If I Break by Portia Moore

★★★★★

If I Break by Portia Moore

When you stumble across the gems that Amazon have temporarily posted for free and you realize how much you can't get enough, you realize how smart that marketing trick was! Because I DEVOURED If I Break in a few hours and immediately bought the next two books that were out.

If I Break is a complicated story of two lovers: Cal & Lauren. You can't help but love their story. The story is written in a flashback type style-- the chapters alternate between past and present until the stories collide in the present. The flashbacks are flawless and create a depth to the story that really aids the readers understanding. The love story seems genuine and frustrating, like real love is. It isn't until the end of the story when the drama really comes to a head that keeps the readers forced to read on!

Against All Odds by Angie McKeon

★★★

At the urge to not be a giant spoiley spoiler, I am going to post the most CRYPTIC book review ever. So here are my "things" about books that you need to know: 

• I hate cheaters. I hate HATE HATE reading about married people who cheat and make excuses for their behavior and are okay with that. Sometimes I can deal with it in stories if it is relevant to the story and it makes the storyline more interesting or makes the world a better place. Most of the time, it just makes me all twitchy. 
• I'm not the biggest fan of the love triangle angle. 
• For the love of all things holy, PICK. Don't string people along. 

I don't even know how to describe how I feel after finishing Against All Odds. I had a love hate relationship with Cooper and Kylie seemed to be a really hot mess. I absolutely ADORED Grayson. 

The basis of the story is a married coupling, dealing with a loss in nontraditional ways, each turning away from each other to cope with their grief. Regardless, parts of the story felt unbelievable and I hope there are not people in this world who are so cavalier with other people's feelings; however, I know that there are. 

The writing of the story was honestly wonderful but the plot kind of nonexistent and whimsical. I just honestly hated the main characters and thought they both needed to go away forever and leave the rest of the world alone. 

Who would I recommend this book to? Someone feeling angsty and needs a reason for their angst. Someone who got the book for free and has absolutely nothing better to read.  Someone who enjoys love triangles or nontraditional relationships explored. 

The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward *ARC*

★★★★

I received this ebook from NetGalley as an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. 

As I frequently receive emails from NetGalley about new ARCs added to the library for requests, sometimes there are ones that catch my attention. What immediately grabbed my interest with "The Same Sky" was that Jodi Picoult was raving about this author and this novel. I'm a self proclaimed Jodi Picoult fan and have pretty much enjoyed all books she has written as well as books she recommended. So I dove into the request pool head first and hoped I would be picked. 

The story of The Same Sky tells from two different perspectives: a married woman living in Texas, desperate to conceive or mother a child and a young abandoned girl, living in Honduras, desperately trying to survive. While you are reading this novel, told in alternating points of view, you have no idea how their worlds are going to collide until literally the last two chapters. I won't lie, at times this drove me CRAZY. 

The characters were round and developed, really intriguing, but I felt like there were parts of the story inserted that were unnecessary-- the mentoring of a high school girl that is poor and out of control, the husband's story line. But I also like my stories ended in neat little packages with pretty bows and I felt like, while the story did have an ending, it also left many questions. 

Unbreakable by Rebecca Shea

★★★★

I don't know if it was intentional or it was my inner monologue, but the first 38% of the novel I spent on the edge of my seat waiting for the other shoe to drop. As a matter of fact, I immediately put the book down last night at the height of that feeling because it was late as all get out and I knew that it my hunch was correct, I would be kicking my own butt in the morning from my bookover that I would have (you know-- when you stay up way too late because you just have to read one more chapter).
I woke up this morning and just thought, the story of Gabe and Jess is just too good to be true. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I had emotionally prepared myself for it.

The good news is that I loved the characters-- all of them, but especially Jess, Gabe, and Landon. The characters were developed, flawed but loyal, and interesting. My favorite character would probably have to be Landon-- the one you learn the least about, but never fear! He has his own line of the series.

The story was real and raw, painful at times, but never to the point that the story was too much or insensitive towards the characters and the situation.

I would really recommend this story for someone who is looking for a love story. There are some slight triggers to violence in the story.

Fix You: Bash & Olivia Book Two by Christine Bell *ARC*

★★★

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback!

I feel like I've ranted about this before... but WHAT IN THE WORLD is up with this new phenomenon in which novels are written and then broken up into three books, with the first two ending on a cliffhangers? 

Honestly, it has really turned me off from some books lately. But back to Fix You: Bash and Olivia Book Two. 

Olivia is a girl who was raised with money and had expectations of marrying her long time boyfriend to keep life easy for her parents. However, a turn of events and the realization that her boyfriend wasn't who he said he was left her in an odd situation with Bash as her witness. 

Bash and Olivia as characters are both really round and engaging characters with interesting back stories. Unfortunately, this is a novella and you don't truly get to dig deep into their characters. Just as you are getting invested in their story, the novella abruptly ends and you are left to find out what happens next-- in the next book.  

The writing was interesting and had the author combined books 1, 2, and 3 together into one developed, interesting, and complete story-- this would have been a 5 star read. But as it stands, the lack of development doesn't allow for you to get properly invested into your characters.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah *ARC*

★★★★★

I received this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

At every opportunity I've ever had to recommend an author, Kristin Hannah is always on my list of "you have got to read her books". She captivated me when I first read Firefly Lane and then I quickly devoured every single book she has written since then. I literally started jumping up and down when I realized that NetGalley was allowing me to read this one! WAHOO.

I delved in immediately that night. The story immediately captivates you: two very different sisters during the beginning of the Nazi infiltration in France. While most of us had read stories of Nazi occupied Germany and France, Hannah offered a different perspective, told through two very similar yet different sisters. Their narratives are complicated and detailed in a way that really highlighted how much research Hannah did to keep the story historically accurate.

It was a beautiful story, full of tears and hope and suspense. You have to read it to appreciate the beauty of the story.

Songs of Submission series by CD Reiss

 

For whatever reason, I continue to pick up the popular books that feature the following:

1. poor working girl
2. rich sexy millionaire
3. submission/dominance

Half the time, I have no clue what I'm delving into. And because I'm a glutton for punishment, I usually read them, am annoyed, continue, get invested in the stupid characters, and then get angry at myself.

And while YES, all three of these things are going on in the Songs of Submission series, I have to say-- I actually really enjoyed the character Monica. While she is a poor working girl, she is a strong girl as well and she doesn't allow herself to be beaten down.

The books were well written for the most part and the characters kept you reading and invested.

If you are a Fifty Shades of Grey fan, you will for sure enjoy this series. I will say that it is stretched into a 6 book series, which slightly irritated me, but hey-- it's a smart marketing ploy.

The Charlotte Chronicles by Jen Frederick *ARC*

★★★

*I received The Charlotte Chronicles as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.*

Nathan and Charlotte are long time family friends, practically grow up together, and in spite of this, fall in love as teenagers. Through a battle of cancer and then other difficulties with life, this story begins with their relationship as teenagers and follows their life as they grow up, grow apart, and see where time takes them.

In the beginning of the novel, I was finding it very hard to understand the characters and their motivation. The story was very slow moving. However, after a 10 year time jump, in which the reader learns absolutely nothing about these characters, the story picks up and tackles through. I missed some elements of character development and I really felt a disconnect for the characters. It was hard to understand and/or relate to them without the background connections I need as a reader.

There were some hot and heavy scenes in the novel, but they weren't over the top or too graphic, just helped the love story seem more realistic and raw.

The story was interesting and I do like the fidelity aspects that were explored. Will Charlotte and Nathan get their happily ever after? A quick read will lead you to the answer.

What You Left Behind by Samantha Hayes :: ARC

★★★

I received this eBook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a story that just fell a bit flat for me. The premise of the story is really interesting-- a detective on vacation, visiting family and stumbles upon a situation with recurring suicides in a small neighborhood and cyberbullying.

However, there was a huge emotional disconnect with the characters. You really were not able to get emotionally invested in any of the characters and I think that it was because of a lack of character development while the narrator changes throughout the novel.

There were twists with relationships, the story opened with a story that never really finished, and there was literally something new in each chapter. I just felt like there was too much story attempt and none of the stories were done well at all.

The suspense and intrigue of the story definitely had awesome potential. I just think the story missed the mark.

Nearly Mended by Devon Ashley

★★★★

After finishing (and loving) the first book in this series, I almost immediately started reading Nearly Mended, and found myself wondering where the magic from the first book went. While I understand the author's plot ideas, it just fell a bit flat. While the characters were still interesting, the suspense from the first story wasn't nearly as "cliff dangling" but you could definitely still feel the suspense. 

There were parts of the story that really did hook you in. In fact, I spent my entire lunch break reading on my phone instead of grading a huge stack of papers. Regardless, it definitely left me reeling, questioning, confused, and wondering WTF. 

There were elements of the story that made me uncomfortable to read, but I'm almost positive that that was the point of the story. It's definitely not a happily ever after type story.

p.s. definitely did not judge this one by the cover. it made me scratch my head in confusion!

Nearly Broken by Devon Ashley (ARC)

★★★★★

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Here, let me tell you a story... It's 9PM. I'm sitting down for the first time since I got home from work and my mind is full of needs: I need to do this, I need to do that. Shaking them off, I grab my Kindle, thinking that some reading would tire me out and help me fall asleep. I flip through some recent downloads in the Carousel and come across Nearly Broken. Honestly didn't remember what the blurb was about the book but I thought that the cover was intriguing (I know- guilty as charged) and started reading.

An hour later and I literally was not at all sleepy, but I was so deep into the story I could not put it down. The suspense was just intriguing me 100%... I was dying to know what was going to happen. I kept turning and turning, knowing that I was so going to regret this in the morning. At about 10:30 or 11, my Kindle died... nicely played, Kindle. In the interest of self preservation, considering I had to deal with middle schoolers all day, I rolled over, angry I couldn't finish reading, but knowing that my dead battery was a gift.

Ok, that long narrative to say-- most of my reads lately have been new adult and/or romance. Something about a good romance just does me in. And while yes, there are some elements of romance in this story, it was deeper, darker, and suspenseful. There are some adult themes and concepts that I don't want to mention, because until the story unfolded, I really didn't see them coming.

As a main character, Megan was real. She was a mystery in almost every way and I loved reading on to find out what was making her tick.

Her love interest was a really sweet and kind GENTLEMAN. In a lot of New Adult novels, the themes and elements have surrounded the need for a darker man, damaged man. The love interest doesn't contain these elements and you just root for them.

I've already bought and started reading the second novel. I can't wait to find out what happens next.