Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Slammed

Author: Colleen Hoover

Published: September 18^th, 2012

Summary:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hopeless and Losing Hope.

Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart.

Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them.

Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.

Review:

I really don't know what took me so long to read "Slammed" by Colleen Hoover. I haven't read all of her books, but the ones that I have read, sucked me in so far that I lost track of time. This book did just that. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pages. I read this book in 4 ½ hrs. Seriously. Oh and did I mention that I cried during different parts throughout this whole book... Yep bawled like a baby too.

On the first meeting of Layken or Lake, she's leaving everything behind because of the death of her father. She resents her mother of course for making her pack up and leave. She is a funny, strong, independent 18 year old that takes everything that is being handed to her. When she arrives in Michigan, her new home, she immediately meets Will. 

Before I got further... I do think their instant attraction was a bit rushed and would have liked more of a build of it... However we learn why that can't happen. 

Will, the sexy neighbor instantly draws himself to Lake. The two had little choice especially when Kel, Lake's younger brother and Caulder, Will's younger brother hit it off immediately and become friends. They were inseparable throughout the book. With the instant attraction between Will and Lake I felt like we were going to get so much more than we did in the beginning... But we didn't. But that's okay! 

Eddie, a girl in one of Lake's classes instantly befriends her and she is exactly what Lake needs. Eddie is a funny and crazy girl and I definitely was laughing whenever she was around. Lake's mom was simply amazing! She was the type of mom that was there for advice and wasn't needy or always on top of Lake. I think everyone would want a mom like her. She didn't over crowd and she was there when you needed her. 

Their affection toward each other comes to a rough halt when certain things come to light. Would they be able to go on? Would they suffer? Would things ever be the same between the two? So many things hit home in this book. It was hard to read it without thinking of my Life. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the next installment!

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On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

On the Island

Author: Tracey Garvis Graves

Published: June 7^th, 2012

Summary:

Two people stranded on an island struggle to survive—and slowly fall in love—in the runaway New York Times bestseller from the author of the forthcoming novel COVET.

Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure. Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that’s going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring sixteen-year-old T.J.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere. His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life. But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.

Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan’s summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives’ twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens. Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters. They make it to shore, but soon discover that they’re stranded on an uninhabited island.

At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

Review:

I'm not really sure how I feel about "On the Island" by Tracey Garvis Graves. I was really excited to read this book but once I started reading it, I felt like I was forcing myself to read it. Don't get me wrong it was a good book but it just wasn't for me.

When we first met Anna and TJ, it seemed like a typical teacher student relationship. She was caring and understanding and TJ was just moody. Anna was sweet. She tried to show that she really cared about him. When they both realized that the plane was going down, Anna main concern was keeping him safe.

After the plane crashed and they finally made it to the island, they both began working together to face the problem at hand. TJ grew up a lot. You would think that the age difference would be weird between the two, but it's not. They both grew up to the situation and made something horrible work.

It's a HEA that was totally worth it and if it wasn't I probably would have hated this book. Don't get me wrong, this book is beautifully written. It's in both points of views which is absolutely important to really get inside both of their heads. I just couldn't connect with the characters like other may have. The storyline was great and the characters were well though out and executed perfectly. I rate it high only because of that. If I thought otherwise it would have been a 2 star for me... But I give it 4.5!

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See Me by Wendy Higgins

See Me

Author: Wendy Higgins

Published: March 17^th, 2014

Summary:

The author of the Sweet Evil trilogy from HarperTeen brings you a modern Young Adult folktale of Irish magic and romance.

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he'll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there's more to her betrothal and McKale's clan than she was led to believe.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands in the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants-and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn's family and McKale's clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

Review:

See me was a great book. This was the first book that I read by Wendy Higgins. I loved reading into the fantastical land of the Fae. 

Robyn, a girl that was told from a young age was told that she was to marry someone whom she had never met when she turned 18. Instead of being the girl to throw a fit and demand that it be change, she took it with stride. She looked forward to it. She, of course was nervous... Who wouldn't be? She slowly proves to McKale that she is there because she wants to be. She brings the change in him and who they both become are amazing.

McKale, Robyn's betrothed is a tall, red-headed Irish man.... The accent yep... Yum! He plays the fiddle and is sweet and gentlemanly. He transforms from a shy, quiet man to a man that claims confidence and shows how sexy he can really be! He plays the fiddle and he truly is a nice guy. He takes the betrothal seriously and at first he wasn't even sure that Robyn would like him. However she proves him wrong!

Throughout the story, we meet Cassidy, Robyn's sister and Rock whose real name is Ronan, McKale’s friend. They both bring comic relief to the story and I loved that. It didn't make everything so serious. Cassidy is more secure and more confident in herself than Robyn is. Rock and his pals from his clan kept me laughing out loud and Cassidy did also. Whenever they were in the scene I knew I was going to start laughing. 

The rest of the cast were awesome. When things hit the fan, they came together and made it. They worked together to defeat the evil within that was threatening to mess everything up. 

Overall it was a good book. I definitely liked it. Would I revisit it? No. This is the type of book where I don't think I could read it again, but that's okay. I really liked it and that's all that matters. 

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First Night by Lauren Blakely Release Day Launch

I’m so excited to take part in this release day launch. This book was sinfully delicious and I was so upset when it ended. Read below for a special note from Lauren Blakely! You will not be disappointed!!

FIRST NIGHT is the prequel novella in the Seductive Nights series. It’s available for free across retailers to give readers a taste of the night Julia and Clay meet and their sexy sensual chemistry. Their story continues in the full-length novel NIGHT AFTER NIGHT releasing April 18^th. FIRST NIGHT will also be included in the eBook of NIGHT AFTER NIGHT for readers who want to get the full story line, from first meeting on through the novel, in one spot.

Summary:

An erotic novella from the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely...

It was only supposed to be one night…

When the sinfully handsome man walks into her bar in San Francisco, Julia Bell simply wants a break from the troubles that keep chasing her. That escape comes in the form of sexy, confident and commanding Clay Nichols, who captivates her mind AND turns her inside out with pleasure. The attraction is electric and they share one scorchingly hot night together, but they also discover there is more than just off-the-charts chemistry; the connection between them runs deep. Clay never thought he’d return to New York with this woman still on his mind. But he can’t get her out of his system, and he needs more of her…He wants more than just the first night…

*This is a prequel novella to the erotic romance NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.*

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href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/484aec28/"
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A Note from Lauren:

"I am so excited to share my first erotic romance series with readers, and I want as many readers as possible to be introduced to the hotness of Clay Nichols!! You will need a spare set of panties, or two or three, if you read this book! That's why I am offering the full-length novel, NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, for pre-order at the special price of 99 cents. That's right! You don't have to wait for a sale. It is for the very short pre-order period only on Amazon and iBooks and for the first day of release on B&N on April 18th. I want to reward loyal readers with the lowest possible price and to give as many people as possible the chance to read. If you have already pre-ordered on Apple iBooks, you will automatically receive it for 99 cents! I will share the links as soon as the pre-order on Amazon goes live. The price will go to 2.99 on release day. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT will be followed by the second full-length novel, AFTER THIS NIGHT, on May 12th. That book is available for pre-order on iBooks for $2.99 and will go to $3.99 on release day. It will also be available for Amazon pre-order in mid-April for the same price."

About Lauren Blakely:

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.

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http://laurenblakelybooks.blogspot.com/

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Bad for You by Abbi Glines

Bad for You

Author: Abbi Glines

Published: April 1^st, 2014

Summary:

Innocence isn’t meant for the addictive…The next sultry affair in the New York Times bestselling Sea Breeze Collection by Abbi Glines is unstoppably steamy.

Addiction is part of Krit Corbin’s nature—and women have always been his favorite obsession. But that’s the life of a lead singer in a band. He can have any woman he wants—anywhere, anytime. Well, except for one.

Blythe Denton is used to being alone. The minister’s family who raised her never accepted her as their own, and the cruel minister’s wife made sure Blythe understood just how unworthy she was of love. So when she finally gets the chance to live by herself, Blythe takes it and moves into an apartment building with a loud upstairs neighbor who keeps throwing parties all night long.

It’s during one such party when Krit opens the door to find his new neighbor standing there. Blythe wants him to turn down the music, but he convinces her to stay. She’s nothing like the women who parade in and out of his apartment, but Krit can’t resist her—her brown hair, cute glasses, and sexy innocence is too much for him to ignore.

Determined to win Blythe over, Krit Corbin may have just found his biggest addiction yet.

Review:

I read “Bad for You” slowly. I always read Abbi Glines' books quickly because I'm so eager to see the characters and what else she has given us. I was not disappointed.

Krit was one of those characters that I wasn't sure whether to love or hate him. It's very hard to describe Krit. His personality is so up and down that you're not sure which way he is gonna go. What we do know... He's sexy and has great abs (hehehe). Truthfully, he had his moments where I wanted to jump through the book and give him a good slap but for the most part, I wanted to hug him. He's obviously plagued with demons from his past. I would have liked to learn more about his past that haunted him and why he did things the way he did. As we continue watching him, you see that he really does have a heart. However, he has a hard time letting people in. He doesn't let anyone get past his walls but Blythe does. She starts to break his walls into pieces.

Blythe was a naive girl that lived a sheltered life. She lived with a pastor and his wife. She lived a life full of ridicule and humiliation. When Krit started taking a liking to her and paying her attention, she was confused, no one had ever taken the time out to actually get to know her. No one had paid her mind and when they did she thought she did something wrong. At first I didn’t mind the naïveté and the shyness, but then it started to bother me. With all the attention she was getting should have started to realize everything from when she was younger was a lie. 

As their relationship escalates, both of them started to grow on me. I really enjoyed the build up to their relationship. It wasn't bing bang boom... We’re together. Abbi Glines built the relationship up and took the time to show the growth of their relationship. I love that because honestly who meets someone on Monday and on Tuesday their going out. Seeing all the people from the previous Sea Breeze novels was awesome. I love being able to connect with them more and I felt that most with Trish. Her love for her brother hit home because I would do everything I could to protect my brother. Her emotions were so real to me. She was genuine enough to actually pay attention to Blythe and give her the friendship that she needed.

I really enjoyed this book and I really recommend reading it. Both characters grow on you and you cheer when things finally come together. I'm never disappointed when I read her books and that was true for this one. A great read!

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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Maybe, Someday

Author: Colleen Hoover

Published: March 18^th, 2014

Summary:

At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.

Review:

I absolutely loved “Maybe, Someday”!!! I like this is one of my new favorite books! What is so great about this book is that it is one of the most original that I’ve read in a long time. I was completely taken in with this story. I didn’t want to stop reading and I finished it quickly. The characters were real and I could put myself in the book. Everything that happened was something that could happen to anyone. Everything about this book captured my heart. My heart went from one direction to the next so many different times that I didn’t know what how to handle it, but I loved being torn in so many directions. I cried and I laughed. I stopped reading at one point to compose myself. It was an emotional rollercoaster and completely worth it.

Sydney was such an awesome character. She was sweet and kind. She was so strong that she handled the things that were thrown her way with passion. She handled them so well and as a reader I was so proud of her.

Ridge was the boy next door type character. He is gorgeous, kind, and a very talented musician. What we learn about him shocked the heck out of me, but made me love him even more. He was the perfect guy in all sense. Every time I was read about him, I would melt even more and more. He made me feel comfortable, even for a book character… he has the very high chance of possibly stealing book boyfriend.

The two of them start making music together and how they did it was amazing. Everything about it is beautiful. Ridge was having a hard time and Sydney was just the inspiration that he needed. They both gave the other something that they were missing. They both were able to help each other with their problems. Everything that each of them gave to the other brought them out of the slump that they were in.

What was even better with this story is that it came with a real live cd. The songs that were put together were all brought to life. Listening to the songs and reading the book just made the book more real.  After reading and ‘watching’ them compile these songs and then getting to listen to them just made the book feel more believable.

Throughout the book, you are immersed into love triangles and new friendships. This book is also in dual POV so you are able to see it through Sydney and Ridge’s eyes. That helps you feel the book better.

I’m not going to give you any more information because then it will just give you an excuse not read it. This book was worth every second that it took to read it. I loved every part and you will too. 

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Soundtrack

Elect by Rachel Van Dyken (Re-read)

Elect:

Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Published: December 10^th, 2013

Summary:

Would you die for the one you love?

Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him. 

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family's sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend... But Trace isn't ready to give up on a future with Nix--and if he won't fight for them, she will. 

In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . . 

Review:

Elect is the continuation of Trace and Nixon’s story. After re-reading this book, it was just like the first time. I couldn’t put it down. Lines are crossed and everything that they had worked toward is falling apart in front of them. In this book we also learn why they are called the Elect. What was the background to their little group.

They begin sheltering Trace and honestly, it pissed me off. They should have begun preparing her better… training her and getting her ready for any type of danger. They treated her like she was glass and she’s not. I yelled at the book a few times because of this. Nixon starts to really come into his role. He matures more than he did in the first book. I love that because it shows that the characters can grow throughout the books.

Chase being the best friend and having unwavering loyalty to Nixon puts him between a rock and a hard place. His feelings toward Trace grow into more than what it should or could be. I feel bad for him and everything that his heart is put through.

This book has a lot more action in it and I was kept on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put is down and I was up to the crack of dawn reading it. It has all the action that the first one didn’t. It had more suspense than the first one did. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series after this book ended. Everything happens for a reason they say and maybe this is what Chase, Nixon and Trace need. 

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