Book Reviews Archives - Page 95 of 115

Book Review: Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

Jan 6, 2015

Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

Pages:416
Publish date: January 1st 2015
Publisher: Pan Macmillan (Australia)
ISBN: 1743531605
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Cassie Taylor was just another good girl acting student. Ethan Holt was the bad boy on campus. Then one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing onstage, Cassie and Ethan’s epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they’ve made it to Broadway where they’re reunited as romantic leads once again – and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret-and he’s determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, when it comes to love, sometimes it’s the things that aren’t good for us that are the most irresistible.

Bad Romeo:

I received a copy of Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven from Pan Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts on the book in any way.

I normally don’t read too much New Adult but as soon I read the synopsis of Bad Romeo I needed it. It sounded intriguing and pulled me to the core and I wasn’t wrong.

Just a warning Bad Romeo isn’t really for anyone under the age of 17ish.

I utterly enjoyed reading Bad Romeo, the Characters, the story line, the writing all so amazing. Bad Romeo is a hate to love each other, can’t stay away, love you no matter how dysfunctional and painful love story. But that is what makes it such an exciting read.

Cassie Taylor is an interesting character she is the sweet, timid good girl who is new to the acting school scenery. Ethan Holt the resident bad boy brings out what you could say, a very different side to her however they do bring out the best in each other, but their love is tainted.

“I love you,” he murmurs as he rests his head on my shoulder. “I love you so much. Don’t leave me.”

Bad Romeo goes from present to past, so the reader is able to see what really happened between the pair. I really relished that the reader is able to read about what occurred in the past and comprehend why Cassie is the way she is and how upset she is because of what Ethan did.

Cassie is extremely hurt by Ethan and still carries on the burden of how much he hurt her. She gave Ethan something she could not give back and he burnt her to the ground. Cassie tried to be strong and not let what he did tear her down but when he comes back into her life she just cannot help it.

I feel sorry for Cassie she still loves Ethan after all this time and still after what he did she doesn’t want to admit it but the reader is clearly able to perceive it.

Ethan on the other hand, what can I say about Ethan Holt, he is the bad boy and nothing can change that. He hurt Cassie and even though he feels awful about it he is still very untrustworthy.

I story line was very intriguing and I cannot wait to read more. But I did feel like it wasn’t as original as it could have been. I guess you could say it was predictable and you could have déjà vu with other books. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t good in any way because it was absolutely it just similar to other novels none in particular but you understand me.

“Cassie, I felt like a ghost while I was away from you. I was. Now, I want to feel real again.”

I loved Leisa Rayven writing style, it was drawing and intriguing. The emotions of her characters were true and raw which made Bad Romeo even more pulling then it already was. Leisa Rayven writing makes the reader feel all sorts of emotions; anger, sadness, happiness everything.

I loved reading Bad Romeo and cannot wait to read more from Rayven and more from Cassie and Ethan.

Mini Book Reviews: Reboots, Dilemma’s and Adventures

Dec 16, 2014

So I decided to do a couple of mini reviews as I do have a lot of books to review and this minimises the amount of normal book reviews posts so that it’s not all book reviews that you read.

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Pages:384
Publish date:June 2013 (Aus)
Publisher:Allen and Unwin
ISBN: 9781743315507
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Reboot:

I was sent a copy of Reboot by Amy Tintera from Allen and Unwin. This is no way las influenced my review.

Let’s just say that I have been recommended this book so many times and I have, wanted to ever since I heard about it, I just never seemed to find it in the shops and never brought it online so when I was sent Reboot from Allen and Unwin. I nearly screamed the house down.

All I can say about Reboot is wow. I adored this book. As soon as I picked it up it did not leave my hands it was just so addicting. Wren was a really thought-provoking character to read and have an insight about. It’s not every day that you are in the mind of someone who has died, come back to life and is now killing machine.

I loved reading into her mind, reading how she was feeling was something very different because of whom she has become. Nevertheless the one thing that I loved the most was reading her journey. She went from a person that came back to life after 178 minutes to now someone that can think and feel like a human again.

‘I laughed and utter delight danced across his face, like he hadn’t been sure that the statement was true.’ – page 202

Wren is now a trainer, training new reboots to become warriors just like her, all her years have been adequate up until she picks Callum whom is a 22. He is still very human and man did I adored his character. When reading you are able to witness Callum through Wren and it’s unusual and very unlike other relationships in books. Possibly because she doesn’t have many human emotions but Callum is practically still human.

I loved the connection between Wren and Callum in Reboot. Their relationship is very different from what I have read before which is refreshing and intriguing. Wren trying to hold in her feelings while trying to stop Callum from disobeying. It’s something so different but pulls at the heart strings.

The writing style of Tintera is simple yet very heaving and emotionally driven. Reboot is original, refreshing and unbelievably amazing. The world that Tintera created is mesmerizing and so intriguing. There was twists and turns all over the place but that is what made the book that much more exciting.

The Rapunzel Dilemma by Jennifer Kloester

Pages:318(ebook)
Publish date:27 August 2014
Publisher:Penguin Australia
ISBN: 1743484100
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Lily’s had a charmed life so far, and now she’s off to London to pursue her dream of becoming a great actor. But life at the London Drama Academy is full of surprises – and for the first time, Lily finds that things don’t always go her way.

It’s not just the other students who are making life difficult. Lily’s got a secret she’s not sure how to handle, but she finds that a room in one of the Academy’s deserted towers makes a perfect refuge. Lily can’t stay locked in the tower forever, though. And when she meets the mysterious Ronan Carver, everything starts to change . . .

The Rapunzel Dilemma:

I received an e-copy of The Rapunzel Dilemma by Jennifer Kloester from Penguin Australia in exchange for a review this is no way has influenced my thoughts about what I have read.

I really relished in reading The Rapunzel Dilemma but I didn’t loved it as much as I enjoyed reading The Cinderella moment simply because I didn’t really like Lily our main character.

Lily, just moved into her new school, the London Drama Academy but it’s not what she expected it to be. Lily has practically gotten everything she wanted in life but now she has to make decision that she never thought would have any choice in including the decision that might force her family to fall apart or worse herself.

Lily is well a little naïve I guess. She just didn’t understand how and why some people didn’t like her, why things didn’t go her way and I understand that she is this way because of her life but after it kept on happening and happening it got me so angry and frustrated. I wanted to jump in the book, slap her across the cheek and give her a reality check.

Furthermore other than my little dislike for Lily, The Rapunzel Dilemma is a stunning read. Jennifer Kloester is an amazing writer that is gifted in capturing the reader, pulling them in and she doesn’t let them go until the end, even then it’s hard to let the story go. It’s beautiful, and mesmerizing.

Again Kloester knows how to capture the audience and I love that her characters are very different from each other, some I wanted to strangle, some I wanted to hug and kiss all day. There is something there for everyone.

If you loved The Cinderella Moment then you are going to love The Rapunzel Dilemma. And if you haven’t read anything for Jennifer Kloester yet, then get onto it.

Zac and Mia by A.J Betts

Pages:304 ebook)
Publish date:September 2nd 2014
Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group
ISBN: 0544453271
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

The last person Zac expects in the room next door is a girl like Mia, angry and feisty with questionable taste in music. In the real world, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—be friends with her. In hospital different rules apply, and what begins as a knock on the wall leads to a note—then a friendship neither of them sees coming.

You need courage to be in hospital; different courage to be back in the real world. In one of these worlds Zac needs Mia. And in the other Mia needs Zac. Or maybe they both need each other, always.

Zac and Mia:

I received an e-copy of Zac and Mia by A.J Betts from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group in exchange for an honest review. This is no way has influenced my opinion on the book.

Zac and Mia is an absolutely stunning and heart gripping novel that will pull your heart into pieces. Zac and Mia is not your typical YA novel. There is something about it that separates it from other novels that I have read before. I cannot really pick what it is but it just makes the novel so much better.

Zac’s very witty and in saying that I would love to have him as a best friend, there is something about his character that always put a smile on my face. Zac has a beautiful nature and it complements Mia’s wild and most of the time irritating characteristics. Mia is an interesting character, she is well, very immature and selfish but I cannot really blame her, with everything that has happened in her life furthermore everything happening in her life in the moments of the book.

I’m the least brave of everyone. I never signed up for this war. Leukaemia conscripted me, the fucker

I don’t know how many times I shed tears for both Zac and Mia, the way that Zac is unconditionally loving and would do pretty much anything for everyone else. The friendship that builds between these two is absolutely beautiful.

A.J Betts is a remarkable writer that is able to capture so many emotions. The character development of both Zac and Mia is something. The reader is able to see and understand both Zac and Mia changing and some of it for the better.

Zac and Mia is heartbreaking, uplifting and moving. The adventures of finding out what life really is and what your life is worth is explored throughout Zac and Mia. Both Zac and Mia are both incredibly young but have been so much and A.J Betts understand and does this so well.

Book Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Nov 17, 2014

Solitaire by AliceOseman

Pages:400 (paperback)
Publish date:July 31st 2014
Publisher:Harper Collins
ISBN: 0007559224
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

In case you’re wondering, this is not a love story.

My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that’s all over now.

Now there’s Solitaire. And Michael Holden.

I don’t know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don’t care about Michael Holden.

I really don’t.

Solitaire:

First Line: I am aware as I step into the common room that the majority of the people here are almost dead, including me.

I received a copy of Solitaire by Alice Oseman to review from Harper Collins Australia. This is no way has influenced my review.

Okay, let me tell you something about this book. You will not be able to put it down. This book becomes addicting. You want to keep on reading, trying to find out what the hell Solitaire is. You just cannot put it down.

I loved Victoria, she likes to sleep and blog, what else could be better? Victoria is a very intriguing character; you don’t always know what she is really thinking even though the book is in her perceptive. There is something about her that leaves a lot of the things she says unclear. But that is also why I liked her so much. Maybe because I think that I am a lot like Victoria.

Michael Holden is a very interesting character, he is every different to a lot of characters in books in general. There is just something about him that leaves this weird but awesome aura, if you get what I mean

The way that the whole book is written is magnificent. I don’t know what it is, but it’s beautiful and gorgeous and I could read it all the time. Though the writing was simple, it was always just so beautiful.

Alice Oseman is wow. That is all I can say. Her writing style is amazing and her story is so captivating and pulling that I cannot believe that she is only 19 years old. She is only like a year older than me, but I don’t think I could ever write something as amazing as she did at this age.

Solitaire also deals with a lot of ‘real life’ issues; family, bullying, being friendless, and being an outsider. Although these are very strong even scary topics to talk about, Oseman does it so brilliantly.

The last half of the book is what really drew me in, everything is climaxing and just before the ending you find out everything and you are mind blown. I know that I didn’t really guess what was happening at all. Some things to a degree, but I can tell you I was shocked and amazed at how Oseman could write something that intertwined everything.

I adored that Oseman used pop culture references. I loved that she used Harry Potter so many times. Okay, yes, I adore HP so it was pretty amazing and it always put a smile on my face.

Solitaire is funny, beautifully written, and also incredibly moving. I did cry while reading Solitaire, maybe because I am always an emotional mess, but there were certain scenes that did make me cry because they were so emotionally driven that I could not help but shed a tear and the ending gosh, the ending is emotional and there was one part that made me nearly start screaming like a maniac in the middle of the night.

Solitaire is a beautiful story about a girl not only trying to find herself, but the world around her. The gorgeous writing and intriguing storyline will make you want to keep on reading.