ARC Review: Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

Expected publication: July 1st 2014 by Simon & Schuster UK

From: Net Galley

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn't have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with her first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt. 

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlour to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red. 

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she'll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever - even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

In the first instalment of The Maddox Brothers series, readers can experience the rush of reading Beautiful Disaster for the first time, all over again.

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REVIEWS FOR JAMIE MCGUIRE'S BOOKS HERE

Review for Beautiful Oblivion:

I have a confession to make. I read this book in its entirety and loved it. I have read Beautiful and Walking Disaster, however in between those books and this one I've also tackled around 75 books in between. So, my confession is - I didn't remember who all the important characters were. Therefore when the last page of this one 'revealed' the secret, it was completely lost on me.

To make up for the amazing suspense that McGuire kept going throughout the book I speed read Walking Disaster and then read this one again. OH BOY!!! Then I picked up all the clues!! The 'Spaceballs' one is genius. So is Travis' declaration about his brother being in love with Cami. 

No, I'm not going to spoil anything, this book sort of runs parallel with the others, but reading it like this actually gave me room to contemplate. Yes, Cami's 'boyfriend' did let her down on so many occasions. But he was genuinely sorry and (his status is revealed at the end of Walking Disaster) does have pressure and a stressful job which doesn't warrant much if any free time. I actually felt sorry for him because I think he genuinely loved Cami but couldn't put her first.

As for Trent? Well, I thought he was a cutey, a very sweet guy who like Travis, has an affinity to all things pretty but also has a devoted streak running through him. Especially when it comes to Cami.

Overall, this book didn't have the same story impact as the first two books. Those books had a storyline which packed a punch. This one relies more on the suspense, and soap opera style drama. 

Still thoroughly recommended :)

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You can reach Jamie McGuire here: 

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Review. Thoughtless (Thoughtless #1) by S.C. Stephens

Thoughtless (Thoughtless #1) by S.C. Stephens

Publishers: Self-Pubbed

Date: June 11th 2011

From: Bought 

My rating: 5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart.

Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes...and none of them will ever be the same.

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Review:

Thoughtless is probably one of the best New Adult books out there at the moment. The content is full on, heart wrenching, sometimes annoying, lots of times gaping or gasping (whichever you prefer) and all for a love triangle, a subject many readers hate to read about. This book however is difficult to resist and by the end you will be totally and utterly emotionally drained, I guarantee!

What makes this book complete are the two men in question. Denny Harris is Keira's boyfriend of two years, an Aussie, insanely devoted to her, who loses his way in their romance with a few selfish actions. Thoughtless you might say. The other is Kellan Kyle. A beautiful, gifted, sincere guy who also has a reputation as a man-whore and strangely goes through a dry spell when Keira and Denny come to live with him as housemates. Kellan is lead singer of a band called the Douchebags (D-Bags for short) and along with the other 3 members has a full and happy life - or so we think.

Keira, the voice and female lead is a 21 year old, quite naive student who has never lived outside of her hometown in Ohio. Her parents are very protective and she considers herself book smart not people smart. Keira feels overshadowed sometimes by her beautiful and very flirtatious sister, Anna, and with her family combined we get to understand why Keira makes the decisions she makes after their move to Seattle.

This is a rollercoaster book. Quite long and fully packed with great side kick characters such as Rita, the 40 something barmaid with leathery skin who lives vicariously on her one encounter with Kellan, to Jenny, the sweet as a button waitress who befriends Keira and keeps her on the straight and narrow. Many of the characters you will form an opinion on almost instantly whether its to like or hate, it doesn't really matter. And just so you know, I'm with Keira on her view of Griffin!

All in all a great read. I would class this alongside Love Unscripted as one of my favourite NA reads. 

-CBx

You can reach S.C. Stephens here: 

Web

Goodreads

Clockwork Princess First Chapter Reveal

Those wonderful people at Simon & Schuster have released the first chapter!

Synopsis of Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Princess

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it? The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.
Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy

Don't miss this! Click here to read it for yourself

Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Publishers: Simon and Schuster UK

Published Date: January 5th 2012

From: Bought

My rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:
Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope. Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope. Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart

Review:
The First 20%
The first time I read this book I was so invested in it the first 20% became 50% before I knew it. Similar with the second time of reading. The story binds you in immediately and once you're in there's no going back!

The Main Characters
Layken moves from Texas to Michigan because of her father's death and mother's need for a job. Layken comes across as a young character that has seen too much of life already. She's experienced the death of her father, had to look after her brother but after six months she's still dealing with his loss. When Will comes along to meet her on her first day they instantly connect. I wouldn't say it was insta-love but they both share something.

When their friendship breaks down she does show off her naivety, we see that even though she's 18 years old her actions are of a hurt, peed off teenager. However, after a few more downers she springs back up and takes everything life throws at her like a trooper. She's resigned to accept that the one thing she wants in life, she can never have.

Will is a sound, solid, mature 21 year old. He's had to grow up unbelievably fast after the death of his parents, especially caring from his 9 year old brother. But everything comes to a standstill when he sees Layken drive up in the hired U-Haul. However, life doesn't play fair and both Will and Layken have huge hurdles to overcome. They work against each other initially but towards the end, when they are lowest of the low, they come together again and help everyone else around them.

The Story
The story was great. What I LOVED was the slam poetry. These moments in the book were very special, such moving words and feelings that youngsters shouldn't have to experience at their age, but each one does. The trials and hardships that Layken and Will face are huge but the person I really loved the most in this story was Eddie. Everyone should have an Eddie as a friend!!

The End?
Sad but resolute. Quietly happy.

Overall
I read this book about 3 months ago but didn't review it. The first time I felt like my heart was being torn out with a fork, and I bawled my eyes out. This time, even though I knew what would happen, a huge amount of sadness hit me but I was strangely calmly happy with the outcome.

-CBx

You can reach Colleen Hoover here:

Web

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Review: If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Publishers: Simon Pulse
Published Date: August 28th 2012
From: Publisher
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

Review:
If I lie captures your attention from the start. The first thing you realise is that Quinn is one of the strongest females in the world, and I don't mean of the muscular kind. How she had the courage to get out of bed every morning was startling.

The book takes you through how difficult her life has become after a picture of her was posted onto Facebook, shirtless, kissing a guy who was not her boyfriend. Her boyfriend being the town hero and now currently MIA on his tour of Afghanistan.

In Quinn's case a picture tells a thousand stories, but none of them are the correct one. Carey committed Quinn to a secret days before he left to go on tour and now Quinn is stuck with the backlash.

Jackson got nearly everything right in this book. The school friends all turn on Quinn like a pack. She gets bullied. Her own father is blinkered by the betrayal. Her only saving grace is George, an elderly war veteran.

What I was disappointed with was the portrayal of Blake. Considering he grew up with Carey and Quinn and was effectively the third wheel his character seemed too awkward around Quinn. I would have thought he would have done more to defend her but he stayed away at her asking and didn't question it. I think lots of people would agree that if a friend was suffering such horrible abuse day in day out you would intervene more hastily than he did. Just saying. I know he did his bit but I didn't think it was enough.

Anyway, as the story carries on we get more back story and the eventual reveal (which I guessed way before!). The wrap up clears everything over but leaves us hanging a little at the end. I would have wanted just a little more romance than was promised.

However, all in all this is a very powerful book, a great example of how rumours and gossip and PICTURES can ruin peoples lives if you assume you know the story - never assume you know everything...
-CBx

You can reach Corrine Jackson here:
Web   Twitter  Goodreads

Review: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

Publishers: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published Date: August 14th 2012
From: NET GALLEY
My rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:
The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Review:
The First 20%
This book goes straight in at the deep end. Abby visits an underground fight with her BFF America and America’s boyfriend, Shepley. Shepley’s cousin and flatmate is Travis. Travis wins the fight but not before he hits his opponent so hard that the blood flies all over Abby’s cardigan forcing him to look in her direction. As soon as eye contact is made he approaches her. From here on in Travis and Abby begin their connection. It’s not a relationship nor is it strictly a friendship but its clear they enjoy being around one another. Within the first 18% of this book my emotions were all torn and twisted with the angst and hurt that these two main characters managed to fling at each other but it was actually enjoyable that I couldn’t stop at any cost.

The Main Characters
Abby has a past which doesn’t really get discussed in great length until midway through the book. She’s turned away from her old life and is sincerely trying to be everything that her old life wasn’t. I liked Abby a lot. Her weakness wasn’t that she couldn’t resist Travis because she could and did. Her main weakness was that Travis reminded her so much of her old life that she began to miss it including the high’s and thrills that came with it (I won’t tell you what they are for spoilers sake!). Abby could cope with Travis because she’d lived with people like him all her life. A very strong character.

Travis is all about the now. Fighting is something he’s good at, and it helps pay the rent and pay for all the nice things in life that a student needs. He drinks a lot, has sex a lot with a different woman every time and seems unable to make any sort of female emotional connection at all. We find out later why that is and it isn’t as bad as the story tries to imply. But because of Abby’s attitude towards him and the fact that she actually seems to enjoy his company rather than his looks or charm something in Travis changes. He lets her into his life. But unfortunately his possessiveness becomes his undoing.
Travis isn’t written as a character that you should really like or hate. Most reviews hate him, others love him. Either way if his character and attitude affect you then it says something about the author and her ability to make you feel something. As I was reading I had a soft spot for him but he is such a dangerous person I did feel uncomfortable sometimes and worried for Abby. Again, the Author made me think about what I would do in this scenario…

America and Shepley are great side characters. America is always there for Abby, and has been so from Abby’s earlier childhood. Shepley as America’s boyfriend is also understanding towards America, and the only one apart from Abby that can aid Travis when things go bad. They also contribute greatly to the storyline.

The Story
The plot isn’t a clear one. Actually there isn’t much of one. It’s mainly about the journey that Abby takes and about how she and Travis get through their time together. A few random sub-plots were thrown in that didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story. The mobster Benny and her father’s debt, for one. If her father was such a has-been hot shot I don’t think this was the best way to experience his vileness towards his daughter. The next was the fire and Trent’s involvement. The fire I understand but once everyone was clear with the aftermath of it there didn’t seem to be a point to Trent being there at all. It could have been anyone.

The End?
A surprising end.
Realistic? I’m not really sure about that.
Fun? Definitely.
Character tie ups and loose ends? All sorted.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes it had incredibly painful moments that caused me to put my hand to my mouth; sometimes I had tears in my eyes. Personally I love the rich emotion that it drew from me. This is a very powerful book.

-CBx

You can reach Jamie McGuire  here:
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New YA Book Publications - week ending 25th May 2012

Week Ending 25th May

** HOT PICK  **

Talisman of El
is out 20th May 2012

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x Goodreads: 

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.  Two Worlds.

Population: Human ... 7 billion.
Others ... unknown.

When 14-year-old Char­lie Blake wakes up sweat­ing and gasp­ing for air in the mid­dle of the night, he knows it is hap­pen­ing again. This time he wit­nesses a bru­tal mur­der. He's afraid to tell any­one. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.

Char­lie doesn't know why this is hap­pen­ing. He would give any­thing to have an ordi­nary life. The prob­lem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home.

He belongs with the others

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  ** also out this week  **



May Releases

Happy Reading!