Review: Four Seconds to Lose

Title: Four Seconds to Lose (Ten Tiny Breaths #3)

Author: K. A. Tucker

Date of Publication: November 4, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

My Review:

I can't believe that I let this novel sit on my Kindle for as long as it did! For some reason life just kept getting in the way of me finally sitting down to read this one and when I finally did sit down to read it I didn't get up again until it was done. I adored every second of this novel and once I stared it was impossible for me to stop. My only regret is that I didn't get around to this one sooner, because it captivated me in every sense of the word.

The thing I was most excited for in this novel was finally getting a closer look at Cain. He played a bigger role in the first novel than in the second, but he always had a bit of a mysterious aura around him and I couldn't wait to see what was hiding underneath that. Cain had much more of a past than I ever imagined and as I slowly learned more about him I began to respect him even though I initially wasn't sure if I would, he is the owner of a strip club after all! Even though he's done his share of bad things he really made an effort to make a difference, especially for the girls who work for him, and I really admired him for that.

Charlie's story was absolutely fascinating and I loved reading about her. She had an intriguing life story and though I can't give much away without ruining the story everything she had to go through with her stepfather, and the strings that came with his marriage to her mother, really threw me for a loop, but it also made the story that much more interesting. Her relationship with Cain developed at the perfect pace and I knew from the start that she was absolutely perfect for him. Even though they both come from troubled pasts they are both able to put everything they've gone through behind them and take what they've gone through to create a more positive outlook for not only themselves, but for those around them too.

Finally, one of the things I really loved about this novel was getting a look into the life of a stripper. I feel like there is a very strong stigma against the whole idea and seeing what all the girls in the club had to go through made me start thinking about them as more than just the reputation assigned to them. A lot of the girls who were there had nothing else to support them and I loved Cain's compassion toward women who most people in society would have tossed to the side. I've never read a book about a stripper and I loved the fresh idea, I really felt for all the girls and what they had to go through; especially the events in their life that made them turn to stripping. I'm really hoping Tucker revisits some of them in upcoming novels!

Four Seconds to Lose is no doubt Tuckers best work yet and I adored every single second of this wonderfully written novel. Tucker has a true talent for writing in the New Adult genre and I'm so excited to get my hands on the next one in the series!

5/5

Excerpt: Hollow

Title: Hollow

Author: Ava Conway

Date of Publication: April 18, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book:  Amazon

Synopsis:  Girl, Interrupted meet Beautiful Disaster in this thrilling and sexy debut novel, in which a college student learns her perfect life is a lie and finds new love where she least expects it—a mental institution.

Freaks, misfits, and psychopaths. Those are the kinds of people found at Newton Heights Psychiatric Hospital, and high-society girl Lucy White’s new home.

Freaks, misfits, and Jayden McCray. Jayden has his own set of rules for life at Newton Heights, and in this enigma, Lucy finds a way to live with the events that left her cheating boyfriend and best friend dead—and Lucy in the middle of the investigation into their demise.

The problem? Jayden makes her want things she’s not supposed to have, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality and making Lucy feel more at home in Newton Heights than she ever did at home. But this isn’t how her life is supposed to be…

Excerpt:

“AFTER I PRESSED the accelerator, things get a little fuzzy,” I said.

“Hmm . . .” The lawyer twirled his monogrammed pen between his fingers and scribbled something into his notebook. “The same thing’s written in the police report.”

I tried to move my hands, but remembered they were strapped to the bed. After I ripped all the lifesaving tubes out of my arms last night, the hospital staff wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything so stupid again.

“Does it look as bad as the papers are suggesting?” My father pushed his fingers through his hair, which had turned more salt than pepper since I had gone to college.

The lawyer slapped his notebook shut and slid it into his leather briefcase. “You know the media will exaggerate anything to get a story. Although I have to admit, an attempted suicide one week after the accident won’t help her defense.” He clicked the briefcase shut with a loud, purposeful snap and smoothed his designer suit. “The jury will think she has a guilty conscience.”

“Come on, honey. Think.” My mother drew her neatly trimmed brows together, bringing attention to her large, round eyes. Normally my mother’s baby blues were her best feature, but the clumpy mascara and bronze eye shadow she’d chosen that morning made her look tired and worn out.

“There must be something else you remember. Some little bit of information that could help the police drop the charges.” She took my hand with her long, manicured fingers. People said that we looked alike, but besides the raven-colored hair and blue eyes, I didn’t see very much in common. It was almost as if we came from two different worlds. Hers was stoic and orderly. Mine was a neurotic mess.

I shook my head and turned to the lawyer. “There’s nothing more.” My voice sounded hoarse and strained.

Probably because of all the tubes they had to jam down my throat while trying to keep me alive.

My father swore and started pacing the hospital room. Even tired he looked magnificent, like some great stallion in an Armani suit. His angular features, tanned skin and outgoing personality drew people to him and made him an outstanding lobbyist. It was a damn shame that it was for show. Only my mom and I knew that the charismatic lobbyist waged an inner war with himself every night, armed with his trusty bottle of bourbon and a Cuban cigar.

“Your friend was right. You shouldn’t have been driving that night.” The lawyer leaned against the bottom of the bed and arched his brow. “None of you should have.” The highhanded tone grated on my nerves. All my life I had been trying to live up to my parents’ impossibly high standards.

The last thing I needed was this greasy-looking rent-a-lawyer talking to me in such a condescending tone. I opened my mouth to tell him this, but was cut off by my father.

“They can’t prove she was driving,” he said. “The car flipped over and no one was wearing a seat belt.”

“He’s right.” My mother dropped my hand and stood. “The other two were thrown from the car.”

“I know, and that’s why there’s still a chance of overturning the manslaughter charges.” The lawyer studied me for a long moment with his beady, green eyes. From day one, I didn’t like this guy. It wasn’t just that he was conceited or condescending, it was how he always seemed to be calculating his next step, as if life was this massive board game and he was playing to win. While I had no doubt that his decisions were the best for him and his law practice, I wondered if they were the best for me.

My mother certainly seemed to think so. She hung on his every word.

“What if we send her away to live with extended family for a while?” she asked. “It will keep her out of the press until things calm down.”

“No,” my father said. “We can’t send her out of state while she’s facing charges.”

“You have no relatives close by?” the lawyer asked.

“We moved away from them to be closer to work,” my mother explained.

I didn’t like how these people were discussing my future as if I wasn’t in the room. “I don’t need to hide from the press.”

“Don’t be silly, Lucy,” my mother said. “You know we can’t afford the negative publicity right now. If you stay with us, then reporters will set up tents on our lawn, waiting for some crumb of information that they could use to tear us down.”

“She’s right, unfortunately,” my father said. “We have to find a way to keep her in state, but out of the public eye until this all blows over.”

“I’m twenty-two. I can handle myself.”

“Of course you can, dear,” my mother soothed. “Now hush, we’re thinking.”

The lawyer studied my face. Uneasiness crawled over my skin as his beady eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “I’ve got it.”

“What?” my parents both asked at the same time.

The lawyer’s gaze never left mine as he addressed my parents. “Is there any history of mental illness in the family?”

“Of what?” My mother stiffened and exchanged glances with my father.

“Of mental illness,” the lawyer repeated, turning toward her. “If there is, I could talk to her doctor about arranging an evaluation while we wait for a court date.” He straightened away from the bed railing and began to pace. “If we can prove she’s mentally unstable, it would help with the defense.” He drummed his fingers together as he walked, as if closing a steel trap.

“You want to put my daughter in a loony bin?” My mother swayed and grabbed the bed railing.

“Not a loony bin—a mental hospital. And only if she needs it.” The lawyer cracked his knuckles. The loud noise reminded me of how both of Bethany’s legs had been broken in the crash. “Yes, putting her in an upscale institution like Newton Heights until the investigation is over will help gain sympathy for our cause.”

“Newton Heights. That’s where that celebrity went last year when she announced she was being treated for depression, isn’t it?” my father asked.

“Yes, but . . .” My mother waved her hand in the air, as if struggling to find the right words.

“It’s expensive, but for those who can afford the high costs, it offers a sanctuary from the outside world.” The lawyer waved his hands to the sides and flashed his slick smile. “There’s also a teaching hospital on site, so if she should need physical treatment . . .” The implication was clear. If I was ever to try to kill myself again, emergency personnel would be on site to save my life.

Fear sliced through me at the thought of going to Newton Heights. I didn’t want to be locked away with all of the crazy people, like some reject in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I wasn’t sure what they did to patients at Newton Heights, but if it was anything like that movie, I wanted no part of it.

“I’m not going.” My voice sounded small and weak to my ears.

“You might not have a choice in the matter, kid,” the lawyer said. “Not if you want to beat these charges.”

My father bowed his head and ran his hand over his face. “I can’t believe this is happening to us again . . .”

“Clark—”

My father lowered his arm and nodded to me. “She’s turning out just like him.”

“Who?” I asked.

The air became thick with tension. I switched my focus from my father to my mother, but neither was willing to expand on my father’s mutterings. Instead they stood there, staring at each other, and I couldn’t help but think that some silent war was being waged in front of me.

“Mom, what’s Dad talking about? I’m turning out like who?” Hair fell into my eyes. I shook my head, trying to remove the offending strands from my field of vision.

“Whom,” my mother corrected, her gaze still fixed on my father.

“I was so convinced Lucy would turn out differently . . .”

The vein in my father’s temple pulsed, but otherwise his face remained an expressionless mask.

My mother let go of the bed railing and put her hand on my father’s arm. “Clark, she is different—”

“Would someone tell me what’s going on?” I raised my voice, desperate for some answers.

“We can’t keep up appearances under so much scrutiny.”

My father unfolded his arms and placed his hand over hers. “No.”

I tried to sit up, but the restraints forced me back on the pillows. “Mom, what’s he talking about?”

My mother moved to my side. “Not now, Lucy.” She swiped the hair from my face and smiled reassuringly. “To answer your question, Mr. Jameson, yes, there’s a history of mental illness in the family, but I will die before that information is leaked to the press.” Her voice was a sharp contrast to the gentleness of her touch.

“There’s no need to tell the press,” the lawyer reassured her. “Just the doctor. All we need is an evaluation.” He glanced at me. “Since she’s technically not a minor, we’ll also need her signature.”

“Leave that to me,” my father said.

A disoriented feeling settled into my core as I mentally flipped through all of my extended family members. “Who was mentally unstable?” I whispered to my mother. “Was it

Aunt Heather? Cousin Paul?”

“Not now, Lucy.” My mother turned to the lawyer. Her face became a cool, expressionless mask. “Will that be all, Mr. Jameson?”

The lawyer shifted his gaze between the three of us, as if weighing his options. “For now, yes. The police are still going through evidence at the crime scene. They’ll probably want to question her again at some point.”

“What happens if Lucy’s found guilty?” my father asked.

“Vehicular manslaughter is a serious crime. It would most likely involve prison time.”

My mouth went dry. Prison?

Keep Reading! Click the link:

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Spotlight and GIVEAWAY: The Innocent Assassins

Title: The Innocent Assassins

Author: Pema Donyo

Date of Publication: June 24, 2014

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis:  There are three rules to staying an assassin at the corporation of Covert Operatives: (1) your parents must be deceased, (2) your contracts must remain confidential, and (3) you must be under the age of eighteen.

After a murder mission goes awry a month before her eighteenth birthday, Covert Operatives assassin Jane Lu finds herself caught by the federal government and forced to spy for the CIA while remaining in Covert Operatives. Once her spying mission is over she will be allowed to live a civilian life without facing criminal consequences, a life she’s only dreamed of having.As Jane leaks information to the CIA, she uncovers secrets with enough power to both destroy Covert Operatives and her own boyfriend, Adrian King, who’s next in line to be CEO of the company. When her identity as a double agent for the CIA is discovered within Covert Operatives, she must decide where her allegiance, and her heart, truly lies.

Excerpt:

Rough cloth slid across my face and pulled down against my shoulders. I screamed. Someone yanked my wrists behind my back and tied them together with coarse rope. Another set of hands bound my legs. How many were there?

I struggled to make contact with a body, swerving from side to side with wild abandon in spite of my inability to see anything. What worried me most weren’t the people trapping my body or the sudden needle injected into my neck which slowed my thoughts and faded away my consciousness.

It was the voice next to my ear—cold, hard, and determined.

“You’re right on time,” Adrian whispered.

****
Freezing ice water snapped my eyes open.

I blinked away the unconscious haze, my hair and face dripping from the unwelcome drench. The first thing I noticed was the boardroom, similar to the ones I negotiated contracts in. But there was no contract here—only a long, empty rectangular table and looming executives and agents on either side.

In front of me stood Adrian, his expression unreadable as he studied me.

“I tried to stop you.” His voice reminded me of the cold water dripping from my clothes. “I warned you.”

“By hiring assassins to scare me? I thought you knew me better. Nothing scares me.”

“Death should.”

“You know I never wanted to be…” I swallowed hard. “This.”

“I changed Covert Operatives for you.” Emotion leaked into his voice, brimming with frustration. “I tried to give you what you wanted.”

“And force others against their will to work for CO their entire life?” I spat. “I think not.”

“When did you switch sides?”

“When I was arrested, Adrian. It was after our mission went wrong. The CIA gave me a choice. Go to prison and face the death sentence or work for them.”

He gritted his teeth. “The CIA? You’re afraid of the CIA? You know as well as I do CO can keep you away from them. I can keep you away from them.”

I glared at him. “And hide away for the rest of my life?”

His shoulders stiffened. “No one would be hiding.”

“I want a life removed from murder. The CO job was always temporary! It was never what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.” I averted my gaze. “Don’t you know there’s only one way this can possibly end? Kill me or let me go.

~CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW TO WIN A COPY ~

Review: Pieces for You

Title: For You #2: Pieces for You

Author: Genna Rulon

Date of Publication: December 17, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Samantha Whitney survived unimaginable tragedy only to discover she had been betrayed by a man who claimed to love her. Shattered, Sam spends months at a safe haven trying to piece herself back together. Ready or not, the time has come for her to return home.

As Sam struggles to resume a life that no longer feels familiar, she finds unwavering support in an unexpected, familiar face. Confronting Sam’s raw emotions and open wounds head-on, Griffin manages to take two steps forward for every step she retreats.

But when Sam is once again threatened, Griffin must decide how far he is willing to go to protect the woman he wants…knowing the cost of her safety is the risk of losing her.

Pieces For You is a captivating journey of survival, healing, and sacrifice—teeming with honesty, humor, unexpected twists, and love’s unsurpassed endurance.begin to plague Sam, it is Griffin she is forced to turn to.

My Review: 

After how much enjoyed the first book I read by Rulon I was really excited to get my hands on the next installment in the series. However, this book just didn't strike as much of a chord with me as the first one did. I found myself a little put off by how much the entire novel focused on Griffin's looks, rather than on Sam's recovery or an actual plot, and by how perfect all of the characters were. I did enjoy a few aspects of this novel but overall I just didn't find myself as impressed with it as I thought I was going to be.

I think one of the things that frustrated me the most was how shallow Sam was, especially toward Griffin. Griffin was the perfect love interest, he put Sam before everything and dedicated himself to keeping her safe and happy. However, all Sam ever thought about was how hot Griffin was, how his rock hard body turned her on, how his fine ass made her drool; she never focused on anything other than the physical. There was so much more to Griffin than his looks and Sam just couldn't see that, she rarely thought about what he was doing for her or how much he sacrificed for her. Griffin was so under appreciated in this novel it just made me want to scream sometimes. He was so sweet and loving but Sam never commented on any of that, all she ever thought about was how fine his ass looked in those jeans.

The other thing that bothered me a bit about this novel was the lack of plot. Sure, Sam was having a hard time overcoming what she went through but, I felt like the little mystery involving the threats on Sam's car wasn't enough of a plot to really keep the story moving. I felt like too much of the story was spent obsessing over Griffin's looks rather than focusing on other parts of the story that would have fleshed out the plot and added a little more depth to the novel. The majority of the novel was spent going through the day to day basics of Sam's life, which included an almost never ending commentary on how fine Griffin was. I wish Rulon had spent a little more time developing a plot because not only would it have provided more situations for Griffin and Sam to connect but it would have given readers a chance to connect with the characters as well.

Even though there were some things I didn't like about this book there were quite a few things I really enjoyed about it too. The number one being Hunter and Everleigh, I loved them in the first book and it was really fun to see their relationship from another perspective. I was also interested in the excitement at the end involving the conclusion of the mystery, however that aspect of the story played a minor role in the novel as a whole. Finally, I really enjoy Rulon's writing style, she knows how to perfectly blend humor into her novels and there were a few moments when I was laughing out loud at some of the comments made by the characters.

Overall, while Pieces for You was by no means a bad book, it just wasn't quite what I had been expecting after the first novel. Fans of the New Adult genre will no doubt like this series, and I encourage them to give it a try, but this one just wasn't quite my cup of tea this time around. However, I'm still excited to read more by Rulon and see where she goes as an author!

2/5

Review: Twisted

Title: Torn #2: Twisted

Author: K. A. Robinson

Date of Publication: May 7, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Chloe and Drake have found their happily ever after... almost.

When Chloe's mother comes back into her life with a bang, it sets off a chain of events no one could have ever expected. 
Everyone has their demons, and Chloe and Drake's hit them with a vengeance. 

Sex, drugs, money, a crazy ex, and Rock n Roll.... Can they survive it all?

Things are beginning to feel a bit... Twisted.

My Review:

While I hadn't completely loved the first book in the series, Torn, I liked it enough to give Twisted a chance. I was excited to see where the cliffhanger ending from the previous novel would take the story and I was hoping for a more original plot with the new developments the cliffhanger would bring. While I did find myself enjoying the plot much more this time around I was highly put off by the characters, some of the dialogue especially didn't do it for me and left me having a hard time caring about the characters and what they were going through.

From the very beginning I found myself disappointed with this novel, mainly because Drake was such an ass. I don't know what I ever saw in him in the first book but I spend the entire book wondering why Chloe was wasting her time with such a loser. The second he made a comment along the lines of "I'll keep Chloe in my bed like I always do", I was just done. Despite saying that he loved Chloe I just had a hard time seeing respect, especially with comments like that. Call me old fashioned but I feel that comments like that make Chloe sound more like a possession than a person, who can ultimately decide where she wants to be. That situation, and a couple more, just left me with a nasty feeling that made it hard for me to relate to the characters and get involved in their story.

The plot itself however, was much improved from the first book. I was sucked into the drama between Chloe's family and the drama involving Drake. I really got into the conflict between Chloe and her mom and the ending really threw me for a loop. I wasn't expecting that turn of events and the way everything turned out really surprised me. Likewise the decisions Drake made and their implications also made for some interesting reading, though the reasoning for those decisions was a little weak. The ending was a typical cheesy happily ever after but based on the rest of the book it was obvious that was the direction this novel was heading and it really worked for the story.

While I was entertained up to a certain point during this novel I can't say that I would necessarily recommend Twisted. I just wasn't impressed by the relationship between Chloe and Drake and how they treated each other. Character relationships set the tone for an entire novel and the relationship between Drake and Chloe left me with a bad feeling that was hard to shake. Overall, Twisted is just one of those novels that I just don't recommend despite having a few points in its favor. 

2/5

*I received a copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

Review: The Lonely

Title: The  Lonely

Author: Tara Brown

Date of Publication: February 2, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: The truth is subjective to what the lonely lets in.

Emalyn Spicer has lived with it for a long time. She thinks it goes back further than her memories do. She knows it goes back further than the OCD.

When she arrives at college, her OCD's and the lonely refuse to let her have her wish to be normal.

When she meets Sebastian and starts to fall for him, she lets herself believe it's possible to outrun the things chasing her from the past. But how to you get away from the things inside of you? How do you run from yourself?

Just as she gives up and succumbs to the lonely, the unthinkable happens. She finds herself once again trapped in the dark, once again held against her will.

This time she meets the lonely head on. In the darkest corners of her mind, she discovers there is more to her world than she ever imagined. She discovers that the lonely was there for her, protecting her from herself and her secrets.

How far would you go to find yourself?

This is a dark and captivating novel, tread lightly.

My Review:

I absolutely love reading about characters with mental illnesses. I don't know why but I've always had a fascination with abnormal psychology so when I saw the description for this novel I knew that I had to read it. Though I started off horribly confused I quickly fell into the confusing and OCD controlled world of Emalyn and the constant struggles she had to go through.

The Lonely started off as one of the most confusing books I've ever read. I had no idea what was going on, who any of the characters were, or how they came to be in the situation they were in; however as the novel progressed Brown slowly revealed important plot developments and even though I was in the dark I started to like the confusion.  The first half of the novel really was fantastic, from reading about Emalyn struggling with her OCD to her brutal kidnapping I was absolutely riveted to the novel.

Though the beginning of the novel was fascinating, the last half of the novel really fell flat. The first half had a psychological thriller feel to it but after about 50% the novel took a turn from thriller and into smut territory. While I'm not generally one to dislike smut this wasn't even good smut, Emalyn and her indecisiveness paired with the frustrating  characters, made the last part of this novel almost painful to read. Not to mention the BDSM aspects, which I was most definitely not a fan of.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, I have absolutely no respect for characters who let men beat them and like it. One of the most disgusting trends in literature is the BDSM genre and if I'd known that this novel was going to go in that direction I wouldn't have read it. I really did like Emalyn, and her story was intriguing, but as soon as she started to enjoy (and get turned on by) getting beaten I was just done.

The first half of this novel deserves four stars, but the second half really brought the overall rating down. Though there were a lot of redeeming qualities going for this novel I just couldn't get over the BDSM aspect and how uncomfortable it made me.

2/5

*I received a copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: One Tiny Lie

Title: One Tiny Lie (Ten Tiny Breaths #2)

Author: K. A. Tucker

Date of Publication: June 11, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn't have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

My Review:

When I saw that there was going to be a sequel to Ten Tiny Breaths I was absolutely thrilled. Ten Tiny Breaths had absolutely blown me away and I had high expectations that this novel would too. Even though I didn't end up like this one quite as much as I liked the first one I still ended up absolutely loving it (plus seeing little cameos of Kacey, Trent, and Storm made everything worth it)!

I really loved having Livie as a protagonist; even though I had adored Kacey the first time around I related just a little bit more to Livie.  A bit of a perfectionist and a little shy around guys I felt like Livie was just a little bit more down to earth than her older sister. I really enjoyed watching her try to fix Ashton and watching their relationship develop. From Ashton's list of reasons why they can't be together to Livie's embarrassment over their meeting I couldn't help but root for them despite all of the odds against them.

I've never been a huge fan of love triangles but Tucker pulled off the love triangle between Connor, Ashton, and Livie surprisingly well. The romance between Livie and Ashton was absolutely sizzling and I couldn't help but squeal in excitement every time they interacted. Underneath Ashton's flirty and arrogant front I knew there was a sob story just waiting to happen and when the truth about his past was finally revealed I couldn't help but get a little emotional. On the other hand, even though her story wasn't exactly a sob story Livie changed a lot in this novel; going from being everything her parents wanted her to be to being the person she really wanted to be. It was interesting to watch that change in Livie, especially after how she had been such a rock to Kacey in the first book.

Although I really did like the story there were just a few things that didn't sit very well with me, the number one thing being all the cheating. I'm a very big believer in loyalty and watching characters make decisions that would only end in tears was hard for me, especially because I cared about them so much. Tucker did pull it off amazingly well, but it just seemed so un-Livie that part of me just had a hard time swallowing what was happening. However, a huge part of the novel focused on Livie breaking out of the perfect mold she built for herself and becoming who she wanted to be so I could understand it, it just seemed a little out of character.

Despite all that One Tiny Lie was truly a fantastic novel and I really enjoyed it. I loved getting to see new characters as well as reconnecting with old ones! I can't wait to get my hands on the next one in the series!

4/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Review: Only for You

Title: Only for You

Author: Genna Rulon

Date of Publication: September 24, 2013

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: “In its purest form love is self-sacrificing, eternal, selfless, enduring, truthful, forgiving and indulgent. It also feels an awful lot like a kick to the stomach when you try to fight it!”

All Everleigh Carsen wanted to do was complete her final semester at Hensley University and begin the life she carefully planned.

When a wave of violent crime seizes campus, Everleigh is persuaded to attend a school sponsored self-defense seminar by her best friend, where she meets volunteer instructor, Hunter Charles. After Everleigh’s biting sarcasm induces Hunter to eject her from class, a tempestuous relationship is born.

Everleigh is determined to forget the striking man, but fate—that fickle shrew—continuously intervenes. Unable to escape him, she declares Hunter an enemy combatant. The only complication…Hunter is resolutely pursuing vindication…by any means necessary. Verbal warfare ensues, and despite Everleigh’s ingenious efforts, in Hunter, she has finally found her equal.

Only For You is a compelling tale of friendship, desire, and redemption—brimming with intelligent characters, witty dialogue, unexpected twists, profound sorrow, unfettered hope, and love’s unassailable perseverance.

My Review:

As anyone who's been following my blog for any length of time knows, I'm completely obsessed with the New Adult genre. I've been reading every NA book I can get my hands on, so when Genna Rulon asked me to review Only for You I absolutely jumped at the chance! Having read a few reviews before starting the novel I went in expecting great things but I wasn't prepared for how much I would end up loving this book!

One of the reasons this novel really shined was the fantastic characters. Not only were Everleigh and Hunter wonderfully developed but Sam was as well. More often than not the "best friend" gets forgotten in the excitement of the plot and romance and usually ends up with either a dull or annoying personality. However, Sam's uncensored and brash personality had me smiling with her off the wall comments and by the end of the novel I was so attached to her that I'm already desperate for the next novel, Pieces of You! I just can't wait to see what role Griffin, Sam's love interest, is going to play in the next novel (because I'm already pretty much in love with him) and how Sam is going to recover from the events of this novel.

The relationship between Everleigh and Hunter was a fun one to watch, I adored watching them go from hating to each other to slowly falling in love and all the playful banter in between. Even though Rulon dragged their relationship out the entire novel I didn't find myself getting frustrated by the pace (even though there were moments when I was chanting "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" in my mind)! I loved being able to feel the connection between Everleigh and Hunter and even though they were 'friends' for the majority of the novel I could still feel that underlying magnetic pull between them, something that isn't always easy to achieve.

The best part of the novel was the action packed plot. With the constant attacks and plenty of sexual tension I wasn't bored for a second. This novel made me laugh, cry, gasp, and everything else in between. The violent attacks kept a suspenseful tone throughout the novel and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what would happen next. I totally wasn't expecting the twist about Hunter at the end and even though I had my suspicions about who was behind the attacks I never knew for sure until they were revealed.

There is no doubt in my mind recommending Only for You to fans of the New Adult genre. With plenty of romance and sexual tension, as well as a substantial plot to keep readers on their toes, this novel has everything one could ask for! An absolutely fantastic addition to the New Adult genre I know I'll be visiting this one again for a re-read!

5/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Gone Wild

Title: Gone Wild

Author: Ever McCormick

Date of Publication: August 15th, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Just before college graduation, Ina--star of her senior class--made a mistake that went viral. Then, when life seemed like it couldn’t get any worse, she walked in on her boyfriend cheating with her roommate. To get away, Ina ventures to a cabin on a remote mountain, intent on some solitary time.

She doesn’t count on Adam -- the man who watches over the cabins -- being so distractingly sexy. Adam came to the mountain to get distance from anything that could cause him pain, and Ina stirs feelings in him he thought he’d left behind.

As Adam and Ina open up about their pasts, the mountain seems like the perfect setting for a second chance at love.

Until they realize they’re not alone.

My Review:

If there has been one genre that I just can't get enough of lately it's New Adult. Gone Wild was an absolutely fantastic addition to the budding genre and had all the right elements to make it a perfect story. This book is one of those novels that was super fun to read but had just enough serious content thrown in to make me really become connected to the characters. I felt like I was right with them through their ups and their downs and that paired with a great story line,  Gone Wild was one of the best books I've read in awhile!

Ina is one of those characters that's nearly impossible not to relate to. She doesn't know who she is or where she's supposed to be and she keeps searching for it in all the wrong places. I could completely relate to her uncertainty toward her future and not knowing what it was that she really wanted. McCormick did a fantastic job relating Ina's want to be alone and just take some time to figure things out, something I can one hundred percent relate to. While Ina wasn't my ideal character, some of the things she did were a little out there, I admired her spirit and her ability to stand up for herself even thought she didn't always do the best job doing it.

One of the things I love most about the romance between Ina and Adam is that Adam isn't the classic "ruggedly handsome" man who lives on the mountain, in fact his description doesn't even sound all that appealing. As the story goes on and Ina learns more about him she starts to see the little things about him that make him handsome, instead of simply seeing him for the first time and falling in instant lust. Sure, there are plenty of lust filled thoughts and glances but I felt like Ina fell in love more with Adams personality than his looks and as the novel went on she began to see him as being more and more attractive instead of the other way around.

Despite there being only two main characters McCormick managed to put as much action and excitement into the story as possible. The side story/mystery involving the escaped convict added a bit of suspense to the story and there were moments when the creepiness of the mystery gave me the shivers. Gone Wild was truly a fun read and I enjoyed every second of it, despite the slight predictability. I loved the setting and the outdoors atmosphere gave the novel a little bit more of a pure feel than if this novel had been given an urban setting.

I would no doubt recommend Gone Wild to fans of New Adult and contemporary romance. With relatable characters, a bit of suspense, and a swoon worthy romance I have no doubt in my mind that I'll be visiting this one again soon!

5/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.

Review: Deeper

Title: Deeper

Author: Blue Ashcroft

Date of Publication: August 3, 2013

Formats Available: E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Rain Wilson isn’t ever going to love again.
It’s a promise she made the day her boyfriend died in a water park accident, one she still blames herself for. Now she’s a senior lifeguard in a new town with a new pool and she’s just going to keep her head down and everyone safe.

Until a mysterious guy follows her into the waves at the pre-season bonfire and kisses her senseless. It’s just one mistake, and Rain is determined to put it behind her, until the dark haired, blue eyed hottie turns out to be her new co-supervisor Knight Mcallister.

Knight is hot, tatted, and carrying baggage of his own. He’s not happy about having Rain for a co-supervisor, and he’s even less happy about his attraction to her.

But between lifeguard drama, hot underwater kisses, and a growing attraction between them that can’t be stopped, Knight and Rain are being pulled deeper into their pasts, and realizing that sometimes too much broken can make a relationship impossible.

Then again sometimes it’s the broken parts of us that fit together best.

My Review:

Deeper is one of those novels that started off a little rough but as soon as I got into the story I ended up absolutely loving it! One of my biggest pet peeves is characters instantly falling in love, and Deeper looked like it was about to start off that way. However, I couldn't have been more wrong! Despite my misgivings at the start of this novel I stuck it out and I'm glad I did, Deeper turned out to be one of my favorite New Adult novels so far!

My absolute favorite part of this novel was the water park setting. It was unique and fun, giving the novel a more original spin than it would have had otherwise. Ashcroft did a fantastic job with the world building, making me almost smell the chlorine and feel the water. Even though it's minor I also really loved the names of the characters, choosing the right name for a character is never an easy task and even though Knight and Rain are both difficult names to live up to their names ended up fitting their personalities perfectly.

Both Knight and Rain had terrible pasts and I think that's part of the reason I was able to take them both so seriously. I loved the changing perspectives and getting flashbacks into each of the character's pasts. Ashcroft doesn't come right out and say what happened, instead she hints at it through the flashbacks and the actions of the characters and slowly reveals their pasts over time. My other favorite part of the novel was the romance between Rain and Knight, it was so well written and beautifully done that my heart ached right along with them and by the end of the novel I was on the edge of my seat as Rain and Knight overcame their pasts and finally made it work.

One thing that always irritates me about realistic novels is how boring they get sometimes. When writers are restrained by reality there is only so much they can make happen, however Ashcroft did a fantastic job taking her setting and packing in as much action as she possibly could while still keeping it realistic. Between the flashbacks, constant action, and steamy romance I wasn't bored for a single second during this novel. Even though the story is short it was the perfect length for what Ashcroft was trying to do, I feel like if the novel had been any longer it would have dragged and made me appreciate it a lot less.

I would highly recommend Deeper to fans of realistic fiction and new adult. One of my favorite NA novels so far I was highly impressed and I'll definitely be first in line to check out anything else by Ashcroft!

4/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths

Title: Ten Tiny Breaths

Author: K. A. Tucker

Date of Publication: December 9, 2012

Formats Available: Paperback, E-book

Buy This Book: Amazon

Synopsis: Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn't the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgivable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

My Review:

That's it, I have officially jumped on the New Adult bandwagon and I am now a woman obsessed. I'd always told myself that I wasn't really one for realistic fiction, other than the occasional story that I just couldn't pass up, but I'm beginning to think that those days are over. Ten Tiny Breaths absolutely blew me away while Trent stole my heart and Kasey's story made me cry. I devoured every word of this novel and finished the last page desperate for more.

After the accident that killed her family Kasey is a broken girl. She turns to drugs, violence, and sex to cope with the death of her family and she refuses to let anyone else in, despite the insistence of her sister Livie. Kasey was such a strongly developed character that it was impossible not to relate to her and what she was going through. Every time she had to tell herself to take ten tiny breaths I found myself taking them right along with her. Although I'd never been through something as horrific as Kasey it was still easy to relate to her insistence on keeping everyone out, everyone has a part of themselves they want to keep hidden and Tucker did a wonderful job making that part of Kasey relatable to everyone no matter what their background or story.

When Kasey meets Trent she's instantly attracted to him and though I'm not much one for quick romances Tucker pulled it off beautifully. Every time it started to feel like things were moving too fast something would happen to slow everything back down and make their relationship more believable. Trent was exactly what every girl loves, a good boy who acts like a bad one. Complete with tattoos and a motorcycle he was part stereotypical New Adult love interest but at the same time something just a little bit more. His relationship with Kasey made me laugh, cry, groan in frustration and everything else in between. My one and only complaint with the novel would be that sometimes Trent felt a little two-dimensional but those moments were so few and far between that it didn't make a major impact on the story or cause me to like him any less.

Even though I loved Trent the one thing I loved even more was that even though Kasey got involved with Trent she didn't abandon her friends. So often in romance novels the main character meets a boy and suddenly she has no other friends. With Kasey's past and her desire to keep everyone else out I really enjoyed watching her develop a friendship with Storm, even though she initially had misgivings about her, and watching pieces of the "new Kasey" disappear as she started to let people in. The friendship between Kasey and Storm was a major part of the novel and I was so happy that Storm didn't fade into the back ground as Kasey started to deepen her relationship with Trent.

Ten Tiny Breaths is a fantastic novel not just about romance but about the power of healing and forgiveness. With and ending that absolutely shocked me (I think I actually gasped out loud and had to pick my jaw up off the floor) and a romance that warmed my heart I would highly recommend this novel to fans of New Adult and realistic fiction!

5/5

*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.