her novels have been published in 18+ countries around the world. Brittainy lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin with her fur babies.

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Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

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In this New York Times bestselling sequel to Kerri Maniscalco's haunting #1 debut Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer...or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again. 

It was great to continue the series after such a long time! I loved Hunting Prince Dracula even more than Stalking Jack the Ripper. 

I was grabbed right from the beginning just as I was with the first book but there was more of an added tension of sorts to the story. We get to see how Audrey and Thomas were both affected by the aftermath of the Ripper case and how their relationship has changed. Personally, I appreciate it when an author gives main characters issues such as PTSD after witnessing something like Audrey and Thomas went through. It makes for more realistic characters and continuations of series. In order for characters to grow and change they need to have issues to work through. Like I said before, this also changed their relationship with each other. 

I enjoyed the tension between Thomas and Audrey in the first book along with their witty banter with each other. It was increased in this sequel which made it all the more fun and enjoyable.  Their romance was believable and was not rushed at all. There was a perfect amount of romance in the book without it being overbearing and taking over the main plot. I enjoy their relationship because they don't need each other to be complete and are two independent people who know what they want in life. I thought that the issues between them made sense and were in line with their personalities and what was going on in the book.   

I thought that the addition of the horror elements in both the first book and this one as well made for interesting points to the stories. They don't appear to take away from the realism of the books themselves and instead add something special. I did feel that I was more drawn into this element in Hunting Prince Dracula more so than Stalking Jack the Ripper. I think that it is because this book felt more Gothic in nature which I found appealing. 

I had no idea who the culprit was until it was revealed. I am usually very good at deducing who the murderer is in these types of books so if you are like me in that way you may enjoy the mystery more for that very reason. I'm excited to read the next installment to see what kind of adventure is in store for Thomas and Audrey next!