Obsession with Books

Review to come closer to the release date

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 starsSweet Thing intrigued me right from the onset, it was a book filled with hope, friendship, self-discovery and love that I found myself really enjoying.Our main protagonist is twenty-five year Mia Kelly who has moved to bustling New York City to run her recently deceased fathers’ coffee shop. My thoughts about Mia are truly conflicted, I honestly felt sorry for this broken-hearted, seemingly lost girl but she came across as uncaring and aloof and frustrated me on so many occasions with the way she treated others without even realising that she was hurting them but I also saw that she was trying to find herself and determine what she wanted to do with her life.On the plane on her way to NYC, Mia meets musician Will Ryan and after running into him again offers him her vacant room to rent & I have to say this smexy, carefree and loveable guy honestly made the book for me, he knew what he wanted and worked hard to achieve it. He was charming, smexy and with his love of music it showed his passion and sincerity to follow his goals. As the story progresses you could see how much he loved Mia who was not only his room-mate and best-friend but someone he thought he could trust and who supported him whole-heartedly, it’s just a shame she couldn’t admit her feelings or accept him completely for who he was and for this she made me so mad.Both of these characters were on a journey of self-discovery but for different reasons and I enjoyed seeing them find their way, but not without miscommunications, disagreements and a few partners who weren’t so right in between. I loved the banter between them, the chemistry and attraction, the time they spent making and playing music, it all came together beautifully and the slow to build romance was so worth it in the end.Overall, Sweet Thing is wonderfully written with a great cast of characters, it doesn’t come without angst and drama but the end result is all worth it.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars Contains possible spoilers from the first book, Gravity.I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in The Taking series, Gravity so I was more than eager to read the sequel Hover and it certainly lived up to all of my expectations and kept me flipping through the pages wanting to know more. After the events at the end of the first book, Ari Alexander is now residing on the dying planet of Loge with the Ancients who she doesn’t trust and who don’t seem to trust her and Jackson Locke who saved her but also betrayed her in Gravity. Loge is a planet filled with secrets and many surprises and I found myself not knowing who could be trusted or relied upon, but the true villain was psychotic Zeus who was evil personified with his power hungry and extremely cruel ways. Is it bad that I love reading about evil characters and what makes them tick? Zeus’s knowledge and power exceeds what we seem to know so I’m curious to learn more about him; I found the way he quoted word meanings quite interesting. He was like a walking dictionary. I adored the main characters, Ari was so kick-butt awesome and selfless but she started to doubt her strength and abilities in this book and my heart broke for Jackson; what he has had to endure at the hands of his grandfather was heartbreaking. Both characters showed great development and the romance progressed at a believable pace, it definitely wasn’t at the forefront of the story but has left me wanting more. We get to meet some truly wonderful side characters such as Jackson’s family members Mami, Emmi and Vill. Each of them was loveable and written well. We only get small snippets of some of the characters we got to know in the first book such as Gretchen, Lawrence and Ari’s parents – I thought we’d see more from Law considering his relationship to Jackson. The plot flowed easily and focused on Ari finding a way to terminate Zeus and return the humans to their home planet. Gravity focused on Earth and finding a way to save Loge, Hover focussed more on Loge and Zeus’s plans to take over Earth and I see the third book taking us back to Ari’s home planet and dealing with the fallout of the brewing war. The cliff-hanger ending has left me completely stunned so I’m unsure in which direction it will go but I’m really intrigued. Certain events have left me with a lot more questions which I hope will be answered in the next book, Collide which has an anticipated 2014 release date – the wait is going to be just as brutal as that ending. Overall, Hover is written extremely well and is a great addition to The Taking series; the world-building continues to develop as do the characters. We get a perfect balance of action, romance and suspense that keeps you wanting more.Thank-you kindly to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Hover.

Review: 4 out of 5 starsContains possible spoilers from the first book.I think I may be in the minority when I say I wasn't completely wowed by arrogant Dante Walker in the first book but I was still eager to get to know this smexy demon and see how he adapts to the changes now in his life and also how his relationship with Charlie would progress.After the events of The Collector Dante has been granted another chance, now working for the big man upstairs as a Liberator he has been given his first assignment to liberate wild child seventeen-year-old Aspen.Aspen is like a female version of Dante, party loving, hardcore, snarky and in a whole load of trouble unless he can save her in time; not an easy task when he is so new to the job and still drawn to the wild side and his past habits. I don’t feel Aspen played a huge role in the book and I have to admit I wasn’t her biggest fan initially but she grew to be quite the loveable character and I feel she was good for Dante, more in a sisterly way.I gotta say my opinion of Dante certainly increased after reading this book! In The Collector he was overconfident and incorrigible but in this he strives to be a better person, not only for himself but also for Charlie who he really cared about. He really grew as a character for me in this book which I appreciated. Charlie was also more likeable, I felt she was too weak in The Collector but The Liberator showed her tolerance and her passion. The synopsis also hinted at a love-triangle but I'm happy to say it didn't exist which I was quietly relieved about.The secondary characters are all fleshed out beautifully and I found myself enjoying all of their interactions - Victoria Scott writes the best dialogue, I adored Anabelle, she is so kick-butt fabulous and I loved Max and Valery who I'm hoping will play larger roles in upcoming books, there are also a few surprises which was really nice.Plot-wise, for me not a lot really happened up until towards the end where Dante literally visits hell but is forced to return not fulfilling his purpose which has set the third book up perfectly. It was a huge surprise and one I wouldn’t have envisioned. The world-building continues to progress as we learn more information about the liberators and collectors; we get some interesting surprises and piece by piece it is all coming together nicely.The Liberator is filled with magnificent one-liners, wonderful new characters both good and bad, a super sweet romance with a few steamy moments and some intense action sequences. Victoria Scott’s writing is beautifully detailed and flows well and I found myself immersed in her storytelling.Overall, I found myself enjoying this action packed, romance filled sequel a lot more than The Collector and can't wait for the next book in the series.Thank-you kindly to YA Bound Book Tours for the opportunity to participate in The Liberator blog tour.POW!!

3 1/2 stars.. review to come

Review: 4 1/2 out of 5 starsUnseen is the most wonderful follow up to Unknown, the first book in The Elements trilogy and begins where it left off.Princess Kyla of Taramon along with her best friend and fellow seeker Jethro continue their search for the missing elements in order to fulfil a forbidden prophecy. Their trek takes them through treacherous terrain and life threatening obstacles in order to save the kingdoms from looming darkness. The action packed and fast-paced journey they had to make kept me on the edge of my seat anxious to see what would happen.There were many intense, suspenseful moments that made for an enthralling read, with the dangers they had to face with the elements surrounding them as well as the dark forces of Ashan’s Army; we get the perfect mix of action, betrayal, challenges and suspense.Both Kyla and Jethro showed a great deal of strength and courage in this book and continue to develop. The forbidden romance causes some tension but progresses despite Kyla being betrothed to Athra, the chemistry and sweet moments between them was perfect.I have enjoyed the strong world-building and captivating plot right from the onset, the prophecy is fascinating and the journey the characters had to take and what they had to endure made for a fast-paced read; I was eager to see the outcome of Kyla and Jethro’s quest and I still adore Adamar and Mya and the wisdom they shared plus new additions Eshron and Cori.Having read a few book by Melissa Pearl now, her writing just gets better and better and the details she provides draws you into the vivid setting and the story which at times was quite emotional, I couldn’t flick the paghe fast enough during some scenes.Overall, Unseen is a gripping sequel in The Elements Trilogy filled with danger, action and a sweet budding romance. The ending left me gaping so I am definitely eager to read the final book it the trilogy, Unleashed.Thank-you kindly to Melissa Pearl for the opportunity to read and review Unseen.

Review: 4 out of 5 starsAvery is the first book in The Chronicles of Kaya series by Charlotte McConaghy and I have to admit, I initially bypassed this book on Netgalley because of the cover (I know, never judge a book by its cover) but when I was contacted by the publisher expressing her passion for the book, I couldn’t pass up the chance to give it a go and I’m really pleased I did.Fantasy is a genre that is hit or miss with me, I either really enjoy them and get lost in the magical world created or they end up on my DNF pile; Avery follows the story of twenty year-old Ava from Kayan who has lost her bondmate, Avery; when one lover dies the other generally follows, Ava has been the exception but she has lost half of her soul and is miserable so she seeks vengeance against the barbarian queen of Pirenti and her offspring.In the early stages of the book, I was concerned about the number of POV we have; dual is usually my maximum but in this story it worked quite well, especially because it was told in first person.Ava’s journey is fraught with danger and despair but also hope as she meets Ambrose who is a deadly Prince of Pirenti, we also read about Prince Thorne and Roselyn who are married, their personal struggles are quite emotional, Thorne is a brutal man and quite cruel which didn’t endear me to him but the story behind why made me understand him a lot more.All of the characters are fleshed out well and learning about their differences based on where they were from was quite intriguing. Pirentis are ruthless warriors raised in a barbaric and brutal society and the Kayans are the complete opposite. Charlotte McConaghy’s creative world is vibrant and unique, filled with loveable if not unusual characters, magical mystery, kick-butt action sequences and a spellbinding love story that brings about many emotions; it kept me entertained right from the very beginning. Her writing is crisp and the plot flowed beautifully.Thank-you kindly to Random House Australia for the opportunity to read and review Avery, I am really excited for the sequel.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 starsOut of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn was kindly provided to me by Entangled Teen and kept me riveted right from the very first page with its exciting premise and amazing characters.Bishop Riley is the drummer for a famous award winning band and has been sent to Seldon, Alaska after nearly overdosing to think and sort out his priorities. Bishop was a broody character who was a bit of a mystery, I wanted to know more about him, his anxiety and addiction and what had sent him on a downward spiral and as the book progressed I enjoyed getting to know more about him.Tomboy Penny Jones plays with the school boys hockey team and can’t imagine life outside of Seldon, she loves her lifestyle and her family and is hesitant when it comes to making a decision about college, she comes to be intrigued by the moody boy who has just arrived at her families rental cabins, his arrival shrouded in secrecy.These characters couldn’t have been more different, Bishop with his cockiness and partying ways and Penny with her kick-butt sass and attitude who really cared about those around her, they ended up melding in a way which worked really well and the attraction between them was hot! I must say though, I was so anxious as I was reading along about how one beer only Penny would feel towards Bishop once she knew the truth about not only who he was but why he was there. The secondary characters were fabulous! I absolutely adored Gramps, he was such a wise old man and I really felt for him with his dementia; Gary and his advice was amazing; we all need a Gary in our lives with his positive affirmations and guidance I think and I liked the protective relationship Bishop shared with his mother.This is my favourite kind of romance, no insta-love, just a slow (probably a little too slow) build up and mutual attraction which had me hoping for a HEA but it wasn’t to come without a few misunderstandings, drama and a lot of self-discovery, especially on Bishop’s part.The writing is brilliant and the details we are given vivid, you are drawn into the scene along with the characters and feel their emotions and their experiences which I think is a sign of amazing story-telling.Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn have written an entertaining page-turner with amazing characters, a wonderful storyline and really sweet romance. Dementia, addiction and anxiety were dealt with in a way which was believable, compassionate and extremely well done.Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read by two fabulous authors.Thank-you to Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Out of Play.

Review: 4 out of 5 starsI was quite hesitant about reading Zac & Mia, I recently found out a very close family member has cancer so I was a little wary about how the book would make me feel; although there is sadness, it also showed optimism and made me think about life and how we experience it.Zac Meier and Mia Phillips are our main characters and meet during hospitalisation for cancer, both complete opposites in personality and the only thing really connecting them is their disease; Zac is more accepting of what he has and has researched it extensively so is aware of his odds but Mia is full of rage and is trying to hold on to what her life was.At the beginning of the book (Part 1) we see how Zac copes with the isolation, the mundane repetitive routines and his feelings about his life and the chances he has of surviving, it was evenly paced and kept me interested; he was an easy character to like. The middle portion (Part 2) of the book showed Mia and Zac’s time together and how the illness united them and the bond they came to form, sickness is the overall subject matter but it certainly wasn't all gloom and the bulk of the story, the last portion (Part 3) of the book is more or less Mia and I feel this is where we see the most character growth for her but I still didn’t find her to have the most endearing personality. I admired both of these characters but more so Zac for his kindness, strength and understanding, he seemed to want to support and help Mia who was adamant she was broken and couldn't seem to lose the anger.One thing I absolutely loved was Zac’s relationship with his mother who I thought was amazing! She was wonderful and so supportive, not only with him but also to Mia who didn’t have the same family life.Zac & Mia touched very close to home, it is emotionally intense and confronting but the way in which the author wove in family, humour and a sweet friendship to romance which all began through a tap on the hospital walls gave the overall book a sense of balance. Ms. Betts writing is wonderfully engaging, she bought out the characters emotions, hopes and courage beautifully in a way which was realistic and we get both POV’s which I felt worked well in this story.Overall, if you are after a book filled with hope and heart I recommend Zac & Mia, it doesn’t come without teary moments and sorrow but it does show that positivity and courage can get us through anything, as difficult as they may be.Thank-you kindly to Text Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Zac & Mia.

Not for me unfortunately.

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 starsThis is the first book I have read by Elizabeth Scott and it won’t be my last, Heartbeat is a heart breaking story about love, loss and grief which kept me engrossed from the very first page.Heartbeat follows the story of Emma who is grieving the death of her mother who she still sees daily because she is being kept alive by machines for the baby inside of her; a decision made by her step-father without Emma’s input which understandably she is incredibly distraught over. I don’t think I have encountered a character most recently who had so much anger, I honestly felt for her but at times I also wanted to smack her upside the head for her behaviour and treatment of others.Caleb Harrison is the school outcast, once popular and social, he is now known for stealing cars and taking drugs; Caleb’s past is so terribly sad and his parents cold and unfeeling, I was saddened by his story and his pain and I found myself more intrigued by him.Because both Emma and Caleb have experienced grief and loss, they come to form an understanding and a close bond; there is romance but it definitely isn’t the focus of this story, it’s more about them finding a common ground and supporting one another through their sorrow and loss.My biggest gripe with this book was the way in which Emma was treating her step-father without stopping for one moment to think of what he was going through and how difficult the decision was that he had to make; his wife who he loved dearly had just died suddenly and there was an opportunity to save his son, her brother – it was a difficult and extremely sad situation but Emma’s hatred really overtook logical thinking.I did really like her step-father Dan, he tolerated a lot and was trying to make an effort, I also adored Emma’s best-friend Olivia who is the type of friend everyone needs, I loved her support and her kindness.Elizabeth Scott’s writing flows beautifully, the sensitive subject matter was written with understanding and compassion and the characters emotions portrayed well.Overall, Heartbeat is a book filled with hope; it is an emotional, thought provoking and touching book that I quite enjoyed and recommend.Thank-you kindly to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Heartbeat.

The book started out as a 5 star read but by the end it was 3 stars so I have rated it in between..Review to come :)

Review: 5 out of 5 starsI absolutely adored Undeclared by Jen Frederick so when I was offered an opportunity to read an advance copy of Unspoken, I jumped at the chance and literally devoured this book in one sitting.Unspoken is Beauregard ‘Bo’ Randolph’s story; a former Marine and Noah from Undeclared’s best friend. He partakes in illegal fighting, has a hair trigger temper and a bit of a reputation for being a womaniser. Bo was a witty, confident, and charming character who I completely adored, his impulsive and protective nature I found quite endearing.AnneMarie ‘AM’ West has the worst ever reputation after sleeping with a sleazebag on the lacrosse team, she has been labelled and judged so keeps a low profile to avoid the names and the stares; I honestly felt so sorry for her! But I admired her for her strength, courage and resolve.AM and Bo are in the same Biology class and it’s here where they begin to form a friendship and a trust as they are lab partners and boy oh boy did I love the chemistry and the banter between them, she was so hesitant and he was so cheeky, protective and persistent with her; I loved them together and there were a few one liners that had me giggling out loud.What I enjoyed most about Unspoken is that even though both Bo and AM undergo great emotional and personal growth, they never stop being true to themselves and to each other. Of course it doesn’t come easily but they are a couple you couldn’t help but root for. The romance is so sweet and slow to develop which I liked. It’s a wonderful tale of two broken but resilient individuals who complement each other well. The secondary characters are all written well, Ellie is an awesome best friend and I am so excited for Finn’s book (January 2014), I’m intrigued by Gray and it was also nice seeing what Grace and Noah are now up to.Jen’s writing is fluid and engaging and I was captivated by the natural dialogue and the believable characters’ interactions; it was a book I found really difficult to put down and the overall message and the subject matter I think was dealt with extremely well.Overall, Jen Frederick has done it again with a wonderfully amazing, true-to-life story that draws you in from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. A fabulous sequel!Thank-you kindly to Jen Frederick for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Unspoken, it was truly wonderful and greatly appreciated.

Review: 4 out of 5 starsKilling Sarai is certainly intense, action packed and gritty; I’ve been curious about J.A. Redmerski and her books and after seeing a number of positive reviews for this one and wanting to read something a little darker, it seemed to be perfect for me. I was also drawn to the beautiful cover which I feel suits the book perfectly.Sarai Cohen has been confined to the walls of a Mexican drug lords home for the past nine years, favoured and treated differently to the other girls around her she has witnessed some horrors and experienced abuse and fear; when an opportunity comes in the form of a hired killer to escape, she jumps at the chance of freedom.Victor Faust is all sorts of messed up, with his life filled with murder and crime he is a hardened character but also extremely controlled and intriguing, he doesn’t know whether to save Sarai, use her or kill her. Part of a secret organisation where he has been since his childhood, he doesn’t know of a life outside of corruption, violence and death.I felt disconnected from Sarai and Victor initially but I think this was mainly because of the people they had become and the upbringing they both had – they have both had to adapt to survive; I was saddened by what they had endured but had hope for who they could become; Victor was a complex and mysterious character who had me questioning his sincerity but I came to love the way he protected Sarai; Sarai had a lot of strength, despite how she had suffered she coped to survive but she held a lot of anger for the life that had been taken away from her, they came to form a mutual trust which I loved watching progress.The pacing was spot on for me up until around the half way mark when things change dramatically and an important key player is eliminated, I didn’t know in which direction it would go from this point but it was still as riveting and hold on to the edge of your seats exciting.I adored the dual POV’s; getting an insight into both Sarai and Victor’s thoughts and actions was wonderful and written perfectly – I don’t think the story would have worked as well without it. I am a HUGE fan of any form of romance and the chemistry is apparent between them from the beginning but I was curious to see how it would all play out, I didn’t think there would be any sappy knee-wobbling moments and even though we don’t really know how either is truly feeling it was great seeing the build-up to the point where they actually give in to the attraction, especially Victor.Quote: “I don’t think that this thing between us is love, or even lust. It’s something else, something powerful and unmistakable that neither of us have been able to ignore. But it doesn’t have a face.”The writing is perfection! J.A Redmerski has created gripping, detailed scenes and completely fleshed out yet imperfect characters like no other and the unpredictable plot kept me completely fascinated.Overall, this is a darkly intense, suspenseful read that definitely keeps you wanting to know what will happen next and while we don’t get a cliff-hanger ending as such, it does leave you needing more.

Review to come.. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars After the cliff-hanger we are left with at the end of Surrender Your Love, I was relieved to have Conquer Your Love ready and waiting to read. Brooke was left hurt and deceived by Jett at the end of Surrender Your Love and is now in Italy with her best friend Sylvie sorting through some legal issues, what he did was unforgiveable but in this installment it appears she easily forgives and we find out the true reasoning behind Jett’s actions although he wasn’t so forthcoming with information initially which did grate on my nerves. We learn a lot more about Jett in Conquer Your Love which I appreciated because the first book was more or less about Brooke’s past and insecurities, we also get more insight about his deception and the questions that surround Luccazone estate and see there are a few more key players in this story; Just as you think the mystery of it all is revealed you begin to realise that things are not as they seem, the constant questions really kept me engrossed and I love how Ms. Reed has woven everything together. The relationship between Jett and Brooke is emotional and complex but at the same time smexy and filled with quite a few romantic moments. He really needed to win back her feelings and trust and show he can be the person she needs him to be. I still found the cheesiness to be apparent in this book and the dialogue at times was a bit strange; one moment they could be having (or trying to have) a serious conversation about what had happened and he would start talking about going on dates rather than giving answers which I found odd when you are trying to win back someone’s affections rather than explain your betrayal. We do get some character progression, Brooke was a little more confident and self-assured, Jett showed a softer side and the secondary characters were each interesting; I am not a fan of Sylvie though! Her recklessness and immaturity doesn’t endear me to her at all.The overall story, the romance, mystery and cryptic inheritance all moves the plotline forward but there are still a lot of questions unanswered that I am curious to unravel in the final instalment, Treasure Your Love.