Book Reviews Archives - Page 60 of 115

Book Review: Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Apr 13, 2017

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Pages: 368
Publish date: April 1st, 2017
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1471161536
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

Bailey “Mink” Rydell has met the boy of her dreams. They share a love of films and talk all day – Alex is perfect. Well, apart from the fact that they’ve never actually met . . . and neither of them knows the other’s real name.

When Bailey moves to sunny California to live with her dad, who happens to live in the same town as Alex, she decides to track him down. But finding someone based on online conversations alone proves harder than Bailey thought, and with her irritating but charismatic (and potentially attractive?) colleague Porter Roth distracting her at every turn, will she ever get to meet the mysterious Alex?

Alex, Approximately:

I received a review copy of Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennet from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influcued my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been hearing a lot of things about Alex, Approximately. And gosh did it live up to its hype. Alex, Approximately is fun, heartfelt and put a smile on my face. With friendship, romance, family and hidden identities, you are in for a ride.

Alex, Approximately follows protagonist Bailey as she moves to California to live with her father. But she isn’t just about to move across the country, she is moving to the same place as the ‘Alex’ the guy she has been talking to online for quite some time. However, she hasn’t told him. Then she gets a job at the local museum, but she had a major dislike for Porter – or does she?

I cannot explain how much I loved this book. From the first page, I was enthralled and taken on a journey with Bailey as she begins her new journey.

I totally clicked with Bailey as a protagonist and I immediately wanted to take this journey with her and wanted to know what was going to happen next. I loved that she was hesitant, that she wasn’t sure of herself or even where she wanted to go. When Bailey questioned who she was and her passion for movies and what they explore was so fun to see.

Can Porter please be mine…please? From the get go, I was intrigued by Porter. His working in a museum, but from the outside he doesn’t seem the type. But as the novel goes on and Bailey gets to know him. Everything unfolds. Porter is so sweet! At times he is shy but then acts as the ‘popular guy.’ I loved the interaction not just between Porter and Bailey, but everyone else. He is so full of love and compassion and he is fun.

The romance was adorable. Porter and Bailey have to be on my otp list. I loved the innocents between the two. From the start, you could tell they cared for one another but didn’t realise it. I loved seeing their relationship unfold and see their feelings come to the surface.

I loved the concept of this book. I’ve meet a lot of my friends via social media so it was nice to see it shown in a positive light. Yes, it can be horrible talking to people online and it not being them. But, the relationship that Alex and Minx have is adorable. I love that they share a love for movies and their conversations are so cute.

Alex, Approximately also has a good sense of family and friendship throughout. I loved Bailey’s relationship with her father, even though at the start they are getting used to each other again. I loved the banter between the two. However, what was up with her mother? Where was she?

Overall, Alex, Approximately was a fantastic read. From the first chapter, I was invested with the characters and I wanted to know their stories. I wanted them to fall in love, and make friendships. Alex, Approximately explores the notions of love, family and finding yourself. With intriguing characters, a plot that had you on the edge of your seat and writing that kept you right there. It’s a must-read for those who love a little romance and friendship that has been built for a while.

I could write so much more about this book, but please do pick it up and read it. Have you read Alex, Approximately yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Blog Tour | Book Review: Maybe Never by Sadie Allen + Giveaway

Apr 9, 2017

Maybe Never by Sadie Allen

Pages:
Publish date: February 20, 2017
Publisher: –
ASIN: B06W5QVRKB
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Barnes and Noble – Kobo

One golden boy…

Judd Jackson had it all—star football player with a college scholarship, perfect family, tons of friends, and a beautiful girlfriend. He was the most popular guy in town … until a family secret burned it all to the ground. Now, he’s the object of scorn and ridicule, and the only thing he has left is his scholarship and counting down the days until he can leave town.

One goal-oriented girl…

Sunny Blackfox was alone in the world, but she had big plans and big dreams to keep her occupied. She didn’t have time for anyone in her life. That was, until she came to the rescue of the boy she always had a thing for.

They have everything going against them, but maybe, if they are lucky, they will make it out of town after graduation together … or maybe never.

Maybe Never:

I received a copy of Maybe Never by Sadie Allen from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I had never heard about, but when I read the synopsis and I was intrigued. I am always interested in when two very different people fall for each other. And that is what I was expecting from Maybe Never and I got it – sorta.

Maybe Never follows protagonist Sunny Blackfox and Judd Jackson, two very different people in a small town, and both outcasts in different ways. Sunny is counting down the days till she can get out her town. She feels alone and all she wants to do is get away. Judd has had his life turned on his head and he doesn’t know what to make of it. He has lost all his friends and the town has turned their back on his family. He feels alone and all he wants to do is leave.

When Sunny and Judd come are trust together for a school assessment things start to change and before they know, they are leaning on each other and maybe they don’t feel so alone anymore – but hey, life is never that easy.

Sunny was an interesting protagonist. Like most contemporary YA novel she is the outcast. But, on this occasion I really enjoy it. I loved Sunny’s determination and her fight to get out of this town. She works so hard and has to deal with so much, and yet she is so strong.

Judd was harder to like. At times he was quite judgemental and in a sense, I understand why in a way – but it could hurt some people. Judd has gone from top shot – to someone who those people pick on. He has lost everything and it’s hurting him, even if he doesn’t admit it. He has no friends, so when he starts talking to Sunny there is this instant connection.

The romance in Maybe Never was a hit and miss for me. I really enjoyed parts of it and then there were things that just didn’t sit right. Firstly, I didn’t like how fast it moved or how fast it seemed to move. In saying that, I loved how natural the romance is, how they fall so easily with each other.

There wasn’t many good friendships in Maybe Never and that did make me dislike the book more. I like good friendships and it just lacked. I wanted something that Sunny and Judd can hold onto, but it fell through. Although they find friendship with one another – it just wasn’t the same for me.

I also didn’t like that there was too much drama. I felt that I was going in circles. Something would be resolved and then bang, another thing comes their way. It was a never ending cycle and I just wanted to take a breath for a while.

One thing that made me really enjoy the book was the diversity. Firstly, just let me say, I don’t know how well it was done, so I could be totally wrong here. Maybe Never features a Native American protagonist. I don’t know if Sunny is half Native American or not, it wasn’t exactly clear on that account. But her father is Native American and I really enjoy that aspect of the book. Judd’s father is also transgender. There is a lot of hate towards his family because of this and it’s heartbreaking. The only thing that did tick me off was that we didn’t know if the father was transgender or just dressed as drag. It was kind of hinted at times. But, didn’t really get explained until the end.

Overall, Maybe Never is an okay read. It’s not going to be forever and I won’t recommend for everyone. But, I will say that if you enjoy contemporary and like to see something a little different then this book is for you. Maybe Never explores the notion of first love, friendship, family and finding yourself. It’s about trying to fit in where you don’t really belong and then learning to stand on your own. It’s an adventure with a cute romance and hard cutting issues.

Have you read Maybe Never? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Have you read any other books by Sadie Allen? Let’s Chat and don’t forget to enter the giveaway below (US Only)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

Sadie Allen lives in Texas with her family and her dog Penny. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, catching up on her favourite shows, or chasing her family around the house.

Connect with the Author: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Book Review: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Apr 5, 2017

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Pages: 400
Publish date: April 6th, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 9781408883525
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he’s trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can’t resist writing b
ack. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither of them knows that they’re not actually strangers. When real life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. This emotional, compulsively-readable romance will sweep everyone off their feet.

Letters to the Lost:

I received an arc of Letter to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer from Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I was really looking forward to reading this one, the synopsis from the get go capture me, and then I picked it up – and loved it. The writing is beautiful, the concept intriguing and the characters enthralling. They too me on an emotional ride.

Letter to the Lost follows protagonist Juliet and Declan – both who have lost so much and feel like they are lost in this big world. They are closed off, they are hidden. Then something happens. They start writing letters to one another – but they don’t know who the other person is.

Juliet was a hard protagonist was hard to get along with. She has a lot of issues and she projects them in a way that may distant the reader from her. At times she has a very entitled way of thinking – and I think it’s because this is the first time something big has happened in her life. And it’s hurt her – hurt her a lot. In saying that, I understood her and I loved how she grew throughout the novel, how she learnt.

Declan on the other hand is amazing – like can he be mine? Please. He like Juliet is hurt, and feels like his alone in life – like he doesn’t have someone to talk to, that there isn’t someone that cares. Declan has this demeanour about him that creates this façade, and people only see him for that. And he acts to that. He thinks that because people see him that way – he should act that way.

The romance – holy, it was so adorable. I loved the notion of writing letters and not knowing who the other person is. And that the person that you are writing to is someone that you least expect. I adored how much Juliet and Declan understood each other. They have both been hurt, but together they can heal. It’s not ‘love’ that is healing, but the understanding. I also loved that it was slow burning. And even though they got to know each other from letters – it was still real.

Family, was a big theme is Letter to the Lost. Both Juliet and Declan have somewhat dysfunctional families. But, not in a harmful sense. It’s the fact that heartbreak and death have torn both of their families a part. I loved the growing relationship between Juliet and her father. At the start it’s very fragile, but as the story goes on and Juliet starts to deal with her grief, they start to rebuild. Declan also has a very rocky relationship with his mother – but it’s all to misunderstand and things left unsaid.

Another big theme of Letter to the Lost is friendship. And I loved both of the protagonist’s friendships. Juliet friendship were again rocky because of her dealing with grief, but as the novel goes on we see her rely on her friend and trust in her. Rev is Declan’s ‘best friend’. Can he be mine? He created this light in a very dark and emotional book. And guess what? He is getting his own book. I cannot wait to delve into this mind and really see what he is thinking. Because Rev has his own demons.

Letter to the Lost like most contemporaries is character driven and although there is some plot movement, it’s more about understand and grief. I also loved that the characters had likes and interest. I liked they were not all about their grief, but so much more.

Overall, Letter to the Lost is an emotional read. It’s a story about grief and dealing with those who you have lost. It’s about understanding that sometimes aren’t what you think they are. It explores the notion of family, friendship and finding yourself. It’s heartfelt, heartbreaking, but also uplifting. It’s one for the tissues.

Have you read Letters to the Lost? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it anytime soon? Have you read any other books by Brigid Kemmerer. Let’s Chat!