Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras Review

He was my older brother's best friend.
He was never supposed to be mine.
I thought we would get it out of our system and move on.

One of us did.
One of us left.

Now he’s back, looking at me like he wants to devour me. And all those feelings I’d turned into anger are brewing into something else, something that terrifies me.
He broke my heart last time.
This time he'll obliterate it.

This is a standalone.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1ABqPxG

MY THOUGHTS
5/5 Stars

This book was a beautiful story about getting a second chance at love... Estelle lost her fiancé and was suffering from a broken heart. As she picks up the pieces an old flame comes back into her life and shakes things up. The temptation is there, but the mindset to let herself love is again, not quite... Not to mention he is off limits because he is her brother's best friend. They know what they should do, but their hearts are telling them something different. It's a push and pull relationship, but eventually her heart pieces itself together... Just like the Kaleidoscope Hearts.

What made this story great is the concept behind it. Estelle created something so beautiful out of broken/unwanted things. It was symbolic to her life and I'm sure many can relate. It showed us that everything doesn't have to be perfect to be right. Damaged things can turn into complete pieces and broken hearts can be put back together.

I loved the characters and how well the story unfolded. It wasn't easy... It was complicated, raw, and meant to be felt just like true love is. There is a gentle side to the characters, a brave side, and a vulnerable side.

There were a few slow parts and I may have cringed when the Author put a fedora on Oliver, but overall I loved it. It was inspirational, romantic, forbidden, and was filled with hope and love.

Highly Recommend!

Forgotten Treasures by D. Hart Review

*** Based on actual events ***

“Forgotten Treasures is beautifully layered with twists and revelations you will never see coming! Dani Hart keeps the pages turning in this sweet romance sprinkled with the hope of undying love. I found myself engrossed, demanding to know what happens next. Each revelation is another key to the puzzle. Perfectly complex! Mesmerizing.” Addison Moore, New York Times Bestselling Author

In the aftermath of destruction, hearts were destroyed, strengths were stripped, and vulnerabilities were exposed.

A community was ripped apart after a tragic accident, and the loss hit one family particularly hard as it claimed the lives of three, leaving only one surviving member to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Baylor’s life was wiped clean in the blink of an eye. No family, no home, no name. That is, until she met Brandt. He took a chance, giving her hope and a reason to start over. A reason to rebuild a life full of forgotten memories. A reason to trust. A reason to love.

Finding love in all the right places should be easy, but when truths are revealed, it's anything but. Brandt will help her rediscover the true meaning of unconditional eternal love that will prove painful, life altering, and redeeming.

Together, they will try to face the future and will use each other’s strengths to learn how to live again. Can they rewrite history, or in the end, will the tragedies of their pasts be too much?

AMAZON - http://amzn.to/1ACHz6A

MY THOUGHTS:
4/5 Stars

*I received an advanced copy for an honest review*

This was an intense story about living with amnesia and getting a second chance at love.
It was fast paced and held my attention the whole way through...

The female lead woke up in the hospital with no memory of her name, who she is, or what happened that put her there. Her mind is worn out, her body is physically drained, and her heart feels shattered... When she is forced out, she relies on strangers Grady and Brandt to take care of her. Together they work together to pull the past out, one secret at a time.

The parts that made this story so addictive to me were the gut wrenching moments. As she relived her memories and experienced those vivid dreams, I became consumed in the character's grief and desperation. My heart raced, my stomach clenched, and my palms became sweaty. I felt connected to the characters and it made it hard for me to put the book down.

I loved the mystery that went with this story... The whole time you are reading, your mind is working double time trying to figure out what really happened. Some of it is predictable though... I don't want to give away too much, but my intuition was right. It was intense and unique, but I was hoping for a huge twist near the end... when really we just get confirmation. I would've liked for there to be more of a shock factor. Something that left me thinking... "Wow, I never saw that coming".

However, I definitely recommend this book to all readers. It was a beautiful story about the mourning process, tragedy, forever love, and learning to live again.

Stupid Girl by Cindy Miles

I loved this book. It was angsty, emotional, romantic, frustrating at times, and suspenseful. It was your typical bad boy/good girl romance theme, but the Author threw in twists to make it her own. I found myself instantly addicted from page one and couldn't wait to see what happened in the end. The story was about a girl, Olivia, moving away to college to put space between her and an ex boyfriend. She never expected to be knocked over by bad boy, Brax, but when she was... her life turned upsideOnly fools fall in love... After her senior year of high school leaves behind nothing but heartache, Olivia Beaumont is sure of this: She’s no stupid girl. She sets out for Winston College, promising herself that she will remain focused on her first and only love – astronomy. But all it takes is cocky sophomore Brax Jenkins and an accidental collision with a football, to throw her entire year off course. A quick-tempered Southie who escaped the inner city streets of Boston to pitch for Winston, Brax is known to play way more fields than just the baseball diamond. So, when his name is drawn to take part in his fraternity’s hazing dare, Brax eagerly accepts the mission to take Olivia’s virginity. But he doesn’t plan on falling hard for the sweet and sassy Texas girl who sees right through his bad-boy persona. As Olivia and Brax battle their feelings for each other, echoes of the past year begin to surface. A boy who once turned Olivia’s whole world upside down reappears, and “harmless” pranks wreak havoc. Pretty soon the aspiring astronomer is on the verge of revealing her most difficult, heartbreaking secret. All the while, Brax must wrestle with the irrevocable dare, and Olivia struggles against all logic as she does the one thing only a stupid girl would do: fall in love. AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1GdoKbQ    MY THOUGHTS: 5/5 Stars I loved this book. It was angsty, emotional, romantic, frustrating at times, and suspenseful. It was your typical bad boy/good girl romance theme, but the Author threw in twists to make it her own. I found myself instantly addicted from page one and couldn't wait to see what happened in the end. The story was about a girl, Olivia, moving away to college to put space between her and an ex boyfriend. She never expected to be knocked over by bad boy, Brax, but when she was... her life turned upside down. Everything she told herself couldn't happen started to. Her mind set on no boyfriends... knocked out the window... The mind set of only thoughts about school and astronomy... gone. Brax was what consumed her mind and she was struggling to be ok with it. When a ghost from the past shows up and adds more drama she starts falling even harder for Brax. He is her protector and knight in shining armor... That is until secrets are revealed. Those secrets rip Olivia's heart in two. I loved the angsty banter between Brax and Olivia. The relationship between the two reminded me of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Same cocky, arrogant boy that is undone by the good girl. Olivia is smart, witty, and kind of geeky. I loved her and Brax, well he is my new book boyfriend of the week. I loved how he was edgy and raw, yet sweet and caring too. The two of them together were quite the pair. I am team Brax and Gracie all the way! I definitely think the Author did a wonderful job with this story. My heart broke at the end. but I was happy with how it all turned out. With that being said... I Highly recommend Stupid Girl... It's everything a New Adult Romance should be.

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller“The Girl on the Train has more fun with unreliable narration than any chiller since Gone Girl. . . . [It] is liable to draw a large, bedazzled readership.”—The New York Times

“Like its train, the story blasts through the stagnation of these lives in suburban London and the reader cannot help but turn pages.”—The Boston Globe

“Gone Girl fans will devour this psychological thriller.”—People 

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1BjyaU9

MY THOUGHTS:
4/5 Stars

Oh goodness... I just finished this one and to be honest, I feel exhausted! It was complex, well thought out, and had tons of twists and turns. I really enjoyed the story, but it took me a few days to finish it because you had to pay attention to the simple parts. Each and every word played an intricate part in the story as a whole.

The Girl on The Train pulled me in with the creep factor and tangled me up in a web of lies. My mind was working double time trying to figure out what in the world was going on. The characters were so complex and weird... I started off thinking that Rachel was disgusting and hopeless, but then with a faint of heart, I started to feel really bad for her. She wasn't right in the head and I knew the secrets would slowly reveal themselves.

They compared this story to Gone Girl and I would say that's an accurate comparison. If you are looking for a book with sexy scenes though, this book probably isn't for you... Yes, there were intimate interactions, but the Author just grazed the surface by mentioning and moving along.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a good book that leaves you thinking.... What in the heck just happened? Please remember though, it is slow at times because in order to follow the story you need lots of details and the Author gives us LOTS of descriptions and little points you think are non sense at the time. They do play a crucial part in the end though!

Out of Control by Sarah Alderson

When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target.

Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.

When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.

AMAZON ~ http://amzn.to/19aE5z8




  MY THOUGHTS:
5 HUGE STARS
* I receieved an ARC for an honest review *
You know that feeling you get when you are plunging down the first huge drop on a roller coaster... The butterflies arrive and you feel as though you left your stomach at the top? Well, that is how I felt while reading Out of Control.

I was sucked in from page one and quickly became addicted to the fast paced thriller. I had a hard time putting it down... The fact that the story occurred in just two-three days, blows my mind. You would think that there would be a lack in the storyline, but gah!, no.... it was so good! The intensity of each page had me on the edge of my seat and the romance aspect had my heart swooning.

The characters meshed together so well. It wasn't an in your face romance, but more of a subtle, lusty, slow build, intense connection. Liva and Jay's lives cross paths in a police station and from that moment on they are like Bonnie and Clyde, but in the best way possible, of course. Together they face danger head on, taking one minute at a time.

I definitely think that Jay was my favorite character. He is a book boyfriend that I will love for a long time because, while he had a bad boy attitude... his heart was solid gold. He devoted his life to protect Liva and worried himself over his family. He was attractive, but not in an I have to be dominant and take my clothes of kind of way... His actions spoke louder than words for sure.

When I reached the ending I couldn't believe the huge plot twist... Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was blindsided by the new information. I was conflicted by how it would all play out, but in the end I was pleased with how it did.

I am so glad I got the chance to read this book. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got was a fast paced, intense, roller coaster ride. I highly recommend it to mature readers that don't mind a little blood and suspense in their books.

Nocte by Courtney Cole

My name is Calla Price. I’m eighteen years old, and I’m one half of a whole. 
My other half-- my twin brother, my Finn-- is crazy.

I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I’m terrified he’ll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me.

I’m doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I’m drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline.

Dare DuBray.

He’s my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I’m afraid, where I belong, where I’m lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me.
He has the power to destroy me.

Maybe that’s ok. Because I can’t seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt.

Why? Because of a secret.

A secret I’m so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming.

You won’t either.

*****

LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR:

Dear Reader,

I once considered not writing this story. It was too dark, too twisted, too much, too, too, too.

Obviously, I changed my mind. But I re-wrote it in four different ways first, trying to make it different, more easily palatable, softer.

It didn’t work.

So I went back to my original idea, the idea that I loved. The idea that I dreamed about and lived and breathed until it was done the way I wanted it, the way it has to be.

I know you’re capable of reading it. I know you’re capable of putting yourselves back together again when it’s all over. I have faith in you.

Is this story dark?
Yes.

It is twisted?
At times.

Will it slap you in the face?
Absolutely.

Will it have you flipping the pages, trying to figure it out, trying to get to the climax, trying to breathe?
God, I hope so.

I wrote this story the way it needed to be written. I couldn’t sugarcoat it. I couldn’t water it down. It is this way because the story demands it.

I’m not sorry.  

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1C33X6X

MY THOUGHTS:
3/5 Stars

Okay, so this one was a 3 star read for me. If I was rating the writing it would have been 5 shining stars. It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. Unfortunately though, the story was overwhelming and well... It had a killer cliffhanger. That's where the 3 comes into play.

At the beginning we get a note from the Author warning us of the dark nature of this book. Was it really that dark? Not for me. I have read dark reads with taboo scenes and off the wall plots... This one was a mind f* with a bit of horror.

The best part of the book was definitely the first chapter. I felt connected to the characters and my heart squeezed at realness of the scene. After that though, My connection started drifting. I became tangled up in the story and I felt stuck. As I read each word I mentally tried to push the ropes away. The twists and turns and secrets eventually took over and held me captive.

I really liked that the story was different. It just felt like there was so much going on that it was hard to follow along. Then at the end... You literally will want to go back and try to figure out where you missed the critical parts. I would have like the answers to be just below the surface, not buried 6 feet under. The digging was mentally frustrating and the cliffhanger killed me.

When it comes to series' I really like each book to have some sort of closure. I think that if a book is good enough you don't need a cliffhanger to suck readers into a book 2 or book 3.

For me this book was entertaining, but just not my reading taste. I definitely recommend that you give it a try though... Many people love it!

Sweet Little Thing by Renee Carlino

Ever wonder what happened after the final pages of Sweet Thing?

From his candid and sometimes neurotic point of view, Will tells all in this musical and sexy follow-up novella to Renée Carlino’s USA Today Bestseller.

Life is pure bliss for Mia and Will. They have a puppy, a loft in Brooklyn, and a new music studio on the rise. It seems things couldn’t get any better for this talented couple when life decides to throw them a sweet little curve ball.

They quickly learn that things don't always go according to plan. Sometimes happily ever after is one giant leap of faith away.
With the help of good music, good friends, and one eccentric old lady, they overcome a few of life’s little bumps to find the sweetest thing of all.

Watch this duo grow in more ways than one in SWEET Little THING.  

My Thoughts:
4/5 Stars

I wanted a quick read and that is what I got with this one. I really enjoyed Will's POV. It was on point with the male personality. There were sweet parts and funny parts. A few times I laughed out loud. Will's friend was outrageous, but added so much humor to the story.

Mia and Will are adorable as usual. They are planning a wedding and getting ready for a new adventure. It isn't always easy, but they make it work. Their romance pours off the pages. From their simple gestures to their sexual attraction to one another... they have the perfect romantic connection.

I really enjoyed it, but wished there would have been a little more depth and a little less sexy time... Because it was a novella, it kind of felt like an overkill of intimate scenes. However, it was still a great read. I definitely recommend this book to those who loved Sweet Thing and want a quick read.

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their love.
My Thoughts:
5/5 Stars

I just finished this one and my mind is going crazy....

From the minute I opened the book I was consumed by an intense, wonderful story. My heart surrendered to Tim and I began to think about the story when I wasn't reading.

It was about an Albino teen falling in love and getting twisted up in a forbidden romance... He isn't exactly normal so he isn't sure what to do when he is stuck in the middle of a love triangle. His feelings are all over the board. While struggling with that though his health takes a turn for the worse and at the end it plays a huge role in the outcome of the book. 

The story is told by recorded tapes. Duncan is the boy listening and we do get an insight into his life as well. Later in the book you will realize how the two are connected.

That ending... GAH! I need more Tim... like yesterday!

The reviews weren't great, but I gave it a chance and I am so glad that I did.

I definitely recommend this story to everyone looking for a plot with meaning.

Beautiful Addictions by Season Vining

The past can be hidden, but never truly forgotten...

Josie Banks is a girl without a past.  After being found unconscious with no memory, she was shuffled in and out of foster homes where she suffered years of abuse. An experience that left her broken, damaged, and clinging to drugs and meaningless hook-ups to numb her pain.

When Josie disappeared years ago, she took a piece of Tristan with her.  She’s the girl he thought he lost forever—the one he’s never been able to forget.  Now a twist of fate has brought them back together, and he never wants to let her out of his inked arms again.  But Tristan is haunted by a dark past of his own.  On the run from ruthless criminals that shattered Josie’s world years ago, reentering her life puts them both in danger.

As Josie and Tristan’s lives become tangled once again, they find themselves unwilling and unable to escape the relentless pull that draws them together.  But will the past leave their love in ruins—or bind them together for a lifetime?

"Beautiful Addictions is a dark and lyrical masterpiece!" –Sara Fawkes, New York Times bestselling author
AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1wTJAGt

My Thoughts:
3/5 Stars

An enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns...

The story line was on the darker side with hints of romance. It was about a girl who is taken into witness protection and sent across the country with a new identity and a new name. She has amnesia and everyone from her previous life thinks she is dead. When she meets Tristan though her world turns upside down. He helps her to regain memory and open her eyes to a better life. Together they must trust in one another to face past demons and get their second chance at love. 

I enjoyed this book, but didn't become addicted. I found myself losing interest at certain parts and at times I felt like I didn't want to continue reading. Yes, the story was enjoyable, but many parts seemed repeated or under done. I wish I could say this was an amazing read, but for me, it was just okay. 

The best part was the ending when everything came down to that one moment. It made my heart race and gave me that overwhelming good book feel. I wish I could have connected with the characters like that throughout the entire book, but I just didn't. 

I still recommend this book to readers that like dark reads. The suspense is what kept me reading.