Dienstag, 29. April 2014

Blue Notes - Carrie Lofty

Title: Blue Notes
Author: Carrie Lofty
Rating: 3.5 - 4 / 5
Thanks to NetGallery and Gallery Books for giving me a chance to read this before the official release.
After being bounced from foster family to foster family, Keeley, a talented pianist, is ready to start over as a junior at Tulane. But when she plays a small concert that attracts the attention of Jude, a brooding playboy and heir to an enormous fortune in the wake of his parents’ tragic death, suddenly Keeley’s life is thrown off balance once again.

Jude is the first person to confront her about the pain behind her music, and she struggles with whether or not to let him into her life, or to keep protecting herself from the hurt that relationships have caused her in the past. But Keeley’s about to learn that the melancholy young billionaire who appears to have everything he wants can open her eyes to exactly what she needs…
I'm so sorry for sticking with the original sypnosis again. I can't seem to find the right words in order to write one myself.

There are books you request on NetGallery and never imagine to actually get. Thank you to whoever pressed the 'accept' button. I'm really thankful for that.

It's easy to compare this book to Fifty Shades of Gray or is it Grey? I have no idea, I never read those books. From what I've heard, this one here is pretty similar though. Difference is, this is for new adults. I'm not sure if Shades of Gray is adult material or starts off with new adult too, but well... It doesn't really matter. It's about seducing and someone who's older and sexyness (is that a word?) and dares and fears.

So please don't make the mistake and think of this book as a sweet story. I know the cover is making you think up stories about unicorns and cotton candy in your head. You couldn't be more wrong. I thought this would be a light read too, a bit poetic maybe. Truth is, it's raw and powerful and ruins the skin on your cheeks because you'll eventually find yourself crying. Or near to tears. No denying that.

The sad thing is, however, this book loses its voice through the story. In the beginning I thought this would be another poetic read, as I said, and then I fell in love with the story so much, I was disappointed as I turned the pages. I can't exactly describe why and I hate for being disappointed in the end as much as I am. I think Keeley hasn't exactly figured out who she is. Her past still lingers somewhere between the pages and my eyes and I want her to overcome her fears completely. To be honest, she hasn't become a different person. She might have fallen in love with an asshole (a very handsome one, I assume) but her character lost its appeal. Gosh, I'm being too harsh, aren't I? Let's just say that I started to dislike her character after the middle of the book.

Also, I liked Jude in the beginning so much more. I was surprised to find sympathy for Adelaide. I wish there was a book about her, and Janissa too. Those two really grew on me. I usually can't stand the main character's best friends, but I really liked Janissa and Adelaide.

I should probably quit writing reviews, considering I'm not really good at it. I liked the story itself and I enjoyed it most of the time. Just because I didn't like the last forty pages or so doesn't mean I'm going to give Blue Notes a bad rating. I just hoped to find out more about Keeley's past and I also couldn't relate to Jude's problems. It seemed like once he said it all out loud, the magic was gone.

I repeat - I liked this book. This isn't a mean review, no. I'd recommend it. Strongly. It's not a bad book. I will just stop and let you read it yourself.

Freitag, 18. April 2014

How We Lived (Remembering Kyle #01) - Erin Butler

Title: How We Lived (Remembering Kyle #01)
Author: Erin Butler
Rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to NetGallery and Entangled Publishing (Embrace) for giving me a chance to read this before the official release.
Nineteen-year-old Kelsey Larkin’s parents uninvited her to her brother’s funeral. She just wanted to wear jeans and a T-shirt—the clothes Kyle would’ve wanted her in—not wrap herself up in death. So she watched the funeral from afar, like an outsider. Which is just how she feels.

Chase came, though, just like she knew he would. Until a few months ago, the three of them had been best friends, and then Chase made a mistake that shattered both families. But when Kelsey looks at him, she doesn’t see her brother’s killer. She sees the boy next door who’s always taken care of her. She sees home.

When Chase tells her his feelings run deeper than friendship, she can’t help but get lost in him. In Chase, she finally has the closure she’s been unable to find anywhere else. But the boy she’s falling in love with is still hiding secrets about the night Kyle died. Secrets that could destroy everything they have…again.
I am currently not able to go online via computer, so I have to keep the review 'short'. That's why it took so long to copy the review to Goodreads - my internet is too slow to load a lot of things. I'm sorry for sticking with the official sypnosis.

I can safely say - I loved this book to pieces! I chatted with Erin Butler via Twitter while I read it, telling her this book was the only good thing happening during the move we're currently in.

It's always sad to read about loss, especially a loss of someone the main character loved very much. I was so sad and grieved for Kelsey, but when Chase came into the picture I felt hope. I wanted to slap both of them a couple of times - they both had their strange sides and their lovely sides. Gosh, I suck so bad at writing this review. I am sorry Erin.

You know, the strange thing is, I didn't blame Chase for Kyle's death either. If this was real life and I wouldn't see Kelsey point of view, I probably might have blamed Chase. But with both their point of views, I wanted everybody else to see the good Chase, the one who cared and who was sexy and the one who would do anything for the ones close to him. Gaaaah! I want a Chase! Bake one!

Even funnier, I picked this book up randomly. I browsed through NetGallery and it sounded nice, so I requested it. I am so damn glad I got accepted. I wouldn't want to miss to have read this masterpiece. I think everyone else should, too. It's one of my favourite reads this year, and definitely in my guilty pleasure shelf (the best shelf) on Goodreads. I can't wait to order a physical copy. A beauty like this has to appear in my book shelf. Like, immeditaley. I wish I could undo reading this book and read it all over again, not knowing what to expect.

I'm sorry for not describing the characters. I'll say it like this: You'll love Chase. You'll want a Chase. And you'll find yourself being Kelsey, not just reading about a foreign girl. You will hate Kelsey's mom, both of her parents, and you will fall in love with Chase's mother and his friend Vito.

How We Lived is spectacular (I have to use that word, because I don't know how to spell the actual one I want to use haha)! I'm telling the truth when I say I compare it to a raw diamond - so beautiful. It involves everything a good book should. And I really recommend it to fans of The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, and One Moment by Kristina McBride.

I love you Erin Butler. Please write more books - I can't wait to read more of your writing. Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention: As a wanna-be writer (I'm talking about me, if you haven't figured) I admire the way Erin Butler writes. I wish I could write like that.

Donnerstag, 3. April 2014

Heartbitten - Aubrey Rose

Title: Heartbitten
Author: Aubrey Rose
Rating: 3.5 - 4/5

Thanks to NetGallery and Fido Publishing for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.

Robb has lost a very important person in his early life - Eliza. He lost her because the vampires took him and made him become one too. Now, a hundred years later, he finds himself torn between giving love a new chance, having Liz in his life, who a virgin on top of it all, and the costs that come along by being a vampire.

Liz puts all of her focus on her work. She loves her job, and if Jenny wouldn't drag her, she'd never willingly go to a party. She's not much of a party person, let alone searching looking for a relationship. But then she meets Robb Chatham who is too goodlooking for his own good. Will she still lust after him when she finds out about his secret?

Please ignore the sypnoses, as always. I'm not good at writing them.

Do you know these moments when you browse through a book website and find one that captures your attention by the sypnosis so bad, you want to read it immediately? That's what happened to me when I found Heartbitten on NetGallery. I was browsing though the different sections of genres and found Heartbitten. There was part of a conversation between Liz and Robb and I fell in love. I wanted to have that book. You can imagine how happy I was, when I actually received it.

Usually, I prefer to read books written in first person. I can't seem to relate to third person that well. But forget it! Aubrey Rose's writing is too perfect to complain. She's one of my new favourite authors, a new rulemodel when it comes to writing.

I adored Liz and Robb's characters. Their feelings and intentions were described perfectly, leaving nothing to the imagination.

What I missed though was the story of Robb, how he became a vampire. We only know that they took him, but we don't know what happened then. Or is my English that bad and I didn't understand it, missed reading that scene? If so, I am very sorry. I was too excited about the romance between Liz and Robb. And oh God! That romance. I totally loved it.

My favourite scene... I know, no one's interested in reading about that, but I want to mention it anyway. I had lots of favourite scenes, but my very very favourite was when Liz thought she had discovered Robb's secret and it was a total misunderstanding, turning into a disaster. She was so supportive and all cute about convincing him it was all okay. She hadn't expected that. Love, love, love that scene!

Sometimes, it was hard for me to understand the biological and chemistry language in this book. But that's just because English isn't my mother-tongue. Oh, and I really don't know why this book is titled as New Adult. Robb clearly isn't a new adult and Liz... She may be a virgin, but she is acting like a real grown-up.

I don't want to give away too much. I really loved the book and I am glad to have found such a talented author through NetGallery. Thanks for that. I really hope for a sequel to Heartbitten, because I'd love to read more about those two lovebirds. A book about Jenny, or even Thad (though I really didn't like the guy) would be nice too. Just give me more, Aubrey. Do it, do it, do it! I'm begging you. Pleaseeeee!