ARC Review: Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Title: Transparent
Author: Natalie Whipple
Pages: 368 pages
Format acquired: Paperback (ARC)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published on: May 21st 2013
Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Christine!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

It seems that more and more books with very creative storylines have come up nowadays. Or maybe it's really just me getting to know more authors and their respective writing styles. For years I've been trapped in so many repetitive, cliche and overused chick-lit stories that I've become some sort of accurate book analyzer by just looking at the cover/summary. And while I'm not trashing these cupcake stories (by all means, I love to read them every now and then) that leads me to think: "what about those who want more variety?" It really wouldn't kill you to add something new or maybe even crazy to it. I mean, that's why we read books right? So we could magically transport ourselves to another imaginary world while staying in our real one. We readers crave the quirky, crazy side of the literature world and the if you give the impossible a reason to be possible, all the greater and better. Go big or go home!!

So Transparent really came as a treat for me. Invisible teenage girl? Risky mafia business? Possible love interest? Oh boy. Sign me right up, baby! I never thought someone would be brilliant enough to put all those elements together. I had all these questions in my head! "How on earth could you fall in love with someone invisible?!" (I know love is blind, but invisible altogether?! How...) and "How did she get to be that way? Was she exposed to extreme radiation ala X-Men?" and thankfully, all these questions we answered throughout the novel. I also really like how it was written. All the explanations you needed was put in front and as the story progressed, you knew more and more. It really kept my mind rolling so it didn't feel like the book was predictable or dragging in any way.

Fiona for me is a really strong character. She tries to be strong for both herself and her mother but sometimes she's too hard on both of them. I guess this is only because she really doesn't want to be with her father anymore but sometimes, I felt that she wasn't giving her mom enough chance to really prove herself (mother) as a capable parent to Fiona and that she'd keep her word. Granted, this isn't the first time her mom chickens out but still. Fiona also thinks like normal teenagers do. None of that shying away from attention that she wants. I mean, if I were invisible, I wouldn't shave anything because nobody can see me anyway! Fiona and I both agreed on that. Haha! But like her, I would put extra special attention to what my clothes look like because again, it's the only thing people see on you. No pretty face to make up for bad outfit choices (I'm mildly vain like that) I guess the fact that Fiona is invisible is what makes her so versatile for us readers. We all feel invisible at a point in our lives and here is where Fiona's character comes in. I feel that she is made with a huge chunk of "her" missing so that we can relate to her more. Because I don't know about you, but I cannot relate well to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American as the Asian that I am. Hohoho. While the book is really just about Fiona and her mom running away, I can't help but give it to Ms. Whipple for adding some romance action in there. The romance was cute and sweet. Not really enough for the kissy types of books but just enough to let you know it's there. It isn't in-your-face love. It's more like a happy crush with they way the book projected it. The way Fiona also kind of "grew up" in this book was remarkable. She comes from a shy, touchy girl to someone who now enjoys the company of many other people. Even if it is just two people and their siblings! :D

Most of the past reviews I've read are a love it or hate it kind of thing. You either enjoy the book a lot or you curse it to the end of the world. So read at your own risk. But in totality, I'd really recommend this book to anyone who wants a light, fun read. Awesome job, Ms. Whipple!

Rating:

Review: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Title: From What I Remember
Authors: Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas
Pages: 462 pages
Format acquired: Hardcover
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published on: May 15th 2012
Source: Purchased from Fully Booked
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



KYLIE: Mexico? What a nightmare! I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY! Wait! Is this a wedding band on my finger??

MAX: It started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics and it ended in Ensenada. It was hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded here, with less than twenty-four hours before graduation.

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

LILY: This cannot be happening. It's like some cruel joke. Or a bad dream. I close my eyes and when I reopen them, they're still there. Max and Kylie Flores, freak of the century. In bed together. If Kylie thinks I'm giving him up without a fight, she's dead wrong.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

When I read the summary, I thought that this would be like a Hangover-esque type of story (like the Movie) I mean, hello? Stranded in a foreign place looking for something? Sounds like a Wolf Pack adventure! Though in the movie, it was a someONE not something. But you get the point. So anyway, curiosity got the best of me and I cracked this baby open. Minutes later, I was cracking up with laughter. This book may be one of the funniest lot I've ever read. Will Birxby is now in my favorite gay male character category. Right up there with Magnus Bane. Though I never really heard of this book until then, I assure you, it will make up for the lost publicity with humorous dialogues and catchy one-liners.

Speaking of characters...

The book starts off with Max And Kylie together in Mexico with a suspicious ring around her finger. The story leading up to that point is quite large but then again, weird things happen. Max sounds like he's a sex god, which I hope he is and if they ever make a movie out of this (which I hope they will) I hope they pick someone delicious and smoldering. Just like what Max should be. Their steady, budding romance doesn't hurt either. I really enjoyed the slow build-up of the chemistry between them. Too many books make that romance appear in just a page and I sometimes find it hard to believe. I'd prefer a slow, languid build up rather than a "hey presto" one. The progression of the story really cracked me up though I thought that their side problems were a wee bit misplaced. I mean, like it was put there just for the sake of it. The story could have done well of without them tiny mishaps. Kylie for me was a little average. Given, that's what the authors may have made her to be, but she's borderline "meh". She does have her good points though. Like how she is a little high-strung and frantic. At first I was like "blegh" but then I grew to like her, like every character in the book. Even Lily. Ah yes, our resident mean girl. She's the person you'd love to hate and has an arsenal of mean retorts and snappy one-liners. But even with all her nastiness, I found myself to be sympathetic and actually liking her a little bit. But the character I loved the most would me Mr. Birxby. Something about a flamboyant gay character makes the book a hundred times more hilarious. I love how he's just there taking care of Kylie... even when she is nowhere near him. And how he constantly dishes out quotes from movies. I'm even happier that I knew most of the quotes. (Yay Me! :D) But really, having Will Birxby added in the storyline really made it lighter and funnier.

Normally, I'd get confused with the whole multiple POV thing, and at first I was a little skeptic about the whole thing but after a few POVs from each of them, you'll find that it isn't hard to read because they are all so distinct in their own way that you'd know right away who would be narrating even without looking at the header.

So all in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone who'd want a good laugh and a happy romance. Good job, Ms. Kramer and Ms. Thomas! :)

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Waiting on Wednesday/s are hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine in which you choose a book or books that you're excited and waiting for.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday book is:

Title: Losing Hope (Hopeless #2)

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication date: July 9th 2013

Pre-order the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

WHY I AM DYING FOR THIS:

I'm not if you all know about my insanely unhealthy obsession with all things Colleen Hoover, but now you do. Hopeless was absolutely perfect (check out my review HERE.) And I don't doubt that Losing Hope will be just as great. I can't wait to get into Holder's mind because I know that there's so many facets of his personality/mind that we have yet to see. I'm literally shaking with excitement as I am typing this. Colleen Hoover is such a talented author and I know that I will be forever a fan of hers... And so will my mom. I am not above maiming/bribing/blackmailing/virgin sacrificing/seducing/biting/spanking someone for an ARC of this. Just... Desperation. Why must you be so addictive, Colleen. WHY.

What's your WoW pick this week? Leave us a comment and we'll check it out! :)

Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1)
Author: Susan Ee
Pages: 283 pages
Format acquired: Paperback
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Published on: August 28th 2012
Source: Purchased from Fully Booked
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

It's so rare to find a angel-themed book that differentiates itself from other books of the same genre. I always have this mentality that when I read a book that's based off of very mainstream themes, it's not going to be as good as its predecessors, but Angelfall certainly proved me wrong. Angelfall is literally the best angel-themed book I have ever read. It puts the Hush, Hush series to shame and whatever else you can think of. It's such a different yet very out of the box take on angels and that's what makes it so appealing. Susan Ee took a very popular paranormal idea and turned it into something more.

Angelfall is set in a Post-Apocalyptic world where God has sent angels to pretty much destroy everything on Earth. And now, the humans are forming rebellions, angels are killing people and seventeen-year-old girls are on the run, what's not to be excited about? When Penryn's handicapped little sister, Paige, is taken from her by an angel, she finds herself in a huge pickle. Especially since her sister was taken because Penryn decided to help a white-winged angel being attacked by other angels. (White-winged angel's wings were cut off by his aggressors.) So what does Penryn do? She takes the unconscious angel, holds his wings captive and forces the angel to help her. And that's how Penryn and  Raffe's explosive duo came to be.

There's never a dull moment when it comes to Penryn. If I'm not laughing my socks off, I'm on the verge of tears. Penryn is one of those teenaged girls who were forced to grow up at such an early age. Because of the fact that her mom is a complete religious nut, she couldn't be relied on by either Penryn nor her other daughter, Paige. So now, it's up to Penryn to take care of both her sister and her mother. I honestly felt that it was just unfair that she had so much responsibility being placed on her shoulders but when the world is ending and you're trying to survive, I guess you really can't be picky as to who gets the responsibility. The fact that Penryn managed to still have a sense of humor really made the book all the more lively. I don't think that I would have survived the story's gloomy setting if it weren't for Penryn and Raffe's quips and antics. Penryn's desperation was what really drove her to great lengths to find her sister, it was like a shot of adrenaline in her system. My heart hurt for her and I wanted to attack everyone that belittled and threatened Penryn. Rage!

You'd think that because there's an extremely hot and extremely unorthodox angel present that you'd have a ton of romance-y scenes but no, that wasn't the case with Angelfall. I think Penryn was too busy worrying over her sister to try and jump Raffe. I really liked that fact that it wasn't really focused on the romantic aspect though. It gave the book a sense of realism and it emphasized the more important parts of the book, such as Penryn and Raffe's struggles, the super badass fight scenes, the slightly dark but very amusing commentary and others. But I will say that even though the romantic parts were scarce, doesn't mean that they weren't there. I like to think that Susan Ee knows what delayed gratification means because trust me, even though the Penryne + Raffe ship was delayed, I was definitely gratified. There was an underlying tension between Raffe and Penryn that you just know will turn into some more. I wanted to ask for that more but I couldn't so... I'll be waiting for the next book!

I don't think that there's a specific moment when I knew that I had fallen in love with this book. Was it when Penryn pretended to be an angel? Was it when Raffe decided to go shirtless? Was it when Penryn saw _____? I don't really know, but what I do know is that all those moments were what turned this book from good into extraordinary. Angelfall is an insanely straight-forward book, it doesn't tease and it' definitely no-nonsense, just like its heroine. I'd like to think that the last quarter of the book was what really defined the story, there were a lot of things revealed (very gruesome and disturbingly cool things) that will just leave you open-mouthed and wide-eyed. How Susan Ee was able to come up with all that, I'll never know. But great job! *thumbs up*

Angelfall left me both extremely satisfied... and not. I loved and hated the ending at the same time. But what I hate the most is the fact that I have to wait months till I get the next book. I meant it when I said that Angelfall is the best angel-themed book I have ever read. Angelfall was exciting, engaging and a whole lot of fun! I can't wait for more Penryn and Raffe!

Rating:

Feature and Follow Friday (38)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read! :)

The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!

A: 150 Weeks already?! WOW. I wouldn't change a thing about the hop because it's already functioning so well the way it is now. A question for next week... Hmm... How about: If you were given the chance to make an ad for your favorite book, how would you go about it? That's it. Haha!

NOTE: We would prefer it of you follow us via FACEBOOK or GFC.

Leave us a comment with your FF post and we'll check it out! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GERALDINE!! (Plus a giveaway!)

Yup! It's Geraldine's birthday today but to those living on the western hemisphere, it's still on May 24th. I just want to greet my super sexy and pretty co-blogger a happy, happy birthday because The Soul Sisters would only be The Soul Only Child if Geraldine didn't come along. She's such a great friend and I have no idea what I would do without her. I love you, sis. (No, we aren't real sisters.) Which is why I am holding a giveaway for Geraldine's birthday! Just fill out the form below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and stay awesome!

Ge needs her cake.

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday/s are hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine in which you choose a book or books that you're excited and waiting for.

This week's Waiting on Wednesday book is:

Title: Forever Too Far (Too Far #3)

Author: Abbi Glines

Publication date: June 10th 2013

Rush promised her forever... but promises can be broken.

Torn between his love for his family and his love for Blaire, Rush has to find a way to save one without losing the other. In the end one has to be more important. Letting go isn’t easy.

Blaire believed in her fairytale... but no one can live in a fantasy.

Her love for Rush and desire to have a family keep her believing that they can find a way for this to work. Until she has to make the right decision for her and the baby. Even if it breaks her heart.

Can they find the forever that they both want or has it all just gone... too far?

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads)

Why I am so freaking excited for this:

Three words: Rush Finlay Junior. *dies*

What's your WoW pick this week? Leave us a comment and we'll check it out!

Release Day Launch: The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Title: The Hazards of Skinny Dipping

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realizing Mr. Right might have been there all along.

About the author:

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

You can find her here:

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Pinterest

Cover Reveal: Romancing the Bookworm by Kate Evangelista

Title: Romancing the Bookworm

Author: Kate Evangelista

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Genre: Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Expected release date: July 9, 2013

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Sometimes, even the best-laid plans can unravel. It's spring break, and Tamara Winters would rather stay on campus and read romance novels than flaunt her size-fourteen body on a beach. But her best friend, Ronni, has other ideas. Against her wishes, Tamara is whisked away to picturesque Maverick Bay, where she's wrangled into waiting tables with Ronni at the Shore Shack for its busy week leading to Maverick's Surf Invitational. There she meets fellow schoolmate Xavier Solomon, the Invitational's organizer and campus womanizer by reputation. From the moment Tamara sees him emerging from the waves like a hero in of one of her romance novels, all she wants to do is run away from the feelings he inspires in her. 

 Little does she know Xavier has been watching her for weeks now. In fact, after failed attempts at asking her out on campus, he's concocted a crazy plan: fabricating romantic situations straight out of her favorite books. Xavier quickly realizes that if Tamara gets a whiff of his designs, he might as well spell CREEPER across his forehead. Yet as they grow closer, he's convinced it's a risk worth taking. What he hasn't planned on, of course, is his drug-addicted, alcoholic stepbrother, who decides to join the fun and put a wrench in Xavier’s scheme. 

Spring break is proving hotter than Tamara expected. Will her romance novels be able to compete?  

About the author:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

You can find her here:

Kate Evangelista | Twitter

What do YOU think of the cover? It looks so cute! I can't wait to read this one (I am SO into New Adult books.) Go, Kate! <3

 

Stacking the Shelves (24)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews! It's where bloggers can share what they got for review, bought, borrowed, won or gifted (both physical and eBooks may be included! :D)

Here's what I got this week:

Bought:

Icons (Icons #1) by Margaret Stohl (Goodreads)

Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover (Goodreads)

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan (Goodreads)

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass (Goodreads)

Nameless (Tales of Beauty & Madness) by Lili St. Crow (Goodreads)

The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey (Goodreads)

Apollyon (The Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Goodreads)

She's Dating the Gangster by Bianca B. Bernardino (Goodreads)

Storm (Elemental #1) by Brigid Kemmerer (Goodreads)

Real Live Boyfriends: Yes. Boyfriends, Plural. If My Life Weren't Complicated, I Wouldn't Be Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver #4) by E. Lockhart (Goodreads)

For review:

Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1) by Jessica Shirvington (Goodreads)

Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters #2) by Jessica Shirvington (Goodreads)

Gifted:

*signed* Fighting for Flight (Fighting #1) by JB Salsbury (Goodreads)

A BIG THANK YOU to the following people: JB Salsbury, Mia from Hachette UK, National Book Store, Fully Booked and the biggest thank you to my parents. <3

What awesome books did YOU get this week? Leave us a comment with your post and we'll check it out. :)

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway: Click to Subscribe by L.M. Augustine

Click banner for the tour schedule.

Title: Click to Subscribe

Author: L.M. Augustine

Pages: 252 pages

Format acquired: eBook (ePub)

Published on: May 9th 2013

Source: Received for blog tour (Thanks, Bookcase to Heaven and L.M.!)

Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

1,135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them. 

As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn’t know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads)

Review:

I was seriously shocked while I was reading this book. I honestly thought that it would be one of those feel good, happy-go-lucky types of books but it's actually a pretty serious book. It wasn't all just about West and Cat's relationship but it also involved family matters that really saddened me. I wouldn't say that I completely enjoyed this book because it's still too random for me (I'll be talking about this more later.) But I will concede that it does have a pretty good story, so yay!

When West was talking about his vlog channel and how he uses a pseudonym, "Sam Green", and that only his mom knew about his vlog. I felt that this was faulty logic seeing as even his best friend knew about it. I mean, changing your name will not make you unrecognizable especially since you have to actually put your face in front of a camera to make vlogs. But that's besides that point... The biggest thing that bugged me about West is that he is so confused. Like, seriously. He didn't know what he wanted even though he was already getting a firm grasp on it and then he suddenly lets go. You can mostly see this happening when he's talking to Cat (post-meet-up.) He knows that he needs her so he's willing to pretend that she isn't in love with him, which I felt was very unfair to Cat. It's unrequited love at its worst. When Cat was West when she started to fall in love with him, I couldn't help but going "aww" and then wanting to smack West upside the head for what he did afterwards. Though I will cut West some slack because his mother passed away and his father is useless and deadbeat. And I could see that the only other place to could vent at (other than Cat) is his vlog channel, where he can talk about the most random things and people wouldn't just him. I could also understand why he didn't reciprocate Cat's feelings because her being his best friend was all he's ever known, they're practically siblings and if it doesn't work out between them then... there's no more Cat and West.

I have to say that Cat is my favorite character in this novel. Don't get me wrong, it's not that she can do no wrong, it's that she's such a passionate and bright person. You can see that she might actually be the one wearing the pants in the relationship. Haha! But kidding aside, Cat IS a great girl and her personality suits West's perfectly. Not too compatible but not too different either, just enough to keep this interesting. My biggest problem with Cat is that she's a bit of a pushover because when it comes to West, it's like she's starved for his attention or something. And she can't seem to ever say "no" to him, when he calls her, she's there five minutes later or something (this also post-meet-up.) How can a guy not like a girl who goes out her way to help you out and comfort you even though she has a big test the next day. I felt that if West couldn't see how special she was then he obviously didn't deserve her.

"Sam" and "Harper" have a lot of pretty random conversations with each other. Like seriously random. It's both cute and annoying (coying?) I just couldn't understand how West could have been attracted to someone so vague... but to each his own, I guess.

Like I said, Click to Subscribe is a pretty good book. It had its moments and it also had moments that weren't as special as the other. Though I will say that this is a pretty realistic book, like I can imagine it happening in real or something. There were parts that touched me and made me want to cheer for West but as I said, there are parts where I want to beat him. I felt like the story and the plot went along well enough, I just hope to see a bit more soon.

Rating:

.5

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

L.M. Augustine is a YA romance author who is obsessed with writing about dorky teenagers, love, and happy endings. He currently lives in New England, where he spends far too much time reading books and screaming at his computer, and he believes that the solution to the world’s problems can be found in chocolate cake. Click To Subscribe is his first novel, but it won’t be his last.

You can find him here:

Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review: From Ashes by Molly McAdams

Title: From Ashes
Author: Molly McAdams
Format acquired: Paperback
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Published on: April 16th 2013
Source: Received for review (Thanks, Sarah!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



When Cassidy Jameson's best friend Tyler took her to Texas with him when he left for college, she was expecting his cousin, their new roommate, to be a Stetson-wearing cowboy since his family owned a ranch; not this incredibly gorgeous guy with a husky Southern drawl that seemed to make the world stop whenever she looked at him. Because of her past, she's only ever trusted two men in her life, Tyler and her dad whom passed away when she was six. But there's something about Gage that draws her to him in a way she can't explain, only problem? He's always telling Tyler that he doesn't want Cassidy living there and sees her as nothing more than his little sister.

Gage Carson was excited his cousin Tyler was coming to live with, and go to college with him. When he'd called to ask if he could bring his friend Cassi with him, Gage didn't care. Gage had heard about this mysterious friend since they were kids and felt like he already knew her. Nothing would prepare him for watching her jump out of Ty's Jeep though. Not only was Cassi the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but there was something about her that within seconds of meeting her, made Gage want to protect her, and make her his. Too bad Tyler made it a point to remind Gage on a daily basis that he was dating her and she was completely off limits.

For a year and a half, Gage and Cassidy dance around their feelings for each other as Tyler continues to keep them apart; until one day Tyler unknowingly pushes her right into Gage's arms. With Tyler unable to keep lying to them, they finally start a relationship both have been craving since their first meeting. But when an accident and disaster sends her back to Tyler and California, will Cassidy be able to come face to face with the demons from her past to live a life she and Gage deserve; or will the fact that she once again ran to Tyler be the final push that ends Cassidy and Gage for good?

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads

Review

I've been hearing such great things about Molly McAdams' books, and to say that I enjoyed From Ashes would be an understatement. I actually expected this book to make me cry because a friend of mine told me that it was a total tearjerker but I was fine throughout the book. There were parts that made my chest hurt (both in a good and bad way,) but no cry-worthy moments. I guess it's mostly because Cassidy never really let herself cry either.

Cassidy, a survivor of abuse, was such a contradictory character. She spent years (I repeat, years) being abused by her mother and her stepfather, it was painful reading about what she went through. Actually, it was torturous. The fact that she had to go through that at such a young age just wasn't fair but in the end, she survived. Now I'm sure you're wondering why she's such a contradiction, it's because even though her life (before) was hell and needed so much help, she was still so resilient. Cassidy never let herself have a moment of weakness and was very independent even when others wanted to help her. Throughout her childhood till she turned eighteen-years-old, she has only ever depended on her best friend, Tyler. And this is where unrequited love steps in, for Tyler. The poor fellow especially since Cassidy has that instant connection with Ty's cousin, Gage. (Who is HOT, by the way.) I am honestly not a fan on insta-love but if it's done well, then why not? Because if you read this, you'll understand why I appreciated this book's insta-love. There was a struggle in this book and it definitely gave From Ashes its drama. And this is when you'll see Cassidy at her most vulnerable.

There were definitely a lot of surprises in this book... *cough*detectiveperson*cough* There were also parts that left me both frustrated and relieved. (I honestly wanted to throw the book across the room... in a good way.) There was definitely a lot of drama too.

I think that this book is about trust. Not just trusting others but also trusting yourself not to get into that darkness too much. Because even though Cassidy went through so much pain, she never once thought of trying to avenge herself or anything. She never even thought about reporting her mother and stepfather. I've always thought that forgiving does not mean forgetting because sometimes you need to remember the day/time when you learned to forgive someone for doing something so unforgivable. When you read about Cassidy's struggles, you'll really understand what it means to forgive and trust. Not just in herself but in Gage, Tyler and pretty much everyone in this book.

I really enjoyed Molly McAdams' writing. It flowed smoothly and it definitely helped give her book more impact. Her writing will literally just pull at your heartstrings and make you sympathize and empathize with Cassidy and her other characters.

Molly McAdams did not disappoint me at. All. I loved this book and I recommend this for people who enjoy some angsty but sweet romance. I appreciate the fact that Molly took such a sensitive topic and managed to sort of made it easier for the reader to understand it and swallow it. From Ashes made me believe that even though our whole life might have started off as crap, it's never too late to have a happily ever after. But that's only if you decide to fight for one. Anyone can be reborn and rise up from the ashes.

Rating:

.5