Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Review: Come Back To Me by Mila Gray



Published: June 19th, 2014
Pages: 373
Rating: 4/5
Source: e-ARC from author 
 Goodreads ~ Amazon 


Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have. But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms. 
What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for. Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.


A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak. (Description from Goodreads) 


*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

First things first: I don’t normally read New Adult. It’s just a genre that I haven’t really jumped into yet, and in the past, I’ve even swore myself off of it (in a post on this blog!). Problem is, I’m getting old(er), and I’ve found it a little difficult at times to relate to YA characters. NA characters are more my age; thus I relate better to them. I’m (slowly) making my way into reading more NA, but I just wanted to put that out there.

That being said, Come Back To Me was the perfect introduction into NA. I was hooked from the start; heck, I was hooked just knowing that the book was a “military love story.” Basically two of my favorite things. I have a weird thing for books with a military aspect…and I kinda have a thing for military men, too, but that’s a different blog post. I’m pretty sure I was certifiably addicted to this book. I even cried a little at some parts (because there’s some legit heavy stuff). GUYS, WATER CAME OUT OF MY EYES, and all because of this book (that doesn’t happen…ever). I don’t get emotional over books or movies, aside from the Book Thief film; it had me sobbing. Come Back To Me is such a sweet, passionate, emotional roller coaster that all I want to do is ride again.

The story is told from both characters POV, which was a good move on the author’s part. Seeing Kit’s side of the story really added a lot to the story, and I think that’s something that helped keep my attention throughout the book. I love reading male perspectives on falling in love- it’s like getting inside a guy’s head. And who doesn’t love to do that?! Let me also say that Kit’s perspective made some of the love scenes a whoooooole lot hotter. *saucy wink*

 Kit’s just come back from serving overseas to find Jessa all grown up. She’s not the little kid who followed Riley and him around before they enlisted. Kit holds a playboy reputation, but he’s leaving all that behind. After dreaming about Jessa for a year now, Kit’s ready for her to be his. I felt that this, as well as other parts of the story, was a tad cliché. Kit can have almost any woman he wants, but he chooses the one he can’t have. Some parts were predictable, like which character dies in action (can you guess?). But most love stories are a little predictable, simply because they are overdone. I feel like that didn’t distract me from the story, though, and I still managed to really enjoy the love story.

Let me tell you one thing that was totally unpredictable, something I loved about the story: When Kit comes home after the tragedy, he doesn’t immediately fall into Jessa’s waiting arms. They don’t cry on each other’s shoulders. They don’t mourn together. THAT would be predictable. The truth is that they stay painfully separated. And that really played with my emotions, because I wanted them to be together, just like they wanted to be together, but this awful, intangible thing was keeping them apart. It’s all so poetic and beautiful that I almost want to go find a couch to swoon on. 

Come Back To Me is a bittersweet love story that will (hopefully) tug at your heart as much as it did mine. You’ll fall for Kit, and squeal at how perfect Jessa and Kit are together, and even maybe cry a little (it’s very possible). I highly recommend this book to mature teen and adult readers.

*Reviewer Note: This being a New Adult title, there is sexual material included in this book, some of which is graphic/explicit. Because of that, I wouldn’t recommend this title to anyone under 18.*


Saturday, February 15, 2014

A Valentine's Day Love Letter from Emily White

A Love Letter from Emily White to her Readers:


It's a month for love and there's nothing I love more about the publishing life than meeting new readers. That's why, a few months ago, I made a pretty huge announcement. I doubt it had any far-reaching effects. And I seriously doubt many people even heard about it. But I want everyone to know:

After doing ALL the things and checking off ALL the lists, I never really felt like I'd accomplished anything in my career. I'd grown up dreaming about signing a contract with a publishing company, and I did that. But after that was done, I dreamt about the next contract, and having my books read around the world, and maybe hitting a bestseller list. And I did all that. But still not so much happiness. I had moments of happiness. Of absolute joy, even. And it hit me last November that those moments came when I was meeting new readers or getting emails from them. They came in certain minutes of the day when a reader tweeted me or sent me a private message on facebook. 

I realized that I just loved...you. Not hitting milestones. Just you. 

And I want more of you. More awesome moments on twitter or facebook! More readers who become friends! More! More! More!

And I also want to make you happy. Because you're awesome, and you deserve it.

So I made the announcement that my books would be free. All of them, for all time. Old ones and new.

I know a lot of people might think I'm crazy. A lot of people who think I should get paid for my hard work. But that's the thing. To ME, readers are the payment. Especially readers I get socialize with. 

Now, since November, a hard reality hit me. Amazon doesn't allow free so much anymore, and I am by no means skilled at the computer. And since my decision to give my work away for free doesn't necessarily mean I want to force an inferior product on you, I've had to hire an interior designer to do all the formatting and make everything pretty and easy to read. She's doing an AMAZING job on FAE right now, and as soon as she's done with it I'll be sending Elemental to her.

So with that in mind, I've had to get my thinking cap on, and here's what I've come up with:


My books will ALWAYS be free on wattpad and smash words, and you may find the links below. 

Unfortunately, the free version on smashwords will be formatted by me and contain some errors in that regard. I might get better at this over the years. I'm really hoping I do so that quality AND free can go hand-in-hand. I will also upload all my books on wattpad chapter by chapter, which doesn't have any formatting problems since it's a simple copy/paste.

Amazon and Kobo will have the beautifully formatted and designed interior version for $.99. There will also be a paperback version on amazon that will be the very lowest createspace will allow me to price it.

I hope all of you enjoy my books, and I hope you realize just how much I appreciate each and every one of you. Without you guys I'm just a crazy loon with voices in my head. :)

Author Bio:

Emily White is a nerd. 

She prefers her men fully clothed and donning bowties, her commas British, her books cheesy with big, overly-dramatic explosions, her characters awkward and endearingly real, and watching her movies in authentic turn-of-the-century theaters. When not exposing her nerdy self to the world, she's creating her own friends and putting them in horrible, yet sometimes humorous situations.

Reviews for Elemental:


"I'm calling it right now. Elemental is the beginning of the next big YA series. And here's why:

Does Elemental have a strong female voice that young women can admire?

Check.

Romance?

Check. 

Is it nauseating and cringe-worthy romance?



Heck no. I can safely say that I could give a copy of Elemental to my guy friends without fear of getting punched in the nose.


Thorough world-building?

Double Triple Quadruple Check.

A kick-ass plot?

Check POW!

Seriously, this book is great and you should most definitely CHECK it out." --Dan Cohen, author of Masters of the Veil

"Blending aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and romance, debut author Emily White’s Elemental is an incredibly intriguing...start to a series." --Foreword Reviews

"Here is another one of those stories that really had me from the first page. There was a constant unraveling of the story as the world became more and more magical and dangerous. The need to turn the pages to figure out how dangerous Ella really was. It all really builds in anticipation each chapter and even a bit of romance thrown in. I would recommend this first to science fiction lovers and secondly to fantasy readers... I didn't just like this story, I loved it." --Krista (CubicleBlindnessReviews), Goodreads


"The ending is amazing! Yes, a lot of questions do get answered, but we're left with a few and with a small cliffhanger too! Which is amazing and was so perfectly well written! I can honestly say that this is one of those rare books were you are satisfied just enough to be able to wait a bit for that next book to be released!" --The Bumble Girl {Margie}, Goodreads

"Let me tell you that I loved the worlds Emily created in this book... I felt like I was there--aboard ships, on other planets. This is one of those stories where the setting is a character in itself. It added to the conflict and hiked up the tension." --Kelly Hashway, Author of Touched by Death

"Elemental is a pounding, relentless story of a young girl facing trouble and terror from all sides. Sure, Ella has been imprisoned for most of her young life, and sure, she’s got people trying to actively kill her- and a god searching for her so he can destroy her- but she’s also fighting a power within herself that is even more frightening than anything her enemies can throw at her... The atmosphere is disturbing and the danger is ever present. Altogether, this is an exciting science fiction fairy tale for girls and boys alike, with touches of romance and lots and LOTS of action." --Kendra Saunders, author of Death and Mr. Right and Inanimate Objects.

"I mean, who thinks of combining dystopia with faeries? It’s ingenious! And the story line and writing just completed the whole thing, with great staging. All the events flowed together perfectly, leading up to an amazing climax. Perfect work, Emily White." --Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf, Goodreads review


Review for To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World:

"To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World is a delightful anthology of short stories that all take place in Steamville. This steampunk themed book is filled with colorful characters who find themselves in fairly normal situations, which makes their tales relatable as well as entertaining. I loved that author Emily White tied each of the individual stories together not just with the location, but through the everyday interactions that people have when living in a small town." --Compulsion Reads







Sunday, May 6, 2012

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Published: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 487
Rating: 5/5
In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. [Book Description from Goodreads]
Review:
I know this review is coming out kind of late, since most people are getting ready to read Insurgent, the second book in the Divergent Trilogy, if they haven’t already. But honestly, I put Divergent on hold 4 MONTHS AGO and I just got it from the library recently. That’s how popular this book is, and now I know why.
When it takes four freakin’ months to get a book from the library, you know it’s going to be good. And Divergent didn’t disappoint in the least. I was enamored from the start- the action was incredible and left your breathless, the subtle yet skillfully woven plot was fantastic, and the romance was amazing. Roth did a surprisingly awesome job with the romance. You’d be shocked at how difficult it is to add romance to dystopians (depression and depravity don’t make for a good romance factor). I felt like Roth had everything well-thought out; every little detail was convincing, and that’s one of the biggest things an author must do: convince the readers. Despite the hugeness of the book, the plot sweeps you along so swiftly that the 487 pages don’t feel daunting at all (for those of you who’ve read the book- see what I did there? Daunting? Ok, I’ve reached my allotted number of lame jokes for this review; no worries).
I found myself gluing Divergent to my side- I seriously took it EVERYWHERE. To my brother’s football games, to the dentist, to church (and no, I didn’t read it during the church service). Divergent has been my drug for the past week- I was sad to finish it. With the release of the second book, Insurgent, comes a tide of rippling excitement among the bookworm crowd-me included! If you haven’t read Divergent yet, do so now. Then go buy the next book. Then wait in anticipation with the rest of us until the ingenious writer Roth completes this thrilling trilogy!
Quick Content Review: *contains spoilers*
Violence: Heavy (Dauntless trains their initiates by toughening them up, i.e. making them fight one another, among other less-violent activities. While training, several initiates bully the others. Mention (and a bit of description) of a boy getting stabbed in the eye; also mention of a suicide. Several different mentions of people getting shot. I cannot list all the instances of the violent content in this book, as they are too numerous, but just take my word for it- nothing is sugar coated.)
Language- Mild (a couple h-words)
Sexual- Mild (Two characters talk non-descriptively about having sex; they aren’t ready, so nothing happens. A few kisses and caresses.)
*Side Note: A lot of people have told me that Divergent’s “twin” is The Hunger Games. Wrong, at least in my opinion. This book did not in any way remind me of The Hunger Games. I did feel, at moments, that certain aspects were similar to other dystopians I’ve read, but no idea is truly a brand new one, right? Just wanted to clear that up, in case any of you were wondering or have heard that it’s similar, too.*

Thursday, April 26, 2012

There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: October 4, 2011
Pages: 307
Rating: 5/5
Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.
She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.
Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.
Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?
Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along? [Book Description from Amazon]
Review:
Finley has been through more than the average teen’s troubles. While other girls her age are worrying about acne, fashion, and boys, Finley just wants her brother back. Or at least to forget him, to let go of his tragic death. While on her way to Ireland to spend some time on the island her brother fell in love with, she meets none other than the world famous hottie, Beckett Rush. Starring in a new vampire movie shot in Ireland, Beckett is all but ready for Finley’s reaction to him- or his reputation. As tension soars and pressure is increased, Finley must not only find peace with her brother’s death but with herself and God.
            This book had me hooked the minute I cracked it open. Jones weaves a sweet, touching tale of how a girl’s perspective of life is changed through the people she meets and the circumstances God puts her in. It had me laughing (out loud, at the kitchen table, no less, while my family munched silently and starred) and crying. Through Jones’s talented writing, I felt the awe that Finley felt as she experienced all the beauty of Ireland. I absolutely love books that give the reader a taste of another culture, and this one took me there. To Ireland. To the cool sea mist. To the rolling green hills. To the quiet quaintness of Abbeyglen.
            I’ve thought a lot about writing a book of my own like this one, with this same theme. The whole commoner-meets-hot-movie-star-and-the-two-fall-in-love theme has always fascinated me, but I know I couldn’t have pulled it off as well as Jones did. Carelessly, this type of theme could utterly ruin a book, but Jones did a marvelous job of not making it seem ridiculous in the least. Beckett’s movie role was laughable- I mean, fangs + ruffle shirts + castles in Ireland just makes for a laughing fit, if you ask me (apparently the author is a fan of Twilight, so I will restrain from making a rude comment about that particular movie in this review, but do note that I am snickering as I write this). Jones infused her touching story with just the right amount of humor, and the romance was fantastic. I could have gone for a little more (oh my word, Beckett’s going on my “fictional love interests” list) but it might have been too distracting from the true point of Finley’s story.
            *sniffle* Yes, I cried at the end. Not because it’s sad, but because it’s just so beautiful. I closed the book wishing for a sequel, but sometimes one is just enough. Too much of something good can ruin the goodness, if you know what I mean. I have, though, bought nearly all of Jones’s other books from Barnes and Noble, because this book convinced me that she’s an incredible author and I want more, to be honest. In summary, I will be reading this one again sometime. Go check it out. It will inspire, refresh, and entertain you until the very last page.
Quick Content Review: *Clean Read!*
Language: None
Violence: None (Finley’s brother was killed in a terrorist attack, but no details)
Sexual: None (a kiss or two between Finley and Beckett)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Daily Dose #8...All you need is LOVE

In honor of Valentine's Day...for those who have someone and for those who have yet to meet their someone...