Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

This book is part of my 2013 TBR Pile Challenge.

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Everneath
Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #1
Publication date: January 24th 2012 by HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
< br/> As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

Nikki has been away for a hundred years.

She made the choice to leave those she loved behind her when she decided to go to the Everneath. But when the option of coming back to the Surface and see her family and friends and her boyfriend once again was presented to her, she couldn't bring herself to say no.

Time passes differently to those who live in the Surface, and Nikki has been away for only six months when she crawls out of hell and back to earth. To say that reconnecting to the people she loves is hard is an understatement, but Nikki is determined to spend the last six months she has on earth with those she cares about before the Everneath claims her back.

But things aren't as easy as she thought they would be, not when Cole, the Everliving who took her to the Everneath in the first place, does everything in his power to try and convince her to go back with him. He wants to take over the throne and rule the Everneath, and he has no doubt in his mind that Nikki can help him make that happen.

Nikki's time is running out, and she finds herself faced with an impossible task: escape the claws of those trying to suck her back into the Everneath or accept her fate and come back down as Cole's queen and rule the underworld.

Eerneath was quite a fun read. It was heavy on mythology and with a non-linear timeline that gave us glimpses of the past and of how Nikki got herself into this mess as we went along. That also made the beginning a little bit confusing for me, because I had no idea who was supposed to be the bad guy and what the hell was happening (I didn't read the blurb before starting the book).

I got hooked in right from the beginning, trying to make sense of what was happening and how everything fit together. The author did a wonderful job with portraying Nikki's emotions and I really felt for her and what she was going through as I read the story.

Jack and Cole just made everything better, from Cole's manipulative ways to Jack's love for Nikki. They were total opposites of each other, and reading about their interactions with Nikki and with each other really brought something more to the book.

Nikki's resolve to keep things from people was one of the downsides of Everneath for me. It felt unnecessary, and every time she failed to mention something important to someone because she was too scared to do things the hard way I just wanted to shake her.

"I took the easy way out. I begged for the easy way out. Cole took the pain away, and I didn't care it would ruin everything in my life, because I was stupid enough to think I had nothing else to lose."

And that's Nikki's problem. And why it was so hard to relate to her and like her sometimes. Because even though she knows taking the easy way out ruined her life, she kept making the same mistakes because she didn't want to face people's hurts and reactions to what she'd have to tell them.

Everneath was still a good book, and it had an ending that, although predictable, still left me wanting to know more about Nikki, Jack, and Cole's stories. There were a lot of ties left loose, a lot of history to be explored, and I hope it all gets answered in the second installment of the Everneath series: Everbound.

Review: Waiting for You by Shey Stahl

Waiting for You
Shey Stahl
Series: Waiting for You #1
Publication date: February 21st 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Bailey Gray is tired of her perfectly planned life. Everything about her life has been organized and lived out to the expectations set of her parents. She is the class valedictorian, has perfect grades, the perfect friends, a perfect boyfriend, basically perfect life...or so everyone thought. That's when she realizes the path planned isn't always the path chosen.

On graduation day she makes a decision. One that changes everything she thought she knew about her intended future.

On a whim, she runs away with the town rebel, Dylan Wade, in search of the unknown.

Dylan Wade isn't looking to run away from anything.

He knows what he wants as he's been waiting on it for years.

On a journey to find the unknown, they discover a friendship they once knew along the open highway and have not a care in the world. Between the yellow and white lines of the heated summer asphalt, a spark draws them together as Dylan's past and Bailey future try to ripe them apart.

Could it be that Dylan and his GTO are exactly what her perfectly planned life needs?

Bailey is tired of meeting everyone's expectations of what she should do with her life and what kind of person she should be. She's tired of having her life planned out for her by her parents and of having to be the perfect daughter, student, best friend, and the perfect girlfriend. They forced her on a path they would have liked to go on themselves, and Bailey doesn't know how to make them understand she wants something different.

Something quite like what she felt when she was little and used to play with her neighbor, Dylan.

Or really, when she was "allowed" to spend some time with him.

Because when tragedy struck Dylan's family and his father started to drink, Dylan started acting out. He earned his bad boy title sooner in life, and Bailey's parents didn't think she'd get something out of being friends with him other than a bad reputation by association. So Bailey, being used to doing what her parents want, cuts all ties to the one person that makes her feel normal.

It's not until graduation day that Bailey finds herself strong enough to break the control her parents have over her and her life, and her first step into becoming an independent person who stands up for herself is done in style. In the form of her getting in a car with Dylan and driving away from the only life she's ever known.

Dylan has his own reasons to leave their town behind, but he doesn't turn Bailey away when she asks him to let her come with him. He's actually pleasantly surprised to have her around, because he never really forgot the little girl Bailey used to be. And he definitely wouldn't mind having her back, making her his.

They take off without looking back, ready to find something more for themselves, ready to let themselves feel and experience life in their own terms. Both Bailey and Dylan rediscover their friendship and find that what they feel for each other runs deeper than that, and they learn who they really are, that it's okay to go after their dreams, and that sometimes people makes mistakes.

Waiting for You is a really sweet story about finding yourself and realizing that it's okay to break the mold and do what makes you happy, whatever that is.

I'm a big fan of road trip books, but this didn't really grasping my attention. I still had fun reading about Bailey and Dylan's relationship and how it changed with the more asphalt they left behind, but it ended up just being an okay read for me.

Even though I really really really liked the characters - I especially related a lot to Bailey, with the whole tired of meeting people's expectations of her thing - and the plot kept me hooked, I found some of the dialogue really sappy. It was just so freaking sweet sometimes I'd have to stop reading and go do something else because I just couldn't take it. It made me cringe.

But overall, Waiting for You was a really fun read about a boy and a girl who set out to prove to themselves that there's more to life than what they lived so far. They find love and themselves along the way, growing up as the scenery changes, and realizing that doing what's important to you and being happy matters more than doing what people expect you to.

Review: Real by Katy Evans

Real
Katy Evans
Series: Real, Raw & Ripped #1
Publication date: April 8th 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents . . .

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

Remington "Riptide" Tade is the boxer every woman wants.

What Brooke Dumas isn't expecting is to be included in that list, but when her best friend, Melanie, drags her to one of his fights she can't deny that the attraction is there. Especially not when he sees her on the stands and surprises everyone by smiling and sending a wink her way.

Which is something he does not do, ever.

But it seems like breaking protocol is the theme for the night, something Brooke soon learns when she's called back to his hotel room after the fight is done and ends up being offered a job.

This is Remy's attempt to find something real. To have someone who sees him as who he really is, and not just as the guy who is good at throwing punches. He's tired of people wanting to get closer to "Riptide", but never giving a damn about Remy.

He finds his chance in Brooke, who specialized in athlete rehab in college after having her Olympic dream ripped out from under her feet. She knows the opportunity to work with him as his physical therapist is too good of a deal to say no to, and he even thought he's not surprised when she agrees he couldn't be happier about it.

Accepting his offer means that Brooke has to fly across the country with Remy as a strong and silent presence by her side. She's so aware of his every move that she thinks she's going to go crazy before the tour ends, but it's during those times that she gets to know who Remy is. Or at least a side of him.

They start communicating through music, carefully choosing songs for the other to listen to as they wait to get to their destination. Brooke finds herself more and more captivated by him, and as they grow closer and start sharing more moments outside the confines of a plane, she starts to get a glimpse into the kind of person Remy truly is. Someone who can be incredibly sweet and caring one moment only to have a dark and aggressive edge to him on another.

Real had so much sexual tension I thought I was the one who was going to go crazy. And not necessarily in a good way.

The amount of times Brooke had difficulties in controlling her body's reactions to Remy were troubling. Seriously. Every other page or so we had a comment about soaked panties or weak knees or how hot he was. We get it, alright? He's gorgeous and she wants him. No need to mention it all the time.

That was also one of the reasons why I didn't really buy Brooke and Remy's relationship. It seemed like they were so focused on their mutual attraction that they didn't spend any time outside of airplanes and sharing music actually working on building a connection and developing their relationship.

And the way the author portrayed Remy's mental illness (he's bipolar) was just. Ugh. Ugh.

One, there was the over use of the word "speedy" whenever Remy had an episode. Whether he was manic or depressed, the characters would just say he was "speedy" and leave it at that. Like it explained everything.  Hint: It doesn't.

Two, for some reason whenever he did have an episode his eyes changed from blue to black. As far as I'm aware, suffering from bipolar disorder does not cause dilated pupils. So if you're going to write about mental illness of any kind, at least do your research.

Three, the way the other characters handled Remy when he was manic was to just sedate him and hope for the best. I mean??????? There was no real help given from anyone when Remy so obviously needed someone to be there for him. That was not okay.

And fourth, apparently Brooke had some kind of magical ability to control Remy when he was manic? Because it's mentioned that all she needed to do to was to cuddle in bed with him and he'd be as calm as a kitten. And that was so implausible, especially considering Remy was not being treated for his illness, because mania means that you're feeling like the king of the world and no one can stop you. Not even the woman you have feelings for. Because bipolar disorder is a medical condition that's not cured by resting or love.

So yeah, I gave Real three stars because the entire communicating through music aspect of it all was really touching and sweet and also because the story really had the potential to be something more. Remy's back story was actually really interesting, and maybe if the book wasn't told entirely from Brooke's point of view I would have enjoyed it more. 

Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

This book is part of my 2013 Debut Author Challenge.

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Parallel
Lauren Miller
Publication date: May 14th 2013 by HarperTeen
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

Abbi's life is spiraling out of her control.

She spent her entire high school career carefully planning her way into Northwestern so she could become a journalist, not leaving even the smallest detail in the hands of fate. That is, until one of the classes that form her perfect schedule gets canceled.

Forced to make a choice between drama or astronomy classes, Abbi decides to try her hand at theater and ends up getting the lead in one of her high school plays. Her performance is so good that, next thing she knows, she's stuck in a Hollywood movie set on the eve of her eighteenth birthday and kissing all of her college dreams goodbye. All because of one tiny choice she made all those months ago that she'd do anything to take it back.

And then she wakes up in her dorm room at Yale next to the roommate she never met and trying to figure out what happened.

With the help of her best friend, Caitlin, Abbi finds out that she's living in her alternate life. In a parallel universe where she took astronomy instead of theater and never got the opportunity to be a Hollywood movie star. But not only is she living the life of her parallel self, her parallel is living Abbi's senior year of high school and altering Abbi's life with every choice she makes.

As Abbi struggles with her ever-changing reality she has to learn that somethings are out of her control, that soulmates exist, and that all paths, no matter how wrong they seem, always lead to the same destiny. Her own.

Parellel was complicated.

The beginning can be extremely confusing if you're used to reading at lightning speed like I am. It took me about four chapters to decipher what the author was trying to tell me when the parallel universes were introduced to the story, much like I had absolutely no idea in what universe the real Abbi was in until about a third of the story.

Dr. Mann and Caitlin's explanations of what was going on actually helped a lot. They were fascinating, to say the least, and made the book a thousand times more enjoyable to me. The only reason Parallel is getting three stars is because of Dr. Mann's classes and Caitlin's science boner and how cool it and entertaining it was to read about it.

Because something had to entertain me, really, after all of the not knowing what was happening.

Plus, Abbi got on my nerves a lot. It's understandable that you're going to be a mess while trying to grasp the fact that you're stuck in a universe that's not yours while your other self is screwing up your life, but if it bothers you so much to be living a life that you didn't chose for yourself do something about it.

And that's the biggest problem of Parallel for me. Abbi, or should I say the plot, were entirely way too focused on the romantic relationships between characters than in actually trying to find a way for Abbi to go back to her rightful universe. 

What started out as a book about science fiction and the wonders of parallel universes and what makes them so differently unique ended up as a character's struggle to discover who was the right man for her. And I don't think we need parallel universes to figure that out, do we?

Review: Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley

Music of the Heart
Katie Ashley
Series: Runaway Train #1
Publication date: March 24th 2013 by Smashwords
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

Abby is supposed to join her brothers' band while they're on tour and play with them, taking the opportunity to see if she's ready to become their fourth member.

At least that's the plan, not that it works out so great for her.

Because bad hearing and people's inability to do their jobs lands her in the wrong bus. Or, more precisely, in the wrong bed. Yep, that's right. Abby climbs into bed only to wake up later with someone who's very much not related to her trying to lay there with her. She couldn't be more surprise when she finds out that said someone is actually Runaway Train's lead singer, Jake Slater, because that's their bus she ended up on.

Jake's reaction to her is one of surprise, because he never imagined that anyone who fell into his bed would promptly resist his charms and actually knee him in the balls. He's so sure of himself that he thinks the only reason she didn't want anything to do with him is because she's dressed like a choir girl which, in his eyes, means that she judged him worthless of her time the minute she laid eyes on his tattoos.

What he least expects is for her to take him on his bet: that she wouldn't survive spending a week on the tour bus with them. Abby immediately jumps on the chance to prove him wrong, much to all of her family members' horror, and to prove that there's more to people than what they look or dress like.

The week they spend together is full of ups and down, family drama, misunderstandings, finding love in places you never thought you would, heartbreak, and, of course, lots and lots of music.

I didn't fell in love with Music of the Heart and its characters. It was those types of books you pick it up and have a good time reading only to promptly forget everything about it afterwards.

Nothing really stood out to me except for Abby's take-no-shit attitude and Jake's relationship with his mother. 

For Abby, it was really fun reading about a lead character who's not afraid to speak her mind and let everyone know when they're being total and complete jerks. It's nice to know that there are books about there about girls that are not okay with being pushed around and are not afraid to stand up for themselves.

And as for Jake and his mom... You could feel through the pages his despair and hopelessness and how hurt he was about what was happening. It was really difficult to read about their interactions and not be touched by the amount of love they had for each other. And then it was just downright heartbreaking reading about what happened.

But yeah, Music of the Heart wasn't really for me. I don't regret taking the time to read it, but I also don't feel up to reading more about Abby and Jake. That's not to say I didn't like Katie Ashley's writing and wouldn't read any other books by her, because I would. This particular story just wasn't my thing. But maybe it could be yours.

Review: Fighting for Flight by Jamie Salsbury

Fighting for Flight
Jamie Salsbury
Series: Fighting #1
Publication date: February 25th 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

What happens when in order to win, you’re forced to lose?

The only daughter of an infamous Las Vegas pimp, Raven Morretti grew up an outsider. Liberated from the neglectful home of her prostitute mother, she finds solace as a mechanic. With few friends, she’s content with the simple life. Flying under the radar is all she knows, and more than she expects.

Until she catches the eye of local celebrity, UFL playboy Jonah Slade. 

Weeks away from his title fight, Jonah is determined to stay focused on everything he’s trained so hard to achieve. Undefeated in the octagon, he’s at the height of his career. But resisting Raven’s effortless allure and uncomplicated nature is a fight he can’t win. 

Jonah trades in his bad-boy reputation and puts his heart on the line. But when her father contacts her, setting in motion the ugly truth of her destiny, Jonah must choose. In a high-stakes gamble where love and freedom hang in the balance, a war is waged where the price of losing is a fate worse than death.

Will the hotheaded Jonah be able to restrain his inner fighter to save the woman he loves? 

Or will Raven be forced into a life she’s been desperate to avoid?

Raven Morretti is nothing more than a pawn in a game she doesn't know she's playing.

She's the daughter of an infamous Las Vegas pimp who basically used her mother to create the perfect hooker. Yep, that's right. Raven's mother was bred (actual word used in the book, I know) to give birth to a child just so she could grow up to work for her own father.

No need to say Raven is not close to her parents. Her father wants nothing to do with her until she's grown up enough to fulfill her "duties" to him and his business, and there's really not much mention of her mother except for the fact she's still turning tricks and basically neglected Raven her entire life. It's a screwed up thing to do, but understandable.

So Raven grows up and falls in love with cars, making her money working as a mechanic at one of her friend's shops. And that's where she crosses paths with Jonah "the Assassin" Slade, UFL playboy, and her entire life turns upside down.

Jonah is your typical playboy. His life as a fighter has made him rich, and he doesn't do relationships. He doesn't sleep with the same women twice, and he never brings any of the girls he's been with back home with him. He's all about his career and making sure he keeps his winning streak intact, no distractions.

Until he meets Raven, and everything chances. There's just something about her that instantly grasps his attention and he can't seem to stop thinking about her, no matter how hard he tries. And Raven is the same way. She can't believe the Assassin would ever look twice at her, but she can't deny the chemistry between the two of them as they spend more and more time together and get to know each other.

But then reality comes crashing down in the form of Raven's father and, suddenly, everything they've worked for is in danger of being taken away. Raven finds herself discovering the truth about how she came to the world, and Jonah ends up having to fight for the life of the woman he came to love. Literally.

The entire daughter-of-a-pimp scheme was what first got my attention in Fighting for Flight, because I just knew nothing good could come out of it. The prologue was as horrifying as it was interesting, and I was instantly hooked.

Too bad I didn't stay that way.

Fighting for Flight up until Jonah and Raven met was great. And when I say great I really do mean that. I was into the story, I wanted to know what would happen, the pacing was good and it kept me interested, and I was just really liking what I was reading.

But the thing is - and I think it's important for me to say that I don't really have a problem with insta-love as long as it's handled carefully and not thrown in your face all the time - Raven and Jonah's relationship just felt like too much way too soon. Parts of the dialogue between both of them were supposed to be really sweet and loving but ended up sounding so awkward and forced that I'd mentally cringe from it.

The only reason I kept reading it was because I was still super interested in finding out how Rave'n's dad would screw things up. I so desperately wanted to know what kind of messed up thing he had in store for her and how that would affect Raven's life and the lives of people she cared about.

And that's actually why this book was awarded three stars from me. I wasn't disappointed with Morretti's complete detachment from his own daughter, how sick and twisted he was, and the lengths he was willing to go through to get what he wanted. And I don't want to give away any spoilers but Raven's mom also comes through in the end and I just really liked her for that.

In my opinion, Fighting for Flight had everything to be a better book than it was but the romance part of it just felt flat. It was still a good read about not judging people based on where they come from, creating something good for yourself out of something bad, and learning to feel worthy of people's love for you. I don't know if I liked it enough to read the sequel, but who knows? Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Review: Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan

Undeniable
Madeline Sheehan
Series: Undeniable #1
Publication date: Octorber 7th 2012 by Madeline Sheehan
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Warning: This is not a "typical love story". This is an all-consuming, soul-crushing, tear-your-heart-into-pieces story. It’s intense, gritty and raw, dark and disturbing, and it doesn’t happen overnight. This is an epic love story that knows no boundaries and has no time limits. It grows and develops—with hurt, sacrifice, and heartache—over the span of a lifetime. 

Eva Fox is the princess of the Silver Demons Motorcycle Club. Growing up with bikers in the club lifestyle is all that she knows. When she’s a young girl, Eva meets the reason for her existence. Deuce West is the sexy, biker bad-ass of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. Like Eva, he was born and raised in the club—but that’s where the similarities end. Their first meeting is innocent, but as Eva matures into a woman, their chance reunions evolve into a fit of lust and love. Fate continues to bring them together time and time again, but their twisted journey is filled with pain, betrayal, and bloodshed that could tear them apart. Eva sees in Deuce what he cannot see in himself—a man worthy of love—and Eva spends her lifetime proving to him that her undeniable love is the one thing he can’t live without. 

This is Eva and Deuce’s story. 

It wasn’t easy. 
Nothing worth doing ever is.
And love is worth everything.

This book is so messed up I don't even know how I'm going to write a review for it. Not that messed up means that it wasn't good, because it was. There were just so many not okay things happening throughout the story that left me with my mouth hanging open, and I wasn't really sure what to make of any of it so I could rate it properly, so I went for the three stars review and hoped for the best.

The warning at the beginning of the blurb should be taken seriously. I cannot stress that enough. Certain situations that happen along the story can be triggery to some readers, so you should be careful when reading Undeniable. Maybe check out some other reviews before you decide to pick this book up and make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

We get the whole scoop on Eva and Deuce's relationship from when they first meet until they finally get together, and let me tell you, it is not a pretty story.

I would say that when Deuce and Eva met, it was love at first sight. That is, if she wasn't a child and he wasn't in his early-twenties. They're both from rival motorcycle clubs with Eva being the daughter of the president of the Silver Demons MC, and Deuce stepping in after his father goes to jail as the leader of the Hell's Horsemen.

Their story is kind of like the Romeo & Juliet of motorcycle gangs, only with a lot more cheating, sexual assault, statutory rape, and men in bikes.

These characters are screwed up, so most of the things they do follow that line. The author doesn't make any excuses for their behaviors or tries to give them any redeeming qualities or redemption arcs. They are who they are because of the things they went through and the environment where they were raised, and the way they stay true to themselves was actually one of my favorite things about the book.

Undeniable is not for everyone. It's a difficult read and a really hard book to like, but the job the author did with creating this messed up biker universe was amazing. I'm still not sure of how much I liked this story or if I'm going to pick up the sequel, but I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read this one.

Review: True Love Story by Willow Aster

True Love Story
Willow Aster
Publication date: February 17th 2012 by Willow Aster
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Sparrow Fisher is transforming. No longer dressed up in antiquated clothes and ideals, she is finally trying on her freedom.

Before she moves to New York City, she meets Ian Sterling, a musician Sparrow has dreamed about since she first saw him. The attraction is instant, but their relationship isn't so simple.

Over a five year span, Sparrow and Ian run into each other in unusual places. Each time, Sparrow has to decide if she can trust him, if he feels the same for her, and finally, if love is really enough.

True Love Story begins five years into Sparrow and Ian's relationship - or lack of thereof, really. Sparrow is flying back home to a wedding when she bumps into Ian at the airport, and it takes all of her self-control not to jump him or punch him in the face.

Things only get worse when she gets to her seat only to find out that Ian is sitting beside her on the plane, and that she'll have to deal with his company, good looks, and the feelings she still has for him for the duration of the flight.

As we read, we learn about how Sparrow and Ian met five years ago, about the instant connection they both felt towards each other. We get to see their relationship develop into something else, and how they keep falling more and more in love with each other until the story goes along.

That is, until Ian breaks Sparrow's heart.

The way the plot was written - beginning five years after Sparrow and Ian meeting and then taking us back to everything that happened between them - actually made me like this book more than I actually did, if that makes sense. The story itself didn't really grasp my attention, but the way it was presented made True Love Story more enjoyable than I thought it would be.

Most of the characters weren't all that relatable or likable to me, and Sparrow and Ian's relationship came out as little bit shallow - with the entire insta-love thing they had going on, and later with what Ian did to screw everything up.

And Ian's cheesiness was just... no. There's only so much sweet we can take before it starts giving us a toothache, okay?

As realistic as this book managed to be, what Ian did to Sparrow and how she forgave him for it all after a life of misery a few years later was also a big no-no for me. Maybe it's because I would have never ever done the same thing Sparrow did, so I can't really understand how she could.

I cannot stress enough that the way this was plotted and shaped was my favorite part of it all, and it was still a pretty good story to read and submerge myself into. It dealt with second chances and learning to forgive those who hurt us, and it gave the characters a happy ending after all the messed up things they did and went through.

And really, who doesn't like happy endings?

Review: Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley

Own the Wind
Kristen Ashley
Series: Chaos #1
Publication date: April 2nd 2013 by Grand Central Publishing
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Too hot to handle...

Tabitha Allen grew up in the thick of Chaos--the Chaos Motorcycle Club, that is. Her father is Chaos' leader, and the club has always had her back. But one rider was different from the start. When Tabby was running wild, Shy Cage was there. When tragedy tore her life apart, he helped her piece it back together. And now, Tabby's thinking about much more than friendship...

Tabby is everything Shy's ever wanted, but everything he thinks he can't have. She's beautiful, smart, and as his friend's daughter, untouchable. Shy never expected more than friendship, so when Tabby indicates she wants more--much more--he feels like the luckiest man alive. But even lucky men can crash and burn...

I was super excited for this new series because bikers, but in the end I was left with the feeling that something was missing.

But first things first.

Own the Wind is the first installment in the Chaos series and it can definitely be read as a stand-alone, but most of the characters that appear in this book are from Kristen Ashley's Motorcycle Man. Own the Wind is actually a spin-off from that book/universe, so it would be interesting for you to read it first just so you can experience the deliciousness that are men in bikes.

Not that this book doesn't have that too, because it does.

Shy Cage was looking for a place to belong to when he found Tack Allen's Motorcycle Club, Chaos. From recruit to full-member, he proved his loyalty to the Club time and time again, building a reputation for himself as a guy who got the job done and kept things quiet.

That is, if you weren't referring to all the women that came in and out of his room at the Compound.

But because he's known to keep his mouth shut, he's usually the person the brothers call whenever they find that Tack's daughter, Tabby, is about to get herself into trouble.

Tabby grew up around bikers. She grew up with them having her back and always helping her out whenever she needed it, because otherwise they'd have to deal with her dad's wrath. Her dad is the reason why Tabby is off-limits to every member of the Club.

So when Shy learns that Tabby is running wild again, he doesn't hesitate to try and teach her a lesson. It mostly works, but more because he hurt her deeply and less because he made his point. And things only get more complicated when he finds himself caring about Tabby's feelings and her sudden absence from all things Club related.

What follows is Shy and Tabby's relationship throughout the years, how they go from not really liking each other very much to friends and then finally to lovers.

I think I didn't like this book as much as all the other ones was because there really wasn't that much drama? Don't get me wrong, there were some really sad situations in the story, and some scenes where all I wanted to do was grab Tabby and Shy by the neck and force them to confess their feelings for each other, but there wasn't that whole danger vibe the other books had. No Tabby getting kidnapped or shot at or stalked or fighting for her life and all the other dramatic things I like so much.

Even so, Own the Wind still left me wanting more of Kristen Ashley's writing and the world of Chaos Motorcycle Club, and I cannot wait for Hop and Lanie's story in Fire Inside!

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Want to read the first two chapters of Own the Wind?

Kristen Ashley was nice enough to make them available for download here!

Review: Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

This book is part of my 2013 TBR Pile Challenge.

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Unlovable
Sherry Gammon
Series: Port Fare #1
Publication date: January 19th 2011 by Wordpainting Unlimited Inc.
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love.

Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far.

Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin.

While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.

Seth and Maggie's romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

I've been meaning to read this for forever, and the opportunity presented itself when I signed up for the 2013 TBR Pile Challenge. What caught my attention when I first saw this book was the premise of an undercover agent falling in love with a high school girl, mostly because I just love all the heartbreak that situations like this bring.

Seth goes undercover as a high school student to try and bring down a ring of heroine drug dealers who started targeting and sealing drugs to teenagers. And Maggie is the poster child for heroin chick: too skinny, hair falling flat and dead from her head, sunk eyes with dark circles under it, and always wearing baggy and long-sleeved sweatshirts.

As they grow closer and the investigation progresses, Maggie's name comes up as one of the people who could be the FBI's missing link to catch the drug dealers. Seth is assigned to keep close watch and "become her friend", but his feelings for her and the certainty he has that she's not guilty soon get in the way, and what is an already complicated situation ends up becoming even messier. Especially considering the secrets both of them are keeping from each other.

The events are told in various POVs, so we get everyone's side of the story, and I think that's one of the reasons why I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. As nice as it was to read about different perspectives from different characters, some of the dialogue just seemed a little bit off to me.

Maggie and Seth's relationship was also a bit hard to relate to, considering how they go from Seth flirting and Maggie shutting him down to both of them being desperately in love with each other.

Overall it was an interesting book, enough to make me want to read the sequel, but there was nothing there that really caught my attention.

Review: Fallen Too Far & Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

Fallen Too Far
Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far #1
Publication date: December 14th 2012
Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads - Amazon

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter. 

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother. 

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

This was one of those books I didn't put down until it was finished, and then immediately went for the sequel to see what happened to the characters (one of the reasons why this is a double review), because I just could not help myself.

Abbi Glines never disappoints, and Fallen Too Far is a gripping and intense read that will keep you interested and on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Blair finds herself lost and without anyone to turn to after her mother passes way, packing up all of her belongings and going to live with her estranged father and his new family. What she doesn't expect is to get to the house and not only find her father gone, but her new stepbrother Rush present. And throwing a party.

What follows is a story filled to the brim with unresolved sexual tension of the best kind, Blair learning how to live her new life and find her place among her dad's new family, and Rush trying to balance who is is and what people expect him to be, all the while keeping a secret that is bound to turn their world's upside down as soon as it's out.

This book ends with one of the most surprising cliffhangers I've ever read!

The plot twist is so wonderfully written that instead of being mad about having to wait to see what's going to happen, it just makes you want to hug the author for a job well done.

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Never Too Far
Abbi Glines
Series: Too Far #2
Publication date: December 14th 2012
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. 

Everything she had known was no longer true. 

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.

Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. 

What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? 

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

I picked up Never Too Far right after I finished reading the first book, and even though it was an enjoyable read I couldn't help but think that something was missing.

The story picks up where Fallen Too Far leaves off and it's told in dual POV (Blair and Rush's), with Blair's entire world crashing down on her. She has to learn how to live without the people who hurt her, away from all the lies and the pain and the boy she loves.

There's a bit of  twist that it sort of can be expected from book 1, and it basically ends up affecting the entire direction the story goes and the characters' decision making skills. And not necessarily for the best.

Everything felt a little too impulsive and melodramatic for me - from what the characters end up doing to the other turns that happen because of it -, and right as the book began to come to its close I got the feeling that things were being rushed, that a lot of loose ends weren't tied.

And then I found out there's going to be another book?! So I hope I can get my answers on the final installment of the Too Far series.

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Forever Too Far: First Sneak Peek!

Abbi Glines posted the first look of Forever Too Far, Rush and Blair's final story, on her blog!

You can read it here.

Review: There is No Light in Darkness by Claire Contreras

There is No Light in Darkness
Claire Contreras
Series: Darkness #1
Publication date: January 10th 2013 by Claire Contreras
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves. 

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?

Blake has been looking for answers her entire life. About what really happened to her parents the night she witnessed their death, who was the man who took her away from her house, what happened to the little boy she used to play with... But every time any evidence comes to light, it only serves to confuse her more.

One of the foster boys who lived with her, Cole, finds himself is in the same situation as Blake. He doesn't remember much of his life before he was left at Maggie's doorstep, and as he tries to unravel his past they both discover that maybe their lives are way more connected than they originally thought.

So much happens in this book that I don't even know where to begin.

The general plot is actually really interesting and original, and I immediately got sucked into the story. The entire mystery over what happened to Blake and Cole and how you start figuring it all out little by little as you read it was great, even though sometimes it felt like too much was happening at once.

Also, Blake and Cole's relationship was just a little bit silly to me. How he acted possessive and controlling towards her, and how Blake just accepted it as something normal and pushed it aside was not something I enjoyed while reading this. I couldn't bring myself to like him all that much and hope for them to be together.

And it all ended with a cliffie! Now I'll have to read the sequel to find out what happens to Blake, and if the reason why her parents died will be revealed.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection
Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Publication date: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen
Rating: 3 stars


Goodreads - Amazon

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I don't really like comparing things, but with this books is just kind of impossible.

We have a The Bachelor/The Hunger Games crossover in our hands.

The world is divided by castes: from royalties, Ones, to those who have nothing, Eights. America is a Five, struggling to get by, but still pretty happy with here she is in live. She has her music, her boyfriend Aspen, a Six, who she's desperately in love with, and she has no desire to sign up for the Selection or be the queen.

That is until Aspen tells her to.

Because being part of the Selection comes with financial compensation, and America can't deny that her family needs the money. That Aspen's family needs the money. And that if they ever plan on getting married, they'll need some savings themselves. So she agrees, not knowing that decision would change her life forever.

The contest part of the book was nice, but then again, I'm a sucker for those kind of things. The entire story just sort of made me feel like I had read it all before, but I still found myself intrigued by some aspects of it. Like what is Marlee's secret is, what's the reason behinds the attacks to the royals, if America will figure out that Aspen treated her horribly...

Maybe that'll prompt me to read the sequel, but I'm not sure.

Review: When Summer Ends by Isabelle Rae

When Summer Ends
Isabelle Rae
Publication date: September 27th 2012 by CreateSpace
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Chloe Henderson has never been one to break the rules or push the boundaries… but during her summer break, she and her friends use fake IDs to sneak into a club. It’s there that she meets handsome and alluring bartender, Will Morris. The pair hit it off immediately, growing closer with every passing day. But as with every summer, it has to end sometime. 

Chloe’s senior year approaches and there’s a shock in store when she returns to do her final year at school. Will is there too, but he’s not one of her fellow students…

A tale of forbidden love, broken hearts, friendship, and rivalry.

This book is so full of sweet and cute I kind of wanted to throw up while reading it.

Chloe and Will had an immediate connection, and one of the things I liked about it was that Chloe didn't fight it. She didn't question her attraction to him like most of the other female characters in YA books, she embraced it and flirted shamelessly with him. And with that came the sweetness, reading about both of them getting to know each other and starting their relationship and being utterly happy, and disgustingly cute, with just being together.

But obviously that didn't last.

Something happened that forced Chloe and Will to take a step back from each other and their feelings to consider the bigger picture. That maybe being together wasn't what was best for them at that moment, and then having to learn how to deal with that decision. No need to say that part of the story was heartbreaking and it frustrated me to no end due to all the fillers and unnecessary plot devices to keep the story long and going.

I actually skipped some parts while reading it because I had no interest in wanting to know what was going on in Chloe's head. I was expecting more of it, to be honest.

Review: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

On Dublin Street
Samantha Young
Series: On Dublin Street #1
Publication date: August 31st 2012
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.

Not as good as I'd hoped it would be, but still entertaining.

The beginning was a really good one, giving me no idea about what was to come and how everything would pan out. But it did give us a good background as to one of Jocelyn's many issues, something she struggles with throughout out the whole book.

My problem with the story came with Branden and his controlling and possessive behavior. It didn't matter how much he wanted Joss to be his, the way he went on about it was not okay. I also had trouble with how much Joss lied to herself, making some parts of the book annoying to go through.

But even though the story didn't really have anything new when it comes to what's out there on Contemporary Romance, it was still a fun read. 

Review: What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor

What I Didn't Say
Keary Taylor
Publication date: April 30th 2012 by Createspace
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat. 

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.

I have to say I was expecting more from this book.

As soon as I started reading it I knew it would be a sad one, and I was right. Reading about Jake having to learn how to live without being able to speak because of a stupid mistake he and his friends made made my heart ache. But then it gave me all kinds of warms feelings when he decided he wouldn't let this destroy him.

What I had a problem with was Sam and her situation. I can't really pinpoint what didn't sit well with me, but the whole deal with what happened to her and no one even realizing what was happening until Jake finds out was just... I don't know... It was iffy.

The end also felt a little bit confusing and too rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the story, but overall I quite enjoyed reading it.