Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 11th 2012
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Audible

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

Wow, this book was an emotional roller coaster. I had no idea what to expect, but what I got, I highly enjoyed. Ten Tiny Breaths is a book about loss, grief, depression, but most of all, forgiveness and love. It’s about how even in the darkest times of your life, you can still find yourself worthy of love, and you can find things worth living for.

“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”

Kacey, despite being a very aggressive and anti-social person, was still a likable character. I admired her strength and her love for her sister. She went through such pain after the accident that killed her parents, best friend, and boyfriend that my heart broke her. I couldn’t even begin to imagine the heartache, pain, suffering, and scars that came along with losing almost every single person Kacey loved. It was horrifying and heartbreaking to feel alongside Kacey her despair and desolation. Her flashback to the accident was one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the book. But of course there had to be even more heart-wrenching scenes later in the book! It’s not enough that Kacey’s whole world is ripped in half, it had to be ripped apart again. And can I just say, K.A. Tucker does an incredible job of conveying all of Kacey’s emotional turmoil.

After the life-altering accident, Kacey hardens her heart. She cares for no one but her little sister Livie, and she makes it so that everything good she does, she does for Livie. But then a friendly neighbor, her adorable daughter, and a special boy come along to make her rethink about her life, and make her believe that it’s okay to care for herself again. To love herself again.

“I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We’re going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We’ll go hang-gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more. Let me make you smile.”

Trent is one of the sweetest book boys I’ve ever read. He cares so much for Kacey, and he sees the pain beneath the tough exterior she puts on. He wants to make her feel happy again, to feel cherished and loved. I fell a little bit in love with this boy, with his charm, sweetness, and sexiness. Because oh my goodness, Trent can be very sexy when he wants to be (which is pretty much all time time with Kacey ;)). Kacey slowly falls in love with him, and it gives her hope for a brighter future, one that includes Trent in it. And so she goes through the stages of grief, with Trent helping her heal along the way.

Throughout the book, I got the feeling that something HUGE was going to happen. Because life seemed to turn out too well for Kacey, and well, I was basically waiting for the other shoe to drop. And holy shit, does it drop. I won’t put any spoilers, but K.A. Tucker gives us little hints and clues that relate to the insane plot twist, and I had figured out some of it, but damn. It was so shocking and unbelievable and crazy that I had no idea how to feel about it. This is mostly why I can’t give the full 5 hearts rating, because the twist just completely threw me off.

Nonetheless, Ten Tiny Breaths is such an emotional, heartfelt book. You are swooning one moment over Trent, and the next, you’re shocked and dreading what devastating thing will happen next for Kacey. It’s not an easy book to read, but for those who like books that make their emotions go all over the place, Ten Tiny Breaths is the perfect read.

Reading Order: Ten Tiny Breaths series

#0.5 ~ In Her Wake: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1 ~ Ten Tiny Breaths: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ One Tiny Lie: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Four Seconds to Lose: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Five Ways to Fall: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

18Sep2013

Early Review: Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
Series: Wild Cards #1
Publication Date: October 1st 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover

Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Walker Children’s Books) in exchange for an honest review

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain–people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

AH!! You have no idea how ecstatic I was to read this book. Because I just adore Simone Elkeles. I fell in love with her How to Ruin series and then I totally hit the jackpot with her Perfect Chemistry series. And once I found out she was going to write a new book, a new series, I totally fangirled! Wild Cards did remind me a bit of Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally (with the whole football player heroine), but I knew that Simone would put in that special spark that makes her characters so relatable and unique. And she did! I enjoyed Wild Cards very much!

I sort of flip flopped between liking Ashtyn one moment, and then not really feeling her the next. She’s an amazing football player, and while that’s definitely admirable, I know next to nothing about football. BUT Simone Elkeles is able to write Ashtyn in a way that I could still totally relate to and connect with. She’s a girl with big dreams, but she never really had anyone to support them or her. Even though she does have her football friends, she’s still lonely–until Derek comes in. But I did enjoy her character overall, mostly because of her growth and transformation, though not as much as I would have liked to. Throughout the book, Ashtyn learns to stand up for herself, to grow confident in who she is and who she’s meant to be. And I loved the fact that she never gives up on Derek. She gives her whole heart and effort for those she cares about, and Derek is one of them. The tension between them is off the charts!

Derek is the perfect mix of good guy and bad boy. And he’s got the rockin’ bod to top it all off 😉 YUM! Derek’s the type of guy who does what he wants and doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him. He reminded me a bit of the Fuentes brothers from the Perfect Chemistry series (!!!) , with the bad-boyness and the sarcasm. So if you loved the Fuentes brothers, you’ll most likely fall for Derek too 😉 Derek’s got a lot of angst in him, which was perfect for me, because I love angtsy book boys! He’s got secrets from the beginning of the book, and he’s closed off. He hides his heart between a delicious wall of sarcasm, sexiness, and fantastic pranks. AKA he has a hard time opening his heart up to Ashtyn. He knows he wants her, but he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Grrr, the frustration!!

Ashtyn and Derek go head to head with each other all the time. It doesn’t help that the very first time they meet each other, Ashtyn stabs Derek in the foot with a pitchfork. I laughed SO hard at that. Seriously, if that scene doesn’t make you laugh, I don’t know what will. And while the entire book isn’t as ridiculously hilarious as that, there are still a whole bunch of funny moments. Derek has his fair share of laughs, with his endless wit and rebel attitude. *sigh* I just swoon so hard for a guy who can make me laugh. Plus, there’s the incredible tension that builds up between Derek and Ashtyn… whew! Very nicely done, Simone Elkeles. I was hooked onto their romance from the very beginning.

I finished this in a day, if that tells you anything. Everything you can expect from a Simone Elkeles book–a hot bad boy, funny, likable characters, a fantastic romance–is found in Wild Cards. I give it 4 hearts! Can’t wait to read the next book! (I’m hoping it’s Jet–who doesn’t believe in love. So excited to see if and how Simone will change that boy’s ways…)

12Sep2013

Early Review: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: September 24th 2013
Links: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books) in exchange for an honest review

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She’s never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love–even with someone who seems an improbable choice–is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

I’ve never read a book by Trish Doller before, but I was thoroughly impressed. I requested a copy from Netgalley because of the premise and gorgeous cover. And I’m so glad I did because I enjoyed this book so much! It was slow and raw and heartwarming and sweet, and shows so much how you absolutely can find love no matter who you are, what you are, what you’ve done or where you’re from.

Callie was a great narrator. She was real, even though she had been on the run with her mom for twelve years. She’s hesitant about going back into a normal life, but I mean, who wouldn’t if you’ve never had any semblance of a normal life for over a decade? I wanted to feel sorry for her, but she’s a tough girl. She can handle her own, as she’s been doing the past twelve years, even if some things in her past do continue to haunt her. And the fact that she’s so resistant to her father and his family makes it hard for her to see how much they love her. Her new (well, technically it’s ‘old’) family is loving and welcoming, but Callie can’t accept their love. She feels like she’s betraying her mother, whom she still loves. But eventually, her family worms their way into her heart, and Callie knows that she’ll do anything for them, and that they’ll do anything for her. They teach and give her the unconditional love she never really had, and it was so touching and uplifting to read.

Greek culture is a pretty big part of the book, which was refreshing. The town Callie’s father lives in is a Greek tourist-y place, and Callie finds work selling Greek-like souvenirs with her cousin Kat. I never really read books that feature Greek culture, so it was a good kind of different to read about the food, the people, the language. I loved the Greek touch to the book! Made me want to go to Greece, see some Greek boys… *sigh*

Alex Kosta is the older boy Callie meets who she instantly is intrigued with. He’s beautiful but has something inside him that makes her want to know all his secrets, and tell him all her secrets. Their relationship was slow and awkward and bittersweet. I didn’t really connect with Alex, but I still felt he was perfect for Callie. He brought out the best in her, made her feel, and made her fall in love. And Callie is different for him as well. They connect in a way that they never have with anyone else before, and they show each other that love is possible for them both.

Favorite quote:

There are so many maybes in life, but sometimes you just have to put your faith in possibility.

I enjoyed reading this book so much. The dark and gritty balanced perfectly well with the sweet and heartwarming. I definitely recommend it for those who like their books a bit slow but moving. Now I’m really looking forward to reading Trish Doller’s first book, Something Like Normal.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Also by Trish Doller

Something Like Normal: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Devil You Know: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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5Sep2013

Review: Everything for Us by M. Leighton

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Everything for Us by M. Leighton
Series: The Bad Boys #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 3rd 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

When it comes to passion this hot, it’s all or nothing.

Olivia Townsend’s wealthy cousin Marissa had everything a girl could ask for—a great job, a privileged life, and all the friends she wanted. Or, at least, all the friends money could buy. But one case of mistaken identity has turned her privileged world upside down.

An abduction gone wrong lands her right in the lap of the sexiest, most dangerous man she’s ever met. To Marissa, he’s an enigma, but one to whom she’s irresistibly, inexplicably drawn.

With him comes a new world of freedom and passion, of dark shadows and dangerous secrets, a world where nothing is what it seems—except for the blind passion that Marissa can’t escape—or maybe even survive.

Even though I don’t spoil anything for Everything For Us, there WILL be spoilers for the previous two books, so be forewarned!

I’d been eagerly awaiting this new release because I’m a huge fan of the series. I mean, come on, it’s called The Bad Boys series, so how could I not love it? The romance in the previous two books is so thrilling and exciting, and Everything For Us is no different, even though it focuses on a different couple. So it’s goodbye to Cash (!!) and Olivia, and hello to Nash and Marissa.

As much as I adored Cash and his bad boy-ness, I had even higher expectations for Nash. He seemed to be even more bad, dark, intense, and might I even say, sexy. And in Everything For Us, he absolutely lived up to my expectations. *Sigh* Nash. I loved him. He’s just so totally Alpha-male and in complete control of everything that you can’t help but fall for him. And you also can’t help but feel for him once you find out how he came to be such harsh, dark person. He went through such hell during his exile for seven years, and he was only a teenager when everything went bad for him! He was dealt with horrible circumstances, and tried his best to do what he had to do to survive, even if it turned him into a not-so-good man. It was sad though, seeing how beneath all his revenge for his dead mother, he was just a lonely man. He doesn’t trust anybody, not even his twin, and he has no one he can really count on. And it’s so gratifying and satisfying to see him finally falling for a woman he can trust his heart to.

Of course, it’s not that easy for Nash, the stubborn man he is. He really, really resists letting his heart get anywhere near Marissa. Which was a bit frustrating. A lot of the time, I was just thinking, Just admit your feelings already, Nash! Grrr. But despite all this, he’s still one delish man. He’s protective of those he loves, and knows how to be deadly enough to protect them. And he’s so determined! When he wants something, there’s absolutely no stopping him from going after it. *Swoon*

Marissa turned out to be someone that I really, really liked. She was a horrible bitch in the other books in the series, but an abduction is sure to change anybody, including Marissa. Throughout the book, I started liking her more and more, every time she’d stand up for herself against her father. I felt for her when she realized that because of who she’d been in the past, just like Nash, she really has no one to be herself with. So of course these two scarred, lonely people would gravitate towards one another to try to find a little bit of happiness.

Everything For Us didn’t disappoint. There was sweet and tender, there was sexy and thrilling, and there was action and suspense. Everything connected so smoothly, and the characters stand out so well. The romance was a bit slow,though, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I highly recommend this series, and I’m really hoping for a book for Gavin! *fingers crossed*

Reading Order: The Bad Boys series

#1 ~ Down to You: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Up to Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Everything for Us: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

26Aug2013

Early Review: Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen
Series: Nova #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 3rd 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Forever) in exchange for an honest review

Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she’s getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next . . . until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life-but he doesn’t want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he’s done, what he’s lost. He’s sworn to never allow happiness into his life . . . but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he’s too damaged to get close to her, yet she’s the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

This story was sad, heartbreaking, and yet, in the end, so full of hope. My thoughts are, to be honest, quite jumbled over this book. There was so much angst and sadness and desolation for these two seemingly hopeless characters, but I still held on to the hope that there would be some sort of happy end for them. Breaking Nova could be categorized as a romance, I suppose, but for me, it was less of a romance and more of a story of two people coming together at the very lowest points of their lives. And they connect with one another in a powerful way, one they’ve never had with anyone else. They may or may not end up together at the end of this series, but I’d be perfectly happy with either way, as long as Nova and Quinton each find a way to have a happy future. (The romantic in me wishes they’ll have a HEA though!)

Sadness. Angst. Depression. Anguish. Pain. These are only a few of the things that Nova and Quinton are going through from the beginning of the book. My heart broke so much for them both. I can’t even imagine the heartache and grief each of them go through in their situations. Already from the get-go, the story goes straight downhill. It went so downhill, in fact, that I became very worried about whether it was possible for either Nova or Quinton to get back up. For both of them, death is sadly a huge part of their lives. From the beginning of the book, they lose people they love in horrifying ways, and those losses shape their very souls: who they are, what they are, how they act, etc. Unfortunately, both turn to drugs to get away from the pain. It was difficult for me to read, since I’m not a fan of reading about drug abuse, but while I didn’t like it, I could understand how they wanted a way to forget the pain and the memories that continue to haunt them.

I honestly loved the writing. The words are almost lyrical in a way, flowing so smoothly. Sometimes, I’d come across a sentence or paragraph that would stick out to me, and it would make me think about myself and about others, and that’s such a powerful thing for books to do. Make you re-evaulate yourself and others, re-evaluate life. I applaud Jessica Sorensen for writing a book that had so much raw, gritty emotion and made me feel so much. Just thinking about the book again makes my heart hurt a little.

I am SO glad for the last 20-25% of the book, because honestly, if I had to read an ENTIRE book that only had pain and suffering, I would not enjoy it at all. So thank goodness for the last part. Because as devastating and heartbreaking the rest of the book was, there was still hope. Breaking Nova is not a happy book, but the end left me feeling like Nova and Quinton might possibly have a better future for themselves. Maybe not right then, but like they’d eventually find a way to pull themselves out of that deep, dark place they are in. Quinton, who has so much more shame and guilt, would have a harder time with this, but I have no doubt that he’ll find a way, or else Nova will for him, to heal.

And I love that the story played out almost like a movie. All of Jessica Sorensen’s books that I’ve read have an almost cinematic quality to them, at least more than the usual imagining the story inside your head thing. Her books would make perfect movies.

I really, really enjoyed Breaking Nova. It was moving and powerful and bittersweet. I didn’t love it, but I’d definitely recommend it to those who like angst to the max in their books. SO looking forward to the sequel. (Fingers crossed for a happier book!)

4 hearts for this difficult, heartbreaking, captivating read.

Reading Order: Nova series

#1 ~ Breaking Nova: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Saving Quinton: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Nova and Quinton: No Regrets: Ebook • Goodreads
#4 ~ Wreck Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Ruin Me: Ebook (Jan. 19, 2015)
#2.5 & #3.5 ~ Taking Chances: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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