Blog Tour Promo and Giveaway: Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Welcome to the Don't Touch tour! While I regret not having enough time to review this book, I am happy to support this author and publisher! Read on for more details, and a giveaway!

Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Official Summary:

A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.

Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Touch another person’s skin, and Dad’s gone for good.

Caddie can’t stop thinking that if she keeps from touching another person’s skin, her parents might get back together... which is why she wears full-length gloves to school and covers every inch of her skin.

It seems harmless at first, but Caddie’s obsession soon threatens her ambitions as an actress. She desperately wants to play Ophelia in her school’s production of Hamlet. But that would mean touching Peter, who’s auditioning for the title role—and kissing him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson, this debut novel from Rachel M. Wilson is a moving story of a talented girl who's fighting an increasingly severe anxiety disorder, and the friends and family who stand by her.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Rachel M. Wilson is the author of the contemporary YA, DON'T TOUCH, forthcoming from HarperTeen, Sep. 2, 2014. 

She graduated from Northwestern University and holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Rachel grew up in Birmingham, AL, and she currently writes, acts, and teaches in Chicago, IL.

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The Giveaway:

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#LetItGo Day

Have you all heard of Let It Go day? How about Ann Aguirre's I Want It That Way? You will in a minute...

Read my review of I Want It That Way!

Read my review of As Long As You Love Me!

Check out the book:

I Want It That Way by Ann Aguirre

Book One of the 2B series

Publisher: Harlequin HQN

Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she's determined to make them come true—for her parents' sake as well as her own. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. 

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. 

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Read the first chapter!

Check out book two, As Long As You Love Me!

(Click on the picture to go to Goodreads.)

About the Author:

Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Newsletter

How about a little inside scoop of Let It Go day...

‪"#‎LetITGo‬ day all stemmed from Ann Aguirre's title, I WANT IT THAT WAY. One of the characters finds freedom when he lets something go that he had been holding on to. In the book, you see him physically do something to represent the act of letting it go and then finding peace. While reading, the wheels started turning! We all need to have a day to let things go. We've all had those moments when things play over and over in our head, when we hear the whispers of being told we're not good enough, when we find ourselves paralyzed by something. Some of us are affected by this in ways we think others could not possibly understand. So...#LetItGo day was formed. In the midst of ugly and dark things happening all around, we want to focus on freedom and finding peace. And September 3rd, 2014 is that day."

What am I letting go of today?

Ideally it would be my gilipollas boy that I care about entirely too much (whereas I doubt he cares about me at all), but letting go of your feelings for someone else isn't instantaneous or immediate. I want to let go of him, but I can't. 

Instead, I'm letting go of the notion that I'm not good enough. F*** that, if someone thinks I'm not good enough to date them. Because what is "good enough"? Who made up the rules on what is "good enough", "pretty enough", "popular enough", etc.? Let. That. S***. Go. 

What are you letting go of today? Use the hashtag #LetItGo on Twitter!

Waiting on Wednesday (#88): Dearest by Alethea Kontis

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Dearest by Alethea Kontis

Book Three of the Woodcutters Sisters series

Publication Date: February 3, 2015

Summary (from Goodreads):

Readers met the Woodcutter sisters (named after the days of the week) in Enchanted and Hero. In this delightful third book, Alethea Kontis weaves together some fine-feathered fairy tales to focus on Friday Woodcutter, the kind and loving seamstress. When Friday stumbles upon seven sleeping brothers in her sister Sunday’s palace, she takes one look at Tristan and knows he’s her future. But the brothers are cursed to be swans by day. Can Friday’s unique magic somehow break the spell?

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble


I haven't read Hero yet, but I LOVED Enchanted!

Book Promo and Giveaway: In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Welcome to the book promo and HUGE giveaway for In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken!!

I'm thrilled to be a part of this exciting awesome promotion for this series. Check it out!

Read my review of The Darkest Minds!

Read my review of Never Fade!

Check out In the Afterlight:

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Book Three of The Darkest Minds series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Official Summary: 

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. Only Ruby can keep their highly dangerous prisoner in check. But with Clancy Gray, there's no guarantee you're fully in control, and everything comes with a price. 

When the Children's League disbands, Ruby rises up as a leader and forms an unlikely allegiance with Liam's brother, Cole, who has a volatile secret of his own. There are still thousands of other Psi kids suffering in government "rehabilitation camps" all over the country. Freeing them--revealing the governments unspeakable abuses in the process--is the mission Ruby has claimed since her own escape from Thurmond, the worst camp in the country.

But not everyone is supportive of the plan Ruby and Cole craft to free the camps. As tensions rise, competing ideals threaten the mission to uncover the cause of IANN, the disease that killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others with powers the government will kill to keep contained. With the fate of a generation in their hands, there is no room for error. One wrong move could be the spark that sets the world on fire.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Check out the novella, Sparks Rise:

Sparks Rise by Alexandra Bracken

Book 2.5 of The Darkest Minds series

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Official Summary:

Sam didn't think things could get worse at Thurmand rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam's dark childhood. 

Lucas has a deadly secret--he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk his everything to save her.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Check out the other books in the series:

   

(Click on each picture for the Goodreads information.)

About the Author:

Alexandra Bracken was born and raised in Arizona, but moved east to study at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.  She recently relocated to New York City, where she worked in publishing and lives in a charming apartment overflowing with books. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

Explore the five psi-groups!

The Giveaway:

Read on into the afterlight! Enter for your chance to win a book light for bedtime reading plus The Darkest Minds series & tote bag.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Disney-Hyperion.

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

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Review: Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

NOTE: This review was already posted on The (YA) Bookcase's blog. I'm reposting it here for link technicalities and because I'm lazy. Enjoy!

Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

Book One of the Dark Caravan Cycle

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher/The YA Bookcase

Summary (from Goodreads):

Forced to obey her master.

Compelled to help her enemy.

Determined to free herself. 

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.

Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?

Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.

What I Liked:

Ahhhh, jinni-related books are totally awesome, in my opinion. There aren't too many in YA literature, but in general. I LOVE them. The Fire Wish by Amber Lough came out earlier this year and I LOVED it. I mentioned this book in that review, so it's only fair that I mention The Fire Wish in this review. I'm so glad that I enjoyed both books! Especially since I saw a particularly negative review for this book (very professional, but not positive at all), which turned me off a little. Still, I read this one and really liked it!

Nalia, the last Ghan Aisouri, is an enslaved jinn. Her master, the cruel but persuasive and wickedly handsome Malek, has asked for two wishes, and is holding on to his third wish. Meanwhile, Nalia's homeland is in the midst of the aftermath of a war and the continuation of a rebellion and power struggle. Nalia's kind, the Ghan Aisouri, have been destroyed (except her) - but they were the royalty. When a Djan, an enemy of the Ghan Aisouri, seeks out Nalia for help, Nalia can't refuse. But is the price of her freedom enslavement by another?

In the very beginning of this book, I was iffy. I already had low expectations because of that Goodreads review, though I was still excited about a jinni-related book. But I immediately didn't like Malek, or even Nalia, though I felt sooooo bad for her. When Raif showed up at the party, then I started to feel more for Nalia. Him being there... I felt like I understood Nalia more, perhaps because she had to reveal more to Raif. 

I don't like Malek, won't like Malek, and will never hope for redemption for him. He's messed up, and totally out of chances, in my opinion. He hurt Nalia many times (mostly mentally, but physically too, by stuffing her in the iron jinni bottle, and grabbing her too hard). He thinks he's being merciful or whatever by not forcing himself on her. I hate him and his role in this book, though he is a totally necessary, well-developed character. Basically, Demetrios did a very good job of making me hate him (which was her goal, I'm sure).

I loveeeee Raif. He sees things very black-and-white, until he has to tangle with Nalia (he needs someone as powerful as a Ghan Aisouri for something very specific to help with the rebellion). They're enemies, their races of the jinni (Djan are serf, Ghan Aisouri are royalty), but he's totally smitten, by the end of the book. Raif is hardcore, but so sweet. He doesn't trust Nalia, but he falls for her.

Nalia... I like her. My heart aches for her, and the decisions that she had to make. I get it, even if I hate it. She IS brave, braver than I could be, in that regard. I love that she gets someone to love and someone to love her back, by the end of this book. She deserves it.

I LOVE THE ROMANCE. Okay, I hate the insinuated love triangle. I hate that Nalia has to do certain things with and to Malek (it never goes that far, trust me), and she basically has to deceive him to make him think she loves him. BUT. The real romance? The true pair? Love it. Love them. Raif and Nalia are a great forbidden romance pair.

There is so much history to this book. A huge part of the world-building is the amount of history and customs and prejudices and things of the jinni world. Nalia's kind, the Ghan Aisouri, were slaughtered, and the Djan are leading a rebellion. By historic and modern means, Nalia and Raif hate each other. Or they should. They're on opposite sides. But their budding relationship is symbolism, I suppose.

This book is completely in third person (yay!), but it is not just Nalia's third-person limited perspective. We also get Raif's third-person limited perspective, and isolated chapters following someone else (see the next paragraph).

I love the rising action building towards the climax. There are chapters/scenes that break from Nalia's or Raif third-person perspectives - these chapters/scenes that are different are set in different countries, and follow this sinister ghoul who is preying on jinni females... looking for Nalia. This leads up to the climax - which is epic, by the way.

I really, really enjoyed this book! I'm really excited to see where the next book takes us. There are so many things to be solved/explored... the sigil, the dark caravan, Nalia and Raif's relationship... let's go, Blood Passage, I'm ready for you!

What I Did Not Like:

Obviously, I didn't like Malek and his relationship with Nalia and how Nalia had to convince him that she loved him. It was borderline sickening... but I suppose that goes to show how well Demetrios set up this part of the story. It will break your heart though, or piss you off. Just be warned.

Also, I think think this book could have been cut down some. It didn't need to be as long as it did - I hear some people saying that they're losing interest and might not finish. Well, personally, I think you SHOULD finish, but I understand what you're saying. It gets REALLY good in the second half though...

Would I Recommend It:

In my very honest opinion... YES! Of course! I love fantasy, I love jinni-related books, I love book with Arab influence, and I love a good forbidden romance. The romance in this book really is seductive and thrilling! Once you realize that there really is no love triangle.

I repeat, there really is no love triangle. Says the queen of I-hate-love-triangles-they-can-go-die.

Rating:

4 (well-deserved) stars! Book two should be even more epic than book one - less focused on Nalia gaining her freedom, and more focused on the war and the sigil and freeing the jinni. And of course, Raif and Nalia. OF COURSE. Because what will everyone think, when they see an empress and a serf together? These are dark and troublesome times...

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Book One of The Young Elites series

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Publisher: October 7, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

What I Liked:

Wooaahhh. Marie Lu should write fantasy. I mean, her dystopia series, the Legend trilogy, was excellent, but this FANTASY NOVEL. I am seriously impressed. Not that you shouldn't be impressed anyway, because it's Marie Lu, and the woman a is really talented writer to begin with. 

Adelina murdered someone, and she will be burned on the stake for this. She is one of the malfetto, a survivor of the blood fever, with some sort of marking and strange abilities. Her marking is the scar where her left eye should be - the doctor cut her eye out to save her from the fever. Her abilities - she never found out, until she killed someone. Rescued by the Dagger Society, led by Enzo Valeciano, Adelina must decide if she wants to support this rebellion group, or help the Inquisitor, who has her younger sister.

The synopsis is super creepy, and super spot on. "It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt." That line is PERFECT. It totally fits this book to the T. Adelina is used and hurt. Her own father treats her like less than nothing, because she is a malfetto, imperfect, scarred. He physically hurts her, like breaking her finger, but he also mentally and emotionally hurts her. When Adelina is rescued by Enzo and the Dagger Society (other malfetto with abilities), she does everything she can to learn as much as possible.

And the others in the Dagger Society know this. Raffaele, a beautiful male courtesan, has the ability to sense malfetto energy, and he knows that she is powerful. He urges Enzo (the Dagger leader) to kill Adelina, because he knows that her power is dark and bitter. Raffaele and Adelina become friends, but Raffaele is truly afraid of Adelina. Of course Enzo doesn't kill Adelina. But perhaps he should have...

This book has a seriously dark tone to it. Adelina has a lot of hatred and darkness in her past - as do all of the Young Elites (malfetto with abilities), but she also has raw power and ambition. Enzo wants her to fight with the Dagger Society because she would be a huge asset. If she can hone her abilities. She can create illusions.
I like Adelina. She is twisted and selfless and dark and complex - there is a light and dark side to her, which sounds cliche, but it isn't. The character development of Adelina is excellent. Enzo is already a static character, so I don't see too much character development in him, but I definitely liked him. He reminded me of Rowan in Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. Enzo has a hard, steely quality to him, with no room for arguments or contradictions. The supporting characters, like Raffaele and Violetta, the Spider, the Windwalker... I love the set of characters that Lu has created. She is a master at character construction and development. 

There is romance in this novel, to an extent. It's not dominant or overwhelming, and honestly, it's quite strange, but it's there. So, for those of you that can't read a YA novel without romance, relax, there's romance in this book. For those of you who like it when the romance isn't the central part of the plot (like me), that's basically how this romance goes.

Lu's world-building is awesomeeee. I felt like I was living in Dalia, experiencing what Adelina was seeing or thinking or doing, etc. Lu is really good at describing a situation without boring readers, or setting up the scene without providing an info-dump. I love the imagery, especially! The Italian influence is awesome. The names, setting, masks, GONDOLAS... love the Italian influence.

This book is written in several points-of-view. Adelina's is in first person. Teren's (I did not mention him on purpose), Raffaele's, and Enzo's are in third person. This is a neat way to switch up things. It keeps you on your toes, so you must follow which character's perspective it is.

To round it all off... the ending was INSANE. Upon finishing the novel, I mentioned on Goodreads that I knocked a star off for one specific aspect of the ending. Trust me, you'll know what I mean. I'm not happy with this one aspect, but I suppose it's an excellent hook so that readers will keep reading. The cliffhangers... they kill me! 

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said before, one specific aspect of the ending knocked this book down to four stars. It was well on its way to five stars until that ONE BIT. But it's an excellent hook. I loved this book and was already extremely excited to read the second book anyway, but even if I had hated this book... I would have wanted to know what happens next. I wonder how Lu will salvage this situation...

Would I Recommend It:

Yes! Totally! Fantasy fan or not, you'll want to catch this one. Marie Lu is an excellent writer, and her books totally live up to the hype. She has a penchant for horribly twisted endings though, so watch out. 

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I cannot wait to read book two! I want to see more from the romance (hehe), and more from the "big picture", the overarching series plot. Here's hoping it'll be even more epic than book one!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Review: As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre

As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre

Book Two of the 2B trilogy

Publisher: Harlequin HQN

Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this book contains mature subject matter, and is for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Most people dream about getting out of Sharon, Nebraska, but after three years away, Lauren Barrett is coming home. She has her reasons—missing her family, losing her college scholarship. But then there's the reason Lauren can't admit to anyone: Rob Conrad, her best friend's older brother. 

Football prowess and jaw-dropping good looks made Rob a star in high school. Out in the real world, his job and his relationships are going nowhere. He's the guy who women love and leave, not the one who makes them think of forever—until Lauren comes back to town, bringing old feelings and new dreams with her. 

Because the only thing more important than figuring out where you truly belong is finding the person you were meant to be with.

What I Liked:

It's possible that I liked this one more than I liked the first book. I really liked the first book! But this one - this one seemed more like "my style". Not quite, but closer than the first one. Rob is not what I expected, to be honest. I'm not sure what I expected, but certainly not this sweet, kind man.

This book starts when Lauren moves out of Mount Albion, which isn't at the end of book one. It's somewhere in the second half. Honestly, I forgot about this, so when Lauren was talking about Nadia breaking up with Ty in the very beginning of this book, I was like whaaaaa?!!? But then I realized that this occurred in the second half of book one. Makes sense.

Anyway. So. Lauren is back home. Her mom is dating some guy named Stuart (totally okay with Lauren), Rob is still dating Avery (hopeless feelings), and Lauren is struggling to find a job, so she can buy a car, pay for her online classes... Lauren meets Rob in the grocery store. They start hanging out, fixing a house that he bought to flip. Rob breaks up with Avery (you'll have to read to see why) - but Lauren would never announce her feelings to Rob. Unless Rob noticed her?

Like I said before, I wasn't sure what to expect from Rob. I didn't like that he was with Avery in book one - but I understand him now. Rob is such a sweetheart. He's four years older than Nadia and Lauren, and he's got confidence issues. No one thinks he's good enough, smart enough, but he's hot enough. He's good-looking enough for anything. They don't see his talent with making furniture and remodeling houses and construction projects. Rob is super hot, super physical, super sweet, and super honest. He's every girl's dream, without seeming cliche. 

I like Lauren. She has her quirks (crowds, drinking to cope, etc.), but she's highly organized, detailed-oriented, tech-savvy. She's a genius - but since she failed out of college (on purpose though) and came home, everyone thinks she's knocked up or stupid (or both). But she works hard to get a job, take classes, etc. Lauren is a good person, and she's been completely in love with Rob since they were teens. Good thing he's been in love with her for quite some time - not as long as she had been. but long enough.

One of the things that I like more about this book than the last book is how fast the romance/relationship gets started. Lauren and Rob already know each other, but sparks start to fly from when they meet in the grocery when Lauren first comes home. Something specific happens, and Rob breaks up with Avery. Then it's all Lauren and Rob. It's not insta-love by any means, but I like that the buildup for them to state their feelings and get together didn't take long. But then, the intimacy... that took a while. I approve though - it was fun to watch the two of them get sexually frustrated!

I love the romance. The relationship is built beautifully - you can see the trust and love crafted into the romance. It's not just physical with these two, it's not just about them being friends since they were young... all of that is great, but they also love each other, and I like how this is developed.

The conflict/climax is well-crafted as well! It's not drama-filled and angst-ridden and cliche. Okay, there is heartbreak and angst, but the time apart is very much needed and well-spent. Distance definitely made the hearts grow fonder, in this case. 

I like the diversity of situations in which Aguirre places her characters. It's not just college females who got abused or raped or hurt somehow. It's not just college males who beat people up in the past or drink a lot. There are twenty-somethings, for one, with little children. There are twenty-somethings with real jobs and real lives. There are twenty-somethings with controlling, ignorant, cold parents. There are twenty-somethings with a single parent who is dating. Not every college student's life (or New Adult's life) is cookie-cutter perfect with a side of brokenness or hurt or rape or whatever. I like that!

Basically, I enjoyed this book! I love that Aguirre can create imperfect characters without them being broken, beautiful romances without unnecessary drama, and really great New Adult contemporary romance novels without me vomiting in disgust! That's actually a high compliment. Heh.

What I Did Not Like:

I can't think of anything at the moment - but this one is getting a solid four stars!

Would I Recommend It:

Yes! I love Aguirre's books, but I'm really enjoying her New Adult books. Coming from the New Adult who hates New Adult books, this is a big deal. So. Read book one, at the very least! But I also really liked book two, possibly more than book one.

Rating:

4 stars. So far so good! I'm not Courtney's biggest fan (thinking of book three), and I'm not sure about how I feel about her ending up with Max... but I like Max a lot!

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