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Book Review: In Search Of Us by Ava Dellaira

Title: In Search Of Us 

Author: Ava Dellaira

Published: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Rating: 🐱🐱🐱🐱

Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I received this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an impartial review. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


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The author of the beloved Love Letters to the Dead returns with a parallel story of a mother and daughter each at age seventeen. Marilyn’s tale recounts the summer she fell in love and set out on her own path. Angie’s story is about her search for her unknown father.
This sweeping multi-generational love story introduces readers to mother-and-daughter pair Marilyn and Angie. To seventeen-year-old Angie, who is mixed-race, Marilyn is her hardworking, devoted white single mother. But Marilyn was once young, too. When Marilyn was seventeen, she fell in love with Angie’s father, James, who was African-American. But Angie’s never met him, and Marilyn has always told her he died before she was born. When Angie discovers evidence of an uncle she’s never met she starts to wonder: What if her dad is still alive, too? So she sets off on a journey to find him, hitching a ride to LA from her home in New Mexico with her ex-boyfriend, Sam. Along the way, she uncovers some hard truths about herself, her mother, and what truly happened to her father.

First Thoughts…

I only just recently bought Love Letters To The Dead, Ava’s previous novel, but couldn’t help requesting this gorgeous book on Netgalley. There was something so entrancing about the synopsis that screamed READ ME, BECCA!

My Review…

The striking thing about In Search Of Us is that I wasn’t expecting for it to move me so much. I picked it up thinking it would be a lighter read than it was, and it totally threw me off my game (in an amazing way, somehow.) Angie, our main character in one of the alternate chapters, has never known who her Dad is. She was raised solely by her Mother, Marilyn (who is our other narrator, taking us into the past). See, Angie is mixed-race, something her Mother can’t understand, as a white woman. She knows her dad was African-American, but here she is in the middle, not knowing where she fits in. Marilyn never planned to raise Angie alone, this we find out in the past scenes, and tells Angie that her real Dad has passed. But when Angie realizes that her Mother might have been lying, she sets out for a sense of belonging. Angie searches for her family ties in L.A., intertwining to where past-Marilyn meets James – Angie’s father.
I loved the mirrors between Angie and young Marilyn. They had so many things in common (that they didn’t even realise) and that lay subtly between the lines. I think that the message in In Search of Us is hugely important, especially for mixed-race people who don’t look like one/their Parents. Ava handles this with such care and transparency that was so effortless. But with the highs in a story come the lows, like the whirlwind love story of James and Marilyn, leading to disastrous ends between their families. These tie-up scenes toward the end really tugged at my heartstrings and I felt myself poring out emotion onto the pages.
Overall, though it is a moving and heartfelt read, it’s more than that: it’s modern, important and oh-so-amazing. I love that the lines of the truth toward the end were blurred so that we might not know everything that happened in the past, especially considering every novel isn’t meant to be tied-up neatly at the end. This was such a boomerang of a novel, coming out of nowhere and just stealing my heart. While the chapters bounced oddly, I still can’t think of anyone I wouldn’t recommend this to. I’ll be getting a paperback very soon – it’s that good. Four-and-a-half, brilliant stars!


What did you think of In Search Of Us?

Let me know in the comments, on twitter @LittleMemoirs or on Facebook!
happy reading!

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Book Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

Title: Renegades 

Author: Scott Reintgen

Published: November 7th, 2017

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Find the Author: Goodreads 


Disclosure: I was sent this book for review on NetGalley. As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.


The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.


Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

First Thoughts

Since Renegades isn’t quite out yet and I have a lot of friends and PLM Readers who haven’t read it yet, I’ll make this review spoiler-free! Back on to my first thoughts…I’m totally guilty of owning the Cinder series from Marissa and not read it yet. I have read parts of her writing over the years from excerpts and book previews, and know that she’s regarded very highly in the YA world. So, I have high expectations!


Review

I love a good superhero TV show or movie, but they are extremely hard to get right in literature (not including comics). But when I started reading Renegades, it had some of the best story-building and I loved that it had a ton of diversity (something Bloggers have been pleading for writers to actually write about and make them Mains). I got a ton of Superhero vibes from the characters that reminded me of some Marvel vigilantes and heroes we see on the big screen, and in Renegades, the powers and abilities are dynamic and sheer-brilliant. 

Nova has a striking, affecting voice and her motivation for retribution made for great storytelling. When Adrian was introduced, who is a Renegade, he doesn’t want revenge, but justice. The secondary characters are also winning in their own league, but for me, I really liked Nova the best. The characters personalities clash because of their overall motivations (just as apposing heroes/villains do) but the action is the best part toward the end of the book when the story really speeds and we can get a sense of where the next book will pick up and continue the epic tale. I was hoping that the action would pick up a tiny bit sooner, just because I like it to around the middle of the book, but I understand that a lot of world-building was needed to get a sense of what Renegades is all about. 

Overall, I loved Renegades. The suspense, diversity, strong female presence and unique theme (I haven’t read a book like this ever) made for a sparkling and spectacular weekend read for me. If you’re a superhero fan and you’ve loved Marissa’s previous writing, I think you’re hugely going to love what Renegades has to offer. 


Rating & Recs

For fans of YA Fantasy and the Cinder series.


Have you read Renegades?


What did you think?

Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!

happy reading!

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Speed Review: “The Moment Before” by Suzy Vitello













Title: The Moment Before
Author: Suzy Vitello
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary
Release Date: January 14th, 2014

Other Books by Author: Unkiss Me 

Published by: Diversion Books



With thanks to Diversion Books for the eBook galley copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.




“Don’t get me wrong. I loved my sister. I never, not once, wished her dead.”
Brady and Sabine Wilson are sisters born eleven months apart, but they couldn’t be more different. Popular Sabine, the head cheerleader dating the high school hunk, seems to have all the luck, while her younger, artsy sister “Brady Brooder” is a loner who prefers the sidelines to the limelight.  
After Sabine dies in a horrific cheerleading accident, grief unravels Brady and her family. Once recognized for her artistic talent, 17-year-old Brady finds herself questioning the value of everything she once held dear. Her best friend betrays her. Her parents’ marriage is crumbling. And the boy everyone blames for the accident seems to be her only ally in the search for answers in the wake of her sister’s death. As an unlikely friendship emerges, Brady learns more about Sabine – and love – than she bargained for.

 The premise instantly attracted me to the story. It looked a little like The Sky Is Everywhere meets a Susane Colasanti book, so I was intrigued to see if my good vibes were right about The Moment Before.


def: a “speed review” is a new feature on Pretty Little Memoirs consisting of shorter reads and eBooks that I’ve read in a quick and event-filled review

Not only is this an incredible coming-of-age story with quirks, but the characters and plot are so strong that almost instantly, I was reading more and more and the time just passed so quickly when I was enveloped in The Moment Before‘s world. 

Brady is such an intriguing, powerful character who not only has to come to terms with the death of her sister, but now that that event has ricochetted her life values around and things she used to believe in and her thoughts about elements of her life, are all changing along with her changes in herself. Brady also has to look at the side of the story that could prove that she didn’t know her sister; Sabine, so well, after all, with secrets surrounding her.

Brady was portrayed so well and as close to a real-life teenager as possible. She was angry for her sister dying, she was annoyed with her sister for no longer being alive and being able to hide under that shadow of being the younger sister of the popular cheerleader. But she was witty and likeable, too. Although she didn’t have that much self-assurance in herself and I think she just liked to please other people other than putting herself first, she was extremely selfless in that way. 

Connor was likeable (ish), like Brady, and although they were a good combination of characters apart, something about them, just like the turn in events nearer the end, made me see that they could be good together. But all Brady can think at first is: this is the guy who killed my sister, because that’s all they know…at that time. He wasn’t so much of a character I connected with a lot, just like Martha or Nick. I really wasn’t a fan of Martha. I thought all along that Brady deserved a better friend, 100%. 

BUT saying that, just because I didn’t like some of the other characters, I liked Brady and because she was the main character, I loved this book. Seriously. It was the perfect coming-of-age story, mixed with emotion and friendship/relationship dramas. Just an all-round amazing read. 



Have you read The Moment Before?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!
happy reading!
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Speed Review: “Becoming Alpha” (Alpha Girl #1) by Aileen Erin











Title: Becoming Alpha (Alpha Girl #1)
Author: Aileen Erin
Genre: Young Adult – Paranormal
Release Date: December 17th, 2013

Other Books by Author: 

Published by: Ink Monster




With thanks to Ink Monster for the eBook galley copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.







One stupid party. One stupid boy. One stupid kiss. And my life was virtually over. 




Tessa McCaide has a unique talent for getting into trouble. Then again, it isn’t easy for a girl with visions to ignore what she sees. Luckily Tessa and her family are leaving California and moving halfway across the country, giving her the perfect opportunity to leave her reputation as “Freaky Tessa” behind. 




But Tessa doesn’t realize that kissing the wrong guy in her new Texas town could land her in far more trouble than she ever imagined. Like being forced to attend St. Ailbe’s Academy, a secret boarding school for werewolves. 


Even if the wrong guy did accidentally turn her into one of “them” and doom her to attending the weirdest high school ever, Tessa can’t help her growing attraction to the mysterious Dastien Laurent. 


When vampires attack St. Alibe’s and her visions pinpoint an enemy in their midst, Tessa realizes that boy drama and her newfound canine tendencies might just be the least of her problems.

def: a “speed review” is a new feature on Pretty Little Memoirs consisting of shorter reads and eBooks that I’ve read in a quick and event-filled review.
Becoming Alpha is the first in the amazing new werewolf series by Aileen Erin, and just happens to be one of the first books I’ve read with the main character being a werewolf, except the Shiver series. I love shows like Teen Wolf, Vampire Diaries and The Originals, so the whole “werewolf” and “vampire” thing is pretty straight forward for me, and it’s something I already know so many variants of. 
Needless to say, I wasn’t let down at all by the first Alpha Girl novel. 
First up; the WOW plot! There aren’t many authors out there that can pull off Vampires, Werewolves, a Romance within the story and not to mention all the spells going on and the gifted characters. It was just so addictive that I just got caught up in the plot so easily and ended up loving it for these aspects in particular. And the whole storyline of how Tessa became a werewolf is just so different to how it was in, like, Teen Wolf for example, which was also really refreshing.
Characters! Right. Tessa was extremely likeable and I connected really quick with her. She was one of those effortless types of main characters that was a true breath of fresh air, because there’s nothing worse than not being able to connect with the person telling you the story. So that was really great. Dastien…okay, he did grow on me by the end, so he was a character-in-progress for me throughout the book. I wouldn’t say I hated him or anything, but maybe I just connected with Tessa better? 
Let’s talk about that cover…the illustrated-type of cover is such a change from a usual cover, and makes it look all the more unique alike the story. Overall, I was just so happily lost in the world and got swept up with everything in awe. There’s truly nothing like the first in the Alpha Girl series, and I can’t wait to read the rest!


Have you read Becoming Alpha?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!
happy reading!

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Book Review: “Aberrant” by Ruth Silver

  

Title: Aberrant (#1)

Author: Ruth Silver
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopian
Release Date:  September 23rd 2013
Published by: Patchwork Press
With thanks to Patchwork Press for the eBook galley copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.


AUTHOR SITE | TWITTER  | GOODREADS

In the future dystopian
society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers
its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for
everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question,
including the government’s match in marriage and “The Day of the
Chosen”, a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children
as natural means hasn’t existed in generations. Following her eighteenth
birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood
best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment
and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she’s arrested and
thrown in prison. 
The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is
unlike the rest of the world born not from “The Day of the Chosen.” The
truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one
simple fact would destroy the perfect system.

With Joshua’s
help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together
they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and
new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they
reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in
order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large
expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts
an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a
world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

Unique dystopian premises always catch my eye and Aberrant sounded like mix between The Hunger Games and maybe with a dash of Divergent in there somewhere with the whole “perfect system” element, so I was super eager to read this.

 The world that Ruth Silver created in Aberrant had me hooked instantly. 
The beginning was a very light and steady introduction to the dystopian world, the characters; Olivia; the main character and Joshua; her childhood best friend and future “match” to be married to when she turned eighteen. But unknown to her, Olivia isn’t like the others and is quickly thrown in jail for being brought into the world differently to everyone else and not from the Day of the Chosen. Joshua soon helps her escape and together they go on the run for answers and seek refuge in a new beginning together. 
The rules in each town, like Haven and Cabal alike, are very different. So when Olivia and Joshua reach the town of Haven, the system is quite different to get used to and to stay, they have to adapt to this new way. But they are forced to stay knowing that the government is plotting to destroy her and then her secret and Olivia will be gone forever, so you’ll see just why Aberrant is so addictive once you know how these surprising elements keep creeping up and mixing up the appeal with every new unveiling.

I can’t imagine living in a world where everything is selected for me; like absolutely everything–things that make us individuals. It was believable and unpredictable, fast-paced and enthralling in addition. There was strength in the core of the plot, with it’s captivating premise and overall package of promise and connectivity to the characters was great, too.

 Olivia was the main character in Aberrant, and although the story is very much about her and how this secret of who she truly is being released into the public knowledge, I couldn’t connect with her fully. I was still mesmerized by the plot and it’s structure, and although Olivia was a perplex and interesting character, on a level of 1 to 10 I probably connected with her around a 6, which is still understanding her to some level. Nevertheless, her and Joshua were a great team of characters that I felt is quite rare to read of in a book.

 Overall, Aberrant is a quick-paced and surprising novel for fans of all the best Dystopia out there at the moment, including Ally Condie and Suzanne Collins. I was very impressed and loved reading Aberrant. It was one of those books that is just really easy to get into and leaves you with a feeling that you’ve read an amazing story at the end. 
Loved it.

 

Have you read Aberrant?

What did you think? 
Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!
happy reading!
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Review: “Sia” by Josh Grayson

 

 

  

Title: Sia

Author: Josh Grayson
Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary
Release Date: November 20th
Published by: Josh Grayson
Format: NetGalley ARC 

I recieved this NetGalley ARC for
a fair and honest, non-bias review on
my blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When seventeen-year-old
Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet
after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At
school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her
dreams.

 But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family
is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse
yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she
embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she
once tormented. 

Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories
return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

 

 

 Being totally in awe of the cover, I was intrigued by that at first; which is a really terrible trait of mine that I am a very picky person of covers and the overall presentation of the book (and I am so obsessed with fonts, which is really bizarre..). 

Then, I read a little into what Sia was about and saw it in a different sort of light. There seemed to be a deeper meaning and a real coming of age story beneath the words, so I was delighted when I got a copy from NetGalley! 


Seventeen year old Sia wakes up one morning on a park bench and has literally no idea who she is or where she is. She quickly figures out her name from her iPod, but spends quite a little time going over the motions; what happened to me, why can’t I remember who I am?

First, she ends up living on the streets, homeless. She gets help from another homeless woman; Carol, who guides her for a while until she is found by her family. 

Turns out; Sia is the rich daughter of an Ex-Model and Hollywood Producer…far from the life of homeless and a long way off from keeping her baggage behind her. Now her old life is thrown back into the spotlight of her mind and she has to face everything she tried had forgotten, because now; she’s been diagnosed with fugue amnesia, which literally meant; the girl she used to be; Mean, Horrible and seriously Stuck up, was gone, and a lovely, baggage-free girl was left in her place, with no memory at first of just how much hurt she had caused at her High School. 

And she doesn’t want to go back to that way.

Going back to that old life being head of the cheerleaders with a handsome boyfriend and all the money a girl could want really makes Sia feel out of place and just a passerby of her old life, especially when she’s told by Kyle just what old Sia was like.

With Sia now being a completely new and different person, she decides to turn this life around, something she must correct. She knows that it won’t be easy and that it’s going to be tough to prove just how selflessly sympathetic she is now, and how much she just wants to be different to her old self. 

I think this story was very observant of the rules of Karma; what goes around, comes around. But Sia was given a second chance almost, by her memories being wiped. I loved how the author gave an intriguing and hypnotizing premise to the novel, and how unique he played out the characters (who were all very well-made and structured and believable) and the twist on Mean Girl goes Nice and get’s a hint of romance to her life that she prays she won’t lose if her memory returns.

This was a total breath of fresh air, and I adored the story of Sia. This book was inspiring and motivational, like a story within a story, about how we should all look at our lives and think about how we can change for the better. A total five star read, with a spark that lights up the words on the pages.

 


A unique and inspiring Young Adult novel, with energy and amazement of an original plot and fascinating life of a girl who turns her life around for the better, in an uplifting, five star read with a touch of romance.

 

 

I would love it if you could  Follow on Bloglovin  on bloglovin’! I love getting new followers and I promise there will always be a book here that you love.

 

Happy reading!

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Review: “Water (Akasha #1)” by Terra Harmony

Elemental powers in the palm of her hand…and it won’t be enough to save her. When Kaitlyn Alder is involuntarily introduced to a life of magic, she becomes part of an organization hell-bent on saving the Earth.
Just as her new-found life holds promises of purpose, romance, and friendship, the organization divides and a rogue member holds Kaitlyn hostage. Now one of the most terrifying men the human race has to offer stands between her and Earth’s survival.

 


When I first saw Water on Netgalley, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wasn’t going to love it. A novel about the elements, romance and friendship?! It was almost like this book was destined for success.

 


There was something about the way Water was written…so vividly descriptive and gripping, the way that as soon as I started reading, I was thrown into the action, diving straight into the unique and fast-paced plot.

I love, love, love a fantasy novel, they were the types and genres that I grew up reading; mystical worlds where anything is possible. I was so thrown by this unusual genre! I had never heard of an “eco-fantasy” book before, so this really got me interested, not just in the book, but in the brilliantly original concept and backstory of the novel.

It can be difficult with books like Water because they’re so well-written and descriptive, it’s hard to say much without giving too much away! But, regardless of keeping too tight lipped, this novel had a kick-ass heroine, Kaitlyn, who was very headstrong and fierce. It’s hard to pin-point exactly what the target audience for Water is, because, although it had a very adult-like story, there were some straight up YA themes, too. So, if I had to make a decision, I’d say this was a ‘New-Adult’ novel, leaning more on Adult than YA, though.

Water was a very powerful start to the series, and I was hooked from day one. The magical element was my favourite part, and the way I could connect easily with the characters; Kaitlyn, Micah, and Shawn. The whole way through, Kaitlyn was very much the heroine name she had been living up to for me, and even though I felt I wanted to read more, (hopefully with book two, I’ll be able to find out more!) I still loved almost everything about this uniquely, astonishingly written novel.

 

 

“He stepped forward and took the butterfly hanging around my neck between his two fingers: “This will remind me, both of my mistake and how much I care for you.” He took another step closer so we were only inches apart, and his hand moved to the back of my shoulder where Shawn’s mark stillscarred my skin. “And I hope this will never heal. It will remind me to never take anything for granted; other people’s intentions, your safety, or . . . you.”

 

 

Terra is author of the Akasha Series, a set of four contemporary eco-fantasy novels. ‘Water’, ‘Air’ and ‘Fire’ are available as e-books, and ‘Earth’ is due to release in spring 2013.
Terra also has a vampire short story anthology published as an e-book called ‘The Kindred Curse Anthology’.

Terra was born and raised in Colorado but has since lived in California, Texas, Utah, North Carolina and Virginia. Terra has served a 5½ year enlistment in the Marine Corp, has earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree and presently runs the language services division of a small business.

Terra currently lives in a suburb of Washington, DC with her husband of 13 years and three children.

 

 

 

I recommend this to anyone who’s looking for something unique and interesting in their next read! With thanks to Patchwork Press for the copy of this super-amazing novel.
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happy reading!

 

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Review: “The Truth About Letting Go” by Leigh Talbert Moore

 

Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She’s always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly. Fuelled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before.
 She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan. Jordan has big dreams, he’s had a crush on Ashley for years, he’s a great kisser… but he’s also safe.    Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he’s more than willing to help Ashley fulfil her vow.

 

 

 

I had just heard about Leigh Talbert Moore’s previous book; The Truth About Faking, on Goodreads, and how amazing it was. I was curious, because this is the companion to the previous novel, that I’d have to do some catching up, but they’re two separate plots, with a whirl of different characters, though set in the same town (though, that’s not stopping me from picking up The Truth About Faking, too!). As soon as I saw this on Netgalley, I don’t think anyone could’ve pressed ‘request’ faster, and I was over the moon when I got accepted to read it. The blurb and the cover (the gorgeous cover) drew me in right away…

 

Almost right away, we’re delving into Ashley Lockett’s grief and loss. She’s feeling every emotion under the sun, and her world is suddenly caving in and shattering everything the had. Ashley was your typical popular cheerleader, who was also super-close to her father…but not so much her mother, not since recently, anyway. The only thing Ashley really has to hold onto in the beginning is Charlotte; a not-so-popular girl from a worlds-apart different clique in school. Even though they’re supposed to be nothing alike, this bond is very strong throughout the book and helps them both find who they’re supposed to be, and in other times, a support system for Ashley.

But then when it comes to romance, Jordan was everything Ashley wanted. He was driven, supportive and believed that faith would help Ashley through this tough time. But grief-stricken-Ashley doesn’t agree. She has a whole different gaze upon her life and wants something else. 

Enter; Colt, who’s wild and bad side is everything Ashley’s newfound look on life wants and needs. The grief that she was feeling seemed to melt away when she was living dangerously and on the edge with him. But with this new edge, Ashley becomes more irrational and forgets about some of her original beliefs, and this book reflects a huge part in the Christian religion that she neglects.

“He’s keeping pace, and for the first time in months, the painful sadness is gone.”

This was a truly magnificent, breathtaking book with highs and lows that represented the truth about losing someone dear and the changes that reflects upon the lives of the people grief affects. It was raw and heartbreaking at times in Ashley’s rollercoaster of feelings, and how two siblings can react to loss in two completely separate ways, as displayed by Ashley and her brother; who remains distant.
Overall, this sweet and beautiful read with emotions that play with heartstrings, was an incredible book that will remain a true favourite of mine this year.
A massive five star novel!
 

 
 
Leigh Talbert Moore is the author of the popular young adult romantic comedy THE TRUTH ABOUT FAKING, its companion THE TRUTH ABOUT LETTING GO, and the mature YA/new adult romantic suspense novel ROUGE, a QUARTER FINALIST in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Her new DRAGONFLY series launches in June 2013, with new instalments releasing quickly through early 2014.
Leigh is an award-winning journalist and editor, who has also worked in marketing and public relations for many years. Her writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the southeast and Midwest U.S.
Moore began writing books in 2009 and has completed six novels. She runs the popular blog “That’s Write” at leightmoore.blogspot.com.
 
 
 
With thanks to Netgalley and Leigh Talbert Moore for letting me read such a powerful, amazing book!

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happy reading!

    

 

 

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Review: “White Trash Beautiful” by Teresa Mummert

 

 A word-of-mouth bestseller that’s captivating readers with its honesty, grit, and headstrong heroine, White Trash Beautiful is a story for anyone who has ever felt trapped in life, cheated by love—and longed for something more . . .

Cass Daniels isn’t waiting for her knight in shining armour. She knows that girls like her don’t get a happily ever after. Not if you live in a trailer with your mom, work at a greasy spoon diner, and get leered at by old men. Maybe that’s why she puts up with Jackson—her poor excuse for a boyfriend, who treats her like dirt. Cass has learned to accept her lot in life. That is, until he walks into her diner. . . .

His name is Tucker White, and he’s different from any man Cass has ever known. Tall, tattooed, and bad-ass gorgeous, he’s the lead singer of the rock band Damaged. From the moment they meet, Tucker sees something in Cass he just can’t shake. Something beautiful. Something haunted. Something special. And he’s determined to find out what it is—if only he can get her to open up and let him in. . . .  

 

 

When I first saw that cover…I thought two things; one- this is going to be an epic love story, two- this is the most gorgeous cover EVER. I had heard about the book for quite a while in the bloggersphere, but didn’t know anything else other than the title; and speaking of the title, that was one of the reasons I knew this wasn’t going to be a mushy-kind of love story, that it would have some depth but not too-good-to-be-true kind of stuff. And the blurb just blew me away and drew me in at the same time. I was expecting a kick-ass heroine, an amazing backdrop for the novel in a Southern town (which I love…) and an epic love story…and I may just have got it…
 

 

Ah, reading this book felt like listening to a Taylor Swift album; in the BEST way, (because, she’s a lyrical genius, btw) and it just gave me a way to relate a little more as well.
Cass was a headstrong, feisty and strong lead character. It serves her good in some aspects, but when Tucker is introduced, she’s not too keen to take his help, though he hadn’t yet to give her a reason to doubt him at all. He sees nothing but amazement in Cassidy, and I wished she saw that a little earlier!
She’s a waitress, stuck at a dead end job with a drug-addict Mom and an abusive, horrible boyfriend and she had dropped out of High School; she thinks she knows where she stands in the world and takes it as it is, when…there was so much more out there for her. It was pretty dark and intense before Tucker walks into the diner and from then, White Trash Beautiful takes a whirlwind in another direction.
 
“I know I don’t get the happily ever after. My knight and shinning armour took the highway detour around this godforsaken shit hole. I’ve made peace with that. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lie down like a doormat and let every cocky prick in the trailer have his way with me.”

 

I felt like this was a story inside a story, like the way things had already happened before the writing actually began; Cass had already been through so much, that she thought her story was over. But then Tucker walks in and changes that–and that’s what I call a real love story, with a connection that you can feel through the pages, as if it were in 3D; like the raw emotion that was seeping through the book. It felt real, and that’s why I love Teresa’s writing style. Like, for instance, those books that are out there that you’ve picked up more times than you can count, because you want to make them make sense and connect to them, but the style just doesn’t suit you? I felt the complete opposite with Teresa’s writing, because there was a deep, passionate story that I loved and it was told as beautiful as the cover (did I mention how much I love that picture?! It’s beautiful..).

I feel like this book is going to be a favourite. Cass was definitely a strong main character and she wasn’t unlikeable, so that drew me in. Tucker was also so sweet, and he really cared for Cass and she deserved him in her life. Read it for yourselves to find out just what happens and if there’s a happy ever after, after all…

If it wasn’t obvious, this is 5 star book for me!

 

 

For fans of Katie McGarry for that rollercoaster of emotions and romance, you will ADORE this book!

*A HUGE thank you to the Publishers for letting me read this awesome book! As always, it was a fair and non-bias review!*

 

happy reading!

 

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Review: “Secret for a Song” by S. K. Falls


 
Dysfunctional and beautiful; this thought-provoking novel will have you roped in from the first line…
 
 
Author: S.K. Falls
Source: Galley from Publisher
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: June 3rd, 2013
 
 
A little bit about “Secret for a Song”…
 
Saylor Grayson makes herself sick. Literally.

She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.

Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives.

For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

 
My Review:
 
Secret for a Song was in two words; tragically beautiful. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if I were Saylor. She goes through so much, and even though she is the one putting herself in danger each time she “makes herself” ill, it’s because she just wants someone to notice her, particularly her Mother.
S. K. Falls wrote effortlessly and elegantly that I felt Saylor was real, like right there telling me her story, like she could’ve been sitting right ahead of me. It’s partly because the novel was written so well that I developed an emotional connection with the characters and that played a huge part in connecting with the story itself. For a start, Saylor is smart, realistic and just wants attention–but for the right reasons–that her Mother usually distances herself from Saylor and that’s why she has some issues with wanting to be noticed. But when she meets Drew, this all seems to ease like ice melting on a warm day. Drew is funny, out-there and loveable. There was this pure delight of a connection between Saylor and Drew that made this novel a whole lot more sweeter, though the ending and throughout their romance could’ve been seen as bittersweet.

“I was falling for this scared, lonely, broken, brave man who sang songs about secrets.”  – Saylor


The ending was heartbreaking and reminded me solely of The Fault in our Stars.  I mean, the whole story reminded me of the book, but in a good way, because that book is a *classic* and favourite of mine. Throughout, I had some issues with Saylor. Maybe not entirely about her illness but with the things she said about people who were sick and that she would love to be them, that it was some kind of luxury to be ill. But I reminded myself that this was her condition and that more or less, it was developing into her Mother’s fault that she even had these issues.
The novel was deep, complex and made me think in a good way. There were tearful moments and times of joy, but overall, Secret for a Song was a powerful, bittersweet novel that I adored the whole way through.
A big 5 stars for the incredible writing that S. K. Falls did!

 

Many thanks to the Publishers and S. K. Falls for a copy of this gorgeous book!
happy reading,
xo Becca

If you loved my review for this book, click here to find out more/buy!



Book Review: “The Testing” by Joelle Charbonneau {with thanks to NetGalley & Houghton Mifflin Harcourt}

 
Cia must survive in a world that her time is almost up…and she must defy the odds to conquer The Testing…
 
 
A little about “The Testing”…

 

It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await.


 


 


 


                                                             My review…

 
The Testing was one of those sheer brilliances of a book that really tests your ability to not take your eyes away from the pages until you’ve finished. I read every page slowly, taking the novel in a little better by putting my full attention on the new, dystopian world. Yes! What seems like a “Hunger Games” type read was surely not like it at all. In The Testing, there exists Cia who is the lead character; brave and unique in her characteristics. The dystopian world that the book is set in is probably one of the most thought and planned that I had read compared to the likes of The Hunger Games and Divergent. I really loved the whole dynamics of the plot with it’s twists and turns–of course, I kind of plotted that there would be a certain romance and adventure, but nevertheless, it wasn’t “predictable”, in fact, it was more surprising and left me wanting there to be another book right after the last pages (I hope there is?!) and so The Testing became another loveable dystopian novel that I will always treasure. I mean, Joelle’s descriptive writing of The Testing really roped me into the story-world and I felt more connected to the characters and events that were occurring.
Trust me, you won’t want to take your eyes away from the pages! Seriously, since I started reading one afternoon, it became apparent that I was going to finish this no matter what…and I was positively sure I was going to adore it. And I sure did.
A really HUGE thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the copy of “The Testing” and I’m going to want to buy the hard-copy as soon as it hits shelves in the UK on June 4th!
 
Stay tuned for a blog tour I’ll be involved in on May 31st with my very first giveaway! So make sure you come back on the date above for your chances to win big!
 
happy reading,
xo Becca

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