Mini Reviews Archives - Page 7 of 8

Blog Tour: Country Road Series by Andrea Johnston | Reviews

May 12, 2017

Welcome to my stop on the Country Road series relaunch blog tour! I hadn’t heard much about these books until I read the synopsis and I was intrigued. One of my favourite troops is siblings best friend. I have decided to do mini reviews for both Whiskey & Honey and Tequila & Tailgates. Hope you enjoy. There is also a giveaway at the end!

I received free e-books of both Whiskey & Honey and Tequila & Tailgates by Andrea Johnston from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the books.

Whiskey & Honey by Andrea Johnston

Pages: 266
Publish date: July 31, 2016
Publisher: –
ASIN: B01H32KF2U
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Kobo

Guys have rules. Rule #1: You don’t date your sister’s best friend.

Bentley Sullivan hasn’t found the one. He’s always been the good guy – the gentleman. With one quick, and possibly irrational, decision everything changes. After a case of mistaken identity and a drunken kiss, Ben is convinced that the one is finally right in front of him. Only, she’s untouchable.

Girls have rules. Rule #1: You don’t date your best friend’s brother.

Piper Lawrence has not been successful in love. Almost as quickly as she swears off men, he comes into her life. Her childhood crush and the man who has set the standards for every man she’s ever dated, he is also the one man she can’t have.

A single kiss changes it all.

Whiskey & Honey:

Whiskey & Honey by Andrea Johnston follows Bentley Sullivan and Piper Lawrence two people that once knew it each very well, but were never in the same circle. But when Bentley comes back into two everything changes.

Bentley just hasn’t found the one. He’s the good guy, but he wants to. He wants to fall in love and stay in love. When he moves back to his home he thought that he was going to take it slow and not fall in a relationship, but when he kisses a girl at a bar – things very much change.

Bentley was an easy character to get along with most of the time. He was a sweetheart most the time. I liked that he loved his family and thought about their feelings above his own. I love having this young male character that does show his love for his family and isn’t ashamed.

Piper was harder to get along with at times in Whiskey & Honey. For the most part, I did enjoy reading here, but her hesitation really got to me. I loved the friendship with Bentley sister Ashton. Throughout the book the reader is able to see how much her friendship means. I did dislike how much Piper was influenced by those around her and how easy manipulated she was.

The romance side of Whiskey & Honey was fast. Like way too fast for my liking. Bentley and Piper were never more than friends even that before he left and he comes back everything is jumped on. I think that if the romance was slowed down, then I would have really enjoyed the romance between the two. I wasn’t able to really see their connection, at times I thought I could see it, but then it disappeared.

Overall, Whiskey & Honey was an okay read. I liked the family aspects between Bentley and his family. I liked the friendship between Piper and Ashton. However, the romance wasn’t my favourite. I felt that it rush and there was no real connection between the two. Whiskey & Honey explores the notion of family, learning to love and friendship.

Tequila & Tailgates by Andrea Johnston

Pages: 266
Publish date: January 2017
Publisher:
ISBN: 0996630953
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Kobo

Four years ago, I took the biggest risk of my life and it blew up in my face. I learned my lesson – love sucks.

Now self-preservation and protecting my heart have become second nature. But Jameson Strauss… he’s my weakness.

Give me the occasional shot of tequila, a game of Truth or Dare, and I’ll do almost anything for that man.

Four years ago, I didn’t follow my heart. I let the one girl that consumed my soul walk away without a fight.

Now I go through the motions never truly living. But, the day Ashton Sullivan needed me was the day my world changed for the better.

Tequila, truths, and the occasional dare are all I need to show her how good we can be.

Sometimes the truth is in the dare.

Tequila & Tailgates:

Tequila & Tailgates Andrea Johnston follows protagonists Ashton and Jameson, who just can’t seem to get along. Ashton has a dig at Jameson ever chance that she can get. Jameson gives it right back and everyone around them is starting to get annoyed. But when a tree falls through Ashton’s house and she needs a place to stay – things just might come to the surface and change.

This was another fall for your siblings best friend type of novel and I do love this trope and while I think it was done sort of okay in Tequila & Tailgates, there book just didn’t hit the right spots.

Jameson, for the most part, was an okay protagonist. He didn’t annoy me as such, but I also didn’t fall in love with him either. I liked that he is going well in in his work and how he is making something for himself that way.

Ashton wasn’t my favourite character in this series. I found her really hard to get along with and very abrupt. I don’t really like the way that she treated Jameson for most of the book, the way that she insults him every time another woman is next to him. It was quite insulting – she was would treat both Jameson and the girls as trash.

The romance was okay-ish. I don’t know how I feel about because I wasn’t a massive fan of Ashton on a whole. There was a lot of miscommunication from the past that did make her the way she is, but it wasn’t acceptable. The reader is able to see that Jameson cares a lot for Ashton, but most of the books she is throwing insults at him.

Overall, Tequila & Tailgates was okay. There were parts that I somewhat enjoyed and some that just weren’t for me. Tequila & Tailgates explores the notion of second chance love, friendship, and family. We get to see some old characters and met some new, but it’s a super quick romance to read if you just want to read something.

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Have you read any of these books by Andrea Johnston? What did you think of them? Are you planning on reading them? What are some of your favourite siblings best friend novels? Let’s Chat!

Mini Reviews: Changing Yourself and Striving for Gold

Apr 23, 2017

Mini reviews are a great way to give some of my thoughts on a book that I didn’t love but still wanted to talk about. These two books are totally different, ones about changing who you are and it going horribly wrong, while the other is about believing in yourself. Let’s get into it.
Charisma by Jeanne Ryan

Pages: 386
Publish date: December 1st, 2017
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1471163938
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks

A chance at the ultimate makeover means deadly consequences… Aislyn suffers from crippling shyness – that is, until she’s offered a dose of Charisma, an underground gene therapy drug guaranteed to make her shine. The effects are instant. She’s charming, vivacious, and popular. But strangely, so are some other kids she knows. The media goes into a frenzy when the disease turns contagious, and then deadly, and the doctor who gave it to them disappears. Aislyn must find a way to stop it, before it’s too late.

Charisma:

I received a copy of Charisma by Jeanne Ryan from Simon and Shuster in exchanged for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I didn’t know what to expect when picking Charisma up. I haven’t read Nerve or even watched the movie, but I was intrigued by the storyline and wanted to see. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would – and my expectations weren’t high, to begin with.

Charisma follows protagonist Aislyn who suffers from crippling shyness. It’s so bad that sometimes she can’t even make if through the day. So when she is given the opportunity to change that, she takes it up. But, when other teens start falling into comas and some even dying – things are turned on their head.

I am not sure how I feel about Aislyn as a protagonist. I enjoyed aspects of her character and I liked where she came from. But, then at times, she sounded whiny, per say. I loved that she cared so much for her brother – it was beautiful actually. And even though her life was not going well, she wanted what was best for her brother.

The romance was nice. I enjoyed how it moved and even thought it was slightly instalovey at times, it was cute. They both cared for one another and tried to help each other through the hard times.

Another aspect of the book that I didn’t like was the use of shyness. I didn’t see what Aislyn had as shyness but as anxiety. Especially social anxiety. And I didn’t like the fact that it was ‘fixed’ like it was a bad thing. The way that people treated her – it’s my worst nightmare. And the fact that she was magically better – yer no thank you.

Overall, I didn’t really enjoy Charisma. There were parts that I did like and wanted to know more about. But, on the whole, it wasn’t just for me.

Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux

Pages: 388
Publish date: January 9th, 2017
Publisher: –
ASIN: B01MSV3XON
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Will love wait for gold?

Liza Petrov’s entire life has been about skating and winning her sport’s top prize – Olympic gold. She’s stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path.

Until she meets Braden Patrick.

He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time, she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realise her ultimate dream?

Gold Rush:

I received an e-copy of Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’ve read a couple of books by Jennifer Comeaux in her world of figure skating before picking this one up. So I had an idea of how the world worked and had a little insight into some of the characters.

Gold Rush follows protagonist Liza Petrov as she trains for gold. Her whole life she has always wanted one thing – to win gold at the Olympics and it’s getting close. But, because of her training, she missed out of some ‘normal’ teen adventures – like falling in love. However, with everything one the line, will she let herself fall in love?

On the most part, I enjoyed Liza as a protagonist. She was determined and stood strong. She has trained her whole life for this moment and when she starts to fall it hurts her. I liked that she wasn’t this person who could do no wrong.

At first, the romance wasn’t hitting the right spots for me, but as the novel went on I slowly started loving Liza and Braden together. Braden was adorable and I loved that he would do quite a bit for Liza. The reader is able to see how much he cares for her.

Family is a big theme in Gold Rush and while times they were adorable with one another. Their overprotectiveness caused Liza a lot of problems. I felt that at times her family just took over everything and Liza was left helpless.

Overall, Gold Rush was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline, but there was something missing that kept me from loving this one. Gold Rush explores the notion of family and finding love. It explores finding yourself and believing in yourself. I need to get onto reading the other books in this world.

I hope youy enjoyed these mini reviews and want to see more in the future. Have you read Charisma or Gold Rush? What did you think of them? Are you planning on reading them? Have you read anything else by these authors? Let’s Chat!

Mini Reviews: Unconventional Families and Baseball Romance

Apr 16, 2017

Today, I thought I would share a couple of mini reviews for books that I’ve read recently. Sometimes I can’t write a full review for a book simply because I don’t have a lot to say. Both of these books share some of the same themes of family, friendship and coming of age.

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

Pages: 304
Publish date: April 25th, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0385736894
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Summer for Sasha and Ray means the sprawling old house on Long Island. Since they were children, they’ve shared almost everything—reading the same books, running down the same sandy footpaths to the beach, eating peaches from the same market, laughing around the same sun-soaked dining table. Even sleeping in the same bed, on the very same worn cotton sheets. But they’ve never met.

Sasha’s dad was once married to Ray’s mom, and together they had three daughters: Emma, the perfectionist; Mattie, the beauty; and Quinn, the favorite. But the marriage crumbled and the bitterness lingered. Now there are two new families—and neither one will give up the beach house that holds the memories, happy and sad, of summers past.

The choices we make come back to haunt us; the effect on our destinies ripples out of our control…or does it? This summer, the lives of Sasha, Ray, and their siblings intersect in ways none of them ever dreamed, in a novel about family relationships, keeping secrets, and most of all, love.

The Whole Thing Together:

I received an e-arc of The Whole Things Together by Ann Brashares from Delacorte via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I hadn’t heard much about The Whole Things Together when I picked it up. There weren’t many reviews on Goodreads, but it seemed like something that I would enjoy reading. It seemed like a summer book that explored family, friendship and romance. And it was those things, but it just wasn’t my read.

The Whole Things Together follows protagonist Sasha and Ray who have shared almost everything but have never met. They share siblings, but they are not related by blood or even by marriage. It’s all a little confused actually.

The family tree per say – just confused me the whole book. I couldn’t remember who was related to who. Who was from which family? Who was blood-related? I forgot half the time who was who just by their name. There was just far too many characters to keep track of, especially because they all come from the same by different families.

Because of this, it was hard to get to know the protagonist and even the characters. I was just trying to keep track of everything the whole point and I couldn’t connect.

However, I did like the notion of these families coming together for different reasons. Some beautiful and happy, while others were heartbreaking and torn me. It was nice to see a family who is normally very apart come together.

Overall, The Whole Things Together is a poignant novel that just didn’t hit the right spots for me. With far too many characters and storylines to keep track off. I was confused most of the time. It explores the notions of romance, family and finding yourself.

Swinging At Love (Suttonville Sentinels #2) by Kendra C. Highley

Pages: 240
Publish date: March 13th, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
ISBN: 1682814491
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Outfielder Tristan Murrell has a problem. As the number two slugger for the Suttonville Sentinels, his team is counting on him to make their very first run at the state championship. But he has a secret–his swing has totally deserted him. As in, he can’t hit anything. He needs to fix the issue, and fast, but how?

Ballerina Alyssa Kaplan has a problem, too. The shiny new sports complex in town has left her family’s batting cage business on the verge of going under. Nailing her audition for a prestigious dance company is everything, but there’s no way she’s letting her some shiny big-box company destroy her family’s livelihood.

Tristan needs a miracle. So does Alyssa. And maybe, just maybe, Tristan’s secret weapon might be the girl of his dreams…

Swinging At Love:

I received an e-arc of Swinging in Love by Kendra C. Highley from Entangled: Crush via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I am not sure why I picked this one up. I read book 1 in this series and really didn’t like it. But, this one sounded more like my thing and thought I should give it a go. And even though I liked it more than The Bad Boy Bargain, I still didn’t love it.

Swinging in Love follows protagonists Tristan and Alyssa who come together and are in for one hell of a ride. Tristan is an outfielder for his baseball team, but something is wrong. His swing is off and if he doesn’t fix it – he will be off the team. Alyssa gave up softball for ballet and she is great at it. But ball is still in her blood and with her father’s batting cage falling to pieces, so is she.

I enjoy the romance aspects of Swinging in Love. Tristan and Alyssa were adorable together and I like how they had some downfalls, but they were there for each other. However, I felt that both protagonists didn’t have a great arc and I wanted more from them as a whole.

Family was a big theme in Swinging in Love. While Alyssa’s family would give up anything for each other. Tristan’s was a lot harder to get around. I really enjoyed seeing these two different views on families. And that is what we need in YA. Yes, some families are great, while there are others that have trouble.

Overall, Swinging in Love was an okay read. I read it over a couple of hours, but I didn’t really get anything out of it. I didn’t feel that the protagonists had a great enough character arc. And while I loved the romance and family aspects, the story feel flat for me.

Have you read any of these two books? What did you think of them? Are you planning on reading these books? Have you read any books by these authors before? Let’s Chat!