Adrift By Sarah Darlington

Adrift
By: Sarah Darlington
Release Date: 5/30/17
Series: Kill Devil Hills #4

Description:
What happens when the world thought you were dead and now suddenly you aren’t?

Ben Turner is back! Not quite as dead as everyone thought, fresh out of a nine-month stay in prison, and back home in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Having been dishonorably discharged after charges of desertion from the military, this once well-loved local has fallen from the top. With no plans for college or the future, and hated by the town that once loved him, Ben feels like he’s drowning all over again.

Juniper is pregnant, alone, and running from her crazy fiancé. With only enough money for a one-way bus ticket, she heads to Kill Devil Hills, NC, a town she vacationed in as a little girl, a town she knows, come February, will have plenty of beach rentals to lie low in for the next couple months. Except she didn’t plan on getting caught on day one by the man living next door. Ben. He’s a man who has even more problems than she does, but maybe it’ll take a man like Ben to save her life.

**NEW ADULT ROMANCE** 
Recommended for 18+. ADRIFT can be read as a standalone, but is recommended to be read fourth in Sarah Darlington's KILL DEVIL HILLS Series.

Review:

This was a great concept, more like several ones put together in just the right way that made this story both interesting and slightly addicting.  Sarah Darlington did a great job bringing these characters to life and making the reader feel like they were experiencing the same emotions as them.  I love books that bring you deep into their world.

We meet Ben after his ultimate return back into society after some very unfortunate events in his life, but he’s trying to make things right.  This is of course when he runs into his old neighbor or at least who he thinks is his neighbor.  Getting to know each other once again is a beautiful thing.  Of course that’s not really his neighbor though and Juniper has quite the story behind her as well.  I don’t really want to tell much about it, but it’s interesting as all hell and quite a great reason to get away from your old life.

The two of them tend to spend more time with one another and their feelings grow, the truths come out eventually but it’s the getting there that brings them even closer together.  It was endearing watching the two of them get more and more comfortable with each other and let things go.  It’s hard when you have pasts like they do but it’s the overcoming of them that make you the person you are today.  The two of them really worked well together and the author did a wonderful job of bringing them to life.  I know I couldn’t put the book down and couldn’t wait to see what happens next.

As always the ending was very intense and exciting.  There was a bit of romance in this book, abuse, overcoming fears, moving on in life, emotions galore but in the end happiness and joy prevailed over it all.  This book was interesting, great story plots, even though I wouldn’t have minded hearing more about them I think I’m going to have to go back into the series for that though.

I’ve always hated reading books out of order, but this was sent to me by the author for a review and after reading the blurb I just couldn’t resist and agreed.  But of course now I feel the utter need to go back and read all the previous books because I just got invested in all these really great characters and now I have to know their stories as well. I really need to know what happened to them all, like need-need. 

Overall the book was great, quick easy, light read, sure there were some intense moments but even still it was a quick read.  You couldn’t help but want to finish it right away and of course read more.  I love the cover, it’s very simple and the guy definitely looks like the Ben I pictured throughout the book.  Liked that he’s on the sand, kind of like when he came back to life.  You’ll have to read to know what I’m talking about.  Go read, it’s fundamental!

Review: Songs About a Girl by Chris Russell

Songs About a Girl
By: Chris Russell
Release Date: July 28, 2016

Description:
Charlie Bloom never wanted to be 'with the band'. She's happiest out of the spotlight, behind her camera, unseen and unnoticed. But when she's asked to take backstage photos for hot new boy band Fire&Lights, she can't pass up the chance.

Catapulted into a world of paparazzi and backstage bickering, Charlie soon becomes caught between gorgeous but damaged frontman, Gabriel West, and his boy-next-door bandmate Olly Samson. Then, as the boys' rivalry threatens to tear the band apart, Charlie stumbles upon a mind-blowing secret, hidden in the lyrics of their songs... 

Review:

This was an interesting book to say the least.  I’ve always in my younger days dreamed of going to concerts and becoming friends with the talent, hanging out and doing all these great things.  But it’s not always as easy as it seems and Chris Russell did a great job of portraying that throughout this book.  Yeah it’s all fun and games but there is always a story behind anyone’s façade. 

We meet Charlie Bloom, seems to be a quiet person with her best friend Melissa, they tend to keep to themselves most of the time.  But that doesn’t stop the mean girls from getting up in their face so there is quite a bit of bullying in this book which I wouldn’t mind teaching Aimee a lesson or two to bring her down a peg or twenty.  There is always that one person who thinks they are better than everyone else.  Those are the people that need to be humbled the most. This book is not mainly about bullying, there is also friendship, family, love, letting go, letting in and betrayal.  Betrayal happens to us all at one point it’s about how you deal with it that makes you the person you are.

Olly knows Charlie from school way back when and invites her on tour with his pop group to take photographs, one thing leads to another and Charlie forms friendships and more with some of the other members.  Its great watching the interaction between her and all the members, you really start to get to know them all and love them all the same.  Sure sometimes I wish she would end up with other people but I don’t know why it happens for some reason they always fall for the bad boy instead of the good guy.  Charlie is drawn to the fire and not the light. 

Overall I thought this book was good and it kept me interested the whole way through, I thought the ending and close to the ending was the best parts.  The heightened drama and emotions I went through reading them were really great.  I was super shocked in some parts and sad in others, an epitome of an emotional rollercoaster.  But it was good and that’s what kept me going from beginning to end.  There are times when I wonder why not the good guy, but sometimes things have a way of sorting themselves out that you can’t help but say well now that explains a lot.  Great book.

I love the cover, so sweet innocent and simple, but still eye catching.  Great writing and overall just a great story. 

Review: It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

It Started With Goodbye

By: Christina June

Release Date: May 9, 2017

Description:

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night, which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client. If Tatum is reading his emails right, her virtual Prince Charming is funny, smart, and talented—and he seems to think the same about her. Too bad he’s spending his summer across the ocean in Ireland…not that Tatum would be allowed to go on a date anyway.

But over the course of the summer, Tatum will learn that sometimes going after what you want means breaking all the rules. And when Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way. A modern play on the Cinderella story arc, Christina June’s IT STARTED WITH GOODBYE will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins, and Jennifer E. Smith.

Advance Praise

"[A] fun, contemporary take on the Cinderella tale that explores what it takes to be yourself while finding you place in life, love and your family." - Lisa Maxwell, author of Unhooked, Sweet Unrest, and Gathering Deep.

LinksThis

• Christina June Pinterest | Christina June Instagram | Christina June Twitter | Christina June Facebook

• Christina June Blog | Author Interview on The Spinning Pen

Review:

This was a really great debut for Christina June.  This isn’t your typical YA book, sure there are YA characters in it but it’s not about insta love, crushes, and all that romantical stuff.  No, this book was about reality, family, forgiveness, and understanding and finding out the person you are and want to become.  It’s not a comping of age story but more of a coming of understanding story.  It really was endearing.

We meet Tate as she’s about to experience something unexpected and completely not her fault, but here she is at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people and things happened.  Because of this one event everything just starts to tumble downhill, or does it?  She’s been accused of something she didn’t do and now she is suffering those consequences by doing community service and being under the strict eye of her stepmother while her dad is away.  Things have never been easy for Tate and Belen, there’s always been something keeping Tate from understanding her stepmother.  That is until this summer of course, the same could go for her stepsister Tilly. 

Throughout the book you watch as Tate continues to grow as a person, outside of her normal bubble.  Learns how to interact with new people, learns that she is really good at something that can help her make a better future for herself.  She also learns about the importance of family and trust.  There are so many great things about this book but I don’t really want to give the plot away too much because it’s something you should definitely pick up and read for yourself.  Don’t worry there is a bit of flirting and romance that will make you feel very hopeful for Tate.

Tate was an overall relatable character, she could very well have been a friend of yours and her experiences are all based in realistic terms.  There are no rainbows and unicorns in this book, just the nitty gritty truth and that’s what I liked most about it.  Yes there were some definite Cinderella undertones, but it wasn’t even about that.  (Because we all know how Cinderella turned out) This book gave you more of a view into Tate and her families’ lives and bought you the understanding that sometimes you just have to look at things from a different perspective.  Great book!