ARC Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Crash Into You

(Pushing the Limits #3)

Author: Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: November 26, 2013

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Source: eARC from publisher via NetGalley

~Synopsis~

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. 

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

 

~Review~

Wow, this book. It just feels like there are no words to describe how I felt while reading Crash Into You. I was so overwhelmed with emotions and I connected with Rachel and Isaiah more than any other characters than I have in a long time. Pushing the Limits has been my favorite YA Contemporary of 2013, until now. As much as I love Noah, Isaiah has captured my heart forever.

I freaking adored Rachel so very much. She comes from a high society family and could easily be a stuck up bitch but she is so down to earth and non-judgemental. She doesn’t see Isaiah as someone beneath her like her family or other girls in her position might have. She SEES him and not his appearance and his home life. I was really torn up by how much Rachel has to endure with her family. She spends so much time being someone she isn’t just to keep her mother happy but it clearly takes a toll on her. The only time she feels like herself and feels free is when she’s driving her car. Rachel’s fear and anxiety broke my heart because she had to deal with it all on her own and no one understood her or really listened to what she had to say.

My God, Isaiah melted my heart and I fell head over heels for him. I honestly never thought that could happen because I never really felt a connection to him in Pushing the Limits or Dare You To. He is at the top of my YA book boyfriend list and has officially turned me into a cougar. Isaiah is a genuinely good guy and he has been through a really tough time. Despite his outward appearance and what he wants people to see and believe, he is the epitome of “don’t judge a book by the cover” because he is nothing like he wants people to see. Being in the foster care system has left him a bit broken and hurt inside. He has a lot of anger and resentment towards his mother for all he's had to suffer through. Isaiah just wants to be wanted and loved and he is closed off because he is generally let down. I don’t think he gives himself enough credit to be more than what everyone thinks he will be. He has so much potential and there are people who see it too. Isaiah just needs to see it in himself.

I absolutely loved Rachel and Isaiah together. They are from two different worlds but it never seems that way between them and that was my favorite part. Rachel fully believes in Isaiah and encourages him in everything he does. Isaiah is secure with himself and never lacks self-confidence with Rachel, despite their different backgrounds. Rachel and Isaiah get themselves into a pretty sticky situation and the only way to get out of it is to work together. The more time they spend, the more they each fall for one another and I really loved watching it happen. Rachel is a bit insecure when it comes to the relationship with Isaiah but considering her inexperience and the walls that Isaiah has built up, it’s understandable that she would question everything that happens with them. Isaiah has been let down some many times in his life by so many different people that letting Rachel past his walls and in his heart seems to be a bit difficult. He doesn’t want to admit the feelings he has for her but the more he denies them, the stronger they become. I was floored when they opened up to one another and decided to explore a relationship. There were a lot of obstacles that stood in their way but they expertly overcame them and refused to let anything or anyone come between them. They fought for each other until the very end and Isaiah’s tenderness and protectiveness of Rachel was so endearing.

We get so see some more of Echo and Noah as well as a little bit of Beth and Ryan but I also liked the introduction of some new characters as well, including Abby and Logan. While we meet Logan in Dare You To, I loved the cross over with him in Crash Into You and getting to know him better. He actually becomes a good friend to Isaiah and I really enjoyed the bonding between them. It was a great bromance! Abby is an old friend of Isaiah and I loved her. She becomes Rachel’s first real girlfriend and the friendship that they created was really sweet and further showed what an awesome person Rachel is because they were from two different worlds and Rachel never cared. I think she was Abby’s first real friend too and they both needed that friendship. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Rachel’s brothers. I found them hypocritical, judgemental and way too over protective. They only really cared about themselves and they were always pushing Rachel to be somebody she wasn’t just to please their mother. While sometimes I think they had good intentions, the way they treated Rachel really pissed me off and I loved it when she finally stood up to them.

I think Katie McGarry is an incredibly talented writer and this is her best yet. That’s hard for me to say because I loved Pushing the Limits so much but she really outdid herself with Crash Into You. Not only was the romance heart warming and beautiful but the plot was captivating and intriguing. I was always left guessing and never expected the turn of events around each corner. Once I started, there was no way I was putting this book down until I finished and when I finished at 1:00 am, there were tears streaming down my face and warmth in my heart.

~IPOD Picks~

“Falling Slowly” by Kris Allen

“Words” by Skylar Grey

“Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

*An eARC was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.*

Review: The Sea of Tranquility

The Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: November 13, 2012

~Synopsis~

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

~Review~

I never thought I'd read a contemporary YA book that I would love as much as Pushing the Limits; then I read The Sea of Tranquility. This book was intense, beautifully haunting and invoked so many emotions in me. Right from the prologue, I was hooked and along for an emotional ride.

"I hate my left hand. I hate to look at it. I hate it when it stutters and trembles and reminds me that my identity is gone. But I look at it anyway, because it also reminds me that I'm going to find the boy who took everything from me. I'm going to kill the boy who killed me, and when I kill him, I'm going to do it it with my left hand."

Nastya is a young girl who suffered a major tragedy 3 years ago and she just wants to get away. She wants to be somebody else and she wants to go somewhere where no one knows who she is or what has happened to her. She goes and lives with her Aunt Margot and enrolls in school for her senior year. From the beginning, I could tell that she had severe emotional damage. She held a lot of anger, resentment and self- loathing and it showed in the way she acted. She dressed a certain way because she knew people would stare and she wanted to give them something to stare at.

 I loved Nastya and her personality. She had this don't take shit, no nonsense attitude and it really added a little lightness to the book, which I really needed among all of the intensity. She was instantly drawn to Josh, as if she could sense that he was as damaged as she was. The first time she showed up at his garage, I loved their interaction and I loved watching Nastya grow to trust Josh and let him help her deal a little. The more time she spent with him, the better she seemed to be. However, it was clear she was still very damaged and my heart broke a little when she pushed Josh away. I so badly wanted her to open up to him and tell him everything but instead it all came crashing down.

Josh had literally lost everyone he truly loved in life and it made him a very cynical and damaged seventeen year old. He refuses to really get close to anyone and I think he truly believes he will spend forever alone. My heart broke a little for him when he told Nastya that he believes in God but thinks that God hates him. He is so indifferent with Nastya in the beginning because I think he is afraid to get close to her. When she continues to show up at his garage every night despite the way he acts towards her, I think he starts to enjoy her company and I loved watching his transition and change towards Nastya. Perhaps my favorite part of this book was seeing Josh change and fall in love. I wanted him to fight harder when she pushed him away and I think he wished he would have too.

"I believe in God, Sunshine. I've always believed God exists," he says. And what he says next isn't self-pity or angst or melodrama. It's truth. "I just know that he hates me."

This book had really great side characters, Drew and Clay, in particular. Drew was the cocky, popular jock who instantly tried to work his magic on Nastya. She found him fun and entertaining and even though everyone thought they were hooking up, they formed a mutual alliance and actually became really good friends. Drew was also Josh's best friend and I loved the connection those two had, even though they are both very different. Drew grew so much in this book and they way that he protected Nastya and was there for her when she needed him towards the end really showed his maturity. Clay was an outcast, like Josh and Nastya, and I loved the friendship she developed with her. He saw all of the pieces of her and through all of her bullshit and the act that she put on. She helped Clay with his art competition and without knowing, Clay was able to help Nastya with some closure.

This book had such a beautiful plot. It was filled with tragedy, heart break, love and loss. But most of all, it was filled with second chances. Second chances for love, second chances to live, second chances to do things right. Towards the end, Josh and Nastya both made bad decisions to hurt each other and they both were strong enough to recognize the mistakes that they made. He loved her so much that he was williing to let her go so that she could get better because he recognized that she needed more than he could give her. Letting her go was harder than losing anyone he had ever lost because he could never bring them back but she was still very much alive. She realized that she does want to live and loving Josh gave her something to truly live for. She knew that getting better would take work and that she may never truly be okay but she knows now that she wants to be.

"I haven't gotten better. I'm not even close to okay. The only thing I've done is decide to get better. But I think that may just be enough."

This book really stuck with me and I found myself thinking about it hours after finishing it. I know I have read an amazing book when it has had a profound affect on me and The Sea of Tranquility has done that. If this is Katja Millay's first novel, I cannot wait to see what she will come up with next.

~IPOD Picks~

"Stay" by Rihanna

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac

"A Drop in The Ocean" by Ron Pope

"Ships in the Night" by Matt Kearney

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Holding on and Letting Go by Lucy Kelly

I am so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Holding On and Letting Go Blog Tour hosted by Irresistible Reads Book Tours. I have a review to share with you today. Let's get to it!

Holding On and Letting Go

Author: Lucy Kelly

Publication Date: March 10, 2013

~Synopsis~

Is there a way to describe the ties that bind us together? What happens when one of those ties is unexpectedly severed? Can everything else remain the same? Will the other ties hold strong?

Two years after her little brother's death, sixteen year old Emerson Caulfield returns to a home that she spent the last two years missing. In theory, everything should be the same. Her best friend, Matt,

still lives next door. Her house is in the exact same condition as they left it. The scenery and hallways haven't changed, yet for Emerson, everything is completely different. The place may be the same, but Emerson is most certainly not. She returns home hurt, angry, and miles away from the girl she once was.

~Review~

Holding On and Letting Go was a very emotional read. It really tugged at my heartstrings and dealt with the overwhelming grief that surrounds someone when they lose a loved one. This book truly delves into the sibling bond and the unwavering love siblings share for one another.

Emerson has been through a lot in her young life and the loss of her little brother had a profound affect on her. It truly changed her as a person and no matter how much she wants to or how much Matt wants her to, she can never be the person she was before she lost Peter. I really liked the way she opened up to Matt and her friends again and she really grew and strengthend throughout the book. She was so fragile and broken but she made the decision to live for Peter because it is what he would have wanted and she started the healing process. Her strength really shined in the last few chapters, which were very emotional and heartbreaking.

Matt had lost his best friend and when she came back, he could instantly see the changes in her and how broken and devastated she was. He so desperately wanted to fix her and bring back the old Emerson that he only ended up pushing her away. Matt went through some very difficult situations himself and in the end, I think he really grew as well. 

The sibling bond really shined through in this book, not just in Emerson's life, but in Matt's and Luke's as well. Emerson's parent were really terrible and it was easy to see why she was so broken. She could handle their disappointment and coldness with indifference but after Peter, it really broke her down. In the end, coming home and finding comfort and support in her friends is what helped her heal and learn to live again. I really enjoyed the heartwarming bonds between siblings and friends and even though there was some heartbreaking moments, the end was really beautiful and sweet.

~Quote~

"Em, I'm sorry," Matt replied quietly. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I can't be the girl you knew growing up. I'm sorry that I'm not who you want me to be." I paused for a second. "You know what? I'm not sorry for any of that stuff. I can't apologize for who I am." ~Emerson (Holding On and Letting Go by Lucy Kelly)

~IPOD Picks~

"Down" by Jason Walker

"Both of Us" by B.o.B

"Falling Slowly" by Kris Allen

About the Author

I'm not really going to write a biography. Though I am supportive of the high schools and colleges I have attended, it's probably not actually the most interesting stuff about me. I'm going to do a list of five really random things instead for now.

1) I like making lists. It's weird, and I never actually scratch things off of the list.
2) I sing and dance in the car like a maniac.
3) For the first six years of my life, I truly believed a shark lived under my bed. I watched Jaws at too young of an age.
4) Without a doubt, I am a night person. I am enormously grumpy when first woken up in the morning.

5) When I was younger, I read almost every Nancy Drew book, both new and old. I had a notebook, and I would take notes to see if I could figure out who the "bad guy" was before Nancy did. We probably tied.

Social Links:
Facebook  Goodreads  Twitter

*This book was provided to me by the author for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and unbiased.*

Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Every Little Piece by Kate Ashton

Every Little Piece

Author: Kate Ashton

Publication Date: April 24, 2013 

Secrets never stay in the past.

The night before high school graduation changes everything. Lies are told. Mistakes are made. Secrets tucked away. Lives are changed in the span of a few hours.

A year later, Haley is still reeling, numb with the constant ache of guilt. She's in a place she never expected to be: lost without her friends and Seth. Until he enters her life again, dredging up everything she's trying to forget. Everything about that night.

Seth returns to his hometown determined to share his truth, his side of the story. He desperately needs to make things right with Haley, even if it means losing her forever. Because the truth will ruin any chance of her ever loving him again.

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Every Little Piece was definitely a story that pulled at the heartstrings. It was a really intense and deep story. I really liked this book but it was a little depressing, not that it is a bad thing, but it just got me down a little.

Haley went through some serious loss and tragedy in such a short time and at such a young age.   I don't know how I would have handled a similar situation at her age. I think that she thought leaving was the only way to forget but she felt so guilty that she never let herself forget or move on. She became a shell of herself and no amount of distance would have changed that. Instead of avoiding and wallowing, she needed to confront the situation and forgive herself. 

Seth played a huge role in Haley's downfall and he took the coward's way out. He abandoned her when she needed him the most. I understand that he was young and had been through a huge tragedy and he thought leaving was the best solution. However, if he had stayed, he could have helped Haley move on. His year away did give him perspective and he came back to right his wrongs and help Haley to get past some of her grief and guilt.

This book was well written, especially from a debut author, and the plot was well thought out and well rounded. I liked that the author really built up the characters and the plot before tragedy struck. It made the tragedy that much more heart-breaking. She also touched on the subject of grief and guilt very well and very realistically. 

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Favorite Quote:

"A new wish flutters about, a butterfly with wings of hope, rising from the ashes of my life. I've been given a gift. One I never expected to receive." ~Haley (Every Little Piece by Kate Ashton)

IPOD Picks:

So the author, Kate Ashton, actually made a playlist for this book that is at the end of the book and some of her picks are on my IPOD so I am going to list those below for my IPOD picks because they are perfect but I want to give the credit to Kate.

"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

"Arms" by Christina Perri

"From Where You Are" by Lifehouse

"Realize" by Colbie Collait

"Secrets" by One Republic

"Over My Head" by The Fray

For her full playlist, check it out at the end of Every Little Piece.

Sources

Synopsis: Goodreads

Cover Photo: Goodreads

Review: Lost in You by Heidi McLaughlin

Lost in You

Author: Heidi McLaughlin

Publication Date: May 6, 2013

Ryan Stone is a less than average teenager. He doesn’t have fancy clothes. He doesn’t carry around the latest smartphone and he definitely doesn’t have an MP3 player. Instead, he goes to school, does his chores and dreams of a new life away from Brookfield where he’s expected to follow in his blue collar family’s footsteps. 

Hadley Carter is America’s Pop Princess. A successful recording artist living her dream with a sold-out tour and a handful of Grammy’s there isn’t much that she wants for, except love. But finding love on the road is near impossible when all she longs for are romantic dinners, a nighttime stroll on the beach and holding hands with someone who isn’t going to exploit her. 

When a chance encounter introduces Ryan to Hadley, will he be like her adoring fans looking for a way in, or will it be Hadley who pursues Ryan even though it might cost her the only career she's known.

***************************

While I enjoyed reading Lost in You and it was a very cute, light read, I felt that there were parts of the story that bothered me. While I totally understand that the author was trying to write a story about following your dreams and going for love, I just couldn't fully get behind the plot.

Hadley is a very passionate character and when she wants something, she goes after it. However, I found her perusal of Ryan a little obsessive . She meets him and has this instant connection, but then I think she comes on a little too strong. Since she is older and a woman, I want to say she would have better sense but I know that isn't necessarily true. Another issue I had with her were the mixed signals that she kept sending. I felt like she really messed with Ryan. 

I found Ryan to be kind of a weak character in the beginning but he did really develop well throughout the book. His experience with Hadley was very new to him and he discovered things about himself during their relationship. Even though his separation from Hadley was heart-breaking for him, it actually made him much stronger. His friendship with Dylan was a saving grace for him and even though I felt like she was a little manipulative, he was lucky to have her in the end. 

Overall, I think this book was really well written and I think the author did a good job of illustrating the idea that you should take risks to fight for what you want. However, Hadley's strong perusal of Ryan, only to so quickly desert him was bothersome for me. I know it was hard for her but I felt like she gave up too easily. I was satisfied with the conclusion of their story but not sure I liked the way the final chapter played out.

*********************************

Favorite Quote:

"When he looked at me, my heart began racing so fast I thought I was going to pass out. Different from the exhilaration I feel on stage. This is real, like the sun shining on just the two of us, our hands a magnetic force field bridging the gap." ~Hadley (Lost in You by Heidi McLaughlin)

IPOD Picks:

"Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson

"When a Heart Breaks" by Ben Rector

"Mess I Made" by Parachute

Sources

Synopsis: Goodreads

Cover Photo: Goodreads

Review: Slammed Series (Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl) by Colleen Hoover

Since I read all 3 books within a 2 day period :-), I thought I would do a combined review instead of 3 separate posts so here are my thoughts on each book. Enjoy!

Slammed, Point of Retreat & This Girl
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books

__________________

Slammed

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

*************************

I really enjoyed Slammed from the very first moment I started reading it. I loved that Will and Layken found this immediate connection with one another. I was so heartbroken for both of them when they realized that there were obstacles that wouldn't allow them to be together. I did not expect the circumstances they would be under that would keep them apart. It was so hard to see them fight their connection while they were falling deeper in love. Every character in this book was fabulous and there wasn't a single one that I had ill feelings towards. I loved how sweet and caring Will was and how strong and mature he was. I loved that Layken was so headstrong and passionate. She knows what she wants and she is always willing to go for it but at the same time she is so respectful of the situation and does the best she can to not be selfish.

I loved the Avett Brothers quotes in the beginning of the chapters and the special meaning they had for Will and Layken. I absolutely adored the theme of this book and the the slam poetry that was incorporated in it. The idea that two people can fight their way to each other through every obstacle thrown there way is such a compelling love story.

Favorite Quote:
"The same glorious feeling I had on that stage...on his dryer...in the booth in the back of the room--it's gone. I can't do it again. I want to run. I need air. I need to feel the Michigan air against my face." ~Layken (Slammed by Colleen Hoover)

IPOD Pick:
"A Drop in the Ocean" by Ron Pope

Point of Retreat

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart. 

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins

*********************

Point of Retreat picks up a little over a year after Slammed left off and I was totally satisfied with where Layken and Will were in their relationship. So many monumental things had happened to them over that year and it was clear that they needed each other now more than ever. Of course happily ever after only lasts so long and Will and Layken are facing new obstacles this time. I was easily able to predict what was going to cause problems between them but I didn't expect it to play out the way it did. I certainly didn't expect the things that would happen throughout and towards the end of the book. Even though the primary plot of the book revolved around Layken and Will's strained relationship, there so many other things going on around them too that I really liked because it showed that life was still going on around them and other people have issues and problems.

 I was a little disappointed with the way Layken handled things between her and Will. I felt like she was kind of immature and I didn't care too much for the little tantrums that she would throw. There were a few new characters introduced in this book and I really liked them. I "butterflying" loved Kiersten. She was such a fun character and she made me laugh. There was also a lot more of Gavin and Eddie and they had their own drama going on too. 

This book was written from Will's POV and I think the author did a great job with it. I also felt that she did a great job in the introduction to bridge the time gap between the two books. This was a complex plot which I loved because there was so much depth to the story. I was really satisfied with the ending and where the author took it. Of course, the slam poetry in this book was once again amazing!

Favorite Quote:
"I love being with you so bad
When we aren't together, I miss you so bad
One of these days, I'm going to marry you so bad
And it'll be
so
so
good." 
~ Will (Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover)

IPOD Pick:
"Lucky" by Jason Mraz & Colbie Collait

This Girl

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from hispoint of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

*************************

This Girl starts off right where Point of Retreat left off but it is Will telling his side of the events from Slammed to Layken. I really liked the way this was written. Instead of just being Will's version of Slammed, it is written as a flashback with him telling Layken his side of the story. It breaks from the past to the present after he retells a scene from Slammed from his POV and I liked that. It was really fun to go back through the events of Slammed with Will as the MC because there were so many great moments between them in that book and I loved getting Will's perspective during those moments. 

I loved finding out some of the secrets that Will had kept from Layken during that time. The book also extended the events from the end of Slammed so we got a little insight into what happened right after Slammed ended. I absolutely loved reading their first date from his perspective and how he felt and reacted to the poem that she slammed for him. It was beautiful!
The ending to this book and series was really amazing and I was very happy with the direction the author took it. All loose ends were tied up and it left me feeling happy and satisfied.

Favorite Quote:

"This feeling I get when I'm with her...I've missed it. I've missed that feeling of feeling. Somehow, she's the first person in the last two years of my life who gives me any sense of hope about the future." ~Will (This Girl by Colleen Hoover)

IPOD Pick:
"Forever & Always" by Parachute

_________________________________

Overall, I "butterflying" enjoyed this series and am a huge fan of Colleen Hoover's writing. I fell in love with Will and Layken's story. I laughed with them, I cried with them and I enjoyed every minute I spent with them.

P.S. Read the books and you will understand the "butterflying" reference ;-)

Sources

Synopsis for each book: Goodreads

Cover Photos: Goodreads

Novella Review: Cloud Walking (Find You in the Dark Novella) by A. Meredith Walters

Cloud Walking (Find You in the Dark Novella)

Author: A. Meredith Walters

While Clay and Maggie were falling apart...

Daniel and Rachel were falling in love. 

Rachel Bradfield has loved Daniel Lowe for most of her life. She has had to sit quietly by while he throws his feelings away on a girl who doesn’t deserve them. Rachel knows she can be everything he needs.

Daniel has always known Rachel was special. She is one of his best friends. But what Daniel doesn’t realize is that the girl he has known forever might just be the one he really wants.

Love pulls two people together, while tearing two others apart. As Daniel and Rachel discover the beauty of first love their best friend loses her heart to the deepest darkness. Unable to hold Maggie together, Rachel and Daniel find out that love doesn’t have to hurt and that it can change your life.

*****************************

I really liked Find You in the Dark and loved Maggie & Clay's story. Rachel and Daniel were two secondary characters that I really loved so it was great to read their story and how they fell in love while everything was falling apart for Clay and Maggie.

I loved that Rachel and Daniel both had feelings for each other but didn't know how the other felt. We really only get insight into Rachel's feelings in Find You in the Dark so it was really great to hear Daniel's perspective and to know how he was feeling for her at the same time. I really liked that they were such good friends to Maggie and that they didn't flaunt their love and passion during Maggie's toughest times. I also liked getting a little bit of their perspective on Maggie and Clay's relationship.

*****************************

Favorite Quote

"Love has a way of consuming you. Making you lose all focus. But it could also lift you up and make your life that much better. Make you feel like it was the only thing in the world you needed." ~Daniel (Cloud Walking by A. Meredith Walters)

IPOD Picks:

"Bad" by The Cab

"Ships in the Night" by Matt Kearney

Sources

Synopsis: Goodreads

Cover Photo: Goodreads

Review: Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters

Light in the Shadows (Find You in the Dark #2)

Author: A. Meredith Walters

How do you keep going when you feel like your life is over?

Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to.

Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed. He is healing...slowly. But his heart still belongs to the girl who tried to save him.

When a sudden tragedy brings Maggie and Clay face to face again, nothing is the same. Yet some things never change. Can the darkness that threatened to consume them be transformed into something else and finally give them what they always wanted? And can two people who fought so hard to be together, finally find their happiness? Or will their demons and fear drive them apart for good?

The thing about love, is even when it destroys you, it has a way of mending what is broken. And in the shadows, you can still see the light.
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This was a fantastic conclusion to Maggie and Clay's story. I was so sad and torn up inside after the end of Find You in the Darkness that I had to immediately start this book to know how it all ended.

This book was written in dual POV from both Maggie and Clay and I really liked that. It was nice to get inside Clay's head and understand how he feels and what he is going through. I like him even more in this book because I was able to understand him more and the inner turmoil that plagued him. I loved that the author didn't make Clay magically better. Despite all of his hard work to get better, he still struggled every day to overcome the obstacles of his breakdown. Maggie still loved Clay and knew that her feelings would never change but I loved that she learned from her mistakes and made better choices with Clay this time. She didn't allow him or his problems to consume her and she knew that she would never be able to be his only medicine or help him on her own.

The author did an amazing job of keeping the story so real. There was no magical solution or fairy tale ending. While the ending was very satisfying, they didn't ride off into the sunset happily ever after. Their love and relationship was an everyday battle and always would be. This was a story of struggle, triumph and everlasting love. I will definitely be picking up another A. Meredith Walters novel soon.

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Favorite Quote:

"I think the person who said it's better to have love and lost than to never have loved at all was full of shit. This much pain wasn't good for anyone, no matter that it came from something as amazing as the love for another person." ~ Maggie (Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith  Walters)

IPOD Picks:

"Better Days" by The Goo Goo Dolls

"Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars

"Mess I Made" by Parachute

"Drop in the Ocean" by Ron Pope

Sources

Synopsis: Goodreads

Cover Photo: Goodreads