Title:Capture

Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Genre: Romance

Rating: 5

Age: Mature Audience

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Let me start by saying, I love Rachel Van Dyken’s work. When I need a light read that I know will make me giddy and make me laugh, then I pick up Rachel’s work. I am never left disappointed and I have read 25 of her books

Rachel Van Dyken has this extraordinary ability to just say the funniest shit ever. Her books should be movies, they would make fantastic Rom-Coms, every one of them.

Capture is the first book in the new Seaside Pictures series. A spinoff book from the Seaside series. And it features characters from the Seaside, Eagle Elite and Ruin books which is like a bucket full of the best candy ever for someone like myself, who is kinda obsessed with all three of these book series. Please note this is a stand alone and you do not have to read the previous books to understand Capture.

Dani is our heroine in this book. She was introduced to us in Fall, where her sister got hitched to big time movie star Jamie Jaymeson. In Fall her parents were killed in a tragic car accident that left Dani as a sole survivor. While recovering from the accident and trying to deal with the grief of losing her parents Dani establishes a tight bond with AD2 boys Demitri and Alec – I’m name dropping here because Demitri is hilarious; Probably my favorite character from the Seaside Series. He sits on the sidelines in Capture as one of Dani’s best friends, throwing in his awesome one liners and quick wit to keep you snorting through the book.

Dani sinks into a depression after losing her parents and becomes a shell of her former self. Quietly suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Dani loses her friends, boyfriend and her confidence, becoming terrified of everything and reliving the accident in her dreams every night. She shuts herself down and becomes a selective mute. Her family is at a loss on how to help her and decide the best thing to do is throw her into work. Signing her up to be the personal assistant of Hollywood’s newest it boy Lincoln Greene.

Lincoln is the current Hollywood ‘it’ boy. While filming in Seaside he has taken Dani on as his personal assistant. This isn’t quite an insta-love, but there is an instant attraction between the two. Only problem is Dani wont speak.

“One day Dani. One day I’m going to hear my name coming from that gorgeous mouth of yours, and I’m not going to be held responsible, damn the consequences.”

While working together Dani and Lincoln can’t hide their attraction to one another, and while everyone is busy wrapping Dani in cotton wool, she is learning to live again with Lincolns help. Don’t get me wrong, with Lincolns presumptions and Dani’s quick sarcastic wit, these two go through their own ups and downs.

“Because as much as I kept my guard up – he made me want to tear down that wall just to see the other side. Just to remember what it felt like to be normal”

In this book we also get to meet Zane. The newest, hottest thing to hit the music industry. While developing a strong friendship with Dani and showing a questionable love for marshmallows, Zane became a well established character in this book, giving us enough insight to know that something is not quite right with him. But we wont find out what until book two.

I am in awe of Rachel Van Dykens creativity. Her ability to write such captivating, sweet, funny stories, about people who I truly wish I knew personally. This really is a sweet, sweet story about a girl who overcomes her fears in order to keep living, it’s funny and full of warm fuzzies. I loved it. It was a quick easy read and I’m really looking forward to the next installment, Zane’s story, coming in 2016.

“Your voice is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard”

Title: Panic

Author: J A Huss

Genre: New Adult

Rating: 5 stars

Reading Age: 18+

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In the explosive conclusion to the Rook and Ronin series we have Panic. After everything went down with Rooks ex in Manic, the Team is now back together and thinking the hard parts are behind them. After completing the Sturgis contract Rook has decided to carry on and do the second season to Shrikes Bikes reality TV show by taking a job at Shrike Bikes and moving in with Spencer and Ford while Ronin runs the new Gidget contract back at Chaput studios – With Clare, who continually tries to get her claws between Rook and Ronin.

“How did I get here? We’re Three’s Company. Spencer is airhead Chrissy, Ford is intellectual Janet, and I’m pretending to be gay so I don’t notice that you two are roommate eye-candy.”

But that is the least of the Teams troubles.

Honestly this series got better with every single page. I could not stop reading, I needed those answers like I needed my next breath. I wanted so badly for everything to work out for these people. I wanted so badly to be apart of this team.

Things come to a head with each relationship. We finally see the true connection between Rook and Ford, and get the solid answer we need for the two of them. Giving the couple closure so Rook can move on with her self and her relationship with Ronin.

“Like this, Rook.” Ford’s soft words vibrate into me. “I like you. I’d like to show you how much, actually. I’m being a gentleman to make life easier for you, but believe me, it’s not really in my nature to be so accommodating. I typically just take what I want.”

Fords character really developed through this book, and I loved him more and more and more. He was meant to be unlikable, but I loved him. And so did Rook, in her own way. I so wanted Ford to get his HEA. But I get it, I know why it’s not Rook. And I can not wait to devour his book.

While back at Chaput studios with Clare, Ronin receives sudden interest from the FBI. This is where we get to see Ronin in action. And its hot. He’s badass. As the fall guy Spencer and Ford refuse to make any waves in order to help him. Ronins job is front man. He and only he can talk to the cops and FBI. It’s up to him to get himself out of the trouble these guys are causing.

The Team can’t figure out if the FBI are sniffing around because of Ronins past, or Rooks. With people popping up all over the place trying to get Rooks attention, and her ignoring every advance, choosing to remain naive, thinking people are trying to come between her and Ronin. But then Ronin is arrested for human trafficking and with Spencer and Ford refusing to help it’s up to Rook to decide where her loyalties lie and to make a decision once and for all on her relationship with Ronin.

“I’d never walk out. I’d fight for you every single time. You’d never even have to wonder if be there because I’d show the fuck up before that thought could ever cross your mind. I want you, I’d risk everything for you.”

In this book we are thrust back into Rooks past, all those questions that remain unanswered are answered. The moments that lead up to the end are suspenseful and nerve-wrecking. It’s the best ending, J A Huss amazes me every single time. Her story-lines are so original and unexpected and written with such ability. I can’t even put it into words. Shes fantastic at what she does. The characters are wrapped up nicely and the book leaves us with a nice set up for Fords book (EEEEK) Seriously. Go read this series, Tragic is even free right now on Amazon. Introduce your self to J A Huss and her hot, hot world of badassery.

Title: Manic

Author: J A Huss

Genre: New Adult

Rating: 4.5 stars

Reading Age: 18+

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Now that Tragic has set the foundation, Manic takes off. And boy this book is… Yeah, those answers I missed last time, we get the plus so much more in this book.

Rook has unwittingly signed on to do the Shrike Bikes reality TV show. So with her and Ronin at odds she is having Spencer paint her naked body daily while it’s all filmed for national TV. Her anonymity is out the window, and all the things she is running from risk coming back to the surface.

In this book we got to meet Ford.

“Incapable of emotion—high-functioning Asperger’s Syndrome with areas of prodigious savant skills.”

Oh my, let me have a fan girl moment here, because Ford. He sky rocketed to the top of my fave character list for this series, oh so questionably hot. J A Huss has given us our villains and made them the good guys, how? I have no idea, but that’s how it is. Even Rook, there are no good guys, just bad guys and worse guys. Does that even make sense?

J A Huss has thrown me through the spinner with this book. Putting Ronin aside while he deals with Antoines niece in rehab it gives us time to focus on the introduction and development of Spencer and Ford. Bringing them into the series as main characters. Rook herself began to grow a bone in this book and started standing up for herself and her decisions and developed an unlikely relationship with the two men. Questioning everything, will Rook manage to make it work with Ronin, while Ford is whispering in Rooks ear, getting closer every time Ronin turns his back?

There is an obvious history between the three lead men in this book. Ronin, Spencer and Ford are not particularly happy to be working together again. But Rook pulls them back together with her friendship with each man. Giving them a common ground to work together.

I will say I didn’t see it coming, when their past was revealed I was shocked. It was perfect. But totally unforeseeable. Ronin finally made sense to me in that moment, and all those questions started spit firing again.

“Your first impression of Spencer should be dumb. Your first impression of Ford should be well-dressed asshole, but maybe a little on the weak side. Your first impression of me should be honest, trustworthy guy. Your first impressions would be dead-ass wrong in all three cases.”

Rooks past finally catches up to her, bringing the Team together keep Rook safe and put her past in the past where it belongs. In the final chapters of this book tension is high and I found myself holding my breath in angst, waiting for everything to go down.

“Spencer is a certifiable genius, Ford is as ruthless as they come, and I’m an accomplished liar.”

This book was SO EXCITING! I was on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t know if I should be rooting for Rook and Ronin, or Rook and Ford. I didn’t know if Rooks past was going to blow up in everyone’s face. Or if everyone would make it out in one piece, I just didn’t know! The book finished without a cliff hanger again and has Panic as its direct follow on. I suggest you don’t wait, and read all these books back to back, because they just keep. Getting. Better.

Title: Tragic

Author: J A Huss

Genre: New Adult

Rating: 3.5 stars

Reading Age: 18+

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“If I wanted to change my life then I’d have to do it myself. Because no one was coming to protect me, or save me, or heal me.”

I had so much fun with this series, I am definitely a fan of J A Huss. Tragic is book one in a series of books, the first three being the Rook and Ronin books, but the spin-offs that follow are still focused on this group of friends. So really there is like, five books, plus two novellas, plus another set of three as a spin-off after that as well.

Confused? don’t be, and don’t let it deter you either because This. Series. Is. Amazing. I couldn’t stop reading once I started, and my reading pile started stacking up, but it was completely ignored in favor of these books.

SO, Tragic. We meet Rook – who has like the best name! – she is homeless and jobless and decides to take a chance on a modeling shoot that wasn’t hers to start with. At Chaput Studios, and erotic photography studio she meets Antoine. A French photographer who is extremely selective of his models. But Rook has the look Antoine is looking for, for the exclusive Tragic campaign and is hired on the spot. Rook is given a second chance at life, to leave behind her dark past. Or at least try to. The story begins there. Then it unfolds, and we meet Ronin, a super hot model who works and lives at the studio where Rook is now working too.

Ronin is super hot. This book is super hot. Seriously. He was charming and a bit to good to be true, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with him. Rook and Ronin battle each other throughout the book, Ronin wanting to help Rook and take care of her, and Rook constantly battling for her independence to be away from the life she had before, determined to make her own choices, her own mistakes.

“Beauty is fleeting. I know someone important said that, but I have no idea who it was. I jut know it’s true. So I’m gonna grab this second chance with everything I’ve got and I’m gonna ride this wave until it spits me back out on the beach of bullshit.”

This book honestly had me questioning everything, you are drip fed information about these characters and it’s almost frustrating when questions go unanswered, but that’s the nature of these books. You’re not meant to know whats happening until it all blows up in your face.

“Because if there’s one thing in life I can count on, it’s that eventually, no matter how freaking nice that rug is under your feet, someone always pulls it out from under you eventually.”

This book would have been a 4 star for me if some of those questions where not left unanswered. In just a few places it seemed like Huss was going one way, then took the book in a different direction. But the small amount of unanswered questions is nothing compared to the overall book. And it was nice that, for a change I was wrong, I was so so wrong about these characters. Who knows, maybe I have trust issues, always expecting the worst from people. But the worst is not what you get in this book.

Towards the end of the book we meet Spencer. He hires Rook for his Shrike Bikes campaign. Against Ronins better judgement, Rook takes the contract and signs on to spend the Summer modeling in nothing but body paint for Spencer. The book ends here. It is not a cliff hanger and has a direct follow on with Manic, the next book in the Rook and Ronin series. Tragic is the perfect foundation book for this series to be built on. It was original and hot, J A Huss is a fantastic author and I cant wait to read the rest of her work.

I have been sick.. like man-flu. It’s horrible no wonder men complain about it so much!  But really, my 3-year-old has had the flu as well so it has been 2 weeks of quarantine so far, and it sucks.

I have however managed to down 5 books while I have been sick, I just haven’t had the brain power to review them. That is The Rook and Ronin series by JA Huss (the first of which is FREE right now by the way) Ahh I couldn’t put them down, I just looove JA Huss. And now I have Capture by Rachel Van Dyken on my Kindle waiting for me to devour and I know, I know, that I need to be in my best mind to read and review that book. It’s horrible (this man-flu business) but I’m off to the docs tomorrow to get some drugs to kick this shit once and for all.

I just wanted to explain my absence for anyone who may be following my awesome-sauce blog. Next week I plan on writing all my reviews for the past two weeks. So, stay tuned and thanks for following 🙂

The end of August is set to be super busy. Of course so many books are released every day. But sometimes there is a couple of weeks where you find you have several books on pre-order coming all at once. I love/hate these weeks. I never know where to start, and my fan-girling gets WAY out of control! I sometimes hyperventilate. Jump around for no reason. Squeal – I never, ever, squeal.

But you know what, the end of August is making me do all of these things. I’ll tell you why.

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On the 18th of August we have Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carling coming out. I have seen a lot of hype surrounding this book, the concept is intriguing and the cover is really pretty. Though I have never read anything from this author before, Colleen Hoover recommends it, and I love to put blind faith behind my fave authors. So it must be fantastic!

To the Green-eyed Lovebird:

We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House. You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more. We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other. Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone.

A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding… I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello. After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half?

M

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Next up we have Capture by Rachel Van Dyken release day 20th August. This book is not up for pre-order in Amazon yet, but I will post as soon as It becomes available. I love Rachel Van Dyken, She is hilarious and her Seaside Series was seriously addictive. I have read a lot of her work and loved Every. Single. Book. This book is a spin-off of the Seaside series and I can’t wait to dive back into that world, I love the AD2 boys and all the other characters she has bought to life through these books.

Losing your ability to speak at the age of seventeen; it’s not normal or fair.But trauma, has a way of throwing normality out the window.
Dani lives anything but a normal life.
Her sister is married to one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Her best friends are rockstar duo AD2.
And she has more love around her than most people experience in a lifetime.
But that doesn’t change the fact their parents are dead.
Or that it’s her fault.
It seems her new normal is being a mute, living on the inside, unable to actually communicate on the outside.
That is until Hollywood’s newest heartthrob Lincoln Greene hires her as his assistant for the summer.
He’s gorgeous, completely unavailable, and unobtainable.
But that doesn’t stop her from wondering…if things were different…would he want her?
If she was whole, would he be the other half?

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Ahh this is SO exciting!

Next – They just keep coming! Releasing on the 25th August we have Fallen Crest University by Tijan.

I Love Tijan. The Fallen Crest High books I found so full of drama I just couldn’t put them down. Even once I finished I couldn’t put them down, rereading them 3 times in a row. In order to read this book I suggest you read the first four, as this is the long awaited end to this series, which really explains my excitement. I CAN’T WAIT!

Fallen Crest is back with a vengeance!

Samantha, Mason, and Logan are all together and united with one common enemy: Park Sebastian, the king of fraternity douchebags.

With professional football scouts eyeing his every move, Mason Kade has to walk the line for the first time in his life. Any move he makes against Sebastian has to be perfect and under the radar. One mistake, and his career is over.

Sebastian has other plans. Mason’s career isn’t his target—not even close. Wanting to destroy Mason completely, Sebastian knows he must hit him where it hurts the most: Samantha, who doesn’t give a rat’s ass that she’s the target.

Sam is bound and determined to protect Mason herself, no matter the cost, but what if the cost is beyond her imagination? What if this time, the villain wins?

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Until Friday Night is Abbi Glines new young adult series. Also releasing on the 25th August. This is book one of a series. I personally love Abbi Glines work, not only is she a great author but she seems like such a sweetheart. Her Sea breeze and Rosemary beach series being my favorite of her books, I also thoroughly enjoyed her Existence Trilogy as well. So I really grab hold of whatever she releases. I already know I will love it, question is just how much.

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god. But on the inside he’s grief-stricken – his father is dying and he hasn’t told anyone because he can’t face the truth.
Now, as his pain grows unbearable, West finally decides he needs to talk to someone about his dad. So in the dark shadows of a party, he tells the one girl who doesn’t speak everything he can’t tell anyone else. West expected to feel relief, a flood of emotions – but what he didn’t expect was for Maggie Carleton to reply. For her to reveal a pain even deeper than his own. And, for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go.

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Last of all, and not actually in August, but I couldn’t resist. Nalini Singh is releasing her most recent Guild Hunter book. Archangels Enigma is up for pre-order and will be released on 3rd September.

I picked up Angels Blood in a paperback bin at Whitcoulls while I was at work one day. It was an impulse buy when I had nothing to read while on my break. The Guild Hunter books are fantastic, with Archangels Enigma being book 8 in the series you can read them as stand-alone books, but it would be beneficial for your own understanding to read them in order. I was hooked from page one of Angels Blood. I fell into Nalinis world of Angels and vampires (have I mentioned I am very skeptical of vampire books)  and I fell in love with the world she created. These books are, by far, my most favorite books of this genre.

Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required—those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows…and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare…

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows…and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare…

On a side note, I have also met Nalini Singh, at her book signing. Something we don’t have often in NZ. She’s so lovely. As the only author I have had the pleasure of meeting it was a wonderful experience.

So don’t miss out on these great Romances coming out this month, jump on the pre-order button to make sure you get the release day special prices.

Stay tuned for the reviews, the will be coming, I wont be waiting long to read these once they arrive.

-A

Title: Confess

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: contemporary / Romance

Rating: 5 Stars

Reading Age: Mature Readers

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I’ll admit, when I first came across Colleen Hoover her popularity turned me away from her work.. I’m not proud of it, but there it is. Man, am I glad, so glad, that I picked up Ugly Love one day and introduced myself to her writing. Now she is on my auto-buy list and I can not wait to devour everything she creates.

I don’t know what it is about me, but for some annoying reason I can see plot lines unfold before me in paths. This is crazy annoying because I love reading so much but I am very rarely ever surprised by any book. Plot twists are often predictable and I end up getting frustrated with myself, and the book.

I have not had this experience with Colleen Hoovers work. Yet.

Oh my gosh! It’s like taking that first breath of fresh air after being stuck under the blankets for to long! Not only are her characters just beautiful and human but I have not yet been able to see anything coming. From the very beginning I experience the ‘wait…what?’ moments, where events unfold that I didn’t see coming, and don’t worry, unless it’s a series like Never, Never, it all comes together in the end. I love this! I love that for once, finally, I am reading something where I can’t see around the next bend. I can’t even express just how much I love this!

God, this story pulled on my heart. With the concept of random strangers confessions becoming art, its addictive! Reading all these confessions, putting things in prospective. Opening yourself to your own confessions. I’m not sure about anyone else but this book definitely made me think hard about what my confessions would be. I found it very validating. I don’t know how Colleen Hoover comes up with these ideas, but please don’t ever stop!

“Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows. Something I can keep for myself.”

I felt for Auburn and her struggles she faced in this book, her character had spent years being belittled and bullied by her family. She grew in strength throughout the book with Owen’s support. Be aware I’m trying hard to avoid spoilers here. I want everyone to experience those surprising moments throughout this book. I’ll just say it was really nice to read a female protagonist who was introverted, and not in the shy way of inexperience. But a quiet personality. She had a silent strength that really showed itself toward the end of the book and she was willing to do anything for those she loves.

“It’s amazing how you don’t realize just how alone and scared you were until you have someone by your side to support you.”

Owen. I’m pretty sure he just space jumped right to the top of my book boyfriend list. A talented artist that is holding so many secrets, who only has three contacts on his phone.

“I’m scared I’ll never feel this again with anyone else,” I whisper.
He squeezes my hands. “I’m scared you will.”

I spent the beginning of the book loving him, the middle of the book wondering how Colleen could create this amazing character and then put him in these situations that I just couldn’t make sense of, at the time. But true to her work, and again with the ‘wait…what?’ and  ‘Ahh‘ moments, it all makes sense when the book begins to wrap up. Then I loved him even harder. Owen is, everything, all at once.

“He kisses me like he’s giving me every kiss he wishes he could have given me the past, and every kiss he’ll wish he could give me in the future.
All at once.”

I think it’s pretty obvious that I love Colleen Hoovers work. And I can’t wait for her release of November 9 in November. She is a creative genius. If you haven’t experienced her work yet then GO! Whats holding you back? You wont regret it, you may even learn something about yourself.

“I love you so much.” His voice is breathless and full of fear. “I’ll love you forever. Even when I can’t.” My tears fall harder at his words. “And I’ll love you forever. Even when I shouldn’t.”

Title : The Paper Swan

Author : Leylah Attar

Genre : Dark Romance / Suspense

Rating : 2 stars

Reading age : 18+ Contains violence, sex, and drugs

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“There are no good guys or bad guys. Everyone has a reason.”

Two children stuck in the thrashing world that is the Mexican drug cartel. One privileged and entitled. One abandoned and desperate. One knows nothing, the other knows everything. A plan formed from vengeance. Who will make it out alive?

I went into this books blind, I think I only glimpsed at the blurb even. I got swept up in the popularity and hype this book was producing, and of course the beautiful cover.

Like most suspense books the less you know the better so I am considering that as I write this. It is my best effort to not give away any of the story line.

I did struggle through this book. I found it predictable. I felt like I had read the outline before and this wasn’t up to par compared to other books with the similar story line. The writing itself is lovely and in parts beautifully descriptive; there is no doubt that Leylah Attar is a talented Author. The book is well written and flows without confusion. Her use of language and Imagery is lovely and some parts you just want to breathe in her words.

“Black was One. There were no shades to black. Black was absolute, impenetrable. Black absorbed all the colors. If you fell into black, it swallowed you whole. Yet here was a different kind of black. It was black ice and burning coal. It was well-water and desert night. It was dark tempest and glassy calm. It was Black battling Black, opposite and polar, and yet still . . . all black.” 

Unfortunately there were moments when my brain was screaming, my eyes were rolling and I wanted to put the book down and not pick it back up. Giving up seemed like a good idea, I felt like I knew all I needed to know and the end of the story already written out in my head. But I trudged on, there was something that kept me engaged enough for me to not give up on the book all together. That’s gotta mean something, right?

“Hope is a hollow backbone. It can’t always carry the weight of reality. And I was tired of propping it up. I was tired of mending it each time it snapped. You can only cheat death so many times; you can only fight so long, so hard.”

The heroine was developing well in the beginning, I found myself really into the first chapters. I was questioning the kind of book I had picked up and I was even more intrigued because of it. But then our heroine seemed to switch personalities. I’m not sure if I ever really felt a connection with her through this whole book, to be honest. She became everything I was hoping she wouldn’t. That can be said for our hero too. Coming so far in such an astounding way that I found it hard to believe. We didn’t get to witness his struggle, it just happened. I couldn’t quite get my head around it. I did like his character though, probably most out of all the characters in the whole book, I just wish he could have kept some of his introductory characteristics (to a degree) as well as the inevitable changes he faced.

In saying all this, just know that I don’t like predictable books, not unless I am purposefully reading a predictable book. I call them quick reads. I go in knowing what to expect and I read them deliberately in between emotional reads to give my brain a break. A suspense like this should not be one of those. While I appreciate the plot twists and I can understand how they work for other people, it lacked teeth for me; It wasn’t original, it wasn’t surprising. some parts even cringe worthy.  Again, For me.

“Are we ever able to truly understand the ‘why’ or do we simply yearn for labels and boxes to organize the chaos we can’t control?”

This book was the *it book* to read this week. I have seen many, many great reviews on it. So I’m in the minority. It had enough guts to stop me from putting it down so if you’re not familiar with dark romance or suspense than definitely give this a go. As I said earlier my opinion in no way discredits the Authors ability, the writing itself was in parts stunning. It’s the story line that lost me.

Title : Kick, Push

Author : Jay McLean

Genre : Romance / New Adult

Rating : 5 stars

Reading age : 18+

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This. Book.

This book had tears in my eyes from the beginning. I don’t think they went away throughout the whole book.

This is not a book where two people find each other and need to hold each other up to survive. This is a book about self-love and survival in spite of the world turning against you. You are not going to find a story in these pages about falling in love and everything else falling into place because of it. This book is to real for that. Its honest and raw, about two people who have to learn to grow and survive on their own despite their love for each other. I think that alone deserves credit. The hero doesn’t save the heroine; she saves herself. And the hero builds his life up from the ground on his own.

I discovered Jay McLean’s writing with the More Than series. I was captured by her sense of humor; I found myself laughing hard and crying harder with each book I read. Each story better than the last, but every one of them so, so special. All those moments have led to this one, to this book. Kick, Push – it’s breathtaking. I’m not sure if I was actually breathing at any point while reading it. This book is emotional. It’s relatable, this could be your story, or your brothers or your best friends. It’s real and I loved it.

Meet Josh. Single dad at 17, abandoned by the mother of his child and not one, but two sets of parents. The only support he could have hoped for, gone. He grows in strength and integrity, facing a world he should have never had to face. Josh takes on this world never once questioning it. In the face of betrayal and loss he picks himself and his son up and moves forward. The respect and awe I have for this boy is credit to Jay McLean’s ability to lift her characters off the pages of her books and bring them to life. I am going to miss Josh. That’s how vivid he is.

“There are some sacrifices greater than love. And some loves greater than sacrifice. Tommy’s greater than both” 

Meet Becca; complex, quiet, intuitive, compassionate, strong, stunning, Becca. I’m not sure I want to call her broken, although she has a past that is horrible and she endured so much through her childhood, I feel as though saying she is broken is an insult to her strength. Becca; she is a survivor.

I don’t think a better heroine could have been written for this part. Josh needed someone to match his strength and then surpass it. I saw it. He needed someone to fight with him, and for him. Along side him.

“she disintegrated my armor with her existence, and now she has all of me.” 

Becca holds a lot of secrets, and where in some books you get information as the reader before the characters, that doesn’t happen here. While there are small drops of information, for the most part you have to piece the puzzle together the same way the characters do. Not knowing the truth until it comes from Becca herself, a testament to her growth as a character. You walk through the emotions yourself as well as experiencing them through the characters, you can empathize because you’re feeling it too. Because you want answers just as badly as they do.

“You never have to be afraid of me, Becca, I’ll never hurt you. And as long as I’m around, no one else will either.”

Watching the dynamics and love and breakdown of these beautiful people is so heart-warming. It’s no surprise that this book has jumped straight into my favorites folder on my Kindle – along with every other Jay McLean book. I swear it. I can’t get enough. She has her own folder, and for good reason! With the perfect balance of humor and heart-ache. The beautiful way she ties her series together. Jay McLean writes the way we think. The way we speak. Its understanding. Its compassion. Its love. And I can feel it. I can feel the emotion she puts into her words, every single one. It shows through her beautifully vivid characters and imagery.

“And there’s nothing sadder, nothing harder in the world than watching the person you love fall apart right before your eyes—and you can’t say or do anything to change it.” 

I appreciate this book. As a young single parent I truly do appreciate this book. The light it shone on the relationship between a father and his son, the honesty of Josh’s feelings towards his parenting and the situations and questions we face everyday. The fact it’s saying; yes, we all feel this and no, you’re not alone. It held some very important messages. And through all the heartbreak, in the end you’re left with the unmistakable warmth of hope.

“There’s a big difference between being happy and being selfish. Choose to be happy. Fire truck the rest.” 

So I have officially dived into Kick, Push by Jay Mclean. All I can say is.. Holy fire truck Batman! I have only read the prologue, and the amount of emotions that rolled through me is just… my heart hurts. Yet I’m smiling. Kinda

.

I don’t think I will be sleeping much tonight because I need to eat finish this book.

The first 6% of this book is prologue. It’s necessary trust me, it’s also horrible, and amazing. I had tears in my eyes and a grin on my face and by the end I sighed like I had read a novel.

I have to just sit back and reflect on this for a moment. Not even into chapter one and Jay Mclean has already embedded in Josh (hero) a strength that is all to rare, but so, so real. I feel a loyalty to Josh that I’m not sure I can compare to. I want to fight for him, and with him. I have a strange and strong need to protect this boy. This just goes to show how powerfully Jay Mclean hooks into your emotions. Those hooks are barbed. They are not coming out.

Needless to say, it’s going to be a late night. I am super excited to find out just how Mclean is going to match Josh. I have pretty high hopes, his character deserves something special.