Starbucks & Books Obsession: Novella

Showing posts with label Novella. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Review: In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker

If you haven't read Ten Tiny Breaths and don't want it to be spoiled, then please don't read this review or the synopsis!

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: September 1, 2014

Genre: New Adult/Contemporary

Source: eARC via NetGalley

~Synopsis~

Before you knew him as Trent in Ten Tiny Breaths, he was Cole Reynolds—and he had it all. Until one night when he makes a fatal, wrong decision…and loses everything.

When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy. Normally, he’d be able to lean on his best friends—the ones who have been in his life since he could barely walk. Only, they’re gone. Worse, there’s the shattered body of a sixteen-year-old girl lying somewhere in a hospital bed, her entire life ripped from her because of a case of beer and a set of keys.

Everyone assures him that they know it wasn’t intentional, and yet he can’t ignore the weight of their gazes, the whispers behind his back. Nor can he shake the all-consuming guilt he feels every time he thinks of that girl who won’t so much as allow him near her hospital room to apologize. As the months go by and the shame and loneliness festers, Cole begins to lose his grip on what once was important—college, his girlfriend, his future. His life. It’s not until Cole hits rock-bottom that he can begin to see another way out of his personal hell: forgiveness.

And there’s only one person who can give that to him…

~Review~

I try not to put any spoilers in my reviews but this is a difficult one to write without possibly giving something away. I'll do my best but just in case, you've been warned.

This series is one of my favorites and I loved that K.A. went back to the beginning and gave us Trent's backstory and how he ended up in Kacie's life in Ten Tiny Breaths. I found this book to be so beautifully written and heartbreaking at the same time. Trent and Kacie have both been through so much pain and turmoil in their lives and finding each other is what helped them heal.

We know a little about what Trent has been through from Ten Tiny Breaths but K.A. really digs into the details with this book and gives us a better understanding of the decisions he's made and what brought him to Kacie. He is very troubled and it takes him a long time and a lot of work to claw his way out of the hole he put himself in. He really struggles in the beginning to deal with the events that irrevocably changed his life and set him on his future path.

I really liked seeing the relationship that Trent has with his parents as well. They are clearly loving and supporting and seeing Trent go through a tough time was hard on them as well. They didn't know how to handle his sudden change in attitude and demeanor and they fought a lot about it. They wanted their son back and they did everything in their power to help him through. In the end, forcing him to get help was what brought him back to a somewhat normal state and helped him try to begin healing.

While Trent's motivations seem a bit crazy to those on the outside, In Her Wake allows us to see where his head and heart were at so we can get a different perspective on his actions. I adored Trent before but now I find him even more spectacular because I know what he truly went through and what led him to be the man he is now.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Monday, January 27, 2014

ARC Review: The Wild Side by Magan Vernon

The Wild Side

(Forever Wild #4)

Author: Magan Vernon

Published: January 21, 2014

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC from the author

~Synopsis~

The Wild Side is the fourth book in the Forever Wild Serial. (This is a six part series with one book releasing every 3 weeks)
Nothing in Valerie Wilder’s life has been the same since she married Wild Wes.
When her two closest work friends drop a bombshell on her, she shouldn’t have really been surprised.
But their unexpected news means she'll have to answer to her former friend with benefits, Max Green.
And all of this just in time for a visit from her little sister Melanie and her boyfriend John “John Boy” Walden.
Now Valerie just has to figure out to see where walking on the wild side takes her and if staying Mrs. Wild is going to be worth it for her career and her heart.

~Review~

Ok peeps, we’re only 2 episodes away from finding out if Valerie and Wes are gonna ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. This episode is back in the mind of Valerie and she is definitely feeling it with Wes. Her feelings for him are clear as day to me but I think she is really good at hiding them from Wes. I feel like he wears his heart on his sleeve and Valerie guards hers heavily.

Max is still a total douche who wants back what he lost and is using every trick in the book to try and manipulate Valerie. I was super glad to see that, while she is still flustered by him, she doesn’t allow him to come between her and Wes and she doesn’t allow him to influence her. Wes seems like a confident guy but Max brings out his insecure side and I think Valerie did an amazing job at reassuring him. She has a huge opportunity but it will require her to work with Max. I’m really getting impatient, waiting for someone to junk punch Max already. If it could be Valerie, that would be great.

Once again, Val and Wes has some super sweet and tender moments together (and they’re steamy too)! I really feel like Wes is putting it all out there and I can definitely see and feel his love for Valerie. It seems so obvious but Valerie has a lot of self-esteem issues and she really can’t understand how a guy like Wes could love her. She is beautiful, smart , feisty and successful. Wes sees all of these things and he treats her like a queen. It seems like they are moving towards a real marriage but there’s time for one of them to screw up.

Overall, another successful episode and I really enjoyed the romantic interactions between Wes and Val. I also loved that Melanie and John made an appearance. Valerie could use some good sisterly advice and Mel was there to help her out. The end of this episode was super sweet and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

~IPOD Pick~

“Complicated” by Rihanna

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

ARC Review: Lila and Ethan Forever and Always by Jessica Sorensen

Lila & Ethan Forever and Always

(Ella & Micha #4.5)

Author: Jessica Sorensen

Publisher:

Publication Date:

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Source: eARC from publisher via NetGalley

~Synopsis~

Lila Summers just wants to know one thing for certain: that Ethan Gregory will be with her always. Once her friend, he's become so much more, melting the pain of her past away with each kiss. Now Lila is on a road trip with Ethan, in the wilderness under the stars, and she can't imagine her life without him. But when she talks about the future, something in Ethan changes . . .

Ethan has no doubts about his feelings for Lila. His life with her gets better every day-and that's the scary part. How can he walk into a future where he has everything to lose? With Lila, his whole heart is on the line for the very first time. But if Ethan can't give her the promise she needs, his greatest fear might come true: he'll lose Lila for good.

~Review~

Lila and Ethan are two of my favorite characters from Jessica and I was really happy to see a novella to put some closure to their story. They are, of course, the side characters to the main show, which is Ella & Micha, but they deserve their happy ever after too.

I feel like Lila & Ethan are finally in a good place. They have both been through a lot and they have immensely helped each other and now they are together. However, Lila still has a lot of fears and insecurities and she needs Ethan to abate them. She isn’t asking to get married or even for a proposal but she needs to know that Ethan sees her in his future. I really liked how much stronger Lila was and even though she was struggling with her fears, she was still super considerate of Ethan’s feelings and didn’t push him or discount his fears.

Ethan loves Lila, that is 100% obvious. He has never wanted to be with someone more than he wants to be with Lila but he is still scared of committing to a future and looking ahead. He is all about the here and now and avoids talking about where things are going farther down the road. Ethan knows he can’t live without Lila but he also still lets his fear of becoming his parents get in the way of making that commitment to her. I struggled to understand how Ethan could love Lila and not want to be without her but still not be able to tell her she was his forever.

I loved that Ethan took Lila on the cross country trip he had planned on doing himself. I felt like that was at least a way to show his feelings for her when he struggled with the words. He is all about independence and no attachments so bringing Lila along really says a lot. I felt like they spent that month of travel solidifying their connection and while Lila struggled with her fear that Ethan would leave her and Ethan struggled with the idea of building a future, they both realized how much they wanted and needed each other for the long haul. All Lila wanted was to know that Ethan wanted her forever and I was so glad he woke up and realized he wanted the same thing. His grand gesture melted my heart!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and found it well developed and great for a novella. Because we are already familiar with Lila and Ethan, this is really just a short extension to their story so it can be short and still pack a hefty punch.

~IPOD Pick~

“Endlessly” by The Cab

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Monday, January 13, 2014

ARC Review: The Wild One by Magan Vernon

The Wild One

(Forever Wild #3)

Author: Magan Vernon

Publisher: Beautifully Broken Books

Publication Date: January 13, 2014

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via Inkslinger PR

~Synopsis~

The Wild One is the third book in the Forever Wild Serial. (This is a six part series with one book releasing every 3 weeks)

Wes never considered himself a lucky man - until one wild night in Vegas that ended with a marriage to Valerie Wilder. She doesn’t consider herself as lucky, and gives him thirty days to sign the divorce papers, forgetting their marriage every existed. There’s just one problem.

He’s fallen hard for Valerie.

Wes loves everything about the girl he married by mistake, except the fact that he doesn’t feel worthy of her - especially when hedge funder Max Green keeps coming back in the picture. Wes can’t compete with the rich and powerful man who also wants Valerie as his own, but he doesn’t want to lose her. To prove his love for Valerie and save their marriage, Wes is going to fight hard for the woman he loves, putting his wild side behind him to be the man she needs. Before it’s too late.

~Review~

I am really enjoying this serial novel by Magan Vernon. It’s the first of this kind that I’ve ever read and the only downside to it is that I have to wait 3 weeks for the next installment. The Wild One is the first installment in the series that is from Wes’ point of view and I liked it. Finally, we get a little insight into what he’s thinking and feeling, as well as a little bit of his background. He may be 6 feet of solid muscle and hotness but there’s a vulnerable and somewhat insecure guy inside there. Seeing this side made me like him even more.

I kind of always knew Wes had some real feelings for Val, despite his less than stellar reasons for marrying her. He admittedly thought she was his rich ticket out of Vegas when he married her but he didn’t treat her like that and he has definitely garnered some genuine feelings for her. He wants to make something work with Val and he actually loves her. He wants her to give him a shot and I liked that he opened up to her. However, he’s got some insecurities and he certainly let Max play off of those. I know he’ll make the right decision but I just hope he does it in time.

The sexy times between Val and Wes are ALWAYS steamy and this episode didn’t disappoint. However, there were also some really sensual and romantic times between them as well and I liked that addition. We get a little glimpse into what they would be like as a legitimate couple and I think they are great together. I also liked how protective and caring Val’s roommate and friend, Paige, is and even though she comes off as a real bitch, she obviously loves Val. It also seems like we may get to see Melanie and John again in a future episode and I’m really excited about that.

Overall, this was another fun, sexy and fabulous addition to the series and I’m excited to get back into Val’s head in the next episode and see where Magan will take her relationship and feelings for Wes. I would also like to see Max get punched in the face, or preferably the junk, sometime in the near future. Just saying.

~IPOD Pick~

“I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aeGQfO
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1eNKtcm

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Mini ARC Review: Wild Hearts by Magan Vernon

Wild Hearts

Forever Wild #2

Author: Magan Vernon

Publisher: Beautifully Broken Books

Publication Date: December 20, 2013

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via Inkslinger PR

~Synopsis~

Wild Hearts is the second book in the Forever Wild Serial. (This is a six part series with one book releasing every 3 weeks)

Going back to Chicago with her accidental husband should have been torture for Valerie. But when Wes has her bent over the first class bathroom sink, torture is the last thing on her mind.

After landing back in Chicago reality sets in. So does the glaring eye of her roommate, and her former friends with benefits, Max, who seems to be a lot friendlier since Wes came in the picture.

After a meeting with a divorce lawyer, Valerie and Wes find out that they have thirty days for both of them to sign the papers, ending their quickie marriage.

But Valerie doesn’t know if she wants to move on or forever stay Mrs. Wild.

Note from the author about the series:

Forever Wild is a serialized series. This means that each book in this series is only around 50 pages, novella length, kind of like a TV show episode. There will be six total books in this series, each one coming out every three weeks.

~Review~

I'm really enjoying this series novel, even though it kills me to only be able to read it in pieces at a time. It's also really hard to write a solid review piece by piece because the story isn't completely developed yet and therefore, neither are the characters. That being said, this will be more like a mini review.

I'm liking the chemistry and connection between Wes and Valerie. She is a bit insecure and has some body image issues. As a little more curvy girl, I can totally understand where she's coming from. However, I don't think she gives herself enough credit and she allows men to use and abuse her because of this. I like that Wes doesn't treat her as if she's just a piece, but rather like something to be cherished.

I think Wes needs to man up a little. It's clear that he has some real feelings for Valerie and that he wants to see where things can go, just like she might, but he's being to big of a pussy to say anything. He is sweet, charming and sexy as hell so I really want Valerie to give him a chance. Her "bed buddy" has suddenly shown relationship interest and I want her to send him packing. She and Wes and some very steamy moments and he knows how to please Valerie as well as make her feel like more than just another "lay." He makes her feel special.

Book 3 in the series will be out in a few weeks and I'm really looking forward to continuing the story. We'll finally be getting Wes' POV and I'm super excited about that. I need to get inside that boy's head and see what he's thinking and feeling about Valerie. I have a pretty good idea but I want his confirmation. I also can't wait to see the turns their relationship takes. Also, they have some very steamy moments together and I'm always looking forward to those.

BUY LINKS:

Wild Hearts is just .99 cents!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cLtO6D

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1exZW4u

And, some good news: ONE WILD NIGHT is now FREE!
One Wild Night buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bIeb4F

B&N: http://bit.ly/1dPSDoF

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

ARC Review: Snow Kissed by Jessica Clare, Jen Frederick & D.S. Linney

Snow Kissed

A Christmas Anthology

Authors: Jessica Clare, Jen Frederick, D.S. Linney

Publisher: Pear Tree LLC

Publication Date: December 18, 2013

Genre: New Adult

Source: eARC via authors

~Synopsis~

Reindeer Games by Jessica Clare.

When mouthy Luna is voted off of Endurance Island: Alaska first, she's a little bitter about it. The only thing that assuages her pride is knowing that Owen(the sexy-but-douchey guy that ousted her) was out next. This means, unfortunately, that they're spending a lot of time at the Loser Lodge together. But will their fiercely competitive natures bring them together for the sexiest Christmas of all?

Undressed by Jen Frederick

Noah and Grace's happy ever after hits a stumbling block in the form of one shady professor threatening Noah's scholarship eligibility. Noah is given the choice of throwing his New Year's MMA fight for a big payoff or accepting that the true meaning of love isn't measured by the thickness of his wallet but the depth of Grace's big heart.

The Sound of Snow by DS Linney

Widowed billionaire Gabriel Trentham never expected that the new nanny he hired would be the same woman he spent an unforgettable night with six months earlier. She's determined to keep it professional between them now, but will a blizzard provide him the opportunity he needs to change her mind?

~Reviews~

Reindeer Games by Jessica Clare

Reindeer games was a sweet, fun and romantic Christmas story and I really enjoyed it. Luna and Owen are both contestants on Endurance Island, a survivor type reality show. It’s the Christmas version and thus they are thrown together in frigid Alaska to compete for $1million dollars. They both end up on the same team and butt heads immediately. I think they are both very competitive leaders but Owen was kind of a douchebag. He was on Luna’s case from the get go and he never listened to her ideas. He made her look like a fool despite her logic in the games and ended up getting her voted off first. Unfortunately for him but very deserving, he’s voted off second and they end up alone in the Loser’s lodge.

There was chemistry and attraction there for sure but Luna thinks he’s a Neanderthal and Owen thinks she’s a loud mouth. Being stuck together forces them to interact and as they get to know one another, sparks fly and they are able to see the good qualities in each other that they were blind to before. I liked the idea of enemies becoming lovers and found it fun and refreshing. However, I found Owen’s major turnaround in character a little too convenient. He goes from a total dickhead to these sweet and charming guy in a matter of minutes and I’m not even sure I can believe they were the same guy.

Undressed by Jen Frederick

This is a Woodland Hills novella centering around Grace and Noah’s first Christmas together. If you’ve read Undeclared, you know who I’m talking about and you’re as giddy as I was to get a little more of these two. Noah and Grace are spending their first Christmas together as a couple and despite their solid relationship, there’s always something that threatens to get in there way. Noah has a big fight with huge financial potential on New Year’s day but his shady professor wants him to throw the fight and is promising him an even bigger payout. He’s also threatening Noah’s scholarship. Noah has a lot of insecurities when it comes to money and they really show through in this novella. He can’t get past his tough childhood and he really thinks that money is the solution to all his problems and that it is the only way to keep Grace around forever. Grace doesn’t care about money one bit and she definitely goes out of her way to try and prove this to Noah and be sensitive of his feelings.

Noah’s insecurities bothered me a little because I loved him and he is this really amazing guy so seeing him so insecure was tough. I loved the way Grace respected Noah’s feelings and she did some pretty amazing things for Noah to prove her love for him. As irritated as I was with Noah for acting like a fool, I was proud that he made the right decisions in the end and he overcame those insecurities about money. He finally saw through his money hungry gaze to see that Grace would choose him over money any day of the week. Also, I am a huge fan of Jen’s weekly story from her newsletter, the Charlotte Chronicles, so the epilogue in this novella made me smile so hard. I loved it!

The Sound of Snow by D.S. Linney

The Sound of Snow was sweet and sexy and a fantastic Christmas novella. Gabe is still wallowing over the death of his wife 4 years earlier when he meets Ria at a hotel bar. They hit it off and Gabe is instantly attracted to her like no one before. They spend a sexy, steamy night together but Ria is gone when Gabe wakes up in the morning. Six months later, she shows up at his door to interview for the new nanny position, unaware that he is one and the same. The chemistry is definitely there and six months hasn’t negated any of the sparks.

I liked the way Ria instantly connected with his children and she was like a real life Mary Poppins. Gabe has such a strained relationship with his kids and Ria helps reignite it. She definitely puts his family back together again and this only more solidifies his feelings for her. This definitely had a little insta-love which I’m not a big fan of but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I still really liked the characters and the plot and found this to be a great Christmas novella.

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Friday, December 20, 2013

Prank-tastic Blog Tour + Giveaway: Needing Her by Molly McAdams

WHO IS THE REAL MOLLY McADAMS?

Molly McAdams is pulling a prank on the internet to celebrate the release of her prank-tastic novella,Needing Her, on 12/23! For eight days until Needing Her goes on-sale, the internet will be brimming with New Adult celebs like J. Lynn, Jay Crownover, Sophie Jordan, and more—all pretending to be the REAL Molly McAdams. All have filled out the same Q&A, so it’s up to the fans to guess which one is the real Molly! Each day, a new Q&A will go live on a variety of blogs, and if you guess who’s answering the questions in the comments, you could win a fabulous gift basket, including books from all the participating authors, as well as a prank “starter-kit,” for your own practical jokes. Here are the participants:

Molly McAdams

J. Lynn

Monica Murphy

Lisa DesRochers

Jay Crownover

Sophie Jordan

Nichole Chase

Blogger Yara Santos of Once Upon A Twilight

So see if you can guess who’s who by commenting, and you’ll be entered to win a lavish prize basket. And check all the other participating blogs until 12/23 to see if you can pick out the REAL Molly McAdams. Identities will be revealed, and the winner will be announced on 12/24, on these blogs as well as on the Between the Covers FB page.

~Synopsis~

She’s the Girl Next Door

Maci Price isn’t really into relationships. Having four very protective older brothers has always made having a boyfriend very difficult, anyway. But her friend is set on finding her the perfect guy – and thinks the mysterious Connor Green is the perfect pick.

He’s Her Brother’s Best Friend

Connor Green is trying to find himself again. He loved then lost and it’s time for him to pick up the pieces. His brooding is making his friends crazy, but, Maci Price, who has grown up into a gorgeous and incredibly sexy woman, is about to break the spell.

They’re Made for Each Other

When Maci starts up old pranks to get Connor out of his slump, an all out war leads to a night that will break all their rules, and a relationship they must keep hidden. Together they’re electric. Apart they’re safe. And soon they’ll find they’re exactly what the other needs.

A fabulous, fun, and sexy, New Adult novella from New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams. If you loved Connor in From Ashes, this is the story for you.