Tag «now a series»

Single Sundays: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Single Sundays: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for Dear Martin (from Goodreads):

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Fav 2018
Series: Dear Martin
Author: Nic Stone
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
Heat Rating: cold
Point of View: Third Person + First Person
Publication Date: October 17, 2017 – September 29, 2020
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I saw Dear Martin floating around quite a bit last year. While The Hate U Give seemed to catch more of the main stream attention, this book was mentioned quite a bit in the blogging community.

I was drawn to Dear Martin for 2 reasons. One is the fact that its lead is a male character. After getting a black female perspective in The Hate U Give, I was curious to see what the black male one would be. Two is the fact that Justyce writes a journal to Dr Martin Luther King Jr which is an intriguing approach.

The Concept & Writing Style:

What I really loved about this book was the narrative’s style. You get chapters told from a third person narrator; then a transcript of dialogue of classroom discussions; Justyce’s letters to Dr Martin and the transcripts of news reports and the like. It keeps the story moving, focusing on the important topics and conversations. Nothing ever dragged in this book and it never losses sight of the main messages by distracting us with unnecessary plot devices.

The Plot:

As I said, this story is always moving. It’s a very straight forward plot but it works so well.  I laughed, I cried, I screamed in frustration and it made me think. You can’t ask for more in a book.

The Characters:

Justyce lives in a bit of a bubble and one that only recently gets burst. It was interesting to see how he copes with everything that is thrown at him. And he does get a lot thrown at him. He makes mistakes but he learns from them and I appreciated that. I truly became invested in his story and life.

The Romance:

It’s just a tiny part of the novel but when it does appear, it does contribute in a positive way to the many topics this book touches.

My Audiobook Experience:

I thought the narration was fabulous! Dion Graham is the narrator and he was just amazing. Everyone had a distinct voice, his pauses and dictation were perfect, and he really captured my attention at all times. He truly brought this book to life for me.

updates

–December 19, 2021– Book #2: Dear Justyce

Another very powerful book by Nic Stone. I’ll admit, I forgot who Quan was but mostly because it has been a long time since I read Dear Martin. That didn’t really matter though because you quickly get acquainted with his character and the challenges he has faced in life. His story is very different than Justyce’s and I can see why Nic Stone felt compelled to tell it.

While this story is fiction, I could easily see how in our current political climate and social mindset how it could be reality. I think it speaks to Nic Stone’s talents as a writer that she can elicit so many emotions from her readers.

My Rating: 5/5

Series Rating: 4.5/5

Dear Martin 5/5 | Dear Justyce 4/5

overall

Another great novel that is so on point with the current issues in society. I highly recommend this for fans of The Hate U Give and those of realistic fiction.

Read if You Like: realistic fiction, current events
Avoid if You: dislike non-classical prose/writing formats

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Series Review: P.S. by Winter Renshaw

Series Review: P.S. by Winter Renshaw

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for PS I Hate You (from Goodreads):

Dear Isaiah,

Eight months ago, you were just a soldier about to be deployed and I was just a waitress, sneaking you free pancakes and hoping you wouldn’t notice that my gaze was lingering a little too long.

But you did notice.

We spent a “week of Saturdays” together before you left, and we said goodbye on day eight, exchanging addresses at the last minute.

I saved every letter you ever sent, your words quickly becoming my religion.

But you went radio silent on me months ago, and then you had the audacity to walk into my diner yesterday and act like you’d never seen me in your life.

To think … I almost loved you and your beautifully complicated soul.

Almost.

Whatever your reason is—I hope it’s a good one.

Maritza the Waitress

PS – I hate you, and this time … I mean it.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Author: Winter Renshaw
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: March 28, 2018 – October 2018
Source & Format: Hidden Gems Books–eARC (#1); Own (#2, #3)

ARC provided for PS I Hate You only

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Over the last year, Winter Renshaw has become a must read author for me–and this book definitely reaffirmed that.

I’ve been looking forward to this one since I read its blurb a few months ago. I couldn’t wait to learn more about Isaiah and Maritza and uncover just what had happened between them. Of course I had my theories but you never know what to expect with a Renshaw book 😉

The Concept:

This story starts from the beginning of Isaiah and Maritza’s story–starting when they meet for the first time. It’s a little bittersweet watching their story unfold because you, thanks to the synopsis, that something terrible happens to draw them apart. But that just sucks you in more as you get invested in their story.

And I just want to say that despite the synopsis format, this novel isn’t only told through letters. Just a heads up.

The Plot:

I really enjoyed the fact that we start at the beginning of their relationship; that this isn’t a second chance romance right from the get-go. As I said above, the anticipation of knowing that things go awry (all the while hating that they do because you’ve come to love these two together) adds an addicting quality to this story.

I had my theories going in about what draws them apart, but Renshaw completely threw me for a loop with her twist and that made me love this book even more.

The Characters:

The main reason I loved this book so much was our two leads. They’re absolutely great and bring this story to life in a way that just makes it addicting to read.

Maritza is honest to a fault I think but I loved her candour and approach to life. I don’t know how else this story would work if she wasn’t the lead.

Isaiah is a hard nut to crack and I loved watching Maritza slowly ebb away his gruff exterior to see who he truly is. Because as the reader, you do get his inner monologue and know his struggles. It’s just fun watching his evolution thanks to Maritza.

The Romance:

At the start, they are a little like oil and vinegar–not completely mixing thanks to their candour and stubborn personalities. Of course that changes as they get to know each other but I loved the tension their early interactions invoked.

As they get to know each other through conversations and activities, you start to see how these two would work. That was one of the things I appreciated the most about their story was actually reading the conversations these two would share. Seeing them interact on a daily basis enhanced their relationship and made their situation more realistic than not.

updates

–September 10, 2019– Book #2: PS I Miss You

I devoured this book in one sitting thanks to its sweet and sexy nature. But unlike the previous novel—while I still loved these two together—I feel like we didn’t get as deep with this characters. I couldn’t help but feel like this book was short a chapter or two to help really cement that great relationship.

–September 15, 2019– Book #2: PS I Dare You

I’m not sure if my rotten mood made me dislike this book–or if this book brought out an awful mood in me. This book felt rushed and not in a good way. The chemistry just didn’t seem to be there and that didn’t help me get behind the romance. I also thought more could have been done with the character backstories–just seemed like a missed opportunity and an unfortunate way to end an entertaining series.

Series Rating: 4/5

PS I Hate You 5/5 | PS I Miss You 4/5 | PS I Dare You 2/5

overall

With the exception of the final book (but maybe get a second opinion) this series strikes a great balance of romance, drama and passion.

Read if You Like: sweet romance, army heroes, time limited romances
Avoid if You: want erotica

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Series Review: Dimple and Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Single Sundays: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for When Dimple Met Rishi (from Goodreads):

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

breakdown

Series: Dimple and Rishi
Author: Sandhya Menon
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
There are 2 novellas as well.
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: May 30, 2017 – July 21, 2020
Source & Format: Own–Audiobook

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I don’t think you could escape this book in 2017. It was praised all over the Twitterverse and so I was more than curious. When the opportunity arose for me to get the audiobook copy, I immediately grabbed it!

The Concept:

On the surface, the synopsis gives the idea that this story is almost all about a possible arranged marriage between Dimple and Rishi. And while it does play a huge role in the plot and development, at the core, this is very much a coming of age story.

This is about 2 teenagers trying to find their mark in the world. Like most recent high school grads, they are feeling the pressure of growing up and deciding what they want for the rest of their lives. They are focused on their future careers and trying to reconcile them with cultural and familial expectations.

For some readers, you might not think you can relate to Rishi and Dimple because of their culture. I know I thought that a bit myself. But trying to please your parents and feeling the pressure to find that partner in life are universal tensions (I think) and you will definitely find part of yourself in these two.

The Plot:

This story reads like your typical coming of age story in terms of plot. You have a pretty basic background plot happening and it’s all about the characters and how they are coping. But there is a lot happening with Dimple and Rishi in terms of character growth and you get rather involved in the secondary character lives.

So it has its moments of fun and its moments of reflection. For me though, the pacing was slightly off. I think it might have been because I was listening to the audiobook (it clocks in at 10 hours which is really long for a contemporary novel of this nature I think) and it just seemed excessively long at times. Not that I didn’t enjoy every moment with these two–I did–I guess it just felt dragged out a touch?

The Characters:

I adored these characters and they truly make the novel for me!

Dimple is such a compelling heroine. She’s strong yet fragile at the same time and I definitely saw part of myself in her when it comes to her views on romantic relationships vs career. She’s also hilarious.

And Rishi is just so charming and I immediately fell in love with him. But what was really appealing about his character was that he was the hopeless romantic, instead of Dimple. He was the one who really wanted the relationship and felt it necessary and I usually find that it is the female characters who are cast in that role. It was a refreshing take on a standard gender role I thought.

The Romance:

Simply adorable! These two were a fantastic match and it was fabulous watching them realize that.

I also liked that it viewed (consensual) arranged marriage as a positive thing. The arranged marriage aspect really only plays a role at the start of the novel but it is a factor at play. As the relationship develops they start to undergo some realistic challenges that many young people face in their relationships so again, I think readers will identify with that.

My Audiobook Experience:

I love humour in audiobooks and this one had it in spades! The sarcastic nature was much more apparent in the audio version.

Again, I do think that the length of the audiobook affected my rating a touch (instead of a 5/5) but I still highly recommend the audiobook version!

updates

–November 17, 2020– Book #2: There’s Something About Sweetie

Ever since I read When Dimple Met Rishi, I keep an eye out for Sandhya’s novels at my library. But I never clued in that this book was a part of the series…I didn’t even know this had become a series!

I’m not complaining, this was just as charming and sweet as the first book. Sweetie is a refreshing character thanks to her self confidence and her strong sense of self worth. She’s human and it shows at times but that made her story all that refreshing.

The only thing I struggled with was Ashish’s reasoning for even agreeing to date Sweetie in the first place. His logic seemed flawed to me. Like if you are struggling with the idea of a relationship, maybe don’t get set up by your parents. His need to put a time limit on their relationship baffled me. I just couldn’t get a firm understanding of whether he actually wanted a relationship or not. Which is a shame because that confusing dampened the great scenes they had together.

Series Rating: 4/5

When Dimple Met Rishi 4/5 | There’s Something About Sweetie 4/5 | Ten Things I Hate About Pinky TBA

overall

This is a coming of age novel that any reader can relate to in some way. It’s funny, charming and will leave you with a smile on your face.

Read if You Like: coming of age, diverse reads
Avoid if You: dislike YA contemporary
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Series Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Single Sundays: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for It Ends With Us (from Goodreads):

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up – she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan – her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Favourite Read 2017, Favourite Author
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: It Ends With Us
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: First Person, Single (#1); Alternating (#2)
Publication Date: August 2, 2016 – October 18, 2022
Source & Format: Public Library–Paperback

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

It’s no secret that I am a huge Colleen Hoover fan. With the exception of one series, I’ve read all her works. I eagerly await her new releases every year. So I’m embarrassed that it took me so long to get my hands on this book. It took FOREVER for my hold to come in from the library because I added my name to the list late.

But boy, was this book worth the wait!

The Concept:

Normally, I refrain from keeping spoilers in my reviews but I think it is very important that I highlight two things from the synopsis. The first being:

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

While I’ve read other books that get a lot more specific in terms of the descriptions of the graphic scenes, these moments were still hard for me to read. So if that makes you uncomfortable as a reader, just be prepared.

And looking at the synopsis you probably think, ‘Gee Lauren, why so serious? This sounds like a love triangle type of story’ because that’s what I thought when I read the synopsis for the first time. But it isn’t—far from it actually. Which brings me to the other highlight of the synopsis:

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer.

There is so much more to this story than what the synopsis implies and I really don’t want to give it away. It’s obvious to anyone who reads this that it is such a deeply personal story for Colleen Hoover to write as an author. It shows in every word and every scene. That’s what makes it so beautiful to read. So thank you Colleen for sharing something so personal with the world.

The Plot:

This plot sucked me in from the start. Part of that is because I instantly loved the characters and became so invested in them. More on that below.

As for the plot itself, it was heart-wrenchingly beautiful as the synopsis implies. It moves at the perfect pace; never dwelling on inconsequential things for longer than necessary.

You feel every range of emotions while reading this.


And I really have a hard time saying anything more without giving it away and I literally just finished the book 2 hours ago (January 26, 2017, 1pm) and I’m still at a loss for words.

The Characters:

What really makes this story is the characters. They become so real to you as a reader from the moment you first meet them. I fell in love with Lily and Ryle by the end of the first chapter. I loved Atlas from the moment Lily shares what her past with him is. And I loved every other character we meet along the way. It has been a long time since I loved a cast of characters as much I do with this one.

These are all strong characters in their own rights and so heartbreakingly real. Lily in particular really tore at my soul. How she handles everything that comes her way was so empowering yet so sad all at once. It was wonderful to see her evolve as a person throughout the novel.

The Romance:

It’ll tug at your heart from the start until the very end. I’m still shook up over it.

updates

–November 15, 2022– Book #2: It Starts With Us

I didn’t *need* this book after It Ends With Us, but I wasn’t going to turn down a chance to see more of this story. It was nice to get an extended epilogue of sorts and see what happens after the events of the first novel.

As with the original, I appreciate how grounded in reality this story is. However, and I think I’m in the minority for this, but I wanted a little more of a wrap up with the ending. It kinda happened suddenly and a little chunky. And in a way, I think it tarnished the wonderful ending of the first book for me a bit. I finished with more questions than I had with the first book.

I actually reread It Ends With Us before I read the sequel and it still is a heartbreakingly great novel. Even more so as an audiobook when you can hear all the characters’ emotions.

Series Rating: 4.5/5

It Ends With Us 5/5 | It Starts With Us 4/5

overall

Before this novel, I would have told you that Maybe Someday is my favourite Colleen Hoover book because it is such a powerful story. But It Ends With Us is now my absolute new favourite work by her. It’s a story that everyone should read because it is beautiful, sad and most importantly empowering to read as a reader, no matter who you are.

Read if You Like: realistic fiction, strong characters
Avoid if You: dislike books about mature subject matter
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Series Review: Men of Laguna by Kim Karr

Series Review: Men of Laguna by Kim Karr

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for No Pants Required (from Goodreads):
I, Makayla Alexander, am on a mission to reinvent myself. So when a super hot guy boards the plane and flashes his rock hard abs, I pay attention. When he sits next to me and offers me his nuts, I can’t resist. But when I choke on them and he tells me I need to work on my gag reflex, I realize I might be in over my head.

Before I know it we’re in the lavatory and attempting to join the Mile High Club. Let me just say this…anyone who tells you it’s easy to get it on at 37,000 feet isn’t telling you the truth. After the flight attendant busts us for getting frisky in the air, the only thing that can ease my total and complete mortification is the simple fact that I am never going to see him again.

Hours later, I can’t help but wonder if fate will ever allow me to become a new version of myself.

Because Fate, she’s a fickle bitch.

Case in point…my seatmate is my new next-door neighbor.

Even with the whole fate thing we have going on, we are so not meant to be together. He’s all cool and sexy in that make love not war kind of way. Guys like him are dangerous. With that bring-you-to-your-knees body, that handsome-as-hell face, and that dirty, dirty mouth, I guarantee one glance from him wets every girl’s bikini bottoms.

And then there’s me…the quirky girl looking to find herself in California. All I want to do is learn to let loose. Say words like peace and groovy. Bury my toes in the sand. Who knows, maybe even have sex on the beach.

Unable to get him out of my head, I entertain the thought of being more than just friends. I know the idea is absurd. And yet, I go with it. You see Camden Waters gets me. Really gets me. Like no other guy has before.

On this 7-mile stretch of paradise, I decide to keep things simple and just have fun…that is until fate decides to screw with me, again.

Can two people hell-bent on finding themselves realize the search should have ended the day they met? Find out in No Pants Required—a sexy, funny, romantic stand-alone, that will have you hurrying to grab your bathing suit and rushing to the beach to check out every lifeguard on duty.

breakdown

SERIESous’ Top Picks: New Adult Fave 2016
Series: Men of Laguna
Author: Kim Karr
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Unsure — more books planned
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Humour
Heat Rating: Smokin’
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: July 11, 2016 – ongoing
Source & Format: Kindle Unlimited–eBook (#1); Own–eBook

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I stumbled upon this novel when Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag did the cover reveal for it back in June. I’ll admit, the title is what caught my attention but I’ve had Kim Karr on my TBR for a long time with her Connections series.

This one sounded like a lot of fun and would make the perfect lighter read between novels. It has been a long time since I read a novel that was actually funny and I was hoping this one would break that streak.

The Plot:

Ok, I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long time! If I hadn’t started it close to midnight, I would have finished it in one sitting.

This book had a fantastic balance between fun, drama, character development and romance. It hooked me in with its fun and HILARIOUS start–seriously, I was laughing out loud during those first few chapters–making me fall in love with the characters while getting a taste for their stories.

I liked that this story wasn’t filled with lots of dramatics. By keeping it simple, you get to focus on the characters and their growth. And the characters are really what make this story.

The Characters:

I was worried I wouldn’t like Mikayla because of the synopsis. I feared that she was going to be an airhead or something. A very silly concern because she was great! I loved her story and her personal growth throughout the novel. Plus, she was pretty funny. She was exactly what this story needed.

It was a real treat that we got Cam’s POV. I definitely thought this was going to be a Single POV story when I read the synopsis. But getting inside Cam’s head was fabulous. He was so funny and charming. Plus, he has a great story as well.

The Romance:

These two complimented each other so, so well! It’s insane how much I love these two together. They would just feed off each other and it was fantastic watching them fall in love.

I was worried that this was just going to be lots of sex but that isn’t really the case. It plays a huge role in the story but honestly, there is so much substance in everything else that those scenes are just a bonus.

updates

–November 5, 2019– Book #2: Bedwrecker

This book was a lot of fun to read! It had plenty of sweet moments laced with some pretty steamy ones. From the start, these two had great chemistry and I found their story to be so easy to read. At times though, I thought some scenes were a little redundant by rehashing previous sentiments. But this book has a great flow to it so I didn’t mind to much. While it wasn’t as laugh out loud funny as its predecessor, there were some charming moments.

–November 9, 2019– Book #3: Hollywood Prince

So I had actually marked this book as one to read after viewing a Blog Tour post by Alicia @ Shooting Stars Mag before I realized that this was part of this series.

This was a solid book! It had more of a slow burn to it than the previous two novels but that was refreshing in a way because it allowed our leads to grow a bit as people and grow-up as well as get to know each other as people.

There was a lack of something–perhaps some drama?–that stopped me from becoming completely engrossed. But overall, it was an enjoyable read!

Series Rating: 4/5

No Pants Required 5/5 | Bedwreaker 4/5 | Hollywood Prince 4/5

overall

Honestly, this series is so much fun! It’s everything I want in an entertaining New Adult novel! Highly recommended for those who like lighter but well constructed contemporary romances with plenty of steam.

Read if You Like: humour, contemporary romance
Avoid if You: dislike new adult

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DNF Series Review: A Chance of Light by Claudine Kapel

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for A Chance of Light (from Goodreads):
Spaceships don’t just disappear…

When an alien spaceship vanishes after crashing in the Mojave Desert, Ryan Cole and his team are tasked with finding the craft and securing its cache of advanced technology.

The investigation proves perilous as others are also hunting for the ship, including arms dealer Antoine Drake and his alien allies.

When Cole agrees to help a woman from his past, it leads to a dangerous encounter with Drake and startling revelations about the alien presence on the planet. He finds himself in a race against time to uncover the location of the spaceship and the nature of its mission.

But discovering the secrets of beings from other worlds comes with a price. Because when humans and aliens collide, the truth can be deadly.

breakdown

Series: Ryan Cole Adventures
Author: Claudine Kapel
# of Books: 2 (A Darker Rain, A Chance of Light)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes–as far as I can tell
Genre: Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: Third Person, Multiple
Publication Dates: A Chance of Light–June 2016
Source & Format: Publisher–eARC

disclaimer

thoughts

Disclaimer: This review is only for A Chance of Light, which I stopped reading at 17%. Find out why below…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

When I was asked if I wanted to read A Chance of Light, I was excited to dive into the world of Adult Science Fiction. I love Science Fiction (anything from Star Wars to Star Trek and the galaxies in between) but when it comes to reading, I mostly stick to the occasional YA series. And with the Lorien Legacies (aka I Am Number Four Series) ending this year, I needed a new Sci-Fi work in my life.

Now, I want to be clear that I never read the first Ryan Cole adventure, A Darker Rain. I was assured that I could read A Chance of Light without reading the previous novel. So this review is only about A Chance of Light and why I didn’t finish it.

What I Liked:

–The Danger of the Unknown–

I really enjoyed the premise of the novel: mysterious ship goes down and no one knows why or how. Add to that a mortal enemy to Ryan Cole in the form of an inter-galaxy arms dealer and I was intrigued. This captured my attention and I was curious to see what this could mean for Cole and his crew…but it just took too long to get anywhere with this plot.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Too Many Characters at Once–

While I don’t think it is truly necessary to read the first Ryan Cole adventure, A Darker Rain, I think it would help reduce the character overload that occurs in the first 7 chapters of this novel. I felt like I was on the outside looking in for the first few chapters, trying to orient who was who as they were introduced.

Is that their last name or their first name the other characters refer to them as?

Is that the IT guy or another ex-military personnel?

It was overwhelming and really threw off the pacing of the story. It seemed like the idea was to throw out all the potential plot conflicts in the first ten pages and then simultaneously uncoil them all. It just didn’t work for me.

–Slow Plot–

Like I said above, this story didn’t feel like it was going anywhere anytime fast despite the various character and plot introductions.

Will I Finish It?

At this time no. It just wasn’t my cup of tea when all is said and done.

A Chance of Light Rating: DNF

overall

I don’t think I’m ready to make the leap into adult Science Fiction quite yet. If you enjoy slower stories with lots of characters, this is the Science Fiction novel for you!

Read if You Like: slow stories, lots of characters
Avoid if You: want a faster paced Sci-Fi novel

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Single Sundays: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Single Sundays: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for We Were Liars (from Goodreads):A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

breakdown

Series: We Were Liars
Author: E Lockhart
# of Books: 2 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Coming of Age, Family
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: May 2014 – May 2022
Source & Format: Public Library–eBook (#1); Audiobook (#1, #2)

thoughts

**This post was originally published as a standalone review of the first book of the series. It has now been updated to include the newest publications in the series.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

If you haven’t heard of We Were Liars, you were probably living under a rock for most of 2014. But in all honesty, it’s ok if you haven’t–I actually stumbled upon it by accident and then discovered that people have been raving about it for the last 7 months. So I put it on hold and had to wait a very long time to get it and by the time I did, it had won the 2014 Goodreads Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. So when I finally picked it up, I was excited to read it to see what all the fuss was about.

The Concept:

It is important to know that the lead narrators in both books are unreliable narrators. I mean, “liar” is in the title of both books so you have to know that deception is about. But you might not expect that your narrator is possibly lying to you.

However, I still felt a little lost as I was reading due to Candace’s way of describing things. At times I found it hard to know when she was being literal and when she was using metaphors.

When to Read Family of Liars (#0):

So I read We Were Liars YEARS ago and couldn’t remember the finer details of it. Like did I finish it wanting a book about the family when the aunts were younger? I don’t think so.

I picked up Family of Liars and then reread We Were Liars right after and my suggested reading order is (#1) We Were Liars and then read (#0) Family of Liars. Family of Liars gives away the big secret of We Were Liars within the first few chapters and I think that ruins some of the thrill of We Were Liars. Plus, the events of We Were Liars are pretty mutually exclusive from Family of Liars. They really don’t share much in common and not much of the events of Family of Liars is alluded to in We Were Liars (probably because the “prequel” came years later).

Suggested Reading order: We Were Liars (#1), Family of Liars (#0)

The Plot:

I suppose that is part of the charm of a book title “We Were Liars”: is Candace really telling the truth or is she lying? And it was fun trying to figure out what was really going on the island and that was when I really got into the book.

Why I have mixed feelings is because I read a very similar book to this called Unravel by Calia Read earlier this year. That book blew my socks off and has a very similar premise to We Were Liars (#1) in that you are trying to find out the truth about the lead’s life. I think that if I read We Were Liars first, I would have been much more impressed with it than I actually was. Unravel was much more enjoyable to me because I think its execution is a tad more put together (meaning, I never felt lost in the prose of Unravel as I did in We Were Liars).

And in Family of Liars (#0), I felt like we were just going for shock factor at times.

The Characters:

When I started reading it, I felt a little lost and a little overwhelmed  with all the character names and their family relationships. But, there is a very handy family tree at the start of the book that quickly sorted that all out for me.
I wouldn’t say I loved any particular characters and I’m not entirely sure that you are supposed to. Most of them fall into the stereotypical rich 1%ers and I think that just sets them up to be unlikable.

The Romance:

It isn’t really a focus, more of a factor that helps you understand the motive of the lead narrators.

My Audiobook Experience:

I read Family of Liars as an audiobook and then did part of my reread of We Were Liars as an audiobook as well. The productions were good and they were easy to listen to. I just struggled remembering all the characters and their relations without the family tree in front of my.

 

Series Rating: 3.5/5

Family of Liars 3/5 | We Were Liars 4/5

overall

If you have never read a book with an unreliable narrator or a rebuilding the past type of book, I think this is a great one to get your feet wet with!

Read if You Like: unreliable narrators; family drama
Avoid if You: dislike unreliable narrators; mysteries

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  • Unravel by Calia Read (Fairfax Series #1)

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Single Sundays: Silver Heart by Victoria Green

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for Silver Heart (from Goodreads):
There comes a moment in everyone’s life when they must decide which road leads to personal happiness. For Dylan Silver, this is that moment…

For the past twenty-two-years, Dylan has been living in her parents’ carefully crafted world, always putting her own dreams on hold to play the role of a dutiful daughter. When her best friend coaxes her into a winter getaway to a mountain resort, she sees it as a chance to forget about the responsibilities waiting for her at home. At least for a little while.

But then her past catches up to her—in the form of sexy snowboarder, Sawyer Carter. Six long years had passed since Dylan bid goodbye to the only boy she ever truly loved. Now he’s standing right in front of her, bringing up bittersweet memories and igniting suppressed desires as he dares her to be the person she has always wanted to be.

Dylan and Sawyer’s unexpected meeting is a second chance, but will a girl who doesn’t believe in fate and taking risks be able to overcome her fears of losing control and finally embrace the life she desperately wants?

Only one thing is certain: after a week in Whistler, Dylan’s world will never be the same.

Review:

I actually bought this book by accident one day when I was browsing the Amazon Bestseller Freebie list. I’m not sure how I managed it but it wasn’t a big deal in the end. Truth is I probably would have bought it anyways another time. I’m glad I did buy it as I enjoyed reading it!

I was expecting a sweet read but it was definitely spicier than I thought; which isn’t a bad thing. However, at times I found it a little tedious to get through because I would have rather read about their hidden feelings for each other or have seen them interacting on a more emotional level instead of a physical one all the time. Really, it isn’t a big deal because I feel like I got enough emotional connection to keep me happy in the end.

Sawyer definitely knew all the right things to say and had me swooning practically anytime he opened his mouth. He was definitely the highlight of the book for me. I almost wished his POV was included because I really enjoyed his character and his history. But he is such a good talker and constantly shared his feelings and thoughts so I didn’t feel like I was seriously deprived of anything.

But having his POV would have given me a bit of a break from Dylan. One of my biggest pet peeves about Young Adult novels is unnecessarily angsty leads and that also goes for New Adult genre novels as well. However, with New Adult novels most of the time I find that they legitimately have a reason for being angst-ridden so it doesn’t bother me as much. In the Silver Heart, I find Dylan was right on that border for me. I understood why she had the mind-set that she did given her family history but I found she harped on the same point all the time.

Warning, I’m about to go on a bit of rant. Feel free to skip to the bottom paragraph in this section if you don’t want to read it 😉

I also think it doesn’t help that I’m the same age as Dylan and I can’t fathom why she just doesn’t tell her parents “no”. Like grow a backbone and take charge of your life–you’re 22 years old for goodness’ sake and have a degree! It’s not like she was a fish completely out of water. I can understand the psychology behind why she would have a hard time telling her parents but she seemed so self-aware of it that I’m surprised it took her as long as it did to breakdown. Maybe because I have a great relationship with my parents I don’t understand why people struggle with their own independence but it drove me a little nuts.

End Rant

As for the plot: there isn’t much other than Dylan trying to find herself and trying to find out where a relationship with Sawyer fits in. So mostly it is a romance with a dash of character development.

Also, I just need to ask the following spoiler question to satisfy the logical part of me: |why couldn’t Dylan just tell Sawyer she would talk to him after the tournament? It wasn’t like she didn’t have his cell phone number…communication people!|

Conclusion:

If you are looking for a sweet (yet spicy) read about second chance romances, this is a great one for you!

Rating: 3.5/5
Would I Recommend this Book to a Friend: Perhaps.

Shorthand Stats:
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Snowboarding, Second Chances, Coming of Age
Recommended for: 18+
Heat Rating: getting hot
Point of View: First Person
Similar Reads: Out of Line by Jen McLauglin (Out of Line Trilogy #1); Playing Pretend by Juliana Haygert and He Belongs With Me by Sarah Darlington

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Series Review: All that Glows by Ryan Graudin

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

booksynopsis

Synopsis for All that Glows (from Goodreads):

Emrys—a fiery, red-headed Fae—always embraced her life in the Highlands, far from the city’s draining technology, until she’s sent to London to rejoin the Faery Guard. But this isn’t any normal assignment—she’s sent to guard Prince Richard: Britain’s notorious, partying bad boy and soon-to-be King. The prince’s careless ways and royal blood make him the irresistible for the dark spirits that feed on mortals. Sweet, disheveled, and alive with adventure—Richard is one charge who will put Emrys’s magic and heart to the test.

When an ancient force begins preying on the monarchy, Emrys must hunt through the London’s magical underworld, facing down Banshees, Black Dogs and Green Women to find the one who threatens Richard’s life. In this chaos of dark magic, palace murders and paparazzi, Emrys finds herself facing an impossible choice. For despite all her powers, Emrys has discovered a force that burns brighter than magic: love.

breakdown

Series: All that Glows
Author: Ryan Graudin
# of Books: 2 (All that Glows, All that Burns)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Faeries, Magic
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Dates: February 2014 – 2015
Source & Format: Public Library–eBook

thoughts

**This post was originally posted as a Single Sunday standalone review of the first book of the series. I have opted not to pick up the sequel.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I was really excited to read this novel because it has been a long time since I read a faery based novel and this one had a very interesting premise that hooked me in.

The Plot:

I think if you are expecting this book to be an action-packed young adult novel–you will be disappointed. While Emrys is powerful in the Guard, she isn’t a hands-on fighter as she mostly uses magic to disarm her enemies: so there are no big action scenes. I also found that the scenes where she confronts enemies are few and far between so that was disappointing though the end of the novel has a bit more action.

The Romance:

This book mostly focuses on the romance between Emrys and the prince (Richard) which was really fine by me because I wasn’t expecting a high action novel (though I would have enjoyed it!). I wish there was more interaction between the two (though it does improve later in the book) so that their relationship with each other isn’t simply based on the “connection” they have. Because this is a world of magic, I understand that something more is happening between them and it did improve as the novel progressed so that made me happy. I just wish that Richard was a few years older than 17 because I felt like he was older based on the events that unfold.

As for the plot of the “ancient force” I enjoyed the premise and how it unfolded. I wasn’t entirely sure how it was going to end so I enjoyed that aspect of it. I just wish it was a little more suspenseful along the way because it felt a little dull at times: I think it was a little bit too long and could have been a few pages shorter as a result.

updates

–January 31, 2015– Book #2: All That Burns

I coincidentally found out that this book now has a sequel when I was browsing my “New February Books” list on Goodreads today. I’m undecided about whether or not I will read this sequel. At this time, I have opted not to read it but if becomes available at my library, I might randomly grab a copy on day just to see what happens next–but I’m not dying to do so.

Series Rating: 3/5

overall

Nothing really wowed me about this book. I liked it but I wish it just had that little umph to it to make it that touch more memorable. If you want a slower paced faery-magic novel with a dash of romance, you will probably enjoy this!

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Series Review: Waking Up by Mira Lyn Kelly

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for Waking Up Married (from Goodreads):

Her first thought: “Who are you?”
It’s the morning after her cousin’s bachelorette party in Vegas and Megan Scott wakes up with the mother of all hangovers. Even worse, she’s in a stranger’s penthouse having woken up with something else as well – a funny, arrogant, sexy…husband!

Up until now, finding even a boyfriend had seemed impossible – been there, got the broken heart, sworn off men for good. Then a few martinis with Carter…no, Connor Reed and she’s gone from first meet to marriage in one night!

Megan wants a lawyer. But Connor’s shocking bombshell?

“I don’t want a divorce.”

breakdown

Author: Mira Lynn Kelly
# of Books: 2 (Waking Up Married, Waking Up Pregnant)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Date: December 2012 – March 2014
Source & Format: Own (Kindle)–eBook

thoughts

**This post was originally posted as a Standalone review of the first book of the series. I have opted not to pick up the sequel.**

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I got this book for free for my Kindle and read it right away.

My Review:

Although I don’t enjoy reading love at first sight novels, this one didn’t bother me too much despite being a one. I actually felt like there was a good connection between Megan and Connor–not enough to get married within 24 hours of meeting each other but, hey, it’s fiction after all (and set in Vegas)!

It was a good, light-hearted read that had me smiling by the end of it. It was funny and charming and the characters were likeable.

My Rating: 4/5

overall

Fans of contemporary romance will really enjoy this book! Just be sure to go into it looking for a light-hearted read and have some fun!

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  • The Secret Wedding Dress by Ally Blake

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