Sunday, July 21, 2013

Left Drowning --- Jessica Park


Left Drowning

Jessica Park

*Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchanged for honest review*

What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.


My thoughts and ponderations---

Not every book is meant for every person. 
We are all walking on different roads and sometimes a book that may just have been “meh” to one person is another’s kick in the ass.

Left Drowning is one of my 2013 favorites.

This books deals with death, love, insecurities, masks, and finally trust.

What I loved…
First of all this book is not YA --- The adult content is heavy, however, I never felt uncomfortable or as if the author was distasteful.

This book does not begin as most, where the main character is suffering through their darkest moments, instead, this novel opens on the journey to saving ones self.

Immediately we are introduced to Blythe, who has spent the better part of 4 years in a fog. She lost her parents in a fire, and in return lost everything and everyone else in her life.

She wakes up one morning and begins pondering a few changes that need to be made in her life. Firstly, she needs to stop getting drunk every other night, maybe start running... But mainly, Blythe needs to find a way to rekindle her relationship with her younger brother James.

Within the first pages of this book we are introduced to my favorite character. The one who absolutely stole my heart – Sabin…
Is Sabin Blythe’s love interest? No, but is Sabin mine --- DARN STRAIGHT! SO, thank you Blythe, for leaving me with my Sabin.

Sabin is a theatrical junior at Matthew’s college where Blythe attends. Their interactions over a cup of coffee immediately throw Blythe into a flurry of events that open the floodgates for pain but also healing in her life.

Chirs… Oh don’t worry, I need not tell you anything about Chris… He should remain a delicious secret… Yummmmm Tastic ;)

This novel is more than Blythe’s story… It’s everyone who she comes into contact with and the new family she builds in a group of misfits and broken hearts.

In the novel, you begin to realize one person cannot save their entire family from heartbreak. Sometimes, you just need to be there to pull then out, incase they are drowning.   




What needs to happen next… Sabin… my big loveable Sabin… You need to find love… Soooo… Jessica Park???? What will it be? J




Saturday, July 13, 2013

The Infinite Moment of Us


The Infinite Moment of Us

Copy provided by NetGalley!



This whimsical tale initially attracted me due to its creative cover.
Seriously, it’s gorgeous!

I never read the synopsis, I just pick it up and said “Hey, you look fancy!” and that was the end of the discussion!

I would have finished this book much earlier…  However, the day I sat down with this book was the day I also found out I was 5 weeks pregnant and miscarried in a cozy ER in Reno, NV… So, between the emotional ups and downs I was experiencing… I felt I connected a tiny bit more with this novel…

No, there aren’t any miscarriages or pregnancies… there is love, however, in the purest form I may have ever read.

This book is marketed as YA… I am not sure why the author or publishers or whomever did this, because it may be its biggest drawback. This novel is definitely a NA (New Adult) novel… The content is not vulgar in any form, in fact is more naïve and exploratory. This is an extremely innocent novel about two high school graduates learning to live for themselves and not for their families.  

The climate of the story was pretty vanilla… possibly the author may have wanted to take more time developing a heart wrenching scene… and the ending was climatic and then bam “The End” …  But I was pretty amazed at how well she developed the supporting characters, Tessa and P.G.


If you are looking for a swooning story and perhaps a little of your innocence, this may be the next novel for you.  

Saturday, July 6, 2013

The Covenant Series - Jennifer L. Armentrout








Young Adult
Paranormal, Greek Mythology, Romance, Awesomeness

Coming down from my Lux high... I was extremely eager to begin another JLA series!

When I found the Covenant Novels, I wasn’t thrilled with the book covers. I know… How lame, but that has a huge influence of the novels I read! However, the books were extremely inexpensive so I figured I give it a go…

After Daimon and Half-Blood I was captivated.

Our story begins with Alex in the mortal world…
Alex is a Half-Blood, born of a Pureblood and a mortal.

When Alex was a young adolescent, her Pureblood mother takes her away from the safety of the Covenant, where she has been training to be a Half-Blood Sentinel (a warrior). 

Alex becomes bitter and angry with her mother. 
She has never lived in the mortal world, and life outside the covenant is an extreme adjustment. 
Not to mention, she is no longer fighting and using her super Half-Blood strength on a daily basis.

Pureblood and Half-Bloods have one enemy (with the exception of an angry god) and that enemy is a Daimon.

Daimon’s are Purebloods who have turned (kinda like a zombie) and “live” to suck the essence from Purebloods (or a vampire I suppose).

And a Daimon is responsible for changing the course of Alex’s life.

 
Alex is an extremely stubborn and strong female character.

And Aiden, well Aiden is her Pureblood trainer. 
Who just happens to ridiculously hot. 

This story is filled with vibrant characters.

Alex and Aiden have perfect chemistry and their story is one of passion, mistakes, and the courage to endure...

The final book Sentinel is released in 
November of 2013!






Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Obsession ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout



NEW ADULT 
An ARUM Novel
JLA


Most people grow up knowing right from wrong.

For example, it is wrong to kick puppies and babies.
Or it is wrong to hit a parked car and at the very least not leave an “I’m sorry” note!



Well… I have grown up knowing that the Arum are smoky, skeazy bastards!
UNTIL! Ms. Armentrout introduces us to this hot piece of… of… ALIEN, HUNTER!


Just FYI… I feel like the cover does not do Hunter justice in my mind… This guy…
He looks like a douche canoe.

SO, this entire novel all I hear is LUXEN BAD, ARUM GOOD and my mind is completely fried!

But did I love it? Of freakin course!

Hunter is a bad ass Arum who is kinda like a bounty hunter. He has been hired by the DOD (bad) to get Luxens under control. Who knew? Right?!
Because once again, Luxens have always been good!

And who is Serena? She is simply a young female brought into a gigantic cluster fritter by her best friend Mel.

After some unfortunate events, Serena is put under Hunters watch.

These two have spicy relationship.

Honestly, I love Daemon and Katy… they are still my favorite. But I do wish that I had an adult version of the Lux Series… As we all know, Daemon just makes your skin crawl with all sorts …. stuff.
As much as I enjoyed Serena and Hunters relationship… Katy and Daemon have the best chemistry of all fictional friends.

Tons of useful information is provided in this novel regarding the DOD, the Arum, and the Luxen… also we are given a hint as to what Orgins may be about.





Luc and Paris make an appearance… and we even get a little bit of a Daemon show time… a little, not enough… but I still went all mushy.


FANTASTIC READ! 
But TOTALLY adult in content! 
You have been warned.

Oh yeah *squeals* 
This little ditty comes out in AUGUST!


Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?