This week I've been giving you some mini-reviews from Indie/New Adult books that have been released over the past year or so. I'd read a ton of them so it's easier to review a few at once. Monday had the books that got a 5 star review from me and yesterday featured the 4 star books. Today is another batch of 4 star books. Hopefully you will find a few you'd like to add to your list.
Fallen Crest High by Tijan
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As far as new adult authors go, Tijan is not one that pops up often. I happened to find this book while browsing one day and was so glad that I did. This is really one of those books where the characters stay with you. You may not love every aspect of the story, but you can't help but keep reading till it's finished. Mason and Logan (the bothers) were great in their own ways and Sam has the misfortune of living with them after her mom decided to marry their dad. This book is pretty complicated with all the plots, sub-plots, and characters but I definitely want to see what happens in the new book.
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Add to Goodreads
This one is easy to spoil because there is a lot going on. Tons of tragedy! When Sky meets Dean she has no idea of their past. Sky has been through more than many people could imagine. It was sad to see how broken she was but I was glad that Dean could be there for her. At times the drama seemed a bit too much but it was still a well written story with a lot of great moments between the characters. Dean was my favorite. You can't help but love him and hope that these characters can somehow find happiness through all the heartbreak. Not sure when/if I'll read the next one but so many people loved this one.
Play With Me by Piper Shelly Add to Goodreads
You know how sometimes you just want a light, sweet book to read? This one is perfect for those times! This was one of the cutest romances ever. Liza is a cutie! Poor girl has been in love with her best friend Tony forever and he comes back from soccer camp in love with another *sigh*. So, she has a plan to become sporty herself in hopes he will notice her. What she doesn't plan for is the soccer captain, Ryan, to start paying attention to her. They have so many of those cute moments that have you saying"awww." The ONLY complaint I had about this story was that it was just too short! I wanted more! Of course, there is now a version in Ryan's POV but still… I wish this one would have been a bit longer. But, I totally recommend it.
If You Stay by Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads
Some books say they have bad boys but this one is really bad. Pax is a jerk, 100%! He has money to burn but is rude, disrespectful, and has a whole slew of drug issues. Not the easiest character to like but I liked that there was no doubting his personality. Everyone knew immediately what type of guy he was. Mila is a sweetheart who can't help but try to help Pax. Even though she is told to forget about ever changing him, she can't help but have hope that he will get better. It took a while for their sparks to really heat up but I liked seeing Pax change. Much is the story is from his POV and it was easy to see how Mila got under his skin. Courtney Cole is a great author and I look forward to reading more from her.
Someone to Love by Addison Moore Add to Goodreads
This is a light story and a nice college-age romance but there was something lacking. Maybe it was depth for the character? Not sure. But, in this book, Kendall wants to be a player and she goes to the king of all players, Cruise, for help. She says she's determined to learn how to play guys. The overall story was fun to read but I'm not sure I fully bought the whole"wanting to be a player" thing. I think that with more work this book could have hit it out of the park but for something light and fluffy, it's a pretty good read. I've seen other people with some mixed feelings about this title.
Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker Add to Goodreads
This is a very intense story. Kacey has had a really hard life and all she wants to do is find safety and take care of her little sister. They move into a rundown apartment and she starts working to try to take care of the bills. Then Trent moves next door. Kacey tries to brush off her feelings for him but they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and all the side characters/plots too. It's depressing at times but I couldn't stop reading. The overall idea is a bit predictable but I still found myself rooting for the characters and wanting to find out what will happen next. I will probably check out the next book in the series because it focuses on Kacey's sister.
After Tuesday by Renee Ericson Add to Goodreads
This book is about Ruby, a young girl dealing with an alcoholic father. I liked this book for a lot of reasons. One big reason is that her dad, although sick, wasn't a complete jerk. He seemed like he wanted to be a good dad and that's something rarely seen in YA books. Then Ruby gets to know Brent, a guy from school, and she's forced to balance her real life with that of a normal teenager. She tries to hide her issues at home but that isn't easy. Soon both collide and she has to rely on someone else. Sometimes I just wished she would have been honest with Brent early on instead of hiding things. But I did like the way the author portrayed the relationship and the issues Ruby had with her dad. He wasn't just thrown to the side like some novels do.
Breathe Into Me by Amanda Stone Add to Goodreads
This was another complex story and in the end I was scratching my head a bit. Kelsey had some really craptastic luck. She had a horrible tragedy 6 years before she heads to college and all she wants is to escape it. She has her best friend Jessi, who I loved, and soon she meets bad-boy Kane. But Kane isn't really bad. He was actually much nicer than I expected. Sometimes I wanted to shake Kelsey for being so darn trusting of guys-who-shall-remain-nameless, especially after what she had been through. Plus, I wasn't happy with the fact she judged Kane so quickly when something happened with him. I don't want to spoil anything but I do think this is definitely worth the read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas Add to Goodreads
It's pretty hard to find a good story that doesn't involve a girl who is a perfect size 4. Cat used to be a model but now she can't fit into anything in her closet. She had an accident and, after sitting for nearly a year, she's going back to school as a size 12. One thing I really liked about this story is that all of Cat's friends didn't shun her because of her size. It's not like it's the worst thing in the world so it sucks when books act like the character can't have friends if she's beyond a size 10. Cat did have friends and, really, she is the biggest issue blocking her own happiness. When Nate steps in Cat finally starts to see herself as more than a size. He helps her break down her walls and be happy again. Sometimes I just wanted her to get over things but I tried to understand where she was coming from. This book was really enjoyable and had a very unique plot (and twist).
Unbroken by Melody Grace Add to Goodreads
This book has one of my all-time favorite lines ever…
"Mom always told me there are two kinds of love in this world: the steady breeze, and the hurricane. Emerson Ray was my hurricane… "
Love it! This book is great for a summer read. Juliet is forced to go back to her summer beach home for a while and she runs into her old flame Emerson. I enjoyed this story but nothing really stood out to me as memorable. There is some cheating, which I hate, but it didn't ruin the book for me. The characters definitely have chemistry and there are several hot moments to enjoy.
ALL OF THESE BOOKS WERE RATED
