Title: Tied Up In You (All Laced Up #02)
Author: Erin Fletcher
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.
Everyone says hotshot goalie Luke Jackson is God’s gift to girls, but the only girl he wants is his best friend, Malina Hall. He’s always known how brilliant she is, but now that he’s “ accidentally” kissed her, he can’t stop thinking about her...or wanting to kiss her again.
Problem is, things have been a little...awkward since the kiss. Because she likes him, too? Hopefully, but even if she did, their futures—and the ridiculous schedules that come with them—are in the way. And now one of his teammates is showing interest, and the guy has more in common with Malina than Jackson ever will.
As her best friend, Jackson should get out of the way. But if there’s one thing he’s learned from hockey, it’s that you have to go for what you want, even if it means falling flat on your face. And he’s definitely falling for Malina.
This has got to be one of the sweetest stories ever. I saw so much potential and was left hanging when the story didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be and appeared to be more ordinary than I originally hoped. On the other hand, that's the good thing about Entangled Crush publishing - the authors never take a risk of creating adventurous scenes. It's always very light and sweet. So, chances are likely you'll find yourself swooning over a very charming guy and wanting to be the female's best friend.
I found it refreshing that the characters' miscommunication didn't last through the whole book. That would have been very annoying. But since the two are best friends, I think it's easier for them to get over things and talk about them. That's also something I liked. While there weren't exactly flashbacks, you could still read about the past time Jackson and Malina spend together - how they became best friends and what connects them. I liked their friendship very much and the first chapters were my favorites, by far. I'm usually very picky when it comes to friends-to-lovers kind of novels, but if it's as sweet as this one, then I'm all in.
And... The characters were smart. I was super impressed by Malina's project and her dreams. Though the novel focuses on the romance between Jackson and Malina, they still had other problems to deal with. Sometimes, I want to read more about these problems, but if so, then these reads are heavier, more mature. I'm glad the author wrote about Malina and Jackson's problems the way she did. They didn't outweight the story, it wouldn't have been right for the story. But the characters didn't have it easy, and I think that's important, because otherwise it would have been too light and too dreamy.
Hockey isn't something I read about every day and unfortunately, most YA novels are about football players or even soccer players now. Hardly any novel is about ice hockey players or baseball players. That's why I was glad to find that sport in Tied Up In You. True, there aren't many sport scenes in there, but you still got a glimpse of how hard it is to become a professional in this sport. It's Jackson's passion and he goes for it. Same with Malina and her astrophysics project and her dream of studying exactly that, although it takes her a bit more time to figure that out.
I've got a question: What's up with the grandmas? I can't even say why I dislike the ever returning grandmothers that are the only understanding adults in the books, but I do. I always want to skip these parts of the story. Why not an understanding parent? Why not an understanding sibling? Why is always the grandmother? They can be mean, too, you know?! But somehow, they never are. I think that's odd. I mean, good for the characters, but I wish some more people had faith in them but their own grandmothers. Doesn't matter how adorable Tutu is in Tied Up In You.
Any fan of a light romance that can be read within a few hours, should give this one a chance.
Title: A Promise Ignited
Author: Anissa Garcia
Rating: 3/5
Thanks to NetGalley and AG Romance Reads LLC for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.
Jaime Caldwell had the perfect life with her husband and son. Or so she thought. Over time, the stress of everyday life put a strain on her perfect marriage. The intimacy she once had with her husband is long gone—an intimacy she craves.
What she doesn’t expect, is for that craving to be reignited by an unexpected gentleman with an easy going smile. His flirtatious words fuel her, making her feel wanted, and lighting the passion within her.
But not everything is as it seems...
In the light of a new day, Jaime hopes she can use that passion to reignite her marriage.
Maybe I should read more novellas. At least with them, the story's never dragged or forced. Instead, the author focused on a short plot, on important conversations and the right words. Also, novellas are perfect if you're not in the mood or a phase to read a full length novel. That way, you can think to yourself, 'Yay, I finished a book' without it actually being a big one.
Anyway... I figured out how A Promise Ignited would end right away. I couldn't picture it any other way, so I wasn't surprised when I read the last few pages. But still... This novella was really good! As mentioned before, Anissa Garcia focused on the important issue with this one - no unnecessary friends that make an appearance, no angry parents at a Christmas dinner - it was all about Jaime and how unhappy she feels in her marriage. I immediately felt sorry for her and it was refreshing to read about marriage problems instead of the good old strangers-to-lovers romances or the new-neighbour-and-he-is-hot thing (we had that in A Promise Kept already). Also, there is a son involved, which makes things a lot more complicated and complex. Why doesn't she just divorce Dean? Well, that's a good question, but I think while reading her point of view, you'll understand why. Anissa Garcia describes Jaime's love for her husband sweetly.
Then there's a time hop and Jaime meets someone in a bar. Though she feels terrible, she puts all thoughts of the consequences aside and decides to go after him. And whew! Those scenes were really hot. Without them being cheap, which is important. There's a thin line between a romance novel (or novella) and a porn. This novella isn't the second option, it's just very sexy. You couldn't even feel bad about what Jaime was doing, because you could feel the passion while reading those sexy scenes. Of course, there was a tiny voice in the back of your head nagging at you that what she was doing was wrong, but then you'd read on and on and you just wouldn't care.
This novella can be read in less than an hour, so if you have got some spare time, I suggest you read it. Especially if you have read A Promise Kept or A Promise Made. I think it's the perfect addition to the series.
Title: My Roommate's Girl
Author: Julianna Keyes
Rating: 2.5/5
Thanks to NetGalley and Weapenry Co-Op for letting me receive a digital copy of this book before it official release date.
The day a judge gave me the choice between going to prison or going to college was the day I vowed to stop stealing. Never again would I see something beautiful and beyond my means and take it, just because I wanted it. Just because I could.
When I moved in with Jerry, it was with good intentions. I needed a place to live while I got my degree, and he needed a roommate.
Then I saw Aster.
Blond and beautiful, good, pure, sweet, smart…and Jerry’s girlfriend. She was everything I never thought I could have. Except…maybe I can.
So I put a plan into action. Yeah, I’d probably go to hell, but it would be worth it. I wanted Aster. I wanted her yesterday and tomorrow and every possible way.
But you know what they say.
Be careful what you wish for…because you just might get it.
I tried. I really did. But no matter how many pages I read and told myself to enjoy the story, I didn't feel the connection. These days, I seem to like those college romances that include falling in love with a roommate. And while this book started out okay and kept me reading further, I fastly came to the conclusion that the plot was rushed. The title doesn't match the story for about 85% of the book. After these first 15% the characters dealt with problems that us readers didn't know about. These problems came out of the blue. Aster turned out to be everything I didn't expect, like she changed within the blink of an eye. Of course, you can say it's because we got to know her better, but the change didn't appeal to me. I liked her better before, even though she was described as that typical innocent college girl most readers are tired of by now. But it seemed fitting for her. Until the author decided it didn't.
So, My Roommate's Girl isn't even about getting the girl, as I hoped, because I like a little forth-and-back before the characters realize they're actually in love with each other. I didn't spot a real motive behind the story to keep going further. As I said, suddenly Aster and Aidan had problems no one even thought of and that's what kept the story alive. But I didn't like reading about either of their problems and to be honest, I couldn't even stand the two of them most of the time. Aidan did a terrible thing in the beginning, just to get in Aster's pants and Aster... Just no. It's like what draws these two together is lust. And lust only. And maybe the common history, but that shouldn't be reason to fall in love. And I didn't get the impression that they did fall in love.
I can't imagine any guy being like Jerry. Well, except for the cheating part, maybe. Jerry is Aster's boyfriend, the one Aidan wants to steal Aster from. And his roommate. It's hard picturing him as something else than a nerd and a hopeless romantic, a true soul, too, maybe. But then he goes out with Aidan and his friends and his morals fly overboard. I didn't know who I wanted to slap afterwards, Jerry or Aidan. Probably both. To me, this part was rushed like mad and was the easy way for the author to find a way to end things between Jerry and Aster. As if cheating is the only thing that might make a couple break up. Also, it was the only mistake in their relationship and of course, something as major as this will end with them breaking up, but Aidan didn't even get to see other bad parts of his roommate's relationship. They didn't exist.
This review is going to be one of my shortest ones. That's simply because I can't find anything else to mention. My Roommate's Girl wasn't the worst book I read, but I expected something different, something more emotional maybe, because Aidan and Aster sure as hell were flat as paper. I read another book written by the author a year ago, called Undecided and remember liking that one much better.
Title: Into Your Arms (Squad Stories #01)
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Rating: 3 - 3.5/5
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me receive a digital copy of this book before its official release date.
Freya has secrets she doesn’t intend to share. Not with her new friends on the cheerleading squad at Maine State University, and certainly not with sexy lumberjack-look-alike Rhett. Just because sparks flew between them at a bar one night doesn’t mean he gets to know why she transferred to MSU. When Freya dares Rhett to come to cheerleading practice, she never expects to see the dark-haired lumberjack again.
Except Rhett is the last person to turn down a dare, especially when it comes from a pixie-sized blonde. When Rhett wows the squad and becomes Freya’s stunt partner, his hands come far too close for comfort. But as Freya and Rhett’s hot post-practice sessions bring them closer, she risks her secrets being revealed. Can Freya chance exposing who she really is to the guy who wasn’t supposed to win her heart?
I read a book written by Chelsea M. Cameron a few years ago and always wanted to read another one, because I really like her style, but never had the chance to. When I saw this title up on NetGalley, I finally decided now was the time to read a second book by the author. And while I didn't enjoy it as much as My Favourite Mistake, I still liked it.
It's refreshing to read about a cheerleader who's not a total bitch. Chelsea M. Cameron said so herself, so I can say it out loud too. And also, I liked the idea of a 'popular' guy joining the squad. Of course, his motives weren't the best ones, he was only after Freya, but Rhett's still a good guy, you can see that the further you read. He's a sweetheart. And Freya wasn't... So naturally, I liked him better than her.
I didn't like the way the two of them met, to be honest. In a bar. That's so chliché, but hey, the have to meet somehow, right? So I'm not judging here. Or not too hard, anyway. And then later I was just mad at Freya for being... Well, her. It's not the first time I'm reading about a girl character with trust issues and I totally see her point, but Rhett's literally being the best version of himself and she takes it all for granted. What kind of guy would keep up with that? Well, Rhett... Because he's such a good guy. Totally underrated in my opinion anyway. You'd think his name is an unusual one and he liked to go out with his best mate, but he's still super duper cute and hasn't got a single bad bone in his body. While Freya's basically built of bad bones. Gah. Obvious much that I didn't like her?! Sure, there have been worse characters than her and she needs to be the way she was in order for their story to work, but still... My complaining about this is just proof of how much that book actually got under my skin.
So, why the low rating? I don't even think it's that low. Compared to the other Chelsea M. Cameron book I have read, it didn't meet up my expectations. So, that's one reason. Freya is obviously reason number two (and three and four...). And I think that's about it. Everything else was... Sweet. It didn't sweep me off my feet, but I never wanted to quit on Into Your Arms or throw it aside and start another book. I was looking forward to reading about the change in Freya and about how she'd finally come to her senses. And... Before I forget it. I totally enjoyed reading about Mia. In my opinion, she isn't mentioned often enough. She's Freya's best friend and doesn't live in Maine, but I could tell I'd love her. And her parents, too. Can we get a story about her too, please?
Sure enough, I'm gonna read book two in this series, as well, although I don't think I'll like any of the female leads and Rhett can't be topped.
Title: Last Semester
Author: Corine Mekaouche
Rating: 3 - 3.5/5
Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.
When Johanna ‘Jo’ Gold, witty college life blogger and senior at Rutan University, decides to move in with three male strangers her last semester of school, her life unexpectedly turns upside down. While dealing with her new roommates, A.J., the pompous rich kid who feels trapped in following his father’s footsteps; Rob, the prematurely engaged former womanizer who tries to force Jo out of the house at all costs; and Drew, the 21-year-old virgin genius whose encounters with women have been more than limited, Jo learns that change isn't always easy and it's up to her to learn how to survive the remainder of her time at Rutan the best that she can. Along with searching for her missing mother, figuring out a clever way to pay for school tuition on her own, and dealing with the childish pranks brought on by a certain roommate, Jo’s issues seem more complicated than the average 21-year-old. Can Jo endure the dramatic perils of college while planning for life after graduation?
Alright, I'm reading a lot of negative reviews for this book right now and I seriously can't find a reason why people would hate it so much... Sure, my rating isn't the best one either, but we'll come to that later. There's no need for reviewers to start getting mean. I just don't understand it.
Last Semester is told in four different point of views, which is a lot. I never thought I'd actually enjoy reading four different voices so much, but the author managed great. Without even looking at who was telling the chapter, you could always tell. The characters had their own voices that couldn't be misunderstood for another. There's Johanna - Jo -, who's probably one of the strongest female leads, I think. She seems like she's so self assured and knows exactly what she wants in life. Of course, the reader gets taught otherwise during the story, but still... And then there's my fave character, Drew, the ultimate nerd and even nerdier than anyone else I've ever read about. He's so adorable. Also, he's the only one who gets a little romance in the book, so I loved reading his parts. A.J. is a typical rich kid, thinking he's God's gift to women or something and Rob's... Well, I thought he's an asshole. That incident that happened to him - the joke Jo played on him - served him right. I couldn't stand him, though he grew on me, as well.
You'd think it's super hard to keep track of all these characters' lives. Basically, I don't know how the author wants to manage writing other books, because Jo, Drew, A.J. and Rob all had their own life, their own problems and everything you can possibly read about in other books, all topics, have been used for them. They all get their own stories, none of these character is boring in the least and I admire the author for achieving that.
Of course, it takes some time after Jo moves in with the boys until they're bonding a friendship. But seriously, I loved these guys together, which is probably why I think this book has got one of the best college friendships in it. The way A.J. costantly tried to hit on Jo, the way Jo and Rob hate each other's guts in the beginning and Drew's funny comments... Everything about them was great. They were perfect for each other and I was a little shocked when I realized it was only that... Friendship.
And that's why my rating is "low". I missed some romance, I didn't like the way this book started with a hospital scene (but I was glad when later in the book, the scene wasn't repeated but dealt as read already) and sure enough, the short blog posts by Johanna were fun and totally important for the further story of her future life, but I never really looked forwar to reading them and I can't even blame the author for that, so I might be mean to still write about this, but it just wasn't for me. Yet, I thought it was great for the characters to find themselves. I mean, that's what this age is about and the author captured that great, captured their dreams, passion and wishes very well. So I would definitely recommend this to anyone who isn't bothered by a little less romance than usual, but wants to have a fun time while reading.
Titel: Der letzte erste Blick (Firsts #01)
Autorin: Bianca Iosivoni
Bewertung: 4/5
Danke an NetGalley und LYX für das digitale Rezensionsexemplar dieses Buches vorab der Veröffentlichung.
Endlich frei! Emery Lance kann es nicht erwarten, ihr Studium in West Virginia zu beginnen. Niemand kennt hier ihre Geschichte. Niemand weiß, was zu Hause geschehen ist. Dafür ist sie auch bereit, in Kauf zu nehmen, dass die Situation im Wohnheim alles andere als ideal ist. Nicht nur treibt ihr Mitbewohner sie regelmäßig in den Wahnsinn - sein bester Freund Dylan Westbrook bringt ihr Herz mit einem einzigen Blick zum Rasen. Dylan ist genau die Art von Typ, von der Em sich unbedingt fernhalten wollte. Er sieht zu gut aus und ist viel zu nett - von den Streichen, die er Emery bei jeder sich bietenden Gelegenheit spielt mal abgesehen. Mit der Zeit kommen die beiden sich immer näher. Doch Emery ahnt nicht, dass Dylan etwas vor ihr verbirgt. Etwas, das ihre Welt erneut auf den Kopf stellen könnte ...
Ich finde es etwas schade, dass das New Adult Genre mittlerweile so zerrissen wird. Vor allem in Deutschland. Ich denke, ein Buch von Bianca Iosivoni und viele Leser würden ihre schlechten Meinungen über dieses Genre ändern, denn sie kann es einfach. Sie beherrscht ihr Handwerk nahezu perfekt, treibt einem an den richtigen Stellen Tränen in die Augen und bringt einen dann wiederum so sehr zum Lachen, dass einen viele Menschen merkwürdig anschauen, wenn dies in der Bahn, im Bus oder sonst irgendwo in der Öffentlichkeit passiert.
Zugegeben, mir ging es ähnlich wie vielen anderen Lesern. Der Einstieg in das Buch war nicht der glatteste, was leider an Emery lag. Ich weiß, starke Protagonistinnen sind auf dem Vormarsch, es gibt viel zu wenige von ihnen, etc. Aber dennoch fiel es mir schwer, mich mit der Idee einer Emery anzufreunden. Bianca schreibt super und daher waren Emerys Gedankengänge plausibel, aber ihren Charakter, ihre Persönlichkeit waren trotzdem nichts für mich. Aber... Natürlich macht sie im Laufe der Geschichte eine Wandlung durch und auch wenn ich sie gegen Ende schütteln wollte (oder ohrfeigen wie Grace. Ist das ein Spoiler?! :P), gefiel sie mir zu diesem Zeitpunkt deutlich besser. Das liegt wahrscheinlich an Dylan, diesem 1A-Bookboyfriend, der zu ihr durchdringt und sie aus der Reserve lockt.
Eine Sache, die mir besonders gefällt, ist, dass keiner der Charaktere, die Bianca Iosivoni sich ausdenkt, zu stumpf und unglaubwürdig ist. Sicher hat jeder von uns schon einmal ein Buch gelesen, dessen Geschichte gut war, die Charaktere aber alles andere als "echt" waren. Dagegen baut Bianca eine eigene Welt rundum die Figuren auf - sie haben alle eine Vergangenheit, tragen eine Last mit sich, fühlen verschiedene Emotionen und bewegen sich auf ein Ziel zu. Und jedes Mal ist die Motivation der Charaktere erkenn- und nachvollziehbar. Zu keinem Zeitpunkt wirkt eine Reaktion überzogen. Möglicherweise liegt das auch daran, dass man bis zu diesem Punkt schon so weit mit den Charakteren mitfiebert und sich so sehr in sie hineinversetzt hat.
Die Thematik der Probleme der beiden - Emery und Dylan - fand ich ebenfalls sehr interessant. Es geschieht nicht alle Tage an denen man sich mit diesen Themen auseinandersetzt, wobei mich die Geschichte von Emery dann doch nicht allzu sehr angesprochen hat. Aber diese Sache passiert... Leider begehen viele Mädchen diesen "Fehler" und müssen dann mit Konsequenzen leben, wobei die andere Person glimpflich davon kommt, was definitiv nicht fair ist. Dylan dagegen sowohl Geldsorgen, als auch, dass er sich um einen geliebten Menschen sehr sorgt. Ich möchte nicht alles vorweg nehmen, daher belasse ich es einfach dabei... Apropos... Was passiert eigentlich mit Mrs Pettyfer?!
Einen sehr netten Einfall fand ich übrigens auch den Kater, der letztendlich doch gar kein Kater war, seinen Namen aber trotzdem beibehielt. An dieser Stelle musste ich doch als großer Katzen-Fan sehr schmunzeln.
Kurz und knapp: Bianca Iosivoni hat es wieder geschafft, mich mit einem ihrer Romane zu verzaubern. Vermutlich würde ich sogar sagen, dass mir Der letzte erste Blick besser gefiel als Was auch immer geschieht, was überhaupt keine Aussagekraft hat, ich aber einfach mal in den Raum werfen wollte. Der nächste Roman wird auf jeden Fall ganz oben auf meiner Wunschliste stehen!
Title: One Italian Summer
Author: Keris Stainton
Rating: 4/5
Thanks to NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and Hot Key Books for letting me receive a digital copy of this book before its official release date.
Milly loves her sisters more than anything - they are her best friends. But this holiday is different. The loss of their dad has left a gaping hole in their lives that none of them know how to fill.
Heartbreak is a hard thing to fix ... Still, there is plenty to keep the girls busy in Rome. A family wedding. Food, wine, parties and sun. And of course Luke ....
Luke is hot, there is no way around that. And Milly will always have a crush on him. But this summer is about family, being together, and learning to live without Dad.
It isn't about Luke at all ... is it?
Everyone's right about this book - it's the perfect summer read, full of sunshine, descriptions of Rome and Italy and its beautiful nature, adventures and lightness. But of course, there's also some dark aspect here - a loss and how to cope.
Actually, there are three voices in this book - Milly's, Leonie's and Elyse's. Although the book's written in Milly's point of view only, her sisters aren't just side characters either, they all got a story. I'm glad the author didn't decide to write this in three different point of views, because everything more than two's is too much for me, yet Keris Stainton still managed to give the other two sisters their own voice, their own life. And while I wasn't exactly a fan of Milly's older sister, Leonie grew on me, especially when it was about her life choices toward the end of the book.
They always went to Rome together - the three sisters and their parents. But now that their father is dead, things have changed. However, when their aunt announces her wedding, the now four of them still decide to go there, although their mother isn't easy to convince. And when they finally get to Rome, things aren't getting any easier - their mother seems to be a shell of what she used to be and the boy Milly lost her heart to - Luke - seems to have forgotten about her, enjoying his time kissing other girls. Was it really a good idea to come back here?
There are hundreds of books about losing someone you love and every author writes about it in a different way. Some choose this depressive style and other choose another one. I think Keris Stainton managed to find a perfect way. I mean, for this book and the story, at least. The way the sisters talk about memories they share of their dad, the way they remember him and visit the places he used to go, it all makes you think like you're a part of this family, one of Milly's sisters maybe and discover all their truths. I liked that a lot. Their father's death is tragic, yes, but the writing isn't heavy and boring, dragging and annoying. The author manages to give the reader a lightful insight to the character's minds. The story focuses on that and not that typical grieving state of lying and bed and refusing to come out (though that's basically what their mom is like).
There's also sweet, light romance included. Aww, how I love those. Even though you really try in the beginning, you can't hate Luke. It's impossible. He's such a cute guy on the inside and it's super sweet reading about the way he treats Milly, what he thinks. I think my favorite scene might be their road trip, because that's when despite the connection that has always been there between the two, you get the feeling they are one. They're one of my favorites. Ever!
And I think (back again on the losing a parent part), the three different voices of the sisters really showed the importance of support during overcoming such a loss like theirs. They have their backs, no matter what, and they all learn how to cope, how to move on that One Italian Summer. Even the tough one (and I think we can all agree that Leonie, the youngest, is the toughest), shows her soft side and Elyse isn't as sure of herself as everyone always thought. So, they also get to know each other better.
The only thing I didn't like too much, was the I-always-have-to-control-everything part about Milly. It started at the airport, in the beginning of the book, but it was only much later, when the characters actually said it out loud, that I noticed this part of her. And to me, it kinda felt forced, like something had to be added in order for Milly to have a rough edge to her, something that makes her a little less perfect. But still... This is the perfect summer read. It truly is.
