Book Review: Effortless by S.C. Stephens

Effortless by S.C. Stephens
My rating: 5.0/5.0
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publish Date: January 8, 2013
Source: Scribd subscription




My Review:
I'm not sure what took me so long to read the second book in this series when I read Thoughtless in one day before it came out. I'm guessing life and my mood got in the way, because it wasn't getting into this book. Effortless, was well, effortless for me to read. Complete and total brain candy in the best way.

After reading how Kiera and Kellan got together in Thoughtless, I understand how they had trust issues in Effortless. And that was what this book mainly dealt with. Through it all I was cheering for them to make it. And at times it was painful to watch, the misunderstandings, the deceit, but I never wanted to quit reading. I just wanted them to work it out in their way. And that was what was great, watching them work to persevere through the trials they were given. Relationships aren't easy and you have to work at them.

I like Kiera and can relate to her. The lack of self-confidence, the way that all goes out the window when she drinks and the utter devotion of her partner, Kellan. However I am lucky to be in an almost 23-year-relationship. But I think even with time and maturity there are always doubts in our minds. Maybe not to the extreme that Kellan and Kiera deal with, but in truth I think the story is easy to relate to for anyone.

I love Kellan and Kiera. Both are interesting characters in their own right. Kellan, the damaged male up and coming rock star. Kiera from a normal family and raising but she makes that one mistake for true love that haunts her and her relationship. Both carry their scars and their hangups about their relationship. And I like them for this. I also like watching them grow and mature through the book. While my wonderful husband is no rock star, we did deal with long-distance relationship for 5 years while we went to colleges 8 hours apart one year and 3 hours apart for the rest. I understand them and the storyline well (okay we're both from fairly normal families, but still it's easy to relate to).

The storyline moved fast and I couldn't wait to read it each day. The last night of reading I almost finished it, but my eyes kept closing no matter how I tried to stay up reading to 1am (with work the next day).

So this book was an awesome second installment in a series. I am one who often finds the second book doesn't interest me like the first and third do, but S.C. Stephens has done an amazing job with the second book, making it just as interesting as the first book. There is definitely no lag in the series here for me and I can't wait to read Reckless and then read Thoughtful from Kellan's POV.

About Effortless:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author S.C. Stephens comes the new adult series everyone is talking about, and a love triangle you won't forget.

After being caught in the middle of a love triangle that led to a devastating betrayal, Kiera pledged to learn from the mistakes she'd made. She was determined to never again inflict that kind of pain on anyone, especially the soulful, talented man who held her heart. But life offers new challenges for every relationship, and when Kiera's love is put to the ultimate test, will it survive? Love is easy, trust is hard.

Challenges:

Outdo Yourself
Contemporary Romance

***I read this book through my Scribd subscription. I was not compensated in any way for this review. ***

If You Stay by Courtney Cole Release Day Blitz + Review + 2 Giveaways

IF YOU STAY by Courtney Cole 
Pub date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Forever Trade Paperback; $12.00

My Review:
Wow, what a book.  Pax really is an ass at least at first and Mila is so sweet and innocent.  But this story really changes everything and I read it in an afternoon and loved it.

The story starts out very dark.  Pax uses drugs and while not an addict he almost overdoses, only saved by the fact that Mila just happens to come along.  Mila is still reeling from her parents death two years ago and feels some strange connection to Pax that leads her to his hospital room to check on him after the almost-overdose.  There a connection between the two of them begins to form.  And of course there are setbacks along the way.  You would expect no less in a New Adult book, but there is also a love story that was truly enjoyable.

The story feels real. There are many struggles, there are issues with trust, there is love.  But in the end will love be enough to hold these two together?  Well you will just have to see.

A solid New Adult book that I enjoyed every minute of. The characters while flawed (or not really in Mila's case) were great to watch the growth in. The romance was real, the struggles real and I enjoyed the storyline immensely.  If you haven't read If You Stay yet, then this is definitely one to put on your list!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

About the Book:

Twenty-four-year-old Pax Tate is an asshole. Seriously. He's a tattooed, rock-hard bad boy with a tough attitude to match. His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with an intense guilt that he doesn't understand. What he does know is that he and his dad were left alone, and they have never been close. Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the black void in his soul. He pretends that the emptiness isn't there and this has always worked . . . until he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air that Pax has never known in his life. He doesn't know how to not hurt her-but he quickly realizes that he'd better figure it out because he needs her to breathe. When the memories of his mother's death resurface to haunt Pax, Mila is there to save him from his overwhelming guilt. Mila restores his broken heart, even as she evokes his powerful, sexual desires. Now for Pax to keep Mila, he needs to work on his issues-and stop being an asshole. But is that enough to make her stay?

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About the author:

Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives near Lake Michigan with her family.  She's always working on her next project... or staring dreamily out her office window.  To learn more about her, please visit http://www.courtneycoleauthor.com/

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My Giveaway:
One paperback copy of If You Stay by Courtney Cole (mailed from publisher, US/Canada only)

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***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Third Degree by Julie Cross: Review

Third Degree by Julie Cross
Publisher: Flirt
Pub Date: March 25, 2014
ISBN:  9780553390346

Genre: New Adult

My Rating: 5.0/5.0





My Review:
What a fascinating read.  It's like Gray's Anatomy meets college life.  I love the mix of the medical with "Izzy" trying to learn to lead a normal 19-year-old's life in college.  I was taken in by the first page, but the further the book went the more involved I was.  This isn't a simple story by far and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and following the plot.

Since Izzy doesn't get into the residency program at 19, she decides with the help of her shrink to go back and have life experiences and learn to relate to others her own age in hopes that in 6-months she can retest and get her life back on track.  Of course to begin with it's pretty much a disaster.  Izzy has hardly been around her peers during her life and has a hard time relating to normal college life.  Enter Marshall the insanely hot RA on her floor.  There is chemistry and he has a real desire to help her acclimate to college life better and have real life experiences a 19-year-old should have.

At this point you know a romance will ensue, but the way it happens I never expected.  And from that point on I was fully invested in the book and the characters.  Izzy and Marsh were great.  Both finding their way together.  The turns the book take were sometimes heartbreaking but they had purpose.  The book was very well-thought out and planned to me and I enjoyed everything about it.

Looking for a little bit of medical life in your New Adult?  Third Degree is just the book for you.  Marsh and Izzy are amazing characters who take on a life of their own.  With each other and through other things they both grow and mature during the book and the journey is exciting to watch.  The romance is hot, the growth is great and I just can't say enough about this wonderful book. Read it and enjoy!

Summary

Fans of Monica Murphy and Tammara Webber will savor this New Adult novel—a story about coming of age in the heat of the moment—from Julie Cross, the internationally bestselling author of the Tempest trilogy.

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

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Author Biography (from Goodreads):

I'm the author of the YA sci-fi trilogy, the Tempest series (St. Martin's Press). I'm also the author of the YA contemporary novel, Letters To Nowhere.

But even more importantly than the above, I'm a fan of books and an avid reader/reviewer. Keep in mind, however, that a review is just one person's opinion, one perspective. My goal is to show as much bias in my reviews as possible because this makes it easier for you to decide if your perspective is similar to mine or different. Everyone's tastes are different. I like books with emotion and believability. I don't mind edgy and heavy themes. I also like humor and quirk. I like weird characters in odd situations.

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***I received this book from the publisher on Netgalley for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Pulled Beneath by Marni Mann: Blog Tour & Review

Pulled Beneath by Marni Mann
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN:  9781620152195

Genre: New Adult
Bar Harbor Series #1
Paperback, 244 pages

My Rating: 5.0/5.0





 
My Review:

I was definitely pulled into Pulled Beneath from the very first page and I was held captivated until the last.  I like how this series pretty much ties up one couples' story with each book, or I assume that is the way it will be.  I know from reading the sneak peak at the end that Pulled Within will be Rae's story.  Yet it's still very much new adult with the struggles the characters face and the inherit darkness to the book.  I like having an ending yet knowing there is more to the story of the characters of Bar Harbor.

Pulled Beneath is the story of Drew and Saint (Justin).  It's a very interesting storyline that brings a Florida girl who loses her parents to her recently deceased grandparents' home in Bar Harbor, Maine.  The trick is she thought her grandparents were long dead and there are a lot of secrets that she hasn't learned yet.  With every turn in Bar Harbor she seems to be becoming more attached to her surrounding and finding more and more secrets.  It's fascinating and the premise really worked for me and kept me reading.

Drew, Saint, Brady, Rae, Gianni, and Shane were all great characters.  Since this was about Drew and Saint, I will focus on them.  Drew was broken before her parents' death and it leaves her even more in a downward spiral.  It doesn't seem like it as much through her eyes, except for the fact she trudges through each day.  But when we see her through what Saint sees as well, we see that things are much worse than we thought.  Not that Saint doesn't have his own demons, which are revealed in time.  Saint is the town man-whore or at least he appears to be.  But he and Drew are drawn together.  Both characters came to life for me.  I felt their pain, their numbness, their joy and their concern.  I loved them.  Their attraction is electric and it comes through on the pages loud and clear.  The struggles, the love, the attraction and the secrets all make both characters really interesting and this story very intriguing.

If you are looking for a slightly more intriguing New Adult novel and series, then Pulled Beneath is just for you.  There are secrets galore, wonderful friendships, tentative new love, lots of struggles and anything else you expect in a great New Adult novel.  I could not put it down.  I had to know what would happen next and I was sad at the end because I have to wait for the next one.  As I mentioned before, this one pretty much ties itself up at the end, but I am now invested in these characters and can't wait to know more of the secondary characters when they become primary characters!  Great job Ms. Mann on crafting a wonderful heartfelt book!

Summary

What happens when you uncover years of secrets and find out everything you thought to be true was a lie?

Drew Stevens finds her world turned upside down when her parents are brutally murdered. Soon after, she learns she inherited a property in Bar Harbor, Maine from recently deceased grandparents that she believed had died when she was a baby.

Drew travels north to settle her grandparents’ estate, but finds more questions than answers as the truth starts unraveling. What she didn’t expect to find was Saint, whose reputation was as tumultuous as his past. But the very thing that brought them together was the same thing that kept them emotionally caged.

With Saint’s scars so deep and Drew’s so fresh, can the pair heal from their painful wounds or will they be pulled beneath the darkness of their pasts?

Buy Links

Author Biography

A New Englander at heart, Marni Mann is now a Floridian inspired by the sandy beaches and hot pink sunsets of Sarasota. She taps mainstream appeal and shakes worldwide taboos, taking her readers on a dark and breathtaking journey.

When she’s not nose deep in her laptop, she’s scouring for chocolate, traveling, reading, or walking her four-legged children. 

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***I received this book from the publicist for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Fix You by Christine Bell Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

"Fresh, sexy, and addicting--you won't want to put it down!"—New York Times Bestselling Author Jen McLaughlin

FIX YOU is part one in the new adult McDaniels Brothers serials from USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Christine Bell. Fans of Monica Murphy, Jen McLaughlin, and H.M. Ward will be seduced by Bash and Olivia's story and will look forward to a new installment in this ongoing family saga every month!

Want to learn more about FIX YOU? Be sure to check out this exclusive interview with Christine Bell!

Follow the tour and win some awesome prizes!

Fix You, Bash and Olivia Book 1 by Christine Bell

Series: The McDaniels Brothers

Publisher: Christine Bell

Pub Date: March 31, 2014

Genre: New Adult

My Rating: 5.0/5.0
My Review:
What a wonderful first installment in this series.  It reads quick, I became fully invested in the characters and I cannot wait to read Fix You, Bash and Olivia Book 2. 

I was taken in from the first page and from the first moment that Sebastian "Bash" and Olivia's lives collide on one fateful evening.  And then I was held captive until the last word.  Now I am eagerly awaiting to see how their story continues, especially after that ending!

Olivia and Bash came to life for me on the page.  The book is shorter so there seems to be not much time for development, but I felt I really got to know both characters even in the short number of pages and I am cheering for them to overcome the issues that are before them, even though they seem mountainous.

Ms. Bell has crafted a very interesting story that is easy to read in one sitting and will have you wanting more.  I cannot wait for the second installment.  That was not enough of Bash and Olivia, I need more!  But it is an excellent start to a series.


About the Book:

Olivia Beckett’s once-charmed life is falling apart. Her family is about to lose everything, and she has almost no chance of continuing her college education. She can't even seek solace from her high school sweetheart. He's changed. She doesn't recognize the boy she used to know— his violent behavior is escalating and it scares the hell out of her. Her whole world is crumbling, and she has no one to turn to……

Sebastian “Bash” McDaniels is an up and comer in the boxing world working nights at the local college bar until he can land the fight of his dreams that will get him the hell out of Boston and away from his family's tragic past. He’s weeks from his goal when Olivia Beckett comes tumbling into his life in a flash of silky dark hair and haunted eyes. When he saves her from a potentially brutal beating, they begin to grow close, but Olivia's ex isn’t ready to let her go so easily.

Bash can't bring himself to walk away, but fixing Olivia just might leave him broken…

About the Author:

Christine Bell is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romances, and one half of the happiest couple in the world. She doesn't like clowns or bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but loves movies, football, and playing Texas Hold 'Em. Writing is her passion, but if she had to pick another occupation, she’d be a wizard. She loves writing fun, sexy romance and deep, emotional new adult novels, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to dig his eyes out with rusty spoons.

Subscribe to Christine’s mailing list for exclusive content, ARCs, giveaways and more!

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Giveaway:
A $50 e-giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice, open internationally) and an opportunity to have a character named after the winner in serial #3 of The McDaniels Brothers series!



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***I received this book from the publicist for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Book Review: The Wanderers by Jessica Miller

The Wanderers by Jessica Miller
Publisher: Jessica Miller
Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2012
ISBN:  9781481171410
ASIN: B00AKC0SL4

Genre: Paranormal, New Adult

My Review:
Here's how I work a lot of the time.  An author, publicist or someone asks me to review a book.  I read the summary, decide I want to review it and then a few weeks later read the book.  I purposely don't re-read the summary because sometimes they tell me too much about the book and I form opinions up front.  So when I started The Wanderers, I had no idea what it was about (I can't seem to remember yesterday, but if When Doves Cry by Prince comes on the radio I can sing every word).  And I liked not knowing.  I went into the book with a clean slate and excited.

The Wanderers did not disappoint.  I was hooked from the first page.  Ella enticed me.  She's a nice girl, she's been through a rough time and she just wants to start over at college.  But there is a family secret and that leads to the start of the buildup of tension in the story.  Then there is college, Ella's best friend Josie who is interesting and Jack and Tristan.  I liked Jack okay, I had a friend like him in college.  But I loved Tristan.  Loved the love-hate relationship Ella had with him.  Even with his faults I knew he had a good heart.

There is a lot of back and forth and Ella could seem wishy-washy at times, but I really didn't feel that she was.  She really was trying to work out her feelings for Tristan, a known playboy which she didn't like yet she was attracted to him.  And Ella is the girl that can make a bad boy into a great man for one woman.  So the love/attraction part of the story is quite intriguing.  But that's not all there is to this book.  I'm not giving any spoilers, but let's say the book did not lack action.  I found it exciting the whole way through. The tension built well and though everything happens fast at the end, I never felt like it was rushed.  The pacing of the book was great, it hooked me and kept me enthralled until the very end.

The paranormal element is great and well-done.  I'm still not sure whether to classify this as New Adult or not, it's not YA because they are in college, but while there is some grittiness to the book, it's not as gritty as what I consider New Adult, but then again I think the true definition of the genre (kids in their late teens, early twenties trying to find themselves and their way in the world) then this does qualify.  Ella, Josie, Jack are all somewhat typical kids in their late teens feeling their way through the college scene, dating and just making up their minds (or not) about life.  So it does work.

Overall this book is stellar and I was so glad the author allowed me to read this and had Reborn (The Wanderers #2) also ready for me to review so I could jump right into reading it.  So I'm reading it now, look for it's review next week.  But if it's anything like The Wanderers, I'm in for  another fun ride that will keep me up late at night to see what will happen next!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Summary

What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets? Secrets that could get you killed...

Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.

Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her.

When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust.

When she finally learns the truth of her family's deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.

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Author Biography (from Goodreads):

I live in a fantasy world and have an over active imagination. But the best part about that is I never stop creating new characters and new stories to share. I love writing and expressing myself in a way that everyone else can enjoy as well. I work in the salon most days, but when i'm not doing hair, I'm writing or reading.

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***I received this book from the author for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Book Review: Unraveled by Jen Frederick

Unraveled by Jen Frederick

Genre: New Adult Romance

Review:
Unraveled is a very interesting book. The third in the Woodlands series, but the first I have read, it works great as a stand-alone, but you can bet on it that I am going back to read more about Noah and Bo who were in the Marines with Gray the main character of this book.

Full of alpha males who joke around, fight sometimes and just generally enjoy each other's company Unraveled wins on that alone.  I live in the middle of two Marine bases, one of them I believe is the largest on the East Coast so I grew up thinking men with short hair and buff bods were hot (of course not all of them are buff in reality, but the majority look pretty good).  However as most parents around here do, they warn you off the Marines, lol!  Of course we were 16-18 at the time, I think if I would have been older they would have been perfectly fine, in fact I have a brother-in-law who is a Marine and I adore him.  Okay my thoughts aside, I also like the way the guys act.  Typically guys in my age group don't act like this (or maybe they do in the service) but I do know the younger guys do.  There is a different camaraderie with guys now, than there was 15-20 years ago.  And I love the camaraderie that is shown between Bo, Noah and Gray.  These guys have been through it all together and have a strong friendship.  But when Gray starts wondering about what Bo and Noah have now in their relationships and Sam enters the picture things get interesting.

Sam is a great main character too.  She is a widowed young woman and I mean young.  Her husband died in service with the Army and when he died she was robbed of her life and plans too.  So she has just been coasting along for two years with her husband's things still scattered around her condo, a job bartending and half the time she sleeps in her childhood room at her parents'.  And even though she is coasting I can feel her silent strength and I like that.  As a crocheter, I like that she knits as well showing that there is a younger generation working in the needlearts.  But the story picks us as Gray enters the picture. At first she feels lust and she doesn't even want to feel that for another man in the service.  But she does, but slowly there is something more and it scares her.  But  not as much as it scares him since he's been hurt in the past and truly believes there are no good relationships when you are in the service.  But of course they learn to trust and that's what makes the story awesome.  And at the center too is the fact that Gray is up for re-enlistment and has 45 days of leave (which is why he's in Sam, Bo and Noah's town) to decide what to do.  And what will he do? Well that you have to read the book for.

But know this, Unraveled is full of great characters, attraction that will scorch your ereader (have your significant other handy, just a warning), romance, a lot of humor, friendship and good fun.  While New Adult at it's core, this is ultimately a feel-good book and not as gritty as some New Adult.  But it's wonderful and has me clamoring for more of Jen Frederick's characters and storylines.  So read it and come back and let me know what you thought (or what you thought if you have already read it).  It's an A+ in my book.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Summary

Twenty-five-year-old Sgt. Gray Phillips is at a crossroads in his life: stay in the Marine Corps or get out and learn to be a civilian? He’s got forty-five days of leave to make up his mind but the people in his life aren’t making the decision any easier. His dad wants him to get out; his grandfather wants him to stay in. And his growing feelings for Sam Anderson are wreaking havoc with his heart…and his mind. He believes relationships get ruined when a Marine goes on deployment. So now he’s got an even harder decision to make: take a chance on Sam or leave love behind and give his all to the Marines.

Twenty-two year old Samantha Anderson lost her husband to an IED in Afghanistan just two months after their vows. Two years later, Sam is full of regrets—that she didn’t move with her husband to Alaska; that she allowed her friends to drift away; that she hasn’t taken many chances in life. Now, she’s met Gray and taking a risk on this Marine could be her one opportunity to feel alive and in love again. But how can she risk her heart on another military man who could share the same tragic fate as her husband?

Excerpt

THIS WAS ONLY TEMPORARY, I reminded myself, as Samantha so sweetly kissed me back. I'm only here for a short time I reminded myself but as I felt her tongue stroke the side of my tongue, as she nipped her teeth against my lip, I wanted to just drown in the sensation. Her scent filled my head and the air around us shrank until all I knew was her small body sitting so close to mine. I moved my hand from her shoulder to cup her neck and angled her face for deeper penetration. I licked every inch inside of her mouth until the taste of her was all that I knew on my tongue.

And all that time I stared in to her green eyes and not once did she look like she was anywhere but right here with me. I saw my reflection there. Her heartbeat was made wild by my kisses.

And temporary was the farthest thing from my mind.

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Author Biography

Bestselling author Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She's been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://jenfrederick.com

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***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***