Book Review #663 - Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades of Grey #3) by E.L. James

When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.

Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.

Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.

My Rating: 3/5

I didn't find this book as captivating as the first two, maybe because I read them all back to back and was growing tired of them or simply because it was the last book and I was reluctant to finish the series. 

Christian Grey is such an intriguing, complex character and I loved how much he started opening up throughout the book, especially towards his family. 

There were parts of the plot that I thought were a little over the top but it didn't seem out of place in this series considering what has previously happened. 

The ending tied up all loose ends and gave the characters the ending they deserved. 

Overall, I went into this series with really low expectations and I honestly did not think I would finish the first book let alone the whole trilogy in 3 days. 

Whilst the sex scenes got rather tedious towards the end, it was more so my fascination with Christian and my need to know why he is the way he is that ultimately enabled me to devour this series like I did. 

Book Review #658 - Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades of Grey #2) by E.L. James

Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront her anger and envy of the women who came before her and make the most important decision of her life.

My Rating: 3.5/5

This book had so much more depth to it than the first one and the insight into Christian's past made me love this book more than the first. 

I read this book in under 24 hours and as I have been in a massive reading slump for a number of months this was a huge achievement for me. 

I started liking Anastasia a little in this book when especially when she stood up for herself against Christian when he was being completely overprotective and stubbornly unreasonable. 

Like with the first book I found the repetitiveness in the language extremely annoying. In this book it was the constant mention of holding her breath. 

The plot in this book was rather intense at times although the majority of the drama was late in the book. 

With Christian finally starting to open up more I am definitely interested in what book 3 brings. 

I feel like this is one of those books series that whilst you're reading it, you find yourself completely immersed in the story but as soon as you take a step away from it, you start questioning things. 

Overall, this book was much better than book 1 and I am hoping that book 3 will be even better. 

Book Review #653 - Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades of Grey #1) by E.L. James

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My Rating: 3/5

I swore I would never, never ever read this book (I think I may have even made that statement here on my blog at some stage), however, after I had the flu I wanted something rather light to ease me back into reading and I saw this book on my shelf and I though why not, even your grandfather has read it (true story). 

First of all, I went into this book with absolutely no expectations. I'd obviously heard a lot about it but I like to form my own opinions about books. 

The book was first written as Twilight fanfiction and at first I was over aware of the similarities between the two (for example both are set in Washington state). It didn't take me long however just to ignore that part. 

The sex scenes is what made me most hesitant to read this book/series because I have never read erotica before, however I think watching/reading Game of Thrones has desensitized me more than I thought as I had no issues with them. 

The main thing that bothered me with this book was how repetitive some of the language was. For example the number of times Christian told Ana not to bite her lip. Also the amount of times Ana referred to her 'inner goddess' was really annoying. 

Christian was a very intense and intimidating character. He obviously has a very troubled past which I am interested to learn more about. 

Anastasia in comparison was rather plain and I am not sure if it is because the book is told through her or not but I found her rather predictable. 

Overall, I am really surprised by how much this book compelled me and if I hadn't started it over the weekend I probably would have finished it in one sitting. 

The ending was rather abrupt, almost like the author decided to add a little cliff hanger in at the last second. 

Book Review #642 - Cooper Bartholomew is Dead by Rebecca James

Cooper Bartholomew's body is found at the foot of a cliff. 

Suicide.

That's the official finding, that's what everyone believes. 

Cooper's girlfriend, Libby, has her doubts. They'd been 

happy, in love. Why would he take his own life?

As Libby searches for answers, and probes more deeply

into what really happened the day Cooper died, she and

her friends unravel a web of deception and betrayal. 

Are those friends – and enemies – what they seem? 

Who is hiding a dangerous secret? And will the truth set them all free? 

My Rating: 3/5

When I first started reading this book I thought it was going to be a YA/NA version of The Girl on the Train but whereas TGOTT left me guessing until the very end, I worked things out pretty early in this book. 

The book switches back and forth between before and after Cooper's death - this method worked extremely well in this book as Cooper became a real character and not just someone all the other characters are mourning. 

The book had a very Australian feel to it which made it much more relateable to me - and it wasn't just the setting, it was more the language and personalities of the characters. 

Overall, I felt like this book started off really well and got my interest but it fell away in the middle and never fully recovered. 

Book Review #611 - Never Never Part Two (Never Never #2) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

My Rating: 4/5


Source: iBooks


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads

“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last. 

And never stop loving me between all of them. 

Never stop, Charlie. 

Never forget.”

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can't imagine, beckons to be found. 

“Where are you, Charlie?”

This is actually quite an addictive series. If you want something low quantity but high quality this series is perfect. 

This book is hard to review simply because it didn't feel like an entire book. It just felt like a few chapters that were forgotten to be added to the first book. 

The plot of this entire book was basically Silas trying to find Charlie and Charlie trying to figure out where she was. 

Hopefully after the third book is finally released this month they will publish all three as one paperback book. 

Book Review #610 - Never Never (Never Never #1) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

My Rating: 4/5


Source: iBooks


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads: 

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.

I read this book on my iPad through iBooks. It really made the long wait in the hospital emergency room fly. 

The main thing that intrigued me about this book was the mystery element. I really wanted to know how and why Silas and Charlie has lost their memories and how they would get them back. 

As I read this on my iPad I am not sure of its length in comparison to the average novel but it definitely felt on the short side. 

The way the story ended made me want to read the sequel immediately so I paid $2.99 and started reading it within seconds of finishing this one. 

Book Review #606 - Counting Stars by Keris Stainton

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Five Mile Press


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads







Big city, big dreams, no money, no problem...

Six 'friends', one flat, big dreams... what could go wrong? When eighteen-year-old Anna leaves school and moves to Liverpool, she feels like her life is finally beginning. She's landed her dream job at a theatre, and she's moving into an exciting (if not slightly run-down) flat on a buzzing street lined with shops, bars, and buskers. Best of all, her new flatmates are kind, welcoming and a lot of fun - what more could she ask for?

But although her new life is fun, it's also a little overwhelming. Anna's job quickly falls through, and then she realises that although her new friends are great, they're also a little mixed-up... and it's not long before Anna starts using her blog to talk about her experiences, from the hilarious to the ridiculous to the little-bit-scary. But when Anna spills a bigger secret than she can handle, suddenly the consequences are all too real. She'll have to prove she has the mettle to make it in the big city, or risk losing everything she thinks she wants.

I have read a few of Keris Stainton's YA novels and have rather enjoyed them so I was interested about her New Adult book. 

I loved this book much more than I thought I would and that is simply because of the characters. 

All the characters were so lively and multi-dimensional. They were also completely unique from one another and yet they mixed together extremely well. 

The setting of Liverpool was an interesting dynamic and I have never read a book set there before. 

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the romance took too long to develop and so it was kind of rushed towards the end. 

Book Review #585 - Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

My Rating: 3.5/5


Source: Bought


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads






The Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster phenomenon continues in the first heart-pounding new adult romance in The Maddox Brothers series.

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt. 

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red. 

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

This is the first book in a new series by Jamie McGuire although it is a companion to Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster. 

As this book is set over the time period as BD and WD the characters Abby and Travis make constant appearances throughout which was really fascinating. 

When I was reading from Travis and Abby's perspective, their relationship was a roller coaster but it didn't feel anywhere near as crazy as it did from a third person perspective. 

I read this book throughout the night and was very sleep deprived when I finished it. I am going to use my sleep deprived state as an excuse as to why I didn't see the end coming as I am usually right onto these surprises however this time I was blindsided. 

Trenton seemed a lot more toned down than Travis. He is obviously older and more mature but he also had nowhere near as many issues or anger than Travis did. 

Book Review #573 - More Than Exes (Chasing the Dream #0.5) by Elizabeth Briggs

My Rating: 2.5/5

Source: iBooks

Buy: The Book Depository

Goodreads

Keyboardist Kyle Cross may look like a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings, but he’s really the good guy who’s always stuck fixing his band’s problems and never gets the girl. His band is competing in a college Battle of the Bands, but when their bassist doesn't show, Kyle must track her down with the help of the person he least expects: his ex-girlfriend Alexis Monroe. 

Kyle hasn’t seen Alexis since she dumped him in high school, and she’s dropped her preppy image for fiery red hair and a bold new attitude to match. With only hours before his band goes on stage, Kyle has to be a little bad if he wants to win both the Battle and the girl he's never gotten over. But when their old problems resurface, the good guy might just get his heart broken all over again.

A stand-alone novella that launches the Chasing The Dream series - all about finding love on reality TV!

This is a short novella set before More than Music which I had never heard of let alone read. 

All the characters seemed really one dimensional and didn't develop at all. 

This story is based on one night, the night of a battle of the bands tournament. Kyle, the protagonist has a lot of issues to solve in order for his band to perform smoothly. His girlfriend who dumped him 3 years prior turns up suddenly with his enemies band. 

Jared (Kyle's brother) was the most annoying character. He was simply just a massive jerk although he was a really good and supportive brother to Kyle. 

Even though I am still relatively new to the New Adult genre, I would have to say that this would be my least favourite of the books I have read in that genre. 

Book Review #566 - When You're Back (Rosemary Beach #12) by Abbi Glines

My Rating: 3.5/5




Source: Simon and Schuster Australia





Buy: TBD





Goodreads

Love is a journey - Rosemary Beach is the destination...The future is bright for Reese Ellis. She has Mase Colt-Manning, the man of her dreams, and a family she didn't know existed until her long-lost father arrived on her doorstep in Rosemary Beach. Everything is finally falling into place. While Reese is visiting her new family in Chicago, Mase spends time with his "cousin," Aida, who has worshipped him since childhood. Unrelated by blood, Mase and Aida have been raised to think of each other as family. But when Reese returns, she can tell something isn't quite right. Aida clearly resents Reese and excels at manipulative little games. And though Mase is unsuspecting, Reese knows Aida doesn't love him like a cousin should...

This is the 12th book in the Rosemary Beach series. I had not read the previous 11 books and I had not problems understanding this book. They seem to be more companions to one another rather than follow a continuous plot so don't feel worried about reading them in order. 

This book is first and foremost a romance book. This is not usually my type of book as I prefer romance to be more of a sub-plot but I found that I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. 

As I hadn't read the other 11 books the characters obviously weren't familiar to be but I found that I grasped pretty quickly the dynamics of it all. 

The characters were a little stereotyped but that didn't really bother me as it wasn't that much of an issue. 

The plot seemed a little all over the place. The cousin disappears for a large chunk of the book and didn't turn out to be as big an issue as the synopsis would suggest. 

Book Review #556 - After (After #1) by Anna Todd

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. 

She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on 

keeping her that way. 

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into

 Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos,

 and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to. 

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his

 attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds

 herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark 

mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion 

she’s never known before. 

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn't the one for her and 

disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her,

 Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath

 all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time

 she 

pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper. 

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so

 hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about

 nice girls like her? 

Unless…could this be love?

My Rating: 4/5 

I had never heard of this book before when I got it for free from iBooks. It was a completely random purchase and I had absolutely no idea how popular it was. For this reason, I had no expectations for it nor did I portray Harry Styles as the male protagonist. 

For those supposedly living under a rock like I was, this book was initially a One Direction fanfiction on Wattpad and became insanely popular that after a few name changes got a publishing deal. 

I don't usually read books that are purely romance nor do I ever read smut but something about this book grabbed me from the very first page and I found myself absolutely captivated by the story. 

Clearly, the writing was a little immature and flawed but I thought it conveyed the story well particularly for a first time author. 

I found some aspects of the book a little repetitive. I mean how many times can Hardin make the exact same mistake and Tessa forgive him? It got a little ridiculous towards the end. 

I have read a few books now in the "New Adult" genre and am wondering why all the males are ALL the same? They are all bad guys who treat the girl like crap and then come good and mature by the end. 

Book Review #553 - I Was Here by Gayle Forman

From the bestselling author of If I Stay - this summer's YA blockbuster film.

This characteristically powerful novel follows eighteen-year-old Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend's shocking suicide.

As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she begins a journey of self-discovery which takes her to a terrifying precipice, and forces her to question not only her relationship with the Meg she thought she knew, but her own understanding of life, love, death and forgiveness.

A phenomenally moving story, I Was Here explores the sadly all-too-familiar issue of suicide and self-harm, addressing it in an authentic way with sensitivity and honesty.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from **

Like with her previous novel If I Stay, Gayle Forman writes about death in an unique way. 

My favourite aspect of this book was the mystery. Why did she kill herself? Who knew about her plans? It was for that reason the ending fell a little flat for me. 

The romance between Cody and Ben was nothing but distracting. I have never been as disinterested in the romantic element in a book than I was with this one. 

I really liked the development of character relationships particularly between Cody and her mother. 

Overall, this is a book about serious and sensitive issues that are a common threat in today's society but in a honest and smart way. 

I also found this book really informative as I now feel better educated on these topics that I previously didn't know too much about or had stereotypical views about. 

Book Review #538 - Opposing Sides by C.M Doporto

College senior, Lexi Thompson, finds herself in a relationship to be wed to the university’s star baseball pitcher, Collin Norris. Collin’s damn hot but it’s his lack of spark that has Lexi thinking twice before she says ‘I Do’. When she’s forced to tutor bad boy football quarterback, Raven Davenport, she soon discovers all the things she’s missing in her relationship with Collin. Will she succumb to the temptations enticing her or will Collin be able to convince his sweet, innocent fiancée that his love for her is genuine despite his lack of affection? 

My Rating: 3.5/5

I started reading this book on my iPad before I went to bed as I felt like reading but was too lazy to get up and turn on the light. 


I had expected to read a few chapters and then sleep, however found that after a few hours I had completed the book. 


The only other New Adult books I have read are Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster both by Jamie McGuire and it's definitely a genre I am keen to read more of. 


The protagonist, Lexi was rather whiny and angsty throughout the book but had a realness quality to her. 


Based on the cover, I had thought that sport was going to play a larger role in the story than what it did and it was a large reason why I even decided to read it, and for that reason I feel like this book had the potential to be a lot better than what it was. 


Raven was an interesting character and I am looking forward to learning more about him in the sequel that I am more than likely going to read at some point. 


Collin was such a boring character and I didn't feel sorry for him at all. I know that his parents made him that way but he just annoyed me endlessly. 


Parents are a huge theme in this book with all involved being controlling and manipulative, mostly to the extreme. Lexi's mother was the mother from hell and I was beyond happy when she finally stood up to her. 

Book Review #508 - Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. 

Can you love someone too much?

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

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

My Rating: 4/5

This book is the sequel to Beautiful Disaster which I read a few months ago and absolutely loved it. 

The first book is told from Abby's perspective whereas this book is told from Travis'. Because this is more or less the same story, just with a different narrator I was surprised by how different that made the story. 

There were a few holes in the story which could be filled in by having read Beautiful Disaster so I would recommend reading the books in order to save confusion. 

I was really interested in reading this book from Travis' perspective because he is such a diverse and dynamic character whilst also being somewhat of an enigma. 

The large majority of contemporary books are stand-alones with either split narration or single narration so I love how these books broke away from that and did something unique. 

I was a little surprised by the epilogue because I know there are other book in this series (from Travis' brothers point-of-views) and so didn't expect the epilogue to be set so far into the future. 

Book Review #481 - Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

GOOD GIRL
Abby Abernathy doesn't drink or swear and she works hard. Abby believes she has buried her dark past, but when she arrives at college, ger dreams of a new beginning are quickly challenged by the university's walking one-night stand.

BAD BOY
Travis Maddox, sexy, built, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs - and wants - to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight club, and his days as the notorious college Lothario.

IMMINENT DISASTER?
Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain celibate for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in travis's apartment of trh same amount of time.

OR THE START OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL?
Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. Or that this is the start of an obsessive, intense relationship that will lead them both into unimaginable territory.

My Rating: 4.5/5

I didn't know anything about this book before reading it so Travis was a bit of a shock.

This book tells the love story of Abby and Travis and the increasingly dependant, obsessive nature of it.

I read this book in one long sitting and so the rollercoaster nature of their relationship started to get overwhelming towards the end.

Travis is a character that seems to be the common thread amongst the negative reviews of this book. I didn't have any problem with him as even though there are real guys out there like him, Travis is fictional.

The only thing that annoyed me about this book was the use of the nickname Pigeon. It was never explained where he got the nickname from and it was completely overused.

The strongest element of this book was the character's back stories. Travis and Abby don't seem to have much in common until their lives are more deeply explored.

Overall this was a very tense and compelling read and because of the intensity of it, it remains in your head days after finishing it.