A Joint Review for Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Posted by Donna  & Jess
Release Date: April 2nd, 2013

Publishers: Atria Books
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages:  488
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

How much is too much to love?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. 

Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire's New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. 

Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes.

General thoughts:
Donna: Ever since I first read Beautiful Disaster, I’ve always wondered what was going through Travis’s mind in some of them emotional and hard times with Abby, and thanks to Jamie McGuire, now I know. 

I was super excited to get this ARC – so that’s  Atria books and NetGalley. It’s definitely one of my most ‘waiting on’ books, so to start it was pure bliss. I love Travis and the gang the first time around but what I was most looking forward too, was seeing what happens behind the scenes with Travis and Shep and of course, America. And let me tell you, it’s fantastic. I love this lot together; they have a great relationship – even though America gives Travis some tough talking too sometimes. ;)

So the big question is…..Abby’s POV to Travis’s POV? And as much as I love Travis, I’m going to say Abby’s. I felt her side of the story was so much more emotional because we didn't know what Travis was thinking at the time, not only that but there’s so much more detail to the story in her POV, rather with Travis’s certain chapters were skimmed through and there’s some details missing. But the main thing, Abby annoyed me from Travis’s POV. She was so freaking stubborn and each and every time, Travis proves he would do anything for her. Despite this though, I still loved Walking Disaster. How could I not? 

Jess: Couldn't believe I got approved for the galley. I was so excited. I remember when I read Beautiful Disaster, I really wanted to know what was going through Travis's head and thankfully...now I know. 

It absolutely didn't disappoint me...in a way. I did feel like something was missing, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what that was. It was great being inside Travis's head and I loved every minute of it, but something felt off, and eventually I came to the conclusion that this book probably would have worked much better as a duel POV the first time round. With two completely different characters with their own inner demons, it's always best to have a duel POV in the book...in my opinion. 

Favourite character:
Donna: Travis - of course Travis! He's still my number one! I love him!

Jess: Ha! Like you even have to ask. Travis :) definitely. I'm going to put Shep in there as a second and Trent as a third :)

Favourite quotes:
Donna: “A toast” I yelled, climbing onto a chair. On my way to the top, I stole someone’s beer and held it out in front of me. “To douche bags!” I said gesturing to Brad. “And to girls that break your heart.” I bowed to Abby. My throat tightened. “And to the absolute fucking horror of losing your best friend because you were stupid enough to fall in love with her. ”

Jess: "You can't tell me what to do anymore, Travis! I don't belong to you!" Her words ignited a deep anger inside me. I stomped to the bed, planted my hands on the mattress on each side of her thighs, and leaned into her face. "Well, I belong to you!" I screamed. I put so much force behind my words, I could feel the blood rush to my face. Abby met my glare, refusing to even flinch. I looked at her lips, panting. "I belong to you," I whispered  my anger fading as the desire  took over.

After thoughts and final rating:
Donna: Travis captured my heart in Beautiful Disaster and he certainly still has it now. Walking Disaster is a must read for any fans of this series! 4 stars!

Jess: Brilliant. Aside from the something missing that I felt wasn't there. It was wonderful to finally get into his head, see how he ticks. Jamie McGuire had me in Beautiful Disaster from page one. And she still has me in Walking Disaster. I look forward to more from her soon. A solid 4 stars from me :)

A Joint Review for Ditched by Robin Mellom

Ditched: A Love Story
by Robin Mellom
Release Date: January 10th, 2012

Publishers:  Disney-Hyperion

Format: Hardcover 

Pages: 277
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US/ The Book Depo 

There's a girl.
Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

And there's a boy.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

Then there's a ditch.
But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together--stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress--exactly how she ended up dateless...with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven.

To get the whole store, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?

Hey guys, today we have a special guest on the blog today who is taking part in a joint review with me - Jasprit from The Reader's Den. So thank you for joining us! =)

What I enjoyed about this book:
Jasprit: I enjoyed that Ditched wasn’t your typical read. I assumed that it would be a cute, light and fluffy read, but it actually had a deeper meaning behind the story. A story of a girl who at times could be annoying, but was trying her utmost hardest to lose this reputation that nearly everyone held of her for so long and have a good time with her prom date Ian. I enjoyed watching Justina’s character development and my opinion of her change too. But mostly what I enjoyed was how this story was told. We were given snippets into Justina’s prom night via the stains or marks she was left with from the unfortunate night. There were some nice pretty pictures starting each chapter off and then we’d get a back story into what each stain represented. I enjoyed guessing what each stain could represent and then learning the back story behind each one.

Donna: I have to agree with Jasprit on this one. Ditched: A Love Story wasn’t your typical read. I had also assumed it would be a cute read and I had kind of already predicted how the story would go, but once I started reading, I totally had it wrong. The main character; Justina, really had to go through the ringer in order to process her feelings and of course, figure out how one of the best nights of her life goes so wrong. The love interest; Ian, comes across as a jerk to start with but as the book progresses you can see that it’s Justina that has everything mixed up. I really enjoyed how the story was told, it was through flash backs of the night while Justina was telling her story to two random women she meets and although it story dragged at times, it was still enjoyable. 

What surprised you the most about this book:
Jasprit: Certain characters development over the course of the book. I especially enjoy a story more when I initially make quick assumptions about a particular character, but then as the story progresses, the characters end up taking me by surprise and changing my original assumptions I had completely. This happened to me with quite a few characters in Ditched.
Donna: Definitely the humour and the amount of crazy in this book. Robin Mellon gives our main character a fantastic personality – she’s bold and brave, she’s not afraid to say what she thinks (this isn’t including Ian because come on, all girls get nervous around boys, lol) but she’s a teenage girl that just really wants a fantastic night and because of that, it’s makes her do crazy things. Each character we are introduced comes with another crazy idea and I liked reading about it.  

Favourite scene:
Jasprit: When Justina, the two Mike’s, Serenity and Bliss go to try and track the rest of the party down. This entire scene was like a character building process for Justina. She was forced to spend time with girls who she normally wouldn’t have spent time with and had been judgemental about, but from spending time with them, she learned that they were girls with really helpful ideas and opinions.
Donna: When Justina really learns what Ian feels for her, he turns up to aka rescue her and it’s a really sweet moment in front of a lot of witnesses. 

Favourite character:
Jasprit: Ian, he was a character who we hardly got to see much of in this story, but learning about the things he did or said through other characters definitely helped me to hold his character in high regard. Unlike Justina I wasn’t quick to make bad assumptions about his character, I was patient enough to wait out for the truth, which I’m glad that I did, as it certainly paid off in the end.
Donna: I’d love to say Ian because he was a great love interest but he didn’t really get much of a spotlight, so I’ll go with Justina, because I loved her as a person. She makes mistakes like any normal teenager does and I loved that not everything wasn’t perfect in her world.

Favourite quotes:
Jasprit: “Ian was the guy who would call to check in on me three days before my period started because he knew I’d be acting erratic, even though I explained it was perfectly normal for a girl to curl up in bed with a hot water bottle. One day, he finally realized I didn’t need his emotional support; I just needed licorice and Motrin. But what I loved most about our friendship was the way he said my name... always dripping with adoration. And annoyance. I had always figured that’s what had drawn Ian to me. My adorably low tolerance for PMS mixed with my annoying all-black wardrobe. It was sexy to him.”

“That one”, I said, pointing to a punk Tinker Bell with ripped wings and fishnets and combat boots. She was the spitting image of me. She was supposed to be sweet and beautiful, but she was ripped and torn. 

“Ian did look good the day he wore that green shirt, it was true. But it wasn’t the shirt that changed everything. It was the licorice and Motrin. He knew when I most needed help. He always gave me what I needed. Peanut butter cookie. Daisy ring. That crease. It never was the green shirt.”

Donna: “All I could think about was throwing something at her— something made of glass. Or spikes. Or a viral disease. They really should invent Herpes In A Jar for moments like these” 

"It's true. I'm not that girl anymore. And there will be a time when I'll be The Girl. It is all about timing--and one day when I'm not planning it, and organizing it and strangling it, love will become possible. There won't be any more leapfrogging. We'll land in the exact spot at the same precise moment. And I will wait."

General thoughts and final rating:
Jasprit: 3.5 stars. Ditched was more than just a book with a fluffy, sweet cover, it was a novel about a girl on a journey to discover herself,  but ultimately just have a good time with her prom date. It was sad that Justina’s prom night didn’t end up being as one that she would remember in the years to come, but did result in her being a better person in the end.  
Donna: 3 stars. Ditched: A Love Story was a quirky and fun read, one that really takes you on a journey of self-discovery and first love. I really enjoyed it and although Justina’s night wasn’t what her and us as readers wanted it to be for her, I think she got so much more from that night that she will cherise even more. 

A Joint Review for Losing It (Losing It #1) by Cora Cormack

Posted by Donna & Jess
Release Date: February 26th, 2013

Publishers: Ebury Digital
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages:  288 
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Love. 
Romance. 
Sex. 
There’s a first time for everything...

As far as Bliss Edwards can tell, she’s the last virgin standing, certainly amongst her friends. And she’s determined to deal with the ‘problem’ as quickly and simply as possible.

But her plan for a no-strings one night stand turns out to be anything but simple. Especially when she arrives for her first class and recognises her hot new British professor.

She'd left him naked in her bed just 8 hours earlier...

General Thoughts: 

Donna: This is another great addition to the New Adult genre. Losing It is a intense and sexy read - one I really enjoyed. The story starts with a kick and I loved how quickly it pulled me in. I loved the relationship between Bliss and Garrick - even though it was a teacher/student relationship - which I'm not a huge fan of, I'm glad the author didn't play up their relationship. They still had the struggles of a student/teacher relationship but I was glad it wasn't a 'getting caught' story. Bliss provides so many humour moments that she made parts of the story very funny. 

Jess: Really enjoyed this book. It was great to finally have a British love interest, you don't get them often. I liked that the story dealt with the student/teacher relationship and dealt with really well even though the characters are college age. I did feel that it lacked a little drama, when dealing with student teacher relationships I think it needs drama, and this kind of lacked a lot. I loved both Garrick and Bliss, although she annoyed me a little in parts. Overall, it's a great story, with great characters and a wonderful HEA. I laughed a helluva lot in this book. Start to finish it really tickled me with the banter and situations Bliss found herself in. She's a funny chick.

Favourite character:

Donna: It's a toss up between Garrick and Bliss. And even though I loved Bliss - I loved how funny she was, I'll go with Garrick. Not just because he's hot but he was a very well rounded character. He's very open and I also loved that his was British too.  And that epilogue in his POV really was the icing on the cake! 

Jess: Ha! This is a hard one. I'm going with Garrick. I don't know, maybe I'm biased because he's British, but I loved everything about him. Who he was, what he represents, how he handled his and Bliss's situation. Plus he's hot. So yeah, Garrick most definitely! 

Favourite quotes:

Donna: "What? Just because I can't have you right now, doesn't mean I'm okay with him having you." 
My brain tripped over that right now phrase again, but I forced my thoughts away from it. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just refer to me like property to be owned." 
"Can't we own each other?" 

Jess: I have a couple of quotes actually, there were so many good ones:

“What cat? Oh! MY CAT. The cat… that is mine. Oh, she’s... ” I had said it was a she, right? “She’s fine. All meowing and purring and other cat things.” -Bliss

“What's your name, love?" Love? LOVE! Still dying, here. "Bliss." "Is that a line?" I blushed crimson. "No, it's my name.” "Lovely name for a lovely girl.” -Bliss and Garrick

“Bliss, I don’t normally do things like that. But I was second-guessing everything about coming here, and you were everything I needed. I don’t know how many times I’ve stopped myself from coming over here and knocking on your door. And yes, seeing you with Cade was definitely motivation, but more than that… I just like you, Bliss. As a teacher. As a person. As a guy” - Garrick

After thoughts and final rating: 

Donna: Losing It is a story about finding love for the first time and it's one that really left a mark on my heart. It's the perfect read if you're looking for drama with a intense and passionate relationship. 4.5 stars! 

Jess: I pretty much said all in general thoughts.  Overall a good story, great characters and and a HEA. Although it lacked in some parts, and Bliss annoyed me a little, it was generally a great read and one I'd recommend to everyone. Especially our US followers who enjoy a good British male lead :). My final rating is 4/5 stars due to the lack of drama in parts.

A Joint Review for Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Posted by Donna & Jess
Release Date: February 12th, 2013

Publishers: Atria Books
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle

Pages:  262
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, twenty-year-old Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. Struggling to make ends meet, Kacey needs to figure out how to get by. But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbour in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smouldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and he perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means that an explosive secret could shatter both their worlds.

General Thoughts: 

Donna: I loved Ten Tiny Breaths! I honestly wasn't sure what I was expecting before I went into this book but I certainly wasn't prepared for what I read. Wow! Talk about mind-blowing. 

I read pretty much most of the book on train and it was so hard to keep a straight face. I was either trying to stop myself from blushing or grinning like an idiot! just loved it, loved everything about it. It was so intense and emotional and it certainly ticked all the right boxes for me in a new adult story. 

Kacey and Trent were fantastic characters, both who have so many struggles to over come but together they really find the peace they need. Their stronger together than apart. 

And the ending..I guess you could say I was prepared for the twist at the end. I knew something was coming but I didn't know what and I did work it out before hand, however, when it came it was still just as shocking and emotional as EVER! 

Jess: Absolutely ADORED this book. I was pretty much sucked in from the moment I started this book. It had me laughing  and blushing and nearly tearing up. So deeply emotional in so many areas in such a short space of time as books go.

First book I've read by this author and it most certainly didn't disappoint at all. The writing style, and the way the story evolves and delves deep is simply wonderful

Every part of this book was pretty intense, and it really grips you. You just can't stop reading and trying to piece together all the details. 

The ending was pretty fricken epic. I had figured out the twist a little earlier on based on piecing together certain aspects of the Kacey and Trent and the way they interacted, so I wasn't totally surprised when all was revealed. I actually smirked and internally 'Whooped' for figuring it out. It made me seem smart.

Favourite character:

Donna: This was a hard one because while I want to pick Trent - for obvious reasons, I'm going to with Storm. She was so kind and genuine. She's a fantastic mother who works hard to provide for her daughter and I think she was a fantastic role model for Kacey. 

Jess: This is really hard! I honestly can't choose. I pretty much loved all the characters in the book. They all stood out in their own way. I honestly can't choose, all the characters were great and really bought the story to life.

Favourite quotes:

Donna: "I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We're going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We'll go hand gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more." His fingers toy with my bottom lip. "Let me make you smile." 

Jess: “I don't hate you. I could never hate you. Give me your heart, Kacey. I'll take everything that comes with it.”

After thoughts and final rating:

Donna: Ten Tiny Breaths is an emotional and captivating read, one that I certainly won't forget for a long time. K.A Tucker creates the perfect new adult read, full of intense passion and I want more of her work. 5 stars! 

Jess: Ten Tiny Breaths is a gripping roller coaster of emotions, that will leave you reeling and it make you just keep turning page after page. It's the most captivating and intense read I've read for a long time. I've found a new author and I intend to read more from her. 5 stars!!

A Joint Review for The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone

The Boy on Cinnamon Street 
by Phoebe Stone
Release Date: February 1st, 2012

Publishers:  Arthur A. Levine Books

Format: Hardcover 

Pages: 265
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US/ The Book Depo

 A story about a wounded girl and the boy who won't give up on her.

7th grader Louise should be the captain of her school's gymnastics team - but she isn't. She's fun and cute and should have lots of friends - but she doesn't. And there's a dreamy boy who has a crush on her - but somehow they never connect. Louise has everything going for her - so what is it that's holding her back?

Phoebe Stone tells the winning story of the spring when 7th grader Louise Terrace wakes up, finds the courage to confront the painful family secret she's hiding from - and finally get the boy.

Hey guys, today we have a special guest on the blog today who is taking part in a joint review with me - Jasprit from The Reader's Den.

Before we start with a very special review, I'd like to say THANK YOU to Jasprit for taking the time to read and review this book with me. I  had so much fun and I hope you guys enjoy our review as much as I had writing it. 

What surprised you the most about this book?

Jasprit: Louise’s voice, she is only thirteen years old which I forgot numerous times when I read this book. By the second half of the book she was speaking like a grown adult. I loved watching her grow mentally, it was like she was finally shedding her skin, opening her eyes and seeing her life for what it really was. At first I did find her voice quite immature (I don’t normally pick up books with younger mc’s) but she really grew on me as the book progressed. Her childish observations became a lot more mature, it was interesting watching her grow up.

Donna: I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting so many emotions to come from a girl of just thirteen years old. Honestly, reading this book kind of took me back to when I was a thirteen year old and it had me questioning what I was like at that time. Some things I could agree with and some I couldn’t, however Louise is a very well developed character. She’s young and immature but she grows so much during the book and as a reader, we see her struggle and deal with so many different situations. I believe she handles them as best as any thirteen year old can.

Favourite Scene:

Jasprit: When Louise found a camera in the park, she’s left with these beautiful photos of the clues that were left for her, such as someone drawing a big heart on the cement with a pink chalk and underneath is written “Thinking of You”. These photo’s were so beautiful, and as she continued to flip through the photo’s they definitely left me with an achy feeling in my chest, by the end of it I had a big smile on my face when I realised who they were from.

Donna: I have to agree with Jasprit. I adored the scene with the camera in the park and Louise shouting out her answer to Henderson for anyone listening. It’s touching and really shows you the love between the characters.

What I enjoyed about this book:

Jasprit: I loved the little messages that Louise received; the Thumbelina book, the cute notes. I quickly clicked on who they could be from even though it wasn’t clear to Louise, but it was fun anticipating what Louise’s reaction would be, seeing her stumble around in the dark for a bit and not realising the boy who she was meant to be with was in front of her the whole time.

Donna: I loved the mystery surrounding Louise’s secret admirer – even though to the reader it was pretty clear who is was, to Louise it wasn’t though. To see her recognise her feelings for Henderson was a highlight of the story and I loved seeing her discover who was behind all the secret notes.

Favourite character:

Jasprit: I didn’t mention Henderson in my review because I thought he deserved his own separate paragraph. Henderson was so quirky and funny. He reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes (* coughs* Robert Downey Junior) he was super clever; always figuring things out and was also in the process of writing his own book. He was so cool too, some people may have found him as a strange boy for his age; he was always intense about writing his space murder mystery. He also had a funny sense of humour; coming out with random facts and quotes and the fact that he actually loved his name, he thought it sounded like a cool butler’s name in an old fashioned movie. He totally imagined people saying, “That will be all, Henderson”. But what I loved the most was that he didn’t really care what others thought of him, and I like that in a character, one that is so confident in themselves that they just get on with things. Plus he was super sweet, it was as clear as day how he felt, but I think everything that was going on with Benny he decided to hold back, but one of his scenes in the end is my all time favourite, the effort and his consideration he put into it. I wish the guys I knew when I was that age were more like Henderson.

Donna:  I have a few favourite characters – firstly I loved Louise’s grandparents. They were supportive, loving and caring towards Louise. They try to give her everything she needs but then of course, I love Henderson. He’s a geeky love interest that like Jasprit said, he doesn’t care what others think of him. He loves writing stories and he loves getting lost in his own little world but of course, he wants Louise there with him. He’s a very cute character and a little swoon-worthy if I do say so myself.

Favourite quotes

Jasprit: “Everybody has a story, a fairy tale in their heart they adhere to”

“He puts on his dark plaid wool cap that looks like some dog took it and ran with it around the block five times, dropped it in a puddle and then brought it back to grandpa”

“Henderson looks at me, he has a train-expression on his face, the kind of expression people have when they’re holding suitcases and are about to say good-bye and climb aboard”

“So I stand up against the wall, my heart beating inside me like a sorrowful drum all alone in the cave of my being. Will I ever grow up? Will I ever be big and tall? When I go back to the gymnastics team next fall and we do a team photo, will I be the medium height girl smiling in the second row? Will I walk out one day into the world and know is it mine?”

Donna: “I told you growing starts from the inside first, honey, and in that way, you've been growing like wildfire.”

“Thumb, I hope I will not bore you with how totally, totally I adore you. The funny way you have of talking, the cute way you have of walking. Please do not feel that I am stalking you. ”

“Actually everybody has a story, a fairy tale in their heart that they adhere to.”

General thoughts and final rating:

Jasprit: The Boy on Cinnamon Street was a book which took me completely by surprise; I was expecting a super cute and funny book but Stone managed to provide a whole lot more. It was a book with a much deeper meaningful story behind it and really left a great impression on me.

Donna: While reflecting on this story, I tried to put myself into a younger readers mind because in my ‘older mind’ (and while I knew before I read it that it was for a younger audience) I wasn’t actually prepared for how young the story actually was. I did struggle to deal with the immaturity of the characters to start with, and I would have definitely enjoyed this more had it of been for older readers.  However, for a younger reader I can’t knock Phoebe Stone’s work because she has created a perfect read for them.