Tag: New Adult (Page 19 of 47)

BOOK REVIEW- Addicted After All (Addicted #3) by Krista and Becca Ritchie

July 25, 2018 / Arielle / 2 Comments

Addicted After All (Addicted #3)
by Krista and Becca Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Two addicts. One epic love story.

Prepare for the worst.

That’s what Lily and Lo try to do when Jonathan Hale schedules an “important” meeting. The problem: after being swept into the public eye and battling their addictions, they’re not sure what the worst is anymore.

In a sea of many changes—including Ryke & Daisy living with them—Lily realizes that the best part of her fluctuating hormones might just be the worst.

Her sex drive is out of control.

Loren knows that she’s insatiable, but he’s not giving up on her. She’s too much a part of him. And as he carries more and more responsibility, some of the people that he loves doubt his resolve.

In the conclusion to their love story, Lily & Lo stand side-by-side to fight, one last time, for their happily ever after.

I fell in love with Lo like a little girl opening her heart to magic. It always seemed surreal until the moment it became true.

What a ride this series has been. It has been so fun re-reading these books again after having read about their children in the About Us series. While you could read those separately, and even the Calloway Sisters series separately, it makes more of an impact if you had started at the very beginning with Lily and Lo.

And there is a hope, a chance, that he could be more than what I am. That he could be better than me.

Initially I had decided to go back and read this series despite the negative things that I had seen about book one because of how much I fell in love with this family in the Calloway Sisters books. So much so that I felt like I owed it to Lily and Lo. In the other series, which really focuses on Rose and Daisy, I felt like I just didn’t know enough about this couple that had struggled with two very serious addictions for nearly their whole lives. I found myself being put off my Lo’s abrasiveness because I did not understand where it was coming from. I also found myself being annoyed with Lily’s skittish nature and her inability to talk about anything sex related without either turning bright red or hiding. I still came to love them though and connected with them through their talk of all things geek so I wanted a chance to remedy that.

A feeling swirls inside of me—one where you know someone all your life, but in a singular moment they look strangely different. Like you’re unearthing a fragment of them that has never surfaced or been touched before.

By the time that this book came around, the progress that both Lily and Lo have made has been tremendous. Yes, that first book is heartbreaking and hard to read –it’s about two terrible addictions. HOWEVER, if you can weather through it (and I hope you do) it gets better. It’s not all completely smooth sailing, as both of them continue to struggle with their addictions but they TRY. They gain their strong support system and try and they gain hope which is good.

“Fly away with me, Lily Calloway?”
She whispers, “Only if we make-believe that we never, ever have to grow up.”

My favorite part of this book in particular was reading about the pregnancies of Rose and Lily. I almost felt cheated in Fuel the Fire because the last time I had seen the two girls, they had just found out they were pregnant and then then it skipped straight to them having the babies. I wanted to DEFINITELY see a fierce, pregnant Rose but I also wanted to see how Lo and Lily handled it seeing as they weren’t sure if they ever wanted kids. It was delightful. ALSO—that friggen scene where Rose has her baby….INTENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONNOR ♥ Loved it.

“For what it’s worth,” I tell Connor, “it’s kind of extraordinary that you can transcend sexual orientations. You’re like an amoeba.”
“Amoebas are asexual,” he says. “I’m more like a god.”

Another important thing that you get to see in these books are the relationships that form between Lo and Connor and especially, Lo and Ryke. Right away in Kiss the Sky you see that Lo and Connor have this really close relationship and hilarious banter but you never really get the gist of how it all happened. I loved being able to see Connor meeting the two and then how Ryke ends up inserting himself into their lives. It really is a special thing and you can really see how much Lo ends up depending on his brother for help staying sober.

“Or you could write one,” I shoot back, rising to my feet. “Perks of having the Hots for a Sixteen-Year-Old Supermodel and Having to Wait until She Turns Eighteen, Only to be Cock-blocked by Your Bastard Half-Brother.”
I flash a bitter smile.
“That title needs some work,” Connor says, clipping on his Rolex watch. “And that’s if we all agree Ryke can write a full-length novel.”

What I am TRYING to say is that if you have read the Calloway Sisters and fell in love with the characters like I have, you realllllly need to read this series too. It may be hard at first but believe it, it is so worth it being able to get into ALL of their lives, learning about every facet of each of them. I haven’t been able to read anything else since starting this series and am SOOOOO excited to read Some Kind of Perfect (which is basically a 664 page prologue of the three couples growing up and having babies).

“Your name is on her ass,” I state blankly.
“I’m so fucking in love with her,” is all he says. And I believe every word.

BOOK REVIEW- Addicted for Now (Addicted #2) by Krista and Becca Ritchie

July 19, 2018 / Arielle / 1 Comment

Addicted for Now (Addicted #2)
by Krista and Becca Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
He's addicted to booze. She's addicted to sex... staying sober is only half the battle.

No. More. Sex.

Those are the three words Lily Calloway fears the most. But Loren Hale is determined to be with Lily without enabling her dangerous compulsions. With their new living situation—sleeping in the same bed, for real, together—Lily has new battles. Like not jumping Lo’s bones every night. Not being consumed by sex and his body.

Loren plans to stay sober, to right all of his wrongs. So when someone threatens to expose Lily’s secret to her family and the public, he promises that he’ll do anything to protect her. But with old enemies surfacing, Lo has more at stake than his sobriety.

They will torment Lily until Lo breaks.

And his worst fear isn’t relapsing. He hears the end. He sees it. The one thing that could change everything. Just three words.

No. More. Us.

New Adult Romance recommended for readers 18+ for mature content

“Lo?” Ryke’s voice turns serious. “Hey, talk to me.”
I let out a breath. “Tell me why I shouldn’t.” I pinch my eyes. I want this to end. This torment. These feelings. I want to help Lily without needing something to drown my own thoughts.

“Because you love Lily more than that.”

This book picks up right at the end of Lo’s three month stint at rehab. Lily had already moved in with Rose when Lo left so this is the first time that they will really be tested together since they both made moves to work on their addictions. This is the first book of the series that has both of their POVs which is great because now the reader gets to see firsthand how Lo struggles instead of just seeing Lily’s side of things. I was so glad that his POV was added because in the first book, even though you can clearly see how much he loves Lily, it might be still easy to not like him because let’s face it, he can be a major ass. Once you get to see into his head and how much he struggles and how sometimes even though the first words out of his mouth are meant to hurt a person as much as possible, you realize that he isn’t a bad person. He’s just a fragile human who has an addiction and grew up with a father that has that very same addiction and who could tear Lo down better than anyone else (even if he clearly loves his son—it’s all a pretty messed up and vicious cycle).

Fortunately in this book Lily’s addiction is still a secret so she spends most of the book doing normal things like wading through schoolwork and working for Rose at Calloway Couture. She ended up transferring to Princeton because of her move with Rose and while I don’t think that Lily is dumb, it’s pretty obvious that she only got into Princeton because of her last name (no offense, dear Lily!!). Instead of having Connor the wonder tutor available, she gets stuck with Rose’s jackass friend. Basically I hate him because he gets Lily to cheat by giving her old tests and tries to manipulate Rose/ break up her and Connor’s relationship. He’s the worst—and obviously an idiot if he thought he could break up the nerd stars.

“I don’t know how to live without you.” And I shake my head quickly as tears pool. “And I don’t want to know how. I don’t want to find out.” He is my breath. My soul. My life-force. I have spent forever with him. Being apart is the most unnatural feeling in the world. Three months—I could handle that like a bad itch. Forever without him?

All in all this is basically a transition book that is once again more focused on the characters. While one of the main threads of the book deals with all of the nasty, anonymous tests that Lily and Lo are getting about exposing her addiction, a lot more of it just focuses on the two of them going through their lives while the battle their addictions. Because I read Kiss the Sky first (after Lily’s secret had been exposed) it was actually really nice to read about their lives before they got SUPER chaotic. Obviously they still are really rich and help run their own companies and go to galas…but still. They are safe from the paparazzi and their lives are semi private. Other than their addictions they live relatively “normal” lives.

Certain parts that I loved included Rose and Connor going to different therapists pretending to be Lily and Lo to find the perfect one for Lily. I literally can’t imagine Connor pretending to be an alcoholic with Lo’s attitude bahaha. I also loved their trip to Mexico because we get to see more interactions between Ryke and Daisy and how protective Lo and Lily are. Also there’s the fact that Rose gets drunk so that’s a funny bonus too.

In the end you finally find out who leaks Lily’s secret and it’s pretty devastating for all involved. We see the very beginning of the fallout for Lily and things obviously spiral out of control very quickly. It’s honestly so heartbreaking to see how people treat her..including her own mother and father. What’s also hard is when Lily goes through enough therapy to figure out what might have pushed her down the path she ended up going down. Despite that though, I was reminded how darn funny she is. Sweet Lily is so kind and geeky and I laugh so hard every time she hides underneath Lo’s shirt or climbs up his body like a koala. I love that her and Lo talk about fandoms and and Marvel and that even though Connor is a certified genius, that he doesn’t know what she’s talking about half of the time, lol. Other than the sex addiction I would definitely relate the most to her out of the three sisters. So yes, this might have been one of the “tamest” books of the series but it still was enjoyable to read. Any more pages spent with this group of people is a win for me.

So in Harry Potter’s epic final words, “All was well.”

BOOK REVIEW: In Harmony by Emma Scott

July 4, 2018 / Cassie / 8 Comments

In Harmony by Emma Scott
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…

At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…

Isaac Pearce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood and leave Harmony behind for good.

No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.

In Harmony is a standalone YOUNG ADULT/NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher (Trillian) and the author, Emma Scott, for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.

5/5

I was completely blown away by this book. I had never read Emma Scott before, so I had no idea what to expect. But I’ve been pretty down lately and was looking for something to bring me out of my funk and this seemed like a good one to try. I’m so glad I did, because even with the heavy subject matter, I was so drawn and invested in these characters.

Long review below, because this book deserves it.

I searched book after book of Celtic legend and lore, but I couldn’t find the tale of Little Light. Instead, the dark found me. Two weeks after my seventeenth birthday.

Meet one of our main protagonists, Willow. I adored Willow. Here was this girl, who had something absolutely terrible happen to her and was doing her best to deal with it, especially with fairly absent parents who refuse to acknowledge how seriously their daughter is in turmoil. In the middle of her senior year, her father is moved from NYC to a small town outside of Indianapolis and Willow is the new girl at school. (Side note: Hooray to a small Indiana town not being painted in totally terrible light!) Even in a new location, Willow struggles to understand and deal with the trauma of her ordeal from the year prior.

I tried not to let myself think of him. He didn’t even have a name in my reckoning. He didn’t deserve one. Names are for humans.

On day one in her new school in Harmony, Willow meets two very important characters in this story: Angie, an amazing side character, and other other damaged protagonist, Isaac. I loved Angie. She was quirky but unabashedly herself. She goes out of her way to help Willow, even when Willow does not always return the favor. Their friendship was lovely and I really enjoyed when they were on the pages together.

And Isaac. Dark, dreamy, damaged Isaac. Isaac, who is a phenomenal actor and lives in a broken down trailer with his alcoholic father. Isaac who is determined to use his talents to get out Harmony and help those who he cares about.

After a brief but memorable meeting at the school, Willow decides to audition for the local production of Hamlet, which Isaac will star in. I really liked the author’s emphasis on using art as a way of healing for both Willow and Isaac.

I didn’t care whether I got the part or not. All that mattered was that for the first time, I’d told the truth. Cloaked in other words, but still my truth.

Willow ends up getting the part of Ophelia, opposite of Isaac as Hamlet, and that’s really where their interaction begins. And I was here for it.

He shoved his shoulder against mine playfully, not looking at me, but his Oedipus curtain call smile slipped out, and it put a crack straight across my block of ice.

If you’re looking for a slow-burn YA contemp romance, you have come to the right place. Because there is a lot both Isaac and Willow have to deal with in their personal lives, as well as their feelings for each other. I really appreciated nothing being rushed and the small moments and interactions as they got to know one another. It honestly felt so real and natural, which is exactly what I love.

Take this interaction for example:
I swallowed hard. “It doesn’t matter.” “Matters to me,” he said, his voice gruff. “It fucking matters to me Willow.”

And this one:
“You’re not dead,” I said, crouching down. “You’re not dead, Willow.” I won’t let you die. “Not all of me,” she said, sleepily. “But a part of me is dead and gone. And I’ll never get it back.” And that hit me in the heart a thousand times harder than her screaming rage at the sky.

The scene in the graveyard killed me. It was so good. Definitely one my favorites in this book, and there were a handful I could have picked from as a favorite.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you want to laugh, smile, cry, be heartbroken and then whole again, look no further. There were a lot of important themes to this book and some heavy topics, but I thought they were handled in a good way. Just FYI, TW for: rape, PTSD, physical abuse, verbal abuse, use of slurs (though it is acknowledged it is wrong) and underage drinking. It’s also definitely a mature YA novel, so just be aware.

Overall, I loved this book and I loved these characters. Any little issues I had are completely overwhelmed by everything else. This book was wonderful and if you are even slightly thinking you might be interested in it, you should absolutely do so.

BOOK REVIEW – The Bet (The Bet #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

June 25, 2018 / Jen / 6 Comments

The Bet (The Bet #1)
by Rachel Van Dyken
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
"I have a proposition for you." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. It's been years since Kacey's seen her childhood friend Jake, but the minute Jake mentions his ill grandmother, Kacey is ready to do anything for the sweet old woman. And if that means pretending they're engaged for her sake-so be it.

But Kacey wasn't counting on Jake's older brother Travis still being there. She calls him "Satan" for a reason: she's never forgotten the way he teased and taunted her. Yet when they meet again, Travis's gorgeous smile is a direct hit to her heart . . . and Kacey's more confused than ever. As the days pass, only one thing starts to become alarmingly clear-she never should have accepted Jake's deal . . .

Review:

The Bet was hilariously addicting! I loved that the characters charmed their way into my heart, that the pages were filled with tons of fun drama and that the ending left me excited to read the next book in this series. This was my first book by Rachel Van Dyken and I’m definitely kicking myself that I didn’t pick up one of her books sooner!

Jake’s thumb rubbed across her fingers delicately.
Another involuntary shiver ran down her spine. It’s not real, Kacey. Just remember it’s not real. He doesn’t really like you in that way. Do it for Grandma!

Jake Titus propositioned Kacey to pretend to be his fiance. They were childhood friends, but after a falling out they hadn’t spoken in a few years. Jake was feeling pressure from his family’s company to change his playboy persona and his Grandma, who loved Kacey and had been sick, wanted to see her. So by bringing Kacey back home, he’d be back in his family and company’s good graces and he would help Kacey out with her college expenses in return. It sounded like the perfect win win situation. Yet nothing could prepare Kacey for being back in the Titus’ house, especially with Travis there. He was Jake’s older brother who was horrific to Kacey as a child.

He’d be a fool to let her go.
Again . – Jake

I was definitely confused at first. Was I supposed to love Kacey with Jake or Travis? But over time we got to see who deserved Kacey’s heart. In the beginning, Kacey and Jake’s interactions were adorable. They had a friendship that was definitely complicated and filled with some hurt. But it also felt strong and true, or at least it use to be that way. You see, we got to hear lots of stories referencing Kacey and Jake’s past and I laughed so hard I cried. Their past was hysterical! But the more I saw who Jake was, I wasn’t the biggest fan of him. He would come across as a self centered asshole. He could make the worst choices and it all seemed to center on instant gratification. And he never thought about how the ramifications would affect others. But Jake seemed like the type where if he really wanted something, he’d find a way to make it happen.

Travis held up his wine. “To conquering old fears?”
Something shifted between them. His eyes, though it was dark, seemed to he hiding something, as if he were talking about more than her stupid phobia. She leaned in, now completely relaxed from drowning half of her wine already, and whispered, “To conquering old fears.”

Now Travis and Kacey? They made me laugh so hard too, but each moment had something else coursing through it. There was a tension between them that was always crackling and it left me with the hugest grin on my face. Travis and Kacey’s moments together were so hot. Even when they were throwing jabs at each other. They could also be ridiculously immature and it was so much fun. I loved their teasing and their weird obsession with food fights. It made my heart smile and I couldn’t stop laughing!

He wondered if she could hear his heart hammering in his chest. “Because of you, Kace. Everything I do, everything I’ve done in my life it’s all because of you.” – Travis

Travis was definitely book boyfriend material! He looked out for Kacey and he thought about her happiness first. Yeah he would screw up from time to time, but ultimately he was her biggest protector and champion. So I kept my fingers crossed that that was who Kacey would end up with, because sometimes it didn’t feel as though it’d pan out in that direction. So be careful with your hearts! Speaking of my heart…. ohhhhh I have to say I think everyone will love Grandma!! She was funny, smart, devious and I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s up to in the next book!

Both brothers.
One a friend, the other something so much more.

So I definitely recommend The Bet! It’s for everyone who adores NA stories that have tension running through them. And if you love drama that’s fun, with sillier moments laced through it, then this is definitely your book! The next book is about the brother who wasn’t meant for Kacey and I’m so excited to see what happens to him!

PS So here’s a weird confession. Usually I don’t read books with the name Travis. It’s my brothers name and yeah it just feels weird. But I call my brother Trav and I heard that wasn’t used in this book, thank goodness!!

BOOK REVIEW – Sugar and Spice (Glitter and Sparkle #3) by Shari L. Tapscott

June 18, 2018 / Jen / 4 Comments

Sugar and Spice (Glitter and Sparkle #3)
by Shari L. Tapscott
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Fueled by love and determination, twenty-one-year-old Harper took a great leap of faith and transferred home from college to finally declare her feelings to Brandon, the boy who's adored her since they were children.

There was only one thing that could derail her perfect plan, and that was Brandon showing up with a new girlfriend the very same weekend.

Now slightly bitter and irked at the world, Harper focuses her time and attention on making her sister's childhood dream come true: she's going to meet Mason Knight, former lead singer of the wildly popular Forever Now band. All Harper has to do is bake her way onto the nationally televised, holiday cookie competition he happens to be judging. Easy. Until she finds herself partnered with Sadie--Brandon's vapid, wide-eyed, hair-of-many-bottle-blond-colors girlfriend.

Just when Harper's ready to throw in the towel, she collides with entitled, pretty-boy, celebrity-judge Mason. Except he's not entitled, and with his sharp eyes and chiseled jaw, there's nothing pretty about him. Suddenly, Harper doesn't just want in the competition--she wants to win. Even if that means she has to play nice with Sadie to accomplish it...

Review:

Sugar and Spice made me laugh, smile and fall hopelessly in love with these characters. And when I closed the book, I was left wanting to spin circles with my arms out and smiling up at the sun. Seriously. It was that adorable! While the story felt a tad unrealistic at times, I didn’t care at all. I love this series with my whole heart and I can’t get over how much fun each book is! And while each one can easily be read as a standalone, I highly recommend going back and starting with Glitter and Sparkle. This series revolves around a group of friends and you don’t want to miss any second of it!

I don’t have to meet him to know his type—entitled, rich-boy snob. And can he change a tire? Throw a football? Start a fire? Basically do half the things Brandon can with his eyes closed? I think not, and therefore, he holds none of my interest.

We’ve had many glimpses of Harper in the last two books. She’s Riley’s sister, a friend of Lauren’s and she has crushed on Lauren’s brother, Brandon, since forever. Harper transferred back home to a local college and she was going to confess her feelings to Brandon, but now he had a girlfriend. Unfortunately Harper can’t ignore Brandon, they were embedded in each other’s lives. Their parents and even sisters were best friends and they did everything together from bbqs to even the holidays. And through a twist of events, Harper found herself entering a baking competition with Brandon’s girlfriend, Sadie. Which landed Harper and Sadie on a TV show for a Christmas Cookie Competition (think Food Network Cookie Bake-Off….tons of fun!).

He’s not at all what I expected, and I’m not sure what to think about that.

The judges could be so harsh and I kept hoping they’d make it to the next round. I was also super nervous for how Harper and Sadie would work together. Shockingly they worked together seamlessly. Out of the kitchen though it was a different story. Sadie tried her hardest to make friends with Harper, but I more than got Harper’s hesitation. I mean she wanted Sadie’s boyfriend, so there was all kinds of awkwardness there. And during those moments, especially the heart aching ones, Harper found herself turning to Mason.

Sadie stares at me, mouth gaping open. She steadies herself on the wall with one hand and fans her face with the other. “Mason Knight just hit on you.”
And as much as I hate to admit it, I liked it.
A lot.

Mason was America’s teen heart throb and was the judge of the baking competition. He went from being in a boy band to a solo career and ironically he was from the same little town in Montana that Harper was from. Right from the start I was laughing at Harper and Mason’s interactions. Their moments together were a little bit awkward, but also completely giggle and sigh worthy. And after just that first meeting, with an inside joke already established, it all felt so playful every time they were near each other. Yet there was an undercurrent of sexual tension since there was a natural pull between them. And it left me feeling as though I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

“We’ll have to be careful not to appear overly friendly in public,” he whispers, his words tickling my ear.
My mouth goes dry, and I swallow before I answer. “Shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t even know you. You certainly don’t know me.”
“Oh, but I plan to.”

I loved that Mason was thoughtful, a good listener and such a good friend to Harper. He could be so sweet and down to earth and exactly what she needed with her cynical ways. Harper found herself spilling her whole heart and soul to him. And each time it pulled them that much closer to together and I found myself a huge smiling, laughing, sighing mess. While they formed a strong friendship quickly, it all felt so natural. Especially since Mason could be so enchanting. His sexiness easily possessed my heart! But Harper was hesitant. How could her and Mason ever have a real relationship? Their worlds were entirely different.

I’m smart enough to know I can’t expect a relationship from Mason—our lives are too different. We met at a crossroad—a beautiful, magical, amazing crossroad—but eventually, we’re going to go our separate ways. Before I give in to this, I must prepare myself for the loss at the end.

So yes, I absolutely loved this book and this whole series! I can’t recommend them enough! I found myself addicted to the story line and all of the characters. Especially since Shari L. Tapscott has a way of creating males that makes me fall head over heels in love with them! And again I absolutely loving the epilogue! It was beyond perfect and my heart couldn’t be happier! So far I’m 3/3 for loving her books and I can’t wait to devour the rest of them!