Review: The Trouble with Goodbye (Fairhope #1) by Sarra Cannon

The Trouble with Goodbye (Fairhope #1) by Sarra Cannon

Published May 21st 2013 by Dead River Books

From: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Synopsis:

One night can change everything…

Two years ago, Leigh Anne Davis shocked everyone in tiny Fairhope, Georgia when she broke up with her wealthy boyfriend to attend an Ivy League university a thousand miles away. At school, she finds a happiness and independence she’s never known.

Until one terrifying night takes it all away from her.

With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim her old life. A life she worked so hard to escape. On the outside, she seems like the same girl everyone has always known. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.

That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again. If she wants to save what’s left of her old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.

Only, the trouble with goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.

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Review:

It's hard to dismiss a book that deals with such a hard hitting subject. I especially liked The Trouble with Goodbye which is a story about honesty, truth and courage against adversity.

Leigh Anne is a likable character. At little naive at times but still working out what it means to have her independence on her own terms. She makes mistakes. We all do. Sometimes she makes choices based on her 'before' life which only reminds her of why she left her small town in the first place. Sometimes she sucks it up and makes new steps to begin living by her own rules and not those of her well-to-do parents. These decisions she could certainly be commended for. 

I especially liked Knox but as a character he didn't really have any flaws that would mar his credibility as a hero of the story. His past life, as painful as it was, seemed to be exactly that. He was well on his way to living in the 'now', and with a little help from Leigh Anne, developed as his own person.

I've given this review 4 out of 5. The only things I felt lacking were a sense of drama or emotional tension that is common in New Adult books now. At times I was reading dialogue and descriptions of the tragedies that happened but I didn't altogether feel the pain behind them. Having said that, the subject detail is given openly and without bias, and for that Cannon can be commended for tackling this delicate subject.

Now I'm looking forward to Penny and Mason's story. And I pretty much think there'll be fireworks!

-CBx

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You can reach Sarra Cannon here:

Web

Goodreads

ARC Review: Until Alex by J. Nathan

Until Alex by J. Nathan

Expected publication: June 20th 2014

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

On the outside, Hayden is every girl's living breathing fantasy, brooding and devastatingly gorgeous. He spends his nights losing himself in alcohol and faceless girls, but it's all just a facade. An elaborate cover for the emotionless shell of a man he is. One who harbors too many secrets and destroys lives the way his was destroyed. It’s the reason he avoids relationships and keeps everyone at arm's length…

Until Alex

Alex’s life just shattered into a million pieces, leaving her with more grief than she knows what to do with and guilt so deep it’s destroyed the carefree girl she once was. Now she’s hundreds of miles from home, living with an aunt she doesn't know, finishing senior year at a college she’s never been to, and trying desperately to get through a single day without breaking down. She's never felt more alone in her life... 

Until Hayden

The trouble with Hayden is who he wants to be and who he is are in constant flux. And though he’d die before letting Alex learn the truth about him, he can’t be sure he's strong enough to let her in…or push her away. She’s the one person who just might see the real him.

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Review:

At first I thought this was one of those generic NA books with the same dramas arising. 

HOW WRONG I WAS!!

Until Alex is the story of Hayden and Alex. Both with harrowing pasts, new and old. By lack of choice, Alex arrives to stay with her aunt. The same building Hayden lives in. Hayden sees the girl by the pool, the one who hasn't stopped crying for four days. Alex sees a guy so closed off from anyone else, someone who doesn't get involved. Unless they're the flings he brings home most nights.

Initially both sides are wary. Tension grows and unexpectedly both Hayden and Alex begin a kind of friendship, but one only on middle ground. Neither are willing to let the other over to their side just yet.

The story telling is brilliant, well paced, and full of suspense. Lots of unsavoury characters begin to reveal themselves and mess with our protagonists, but each time the other one has them covered.

I actually really liked both characters who are neither without flaws. Alex is a little naive at times but she's incredibly brave. And Hayden proves himself more than once to be her knight in shining armour, despite his demons.

This is a story of trust. Of baring your soul regardless of the consequences. There are a few twists and turns especially near the end and, altogether a great story to get your teeth into. This is one you won't want to put down.

-CBx

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You can find J Nathan here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Before He Was Famous (HotFlush #1) by Becky Wicks

Before He Was Famous (HotFlush #1) by Becky Wicks 

Published May 29th 2014

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Falling in love with your best friend isn’t always a great idea, especially when he’s Noah Lockton - the sexiest, most famous new talent on the planet. When 21-year-old small-town photographer Chloe Campbell is offered the chance of a lifetime – to join her celebrity childhood friend Noah on tour as an exclusive blogger for a New York magazine – she’s certain both have put what happened four years ago behind them. But his eyes still burn; his voice is still a jackhammer to her heartstrings; all his songs are about her. Is it possible that that night still haunts them both?

The music industry is a machine, spinning hype and rumors as much as his records. It’s not just Noah’s girlfriends who’ve got it in for Chloe (there’s no stopping the Twitter-obsessed, cat-loving pop-star Courtney Lentini for starters). Pretty soon, the jealousy and media frenzy surrounding these so-called-friends takes a life-changing turn and it seems making love means making enemies at every turn. When tragedy threatens to pull the final curtain on their relationship, both Chloe and Noah must make a choice. As much as this world leaves them starstruck, is living their dream really worth living without each other?

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Review:

This story has all the enactments of a great tale. Two people who have known each other for years. Lots of insider jokes and great development of all the characters. As the story progresses into darker unfamiliar waters its interesting to see how they all cope. Because the great thing you realise while you're reading is that Chloe and Noah are totally out of their comfort zone.  

Aside from Chloe and Noah, there's a Brit (imagine Russell Brand) manager who speaks in cockney rhyming slang, an arrogant photographer who moonlights as a Pap, and a crazy girl called Courtney who only appears to be in the music industry for the image.

The story twists and turns. Noah becomes more famous than even Justin Bieber. The music side of the story sheds unbecoming light on what happens behind the scenes. And then Chloe becomes a moving target of a pyscho stalker.

All together the story was good but at times it slowed down so much I did flick through a few pages. If you like to read about music people then you'll enjoy the hype that surrounds Noah. The love side is genuine (thank god) and I'll definitely be reading the next installment. 

-CBx

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You can reach Becky Wicks here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Unexpected (Unexpected, #1) by Amity Cross

Unexpected (Unexpected #1) by Amity Cross 

Published February 4th 2014 

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Synopsis:

Blair is looking for an escape. West is looking for a connection.

One down and out woman. One isolated rock star. Life at the top is lonely, but so is life at the bottom.

Blair is just looking for someone to take the edge off her crappy life. Dull the pain, breathe a little life into her neglected body. A chance meeting at a bar leads to a night of passion. No names, no personal details. Just sex.

Well, it wasn't personal until she sees the guy standing on a stage ten meters in front of her. How the hell didn't she realize that the guy who blew her mind is the guitarist out of that dirty rock'n'roll band, Affliction? And why is he chasing her down the street? And how does he know her name?

Sometimes you find the things you didn't even know you were looking for in the most unexpected places.

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Review:

This was a freebie from Amazon and I love rock stars so I thought, why not? I must admit, it's sat on my kindle for about a month. Once I started reading though, well, it is kind of addictive. 

Blair doesn't come across as a nice person. Actually she's a self-confessed super-bitch. She likes one off sex to take the edge off and this particular night, the night she meets super hot and tattoed West, ends in a different way to her normal slam-bam-thank-you-sir kind of nights.

West is on the look out for a connection. That's it. Call it sex, call it chemistry but when he meets Blair in that seedy bar he feels it immediately. Note: for those of you who hate insta-love then you'll hate this. Both parties think the other is hot and f***able. So they do. Blair does a runner straight after, only to see him on stage the following night. He chases her out of the venue then gets her to commit to spending the week with him. It doesn't happen quite so quickly as that but, you get the idea.

The story is short and has plenty of scope. There aren't that many characters in the story, and the rock star life described is very stereotypical of New Adult rock star stories. Personally, in real life, I don't think these two would have a chance at making it. But, hey, this isn't real life, is it?

I liked West, I didn't like Blair too much. I felt the connection sure enough, but I didn't get down into the depths of the characters. Yes, we're told why Blair is the way she is, and we're told why West feels alone. Apart from a few conversations between them which always ended abruptly (if not rudely) it was difficult to get into their minds.

Anyway, a good quick read, and yes, there are lots of hot scenes. There is also sequel :)

-CBx

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You can reach Amity Cross here:

Web

Goodreads

Review: Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Synopsis:

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature.

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Review: 

What's to say about Uninvited? Well, it's a book of two halves. The first half is Davy and her perfect life and how everyone shuns her on hearing the news of her HTS detection. This half tends to be very high school drama-ish, woe is me type of angle. The second half gets very Divergent/Hunger Games-esque. Davy accepts she's a Carrier and has no choice in life anymore. The book does end on a cliffhanger also.

Points I liked. Sean was a cool love interest. However, he did come over as the stereotypical bad boy. Tattoos, dangerous, capable with his fists. He did annoy me with his constant "I can't always be there to save you, Davy." It would have been cool if he'd taken her to the gym and trained with her, therefore, proving to him that she could be capable.

I liked Gil. I hope he has a bigger part in the next book. He was the first carrier person who was nice to her and Davy dropped him like a stone to pay more attention to Sean.

But! I did like the softly, softly approach to the romance. Not full on heavy petting but taking it very slowly and calmly.

The writing is very good, the plot is well paced and the story line is good enough. But it could have been better and would have come across better had it not included lots of clichés from typical YA novels.

What I didn't like. The 'kill gene' they're all talking about could have been expanded and verified to us better. I'm still really not sure how this gene came to being discovered. I mean, after thousands of years of civilisation this society think they can end crime and murder because of this one gene?

I also didn't like Davy been too clean and proper, to begin with. I would have liked her to at least have one flaw to her porcelain perfect perception.

I thought the whole camp idea was off and a little naff, but that's just me! A little more world building could have been included also.

On the whole, though, a book very readable and unputdownable :)

-CBx

Available on Amazon:

Top 10 New Adult books for June publication

June will soon be upon us! Here's the Top 10 New Adult books to look out for! Click on the pics to go to Goodreads synopsis's.

Which book are you most looking forward to?

Let us know!

-CBx

Review: Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

Whisper to Me (Between Breaths #3) by Christina Lee

Published May 20th 2014

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Synopsis:

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along.

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Review:

I picked this one up not realising it was a series however it is a great standalone novel. Later in the story we do pick up the girls from the first 2 books but there was no impact or reduction of reading enjoyment by going for this first. 

Whisper to Me was a great read, don't get me wrong. I did enjoy reading about Kai. He's a bass player who is trying to find his way in the world through music. His past keeps coming and biting him in the ass though and he finds himself back in his home town and working for his Native American family who own a casino.

Rachel has been friends with Kai and his sister Dakota since forever. They helped her get over a nasty accident, an ex who dumped her, and all the repercussions that followed. After three years away at college Rachel comes home for the holidays and settles back into living with her best friends. 

The only thing is, Rachel's changed. But then so have Kai and Dakota. Rachel wanted to get away from her past life and recreate herself at college. So much that she's almost forgotten Who she really is any more. 

The writing is awesome. I haven't read any of Bell's previous books but I did like the story, flow and pace. However, the little things irked me. Firstly, Rachel, Kai and Dakota are supposed to be childhood friends. There are many references to what they used to do as children - playing, antics, habits etc. Also lots of emphasis on how Kai looked after Rachel after her accident. But I couldn't pick up on the these past relationships and put them together with the people I was reading about. I almost felt like they could have been strangers with no background. If the author had written a few chapters in between with some scenes of back story I may have bought it but it came over as too contrived. Dakota and Rachel had no mutual understanding or girl friend chemistry that I would have expected.

This book does get hot. The love story between Kai and Rachel is the reason the pages turned so quickly but I felt it went on too long before the final professing.

I will try out the other books now and hope there are more to come in this series.