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Book Review: When A Heart Trips by Dominique Laura

Jun 1, 2020

When A Heart Trips by Dominique Laura

Pages: 207
Publish date: May 28th 2020
Publisher: –
ASIN: B087ZW3C25
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

I never thought I’d catch serious feelings for someone at seventeen—isn’t life complicated enough at this age?—let alone for my polar opposite.
I’m the quiet, reserved bookworm.
He’s the popular, confident jock at the centre of every party.
He’s also kind, charming, and sweet.
The determined wide receiver worms his way past my defences.
I see a side of him no one else does, and he makes me feel things I’ve only ever read about.
He isn’t my perfect match, but at some point, I can’t ignore what my heart is trying to say.
So, what happens when a heart trips? Well, at some point, the fall is unavoidable, and I’m falling headfirst into something I didn’t want in the first place.
I asked for a crush, not for this.

When A Heart Trips:

I received an earc of When a Heart Trips by Dominique Laura in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about this book.

I’m not sure how to talk about this book today. It is a really sweet novel that explores first crushes and love. It explores finding yourself and falling in love. But there is also not much that goes on. It’s one of those books that you just want to pick up and have a nice quick read – and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.

When a Heart Trips by Dominique Laura follows Devon as she wants to experience her first crush. And when she does find him, she falls hard and fast. Devon can’t stop herself from falling for Julian. They seem to connect right from the start. But she didn’t want to fall. She just wanted a little crush. And now she can’t stop herself.

Photo by Nicole Wolf on Unsplash

Devon is an absolute sweetheart of a protagonist. She was just a pleasure to read. From the first page, I just liked her. There were no questions asked. Devon felt like a very natural character. Her voice just fell off the page very easily and I was able to connect with her from the start. I liked her innocence It’s not that the typical innocence that you see in young adult. But it’s in the way that she feels things. And I enjoyed that.

Julian was such a lovely male love interest in When a Heart Trips. He is jock and plays football, but he is very sweet. I loved the way that he showed emotion and treated Devon. It just made me smile like crazy. I enjoyed that he wasn’t the typical popular guy. He had all these layers that made him enjoyable and playing football wasn’t his only quality. I just love his attitude. It made everything lighter.

Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash

Romance in When a Heart Trips is so stinking adorable. Devon and Julian were just meant to be. They got each other from the first time they meet. There was this connection that the reader can see right on the page. And I loved that. While it was a short read, the romance didn’t feel rushed or very instalovey. It was well rounded for how short the novel was. One of my favourite things about Devon and Julian was that there was no pressure. Julian didn’t push Devon into anything and understood what she wanted. That is kind of fantastic to see.

Friendship is also a major theme throughout When a Heart Trips. I loved that Dominque Laura included some fantastic, but not perfect friendships. It was a great representation that explores the little ups and downs that do happen and I thought that was great.

In saying all this, I do wish that the book was longer. I felt like I was waiting for something big to happen and then it never really did. I didn’t feel like the climax was enough if it had any. Devon did question a few things here and there, but I didn’t feel that it caused enough tension. That was a little downer for me. But it’s not something major.

Photo by Christiana Rivers on Unsplash

Overall, When a Heart Trips by Dominique Laura is a really sweet read. It’s the perfect book for a teen wanting to read some romance. It’s a fun read that delves into what it’s like to have your first crush and fall in love. Devon and Julian are adorable together and I seriously smiled most of the book. I do wish there was a little more conflict as I felt that it was pretty much smooth sailing, but other than that I did enjoy reading When a Heart Trips.

Have you read When a Heart Trips by Dominique Laura? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

May 21, 2020

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

Pages: 400
Publish date: March 17th 2020
Publisher: Tor Books
ISBN: 9781250217288
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realising that family is yours.

The House in the Cerulean Sea:

I think I’ve found one of my favourite books of the year, maybe even of the last few years. I think I have.

This book crept up on me that is for sure. I hadn’t heard about it until I saw a couple of reviews both on blogs and booktube. And everyone was loving it. Adult fantasy isn’t something that I read a lot of, so I requested from my local library and started reading. And damn. I’m so glad that I did. Because I think this might be one of my favourite reads this year.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune follows Linus Baker as he goes through his life like every other day. A caseworker for the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, Linus’ job is to make sure that the children in the orphanages are being well looked after. But when he’s given a highly classified assignment, everything changes. Linus must travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where there are six ‘dangerous’ children.

But everything isn’t as it seems and when he meets the children, he has to decide if they might bring the end of the world. But there is more than one secret on this Island and the closer that Linus and Arthur, the children’s caretaker, get more come out. And will Linus do the right thing when the times comes?

Photo by Andrei Ianovskii on Unsplash

Linus is such an interesting protagonist in The House in the Cerulean Sea. He isn’t someone who I would normally be attached to while reading a book. But as the novel goes on and Linus starts to truly find himself, everything falls into place. Linus is a very ‘by the book’ type of guy, and that is a very interesting dynamic with the other characters in the novel. But I adored seeing Linus grow, his character arc was fantastic and the reader can see the changes in him, even before he does. I loved Linus’ innocence. He is this fully grown adult but has so much to learn and the children and Arthur help him with that. The main reason why I love Linus is that he is ordinary. There is nothing ‘special’ about him per se. He is just a human.

I loved each child at Marsyas Island Orphanage. Seriously, my heart could not handle them. They made me laugh and cry, and I just wanted to give them all a big hug. They are all misunderstood, but they are all brilliant and fascinating children. And they want to be that, children. The way that each child was treated shapes who they are. And I want them to feel love forever.

I don’t think I could pick my favourite really, each child had their personalities that stood out on the page. The reader is always able to tell who is talking without even their name appearing throughout The House in the Cerulean Sea. Each child was unique and wonderful. I loved seeing each of them interact with Linus and how different they were in that. Some of them took a little longer to let go and interact with Linus, but it was beautiful.

Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Lucy, oh gosh. Every time he opened his mouth, I just laugh. He tries to be this antichrist, but in reality, he is a little boy who just wants to be loved. I adored his relationship with Arthur, and this eventually Linus. Talia, again she made me laugh so much. She has this attitude that just worked for her. Chauncey is fantastic and adorable and I want all his wishes to come true. Phee, while she wasn’t very present, the reader is always able to know where she is. Sal has had it hard, and I loved being able to see him grow through the novel and come out of his shell. And lastly, we have Theodore who just melted me. The reader never really knew what he was saying, but we still knew.

The romance in The House in the Cerulean Sea was very light, but it was still quite beautiful. I enjoyed seeing the small interactions between Linus and Arthur. Those small notions add something more to the novel. I do wish we were able to see them connect more. But I think that their connection was on a different level. Arthur protectiveness over the children was so nice to see. The reader can witness Arthur’s first appearance in the book how much he does care for the kids, and he isn’t afraid to show. And I think that this protectiveness projects onto Linus and without even realising it, he cares for everyone just the same.

The writing throughout The House in the Cerulean Sea was exquisite and breathtaking. T.J Klune was able to characters that are unique, but also relatable. The reader can connect with each one of them, even if it’s on a small level. The world-building in The House in the Cerulean Sea was also done so well. While the reader is thrown into this unusual world, it’s very easy to understand pretty early on.

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune is a magical and profound novel that truly takes the reader on an experience. It explores family and the notion that sometimes you find them in unlikely ways. It’s about love, that isn’t just about blood family or falling in love. It’s about believing in yourself and those that do love you. This enchanting story is exceptional and breathtaking. It will make you smile and laugh and just feel safe. It’s a warm novel that does with what it’s like to be a little different. I highly recommend this to anyone. Because it’s simply amazing.

Have you read The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Sure Shoot by Sarina Bowen

May 14, 2020

Sure Shot (Brooklyn #4) by Sarina Bowen

Pages: 300
Publish date: May 12th 2020
Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing LLC
ISBN: 9781950155019
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – More Purchase Links

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, sports agent Bess Beringer is ready to make some changes. Armed with a five-year plan—indexed and colour-coded—she’ll tackle her personal life with the same zeal that she brings to her successful agency.

A big, tall, ripped hunk of a hockey player who’s just been traded to the Brooklyn Bruisers is not a part of that plan. Mark “Tank” Tankiewicz has a lot of baggage. He’s a ride-or-die loner with a bad reputation. He’s on the rebound. He is also the sexiest thing on two legs, and for some crazy reason, it’s Bess that he wants.

She knows better. But then she falls stupid in love with him anyway. And for a while, it seems like maybe he’ll do the same.

Until she asks him for the one thing he can never give her…

Sure Shot:

I received an earc of Sure Shot by Sarina Bowen from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I really love Sarina Bowen’s hockey romances – I’ve read them all now. And in reality, there is only two books I haven’t yet read by her. However, the last few books that I have read, I haven’t loved to bits. But this changed with Sure Shot. It’s a slight second chances romance with some forbidden love through it. And it was great. I think this has to be my second favourite from this series so far.

Sure Shot by Sarina Bowen follows Bess Beringer as she tries to figure out what to do with her life. She has a five-year-plan and none of it included the new trade to the Brooklyn Bruisers, Tank. Bess tries hard and tries to forget that Tank is even there, but they have a past. And it’s hard when he is the sexiest thing and he wants her. And even though she fights it, she falls. Things are great – until they are not. And everything around both Bess and Tank falls apart.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Bess was such a pleasure to read and follow. The reader already knows her from other books in the series, but we really get to know her here and it was such a great time. I loved everything that she represented and what she fought for. Bess felt like a very real for me. She had her faults and weakness, but then she had her strengths and characteristics. Bess has a fantastic character arc, that not only spans Sure Shot but the series as well. While you don’t need to read the other books in the series, I do feel that the reader is able to see Bess fully grow that way. I loved Bess’ determination and resilience.

Tank was such an interesting male protagonist in Sure Shot. On the outside and to most of the world, he seemed to have this hardass. But the reader is able to see this soft side, especially when he is with Bess. Tank has a lot of baggage and the reader really feels for him. His marriage has just broken down, he has moved to a team that seemingly don’t like him. And that effects him in a way that while wasn’t great, it was nice to see in the book. It’s not often that you see a male character, especially someone in sports really put everything out there. My heart really felt for Tank.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

The romance in Sure Shot was adorable and something that I really did love. Bess and Tank were so good together. I loved their banter and the way that they were with one another. They both brought out the best in one another and that was just so nice to see. Tank and Bess both have a lot of issues and together they are able to deal with it. Although it is not smooth sailing – like at all. Bess is very hesitant. She feels that being with Tank could interfere with her job and many other things. And she pushes him away, but Tank doesn’t let her fully. He is there for her. And I loved that.

There are many heartbreaking moments throughout Sure Shot. And I thought that Sarina Bowen dealt with them in a great way. Tank has a lot of demons and that does affect the way that he thinks and reacts to people. And then being thrown into an environment where he doesn’t have any support is hard. But Bess becomes that person and as the novel so do his teammates and everyone in that circle. Infertility and pregnancy are some of the major themes throughout the novel. Because of this, there are some parts that are really hard to read, but I think that Sarina does talk about in a fantastic way.

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Overall, I really enjoyed Sure Shot by Sarina Bowen. It was one of the harder-hitting books by Sarina, but it was still full of romance. Sure Shot explores second chances in life and in love while also exploring life and trying to find the positives. Bess and Tank were adorable and sexy today and I loved it. Bess is a stand out for me. If you are looking for an adorable and sexy romance that also explores the notion of family, infertility and starting new relationships, this Sure Shot is for you.