Review- Searching For Beautiful (Nyrae Dawn)

Synopsis  

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

  - Goodreads.com

My Review

I received an eARC of this book on a read-to-review basis for an honest review. Many thanks to Entangled Publishing.

When I first started reading this book, all I could think was “This book is just the same old rehashed drama” and to be honest the book is nothing new in the contemporary genre. It’s not going to blow your socks off in a whirlwind of new and completely unique ideas, but that is just what I’ve learnt to expect with contemporary reads these days. However what makes a great contemporary for me are the characters. Their presence, their actions, their effect on the main character and most importantly their growth and development and Nyrae Dawn hit the nail on the head in respect to this. 

While I did not always find myself empathizing with the main character, mostly at the start where her weak and ‘sorry for myself’ behavior sent me into a frustrated rage. I honestly grew to respect her and by the end of the book found myself rooting for her. After going through some pretty emotionally hard times, including the death of her mother, a nasty break-up, the loss of her unborn child, and being snubbed by all her friends. Brynn manages to come out in the end a stronger and more capable person.

Obviously none of this great personal growth would have been possible without some pretty kick-ass friends. Firstly we have Emery, who Brynn meets at the community center which she is forced to go to after school by her school councilor. Emery is in a similar situation as Brynn was herself, sixteen and pregnant, and through this they share a bond and slowly learn to confide in one another. Then there’s Christian the sweet boy next door whose had to deal with his own loss and pain in the past and becomes a pillar of strength for Brynn, helping her to move on with her life. And lastly there’s my favorite, Brenda, Christians mum who is so open and lovely, treating Brynn with such compassion, as if she were her own.

Overall, this book is a good read. It deals with some emotional issues, and really focuses on how the main character deals and grows from them.

Things I loved about the book:

• The supporting characters were easily likeable and unique. They added to the dynamic of the story and weren't just filler ins.
•  There was a hint of romance, but it didn't feel like it dominated the story.
• The main character grew and developed as a person.

Things I didn't so much like about the book:

•  The general plot of pregnant teen is pretty overdone.

My rating: 3/5

Review- Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn#2)

Synopsis  

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

  - Goodreads.com

My Review

I was apprehensive to say the least when picking up Fire with Fire. The ending to the first book in the series Burn for Burn, left me shell shocked and more than a little disappointed. Not because the ending lacked a dramatic climax (trust me this was not the case), but rather the introduction of supernatural elements which I just couldn’t wrap my head around.

However I digress, as for Fire with Fire this novel really brought everything together for me. Many of the unanswered questions left at the end of Burn for Burn were answered (kind of), and the supernatural features made much more sense (although I’m still trying to wrap my head around some of them).

I find that the writers work well together, with the story moving smoothly with a continuous writing style, even while being told from 3 multiple perspectives. The voices of the 3 main characters are distinct without being disjointed.

There were certain perspectives I enjoyed more than others. Lilliah’s parts were more interesting to me, because she was the main character taking part in the groups ‘new’ revenge plot which I found delightfully devious. Mary’s story I found dull to start off with, as she seemed to be dealing with the same emotional issues as the first book, and just couldn’t seem to move on with her life. However her story really picked up near the end, and left me standing with my jaw to the floor. Needless to say, the next book needs to be in my hands pronto, so I can find out what the hell is going on, and how everything sums up in the end.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone who likes a book that isn’t your normal predictable YA series. This book definitely keeps you on your toes and guessing what the hell is going to happen next!

My rating: 5/5
 

Waiting On Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine! that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Maybe Someday

(Colleen Hoover)

Expected publication: March 18th 2014

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite

- Goodreads.com

Why I'm Waiting for it:

So I recently read 'Hopeless' by Colleen Hoover, and completely adored it. It gave me such a roller coaster of emotions and the characters were so complex and well developed. Needless to say, after that I was hooked on her writing, and will pretty much pick up anything she writes in the future, hence my WOW pick this week ;)

What book are you waiting for this week?