Title: Her Defiant Heart (Damaged Hearts #01)
Author: Monica Murphy
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to Social Butterfly PR and NetGalley for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.
Life can feel like a cruel joke. I grew up poor and motherless, with a father who never got over his wife’s abandonment. But now he's gone too, and I'm dead set on finding the woman who so carelessly tossed me aside when I was a baby.
I want revenge. And I'm going to get back at my mother any way that I can.
I change my name. Start my new life in college, and just happen to cross paths with the gorgeous, ultra-rich Rhett Montgomery. He's immediately interested in me, not that I'm surprised.
You see, I planned it that way. I meant for him to find me. He's the one connection to my mother, and I'm using him, so I can destroy her. But I didn't plan on Rhett being so charming. Sweet. Sexy.
And I definitely didn't plan on falling for him either…
I struggled with Her Defiant Heart for the same reasons I couldn't fully enjoy reading Summer Heat by Rachel van Dyken - it's a book published by Apple first. Exclusively. And since I'm not a huge fan of Apple as a company, I was biased, thinking why the hell would my favorite author cooperate with them?! Why would they exclude many, many fans, not owning an iBooks account, not owning any Apple products?! I was devastated, heartbroken, yes. And then super glad when I found out the books would finally get published for the public market, letting every reader dive into the series'. Wooop!
At first, I was really excited to start reading Her Defiant Heart. I love Monica Murphy for multiple reasons, she's definitely one of my favorite authors out there. But I was so tired and could only read like two chapters until I decided to go to sleep. During that night, I even dreamed about the story, wondered how it would go on. That's a fabulous sign, right?! I'm not even sure if this happened to me before, but I felt the spark, felt hopeful this could become something great... And then I hated the female lead - Jenny/Jensen. Like, seriously. I hated her. Still do. She's super messed up, ice-cold, slutty (though that's refreshing to all the virgins in YA/NA books, but has become kind of a trend as well). Sure, her past is tragic, I wouldn't want to trade places with her, but wow, she's bitter.
And Rhett is way, way, way too good for her. I just couldn't imagine why he would go for her, chase after her like he did, be as kind as he was. That's because Monica Murphy creates guys like that. If you have read her Never series, you'll know what I'm talking about. She either writes bad boys or she writes those perfect, hot and charming dudes every mother would want to magically come to life from the pages. Dreaming is the key word here. And swooning, lots of it. I was swooning over Rhett so hard, he's described as cute, hot, charming, smart and just about every other positive feature there is. Unlike Jenny/Jensen. Ugh. All the wrong choices for all the wrong reasons. I know her character probably has to be this way for the story itself to work out, but she's just so annoying. And what was that about doing the same mistake twice, packing her things again? I don't understand.
There's some sort of darker shade to this novel compared to the other books I have read written by Monica Murphy. Everything's more mature, darker, a bit more of the forbidden fruit kind. So don't expect a light read, this will leave you thinking and also wondering how far one will go for revenge. The idea itself is pretty good, but gah, I just couldn't stand the female lead, I'm sorry. However, I know I'll read book two and three in the series as well. I just have to know how it continues. Plus, it's still a series written by Monica Murphy after all. She's great!
Title: Summer Heat (Cruel Summer #01)
Author: Rachel van Dyken
Rating: 3.5 - 4 / 5
Thanks to Social Butterfly PR and NetGalley for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.
Spoiled Princess is what he used to call me.
We were an inferno of hate and passion wound up with a dash of chaos.
For four years I watched him mow my lawn.
For four years I watched my friends make fun of him.
For four years I hated myself for wanting him, but even more for the way I treated him.
And then I had him.
For one night, we put all labels away and I spent the best night of my life in his arms.
Then the next day, with my secret night under lock and key, I looked the other way while my friends shamed him.
But now the jokes on me, because the scrawny lawn boy who I secretly loved from afar is now the director of Hollywoods most exclusive summer camp.
And I'm on his staff.
Now it's his turn to punish me.
His turn to make me pay.
His turn to take his revenge after years of humiliation.
He's no longer a boy you can ridicule.
But a college graduate who can have any woman he wants.
I want him to look at me the way he did that one night we had together, but right now the look in his eyes tells me he's going to enjoy having me under him for two straight months.
I don't know where his hatred ends, his passion begins.
All I know is he wants revenge.
And I'm his lucky target.
So, this is kind of a hard thing for me to do. I don't really like Apple as a company and this book has been published for their iBooks section first. Exclusively. Meaning, us die-hard fans couldn't get our hands on Summer Heat or the others books in the Cruel Summer series. I remember how upset I was over that. It's either Google or Apple these days. Talk about communism. Anyway... That's not the topic here. I'm glad that these days, all Rachel van Dyken books are available on all platforms. So when Summer Heat was up for grabs on NetGalley I one-clicked without giving it a second thought.
And now the second hard part: Since this was originally a story publishes for Apple, I couldn't get the same vibe I usually do when reading Rachel van Dyken's books. And that's not fair to her nor her story, I know that. But I think some of her readers can relate. At first, this didn't feel like her writing at all, then I wondered if the idea for the story had been developed by her only or was a meeting with Apple involved? I was going paranoid, seriously. And then I decided to turn my brain off and just enjoy the story. Because even though I struggled with the first chapter - I had to get into the story first - I loved the idea and how it's a camp story, but not a young adult camp story, but new adult. And there's so much heat and sexyness involved. And second chances, which I usually hate, but of course it's Rachel van Dyken's talent that makes me change my mind about that. Gosh, I love that woman so much.
There's also some Hollywood glitter involved here, talking about dancing and acting and achieving dreams. I liked that very much, to see that characters actually have to work hard in order to get something, making the reader believe in themselves, too. Good job on that!
Back to my fear about working with Apple - you know, the moment I realised this was a typical Rachel book was when there was her humor written on the pages. It's quite unique and something every of her readers is looking forward to when starting a book by her. She's just so funny and I often wonder if these scenes just pop into her head or if she has to plot it out. It's a talent, really. I think that's when my doubts finally started disappearing fully - when I recognized her writing, her sense of humor, just her in every one of the pages of the story, her special mark.
I'm not even talking about the story, I realise. Well, I'm sorry. I think the blurb gives everything away and all I can say is you better read this book! Especially if you're looking for a quick summer read and might be interested in reading a series. I can't wait to devour book two and three, also if it will probably take me some time to finally get them off my to-be-read pile. There's definitely more tears than usual, but I believed Ray for her crying and I believed Marlon to be the perfect guy, as Rachel van Dyken creates them every single day.
Titel: Golden Dynasty - Brennender als Sehnsucht
Originaltitel: Moonlight Seduction (de Vincent #02)
Autorin: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Bewertung: 4 - 4.5/5
Danke an NetGalley und HarperCollins Germany (Mira Taschenbuch) für das digitale Rezensionsexemplar dieses Buches vorab der Veröffentlichung.
Unfassbar reich, unglaublich mächtig - und sie füllen die Titelseiten der Boulevardpresse. Nikki Besson weiß nur zu gut, wie die Welt der de-Vincent-Brüder aussieht. Denn als Tochter der Haushälterin ist sie gemeinsam mit ihnen aufgewachsen. Aber nie hätte sie gedacht, dass sie einmal auf das Anwesen in Louisiana zurückkehren würde, um selbst für diesen skandalumwitterten Clan zu arbeiten. Dorthin, wo sie sich in Gabriel verliebt hat - den sie seit der verhängnisvollen Nacht von damals nie wiedersehen wollte …
Es hat sich nichts verändert - ich liebe Jennifer L. Armentrout nach wie vor, bin höchstwahrscheinlich voreingenommen deshalb und habe auch im zweiten Teil der de Vincent-Reihe auf Vampire oder andere übernatürliche Wesen gewartet. Und nichts passierte. Aber dafür war der zweite Band noch besser als der erste und ich wurde praktisch in die Geschichte hineingesogen mit Nikki als einer meiner neuen Lieblingscharaktere der Autorin.
Auch in Brennender als Sehnsucht geht es sehr mystisch und dunkel zu, aber irgendwie hat es mir die Reihe angetan, auch wenn ich diesem Sub-Genre für gewöhnlich nichts abgewinnen kann. Ich schätze, es liegt an Jennifer. Sie vermittelt dem Leser ein ganz klares Bild ihrer Geschichten, entführt sie in ihre Welt und erschafft eine ganz eigene rundum die Charaktere, die wirklich jedes Mal gelingt - zumindest bisher. Das Setting - New Orleans - passt einfach hervorragend zu der Stimmung der Story um die drei de Vincent Brüder. Der Leser traut keinem von ihnen, verliebt sich aber dennoch in jeden einzelnen. Irgendwie gruselig.
Ich dachte, Lucian könnte nicht vom Thron gestoßen werden, aber da habe ich mich wohl geirrt, denn Gabe ist wunderbar. Klar, er ist ein typischer Frauenheld, aber doch ist er "der Gute", wie ihn alle nennen. Das glaubt man sofort. Ihm kauft man Verbrechen noch am wenigsten ab und denkt, das hätte er nicht im Blut. Aber wie er diejenigen beschützt, die er liebt, was er hat durchmachen müssen. Ach, sei still, mein Leserherz. Die Chemie zwischen ihm und Nikki stimmte bereits von Anfang an. Eigentlich sind Second-Chance-Romances überhaupt nicht meins. Ich mache für gewöhnlich einen großen Bogen um sie, aber so recht trifft diese Kategorie auch nicht auf die beiden zu, würde ich sagen. Sie haben definitiv eine Verbindung, aber seit Nikkis jugendlicher Schwärmerei für Gabe sind vier Jahre vergangen und alles, was nun passiert, lässt das Leserherz höher schlagen.
Der Fluch der Familie wird auch im zweiten Band des Häufigeren erwähnt und es geschehen so einige Vorkommnisse, bei denen dem Leser das Herz bis zum Hals schlägt, einen ein gruseliger Schauer durchfährt. Eine sehr gute Spannung, die Jennifer L. Armentrout da aufgebaut hat. Auch diese psychologischen Punkte sind sehr interessant zu lesen, denn ja, irgendwie scheint es immer Personen im Umfeld der de Vincents zu geben, die wahnsinnig werden. Aber wie Mischung auch leichtem Thriller und Romantik gelingt der Autorin wahnsinnig gut. Man sollte meinen, es fällt ihr unglaublich leicht, die Geschichten zu tippen, weil sie so gut durchdacht wirken, niemals verkrampft. Denn im Gegensatz zu Größer als Verlangen wirkte in diesem Teil auch nichts unnötig ins Endlose gezogen. Die Geschichte ging zügig voran und das trotz ihres Umfangs, aber das Tempo stimmte perfekt.
Tatsächlich würde ich vielleicht soweit gehen, zu sagen, Brennender als Sehnsucht könnte glatt zu meinem Lieblingssroman der Autorin werden. Es stimmte so viel - das Paar, das Setting, ihre Vorgeschichte, der Lauf der Dinge und ihre eigenen Gedanken und Probleme. Gut, zum Schluss wurde es etwas brutal, aber das verlieh Nikki direkt wieder Stärke, zeigte den Kontrast zwischen dem Prolog - ihrem Teenager-Ich - und ihres heutigen Charakters. Der Leser erlebte, wie sie wuchs und das ungeschuldet von Gabe. Oh, ich kann es kaum abwarten, den dritten Teil zu lesen - die Geschichte zu Devlin, der mürrischste der drei Brüder, aber gerade deswegen auch so interessant. Leider erscheint dieser erst im September, doch ich weiß, dass das Finale sicherlich das Warten wert sein wird.
Title: All the Worlds Between Us (All the Worlds Between Us #01)
Author: Morgan Lee Miller
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and NetGalley for letting me receive a digital copy of this book before its official release date.
Seventeen-year-old Quinn Hughes needs to be in top shape if she wants to medal at the swimming World Championships in ten months. This means no easy distractions, no matter how pretty they are. She’s still piecing her confidence back together after not qualifying for the Olympics, her relationship with her twin brother is getting worse the more he hangs out with the popular kids, and then Kennedy Reed suddenly squeezes herself back into Quinn’s life. The girl who was her best friend. The girl who gave Quinn her first kiss. The girl who hasn’t spoken to her since. Soon, Quinn finds herself juggling her new girlfriend, training for the biggest competition of her life, and discovering she’s not the only Hughes twin with a crush on Kennedy Reed. All these distractions are getting to her, and if she wants that medal she needs to find a way to stop drowning on dry land.
I'm not much of a sports featuring romance novel fan, let alone swimming as the main topic. What made me curious about the book was actually the cover. It screamed indie to me and I longed to read some great indie book again. And the writing seemed so very different from the mainstream novels there are out there, but I didn't get to fully enjoy the book as much as I hoped I would.
LGBTQIA is a huge thing in young adult novels these days. It's a huge thing in our daily life and I'm glad there's an increasement of this topic being featured in young adult and new adult novels, it's super important and shouldn't be considered as something else - it should be a given to talk about sexuality in teenage romance novels. But somehow, it's still considered special. Books concerning gay teens are still super hyped and though I'm kind of glad for it, it's for the wrong reasons. Because you still need to look at the story, at the plot, at the writing, at the characters and everything else. Just because gay teens are involved, doesn't mean the book is a masterpiece. And surely, All the Worlds Between Us was good, but it didn't fully convince me, sadly.
I'm probably taking my anger out on the author, that's not fair. I'm not even sure what I'm angry about. I can't put my finger to it. So let's point out the positive things - Quinn is anything but a clichee. She's very self-confident, but there's still some uncertainty to her character. She's still getting to know herself, even though she has experienced some relationships with girls yet. But when it comes to Kennedy, there's shyness. Probably because the two of them used to be best friends before Kennedy moved away. There's this kind of intimacy between them - apart from the sexual tension. They just know each other so well. But things have changed and Kennedy has become someone Quinn doesn't recognize anymore. That is before she finds herself crushing on her.
It was exciting to follow Kennedy's path of coming out. Quinn has been there, her friends have been there, but since Kennedy still isn't sure about her feelings, the reader gets sucked into her world more than in Quinn's, I found so, and cheers her on to come out, to just stand up to her friends and shout it out. And I think what's best is that she'd doing this for herself. Not for Quinn. That wouldn't have been the right reason. Ugh, I actually hated Quinn a bit for forcing her secret girlfriend to finally come out. Sure, she had been patient long enough, but some things she said to Kennedy just weren't fair. On the other hand, I wanted Kennedy to ditch that bitchy friend of her as well.
But what about that Liam (Quinn's brother) story? I didn't get that at all. It seemed like the author wanted to add more drama. It came out of nowhere and made no sense to me. Especially since Liam had seemed interested in Kennedy after what the reader found out. It was confusing as hell and didn't add up to the story. I would have liked to skip that part, but also, if this hadn't been involved, Quinn would have easily forgiven Kennedy and well... The book would have ended.
Again, I like how fierce all of the characters in All the Worlds Between Us were. No matter if it was Quinn or Kennedy or even just their friends who made a short appearance. I liked that. And I also really liked the ending, because it seemed so real, so true. My heart felt heavy and light at the same time. This was like a telling, not just a thought-up-story.
Anyway, the sport took up a great place in Quinn's life and in the book, too. She put that above everything else, but I liked to see things beginning to shift at a certain point in her life, because that's what teenagers do - they start questioning things, questioning intentions. So maybe all my hard words in the beginning of this review were too harsh. I didn't mean to take it out on the book or the author. But I won't delete them either, because I still long for this natural, uncomplicated LGBTQIA novel. All the Worlds Between Us was good, I'm not doubting that. I just expected something different, maybe.
