Audiobook Review: Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Publication Date: June 7th 2016
Length: 6 hours and 16 minutes
Narrated by: Alia Tavakolian, Ricco Fajardo, Jeannie Tirado
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I thought I’d left Blackwater, Texas behind for good. I didn’t belong in the small town, but my dad wouldn’t listen. He dragged me back home in his beat-up truck and dropped a bomb along the way: Chase Matthews was moving in with us. He was the golden boy of my high school, my former best friend, and the last person I wanted sleeping across the hall. His presence was too great a reminder of the ghosts I was trying to forget.

I didn’t ask for a hero. I don’t want to be saved.

To me, Lilah Calloway meant late nights sneakin’ out, moonlit hair, and sparklers in July. She was my best friend until the day she left and I’d assumed Blackwater had seen the last of her. Then, like a tempest, she rolled back into town for the final half of senior year. The chopped hair and dark devil-may-care attitude warned most people away, but I knew if I fought hard enough, I could find the lost girl.

I didn’t want to be her hero. Some girls don’t need to be saved.

I’m a big fan of R.S. Grey’s rom-coms, but I knew going into Chasing Spring it would be a little different from what the author normally writes. It’s a YA book, not new adult, and it’s much more serious that her usual fun and flirty books. I wish I could say I loved Chasing Spring as much as I loved her previous books, but the execution of the story just wasn’t up to par. I really enjoyed listening to the three narrators, but the story wasn’t cohesive enough for me to truly appreciate the narration. I do applaud the author for venturing out of her normal genre, and wouldn’t mind giving a try at another of her YAs.

Lilah Calloway and Chase Matthews used to be childhood best friends before tragedy tore them apart. They haven’t seen each other for years, but Lilah has finally come home for their senior year of high school, but she’s not the same girl she used to be. She’s dyed her hair black, turned a little emo and grunge… she’s a bit of a mess and not at all happy. Chase is his usual shining, star athlete self… except looks can be deceiving. Chase’s mother is dead and his father is an alcoholic – but Lilah’s father offers him a place to stay in his home. Once again, Chase and Lilah will be together again, but not as close friends anymore.

Here we have coming-of-age YA, as Lilah struggles to deal with her problems and Chase trying to help her while saving himself. The romance between them kind of went on the backburner, which is a shame because if the author had fleshed out the love between Lilah and Chase more, it would’ve been so sweet and heartwarming. But the main focus was on Lilah’s problems, especially with drug and alcohol abuse. It was a little tiring and boring as I listened to Lilah NOT deal with her problems even though she wanted to, and Chase trying and failing to help her because she didn’t want his help. I lacked a connection with the characters and story, which impacted how I felt as I listened to the audiobook.

Luckily, the narrators did a great job at voicing the main characters. I was a little confused at why there were three narrators instead of just two, but I eventually found out that besides Lilah and Chase, there is a third POV, Lilah’s mother Elaine, who is also central to the story. I found her story to be the most intriguing and I really wish we’d gotten more of her POV than we did.

Chasing Spring had potential, but the story just wasn’t executed very well. I loved the narration, but it wasn’t enough for me to enjoy the story like a wanted. I still love R.S. Grey and will read more of her NAs, but this one is not one of my favorites of hers!

CHASING SPRING is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/1Yt0g99

Also by R.S. Grey

Scoring Wilder: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Settling the Score: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
With This Heart: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Allure of Julian Lefray: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Allure of Dean Harper: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Duet: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
The Design: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

16Jun2016

Review: The Bookworm Box (April 2016)

Posted in Reviews by Lacey

I’m finally back from school!! And who doesn’t love coming home to books, right? Well, I received a box from The Bookworm Box for review – you have no idea how much I squeed over this cute purple box! Inside, I found two surprise paperbacks and some lovely swag (check out the picks below)!

(I love Mia Sheridan!!!)

A little about The Bookworm Box: it was founded by author Colleen Hoover (one of the best authors and humans ever), and if you sign up for its monthly subscription, you get two signed books, a Bookworm item, and some book swag. The amazing thing about The Bookworm Box is that all profits go to charity (with over $40,000 donated since March 2015)! You can check out the charities they’ve donated to here.

Honestly, there are nothing but great things to say about The Bookworm Box! It’s the perfect way of combining books and charity. Boxes are currently open for purchase now! Thanks so much to Colleen Hoover for the box to review – I’ve been wanting one for a while now, and I’m definitely looking forward to buying one of my own!

lacey

The Bookworm Box: April 2016

Signed Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan
Signed Honesty by Seth King
Bookworm Box items (sticker, pen, USB car charger adapter)
Skye Warren button
C.M. Foss magnet
Jennifer McMahon and B. Brumley bookmarks

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

14Jun2016

Release Day Review + Author Interview: Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen

Posted in 5 hearts, Exclusive, Reviews by Lacey

Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen
Series: True North #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: June 14th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Farmers make the earth move.

The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some.

Warning: Contains sexual situations, gourmet yumminess, a steamy outdoor shower and proof that farmers don’t mind getting dirty.

Holy freaking CRAP, I loved this book SO DAMN MUCH!!!! Bittersweet is the type of book that went above and beyond anything I ever expected. This is that first straight romance I’ve read from Sarina Bowen and it will definitely not be my last. I honestly can’t handle the amount of love I have for this book. IT. IS. AMAZING!!! Charmingly hilarious, amazingly sexy, and utterly heartwarming, Bittersweet swept me away and made my heart so happy. It’s one of the best books I’ve read all year!

Audrey and Griffin hooked up once in college but haven’t seen each other for years since. Audrey went off to become a chef and Griffin went off to play ball, only to go back home to the ranch help out his family. Now, both are struggling with their careers, but a twist of fate brings them back together, and they find that they can help each other out job-wise. Except the crazy hot chemistry they used to have back in college is still going strong. Should they get involved with each other again when they’re living two completely different lives… Or do they have something worthwhile to pursue?

She and I were a dangerous combination. We needed cautionary signs like the ones hanging in the tractor shed over the cans of diesel fuel. WARNING: COMBUSTIBLE.

Audrey and Griffin are absolutely AMAZING together!!! They are wonderful as individuals, both so strong, independent, funny, and lovable, but together is when they truly shine. They might not have been meant for each other in college, but fate has brought them together again for a reason, and you can clearly see that they are absolutely meant to be together. Griff is all big, sexy, protective, and caring, while Audrey is charming, witty, gorgeous, and ambitious. Their growing romance (and the hot, hot, HOT sexy times) was phenomenally written. Sarina Bowen has written a beautiful love story I rooted for from start to finish.

Whether it was convenient or not, Audrey and I just fit. We’d always been good together. It’s just that I’d never allowed myself to imagine a future where we shared everything. A bed. A home.
A name.
Hell. That got me panting. I wanted everything. There was nobody else who got under my skin like she had. To think of her as mine seemed like an impossible luxury.
It’s the only luxury I’ve ever been greedy for.

What I also loved about Bittersweet besides the romance was the farming life! The author was able to integrate everything related to farming in a cohesive, understandable, and relatable way, and I applaud her for it. Really, there was no part of this book that I didn’t enjoy or love. I never wanted Griffin and Audrey’s story to end! No joke, I couldn’t stop smiling as I read this book, giggling at all the witty banter and grinning at the delicious tension between the main characters. It was a fantastic start to the True North series, and I’m already dying for more. I can’t wait to read the next two books!

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

Author Interview: Sarina Bowen

Bittersweet is one of my favorite reads of the year! What inspired you to write it?

Thank you! Farmers really are sexy. True story! I am surrounded by interesting growers where I live. They’re young activists who want to change the shape of our food supply, and they are really inspiring.

Did you have to do some research on the farming aspect of the story?

Yes, and I enjoyed every moment of it. The organic-or-die Cedar Circle Farm in Thetford, VT is one of my favorite stops, and we buy hard cider in growlers from Poverty Lane Orchard in Lebanon, NH.

I’m in LOVE with Griffin – do you have a model inspiration for him?

Not really! Finding that photo for the cover, though, was some excellent luck. I thought: there he is!

Who was your favorite character to write?

I love them all equally. 😉

What was your favorite scene to write?

The cider-tasting scene! I cracked myself right up when Audrey would think the cider tasted like sex.

I know Jude will be getting his story next in Steadfast, but will Zach be book #3? cough Male virgin alert! cough

Oh you better believe it! Zach is totally book #3.

Will we see more of Griff and Audrey in the upcoming True North books?

Absolutely. I promise!

What are you currently working on now?

I’m writing Brooklyn Bruisers #3 (even though #1 hasn’t come out yet) and putting final touches on STEADFAST.

Thank you so much, Sarina, for the interview!

Reading Order: True North series

#1 ~ Bittersweet: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Steadfast: Ebook • Goodreads (July 12, 2016)
#3 ~ Keepsake: Goodreads (Oct. 2016)

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

11Jun2016

Audiobook Review: Never Never: Part 3 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Never Never: Part 3 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher
Series: Never Never #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: June 7th 2016
Length: 2 hours and 46 minutes
Narrated by: Kevin Free & Elizabeth Evans
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

New York Times best-selling authors Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher are back with the much-anticipated final installment in the Never Never novella series.

Together, Silas Nash and Charlize Wynwood must look deeper into the past to find out who they were and who they want to be. With time ticking down, the couple are in a race to find the answers they need before they lose everything.

Can they regain what they once had? And will it restore who they once were?

The final Never Never installment is here in audio! I previously listened to the first two parts and really enjoyed them, so the wait for part three in audio was worth it. Kevin Free as Silas and Elizabeth Evans as Charlie are perfect, and I couldn’t wait to listen to them again. And of course, they did another incredible job narrating Never Never: Part 3 – it’s a fun conclusion to Silas and Charlie’s mind-blowing story, if a little unbelievable. Things took a turn for the weird side, but I still did enjoy listening to it. I just hate that the installments are so short – I didn’t want Charlie and Silas’s story to end!

Part 3 follows up right where part 2 left off, at the start of another 48 hours. Have Charlie and Silas forgotten who they are again? What happens if they actually remember? Will they find out why their memories have been lost? Will they be able to stop themselves from forgetting again? Thankfully, Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher answer all of these questions – it doesn’t answer ALL the questions we’ve come across throughout the series (I still want to know what happened with the blood in part 1) but the burning, important questions are answered… in a slightly over-the-top, unbelievable way that leaves you going, “That was it!?”

Other than the ridiculous plot, I did love everything about NN #3. Charlie and Silas are incredible, well-written, and well-developed characters. I love them and their sweet banter and steamy chemistry – they make the most adorable couple ever, and I really hope CoHo and Tarryn might write a little more about them. But I’m glad to see where they ended up by the end of the novella – the epilogue was amazing!

You’ll either love or hate NN #3 – I’m in the middle since there were parts I loved and parts I hated. Still, if you’re a fan of the series, I know you’re dying to solve the mystery. Why not get the audiobook with narrators who make the story even more enjoyable?

NEVER NEVER: PART 3 is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/1tlNdvb

Reading Order: Never Never series

#1 ~ Never Never: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Never Never: Part 2: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Never Never: Part 3: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

10Jun2016

Blog Tour + ARC Review & Excerpt: Idol by Kristen Callihan

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Idol by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #1
Publication Date: June 7th 2016

Libby

I found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won’t leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he’s slowly wearing me down, making me crave more.

He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he’s theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away?

Killian

As lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles.

Until Liberty. She’s grouchy, a recluse —and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who’ve screamed my name.

The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I’m not willing to leave her. I’ve got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iTunes • Kobo

You have NO idea how excited I was in anticipation for Kristen Callihan’s first rock star romance!! I LOVE her sports romances, and I also love rock star romances, so Idol sounded absolutely perfect to me. Plus, how gorgeous is that cover!? In the end, this book surprised me – it was surprisingly slow and sweet. Not at all what I’m used to in the rock star books I’ve read, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I liked Idol – I didn’t love it the way I wanted, but I still enjoyed it. It was entertaining, and I adored the sweet hero. Fans of the author should definitely check this one out!

The beginning of the book is without doubt, my favorite part of Idol. Libby, our heroine, finds rock star Killian James passed out drunk on her front lawn, except she doesn’t recognize him and the mess he’s become. The lead singer is intrigued enough by Libby and her distaste for him that he wants to stay around her… so good thing that they’ve become new neighbors, right? There’s a bit of hate/love going on when Killian and Libby get to know each other – Libby hates Killian because she’s got no tolerance for drunk drivers, but she’s ridiculously attracted to him. Killian is annoyed by Libby, but still wants to know her better. The tension between them is delicious, and I was definitely hooked onto the novel because of it. And wonderfully, the two eventually develop a sweet friendship as they connect over music, listening to and creating it. But the underlying tones of desire and longing added a nice touch of angst and emotion to the story.

We know each other. We can talk about anything, or nothing. It never gets old or boring. Libby is my resonance; when I’m in her vicinity, I’m suddenly amped up, with everything moving at a different frequency. And I don’t care if that’s sappy. It’s the truth.

Once Killian and Libby do get into a relationship (and holy hell, are they hot together!), sadly things flatlined a bit for me. I loved the tension, but once that was done, I didn’t really find myself connecting much with anything else. I liked Libby and Killian, but I never emotionally connected or related to them. I don’t always have the same taste in music as the rock star books I’ve read, but the authors are usually able to make me feel immersed in the music anyway. I didn’t really feel that here in Idol, and I got a little bored during the middle, honestly. It was just a little too slow, and my disconnect with the characters, the music, and the rock star life just wasn’t working.

Still, I did love the way Idol ended. The beginning and end were the highlights of the story, the parts that had me hooked on the romance. Killian is the absolute SWEETEST, which is surprising since he came off as a broody alpha-male at first. I enjoyed Libby’s transformation from hermit to an up-an-coming rock star herself. Theirs is a sweet, slow-burn romance, and even though I had problems in the middle, it was very enjoyable to read. I wish I could’ve connected more, and I’m sure it’s a me-not-you thing – other readers are more than likely to adore this unique, sexy rock star romance.

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

Now here’s an excerpt from Idol! ❤

“You know,” I say conversationally, as I kick back, “I want to fuck you right now.”

Libby jerks as if pinched and sits a little straighter, before getting a hold of herself and slouching as if she’s completely chill. Cute.

She gives me a smirk and sips her water before drawling, “And what? Mark your territory? Assert your manly dominance?”

“Yep.” I slide my gaze to hers. “But mostly I just want to fuck you all the time.”

God, I love the way her lips part and body flushes with heat. So subtle, but there all the same. It makes me hard as steel, my balls squeezing tight. I don’t look at her but pretend I’m observing the room. The lights are dimming for the movie now, the empty chairs in front of us obscuring our lower halves.

Slowly my hand falls to space between us and smooths along her hip. She delicately shivers as my fingers trace down her thigh.

“What about you,” I murmur, lightly toying with her skirt in the darkening room. “You want to fuck me, baby doll?”

“Right now, I want to kick you,” she gets out between clenched teeth. “Keep your hands to yourself. There are nosy ass people everywhere.”

“They’re all watching the movie. Not us.” Focusing on the screen, I keep my expression neutral as I ease my hand under her skirt. Her skin is smooth and warm. The movie starts in a blast of music and the familiar old logo as I trace over her knee and up her soft thigh. “And that wasn’t a ‘no.’”

She makes a cute growl in the back of her throat, but her legs part just enough to give me room to delve between them. Her inner thighs are hot and damp, and my cock twitches.

The storyline rolls along, my touch idly roams. Libby remains utterly still but I can practically feel the tension vibrating within her. When the tip of my finger skims the crease where her thigh meets her hip, her breath catches, legs parting wider.

“Have I mentioned how much I appreciated this new skirt-filled wardrobe?” I whisper, lightly drawing circles along her skin.

“Brenna’s idea.” Her hips shift just a bit, following my touch. “Right now, I’m missing my shorts.”

I smile, my eyes on the screen, my fingers drifting to the edge of her panties. “Later, you can put them on and we’ll play ‘Fuck the Farmer’s Daughter.’”

She grunts, a stifled laugh, which turns to a strangled whimper when I pluck her panties. Her voice turns breathy. “I’m trying to watch the damn movie. I’m not interested in fooling around.” She moves a tiny fraction, nudging against my finger.

In the dark, I grin, heat and lust pulling my abs tight. “I’m sorry,” I say, not sorry at all, “But I don’t believe you. I’m gonna have to check.”

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Amazon Page

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

	Unlocking the Magic… on Review: A Promise of Fire by A…
	Lucas Middleton on Blog Tour // Review + Excerpt:…
	Van on Blog Tour + Release Day Review…
	Amber Elise @ Du Liv… on Audiobook Review: The Stand-In…
	daisyknox on Release Day Review: Tryst Six…

Booklovers For Life

Falling in love with romance one page at a time

Category Archives: Reviews