Saving Quinton (Nova, #2) by Jessica Sorensen

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My rating: 5 stars

Book summary:

"Nova Reed can't forget him-Quinton Carter, the boy with the honey-brown eyes who made her realize she deserved more than an empty life. His pain was so similar to her own. But Nova has been coming to terms with her past and healing, while Quinton is out there somewhere, sinking deeper. She's determined to find him and help him . . . before it's too late.

Nova has haunted his dreams for nearly a year-but Quinton never thought a sweet, kind person like her would care enough about a person like him. To Quinton, a dark, dangerous life is exactly what he deserves. And Nova has no place in it. But Nova has followed him to Las Vegas, and now he must do whatever it takes to keep her away, to maintain his self-imposed punishment for the unforgivable things he's done. But there's one flaw in his plan: Nova isn't going anywhere . . ."

      My heart... Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen was a quite surprise for me. (You can read my review here.) I thought it would be just another new adult romance, but it turned out to be much more than that. One thing that I have to admit is my fear of second/middle book syndrome - I had my doubts about Saving Quinton. Just like Reviving Izabel wasn't even close to awesomeness of Killing Sarai (J.A. Remderski). But it was even better than the first novel.

      Girl who wants to save a boy and boy who doesn't want to be saved. For starters, I have to warn you - if you are expecting fluffy romance novel packed in a lot of drama and bad boy vs. good girl scenarios, Saving Quinton is not for you. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't read it - latest Jessica Sorensen release in on must read list of 2014. Yes, there is a love story - one of the epic kind if you ask me - but main focus is on addiction. Brutal and heartwrenching tale about "lost boys" of our generation. Not an easiest book to read. It is narrated by Nova and Quinton, one of the beast dual point of views I've read lately because you do notice that the story is told by a different person. Nova feels guilt for leaving Quinton and she still has few issues with Landon's death. Quinton falls deeper into the world of drugs and it gets harder for him everyday. Story is not just about two of them - we get glimpses into the lives of Tristan, Delilah and Dylan too. The big part of the novel is about Tristan, Quinton's cousin. 

       Please read it! This is one of the rare new adult novels that steps out of the boundaries of genre. No alpha males, virgin girls who are fainting every time they see naked abs and tattoos, no bad boys/man-whores changing their ways because of the naive little girls with big blue eyes... Saving Quinton will break your heart just like it did mine.

      Is this a last novel in Nova series? No it is not. Nova and Quinton: No Regrets comes out next month, April 15th, and that should be a conclusion to their story. Tristan will get his own book - Wreck Me will be published in October.

Happy reading,

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

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Author's 

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Book summary: 

There are some things you can’t leave behind…
A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.
Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

         I'm not sure which books are harder to review. Those that you don't know how you feel about or those that crash your world and make you go through roller coaster of emotions. If You Find Me belongs to latter for sure, and for that that reason I have no idea how to review it.

         This is a story about Carey, a girl who has been living in woods with her mother and sister almost all her life. Once their mother took them from civilization they nearly lost all connections with it and rare passers are only human beings that they see. At the other hand nature is their home, they are one with it and they know its secrets and beauties. Nature gives them what they need and in exchange they belong to it. Only parts of worlds development they see through little things their mother brings them when she goes to the city. That way Carey is capable of learning Jenessa basic things - like reading and speaking, even though she is not found of the latter and Carey is the only person Janessa speaks to. Being bond together Carey is determinate to keep her sister close and when  the girls are taken to outside world that shocks them to the core.

         From the story you can see that this book is full of emotions. It's hard not to cry your hart out when you see how much Carey is strong and adult in fact, when she is only fifteen. Life taught her lessons early in life and she never got to be a normal teenager. Especially after she thinks she failed in one things she cares for the most.

         The author created a great characters and their development and transition is something greatly pictured that you never question things and you can easily imagine their feelings. This book is a story about family, struggle and relationships - building and crashing them.

Rating: 5 stars.

Until the next time, 

Waiting on Wednesday (#87)

You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Glass' pick

Tia and Will’s lives get flipped upside down when they’re voted Yearbook’s Biggest Flirts in this sassy novel from the author of Endless Summer and The One That I Want.

Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.

As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

Expected publication: May 20th, 2014

Tanja's pick

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

Expected publication: May 27th, 2014

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List

Morning. It's another Tuesday and like always it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday which is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. Our topic for today is top ten books on my spring TBR list. Here they are:

I'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up in comments below. 

Until the next time, 

Breaking Nova (Nova, #1) by Jessica Sorensen

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Connect with the author: 

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My rating: 3.7 stars

Book summary:

"Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next . . . until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life-but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life . . . but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?"

       It's been a while since I read The Secret of Ella and Micha, and a little bit later The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden. What I remember the most about those books is how much they surprised me and made me feel. To be honest, I don't really have a valid reason why I never got back to the sequels. That was back when new adult novels just started to gain their audience and I was 100% sold to the whole idea. And then came whole drama - people had a lot of bad things to say about genre, but still everyone continued to read them despite their hatred. It wasn't about the book for me - I love new adult romance novels and I am not ashamed to admit it - but the whole attitude of reading community. I kind of lost my way. But not anymore.

       Depression, drugs, broken people and a lot of bad choices. This pretty much sums up Breaking Nova. One of my Goodreads friends wrote in her review that she felt like she was drugged after she finished reading. I did too - at some point everything got crazy and out of the hands. It tends to be that way when you end up in the company of the people like Dylan or Delilah. Even Quinton. It is so easy to fall of the cliff when you're eighteen and still don't feel like you get around as well as other people. Add to that all of the problems Nova had, you have the killing combination. That was the best part of the story for me. The most believable one.

      What I didn't like that much? Like any other new adult novel, Breaking Nova has standard cliches. There is nothing bad with them, but you have to find that golden middle ground to make it work. Beginning was the weakest part because it looked like "my life sucks more than your life" contest. Also whole deal with Nova and OCD was really too much. Or at least it could be a main focus in her character development and some other details could have been left out.

       Jessica Sorensen wouldn't be Jessica Sorensen if she don't end her novels with the cliffhanger. This one wasn't that bad, but still I am happy that I waited for second book to come out.

Happy reading,

(Quote of the Week) Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

I read whole Fever series by Karen Marie Moning in one week and I was left speechless - that is probably one of the best urban fantasy series I have ever read. I am counting days until next novel. Today I decided to share one of my favorite quotes from the second novel, Bloodfever.

"I don’t know where dreams come from. Sometimes I wonder if they’re genetic memories, or messages from something divine. Warnings perhaps. Maybe we do come with an instruction booklet but we’re too dense to read it, because we’ve dismissed it as the irrational waste product of the ‘rational’ mind. Sometimes I think all the answers we need are buried in our slumbering subconscious, int he dreaming. The booklet right there, and ever night when we lay our heads down on the pillow it flips open. The wise read it, heed it. The rest of us try as hard as we can upon awakening to forget any disturbing revelations we might have found there."

Don't be shy and tell me what do you think? Do you agree with this? Are we, humans, so afraid of everything that we can't explain that we push it away in this little black box called "irrational"?  And what about our instincts? Have you ever found yourself in the situation when you just knew that something was wrong or that you should do something?

ARC Review: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

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Author's 

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Book summary:

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.
Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.
This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 
Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 
But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

         Upon seeing this book at NetGalley my heart skipped a beat. I thought we were finally getting a sequel to My Name is Memory, a book I adored so much. Once I realized that it's not the case I still wanted to read this book as Ann Brasheres is an author I admire. Luckily I got a chance.

          Everything starts with the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna, who immigrated to New York five years ago. It wouldn't be a big thing if Prenna and all her friends haven't arrived from a different time period. They all have came from future in order to save their lives and hopefully the future, because the huge mosquito-borne illness has killed millions and millions of the people. It wouldn't be nothing unusual, only if she followed the rules. Not just the present ones, but the ones she isn't aware of. Upon coming to New York she was seen by a boy who still remembered her, even though no one is allowed to see them traveling.

          Prenna started as a character I liked. She was lost and at the same time trying to follow the rules that are imposed upon her and trying to find who she was. Only sadly, later she became a girl that annoyed me a bit. She made some really stupid decisions and I wanted to yell (I did that actually) at her, at moments. When it comes to Ethan, well I don't how to describe him. He is all and nothing at the same time. At moments so passive and idiotic and at moments brilliant and you can see that he is really smart and good guy, but the problem is that many things that would be illogical for him, as for example time-travel, he just looked over, like it was nothing. Then there is the chemistry between the two. Huh, this is the hardest part to explain. It was sweet, but most of the time it was empty and emotionless and usually awkward.

         This book and the story did have potential and the whole concept of the time traveling wasn't new but it worked with this idea, only I wish that certain things were tackled more logically and with more reason than I could find here.

Rating: 2.5 stars.

Until the next time,

***NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Random House Childern's, via Net Galley. Thank you! 

I'm not paid for writing this review - I do it as a lover of written word. All opinions are optional. 

Blog Tour: A Draw of Kings by Patrick W Carr

Hello all. Today I'm hosting a blog tour for A Draw of Kings by Patrick W Carr. I hope you'll enjoy the excerpt and don't forget to enter the giveaway. 

Buy the book at 

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Book summary: 

Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, much is changed on their return. In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and his intentions are to marry Adora to bring an heir.With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and at growing risk from the armies of Merakh and Morgol.A dangerous mission to free Errol succeeds, but the dangers facing the kingdom are mounting with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw near. Will the revelation of Illustra’s next true king come in time or will all be lost?

Excerpt

Less than an hour after Errol entered the postulate’s cell, the door opened to admit Benefice Dane, his blue eyes glittering with malice, his grin splitting the face under the crop of red hair, showing full white teeth. “I see you are surprised to see me, boy.” Dane gave Errol an indulgent smile. “There are pressing duties that require our attention.” He gave a theatrical shrug. “Alas, the business of the church compels us to ever greater efforts on her behalf.”Errol didn’t rise, but despair bubbled behind the mask he made of his face. No trace of reason or pity marked the benefice’s demeanor. Only the fact Duke Weir hoped to use Errol in some  way kept him alive.Dane crooked a finger at the door, where two hooded figures waited. They entered, knives drawn.
“I find myself in your debt, Earl Stone,” Dane said. “Your return to Erinon has bolstered my argument before the duke that every remaining member of the Judica and the conclave should be tested for their loyalty.”Errol forced himself to speak past his revulsion. “It is unlawful for the church to cast against its own.”Dane’s smile grew. “It was unlawful, true, but it seems that Duke Weir’s ascension has provided those who remain in the Judica the motivation required to change the law.” He neared until Errol could smell the sour wine on his breath. “Once those remaining in the Judica and conclave have passed their test, we will turn our attention to hunting down the pretender.”Pretender?  Someone else had laid claim to the throne? “Who is it the duke fears so much?”Dane shrugged away the question. “We have not yet discovered his identity, but when the purity of the conclave is established we will find him, along with those of the watch who think to support him, and root them out of their hiding places.”Errol coughed to hide his surprise. Dane didn’t know the results of Luis’s cast. More, Liam must have survived Weir’s coup.With a snap of his fingers, the benefice signaled the men in hoods, who disappeared into the hallway and then returned, each carrying a large crate of pine blanks. Errol sighed. Dane meant to cull the Judica and the conclave without delay, but it would take days to cast so many lots.The benefice pulled several sheets of parchment from his robes and showed the first one to the hooded men, who nodded and began carving, their hands moving with the fluid motions of those who’d exercised their art for years. Desperation welled in Errol. If Weir and Dane felt compelled to test everyone, there must be some remnant still loyal to Illustra, men willing to risk their lives to save the kingdom from Weir.Errol could not allow the cast to proceed. That they used him at all meant that even these two readers were not completely trusted. Could he turn the duke’s distrust to his advantage? Possibly. If he refused to verify the cast, Dane would be less than sure of the results and only a fool killed his allies.He looked up to see the benefice eying him with amusement. “We hold the princess. Failure to cooperate would prove . . . unpleasant.”Inside he raged. Dane held his aid captive. Once the Judica and conclave were tested, the duke would force him to confirm the read for Liam’s location. There had to be something he could do. Adora would never forgive him if he sacrificed the kingdom to save her.If he sacrificed her to save Illustra, he would never forgive himself.

Other books in series

About the author

Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Author's 

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Giveaway

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Until the next time,

ARC Review - Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

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Publication date: March 18th, 2014.

My rating: 4 stars

Book summary:

"At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…"

      So... Colleen Hoover. I was lucky when it comes to CoHo - I read her Slammed novels before all the hype and publishing deal, so I avoided the usual issues with books like this. Tanja and I devoured Slammed, Will is one of the most swoon worthy book boys we've ever met. Point of Retreat on the other hand didn't impress us very much, but we still enjoyed reading it. I've been avoiding Hopeless for a long time because of all mixed reviews, I have yet to read it, but as soon as I saw synopsis for Maybe Someday, I knew that it is a book for me. 

       I should hate them, but I can't. But first - SPOILER ALERT! There is no way for me to talk about Ridge and Sydney and not mention few very important details. So, consider yourself warned. Why did I mention hate? Maybe Someday is a story about cheating. I hate it. I hate people who cheat. If you do not love someone anymore, break up or divorce. It is not the end of the world. This should be a pissed off, ranty review. But it isn't. Not at all. Colleen Hoover has a way of getting into your head and heart and making you understand. I couldn't hate main characters because they tried their damned best to resist to the temptation. Because Sydney knows how it is to find out that your boyfriend betrayed you. Because Ridge is kind of person who always keeps his promises, even when they cost him everything he wants. You just can't resist to fall in love with those two.

      Swoon and swoon and swoon again. No one can write about forbidden love or sweet, heart-melting kissing scenes like Colleen Hoover. What I liked about Maybe Someday the most is that everything isn't about their physical attraction or sex. Everything happens more on emotional level and their interaction trough music.  

      But sometimes everyone thinks too hard. Yes, that was my main problem. Both Sydney and Ridge have this annoying tendency to over-analyze and to think in circles. That was probably something that should help in explaining their reasoning and character development, but it was a little bit over the top. Also, not even this book escapes usual new adult drama, but at least this is a kind that won't make pull your hair in frustration with stupidity of mankind. 

      Who should read it? Everyone who loved previous Collen Hoover novels. Fans of "cleaner" new adult romances.

Happy reading,

***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Atria Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Waiting On Wednesday (#86)

You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Glass' pick

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

Expected publication: May 13th, 2014

Tanja's pick

In Red at Night, Stella and Jonah are total opposites. She's the girl with purple hair from the wrong part of town. He's a high school senior who hangs with the cool crowd. Until a car accident leaves him haunted by guilt, and Jonah starts spending time at Stella's favorite refuge…the local cemetery.

Stella knows she should keep her distance—after all, she spent her girlhood being bullied by Jonah's friends. Once he's sorted out his tangled emotions, Jonah won't have time for her anymore. Too bad she's already fallen for him….

Expected publication: April 1st, 2014

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,