Cover Reveal + Giveaway ~ Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Today is the cover reveal of Withering Hope! This is a stand-alone contemporary romance novel from Layla Hagen, and I am so looking forward to reading it. Oh, and scroll down and read on for a sign-up form for an ARC of this book!

So, without further ado, take a look at the pretty cover!

Title: Withering Hope
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publishing Date: January 19 2015
Series: No, it is a standalone

Isn't it gorgeous? Though I hate that it doesn't give me any clue as to what the book might have in store for us. When I am waiting for a book to release, I spend my time staring at the cover looking for mysteries to be unraveled. However, this one doesn't give me any clue, which is enough to drive me crazy!

Anyway, here is the blurb for the book:

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé, and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect. 

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. 

With no way to reach civilization, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts. 

As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest. 

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

Layla: 

Dear readers, if you are interested in an arc (advance reader copy) of Withering Hope, please fill out this form .

Also, feel free to enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a $15 GC or an arc of Withering Hope. Keep in mind that arcs will only be available at the end of November.

AUTHOR BIO:

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.

I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough 

Author Links:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

On to the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Other books by Layla Hagen:

Lost Series

Lost (Novella) (FREE)
Lost In Us
Found In Us


Now, who is with me on waiting (not so) patiently for this book? Ah, let's just stare at the cover! LOL

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Synopsis:

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Buy from:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes

Review:

I cannot stress out how adorable this book is. The cover and title is just perfect. Just like the geography of Owen and Lucy. *O* (See what i did there?)

In just a few hours, the lives of two lonely people in a sucky situation changed entirely.

It’s not every day you read a book that makes you want to be stuck in an elevator in the midst of a citywide blackout. ;)

“There are so many ways to be alone here, even when you’re surrounded by many people."

We have Lucy who is an introvert (and loves books). I find that she is very easy to relate to and I would’ve liked to see more of her with her brothers as she is portrayed to be fond of them and she’s mostly left to her own thoughts so I think it could be interesting to see her fun side with other people other than Owen. Other than that, she has this warm vibe around her. I can be easily annoyed with female protagonists but with Lucy, you just can’t help but understand where her loneliness is coming from.

And we have Owen… Oh yes. A fragile lad who’s still in the process of healing because of the death of his mother. He’s not the “emo” type. For me, he’s the right mix of vulnerable and strong for he has to pull himself together for the benefit of him and his father. *sigh* I wish I could give him a hug ~

One heads up though, this book might give you a mind jetlag as the setting jumps from one place to another. Well, that is the essence of the story after all. But it could also be a bit off-putting because what's the point of having your characters move back and forth around the globe if distance doesn't actually seem to be a problem for them?

One would think that their resolution to send postcards to each other (instead of just using email), would somehow cause them to have a fallout but no they didn't. It takes the surprise out of the story because everything just snaps together so perfectly.

However charming this book could be, I believe it could be a light or heavy read depending on the reader. (There are a few family issues here that might touch the hearts of some.) But for me, it's the former because there wasn't exactly a climax to the story. But throughout the book, I have felt what it's like to yearn for something. Even when I reached the ending, it was still there.

I hope that wherever Owen & Lucy goes, they'll still be together.

Just the thought of meeting someone and be so at ease with that person is very appealing and magical. To have them be apart from you is another thing. And everyone wants their happy ending, right?

If I have to describe this book in just one word, it would be: Heartwarming. ♡

~ Sashiidee

Continue reading →

Review ~ When The City Sleeps (Unspoken #6) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

With a passion for hockey, but disdain for media attention, Sawyer Reed tries to rebuild his life after fame by reconnecting with his estranged brother in NYC. While there, he meets an odd girl who won't take no for an answer.

Nora Maddison is doing her best to maintain some level of normalcy while rising to fame quicker than she anticipated. As she disguises herself and meanders about the city, she finds a mysterious man who refuses to give her the time of day.

Eventually, the two find solace in their late night conversations, but when their true identities are revealed they must decide if their hidden romance is worth more than their dreams.

Buy from:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords

Review:

Marilyn Grey has a knack on tackling life’s simple issues in her novels, and I love that about her. She pulls out the simplest thoughts and weaves it into a story that will have you reflect on it. She doesn’t need extravagant words to drive the point in, because the simple words she uses in her books are enough to make you thinking. She has written five beautiful novels with the different faces of life and love, and this sixth book of the Unspoken series, When The City Sleeps, is no different. However, though I loved all of her previous books, this one is, I think, not for me.

The story follows Nora Maddison, a fast-rising Hollywood star, and Sawyer Reed, a hotshot hockey player that made the papers a couple of years ago because of a scandalous episode (which wasn’t revealed until later in the book), who crossed paths in a restaurant in New York City. After a few phone conversation when the city sleeps, they started to fall in love—and of course, the complications soon followed.

The concept is great. It teases the readers’ minds about the complications between a famous couple and if the love for each other can outshine the desire for fame. It makes the readers think how big shot celebrities handle their romantic relationship with the press hovering everywhere documenting their every move and reporting it for the world to know. And here’s the infamous but—but the execution of the novel didn’t serve justice for the great concept.

The plot started out fine, but it soon started to whirl down the drain. The story is fast-paced, which should be a good thing as to not bore the readers, but it is so fast that sometimes I got lost in the story, and not in a good way. For the first few chapters everything happened so fast—they talk on the phone about “anything and everything” and that’s it. The narrator just told the readers that they talked about “everything” but there is no depth in those conversations. Oh, a few life riddles were thrown in within the said conversations, but it lacks the depth that is actually needed for the story to make sense. The next thing I know the girl started falling in love but I don’t even have an idea where it started or what spurred the feeling. There wasn’t any indication where it started, or maybe I just missed it (shame, if I did). Since books contain only words to provide the readers a proper visual, it should be more detailed and precise. I was actually confused when the female character started thinking that she might be falling in love because there wasn’t anything that stated where it started—was it the sound of his voice? Something he said? The way he laughed? There was nothing where there should be something.

The next few chapters were just a mess, for me at least.  There were a lot of words thrown around, but most of the time those words weren’t enough to tell me anything, just the characters’ babbles. Sure, most of those conversations are great because it consists of those life riddles and it makes me think and reflect, but sometimes it seems like it doesn’t fit the story. I think I feel that way because there is not enough details. I don’t mind long conversations—it’s what keeps the book interesting for me—but in this case, I would have given anything to have more narration and more details. I wanted to see deeper things, like maybe more of the characters’ feelings portrayed so well that I can see a better visual, but sadly, I didn’t see any. A lot of times I had to fill in a lot of blanks just to connect the dots on what is happening.

The characters are okay, but I did not feel connected to them. Probably because of the lack of depth and details. Actually, maybe most of the reason why I didn’t like this book is because of the lack of details. The concept is promising, but the execution is not enough to see it through.

I’m sure this book will touch others in a way I wasn’t. It’s just not for me this time.

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ Bloom (Unspoken #5) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

Have you ever wondered how many people would still love you if you were no longer beautiful? Have you ever thought of people who wake up and can't stand the idea of seeing their reflections? Have you ever considered that death may be easier than life?

I never did. Not once. Not until one moment, one mistake, changed my life forever.

I woke up to beeping machines, hovering faces, and pain like you wouldn't believe. I'm not just talking about my burns either. I'm talking about my heart.

My name is Sarah Jordan and this is my story. I'm tired of pretending to be perfect. Of painting on a smile when I'm struggling. My story isn't always pretty and easy to read, but it hasn't been easy to live either. I'm opening up. Letting you in. So maybe, just maybe, together we can peel away the masks and find true beauty. True life. Underneath it all.

Welcome to my heart ... bound within the pages of Bloom.

Book 5 in The Unspoken Series. This is a 10 book series, best when read in order.

A beautiful, successful, sweet personality with the world at her fingertips, Sarah Jordan falls in love with James, a charming man who adores her. But he comes with broken pieces and a daughter he adopted when his brother and sister-in-law died in an accident he feels he could've prevented. When she finally decides to say yes to his many proposals, they are both burned in a campfire accident. After a year of hospital beds and stark lights, Sarah is released to go home with everything but her former beauty. As she recovers, James struggles with regret and guilt as Sarah fights to overcome the depression that comes with a new life so different from the one she loved so much. Her joy and security are tested while budding relationships cleanse wounds they never knew they had.

Buy from:

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Review:

Marilyn Grey just keeps getting better with each book.

Bloom is a story about beauty. How do you measure the beauty of something, of someone? Is it just the pleasantness of the outward appearance, or the glow that lights from within?

Sarah Jordan is an excellent photographer. She’s a people-pleaser, and she sees the beauty in even the ugliest thing. She used to be a head-turner because of her beauty, but when a forgotten camp fire crawled its way to the tent she fell asleep in and licked a large portion of her skin, taking her beauty with it, she starts seeing negative things more because how can you see the beauty in things when you can’t even find it in yourself?

Now Sarah is recovering and coming to terms with the fact that the beautiful woman she once was is no longer the woman she sees everytime she looks in the mirror. All she sees are the scars that mar her body. Gone is the girl who sees beauty in everything.

One of the things I love about Marilyn Grey is her knack in tackling the issues of life in every book. She does it so simply but when you take the time to not just read but absorb the whole content of the book, you realize that the theme is beautiful and the books get you thinking about life and its issues.

I thought nothing could be better than Heart In A Shoestring, but I was wrong. Ms. Grey just took it to a whole new level of awesomeness. The way Sarah pondered about the true meaning of beauty makes the reader think along with her. For me the essence of the story is very realistic, making it easier for the reader to relate and appreciate the book and its ‘lessons’. A lot of people is so concerned about outward appearances and they obsess about always looking beautiful and pleasing to the eyes. Nothing wrong with that, but people tend to forget that beauty is something that cannot be seen or touched. Some people take their beauty for granted and they don’t realize how much they want it until it’s gone. Beauty is something that comes from within, and I think Bloom portrayed that very well. Like when Sarah is so obsessed with hiding her scars, she doesn’t think of anything else aside from negative thoughts. But when she laughs, when she’s happy and feeling alive, that’s when people see her as beautiful because then the scars don’t matter.

Of course, this book has its…downfalls. I think Anastasia is too witty and smart for a nine-year-old kid. Her story was told, and it might have explained it some but I think for a nine-year-old she needed to be toned down a little. The writing style is okay to me, but sometimes there are too many punctuation marks (periods) and the sentences could have been better in a complete form. Aside from that…I like the book. A lot.

Another thing about Marilyn Grey is so good at is giving a glimpse of the other characters’ story enough for a reader to understand what’s going to happen in the next books but at the same time not revealing too much to give satisfaction to curious minds. You can guess and guess but with Ms. Grey you can never be sure because she has a way of surprising her readers. The lady knows how to twist a story.

This is how you write a book. I just can’t imagine how much I’m going to like When The City Sleeps. This series is sure something that should be on a bestsellers list.

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ Heart on a Shoestring (Unspoken #4) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

A Novel of Self-Discovery

Rebelling against a life of black and white, Miranda Ryan paints the world in a technicolor fever. She spends her free time on park benches, analyzing people from the outside in and creating whimsical stories about their lives. Unbridled and full of life, her ever-changing heart is a revolving door no man can figure out. And she likes it that way. But when Derek Rhodes enters her life, he stubbornly challenges her every move. As she unsuccessfully avoids this opinionated prankster her colors fade to gray and she is forced into a choice . . . to lose the self she knows or the self she has never been.

Derek Rhodes wears the same shade of brown every day and avoids eye contact with strangers, until Miranda walks into his life and splashes his world with streaks of colors he swore he’d never touch. Drawn to her imaginative personality, he finds himself questioning his own cynical nature and flat-lined ideals, only to fall in love and realize the only woman he’s ever let into his heart has no plans of letting a man into hers. Follow them both as they poke and prod and test each others limits on a journey of discovery.

Buy from:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords

Review:

Heart on a Shoestring is the fourth book of the Unspoken series. It can be read as a stand-alone but best if the series is read in order.

This book is Derek and Miranda’s story. It’s really interesting from page one ‘til the end. There’s the spirit of mystery lurking around that pushes me to turn the page until there’s no more. I love the theme of it, how the characters dealt with finding and accepting themselves first before diving in on the pool of relationship.

I like Miranda a lot. She likes to sit on a park bench watching the people passing by and imagining what their story might be. She changes her hair color almost every week and dresses up in unusual clothes. But behind the cheery personality hides a sad past.

Derek, on the other hand, is “the boring guy who always wears brown shirts”. He’s opinionated and almost always pisses off people when he stars spouting off his opinions. Almost. He’s sweet, though, even if he doesn't know it. He dresses up for Miranda because she doesn't like boring. That earned him a big brownie point. He’s also mysterious. I didn't figure him out until much later in the book, which I really liked. There’s nothing better than a good mystery for a page-turner.

I love the way Derek helped Miranda “to be just herself”. He thinks she “doesn't want to face the person she is so she avoids her by being all these other people”. I love the snap decision he made to kidnap her. That trip is my favorite part. Sometimes, though, I really want to smack this man and dunk him on the nearest river before putting him on a freezer. He keeps doing these things to make Miranda face her true self and it’s very ironic because he himself if trying to run away from who he was. Granted, the past she’s trying to hide is dark and painful.

The twist is amazing. Not for one moment did it come to mind. Totally unexpected. Grey’s twists keep me from wanting more and looking forward for the next books. Heart on a Shoestring is hands down amazing.

This series, especially this book, is truly a must-read.

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ The Life I Now Live (Unspoken #3) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

Book 3 in the Unspoken Series

After her husbands death, Heidi Chase refuses to take off her rings and swears another man will never steal her heart. She is extremely faithful and while her friends think it's virtue binding her to the past, it's really fear.

Patrick Wheldon never intended to give his heart to Heidi. Not until her vows to her previous husband were no longer standing between them. But he did and the relationship between them quickly changes into a battle he’s not sure he has the strength to fight.

Follow Heidi and Patrick as they question the definition of soul-mates and discover the true meaning of love.

Buy From:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords

Review:

But what is love if the heart falls for someone else?

Does true love stay faithful even after death?

"You are the only person who can answer these questions yourself."

Like the first two books, The Life I Now Live gives me a lot to think about and it gave me a lot of other perspectives on the things I was already thinking about. What I like most in this series, and in this book, is that it's like my mind has been put into a book. A lot of things I've been wondering about has been showing up in this series, and now I can't wait to see what the next book's questions will be.

I love Heidi's personality. I love her when she realizes that she really isn't that strong woman her friends seem to think she is, and that she's just living her complicated life one day at a time. What I love the most about her is that promises are so important to her and she strives to hang on to her words and do what she promised to do even though she's on the verge of being hurt.

I can't decide how I feel about Patrick, though I like how he does what he thinks Heidi needed. Sometimes, though, he seems 'girly'. That's the reason I'm rating this only four stars. But I like how faithful he is, and how caring.

Marilyn Grey's twists are very interesting, and I like how she surprises her readers. I like how she throws in other characters and give a glimpse and builds anticipation on what the next book will be.

Kudos, miss Grey. I'm looking forward on the next books (especially Sarah's and Myra's story!) :)

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ Down From The Clouds (Unspoken #2) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

BOOK 2 OF THE UNSPOKEN SERIES

Gavin Kessler is one of the most sensitive and emotional people you'd ever know, except you'd never know it. Trying to find out how he feels is like pulling a one-hundred pound bucket of water out of a seventy foot well. But when he finally falls in love and meets the woman of his dreams, who is set on getting to know every part of him, for better or worse, his walls crumble as he is forced to stand face-to-face with the past he's been avoiding.

Continue the stories of your favorite characters from Where Love Finds You in this sequel written from Gavin s perspective.

Buy From:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords

Review:

A story of love, forgiveness, acceptance and family. Down from the Clouds gives a glimpse on a promising series.

Like Where Love Finds You, I picked up a couple of things from this book. Like don't ever let fear get in your way and be a hindrance on something you want/need to do. Like how forgiveness makes things so much easier because grudge (and anger) is a heavy emotion to carry around in your chest. Like accepting things before you move on because otherwise you'll just keep coming back. Like doing the things you want/need to do before it becomes too late.

Forgiveness, acceptance, family--these are some of Gavin's issues. One by one, he tackled it all, with Ella's help. This book reminds me that one doesn't have to shoulder everything, that you can share it with someone you love. You don't have to hide from them and worry about burdening them because maybe they'd want to help and you just have to give them the benefit of doubt. But then some people, like Gavin, sometimes need time before they can open up. I like that when they finally opened up to each other, together they faced their past, their fears and their future.

I also like how the book shows that time is everything--to heal wounds, to forgive, to accept, to move on, to overcome fears, to open up, and so and so. But then again time is also critical. You can't take too long before it's too late. Pops really proved this to me.

And once again, Miss Grey got me on the twists. I'm starting to think that this woman will never run out of tricks, and I'm looking forward on the next books and knowing the others' stories.

Take the time to read this and fall in love as I did. :>

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ Where Love Finds You (Unspoken #1) by Marilyn Grey

Synopsis:

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?

Purchase from:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Smashwords

Review:

I'm in love with the cover. :)

I believe love really finds you, not the other way around. I think that sometimes, some people looking for love doesn't end up really falling in love with the person but only on the idea of being in love. I'm also a big fan of "waiting for the right time", and I believe that when that time comes, you will know. That's one (or rather two) of the reasons why I liked the title and the book itself.

Where Love Finds You reminds me of the phrase "so close yet so far away". There's someone out there, and sometimes that someone is so close and you just have no idea yet. You just have to be patient and wait until love finds you.

I admire how Ella waited patiently and faithfully for that 'someone', and that no matter what the others told her she didn't lose hope. I can also relate on some of her self-reflections (and I'm sure a lot of other readers, too). I can relate on how she thinks about her past and wonder what would have happened had she chosen differently, if maybe she's the one who needed to change, and so and so. But then I'm also reminded that dwelling so much in the past won't change anything, and you have to remember that you're living in the present and you just have to make the best of it. As Dee said: "If you keep trying to fix the past and plan the future you will never live today."

And Matthew. This guy is always over-thinking things. I've picked up a thing or two from his relationship. If you don't keep tending the fire, it'll burn out. You'll think about so many what ifs and get carried away with it (is there a one? is she it? what else is out there? blah blah). You get carried away and then you stop being content. You stop being content, you and your partner starts drifting off. I just love books that get me thinking about things in life, and this book has so much of it.

In the end, I didn't know if I want to laugh or hurl a furniture over a wall because of the twist. And a twist it is. I like how Miss Grey played with her characters; it reminds me that nothing is ever as it seems. Boy, oh boy, was I tricked. But a book without a few tricks is boring, right?

I'm rating this only four stars because there were some parts that I felt like Ella and Matthew have the same "voice". Different point of views and its "voices" is what ruins it for me sometimes. But other than that, I really liked this book. Now I keep wondering when and where love will find me.

If you're a hopeless romantic like me, please give this book a try. ;)

~ Zee

Continue reading →

Review ~ Flat-Out Celeste (Flat-Out Love #2) by Jessica Park

Synopsis:

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation.

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.

Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him.

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.

Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.

Buy from:

Amazon | B&N 

Review:

Flat-Out Celeste is a very sweet story of first love. The quirky characters kept me engrossed in the book. It is full of innocent firsts, harmless flirting and funny but sweet conversations. This book has just enough dose of humor, romance, heartbreaks and sweet reunions.

Celeste Watkins is still the super-intelligent girl we met in Flat-Out Love, but we get to know more of her this time. We get to know her insecurities, her struggles, her fears, and pretty much what goes on in her head. It was very interesting to be inside her head, and I’m amazed at how the author executed Celeste’s character. She is easy to love and sympathize with. She portrays an innocent, awkward teenager trying to fit in and be what everybody calls ‘normal’ but thinking she’s failing miserably in doing so.

Justin Milano is adorkable. Yes, I did say adorkable. He reminds me of Matt and how different they are from the hot, swoon-worthy heroes in most of the books I read these days (nothing wrong with that, but from time to time I want something different from the usual). They’re easy to love, but it’s more from their dorkiness than their smoothness in getting the girl. Justin doesn’t try to impress, but I’m impressed nonetheless. His awkwardness is very charming, especially when he’s on a roll.

Julie and Matt from Flat-Out Love is here, too. For those who haven’t read their story, I suggest doing so right this second before diving into Celeste’s world. Despite what most believes, Julie and Matt’s roles in this book is not really a spoiler in FOL. In fact, only a few details could be passed as a spoiler in Falt-Out Love. I applaud the author for pulling that one very well.

What struck me the most in this book is this: “Who the hell sets the standards, huh? Who gets to say how we are supposed to be? Or who we are supposed to be?” (Read the book to find out who said it!) So anyway, that quote stayed with me even after reading the book. I might forget this whole book, but not those lines, mostly because I can relate. No, I’m not super-intelligent like Celeste, but I have my own quirks. I used to hide those, to fit in, but after realizing that pleasing everyone is an impossible task, I just didn’t care anymore. I’m just being myself. But Flat-Out Celeste reminds me that once upon a time, I’m a girl like Celeste who tries to fit in and be what is perceived as normal.

So this book is a very enjoyable read. It’s adorkable. Most of all, though, it is very relatable.

~ Zee

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Continue reading →

Review ~ You Turn (Second Chances #3) by Marion Croslydon (ARC)

*Official release date: October 6th, 2014*

Synopsis:

*** You Turn is a contemporary adult romance and part of the Second Chances series. However, Lenor and Zach’s story can be read as a stand-alone novel. There is no cliffhanger. ***

"I was the little girl who loved you from afar. I was the woman who gave herself away for you and ended up losing a lot of who she was."

"Then allow me to give back some of what I stole."

After being dumped by her fiancé, Eleanor Carrington flees to Paris to help her self-medicated mother. While keeping her mom from popping pills like gummy bears, Eleanor launches a new, no-strings-attached life plan with absolutely NO falling in love whatsoever. On her part at least, because her self-esteem could do with one or two Frenchmen going un peu crazy for her.

What she doesn’t need is for her first Grand Amour, Zachary Murdoch, to burst back into her life. Whatever shit-show she’s just been through was a stroll. What Zach put her though was a climb up Mount Everest. Barefoot. In a bikini.

Now a club-owner in Paris, Zach is intrigued by the troubled woman who was once the sweet girl he had to give up. Offering a shoulder for her to cry on is what he owes her. Loving her is what he lost the right to. Because there’s a reason he broke up with Lenor and that reason is why she’s in Paris.

But Paris is known as the City of Love…

Will he be her turn at love?

Pre-order Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK


Review:

You Turn is one of those books where you know the main characters are going to end up together but instead of being predictable and boring it makes it worth your while. It is a light read (for me at least) for the most part, but the author sure knows when to throw a heartbreaking twist that leaves a reader coated in disbelief (I know I was). This book is a light read for me because despite the—shall we say—gloomy start of the book and the main characters’ predicament, the romantic sparks in the air made it lighter.

This book is told in both the main characters’—Zach’s and Eleanor’s—POVs, and it shows both the past and the present. Including their past in Zach’s POV is a nice touch in the story because the readers get to know the other side of what happened five years ago. The plot fits perfectly against each other. I like the way the chapters—the intervals of the past and present—are arranged.

The characters are easy to like. The impression I got from Eleanor Carrington is she’s not capable of holding onto anger for long. Yes, she was still hurting from the sudden break up with her ex-fiancée, but I didn’t get the feeling that she’s angry. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.

Zachary Murdoch (the present Zach) is laid back and cool. I felt his devotion to Eleanor right from the start. However, the man he became remains a mystery to me. I get it that he was waiting for Eleanor to step back into his life, but I don’t think I had enough emotions from the present him to really figure him out. I just know that he loves her. I am also not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

I want to say so much more, but I do not want to spoil anything. If I haven’t mentioned it, I really liked this book. Both sweet and heartbreaking, You Turn struck me as a story of not just first love and second chances, but also of heartaches, painful truths, dire mistakes and forgiveness.

~ Zee

Continue reading →