The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak - Review

"When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. And he had no idea that I was the only girl in the world who hated his music."

Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD...for four hours. She's totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she'll never see him again.

Except, Stella's life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver — dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band — when her sister could be dying of cancer? 

Ali Novak wrote her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was just 15 years old, and has since penned her next book, The Heartbreakers. First a hit on the online community Wattpad, her second novel has over 38 million reads and is loved by readers around the world.

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The Heartbreakers is filled with pranks, music, and heart. Strong characters and a plot made to rip at the heartstrings, Novak has written a hilarious, touching story of a girl, her sick sister, and the fear of letting go and growing up.

I loved Stella's voice. Much like Novak's other leading lady in My Life With the Walter Boys, sometimes she gets a little too stubborn and aggressive with encountering things she doesn't like. However, I think that the environment and driving worries/motivation makes for developed, complex characters. Stella is headstrong and her narrative is a wonderful balance of her present worry about her sister's health and her memories of what life was like before. I loved the triplets (triplets! Such a little touch that makes the story so different!) and thought their relationship was wonderful. 

The story was well-paced and was chalk full of eccentric characters. I loved the boys in the band and how they are family - family as close as they are different, much like Stella and her siblings. I thought that Stella and Oliver's relationship was well developed, if not a little love-at-first-sight-y, and their banter and growth is wonderful to read. Likewise, I thought that the growing friendship between Stella and the rest of the Heartbreakers, as well as her coming to terms with her (necessary) separation from her sister, Cara, were artfully placed and written. I wished that we got a little more tension between Cara and Stella, face to face. I loved the complexity of their situation, and I wanted just a little more from Stella's fear of letting go and Cara's fragility. 

A Cinderella-esque story, The Heartbreakers has all kinds of struggles of the heart - struggling to do what you love and follow your own heart while being mindful of those you love and being faced with someone who could possibly romantically love you. This story has a lot of heart and I can't wait to read the next installment.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Check out her Wattpad (where this all began!) here: http://www.wattpad.com/user/Fallzswimmer

Ali Novak is a twenty-three-year-old Wisconsin native and recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s creative writing program. She started writing her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was only fifteen, and since then, her work has received more than 100 million hits online. When she isn’t writing, Ali enjoys Netflix marathons and traveling with her husband Jared. You can follow Ali on Twitter @Fallzswimmer and Instagram @alinovak.

Happy Reading! 

Jasmine

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The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak - Review

No Kissing Allowed by Melissa West - Review

No kissing. No touching. And definitely no falling in love...

Armed with her besties, an embarrassing number of shots, and her list of 10 Wild Things To Do Before Adulthood, recent grad Cameron Lawson is partying it up before she starts her dream job at New York's biggest ad agency. Her last task? Hook up with a random guy. And while it's so not her style, the super-sexy guy sitting next to her is definitely game. No names. No details.

At least, that was the plan.

On her first day of work, Cameron discovers her hook-up is none other than Aidan Truitt—her new boss's boss. Talk about failing the “no fraternizing with coworkers” policy on an epic level. Especially when Aidan makes it clear their one night was only the beginning. Falling for him could cost her everything, but sometimes the only way to get what you want is by breaking a few rules...

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No Kissing Allowed is a dramatic, hilarious, and entertaining romance. A quick and swoon-worthy read, Cameron is a strong, independent woman who knows her flaws and is willing to risk everything to convince the man of her dreams that she's the woman of his. 

Cameron's voice is incredibly entertaining and believable. The loss of her father and her anxiety arise at the perfect moments and work to build a complex and interesting character. I liked that she was a good girl who never really gave up her dreams - for her career but, more importantly to the story, for her life and family. Both she and Aiden are compelling characters, each having to deal with what they want and what the other is unable - or isn't willing - to give. 

While the way she and Aiden meet seemed, to me at least, a little cliche, the way that Melissa builds the relationship is authentic and incredibly enjoyable to read. The way their personalities, pasts, and characteristics are revealed through their meeting and their budding relationship is a joy to read and I was rooting for them (despite Aiden's misplaced stubbornness) from the get go. They have wonderful dialogue and chemistry, having things in common and a passion for their jobs as well as for one another. While there is a lot of pull and tug (are they together or aren't they?!?!), the way both Aiden and Cameron grow and change make the two steps forward, one step back bearable. The funny times were hilarious, the cute times were adorable, and the sexy times were HOT. 

No Kissing Allowed is a wonderful story about a good girl breaking her rules to get her man. I loved Cameron and Aiden (as well as the best friend Lauren and Cameron's crazy family) and they way they grow throughout the story. Highly recommend for a quick, HEA romantic read! 

PLUS if you leave a review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble and email kissingisalwaysallowed@gmail.com, you can get a bonus scene between Aiden and Cameron! *grabby hands*

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Find out more about Melissa West and her work here: http://www.melissawestauthor.com/home.html

Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and teen sci-fi romance, all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn't like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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No Kissing Allowed by Melissa West - Review

Playing With Trouble by Chanel Cleeton - Review

The author of Flirting with Scandal presents her second book in a sexy contemporary romance series about three sisters in a powerful political family, the scandals that threaten to destroy them, and the passion that drives them…

The daughter of one of the Senate's most powerful figures, Blair Reynolds was ready to become the ultimate political wife—until she caught her fiancé cheating on her wedding day. Law school is a fresh start, her shot at putting the pieces of her life back together. That’s the plan, at least. Until trouble comes in the form of her Torts professor, the man whose arrogance infuriates her in class but haunts her private fantasies.

Graydon Canter had a fortune and a place on all the hottest "Thirty under Thirty” lists, until a series of personal missteps nearly destroyed his career. A year teaching at a D.C. law school is just the break he needs to get his life back in order, as long as nothing—and no one—trips him up.

When Blair and Gray are forced to work together, their explosive attraction becomes impossible to resist. But Gray’s demons have drawn him dangerously close to the edge, and Blair has spent her life playing by the rules. Will she break them for a shot at love?

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Fans of Chanel Clayton's Flirting With Scandal will love this return to the Jackie's world, this time with her sister Blair at the helm. 

Blair is a different kind of protagonist than I usually read - she is struggling to rebuild her life by doing something that makes her (and everyone around her) miserable. She is incredibly stubborn and has to continually prove that she isn't the fragile, docile woman everyone believes her to be. I liked seeing Blair's growth, though I wish that she had changed outwardly - to her friends, to her family, especially to her mother - slightly earlier in the story. 

Gray is also a compelling character, if not a little predictable. The successful lawyer with a dark past being forced to work at a college to pay his dues. I liked how much Blair got under his skin and his reactions to her and his attraction to her. Their romance seemed genuine and romantic. Their characters really worked off one another; both are trying to rebuild their lives but Gray still knows his passion, his focus, while Blair has to struggle with law school, her family, and figuring out what (and who) it is she really loves.

The beginning was a little slow for me, it being a lot of both characters just reminiscing on how sucky the last few years have been and how sexy they each find one another. However, when Blair and Gray begin to really interact with one another, the pace picks up and I couldn't wait to see where their relationship led. I felt there was a little too much of prolonged drama and wanton lust - again, when Blair and Gray really begin to communicate and play off one another (and kiss), it was a break from the (understandably but yet ever present) angst. While there are moments that lull and the blog posts are used more to hint at the third book (and Blair's sister, Kate) than to really move the plot, the issue of social media continues to plague these sisters. 

A fun, sexy, political read about rebuilding yourself when you don't even know where to start and you've already picked up the wrong kind of screwdriver, Playing With Trouble is a romantic, sexy book with two hot, stubborn characters not afraid to take on the courtroom, classroom, and bedroom to get what they want. 

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Find out more about Chanel and her books here: http://www.chanelcleeton.com

Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband.

Chanel writes contemporary romances and women's fiction. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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Playing With Trouble by Chanel Cleeton - Review

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - Review

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

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I have a confession to make. I...am a Sarah J. Maas addict. 

But actually. 

I absolutely adore Sarah J. Maas. She's funny, her friendship with Susan Dennard cracks me up, and her books never, EVER fail to disappoint. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a faerie retelling of Beauty and the Beast and a slew of other stories, and while I felt those influences heavily throughout the novel, the world and characters that Maas has created speak for themselves. I fell headfirst into the fairytale land of Prythian and fell in love almost immediately with the fiery, incredibly strong Feyre. If there is anything that Maas does well, other than her wonderful world building, it is creating absolutely amazing characters. Feyre, Tamlin, Lucien, Rhysand - none of the them disappoint and they are all so complex and interesting. 

I loved seeing all the different lore and fairytales interwoven. I loved the touch of East of the Sun and West of the Moon and Beauty and the Beast. I thought Prythian was wonderfully developed and the political tensions really added another element of danger to the story (other than, you know, killer faeries and such). 

Oh, and Tamlin. Tamlin, Tamlin, Tamlin. And Lucien. And Rhys. Man oh man does Sarah know how to make a hunk of a guy. I loved seeing each character grow as Feyre herself grows. I loved her relationship with Tamlin and Lucien. I'm not too sold on Rhys yet, though, but I feel like he's going to have a big part to play in the second book. The romance is just as believable and great as the world building and much swooning was happening. This is a New Adult novel, not strictly YA, so there were sexy times. I really loved the maturity of this book, though, and thought it was handled beautifully. 

The thing that I respect most, though, about Sarah is her desire and ability to make amazingly strong, complex female characters. Feyre is a warrior, through and through, and seeing her realize her flaws, weaknesses, and feminine side (well as her feelings towards certain characters) is glorious thing to read. ACOTAR is told in the first person, unlike the Throne of Glass series, and I feel like we got to see a new side of not only Feyre, but Sarah, and it was just as beautiful and heartbreaking and inspiring as I could have ever imagined. 

Now all I have to do is wait for September and Queen of Shadows *dies*

Brava Sarah!

Find out more about Sarah and her books here: http://sarahjmaas.com
Also, I highly recommend her Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahjmaas/

Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, the fourth book, will release globally on September 1st, 2015) and the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out starting May 5th, 2015). She currently resides with her husband and loyal canine companion in Pennsylvania. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing, and a minor in Religious Studies. Sarah is represented by Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - Review

Speed Review - Let's Go!

So I read a lot of books in a month...week...sometimes multiple books a day. And I can't write a review for every book I read (because who would read them all, really). But I thought since I have read so many books lately, I'd do a speed review - just a quick note of stars (cough cupcakes) and a quick opinion blurb. Let's commence, shall we?

City Love by Susane Colasanti

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I was on a small town girl meets attractive city guy binge and this looked like it would hit the spot. While entertaining, I personally found the voices a little immature and the characters one dimensional. A fun beach read but not much more.

2 Cupcakes

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

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A fantasy and action fueled adventure, great for fans of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor and the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. The world is dark and deep and the characters are well developed. A little predictable, but overall an entertaining and satisfying read.

4 Cupcakes

Getting Lucky Number Seven by Cindi Madson

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A cute friends to something more story. I thought the dialogue was witty, the romance authentic, and it was well paced. Nothing too complicated but an overall swoon-worthy, entertaining read.

4.5 Cupcakes

The Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Step

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The political world but with magic. Cold Burn of Magic has a great main character with a developed, interesting, dangerous world. I enjoyed the war between the houses and the problems it creates, and how the main character is related to and deals with those problems. A fun read and I look forward the the sequel.

4.5 Cupcakes

Across the Distance by Marie Meyer

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Again, another friends to romance story (told you I was on a binge), this one with my second favorite twist - he's a rising musician. This book deals with some heavy stuff. The chemistry between the characters is good and the plot is happily-ever-after predictable.

4 Cupcakes

The Heir by Keira Cass

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I liked the Selection series (not loved) and thought I'd give The Heir a try. Eadlyn drove me nuts from the start, and although she grows throughout the story, I never could really get into her voice and character. Fans of The Selection will no doubly enjoy this second generation tale, but it wasn't for me.

3 Cupcakes

Born of Defiance by Sherrilyn Kenyon

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I love the League series, it's probably my favorite of Sherrilyn's many series, and this is no different. I loved seeing the Andarion world and really getting into the nitty gritty of a warrior's society. Readers learn something new about old characters in every new book and this was no different. I thought the trauma and abuse was really thick, though - not that it wasn't apt or told well. I just feel really bad for all the characters in this series. Sheesh. Could be read as a stand alone but I highly recommend the rest of the series.

4.5 Cupcakes

End of Days by Susan Ee

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I read Angelfall and World After a while ago and fell in love with this apocalyptic killer angel world. I loved Penryn and her will to keep fighting. I loved Raffe and their chemistry and his internal conflict to follow his duty or his heart. The world Susan Ee creates is deep and interesting and gritty and I thought this was a great conclusion to the series.

5 Cupcakes


Well, I hope this little Review Roundup was helpful. Check out all of these recent releases for yourself!

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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Speed Review - Let's Go!

Days Like This by Danielle Ellison - Review

Sometimes the only thing standing between fear and hope is you.

Almost a year ago, nineteen-year-old Cassie Harlen had a lot to deal with. A stack of college acceptance letters waiting for answers, a proposal from the boy next door, and a mother whose most recent bipolar episode left Cassie hurt and confused. Tired of cleaning up the messes caused by her mother's disorder, of resenting her mother for not being there, and scared of being trapped by an inevitable future—which included marrying Graham Tucker—Cassie did the only thing she could think of to keep from ending up like her mother: she left.

Graham never knew why Cassie walked away. He woke up one morning and she was gone—along with the life that he’d created around her. After eleven months, Graham has a new plan for his future. One that doesn't involve Cassie Harlen.

When Cassie's mom nearly burns down her house, Cassie’s forced to return home. Back to a mother she’s tried to ignore and the guy she’s been unable to forget. Graham doesn't know how he's going to spend the whole summer living next door to the person who broke his heart without letting those old feelings push through to the surface.

Neither does Cassie.

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A romantic, heart-wrenching read. I loved that this story was as much about Cassie having to come to terms with resenting a person that she also loves as it was about a boy-next-door love that seems to be a thing of the past. While I found Cassie and Graham's love authentic, well developed, and heartbreakingly romantic, I need to give a shout-out to Danielle Ellison for really highlighting the struggles of living with someone with a mental disorder and the highs and lows that come with that situation.

I liked the dual point of view, especially since Cassie's character is so wrought with emotional turmoil. While I never felt that her feelings weren't authentic or believable, sometimes Cassie's stubbornness and masochistic habits got a little too much for me, personally. I found Graham's voice refreshing in comparison to Cassie's, though both clearly bear the consequences of hasty decisions and fear. Both Cassie and Graham's voices are believable and I loved reading about their past relationship from each of their memories. They were a nice, homely balance to all the drama happening in the present. I also liked seeing Cassie's mother from both Cassie and Graham's perspective - I thought it showed nicely the way in which mental disorders can be experienced from in the home and observed from outside it.

A fairly quick read with a lot of depth. A story about learning to love people - even yourself -  even when it seems impossible.

Check out Days Like This and Danielle's other books here: http://www.danielleellison.com

Danielle Ellison spent most of her childhood reading instead of learning math. It's probably the reason she can't divide without a calculator and has spent her life seeking the next adventure. It's also probably the reason she's had so many different zip codes and jobs.

When she’s not writing, Danielle is probably eating cookies, fighting her nomadic urges, watching too much TV, or dreaming of the day when she can be British. She has settled in Northern Virginia, for now, but you can always find her on twitter @DanielleEWrites.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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Days Like This by Danielle Ellison - Review

Center Ice by Cate Cameron - Review

The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.

Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

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Center Ice is a heartbreaking and heartwarming young adult story of the difficulties in choosing what is best for yourself over choosing what you think is right. The main characters were hilarious and broken and awkward and I enjoyed it immensely.

Cameron created engaging and developed characters. I loved that each had their own flaws and that they ranged from teenage angst to real relationship dynamics and loss. Karen is such a sassy young woman and her ability to find humor while still mourning and having to deal with a new family is refreshing and hilarious. Tyler's awkwardness is also incredibly refreshing. The good-looking star athlete that is fumbling around when he feels authentic feelings toward someone is hilarious and heartwarming. 

I also loved the dynamics between kids and parents. The difficulties of being in a broken or breaking family are voiced well here, I think. Life is complicated and trouble that touches one person very rarely be contained to only them. I liked seeing the Karen and her step siblings coming together when everything seemed to fall apart; it wasn't perfect and the tensions with them were authentic. I liked that it wasn't a miraculous solution - the tension and awkwardness and guilt and blame are still there and I enjoyed seeing how everyone slowly sloughs through it all to find out how they can be happy. 

There were some aspects of the book that I thought were a little convenient that could use a little more development, like Tyler's borderline abusive father and the mess he created. I thought that his demands and pressure were overbearing, narrative wise, and that the reveal of his family's overall financial struggle wasn't much of a surprise. I thought the pressure on Tyler was a little unrealistic and redundant, though I totally understood it's purpose in the narrative. I just wished we saw more of his dad than just being an overbearing asshole.

I thought the real star was Karen's journey of deciding to be happy and dragging Tyler along with her. This is a story that, for me, isn't preaching the need to solve everything and the power of unity. For me, it really showcased the power of finding what makes you happy, of what you need to do to make you feel strong and loved and protect those you love. And for Karen, I loved that that meant not only letting someone in romantically, but letting someone in maternally as well.

Overall, this was a story about how to be happy and I think it did a wonderful job taking us on Karen's journey as well as the rest of the casts'. In the book she calls herself a catalyst, and even though she meant for everything going wrong, I see Karen as catalyst for forcing people to decide what really makes them happy and what they want out of life. 

Find out more about Cate and her works here: http://catecameronauthor.com

Check out Center Ice and other Entangled Crush titles: http://www.entangledpublishing.com

Happy Reading!

Jasmine

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Center Ice by Cate Cameron - Review