Read Me Fridays: Neverland by Shari Arnold

Title- Neverland

Author- Shari Arnold

Publisher- Createspace

Release Date- APRIL 7, 2015

Amazon- http://goo.gl/AMn0BP

BOOK SUMMERY:

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.

But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am a fan of all Fairy Tales and I have just started to read book that stem from well know fairy tale. I often find that I do not always like them, but Neverland was NOT one of those! I enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end.

Livy’s sister passed away and Livy has been dealing with her death along with her parents. Everyone mourns in different ways and Livy’s was to stay close to the children she has met while her sister was in the hospital. Over time she became really close to another girl named Jilly and keeps reading to all the children at the hospital. Then she sees a boy watching her as she reads and is instantly drawn to him.

I think there was so much more to this book then just the story of Meyer and Livy, who were versions of Peter and Wendy. This book was about dealing with death, friendship and family.

I could sit around all day and explain every little similarity and every part I enjoyed watching, but then you wouldn’t be enjoying this book for yourself and I think that everyone should!

MYIs she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?

In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for?

Read Me Fridays: Some Kind of Normal by Juliana Stone

Title- Some Kind of Normal

Author- Juliana Stone

Publisher- Sourcefire Books

Release Date- May 5, 2014

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/4JWi2F

BOOK SUMMERY:

For Trevor normal was fast guitar licks, catching game-winning passes and partying all night. Until a car accident leaves Trevor with no band, no teammates and no chance of graduating. It’s kinda hard to ace your finals when you’ve been in a coma. The last thing he needs is stuck-up Everly Jenkins as his new tutor—those beautiful blue eyes catching every last flaw.

For Everly normal was a perfect family around the dinner table, playing piano at Sunday service and sunning by the pool. Until she discovers her whole life is a lie. Now the perfect pastor’s daughter is hiding a life-changing secret, one that is slowly tearing her family apart. And spending the summer with notorious flirt Trevor Lewis means her darkest secret could be exposed.

MY THOUGHTS:

” It was a beautiful song. A simple song. It was a song about love, acceptance, and listening to your heart. I don’t know if he screwed up, got the words wrong, or played the wrong notes. If he did? It didn’t matter, not to me anyway. He was up there for himself, and he was up there for me. Singing to me.”

Trevor was the bad boy that all the girls love; I mean how could you not? He was cute, a football player and part of a band. All that change when he was in a car accident that left him in a coma. Once he came out of the coma he was different, when he spoke he’s words would become jumbled sometimes and he didn’t have much of a memory. That’s where Everly came in, she was to spend the summer tutoring Trevor, so he could graduate high school.

When I first saw the cover, I knew that I would enjoy reading the book. Both characters went through some very realistic problems. I also think their reactions and how the dealt with their issues were realistic as well.

Both characters grew together throughout the book learning how to trust others and open up to people in their lives. Trevor and Everly didn’t start being in love with each other, yes they were attracted to each other, but that was all. I loved reading how each of their feelings grew through the duel pov. I do not think I would have enjoyed the book as much as I did it if was one-sided.

This was a very sweet clean young adult book that stayed true to the genre and I think most reader will enjoy reading it.

Read Me Fridays: The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler

Title- The Truth About Us

Author- Janet Gurtler

Publisher- Sourcefire Books

Release Date- April 7, 2015

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/5jAQQ0

BOOK SUMMERY:

A powerful and gripping contemporary YA from the author of I’m Not Her that’s “Just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult.”-Booklist

The truth is that Jess knows she screwed up.
She’s made mistakes, betrayed her best friend, and now she’s paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The truth is she wishes she was the care-free party-girl everyone thinks she is.
She pretends it’s all fine. That her “perfect” family is fine. But it’s not. And no one notices the lie…until she meets Flynn. He’s the only one who really sees her. The only one who listens.

The truth is that Jess is falling apart – and no one seems to care.
But Flynn is the definition of “the wrong side of the tracks.” When Jess’s parents look at him they only see the differences-not how much they need each other. They don’t get that the person who shouldn’t fit in your world… might just be the one to make you feel like you belong.

MY THOUGHTS:

Jessica has made some mistakes, first through choosing the wrong friends and by betraying a good one. After this the mistakes keep coming. Soon her father is done and sends her to work at a local shelter for the summer. The last thing she thinks I’ll happen is running into one of the boys that gave her a ride home one night, the one she couldn’t get her mind off of. Now that she is getting to know Flynn, she can’t think about anything other than him. Both Jess and Flynn have made mistakes and they both have their own family issues, but they find comfort in each other. There’s one thing that stands in their way, their backgrounds.

Something about the cover of this book let me know that I would enjoy reading this story; little did I know that I would enjoy it so much. The characters were all so great and very relatable, I think young readers can chose one of the many to relate to and many every find a situation that relates to their life. At first Jess isn’t very likable, but as the story goes on, she grows so much as a character. She wasn’t the only one what grew as a character, in the end I think everyone grew a little bit and it was all of the best!

This story was way more than a romance it was just as much about family, and friendships as well. The friendships Jess made throughout the book were great and how can you not love Wilf?!?! He was so funny and had such a huge heart!

This was also a book that I could not put down and I know if anyone else gives this book a chance they will fall in love with it too!

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/5jAQQ0

Read Me Fridays: Between Now and Never by Laura Johnston

Title– Between Now and Never

Author– Laura Johnston

Publisher– Kensington

Release Date- March 31, 2015

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/ebLwlx

 

BOOK SUMMERY:

My heart thrusts with a force that takes me by surprise. Telling me something I don’t understand. A splitting pain, a longing to slip back under. They tell me I was in a hit-and-run, but I can’t remember what happened that night. All I know is that I woke up with pictures in my pocket, a card from one of those photo booths in the mall. And I’m in the pictures. Cody Rush. Me and…Julianna.Her brother was there that night, and my dad, the FBI agent, was the one who put her mom behind bars. What’s the connection? And why won’t Julianna talk to me now? Somehow, she holds the key to it all, and getting close–real close—to her for the answers I need will be no hardship at all…

MY THOUGHTS:

I enjoyed reading Rewind to You when it first came out and I was so happy when I saw that Laura Johnson has written another book! I could not wait to read it and I was not disappointed!

Julianna’s mom is in prison for mortgage fraud because she wanted to send Julianna’s brother, Vic, to rehab and they didn’t have the money. Cody’s dad was the arresting officer who put Julianna’s mom behind bars. When Cody finds himself in the middle of a drug deal gone bad with Vic, Cody ends up worse off than he would ever imagine.

I thought the romance in the novel was adorable! Cody was defiantly sweeter than Julianna thought him to be. As soon as she found out his last name was Rush she thought he was a spoiled rich kid, but instead he was a sweetheart. The photo booth scene was one of my favorites!!!

This book was also more than just a romance, it was about family too. We saw a lot of what Julianna’s family. We show how her family treated her and how her life changed now that her mom wasn’t around. I would have like to see more of Cody’s family, I felt as though they were a bit too prefect. The only thing that stood out was the loss of Cody’s brother, Jimmy, for which Cody blames himself for his death.

I think I would have liked more of a conclusion in the end, once this book ended and I still have more questions.

This was a great YA book that stayed true to the genre that I would recommend to teen readers!

Read Me Fridays: The End of All Things by Lissa Bryan

Title- The End of All Things

Author- Lissa Bryan

Publisher- The Writer’s Coffee Shop

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/7uZXV3

BOOK SUMMERY:

After a terrible virus ravages the planet, Carly Daniels, one of the few survivors, hides in her apartment in Juneau trying to survive the best she can with only occasional forays to gather food. With her is Sam, a wolf puppy she found starving on the streets. He becomes her companion and a reason to continue when giving up sometimes seems like the more attractive option. Still dazed with shock and grief, she hopes for the world to go back to normal soon.

She is discovered by Justin, an ex-soldier who is intent on making his way to Florida before the winter sets in. Justin coaxes her out of her hiding place and convinces her to join him on his journey, because a warmer climate will be their best chance against the extremes of Mother Nature.

Together, they begin a perilous journey through a nation laid to waste by the disaster. Challenges abound along the way. The weather, injury, and shortage of supplies all help to slow them down. In time, they discover that they aren’t the only survivors. Some are friendly but some have had their minds destroyed by the high fever. Then there are those who simply take what they want, leaving Carly and Justin with no choice but to defend what is theirs.

But their journey is not without joy and love. Together, they face every struggle, including an unplanned pregnancy. Despite the perils of bringing a child into a world of chaos, their baby is a new beginning for themselves and a symbol of hope for the other survivors they find along the way.

This is the story of their journey to find a place to begin a new life, and a home in each other.

OUR THOUGHTS:

This is the first Post-Apocalyptic book that I have read. I assumed that I was going to like this genre because there is a show that I enjoy watching that is a Post-Apocalyptic show.

A virus has been killing off the population of the whole planet and Carly feels like she is one of the few who has survived; it’s just her and her dog Sam. Until a biker guy starts to stay outside her apartment building trying to get her attention. At first she’s scared of him, but you know what they say, “Never judge a book by its cover”, and Justin turned out to be something more then she would ever thought him to be.

I like that this is not only a Post-Apocalyptic book, but there’s also a mystery to it. Carly wanted to know why she is left and even though she was surrounded by this virus, she had never caught it. Justin also thinks that maybe this virus was released on purpose to wipe out most of the population, but who would have done that?

One thing I love to look for in stories is character development and I love to see different characters grow into new people. That completely happened in this book! Carly started out as a scared shelters girl who didn’t truly know how to survive to someone who learned how to. She learned all that she could from Justin and the skills he has. Justin learned to let down his walls and learned to let himself fall in love with the girl who has been making him smile. These two are completely adorable together and bring out the best in each other.

I cannot wait to start reading the second book in the series to find out what happens to this amazingly strong family.

Read Me Fridays: The Third Twin by C. J Omololu

Title- The Third Twin

Author- C. J Omololu

Publisher– Random House Children’s

Release Date- February 23, 2015

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/7XoKko

The Third Twin is a fast paced suspenseful young adult thriller, about two twins who have made up a third twin named Alice. When Lexi and Ava were little, they would blame their made up twin Alice when things would go wrong. Now that they are older they pretend to be Alice when they want to date boys who aren’t relationship types. Everything seems to be going fine until they guys that “Alice” have dated start turning up dead, and Alice is the number one suspect. That’s not the only thing that is going wrong, Lexi feels like she is being followed but the only proof she finds, no one believes. Now she must clear her and her sister’s name and find the true murder.

I really enjoyed reading this book since I wanted to know who the killer was from the very first time I found out someone was murdered. There were times where I suspected some characters and times that I thought maybe there might just be a third twin they Lexi and Ava don’t know about, but I was kept guessing until the very end.

Since this story was told from Lexi’s point of view I felt more of a connection with her then with Ava. Sometimes I forgot she even existed. If there is one thing I wish there was more of, it would be the connections to the characters. The only one I could really connect with was Lexi. I do think that there was so much going on in this book that it could have been more than one book. Even though I would have been so annoyed with a cliff hanger, I know I would have bought the next books!

This was a very age appropriate book, there was nothing in it that would say young teens shouldn’t read and I think some older teens might enjoy the plot. I never read any of C. J Omololu’s other books, but I now look forward to reading them and any future books.

Read Me Fridays: Waiting for April by Jamie Loren

Title- Waiting for April

Author- Jamie Loren

Publisher- Momentum

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/37s1qC

BOOK SUMMERY:

April Fletcher has died nineteen times… but she doesn’t know it.

As far as April is concerned, she’s just a normal seventeen-year-old, looking forward to spending spring break with her friends and going to college in the fall. April doesn’t know she has never lived past her eighteenth birthday, nor does she realize that Scott Parker, her best friend, is actually her childhood sweetheart and fiancé from her very first life.
For nineteen-year-old Scott Parker, spending quality time with his soul mate has proved difficult ever since her tragic death in 1729. Since then he has lost her an additional eighteen times—each of her deaths more devastating than the last, and each of her births wiping the slate of her memory clean. Unable to save her but unwilling to give up, Scott has to hide the fact he’s immortal—and will be until April confesses her love again.
But this time, things have changed. April has denied her feelings for him, is dating someone else, and with her eighteenth birthday fast approaching, their friendship is falling to pieces. Fearing their souls are irrevocably drifting apart, Scott must race against the clock to win her heart and save her life.
Or risk losing her forever.

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the first book that I have read that involved reincarnation and it had me very interested in from the very first page. I like that there was a bit of a mystery within the story; why is Scott immortal and why does April keep dying but to return with the same name each time. I think that Jamie Loren did a great job with keeping it all a secret until the very end. I was not excepting the story to end the way it did.

The love that Scott had for April was amazing! I only care what was best for her. When he thought it would help, he would stay away. He had so much devotion and patience. April was of course drawn to him and since she doesn’t remember him from her past lives, she’s not sure why. I like that this story was told in a duel POV. I was able to understand what was going on in both of their heads and how each of them felt for each other.

When I first started looking at this book, I thought it was young adult book. I think it can still be classified as that after reading it, but just mature audience maybe 17 and up. Maybe borderline New Adult.

Read Me Fridays: Sleeping Tom by E.V. Fairfall

Title– Sleeping Tom

Author– E. V Fairfall

Publisher- R Mind

Release Date– February 14, 2015

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/5iegSC

BOOK SUMMERY:

 

Hitchhiking is a bad idea but Caden is desperate.
When she accepts a ride from the first car to come by she meets Gabriel. He’s her age, hot, and the closest thing she has to a savior. Problem is, he is a total jerk. With nowhere to go, Caden convinces Gabriel to let her stay with him for one night. He reluctantly lends a couch.

That night Caden wakes up to strange noises. Concerned, she rushes into Gabriel’s room, already anticipating his bad temper. Instead, he’s kind, sweet, and suspiciously harmless—nothing like the man who gave her a ride. He seems like a different person altogether, and claims he is. By night he is Tom, and by day he is Gabriel. Caden finds herself drawn to the mysteries hidden in his eyes.

For Gabriel, Caden is an annoying mistake. One night turns into many, and despite all his anger towards her, she stays. She even seems to accept him and his flaws, but he still doesn’t trust her—is she staying for him, or has she already discovered more than he’s willing to share?

MY THOUGHTS:

E. V Fairfall has done it again! I have been lucky enough to receive an ARC of Sleeping Tom from her, and I have to say I loved it! This book drew me in from the very beginning, not to mention it has an amazing cover as well

This book was such a great concept, it is always interesting to read stories about people with multiple personalities, this is the third one that I have read, and by far my favorite one. E. V Fairfall was able to write such a simplistic story, but it grabs you in.

As I read the story I was a bit conflicted just as Caden was; Tom was defiantly more like a child and a friend then Gabriel was. Gabriel was someone she was attracted to and maybe even loved and all she wanted to do was to help Gabriel. I’m not sure that I liked the anger that Gabriel had at times, kind of seem to have aspects of Caden’s ex Sean, but never laid a hand on Caden, which I was very happy about. After finishing this story, I still have so many questions that have been left unanswered.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book is that I have to wait to read the second installment, Waking Gabriel!

Read Me Friday- Love So True by Marquita Valentine

Title- Love So True

Author- Marquita Valentine

Publisher- Valentine Publishing, LLC

Amazon-   http://goo.gl/z2UPa6

BOOK SUMMERY:

Finally, Lucas Lawson is a free man. After serving five years in prison for embezzlement, he’s come home to Jessamine to right the wrongs he committed against his friends and family. But, it won’t be easy. For starters, the brother he’s looked up to his entire life wants nothing to do with him, and no one in town trusts Lucas enough to give him a chance to make amends. Until, Bailey Yates gives him a job at her family’s diner.

Single mom, Bailey Yates, has had enough of bad boys to last her the next eighteen years. She’s always been a sucker for them, and Jessamine’s ultimate bad boy, Lucas Lawson, is no exception. So, when he returns to town, naturally she’s drawn to him. And naturally, she must avoid him at all costs—no matter how sexy he is. She’ll give him a job, and keep her distance…until Lucas saves her son from a hit and run.

Bailey gives Lucas a hope for the future he hasn’t allowed himself to feel in years while Lucas melts Bailey’s heart every time he spends time with her son. Could he be the one to put her life back together? But when Lucas is accused of stealing from a local charity, Bailey must decide to support him or realize that some men are too good to be true.

MY THOUGHTS:

Sometimes it is so refreshing to read a sweet contemporary romance that has limited to no drama; Love So True was that book for me! I read Love So Hot and fell in love with Brody and Sydney, and now it was time for me to fall in love with Lucas and Bailey.

It seems to me that all of these Lawson brothers seem to be such gentleman, never wanting to use the girl he is interested it. Even though Lucas had a bad rap he was a decent guy through and though. I loved him and Bailey with each other, as a reader I was able to feel the chemistry from the very beginning.

I also like how if you read the first book in the Lawson Brothers Series, you were able to see where those characters were now. Although, Brody was kind of a jerk to his brother and that made me a little upset. Those McCoy sisters were at it again, trying to play matchmaker. I cannot wait for one of their turns to be matched. Mrs. Lawson was so sweet while having her moment with Lucas, she reassured him that he was a great guy, and could make a great stepfather if that is what he wanted.

I am very interested in reading Mason’s story next!!

Read Me Friday: Title- Books, Blogs, & Reality by Ryan Ringbloom

Title- Books, Blogs, & Reality

Author– Ryan Ringbloom

Amazon– http://goo.gl/IJdZ4M

Book Summery

Life can suck…

When reality becomes overwhelming, seeking comfort in fictional fantasies keeps hope alive. And while this escape may be a little delusional, it’s also therapeutic.

Sharing secrets is daunting, but virtual friends don’t often judge and they are always ready to share a glass of wine…or three…while typing out life’s latest endeavors.

Brooke believes obstacles only add to romance, not detract. Rachael longs for a more intense relationship, or so she thinks. Lizzie misses the excitement in her life, but sometimes new situations find you when you’re not even looking. And Jess believes a tiger can change his stripes. It can’t.

Bound by a shared passion for blogging about happily ever afters, these four young women use keyboard therapy to work through their expectations, anxieties, and inadequacies, all with the hopes of achieving the perfection found in romance novels.

Completely blinded by what they think life should be, they navigate their unique paths in search of what they envision is right. But when reality taunts them with persistent curve balls, will they be strong enough to choose wisely? Or will their happy endings escape them?

My Review:

“All the books sound the same lately. Sex, sex, more sex….. it’s stupid. Maybe it’s time someone should write a book about how much work it is for bloggers to read and review all the shit author are constantly spewing about perfect love and even more perfect sex.”

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!!! When I began reading it, I thought I was reading a different book for review (the covers were extremely similar) and after I started I sat there thinking about how it was so much different from what I thought it would be, but in a good way!!!

Books, Blogs, & Reality had POVs from four different people, each were book bloggers that met online. I honestly didn’t think that I would be able to connect to all four since the book was only 200 pages, boy was I wrong. I think Ryan Ringbloom was able to form that connection for the reader. I also love how there was their online conversation and book reviews added in the book. There were sometimes that I was so engrossed in the character’s story that I didn’t want to change to read the next characters story, but the missing parts were filled in by some of their online conversations. I also love that the genre each character enjoyed is the reflected how they saw their love life. Rachel was into kinky stories and mixed that into her own love life. Jessica liked bad boy novels and had one of her very own that she thought she could change. Brooke just wanted to meet someone dark and handsome and enjoyed novels where the leads fell for each other. Then Lizzie loved romance as a whole and thought she was missing it in her own life.

I think readers will be able to relate to one of these characters if not more!!! I cannot wait to read more from Ryan Ringbloom!!