Review: Scratch by Rhonda Helms

Blurb from Goodreads

The most painful scars are the ones you never see.

In her DJ booth at a Cleveland dance club, Casey feels a sense of connection that’s the closest she ever gets to normal. On her college campus, she’s reserved, practical-all too aware of the disaster that can result when you trust the wrong person. But inexplicably, Daniel refuses to pay attention to the walls she’s put up. Like Casey, he’s a senior. In every other way, he’s her opposite.

Sexy, open, effortlessly charming, Daniel is willing to take chances and show his feelings. For some reason Casey can’t fathom, he’s intent on drawing her out of her bubble and back into a world that’s messy and unpredictable. He doesn’t know about the deep scars that pucker her stomach – or the deeper secret behind them. Since the violent night when everything changed, Casey has never let anyone get close enough to hurt her again. Now, she might be tempted to try.

Kindle Edition, 240 pages

Published September 30th 2014 by Kensington Books

edition language: English

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I feel bad to say this but for me everything felt wrong since the very first chapter I read this book. And it was hard to connect to the story and the characters. I think my main issue was the writing. It doesn’t flow smoothly and there’s something off in it. The story is told from Casey’s POV. She’s a reserved person, keeps everything to herself and guarded herself all the time. She tells her story mostly in short sentences, barely provide much description and explanation and in some part I felt like reading random things. For example, in chapter one, she mentions a guy without any explanation about who he is. She left me wondering for so long I thought the author forgot about him completely till I get to know him in chapter 17. And then in a couple paragraphs she tells about her study session with Daniel in her kitchen but then it changes completely into different activity in different setting without so much explanation in next paragraph. This happens a few more times.

In some NA books I’ve read, although the main characters said they have problems and suffer the panic attack, I often couldn’t see and feel it. But Casey’s different. I liked that I can feel her panic attack and her awkwardness every time she’s trying to make a friend. I also have no problem believing that she’s build her wall and hold back most of her personal things. Her incapability to tell Daniel what happened to her past kept me reading it. At the same time, she’s also frustrating me, though I understand why she acts and feels that why. She keeps hiding it and run away every time he asks her about it. Thus, I didn’t see her development character along the story. As for Daniel, I liked that the author didn’t portrait him as a bad boy, is so persistent and kind to Casey. I love bad boy kind of hero but sometime I just feel they are around too many in NA books. And the fact that he also makes mistakes regarding Casey issues makes him more real. However, just like Casey, it was hard for me to connect to him.

I think once in a while I should pick my reading blindly, close my eyes and just take whichever book my finger point at. I don’t need to see the cover and read the blurb because they can deceive me. And yes, they were my main reason requested this book on NetGalley. Just look at the cover! Who doesn’t love it? It’s pretty, right? Too bad, I didn’t quite enjoy the story as much as I liked the cover.

Result: 2 out of 5 stars

Review: A Broken Love Story #1, My Lea by E. Mellyberry

Blurb from Goodreads

A simple girl.

A broken guy.

One horrible incident.

When Lea Amelia landed her feet in San Francisco for her overseas study, her idea of freedom was simple, like eating junk food ten times a day, sitting in front of the TV in her PJs, or going out late with her friends without the need to check in with her mother constantly.

Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.

He was also the guy who hurt her.

Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.

Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.

His traumatic past refused to let him go.

When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.

ebook, 269 pages

Expected publication: November 11th 2014 (first published November 2014)

language edition: English

series: A Broken Love Story

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

To be honest, I have two different feeling toward this book. In some way I liked it but in another way I didn’t quite like it. 1) The writing. I liked the way it’s written, though it’s told from third person POV while I usually prefer first person POV in contemporary romance story. But in this case, I enjoyed it just like I enjoyed reading from first person POV. The third person POV takes turn telling the story both from Lea and Andrew’s perspective.

On the other hand, in some way the words choice that the author used are kind of odd, I think?

There was a tilt at one corner of his mouth, making it shaped like a sexy comma, like he was baiting her to carry on with this conversation. She kept her mouth shut, not trusting herself to not say something stupid which would then turn his comma-smile into a full-blown semicolon wink.

And there are lots of hyperbole sentences from Lea and Andrew when they describe something.

It took all of his effort to do that since his eyelids suddenly weighed tons and he needed cranes to lift them up. For a moment, he couldn’t tell where he was.

They mostly made me cringe and sometime I have to read a couple times to understand the metaphors that are used by the characters. It might be it’s-just-me-not-you case, though.

2) The pace. First part of the story is quite slow, though there are still interesting parts here and there that picked my curiosity. It left me questioning, guessing and can’t wait to know the answer. However it changes in second part. It’s so engaging made me glue to the story. It is better, so much better than first part I thought the author save her energy so that she can pour it all for second part. And let me tell you that second part brings so much emotion in me, mostly the ugly one. I don’t know whether I should mad at the author because she can make me hate Andrew so much while I usually love the hero of the books I read or I should applaud her because she can pull those emotions from me.

3) The characters. I have to admit that after I finish the book, I still undecided how I feel about Lea and Andrew. But while I read, I more intrigued with Andrew than Lea. From the beginning of the story, I can tell that he has something big he hides from the world and I was so curious to know more about it. I also liked his cockiness and his dry humor, not to mention that he’s also sarcastic.

But I didn’t like his mood swing. Just like Lea said, I thought he has multiple personalities as it’s so easy for him to change his mood. One minute he’s a happy-sweet-nice guy and then in another minute he can be a jerk. And my dislike for Andrew took to a new level in second part of the story. I was so mad, like I-want-to-throw-my-ereader-and-kill-him-right-away mad, at him. I know he didn’t mean what he did to Lea but he cannot hide it behind his reasons. There is no reason for what he did and I refuse to accept that!

While Lea is a 18 years old naive girl who seek freedom in another country. She’s sheltered for all of her life thus she’s so different from Andrew. I liked that every time she’s around him, she’s surprise him with her witty, shy but confidence personalities. It makes their banter is so interesting to read. And I really liked their first encounter. She can make Andrew speechless and shows how different she is from other girls Andrew used to know.

Just like Andrew, she changes in second part of the story. I was mad at her too, to be honest. Although I wasn’t angry at her as much as I mad at Andrew, I felt like I want to shake her shoulders and tell her to use her head, instead of her heart. I just couldn’t believe how easy she forgives Andrew. I understand her reasons, though. I really do and I admire her for that. She has bigger heart than I do, obviously 😀

All in all I think this is one helluva angst story and the author obviously can write characters I love to hate really well. I still think about it long after I read it. In fact I still mad and hate Andrew and disagree with Lea’s decision. But I also really liked that E. Mellyberry can “force” me to have those feeling, even when it’s the ugly one for the characters. I’ll definitely read the sequel.

ARC was provided by the author in exchange for honest review.

Result: 3.5 out of 5 stars

My Playlist

1. Lea’s song

2. Andrew’s  song

3. Lea and Andrew’s song

Review: Finding Fate #3, Right Kind of Wrong by Chelsea Fine

Blurb from Goodreads

Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . .

Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie.

Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

ebook, 336 pages

Published September 2nd 2014 by Forever

edition language: English

series: Finding Fate

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I think Jenna and Jack’s story is far more engaging than previous books in the series. I liked reading they banter throughout the story. They easy-going personalities are really enjoyable to read. And their families are just funny I want them to have their own story (Jenna’s cousins and Jack’s brothers). And Jack…I love him from the first time he comes into the story. In a way, I much prefer reading his POV than Jenna’s. I also think that the author did a good job in building the tension. At first I thought it’s all about road trip and independent, Jenna’s main issue. But then the more they do that road trip, the clearer that they have something else in their plate, especially Jack. He isn’t the Jack Jenna know about.

However, I feel the way Jack handles his old (or is it real?) life is too easy. I mean what happen to his brother is a dangerous thing and deals with dangerous people, but it can be solved just with one call from Jack that those people don’t even questioning him. Jack keeps saying that they are dangerous. Some kind of evil drug dealer but I think they are quite stupid for dangerous-secretive gangs.

As much as it’s engaging, the writing is too flowery for my taste.

This is Jack and he will not be conquered. Jack will not be owned. Jack will not be taken. He is the victor and king. With him, I am not the hurricane. He is the storm and I am the ravaged.
His force will destroy me; wrap me up in the fierce wind of his passion and the heavy water of his love. And that’s what it is: love. Undeniable and irrevocable love. And it is his stormy love that terrifies me most of all.
The storm will come, flatten me completely, and I will never be the same.

This kind of sentences made me cringe so many times.

I also quite annoyed with Jenna’s independent declaration. I do understand her feeling and why she needs to take control all the time. I support her independency and I love independent girl but there is a fine line between stubborn and naïve (if not stupid). She’s so stubborn with so many things while at the same time it can make her and people around her, particularly Jack, in danger and can slow him down, especially regarding of his past.

All in all, I actually love Chelsea Fine books. But I still haven’t found my favorite in this Finding Fate series so far. I really hope her next books will be as good as her old one (The Archers of Avalon series and Sophie & Carter).

Result: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: Dangerous to Know & Love by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Blurb from Goodreads

Silence is only skin deep.

Nineteen year old Daniel Colton is the guy all the girls want to date, and the man all the guys want to be. Moody, with an explosive temper, closed off and sullen, he’s also beautiful, tatted in delicious ways, with a pierced eyebrow and spiky black hair. It’s rumoured he has piercings in other places, too. Is he really mad, bad and dangerous to know?

Daniel lives with his older brother, Zef, and their home is party central. You want drugs, a good time, liquor, no questions asked? Colton’s is the place to go.

When Daniel and good girl Lisanne Maclaine have to work together on an assignment, Lisanne finds there’s a lot more to the college’s bad boy than his reputation. He’s intelligent and funny and good company. And then she discovers his secret, why he’s so closed off to everyone, and determined to keep people at arms’ length. But being his secret-keeper is harder than she ever dreamed.

Recommended for readers 18+ due to sexual references and sex scenes, some coarse language, drug references and drug use.

ebook, 387 pages

Published May 17th 2013 by Harvey Berrick Publishing (first published May 15th 2013)

edition language: English

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

I’m so relieved I finally finished this book. I think it’s one of the thickest NA books I’ve ever read. Unfortunately the thickest page doesn’t mean it’s a good reading since I didn’t enjoy it. The story keeps dragging on and on and on I think if I skip some of them, I won’t lose much. And it has obvious pattern that I can guess what will happen next easily. So the main characters will talk, one of them (but mostly) the hero, Daniel Calton, will mad at the heroine, Lisanne McLaine, he then will storm from the room or run away or something like that, Lisanne will cry and apologize though it isn’t her fault, and then they have sex. In a couple pages they will get along well before it repeats the pattern. Reading their story is like listening to one melody in an album, though it has different song titles.

And then the characters are judgmental and have double standards.

He was different alright. In fact, Lisanne was pretty sure that he’d wandered into the wrong classroom by mistake. No way someone like him was taking the Introduction to Business class.. […]Lisanne felt unreasonably irritated with him. Her parents had paid good money for her to attend college, and losers like that guy were just there for the ride. Lisanne couldn’t stand people like that – people who were fake.

I get that Lisanne meant to be a judgmental person in the beginning of the story so there is development character in her along the way. But the thing is even when she realizes that she’s being a judgmental person and seeing and thinking as stereotype as can be, she keeps being a judgmental person. I didn’t see much her changing. Well…maybe just a bit at the end of the story, even Daniel whom people think as stereotype often has prejudice himself. Not to mention Lisanne’s parents who are teachers assume the worst/the best from physical appearances.

Lisanne, as an 18 year old college girl seems so naive, lack of confidence and is insecure about herself while at the same time she acts all tense around Daniel I want to tell her to lose herself and relax once in a while.

It was second nature for Lisanne to doubt anything positive that someone said about her.

She asked for a bottle of water and both of the guys had beers. She frowned but didn’t say anything.

And it’s kinda annoying reading she calls herself as LA whenever she texts Daniel while only one time he call her that way. I mean why she declares herself with one nick name that hardly use by the characters?

And Daniel, boy…I’m kinda afraid of him, to be honest. His emotion is like a rollercoaster and he’s like a ticking bomb at the same time.

“What’s the matter, Lis?”She shook her head. “Nothing.”His temper flared instantly.“Don’t do that! Fuck! I miss enough of what’s going on around me, without you saying ‘nothing’ when I can see by your face that you’re upset.”

“Just give me the fucking chance,” snarled Daniel, instantly losing his good mood. “Mother fucker.”

“But you slept with her,” hissed Lisanne.Daniel’s patience was fracturing fast. “For fuck’s sake, that was when I was a kid. My dick hasn’t been anywhere near her in nearly three years!”

“Why don’t you want us to meet?” she said, tightly. “You said you’d introduce us.” Her expression was challenging and Daniel immediately felt his hackles rising.“Because I can’t take any more fucking drama right now, Lis, and you look like you want to start yanking her hair.”

Daniel knew that his hold on his temper was tenuous and tried not to take out his constant anger on Lisanne, but it was hard.

Most of the time he takes everyone words wrongly. He gets mad easily because of it. He even gets mad to Lisanne’s parents just because they worry about their daughter.

So once again I’m being in minority side. I guess it’s another it-is-just-me-not-you kind of book, then.

Result: 1 out of 5 stars

Review: Finding Fate #2, Perfect Kind of Trouble by Chelsea Fine

Blurb from Goodreads

Sometimes when perfect falls apart, a little trouble fixes everything . . .

Twenty-one-year-old Kayla Turner has lost everything. After spending most of her life taking care of her ailing mother, she just wants to spot a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. So when her late father-a man she barely knew-leaves her an inheritance, she finally breathes a sigh of relief . . . until she learns the inheritance comes with strings. Strings in the form of handsome playboy Daren Ackwood, her father’s protégé. To see any of her inheritance, she’s forced to team up with him. From his expensive car to those sexy dimples, Kayla’s seen his type before. But Daren isn’t who he seems to be . . .

Struggling to make amends for his family’s mistakes, Daren has a life more Oliver Twist than Richie Rich these days. He’s beyond grateful that James Turner included him in his will, but working with Turner’s princess of a daughter to fulfill his cryptic last wish is making Daren wonder if being broke is really so bad. Still, she’s just as beautiful as she is stubborn, and the more time he spends with Kayla, the less it feels right being without her. Soon Daren and Kayla begin to wonder if maybe the best gift Kayla’s dad could have left them . . . was each other.

ebook, 336 pages

Published June 17th 2014 by Forever

edition language: English

series: Finding Fate

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

I think this second book of Finding Fate series is better than Best Kind of Broken. I more enjoyed reading it and didn’t bore me, things that I felt in Levi and Pixie’s story.

I liked the way Chelsea Fine tells the back story of Kayla and Daren. It’s told through the scavenger hunt that they have to do and letters and/or quotes from Kayla’s father, James Turner, can trigger their memory. That’s when they mostly tell me about their past. It felt like each letter and/quote connect to their younger life. I also really enjoy their scavenger hunt. It’s so much fun and since I love scavenger hunt myself, it makes me wondering about the clues with Kayla and Daren.

However as much as it’s an interesting scavenger hunt, I think the handcuffs thing is kinda ridiculous. I didn’t quite believe that James makes Kayla and Daren handcuffs each other while they are barely know each other in the first place.

Result: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: Charming The Outback by Leesa Bow

Blurb from Goodreads

When jaded city girl Maddy McIntyre packs up and leaves Adelaide for a new job in the country, it’s not only a chance at a fresh start. Six months ago, the first guy she’d ever loved shattered her heart before moving home to Broken Hill. Deep down inside, Maddy is hoping that living in the same town will give her an opportunity to prove to Luke that she’s one temptation he can’t resist.

But when she arrives in Broken Hill, Luke White is not the same guy she knew in the city. And it soon seems very clear that he doesn’t want her there. Although Maddy settles in quickly, excelling at work and partying with her new friends, she can’t understand why Luke is remaining so distant. Particularly when all her instincts are telling her that they’re meant to be together – and that he feels the same burning attraction.

As Maddy learns more about Luke’s family and background, she begins to understand that his mixed messages are caused by balancing what’s expected of him with what he really wants. Maddy gave Luke her heart long ago and, despite their differences, she knows she’ll only ever be happy with her hot country boy. But how can she convince him that she’s the risk he needs to take?

ebook, 276 pages

Published September 2nd 2014 by Destiny Romance (first published August 19th 2014)

edition language: English

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I think this is my first NA book from Aussie author. And I have to say that I kinda confused, mostly when I read the conversation between the characters. There are words, phrases and idioms I didn’t get or misunderstood while I read it. Thank goodness there’s a dictionary in my ereader and I can also google it whenever I felt like I need a picture rather than an explanation to understand it well. But still I was a bit surprised reading this kind of sentences:

”You’re wearing a long dress and heels to go to Silverton and walk through dirt around the local sights. I’m wearing shirts and thongs.“

When I read this sentence I thought thongs here is an underwear, though I also think the sentence kinda doesn’t make sense, but whatever, maybe the character wants to tell me that she’s wearing it. But then next thongs I read is

”I ignored his acid tone, and heard the flip flop of his thongs behind me.”That was when I realized that thongs that I know is different from thongs the author meant. Here’s another example

”Without thinking, I opened my wallet and flashed a fifty at the barman. Hunter leaned over my shoulder and snared the note from my hand.”

I have to read it a couple times to make sure that the note that Maddy means is Australian dollars, instead of actual notes.

It isn’t a big deal for me, though. In fact I had so much fun learning something new from it.

I liked the main characters, Maddy and Luke well enough. They are quite different from one and another. I think it makes them an interesting couple. And I was curious enough to know why Maddy has to prove to Luke that she has changed. And why Luke had to end their relationship while he knows that he loves her.

However I have a problem to connect with them. I especially didn’t quite like their hot and cold relationship. One chapter Maddy is so determine to prove to Luke and herself that she’s fine without him but then when he’s around, she’s all hot for him before realize that they better stay away from each other and just be friend. Then in other chapters, she can’t deny her feeling anymore and flirt with him all the way but he wants to give her time and try to be a gentleman and all. Not that I don’t like him being a gentleman, it’s just I kinda bored reading those hot and cold feelings.

The story takes place 6 months after Maddy and Luke break up. He says one of his reasons to cut their relationship is she’s immature and high maintenance while she keeps saying that she has changed. She isn’t the Maddy that Luke used to know. The problem is there aren’t much the Maddy before she comes to Broken Hill. I need to see that Maddy so that I can see her changes and understand why Luke thinks she can’t live the way he lives. The Maddy before mostly appears in conversation, not through her action. It makes me wondering whether the author other book, the one about Maddy’s bestfriend, Aubree and Maddy’s cousin, Hunter mentions about Maddy and Luke 10 months relationship.

All in all Maddy and Luke story has enough drama and angst that I quite enjoyed. Thus it’s an okay-enjoyable story for me.

Result: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Review: The Line #1, Carrier by Anne Tibbets

Blurb from Goodreads

Twenty-two -year-old Naya has spent nearly half her life as a sex slave in a government institution called The Line. When she’s kicked out after getting pregnant with twins, she’s got no way to earn a living and a horrifying choice to make: find someone to replace her, or have her babies taken in her stead.

A doctor with a history of aiding ex-Line girls, Ric Bennett, wants to help. He runs a team of rebels that can delete Naya’s records and free her forever. But when The Line sniffs out his plan, things get bloody, fast. Naya means more to them than just a chance at fresh faces—her twins are part of the government’s larger plan.

As they hide from government search parties, Ric comes to admire Naya’s quiet strength. And Naya realizes Ric might be a man she can trust. If they make it off the grid, they could build a new life. But first they’ll have to survive the long, vicious reach of The Line.

ebook, 236 pages

Published June 16th 2014 by Carina Press

edition language: English

series: The Line

genre: Dystopia, New Adult

My Thoughts

ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

In Goodreads, this book is under New Adult. The characters are indeed in New Adult age range, but it feels like it has so much more than other New Adult books I’ve read. I guess it makes it’s different and unique.

I liked the way Anne Tibbets wrote her story. It’s so vivid I don’t have trouble picturing it. So vivid in most of the scenes are so creepy, gruesome and disgusting, especially the part when Naya tells her life as a slave. But I think it’s needed to write so that readers get the idea of what Naya has to deal for most of her life. And believe me, I get the idea all right.

I also liked the dystopian feeling in this book. The world-building clearly describes a dystopian story but somehow I can still relate it to our time now. It isn’t far from our present day and what happen in Naya world also happens in our world now, in one way or another.

As for the characters, I liked them enough I wish they have more background story. However, I don’t quite believe that Naya, a 22 year old who spent 17 years as a slave can trust Ric Bennett easily. She has problem trusting everyone which is understandable and has issues regarding her life at the Line. But for me she’s too easy to trust Ric in the first place. She doesn’t trust another women but she tells her stories to him right after they meet for only a couple minutes. The same case happens to Ric. He knows what he does is dangerous and the Auberge, the institution who runs everything in their world, can trace him back but again I think he’s also too easy to trust Naya when they first meet.

But as a complete story, I enjoyed and liked it and will definitely read its sequel.

Result: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Cover Reveal: My Lea by E. Mellyberry

Hello friends! It’s cover reveal time now, hosted by

I’m so excited for this one because I really like the cover. It looks pretty and different from other New Adult contemporary romance out there, makes the cover is quite outstanding in the sea of NA books, I think 🙂 So without further ado, here is the cover of My Lea by E. Mellyberry

What do you think? doesn’t it make you curious about the book? let’s see what it is about.

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:

My Lea by E. Mellyberry
(A Broken Love Story, #1)
Publication date: November 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New AdultSynopsis:

A simple girl.

A broken guy.

One horrible incident.

When Lea Amelia landed her feet in San Francisco for her overseas study, her idea of freedom was simple, like eating junk food ten times a day, sitting in front of the TV in her PJs, or going out late with her friends without the need to check in with her mother constantly.

Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.

He was also the guy who hurt her.

Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.

Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.

His traumatic past refused to let him go.

When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.

AUTHOR BIO:

Melly is a full-time mom, wife, and fangirl. She used to work in a school and she’s very passionate about education.Melly has been writing children’s books since 2011 under the name mellyberry. She loves reading all kinds of books in her spare time, mostly MG, YA, NA, contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. She avoids horror and sci-fi as much as she can.

Melly was born in Indonesia and grew up in a multi-language environment. When she talks to people, she could accidentally string words from different languages into one sentence. When she does that, simply reminds her to speak properly.

Her ideal vacation always involves a beach; usually it’s the Nusa Dua beach, Bali. She spent a few years in USA to complete her Master degree. It was during that time that she’d fallen madly in love with San Francisco and the Bay Area. According to her, San Francisco is no doubt the most romantic city in the world.

Now, are you curious enough with the book? you can check it out and even add it to your Goodreads’ account. Its link is My Lea on Goodreads

And if you want to stalk the author 🙂 These are her links

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Elemental #5, Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer

Blurb from Goodreads

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick understands pressure. He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it in for his family, and he’s all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She’s got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s ‘bad luck’. Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, and they’re armed for war.

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. Everything is set for the final showdown.

Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?

Kindle Edition, 432 pages

Published September 30th 2014 by Kensington Teen

edition language: English

series: Elemental

genre: Paranormal, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

Edit, October 4th, 2014

3.5 stars

After I reread this book, sadly I have to lower my rating. I think the first time I read it there were so much expectation to this book. I love Michael Merrick, he’s my favorite among the Merricks and this is the (sort of) final book, so I was so eager and looked forward to read it. I think it was kinda cloud my thoughts. I also read Secret this year, a few months before this book was released and it didn’t have much action and tension, unlike Storm, Spark, and Spirit. So reading Sacrifice with more tension and actions, even more than all of previous books, made me felt like I read a different kind of Elemental story.

Don’t get me wrong, I love those action, obviously but on second thoughts (and second reading) I also think that it was kinda loose the main thing I love the most from the series, The Merricks brotherhood which I didn’ t get in this book. And I didn’t quite like the way The Guide works, in the end. From the beginning of the series, I knew that they are very bad villains and there’ll be something big when they face the Merricks, eventually, but the way it ended felt like too easy. It just didn’t suit with the image, at least my imagination, of what the author build on previous books and novellas.

But once again, I still love this book, I really do, despite a bit disappointed that I have after reading it for the second time. And the series is still one of my favorite YA paranormal series. And if one day Ms. Kemmerer decides to write another story about the Merricks, I’ll be glad to read it. So until then, Merricks.

My original review, August 25th, 2014

4.5 stars

Oh my goodness, my poor heart almost couldn’t take everything that happens in this book. There are a lot of action and tension I felt like I should stop reading it and take a deep breath before I continue it again. It’s just too much, in a very good way.

As much as I loved Secret, Sacrifice is like the opposite. What lack in Secret are provided here in Michael story. If you want to have some action and tension after Secret, this book won’t disappoint you. I guarantee it, and it’s really worth the wait. I’m not saying that Secret isn’t good, far from it, I loved it too for what it’s worth but I also feel like it has more drama than action, though I didn’t mind about it too since that way I knew much about the characters, more than any previous books.

All I’m saying is I think this is an awesome final book for the series. It’s fast-paced and page-turner. What the Elementals have to deal with since the very first book, Storm, are finally revealed. I loved that it ends where it begins, from and with Michael Merrick. There are many twists that surprised me along the way. I didn’t see it coming at all. I practically just reading it and be there with the characters without trying to figure out what will happen next, because it felt useless. My guesses were mostly wrong and I let Ms. Kemmerer lead the way and I just enjoying the journey with my heart beat fast and faster and faster in each chapters.

As Ms. Kemmerer said this is the final book of Elemental series, but she left it open ending so she can write more in the future. At first I was wondering what kind of open ending she really meant. I want the Merricks have their happy ending while an open ending sounds like far from it, I’m glad that they are still have (sort of) their HEA.

However, there are indeed things that can be more explained, about the characters and things that happen. I guess that’s why she left it that way. In a way, I think it makes the story is still a bit unclear, but I’m still satisfied with it, nevertheless. It might not perfect as a final book, but it’s perfect for that imperfection to me.

I have so many feelings before and while I read this book, I think Rapunzel can sum-up it for me 🙂

when I got approved from NetGalley

first 5 chapters

more chapters along the story

another chapters with never ending tension and action

last 5 chapters

last page

ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Review: Off #1, Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett

Blurb from Goodreads

“I’m not sure what possessed me to do it. Maybe it was the impossible expectations I faced, maybe it was my own self-loathing. But I just knew I needed something different to happen. I needed someone… something… to derail me from my current path. Otherwise, I would become lost… a hollowed out shell of a man. So I did it. I approached her, then I pursued her, then I made her mine. And my life was saved…”

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university’s hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family’s public image.

Forced her to abandon her music career after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive? Particularly when others are against them every step of the way. A lot can happen in just ten short days…

Kindle Edition, 167 pages

Published February 21st 2013 by Big Dog Publishing

edition language: English

series: Off

genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult

My Thoughts

I think Ryan and Danny relationship is sweet and so strong. I really admire them for that. They’re so sure and believe in their love, nothing can take them apart. Both of them are more than capable of stand up for themselves. Danny doesn’t let anyone bring her down. She doesn’t need Ryan to save her from his friends when they’re talking bad things about her. And Ryan won’t let his family dictates him just because they think Danny doesn’t come from the same side. Those are things I liked from this book. Both MC know what they want and stand for it.

However the story is just too short. I think there are things that can be explored more to make the story more interesting. Everything feels so fast and in a rush. There is insta-love, insta-relationship, and insta-breakup. I know those insta stuff can also be in story with longer pages, but in this case I wish the author gives times to Ryan and Danny because I liked them and want to be connected with their story.

It’s an okay story for me, but I’m sure it can be better than what already has.

Result: 2 out of 5 stars