Tag: Contemporary Romance (Page 87 of 98)

BOOK REVIEW – Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

August 20, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2)
by Jamie McGuire
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Finally-the guy’s POV after a stunning novel that left us all breathless and begging for more…and I can’t help but to be a tad disappointed. What happened Jamie? Where’s the passion? Words are just words, there has to be fire to make a novel into a masterpiece, and there definitely was not. It felt like she only put time into Travis’s character, which she should since that’s what we wanted, but that doesn’t make it okay to forget about Abby, the girl we could relate to or love in the last installment. It felt so forced at times, like she was only writing the story for her fans and didn’t have the patience to be re-writing essentially the same story. But it really wasn’t the same story was it? A lot of times I felt conversations were cut from this edition that I had enjoyed in BD, and after finishing I feel slightly cheated.

Abby was a likeable character in BD, but in WD, she was merely a character strategically placed in certain moments-she wasn’t a fully developed character like Travis was in BD.

I CRIED for Travis in BD, I SYMPATHIZED with Abby, and here, in WD, I didn’t know Abby, not really. If I had only read WD, I would have said Abby was a selfish bitch. That’s not the case, though, Abby was doing what she could to protect herself. That doesn’t translate if you don’t show emotion in the other main character. She seemed cold, distant, and calculating, and I felt she was put in an unjust light. In BD, we all knew she was being harsh, but there was a reason behind it, we saw her thought process and knew her hurt. In WD, anyone would question why Abby was Trav’s Pigeon. I hate rating a book I loved previously so low, but in all honesty, I really am only rating it so high bc of my love for BD and the last 1/4 of the novel, where I believe Jamie actually put some passion into writing. The rest, though? It was sterile and I had a difficult time finishing it and not skipping the end to read another book. I know I might get lynched by Travis fans, but hey, I’m a Travis fan too, he was my favorite for a while-but if the story doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.

There was some good too. For instance, Shep and America were great, and we really got to know them as characters-especially Shep. I loved that they got more of a roll in the story. We were let into their little inner circle, before Abby was a part of Travis’s life in a romantic way, and we saw the side of America where she was on Travis’s side the whole time. I really enjoyed that character development on her part, because you really never knew how much she was rooting for their relationship. My favorite part was the last 1/4 of the book, where Abby and Travis are getting back together again, and I especially loved the epilogue. It was a fun addition and I can tell Jamie really enjoyed showing us the future of Trav and Abby. I believe that if she had only done this epilogue and little pieces or chapters in Trav’s POV, it would have been more successful, because the latter part of WD was 4-5 stars.

Even though we put each other through hell, we’d found heaven. Maybe that was more than a couple of sinners deserved, but I wasn’t going to complain.

I get it, I finally get why authors only do tidbits and certain chapters from the male perspective unless the story was always meant to be told that way, like Beautiful Creatures for instance. WD ruined, for me, the integrity of the other novel we read or maybe just the author, I don’t know. I just understand all the authors’ reasonings now-sure, I’ll always be excited at the prospect of the male POV of my favorite novels, but I won’t obsess and pine for it like I once did. I waited 5 months in anticipation for WD and it came up short-which I really never thought could possibly happen with this particular story. It depresses me. But I’ve learned my lesson-don’t push what isn’t there. Noted.

BOOK REVIEW – Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover

August 20, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Hopeless (Hopeless #1)
by Colleen Hoover
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

I have been struggling for days on what to say about this novel. It’s not because it wasn’t good, because it was, but I felt just..blah after finishing it. I found myself pushing to finish, and struggling to not look at the tv screen as good reruns of Friends were playing…a feat that is not normally so hard for me when I am reading-I would much rather be reading a good book than watching reruns of my favorite television series’!.

When I first started Hopeless, I loved it. I thought, ok wow, I like the start of this, it’s different. It was hard for me to focus at work and not want to hide behind my desk reading. But as the book progressed, I started to see myself drifting to other thoughts and places-and that really blows. It was all great material; I liked the twist, I liked finding out the reasons to why Sky was the way she was, why a certain tattoo was tattoed on Holder’s arm, the romance blossoming throughout…but SOMETHING..was just missing for me. It just missed a beat somewhere, and that’s where it lost a star for me.

For the record-I LOVED Holder the WHOLE way through. He was a great hero for the story. And I also loved Breckin and even Six. Let’s not mistake my sense of something missing for the lack of characters’ chemistry, because it was there. As was lots o’ drama. Maybe people were just making such a big deal out of this book that I thought…Idk what I thought. I was HOPEing (haha) for more.

People who love Colleen Hoover, and even those who don’t know or haven’t heard of her, will love this book; it was just not 100% there for me.

BOOK REVIEW – Gabriel’s Inferno (Gabriel’s Inferno #1) by Sylvain Reynard

August 20, 2014 / Chelsea / 1 Comment

Gabriel's Inferno (Gabriel's Inferno #1)
by Sylvain Reynard
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Lazy but curious hands caressed naked skin, exploring gently but chastely. Sighs commingled in the dark as two souls breathed as one. Two heartbeats synchronized when they recognized one another. And two troubled, conflicted minds finally came to rest.

A completely unexpected surprise, I found myself jumping on the Gabriel bandwagon, regretting every day that I chose to skip over this magnificent sea of poetically written words. I suppose I had thought this was an erotic novel, which isn’t my favorite genre in any way, shape, or form-so I chose to ignore the hype that surrounded GI, isolating myself from a story that genuinely transported me to another world, a world where I was completely content to be away from reality.

“For the rest of my life, I’ll dream of hearing your voice breathe my name.”

Sometimes books come along where I’m struck speechless, and this is definitely one of them. How can I possibly write a review that will do justice to this masterpiece? There were times I felt myself sighing in a contented state of euphoria when Gabriel would go out of his way to show Julia she wasn’t alone, that there was someone else in the world who cared for her well being, even if they could never really be in a relationship. Other times I felt myself swept away by the expertly written words that had my brow furrowing in confusion, for I had no clue what they were even talking about-lol. The level that GI reached was far beyond my comprehension, but I felt myself falling in love with the story, nonetheless, with each passing page. I’m no imbecile, but the teachings of Dante and Beatrice and the foreign languages and words they spoke in, at times, befuddled me. They were beautifully written, of course, as I mentioned above. Don’t mistake what I’m saying for a complaint, I just wanted to express how much time and effort went into writing such a breathtaking story.

“I’m sorry I disappointed you. I wish I was the knight rather than the dragon. But I’m not.” He pulled back to stare deeply into her eyes. “Everything is up to you. You can rescue me or banish me with a single word.”

Gabriel Emerson is the type of man I would like to imagine really does exist. At first, he is brooding, harsh, and somewhat cruel in his expectations and judgements. But then, layer after layer starts to become exposed, and we get to see that the harsh exterior is far crustier than what truly lies beneath-a beautifully broken man who only wants the best for his life and those he feels he has done wrong to. He doesn’t want to be involved with anyone, really, that needs an emotional attachment he is not willing to give, because that only leads to obsession and heartache. His somewhat uppity attitude had me chuckling out loud, because some of the problems he had were beyond ludicrous-things we take for granted in day to day life and would never re-evaluate as he did. I found myself wondering if men like Gabriel truly exist, or if it’s possible that all the Gabriels in the world only exist in the fictional realm-he was kind, forgiving, charming, and head over heels for Julia. There was nothing he would not do for her, and he more than shows it as the book progresses.

He looked at her book bag and decided then and there that it had to go. If he had to see that hideous thing one more time, he was going to lose it. And Paul had touched it, which meant that it was polluted. She’d have to throw it away. (see, I LOVE how much he hates her damn bookbag [and Paul, for that matter]-too funny)

Julia was a little hard to swallow at first-there are only so many times a person can flush/blush or hide behind their hair before I, as a reader, start to become frustrated. I feared the whole story would be centered around how shy and mousy Julia was, and I am not one to love a pushover for a protagonist. Now, while Julia’s personality centers around how insecure and shy she is, it never shadows her character. As the story progresses, we begin to see Julia blossom into a confident, sure-of-herself woman thanks to Gabriel’s gentle pushing and encouragement; we start to see how brilliant, kind, and charitable Julia truly is. I began to understand and sympathize with her as her character grew into someone who had a backbone and was willing to fight for what she wanted. I started to love not only Gabriel and Julia together, but Julia as an individual who was on the road to Harvard and making her life what she always wanted, but never dreamed possible.

When everyone in the whole world believes one thing and you are the only one who believes differently, it’s very tempting to assimilate. All Julia would have to do would be to forget, to deny, to suppress. Then she would be just like everyone else.

A perceptive novel that I could never possibly explain the way I want to, I was completely enthralled from beginning to finish. Intricately woven with barely masked passion between a professor and his student, this complex tale of a forbidden romance is made even sweeter when they finally do fall completely for one another. An intense love affair ensues and we are left breathless and begging for more-I immediately jumped to the second book, and I am already half way through. For those who are skeptical, I suggest you pick it up and at least give it a try. Gabriel and Julia’s love is one of the most beautiful and pure I have seen, and you are truly missing out if you haven’t met them yet.

So perhaps it was the case that she had no choice now because she had made her choice then. She’d made her choice when he asked for her hand and she’d offered it without question. Once he touched her, she knew she was his. Afterward, he had always been there in the shadows, like a ghost who would not leave. And now the ghost had decided that he wanted her.

BOOK REVIEW – Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

August 20, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Nicholas Sparks, no matter how sad the novels can or may be, no matter the outcomes, whether or not they are labeled one of his best, is an author you can count on for his descriptive imagery and beautiful writing.

I had just read a sad novel and decided I needed a change of pace. Now, I realize some of Sparks’s novels are marked for their tragic finales, but I had a hunch this one might end a little better. While still overshadowed with the abuse she endures from her husband in flashbacks, it still had an overwhelming hopefulness and happiness that inhabited the main characters throughout the story. It was just what I needed after reading such a sad book before, which is so ironic because one would think that’s what happens after a Sparks novel.

Near the end there is a twist I truly did not see coming, and sometimes Sparks makes the endings easy to anticipate, but not this time. There are mixed reviews from those who have read this novel that either did not like the ending nor the twist or they really liked it. I found I am in the latter category: I didn’t mind the twist at the end. While it startled me and halted my reading for a few moments, seeing as how I had to re read those few sentences a couple times, I still felt at peace with the twist. I discovered that it actually added some mystery or intrigue to the story and added incite to the decisions Katie made.

Some people also disliked the climax of the story, and I felt myself building towards the end with that in mind….but I really liked what happened. I thought there was just enough buildup and finally, FINALLY, the story and the characters came to a crossroad and the final scenes are worth the wait. Maybe I liked it so much because I expected something boring because of what people were saying, but I just did not feel bored at the end, I wanted to keep reading and see these characters finish everything they started.

So I do believe Safe Haven deserves more praise, it builds up into a wonderful story and I STILL, damnit, misted up at the ending. How he does it I will never know, but I truly found this story to be a great read and would recommend it to my friends.

BOOK REVIEW – The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred

August 20, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Oh my gosh. What an adorable, yet heartbreaking, story. I went through every emotion available without even realizing it, and in the end I was mad at myself for thinking poorly on some characters, while others I realized I still felt the same about..no matter their past situation.

This is a story of horrible circumstances overshadowed with hope and longing. Oh little Nick, my heart goes out to you. Nick, son of Frank Anderson-the town drunk, is outcast because of his father. In walks Alix, the daughter of a well-respected family, to his rescue. When Alix sees Nick and what he has endured at the hands of his father, she knows she needs to save him…without him actually knowing she is trying to save him.

She reaches out to him when no one else ever has, and starts a life long friendship that is so strong, nothing anyone says can separate them. With years of heartwarming encounters and defending against bullies, their bond grows stronger.

When friendship turns into something stronger, more binding, curious flirting and exploration of their feelings arise. Their relationship takes the next step, with definite complications, and I couldn’t help but to be so angry with every obstacle that comes about (or maybe the person who seemed to be the biggest obstacle is what made me so angry..yup…that’s about it). I know-it’s written in the synopsis, but after EVERYTHING they went through, it’s STILL a punch in the gut. My heart tore in half for poor Alix, losing her innocence with every unfortunate event that arose; her inner monologue brought me to tears multiple times, even after I thought the worst thing that could happen happened.

Betrayal, heartbreak, true love, trust, loss, faith, and determination are the trials Alix and Nick must face in this well executed and beautifully written novel, and I felt every single one of these experiences to my core. I have to say it-THE PENDANT..oooohh the pendant-by far my most favorite scene in the book includes this pendant. Absolutely frikkin’ adorable. My heart, no my soul, warmed so immensely I had to stop and ponder what was happening for a second; it was just so unexpected.

So if you are looking for a well-written and heartwarming story to read, you will love this. It takes you to the brink with your emotions, yes you have to go through some tough situations to get to the “core of the sweet gum tree”, but it is worth it and you will feel better for being a part of this lovely journey.