The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren | ARC Review

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of… lucky.

Date of Publication: May 14, 2019

Date Read: May 11, 2019

No. of Pages:432 pages

Setting: Maui, Hawaii

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Get Your Copy Here: Amazon | Book Depository

 

Reading this book felt like a wonderful vacation!

First of all let’s just give a moment of silence to appreciate the beauty of this cover! Nothing screams like the perfect summer read than The Unhoneymooners!

The Unhoneymooners is one of the best romcom books I’ve read! It deserves all the hype it is getting. The duo Christina Lauren never disappoints! It has everything I want in a book – haters to lovers trope, palpable sexual tension, laugh out loud conversations and so much more. I could go on forever. This book is the perfect escape, it makes you want to pack all your bags and book a trip to Maui, Hawaii.

We have Olive Torres who went to the honeymoon in her sister’s stead with no less than her archnemesis – Ethan Thomas, who happened to be the best man at her twin sister’s wedding. It sure is a great premise and what is even greater was it was executed well. This book is such a pure delight to read, not only it has moments that would make you snort the loudest in public but also it has depth too. I love that the characters are very distinct. The authors had the power to write characters that feels like someone you actually know, making the reading experience more worthwhile. And that is what I love about their books, the main characters like Olive (or Hazel from Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating) are so distinct, not the generic type one encounters all the time in romance books. You can very well tell them apart, and they give out certain impacts making you remember each story fondly. I really commend the character development, it was something out of the ordinary. Can I just also say how much I love the family dynamics here! Kind of reminded me of my family too!

The Unhoneymooners is quite addictive, just impossible to put it down. And did I mention I love the humor in this one? It was so beautifully crafted, reading it felt like a true vacation. What I also love about this book is that conflict towards the end, how you thought everything is as smooth-sailing as one it implies it to be, then bam! Loved that it wasn’t just some shallow conflict just for shock value, it was what the book needed to give more texture to it and to make it everything but cliche. By the end my cheeks hurt from smiling a little too much. Gahhhh I just love Olive and Ethan okay?? If you are looking for a fun and light read make it your life’s mission to read this one and all other books by these amazing authors!

 

View this post on Instagram

Happy Pub Day to #TheUnhoneymooners by Christina Lauren! Finished reading this one in almost one sitting! Enjoyed it so much. It has everything I want in a book – haters to lovers trope, palpable sexual tension, laugh out loud conversations, I can go on and on how much I enjoy this book! It was definitely one of the best romcom books out there! And would you just look at that cover? Ugh makes me want to pack my bags and fly to Maui! 💛 Giving this one 5/5⭐️ ••• My May reading month is shaping up to be a good one! What are the books you’ve read this month? Tell me your faves! #romance #christinalauren

A post shared by Eunice 🇵🇭 (@nerdytalksbookblog) on May 13, 2019 at 7:39pm PDT

 

Advertisement

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover | Book Review

 

Synopsis from Goodreads: Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?

Date Published: July 17, 2018

Date Read: August 2018

Publisher: Atria Books

Setting: 

No. of Pages: 320

Genre: Romance

Get your copy here: Book Depository | Amazon

 

Colleen Hoover has done it again! 

I know I said in my review of Confess that I wouldn’t want to think my relationship with Colleen Hoover’s works has already run its course, that I could salvage it. All Your Perfects was my salvation. It was redemption, and a very sweet one. After reading November 9 and Confess, I kind of shied away from CoHo’s books, I thought that was enough for me already, that I should move along and enjoy other authors. And I was wrong. All Your Perfects was a reminder why I loved her writing since 2012.

Imperfect Marriage as its highlight

All Your Perfects is about an imperfect marriage, of two people trying to work things out but is so close to failing. It has flawed characters and a plot that might hit home to most of the people. It was a struggle some married couples undergo.. This is where it will hit you the most, that vulnerability of it possibly happening to you, or might have been happening to some people you know. It tackled something so raw and real. Admittedly, I have been always drawn to books with dysfunctional marriage/family. I loved how the characters deal with their problems and whether they were able to push past it or how they completely drift apart. For me, there is some sense of beauty in dysfunctional people, how they perceive life and the situations they were dealt and how they manage to navigate though life despite it. That’s how a good book connects to people, how it presents not just the good parts but more so the ugly ones. How it highlighted imperfection and flaws, ultimately what makes us human.

Flawed characters

At one point I was so frustrated with our female protagonist – Quinn, but at the same time understood where she was coming from.  Quinn’s predicament plagued her marriage with Graham. The book was written in her perspective. Colleen Hoover was able to write something profound through Quinn’s voice. I commend how mature this book was compared to CoHo’s previous works, it truly is something different. The book highlighted the struggles of modern day woman, and that’s what makes it beautiful, it delved into something not all books willingly talk about.

Then we have Graham, our male protagonist who had flaws of his own but managed to come out of it well. These two characters really complemented each other. Graham oh Graham, he was just so good to Quinn, sometimes I feel like Quinn doesn’t deserve him. Yet another book setting high expectations for men. (This is why I’m single, lol). Graham wasn’t perfect, and so is Quinn, but Graham was the one who came through for this relationship to work, and I love how he was just so patient with Quinn. Graham was never perfect, from the onset he was presented to be as vulnerable as everyone else, but he always rise through the occasion and makes wise decisions. He was the one who stood stronger for the both of them. And though he made a mistake as well, you’ll just understand where all of it was coming from. I love how Colleen Hoover did not romanticize that part but presented it in a no-nonsense approach.

Two perfectly flawed characters who gave me the worst heartbreak. Ahhh I still remember the letters and I am seriously welling up right now. This book was just heartbreaking, I didn’t know what to do with myself from Chapter 20 down to the very end. I was inconsolable to say the least. I felt like I have cried a year’s worth of tears.

Fast Pacing and Unconventional presentation of each chapter 

The Then and Now chapters definitely set the mood. I was happy reading Then chapters and I dreaded reading Now chapters. It gave off this balance, but kind of will put you in a confused state. You don’t know if you’re going to be happy or if you’re going to cry. It made the book a lot faster to read. The pacing was just right. I love the correlation of every events, not one event was unnecessary. It was well put-together.

You’ll cry river of tears

All Your Perfects truly wrecked me. I have cried over books before, yes, but All Your Perfects took it to a whole different level, that kind of level where my flu came back because I cried so hard. Hahah I am not even kidding. And it is a wonder because nothing in the book relates to me, I am not married nor I’m in a relationship. But this book pierced through my heart and set a camp there. I was already warned that I should not be reading this book in public, that I needed to be alone. Well, I guess thanks for the warning, because all the tears came without preamble. Before I know it my shirt was already soaked in tears. It was so dramatic, that I didn’t even wipe any of it, I just let it, one teardrop after another. I was a sight to behold really, and I felt the pain, really, truly felt it. I don’t know why I was so affected by the Now chapters, I have nothing in common with the characters, I haven’t gone through whatever they have been through, but I was so immersed in the story that my heart completely ached for them. I think that’s the gauge of a good book, how it able to transcend from the pages through the reader’s emotions, whether the reader could relate to it or not. Colleen Hoover truly evolved through the years. She always has something new to offer in the table, and everything is different from the last. I mean, where does she get her inspiration from? She is truly talented, no doubt about it.

This may very well be my favorite Colleen Hoover book among the ones I have read. Imagine, Maybe Someday and It Ends With Us  were dethroned. That is saying quite a lot because I loved those two books so much. That said, please find the time to read this book. I am offering support should you need it, you know where to find me! Go get a copy now.

“Until then, I will continue to love you more and more with every struggle we face than I loved you when all was perfect.”
― Colleen Hoover, All Your Perfects

 

View this post on Instagram

❝Until then, I will continue to love you more and more with every struggle we face than I loved you when all was perfect.❞ ― Colleen Hoover, All Your Perfects ••• 💜Mini Review:💜 Colleen Hoover has done it again. There was a period when I shied away from CoHo books, (Confess and November 9 wasn’t really a big favorite), I was afraid my relationship with her books has already run its course, but boy was All Your Perfects the sweet redemption! . All Your Perfects completely wrecked me. I cried so much, my flu came back 😅 The puffy eyes and lack of sleep were all worth it. All Your Perfects was different from other CoHo books. I might be a little biased here. I think I love All Your Perfects more than Maybe Someday and It Ends With Us, and that is saying alot. This book tackled a topic I couldn’t fully relate to, but the way it was presented was amazing it pierced through my heart. I guess that’s the gauge of a good book, how it can transcend from the pages through the reader’s emotions, regardless if the reader could relate to it or not. . ✔️Imperfect Marriage ✔️You have the CoHo’s signature weird/extraordinary first meet-up ✔️It will make you cry, like literally river of tears ✔️Fast read 5/5⭐️ . Should you ever need someone to talk to after you’ve read it. My DMs are open. Hahah I know the feeling, because after I’ve read it I immediately needed someone to pour and share my feelings with. Thank you @jayne.vs.books and @booksandacupofcoffee for being my support through that inevitable book hangover! 💜 ••• #AllYourPerfects #ColleenHoover #CoHorts #QuinnandGraham #Atriabooks

A post shared by Eunice 🇵🇭 (@nerdytalksbookblog) on Aug 11, 2018 at 4:34am PDT

From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata | Book Review

Review:

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.

After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.

Date Published: February 1, 2018

Date Read: July 2018

 

Okay let me just say this first, before everything I’ve been meaning to say slip out of my head. WHY DO THEY BLINK SO MUCH! THEY BLINK SO MUCH AS IF THEY WOULD HAVE A SEIZURE OR SOMETHING IS AWFULLY WRONG WITH THEIR HEAD. There I said it. Never have I read a book that the characters’ blinking is given too much emphasis. NEWS FLASH, people blink, it is no rocket science, you need not be gifted to be able to blink. WHY IN THE WORLD DOES THIS BOOK HAVE TO MENTION THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE BLINKING? DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING IN THEIR EYE? IS THEIR A ROCK IN THERE OR SOMETHING?

Okay. In case you were wondering, yeah, I was shouting.

Now let’s get down to what we are all here for. From Lukov with Love is maybe the first and only book I have read about figure skaters. What attracted me to read it is the glamorous review it has been getting. Who could blame me? It was constantly recommended to me by people whose judgments I really trust. But then again, and I always forget this, we all have different tastes in books and there isn’t any guarantee that what the majority likes, you’ll like too, or even what the majority hates, you’ll hate too. Such is the case with this book. I went ahead reading this book with a very high expectation, an expectation, unfortunately that wasn’t met.

The book is about Jasmine Santos, she’s a half filipino, so yayyy! She’s a figure skater whose career is hanging by a thread. And then we have Ivan Lukov, the golden boy, he has won a lot of championships in figure skating. They were both partnered up to compete together. Sounds like a solid premise, if you ask me. This book revolves around Jasmine’s self-discovery and coming to terms with the hands she was dealt. It was more of a book about loving one’s self despite the flaws, letting people love you despite of it, put some family drama and solid friendship and tadaaa that’s basically the whole gist of the book. And the romance? Well, don’t let it mislead you, it wasn’t really a romance book, partly yes, but it was only at least 70% of the book that Ivan and Jasmine’s romance were emphasized. Is there something completely wrong with that? Well none really, I just wished I wasn’t led to expect a passionate love affair to bloom between the two, when in fact I am not getting any of it. It was a slow burn kind of romance, so slow you’ll get tired waiting for it.

Jasmine Santos’ character is the epitome of the word stubborn. Her character is way too immature for her age. I tried really hard to wrap my brain around everything she did, from those immature banters with her siblings, and with Ivan, down to the repetitive whining, angst and self-pity, boy, one can only read so much of it until she rip her hair off. Then we have Ivan Lukov, the way he indulges in these banters with Jasmine sometimes put me off. It was off-putting, it is borderline problematic. But I pushed past it and tried to read through all the bickering, and tried to appreciate the book for what it was.

Also can I just say how every small details were given too much emphasis and the ones that should be given emphasis  fell extremely short? The movements of the characters, i.e., blinking, cocking his head to the other side, and all these menial acts were so magnified that it truly affected the way I read the book. I tried to move past it, but how can I, when every other page it was mentioned? I was annoyed when I should really be appreciating the story. To be honest it completely ruined everything for me. I was looking for emphasis on the actual figure skating of Jasmine and Ivan, I want it to be so vivid as if I am watching some Olympics competition in my head but I was disappointed. It was just mentioned in passing, and I was like, that is what I am here for and I didn’t get it. It was a let down. Maybe it was so wrong of me to think of VirtueMoir, maybe that added up to the already high expectation. But damn, I was imagining a Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir level of intensity and passion in my head and I got nothing.

Also it felt like the book was preparing you for the biggest surprise, it keeps on building up one scene after another and you are sure something is going to happen but when it did happen you’re just like “????”, I wish there was the word for it hahah but I came out empty. There are moments that are anticlimactic, so much so that it affected the whole reading experience for me.

I hoped for more, maybe that’s what went wrong. I craved for something that would satisfy my thirst for romance books, but this only filled a quarter of the glass. I appreciate Jasmine’s relationship with her family, and Karina also Ivan’s love for dogs, but the story itself was a let down, that ending was cute though, I would have to give it that. It was a good plot, yes, it was the execution that didn’t sit well with me.

 

“You are who you are in life, and you either live that time trying to bend yourself to make other people happy, or… you don’t.”
― Mariana Zapata, From Lukov with Love

 

View this post on Instagram

Just finished FROM LUKOV WITH LOVE by MARIANA ZAPATA. . ••• Let me first share the synopsis: ❄️ If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one. After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close. But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything. Including Ivan Lukov. ••• Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5/5 Slow burn romance: ✅ Haters to lovers trope: ✅ Flawed protagonist: ✅ Sports romance: ✅ . So I just finished From Lukov with Love this afternoon. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. I admit I went ahead reading the book with a very high expectation, but sadly it wasn’t what I had expected. This is always a lesson I keep on forgetting, never ever expect too much. Applicable in life too! Hehe. Going back, this book had its flaws but also had its redeeming qualities as well. I had the biggest issue with the “BLINKING” yeah, you read that right. I swear every other page “the blinking” would be mentioned, do they have something in their eyes? Are they okay tho?? And I keep on rolling my eyes at that. The tiniest movements of the characters here are overemphasized, it is borderline unnecessary. And the parts where the emphasis should be placed came out short. It could have been a solid 4 stars were it not for the BLINKING. You’ll get me should you decide to read it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. Full review to come! . ••• #FromLukovwithLove #MarianaZapata #figureskating #romancebooks

A post shared by Eunice 🇵🇭 (@nerdytalksbookblog) on Jun 30, 2018 at 8:57am PDT

Blog Tour: PROVOCATIVE by Lisa Renee Jones

I may be a little late in the blog tour but I am making up for it (some unfortunate event happened to me thus I wasn’t able to post about the tour, but better late than never right?). Check out the newest book from Lisa Renee Jones – PROVOCATIVE. I will leave the synopsis down below.

Provocative (White Lies Book One) by Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date:  April 18th
Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

Book one in the sexy and intense new White Lies duet by Lisa Renee Jones!

 

There are those moments in life that are provocative in their very existences, that embed in our minds forever, and sometimes our very souls. They change us, mold us, maybe even save save us. But some are darker, dangerous. If we allow them to, they control us. Seduce us. Quite possibly even destroy us.

 

The moment I walked into Sonoma’s Reid Winter Winery and Vineyard and made eye contact with Faith Winter for the first time was one of those moments. Provocative because I know at least one of her secrets, of which, I suspect she has many. Provocative because she believes I was a stranger to her when we met, but I am not. Provocative because I sought her out, with no intention of touching her. But now I have. Now I want her. Now I have to have her. But that changes nothing. It doesn’t change why I came for her.

 

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Hi everyone!

I’m so excited that PROVOCATIVE is available now! Just a few notes: if you order PROVOCATIVE this week only you will get $1 off and it will only be $2.99 – I will be increasing this price at the end of the week! You’ll also receive the FREE novella Rebecca’s Forgotten Journals (these are NEW journal entries) in the back of your copy!

 

PS – if you missed your chance to receive any of my bonus scenes from Amy & Liam, Chris & Sara, or Ella & Kayden, this is your last chance to get them! Register your order of PROVOCATIVE here – http://bit.ly/2pkQ49b and you’ll receive them early next week!

 

Check out the Trailer: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeTrailer

 

READ CHAPTER ONE ➜ http://lisareneejones.com/duet

 

Read PROVOCATIVE Today!

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/2oQf8nK

Amazon UK: : https://goo.gl/30ESH1

B&N: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeBN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeiBooks

Kobo: http://bit.ly/ProvocativeKobo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34602810-provocative

 

Book two: SHAMELESS will be out on July 11th!

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/ShamelessAmazon

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/ShamelessAmazonUK

B&N: http://bit.ly/Shameless_BN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/ShamelessiBooks

Kobo: http://bit.ly/Shameless_Kobo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34602828-shameless

 

GIVEAWAY

Prize: $100 Amazon gift card

 

Here’s the link for the Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e837c2b0296/

 

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy – a modern girl we all can identify with.

 

In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, Lisa has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin’s Press.

 

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

 

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

 

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaReneeJones/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kWFra1

Twitter: @LisaReneeJones

Stay in touch with Lisa by joining her mailing list:

http://lisareneejones.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Website: http://lisareneejones.com

 

 

The Animal Under The Fur by E.J. Mellow ARC Review

Synopsis from Goodreads: From award-winning author E. J. Mellow comes an action romance dripping with vengeful delight.

Orphaned on the streets as a baby, Nashville Brown, a.k.a Kill Operative 3, knows better than to rely on anyone. With heightened senses and superhuman strength to survive, she’s been raised as the perfect assassin.

The trick to her success? Keeping everyone, even her best friend, at arm’s length.

Losing his entire family in the span of a year, Carter Smith left his ability to love buried deep in their graves. His only concerns now are completing his missions and effortlessly charming the next temptress to warm his bed.

The key to his accomplishments? Working alone mixed with a Casanova smile.

But when a deadly weapon needs to be stopped from falling into the wrong hands, the lone wolves find themselves thrown into an explosive partnership. Can Carter and 3 lower their guns aimed at one another long enough to succeed, or will their unwillingness to compromise end up destroying more than their perfect records? Whatever their differences, both agree on one thing—in the game of lies and deceit, the line between friend and foe is often blurred by blood splatter.

The Animal Under The Fur is a hate-to-loath-to-love standalone novel filled with savagery, secrets, and enough angst to wrinkle the pages you’ll find gripped in your hands.

Publisher: Four Eyed Owl

Date of Publication: March 31, 2017

Date Read: March 27, 2017

Source: ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

About The Author:

E.J. Mellow is the award-winning author of the contemporary fantasy trilogy The Dreamland Series and The Animal Under The Fur. With a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, E.J. Mellow splits her time between her two loves – visual design and writing. Residing in NYC, E.J. is a member of Romance Writers of America and their Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter. She has no animals but loves those who do.

Author links:

Website: www.ejmellow.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13651527.E_J_Mellow
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ejmellow
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ej_mellow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ejmellow

Animal Under The Fur /anəməl/ /ˈəndər/ /T͟Hə/ /fər/ noun 1. bad-ass, kick-ass 2. your next favorite book 3. a book that you shove someone else’s face for them to read, explanation is optional Solid 5/5 stars for The Animal Under The Fur. This book screams amazing at every turn of the page, I’m not even exaggerating. It was well though-out and well-plotted. This is the kind of female protagonist I’ve been waiting my whole life. This is the kind of story that I would read over and over. This is the kind of book that will have you raising your hand in prayer, thanking the book gods for its existence. The word bad-ass doesn’t even begin to cover it, it’s bad-ass multiplied to million! Trust me on this, it is not often you come across something this engaging and entertaining, so do yourself a favor and get your copy and read right away. Don’t second guess it, you can thank me later. The Animal Under The Fur is all I wanted in a book. Unconventional Romance? Check Love-Hate relationship? Oh boy, yes! Funny and Witty banters? This one is brimming with it! Bad-Ass Female Protagonist? Hell yes! Think how bad-ass Jennifer Garner is in Alias, or Angelina Jolie in Salt, or Scarlet Johansson as Black Widow – that’s Nashville Brown for you guys! All that and so much more. Have I convinced you yet? Hard-To-Resist Male protagonist? Oh good heavens, you’ll love Carter Smith! I’m talking about a new book boyfriend to swoon over and over. He’ll plague your mind every chance he gets. The Animal Under The Fur is an action-packed novel, full of wit and amazing twist and turns. It was an intoxicating reading experience if you ask me. The constant change in setting added to the flavor of the book. And did I say it was hard to put down? I read it every chance I get, that’s how gripping it was, that’s how I have become attached to it like my own limb. I was so engrossed reading I almost missed my train stop, twice. This was the first EJ Mellow book I have read and I am so happy I’ve signed up for the book tour – best decision I’ve made! I didn’t read the blurb, to be completely honest it was the cover that made me decide to join the book tour, yes without even knowing what it was about. I’d like to surprise myself like that. Also, there wouldn’t be any preconceived notion or high expectations. It works for me, and I’ve been doing that for quite some time now. Call it love at first sight. The first time I laid my eyes on this cover, I just knew I have to read it as soon as it comes out. And boy, I am not disappointed. The Animal Under The Fur is begging to be made into a movie. The extensive research made by the author is highly commendable. Also A+ genes, the closest thing to a super hero, what’s cooler than that? I also loved how the author painted her characters. We have 3 or Nashville Brown, who was such a kick-ass! God I love her. I loved how the author made a strong heroine out of Nashville’s character. How she ain’t the usual whiny, insecure, female protagonist we often read in books. This is the kind of character women should be reading these days. And of course, we have Carter Smith, this tall guy with moss green eyes. Can he be any more dreamy? I loved that his character, though not at par with that of Nashville, is also something so enjoyable to read. I loved his sass and quick comebacks. Carter and Nash is definitely the perfect pair! You know how much I love love-hate relationships and banters with palpable sexual tension, goodness, I live for those things! This book is definitely high on that list. In every romance book, I always look forward to the first meeting of the main characters, if it’s meet-cute or just some forgettable, cliche kind. The Animal Under The Fur took the cake on this one, it was definitely not the meet-cute kind, but something more fitting to their characters, and I wouldn’t elaborate on this one, I want you to find it out for yourself! The other characters were very interesting as well, especially Akoni and his cool shirts! I loved Ceci too, kind of reminded me of my best friend as well! I’d love to read more of this “cross-pollination” of K-Ops. Can it be possible to make another story with K-Ops? Hahah I would definitely be the first one in line to read it. The Animal Under The Fur is a feisty, enjoyable, kick-ass read! You won’t regret picking it up. If you’re someone trying to break free from the norm of Romance books with an insecure girl and all that so 2012 stuff, then you have to get this book. This book offers something fresh and delicious on the table, something you will not definitely pass up. This book is now on my Top Books of 2017 list – it’s that good. Just a reminder though, be wary of your surroundings while reading this book, you might accidentally step on someone’s foot, or bump into another person, or have elevator doors close on your very face, or miss a step and make a total fool of yourself in the process. The above-mentioned may or may not have happened to me while reading it, depends on who’s asking. I won’t bore you with too much blabbering now, go ahead and get this book, we can fangirl later!

“I’ve killed more people more years than I’ve been alive. And I’m twenty-six.”

― E.J. Mellow, The Animal Under the Fur

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for letting me in on this book tour! Had a blast!

You can get your copy here:

Purchase:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/TAUTFAmazonUS
iBooks: https://itun.es/us/-kMFib.l
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2nYL0q1
Nook: http://bit.ly/2nbOAJX

With This Heart by R.S. Grey

Synopsis: If someone had told me a year ago that I was about to fall in love, go on an epic road trip, ride a Triceratops, sing on a bar, and lose my virginity, I would have assumed they were on drugs.

Well, that is, until I met Beckham.

Beck was mostly to blame for my recklessness. Gorgeous, clever, undeniably charming Beck barreled into my life as if it were his mission to make sure I never took living for granted. He showed me that there were no boundaries, rules were for the spineless, and a kiss was supposed to happen when I least expected.

Beck was the plot twist that took me by surprise. Two months before I met him, death was knocking at my door. I’d all but given up my last scrap of hope when suddenly, I was given a second chance at life. This time around, I wasn’t going to let it slip through my fingers.

We set out on a road trip with nothing to lose and no guarantees of tomorrow.

Our road trip was about young, reckless love.

The kind of love that burns bright.

The kind of love that no road-map could bring me back from.

**Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.**

Date Published: April 6, 2014

Publisher: Createscape

No. of Pages: 318 pages

Date Read: June 2014.

REVIEW

Simply Amazing.

Unlit Star by Lindy Zart

Synopsis: We are not guaranteed anything, not even this life.

Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different.

He falls far and he falls hard.

Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life’s ironies. Alone, in the dark, like dusk as it falls on the world. When Rivers hits the ground, she is the night that catches him. In the darkness, they meld into something beautiful that shines like the sun.

Only, the greater the star is, the shorter its lifespan.

Date Published: August 20, 2014

Date Read: November 5, 2014

REVIEW

I loved it. Desperately. Undeniably. Wholly. Without regret.

I am still currently wiping tears off my face. It was achingly beautiful as it was ultimately satisfying. It was as true as it could get. There are just too much wisdom contained in this book that I could not help myself but stop and ponder, all of it were true. Delilah and Rivers’ story just opened up too much realizations, realizations I couldn’t help but agree. I loved that each chapter wasn’t really revealing everything all at once there was still the sense of surprise, of constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop and when it finally did, it was played out beautifully, exceptionally tear-inducing even. I think I have found another favorite, also the author writes amazingly, it was spot on. It just tugged every heart strings. It wasn’t solely about love, but more than anything it tackles, loss, pain, family and the awful realities of life but more importantly how one must live life the way he pleases it, without regrets. No more second-guessing, just basking into the abyss of the unknown.

I loved how the characters evolved, especially Rivers Young. How he turned out into someone worthy and Delilah Bana who was stubborn for all the right reasons, I loved her character, the way she reacts towards things and her principles in life. How she didn’t give up despite of the shitty hand she was dealt with. I loved how Rivers and Delilah meld into something stellar, into something so true, it hurts.

Maybe all I am saying is that, you should just read it and see it for yourself and feel the rawness of all the emotions. Now I am pretty sure I cannot fully move on from this. Ah it is just so beautiful it hurts, but I already said that and whatever, just let me sulk about it some more.

Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤  ❤ /5 stars

“I could choose to be sad, or I could choose to be happy. Life – it’s one choice after another. And how our lives are, that’s our choice as well.”

Where Love Finds You by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis: Kick off The Unspoken Series with Where Love Finds You
A beautiful story of contentment, serendipity, and hopefulness…

BOOK 1 OF THE UNSPOKEN SERIES
Ella and Matthew have many differences, but they share a common goal: to find the one person they are meant to spend their lives with.

Years ago, Ella Rhodes looked across a crowded cafe and saw the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She left her number, but he never called. Wondering if he somehow missed the note on the back of the receipt, she spent her twenties waiting for this man to walk into her life again. After all this time, will Ella finally discover “the one” she’s been waiting for? Or, after being sent on various blind dates, will she give her heart to someone else?

Meanwhile, Matthew Ryan breaks up with his long-time girlfriend. Searching his heart he wonders if there is really a “one” for every person, or if there is simply a good, better, and best. Where does Lydia, the girl who would do anything for him, fit into the story of his life? Confused, Matthew sets out to explore his options and find the love he’s been looking for his entire life. Will he find love before it’s too late or will he lose everything?

After reading Where Love Finds You, follow the stories of these character’s from Gavin’s perspective in Down from the Clouds, The Life I Now Live, and more to come….

Date Published: May 19, 2013

Publisher: WInslet Press

Date Read: June 2013

Series: Book 1 of the Unspoken Series

REVIEW

It is not so often that I come across a book and really agree with all that is contained therein and it is also not so often that I would stop reading and ponder on the truthfulness of mixed up words turned into a captivating book, today I fortunately and happily did. This book just hits all the right spots, tugged all the heartstrings. It was a perfect book for love and life. It is as if love, life, fate and everything that comes with it are summed up by this book.

Once I started reading this, I wasted no time finishing it. I was hooked from the very first page until the last phrase. This book tells a story not quite like the other. And oh the twist! Never saw that one coming, I was so ready to accept how the book turned out, thought to myself I could never get the ending I wanted, I guess that’s how the author wanted to portray the book, something realistic. But I couldn’t be any happier with how the book ended, just perfect, not the way I imagined it to be but way more beautiful. I really commend the author’s way of writing, brilliant and flawless

Rating: 5/5 stars

“Sometimes when you take chances you lose chances. And sometimes when you lose chances, you gain something else. Don’t live for chances. Sometimes it’s better to lose chance and gain purpose. Live for today. You’ll find so much more joy.”

The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher

Synopsis: Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.

Date Published: November 14, 2011, 278 pages

Series: Love Me With Lies

Date Read: April 2013

REVIEW:

        “You can only give your heart away once, after that, everything else will chase your first love.”

Heart-wrenching to the core. I cried buckets over this book, the feeling was highly proportional to the feeling of break-up. I literally needed a new heart because my current heart seemed to stop functioning because of all the unwanted emotions that I have been having. This book my friends will shred your heart into unrecognizable state, then pulverizeit after and let it be blown with the wind knowing for sure it will never be the same again.
Crying-spree. I was crying my hearts out until 3am in the morning and woke up with puffy eyes. This book is just so packed with all the story that will get you hooked up to the very end. Though it is not as long as other novels, but all the important details are there perfectly written. I highly commend Tarryn Fisher’s writing skills, it was brilliant. This will definitely not be the last book that I will read of her. But I cannot jump immediately to the second book Dirty Red because I am still too emotional over The Opportunist.

Why does a great love have to be so complicated? What I liked most about this book is the fact that it depicts a figment of reality. It says that not everything is meant to happen, not everything will end up the way we planned it in our heads. But fate has its funny way, even ridiculous way of showing what might have been, and that’s how this book got me. That no matter how you resist things you thought you are better off, it will come back like a boomerang. This book tugged every heart strings, including those that I didn’t even know existed. I am so glad I have read this book, it taught me so much about life and love.

My Rating: 5/5 stars

“I think that after the first time you give your heart away, you never get it back. The rest of your life is just you pretending that you still have a heart.”