Welcome to the blog tour for Diamonds are Forever by Michelle Madow! This novel is the exciting conclusion to the trilogy, and it is does not disappoint. Check out my review, and enter the giveaway!
Diamonds are Forever by Michelle Madow
Book Three of The Secret Diamond Sisters series
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
It's cold outside, but the drama is hot!
The Diamond sisters jet to the mountains for spring break, and Savannah's flirt-mance with an international pop star heats up as her pursuit of stardom succeeds. But is this romance meant to be, or has the right guy been in front of her all along? Meanwhile, Courtney takes the next step with her secret boyfriend—and future stepbrother—and as their parents' wedding approaches, the pressure's on to reveal their relationship.
Peyton's figuring out a plan for her future, but she still feels guilty about getting her former bodyguard fired and wonders if she can get over him in the arms of someone else. But the biggest bombshell will change everything once again, because Madison's ready to tell the huge secret she's uncovered. And with the boy who betrayed her but who could be the love of her life fighting for his own life, she might need the Diamond sisters more than ever.
What I Liked:
What a fantastic conclusion to this series! You all know I'm not a huge fan of YA contemporary, but I took a chance with this series, and ended up really enjoying all three books. These books were so drama-filled, which is definitely something I usually don't like, but somehow, Madow made all the drama and shenanigans worth reading. I rarely accept reviews for blog tours, but I had a good feeling that I would enjoy this book - and I did!
Peyton, Courtney, and Savannah are still getting used to life as a Diamond, living with their father in the rich Diamond life. Courtney and Brett are still secretly together behind their parents' back (Courtney's father is marrying Brett's mother, remember?). Peyton (the oldest) doesn't want to go to college after graduating from Goodman, but the time to decide what to do after high school is coming up for her. Meanwhile, Savannah's singing career has taken off since her YouTube start, and she gets an agent, collaborations with another YouTube star... and a possible thing with Perry Myles, dreamy singer of One Connection. Life couldn't be better, right? But Madison Lockheart is finally ready to tell the Diamond sisters her secret - a secret that could ruin everything, just a short time away from Adrian and Rebecca's wedding.
There is so much drama in this book, this series, which I'm marking as a "like". Usually I HATE all the drama, and I avoid books about poor-to-rich, no-one-to-celebrity types of books (I find them frivolous). This series is all of those things, but so enjoyable. The rich life of a Diamond does not skimp on the drama.
Savannah is my least favorite of the sisters. She's the youngest, the most innocent, but she's also the most selfish, in my opinion. She's the deceptive type of selfish, in which she thinks she's really sweet and nice, but she's actually selfish. Sorry, chica. She wasn't my favorite, but I think her plot dominated. It was interesting, seeing her navigate the minefield that is fame. She made a mess of things with two boys in the previous books - what will happy with the famous Perry Myles?
Courtney is my favorite, probably because she reminds me so much of myself. SHE is sweet, a nurturer, and definitely the most mature of the three of them (despite Peyton being the oldest). She gets Peyton to apply to college, and she's constantly worried about her grades, as well as her secret relationship with Brett. The two of them are such a great couple, and I loved seeing them grow together.
Peyton is one of my favorite characters. During this book, she seems like a changed character. Jackson is no longer in her life, and he has taken a new job elsewhere. Peyton hasn't been partying and hooking up with guys since he left. She's set on not going to college after graduating but... she starts to consider other options. Yet she's still the tenacious, spunky, brash girl that we know and love. I love her attitude - someone has to be able to tell people how it is!
Madison - eh, I don't care for her. But she is a HUGE part of this book (justifiably so), and I felt a little less hostile towards her in this book. She got a better ending than she deserved, though I'm glad she ended up with who she ended up with. I'm glad she suffered and felt a ton of guilt over what she did in the first two books - what a b****.
Despite me not liking those two girls, do you see how unique each girl is, how different their stories are? I LOVE how well Madow characterizes each character, even the secondary characters. The four male love interests definitely started to blend together, but they had their differences and quirks. I love how the girls paired off with their respective guys, though Brett and Courtney have been and are my favorite couple.
This book ends very happily, very satisfyingly. Everyone gets a good ending, and everyone "gets the guy" (or "gets the girl", however you want to look at it). So while there might be a ton of drama in this book, there this book has a lovely HEA.
What I Did Not Like:
Like I said above, I didn't like Savannah, or Madison (but I never liked Madison). Of course, no one has to like anyone, but those two were not my favorite people. If I knew them in real life, I would hate them, and I wouldn't give them so many second and third chances (ahem, Madison). The big secret with Madison actually made me mad, and I didn't like how nicely everyone welcomed the secret. I'd still hate her!
Anyway, this book was fine, despite these things, believe it or not!
Would I Recommend It:
For fans of YA contemporary, sure, I'd recommend the series! Not for people who hate the catty, petty, drama-type contemporary though. It was not as bad as Gossip Girl or 90210, I can safely say that. There are so many great, positive female friendships and relationships in this novel, but there are also plenty of negative ones. This is a fantastic series, but definitely not for anyone and everyone.
Rating:
3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm looking forward to reading Madow's next book! So happy to have had the chance to read these three.
Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!
Check out the previous two books:
(Click on the covers for more information.)
About the Author:
Michelle Madow wrote her first novel, Remembrance, in her junior year of college. Remembrance is the first book in The Transcend Time Saga, a three part series about reincarnation and true love that Michelle successfully self-published. The series was inspired by Taylor Swift's "Love Story" music video. Michelle's latest YA series, The Secret Diamond Sisters, about three sisters who discover they are the secret heirs to a Las Vegas billionaire casino owner, was published in March 2014 by Harlequin Teen. The second book in the series, Diamonds in the Rough, released in November 2014, and the third book, Diamonds are Forever, will be coming out in November 2015. Michelle is active on social media networks and has toured across America to promote her books and encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing.
Michelle lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she is writing more novels for young adults. She loves reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, shopping, Disney fairy tales, Broadway musicals, and loves talking with fans on Facebook (/MichelleMadow), Twitter (@MichelleMadow), and Instagram (@MichelleMadow).
The Giveaway:
Michelle is offering up a fabulous prize during her Diamonds are Forever Virtual Tour event. One (1) lucky winner will receive a signed paperback set of The Secret Diamond Sisters, along with a swag pack that includes lipgloss, bookmark, sister postcards, pin! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below.
