Review: Unwritten by Chelsea Cameron

        

*ARC recieved from Netgalley*

     Rating: 3/5 stars

     Recommend: probably not. 

     Synopsis: Blair Walton isn't your average curvaceous tattooed children's librarian. She's also one half of bestselling romance author, Scarlet Rose. Along with her BFF Raine, she spends her nights writing books so steamy, she's afraid they would shock her Southern conservative grandmother to death . . . if she knew about them. That's why she and Raine write in secret.

On deadline for their latest book and out of ideas, Raine suggests (demands) that Blair find a guy and "do some research". Declan Bennet has all the qualifications: He's British, looks fabulous in a suit, has glorious blue eyes and gets bonus points for being an amazing single dad to his adorable son, Drake. But what starts out as a research project quickly turns into something much more. And Blair's not the only one with secrets.

     Review: I wanted to like this book more, i swear that i did. I was excited when i got approved for this book on Netgalley because I've heard nothing but amazing things about Chelsea M. Cameron's writing, but to be honest with you, this book left we severely underwhelmed. The story follows Blair, who is a children's librarian by day and a steamy romance novelist (with her best friend) by night. One day a little boy named Drake wanders into the library and Blair falls in love with the little boy's charm. Awhile later, Drake's father comes in to meet the woman his son will not shut up about, he's gorgeous, British and named Declan. From there, Blair and Declan begin a relationship and start to fall in love, but both of them are keeping secrets. I'm not gonna say this book was bad because it wasn't, it was well written but the story itself was frankly pretty lame, it felt like she tried to build it up but then just dropped us.... she bought us dinner then never called again, basically. 

     What I Liked: i loved the writing aspect of Blair, i thought that the concept of her being a closeted romance novelist was a really cool idea. Declan was so dreamy, ugh, he sounded really hot and Drake was just so cute i could not stop awing. Raine was a wonderful best friend, she did everything right and never asked questions. All of the secondary characters (with the exception of Drake's bitchy nanny) were fabulous, i loved all the people that we met that worked at the library, they added a nice other aspect to Blair and to her life. My number one favorite thing about this book was that Blair wasn't a virgin skinned, skinny supermodel, she was a curvy woman that was covered in tattoo's and that was really refreshing to see in new adult novel, i feel like the curvy girl is  often left undiscovered. 

     What I Didn't Like: Honestly, what was the point of the library fire? It was so pointless in the scheme of things, i was hoping that it would turn into something but it was.... pointless. Declan's secret was totally lame, i was expecting skeletons in his closet... literally, but i got basically nothing. Declan had the makings of a really good psycho at some points and i really wish Cameron would have gone that direction, now that would have been a hell of a book. I also wanted more of Blair hanging out with Drake, they were so cute together. Also, her and Declan get real serious, real fast at the end and i just don't think that they would have gone that fast had they been a real couple. One more thing.... the i love you's. what a TERRIBLE place to do that... wow. 

Her Perfect Game by Shannyn Schroeder

                                

      *ARC recieved from NetGalley*

     Rating: 3/5 Stars 

     Recommend: like the first, probably not. 

     Synopsis: Charlie Castle is an expert archer and a fierce warrior—in her favorite video game, anyway. But college life was a program she couldn't quite master. To land a cybertech job without a degree, she's entering a "hackfest" over spring break—where she also hopes to meet the sweet gamer who's been flirting with her online. Instead, she runs into the hot guy who walked away years ago, and can't fight the desire that comes rushing back. 

Jonah Best has never gotten over Charlie, whose kisses were always as deliciously creative as her coding. But now that they're face to face again, he doesn't know how to admit that her online admirer is really him—or how to convince her that he's offering her a job for her incredible skills, not her sex appeal. Can Jonah cut through their communication glitches and persuade Charlie that the next level up for them should be forever?

     Review: This book, like the first (reviewed here) was just not that good. I did enjoy this one slightly more than i enjoyed the first, which is why this one got 3 stars instead of 2.5. This book takes place during the same spring break the first one did, but this one follows Charlie, one of Layla's best friends. Charlie is a computer hacker who spends most of her free time playing a RPG called The Order of Resskaar, where she has a not so slight crush in a fellow player named Win. Jonah taught Charlie everything he knew about hacking and after getting sent back home to Chicago (he ran away without a word three years prior) to attend a Con for work, he and Charlie reconnect and  both start to remember why they loved each other. Like the first book, this one was also around the 130 page mark, which made it seem rushed and basically unfinished, with an abrupt ending . At least this one has a pre-established relationship so that made the fastness of it slightly better, and i mean slightly. Charlie was better than Layla but miles but she was still flat and lifeless on the page, and Jonah was just creepy with the whole Win thing, i could not get past that. No connection was felt to any of these characters and that's quite upsetting because i thought this one was going to be miles better. To be honest, if they approve me i'll still read the third one because I've gone this far, i might as well finish the trilogy. 

     What I Liked: The RPG/Hacking setting was really interesting, also the fact that the story is set at a Con. That's about it. 

     What I Didn't Like: Jonah being Win, that creeped me out beyond belief. How fast Charlie fell back into bed with Jonah, if i was her i would be PISSED but she's just like, okay wanna have sex? like no, not realistic sorry. The lack of detail was just so hard to swallow, especially considering Charlie and Jonah had this deep romance, this story would have been the perfect use of a flashback, but nope, it was completely underdeveloped unfortunately. Also, why didn't Charlie question the fact that "Win" was going to pay for her registration and let her stay in her room, that is beyond creepy, especially considering she's never even seen what he really looks like... Charlie, are you an idiot? The fact that she made this so short, this had the potential to be a really great book, but she skipped the details and it ended up being novella length, if this was the size of a normal novel i think it would have been much better than it actually turned out to be. 

Reckless by Priscilla West

*Copy provided By Netgalley for a review* 

    Rating: 3 Stars

    Recommend: Depends on the person. 

    Synopsis: Everything about him warned me to stay away.

I’d seen bad boys before, but he had it all and more. The rippling muscles covered in tatts, the piercing eyes hiding dark secrets, the silky voice that could make a girl come with just a whisper . . . 
He was exactly the type of guy that would get me in trouble, but when he jumped off the stage, inked skin glistening with sweat and breathed his seductive words into my ear, I couldn’t resist the temptation.

It was supposed to be the best one-night stand of my life, but fate didn’t let it play out that way. Things happened. I got upset. I got hasty. And worst of all, I got reckless.
After that disaster, I thought it was the last I’d see of him. But what I didn’t know was that I’d started something.
Something that could shatter the very thing I had worked so hard to protect.

I should have known back then that the most seductive things in life are also the most dangerous.

   Review: I liked this book.... kind of, it was a typical New Adult romance except it was set on tour rather than in a college. The story follows kinda wild/kinda not accountant Riley, who after encountering a rock star in a bar and giving him blue balls, ends up as his bands tour accountant for two weeks. Jax is your typical NA romantic hero, he's covered in tattoos, sleeps around and is in a band but he, as always, has a sweet side that can love. Riley tried to fight the connection they have in an effort to remain professional, but it just doesn't work. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with this book, it was more of a whole book issue. I found it very difficult to connect to any of the characters... they felt flat and under developed to me, but since there is a part two coming out i'm hoping that will fix the underdevelopment for me. I just felt this book lacked any spark, most of the time i read a book i feel a spark, like i too am falling in love with the characters, but i felt nothing at all with this book and that sucked because i was really looking forward to this read. I feel like West missed an opportunity to write a really great and kind of unique NA Romance but she totally missed the mark and wasted such a great plot.

   What I Liked: To be honest with you, there wasn't so much i explicitly liked, i more or less just tolerated most of it. The romance was okay, they were cute. Jax was an okay character, i didn't feel any attraction to him but maybe that's just because i didn't exactly understand him as a character. The sex scenes (or you know, singular sex scene) was hot... so that was a plus (Also, that damn hot tub scene, WOW). I loved the bands name, "The Hitchcocks" and Jax's love of the old Hitchcock films, that's the only thing i think i could connect with him on.  I did like the end, it has me intrigued so i'll be reading the second one, if the end hadn't happened i wouldn't be continuing with the second part, but now i need to know what goes down. At least Riley wasn't a complete airhead, in the beginning that is, i loved her snark and her doing her own thing but that faded out as soon as she got together with Jax.

   What I Didn't Like: You didn't see the rest of the band often, which considering they shared a tour bus is really hard to believe. The constant pot smoking when you did see them just totally turned me off to them, especially Chewie, who clearly has a problem. I didn't understand Riley and Jax's connection, i didn't see it at all and i don't know why but i just... didn't. Riley got so CLINGY  at the end, oh my god she was about to go beg Jax for another chance because she 'loves' him,  like girl please you've known him for a week you need to cool it down. Riley's personality, how ever small the change, changed once she got together with Jax and that really annoyed me, she turned into a love sick puppy and i almost DNF because that pissed me off beyond belief. 

Review: The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

*ARC copy provided by Netgalley*

    Rating: 4/5 Stars

    Recommend: sure! 

    Synopsis: Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. 

When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.

    Review: The story follows best friends Mia and Eric, who have been besties since high school. After high school Eric moved away to Samoa and after three years decided to go home to Florida. He spends the summer in his mothers beach house and Mia ends up joining him for the summer. Problem is, they've both had crushes on each other for as long as they could remember. When things start to heat up they have to figure out how to keep their friendship while also falling in love with each other. 

    This was a good book, it was my first by Cassie Mae and I have to say that I loved her writing style and how she didn't shy away from writing certain situations and how she made it seem like such a real relationship. Nothing seemed far fetched and everything that Eric did made sense with all the problems he had. I liked this one a lot and will  be picking up more Cassie Mae books in the future.

    What I Liked: I loved that Eric was the one with the problems. Most of the time in these books it's the girl with the issues that pertain to their body or mental illness it was refreshing to see these problems from the male perspective. The romance was adorable and I love how Mia loved Eric even when he wasn't the most in shape person, and how their crushes grew even stronger with distance. Mia's internet addiction was shown in a very real and authentic way, I know because I've been there and I liked how she overcame that obstacle in her life. It was also cute how each chapter starts with a Facebook status, I liked that very much. 

    What I Didn't Like: I wish we had seen more of Eve and Rachel, I really loved them as characters and I even grew fond of Tolani and his son. Going along with the previous sentence, I wish we could have seen more secondary characters to break up always seeing Mia and Eric together. I found the Scott story line pretty pointless with were I went, I would have like it much better if he had turned into a stalker or something sinister. Eric got over his anxiety really fast and was able to sleep with Mia, I don't think he'd be able to go from barely touching her to full on sleeping so quickly but I guess I don't really know personally how that works. I also would have liked to see more interaction with Mia's dad, they had a very sweet relationship and I would have liked to learn more about it and about what happened to Mia's mother. 

Rushed by Gina Robinson

   *i received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review*

    Rating: 3/5
    Recommend: If you like new adult that the relationship moves fast in

    Synopsis: A girl who has everything. A guy who has everything to lose.
     Some things can't be…
    RUSHED
    Alexis
    Like there has ever been any doubt which sorority my family expects me to pledge. I'm a third-         generation legacy. On the first day of rush, I realize I'm in trouble. I'm not like the other girls in the house. But as long as my parents control my college funds, resisting is futile. Until Zach, the live-in houseboy, who's quite possibly the hottest guy I will ever meet, serves me a cupcake and flashes me a sympathetic look. With one enigmatic smile, he flips my heart and my world upside down. My parents will cut me off if they even suspect I'm interested in a house guy. But I can't stay away from him. And so I pledge the house for all the wrong reasons.

    Zach
    Living in a sorority? I get flipped a load of crap about being a live-in servant, the help. Easy access to the hottest girls on campus? Not with the unbreakable rule—get caught with one of the girls and you're fired. Immediately. Lose this job and I can't afford college. I sure as hell can't ask my parents for help. They wish I'd never been born. Considering what I did, I don't blame them. I've learned to think of the girls like sisters. Until Alexis pledges the house. Now sister is the last thing on my mind. 

    Review: Rushed follows Alexis and Zach in alternating duel perspective. Alexis is a college freshman who is forced into rushing the most popular and stuck up sorority on campus due to her status of the third generational legacy. Zach is the live-in houseboy for the girls, he treats the girls like sisters and is fiercely protective of them. Zach and Alexis feel a connection from the moment they first lock eyes, but they can't act on it because it is against the rules to date a sister. They can't seem to stay away from each other and the fact that they live in the same house isn't helping. Between dealing with Morgan, a delta that has a crush on Zach and Dakota, Zach's ex-best friend/president of a popular fraternity who is crushing on Alexis, these two lovebirds have some serious issues to deal with before they can reach their happily ever after. But even with everything against them, they find a way to make it work in their own special way. 

    The idea for this book was really good,  I've been wanting to read it since i first heard about it a few months ago so when i was it on Netgalley i got really excited, and even more so after i was approved to review it. As much as i loved the plot, i feel like it was very poorly executed in this novel and that much of the stuff that happened within the plot was just there for the sake of it being there and i hate when that happens in books, especially new adult romance ones. This was a disappointment to me, i tried so hard to love this book but there were just too many flaws for me to truly adore it like i know i could have. 

    What I Liked: I loved Zach, i thought with as much baggage as he had that he was a very well-rounded and caring person. Dakota also really grew on me near the end, his loyalty to Zach through everything was something i found refreshing. The fact that Zach and Alexis bonded through music was probably my favorite thing and that music is what saved his life, that's something that I related to on some levels and i really made my connection to Zach more strong. Oh, and wall sex.... that was good. The end of the book was also kinda full circle so that was interesting. 

    What I Didn't Like: The romance was (no pun intended) RUSHED, one minute they were like "we can't do this" then they sleep together then a page later they are saying "i love you" and that really threw me off, it was an unrealistic pacing for a relationship. They became a couple way too fast and that kind of ruined the book for me in some aspects. The decoy relationship between Dakota and Alexis made me uncomfortable, especially when Dakota kissed her... i know why they did it but i don't think that was the best thing they could do to fix this situation. The sisters in the sorority (with the exception of Kayla) annoyed me so much, they thought they were so cool and so popular and they treat people unlike them like they didn't even matter and that's just a really shitty thing to do if you ask me. Morgan's possessiveness over Zach was completely off the rails and pointless, and the fact that she got the satisfaction of catching them together, i hated that, i hated that so much. Both Zach and Alexis also had really shitty parents and that really sucked that it took Zach almost dying for his parents to care about him.