Tag Archives: 3 stars

Audiobook Review: The Fire Between High & Lo by Brittainy C. Cherry

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The Fire Between High & Lo by Brittainy C. Cherry
Series: Elements #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: June 19th 2016
Length: 9 hours and 3 minutes
Narrated by: Graham Halstead & Emily Woo Zeller
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

Logan Francis Silverstone and I were complete opposites. I danced, and he stood still. He was quiet, while I ran my mouth. He struggled to find a smile, and I refused to frown.

The night I saw the darkness that truly lived inside of him, I couldn’t look away.

We were broken together, yet somehow whole. We were wrong together, but always right. We were the stars that burned across the night sky, searching for a wish, praying for better tomorrows.

Until the day I lost him. He threw us away with one hasty decision–a decision that changed us forever.

There once was a boy, and I loved him.

And for a few breaths, a few whispers, a few moments, I think he loved me, too.

I’d been excited for The Fire Between High & Lo to come out in audio after listening to The Air He Breathes, and I was hoping to get the same narrators, but the two narrators for The Fire Between High & Lo turned out even BETTER than those in the previous book! I absolutely LOVED listening to Graham Halstead and Emily Woo Zeller – they voiced and embodied Logan and Alyssa perfectly. I really hope they narrate more books together, they were that amazing.

The story of Logan and Alyssa though… I didn’t love quite as much as the narration. We begin the story with them as teenagers and becoming best friends, and then eventually something more – this was definitely my favorite part of the story. The connection and deep friendship between them warmed my heart, especially since even though they’re both a little broken, when they’re together, nothing can bring them down. And the slow burning romance that develops makes everything even better. These were two characters I couldn’t help but root for a HEA, or at least SOME happiness, because they both deserved it.

Then tragedy strikes, because the hand they’ve already been dealt with isn’t bad enough. My heart broke for both Alyssa and Logan, but at the same time, I didn’t like the way they handled the tragedy, Logan especially. He becomes someone a little bit despicable, so he ruined the story for me. Alyssa becomes a doormat, unfortunately, so things quickly go downhill in the second half of the story.

The Fire Between High & Lo had such promise, especially with the fantastic narrators – I’d give them a 5 star rating alone. But the story just didn’t work out for me, but I’m sure I’m in the minority for this. If you loved either one of the Elements books, then I highly recommend you give the audiobook of The Fire Between High & Lo a try, because I have a feeling you’ll love it. The story wasn’t for me, but the narration was – I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more audiobooks narrated by Graham Halstead and Emily Woo Zeller!

THE FIRE BETWEEN HIGH & LO is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/28XpgSY

3 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Elements series

 

#1 ~ The Air He Breathes: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Fire Between High & Lo: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Silent Waters: Goodreads (release date TBA)

Here’s an audio excerpt from The Air He Breathes, book 1 in the Elements series!

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Audiobook Review: Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey

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Chasing Spring by R.S. Grey

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

3 hearts
lacey

Also by R.S. Grey

Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey  
The Allure of Julian Lefray by R.S. Grey The Allure of Dean Harper 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

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ARC Review: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: June 7th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick and a “Best Book of the Summer” by Glamour and USA TODAY—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life.

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

I’m a little bummed right now because I really, really wanted to love this one more. One True Loves sounded absolutely amazing, and I hadn’t read Taylor Jenkins Reid before, but I’d heard great things about her books. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect well enough with the story and characters. It was as if I was reading this book from a distance – watching everything happen, but not emotionally connecting with anything. It sucks! I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t really love it either, so it ended up being an okay read. The writing is stunning though, and I am more than likely to pick up another book of the author’s just for the writing.

Years ago, Emma’s high school sweetheart-turned-husband went missing while flying over the Pacific for a job. She and Jesse hadn’t even made it one year in their marriage before everything fell apart and Emma lost the love of her life. Now, in her thirties, she’s been able to pick herself up and move on. She reunites with an old friend, Sam, who contributes a big part to her healing and moving on, and she eventually falls in love with him. Now engaged to the new love of her life, Emma is finally happy again… until she receives a phone call telling her that Jesse is alive. The past and present collide as her old love and new want her to choose what life she wants to live, and with whom. But how can she choose between two loves and two lives? Is there such thing as only ONE true love?

By loving the two of them, I am no longer sure about either. And by being unsure, I might just lose them both.
Romantic love is a beautiful thing under the right circumstances. But those circumstances are so specific and rare, aren’t they?
It’s rare that you love the person who loves you, that you love only the person who loves only you. Otherwise, somebody’s heartbroken.
But I guess that’s why true love is so alluring in the first place. It’s hard to find and hold on to, like all beautiful things. Like gold, saffron, or aurora borealis.

The premise of One True Loves hooked me in, I’ll admit. I was dying to see how things would play out, who Emma would choose. Sadly, the way the story was organized really put me off. We are told the stories of two completely different relationships at different times in Emma’s life in a normal-sized book, and the length of the separate romances wasn’t long or developed enough for me to connect with. I never loved Jesse, I never loved Sam, so I didn’t really care about who Emma would choose in the end. Maybe if the book were longer, I’d be able to connect with the men more, but throughout the book, I never really became invested in any of the romance.

It breaks my heart to be loved like this, to be loved so purely that I’m capable of breaking a heart.

I also got annoyed at the choices Emma made during her hesitation about who to choose. I was a little disgusted at how she went from Jesse to Sam, then Sam to Jesse, and then all over again, without caring about how they feel. She constantly hurts these two men who would do anything for her, and I just couldn’t like a heroine who knows she’s hurting the men she loves, and does it anyway. And in the end, things wrapped up too neatly and nicely – I’m happy with who she chose, but I would’ve really liked to see Emma work to deserve the love of the man she ended up with.

TJR’s writing, however, is phenomenal. A little formal, yes, but it’s a unique style and very different from what I’m used to reading. I just wish she’d structured the story in a better way that could’ve made me connect more. The moral of the book though, comes across very, very well, and I appreciated that there was a deeper meaning to OTL than just a simple love triangle. Overall, this book just didn’t work that well for me, but others might enjoy it more than I did!

3 hearts
lacey

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

Also by Taylor Jenkins Reid

  

Maybe in Another Life: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
After I Do: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Forever, Interrupted: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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ARC Review: Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst

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Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst

Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst
Series: Billionaire Builders #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 31st 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Hot on the heels of her beloved Marriage to a Billionaire novels, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst nails it with the first in an all-new sexy romance series featuring red-hot contractor siblings who give the Property Brothers a run for their money!

Ever the responsible eldest brother, Caleb Pierce started working for his father’s luxury contracting business at a young age, dreaming of one day sitting in the boss’s chair. But his father’s will throws a wrench in his plans by stipulating that Caleb share control of the family business with his two estranged brothers.

Things only get more complicated when demanding high-end home designer Morgan hires Caleb to build her a customized dream house that matches her specifications to a T—or she’ll use her powerful connections to poison the Pierce brothers’ reputation. Not one to ignore a challenge, Caleb vows to get the job done—if only he can stop getting distracted by his new client’s perfect…amenities.

But there’s more to icy Morgan than meets the eye. And Caleb’s not the only one who knows how to use a stud-finder. In fact, Morgan is pretty sure she’s found hers—and he looks quite enticing in a hard hat. As sparks fly between Morgan and Caleb despite his best intentions not to mix business and pleasure, will she finally warm up and help him lay the foundation for everlasting love?

I love Jennifer Probst’s Searching For series, so when I heard she’d be writing something new, I couldn’t wait to read it. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t particularly know anything about construction and I don’t watch Property Brothers, but I was excited to see how Ms. Probst would bring that to life in the Billionaire Builders series. I can’t say that I loved Everywhere and Every Way, but it was a good read and a good introduction to the Pierce brothers and their upcoming books.

When his father dies, Caleb expects to inherit Pierce Brothers Construction, so he’s shocked when his father’s will states that he won’t get the company unless he works with his two younger, estranged brothers. It’s tough work to convince them, but Tristan and Dalton finally give in to working at their family’s company, despite the fact that the three of them can’t seem to have a conversation that doesn’t end in a fight. Their newest assignment is to build a magnificent home for Morgan Raines’ client, and even though it seems like an impossible feat, the brothers try to find a way to work with each other.

Morgan is a tough, independent, career-driven woman, and she gets hands-on when working on a construction site, to the shock of the builders. She’s reluctantly attracted to one of the Pierce brothers, but she’s determined to remain professional, despite how irresistible Caleb is. Caleb himself doesn’t make it easy for Morgan, determined to get her into his bed. But as they spend more time together working on the house, feelings start to get involved, and it’s Caleb who tries to make Morgan see how good they could be together.

This was a sweet, if slow contemporary romance. I really enjoy the way Jennifer Probst builds up her romances, and though Caleb and Morgan’s was a little too slow for my taste, I still did enjoy reading their story. I’m especially excited to see where the author will take us with Tristan and Dalton’s stories. If you’re a fan of Jennifer Probst or an HGTV fan, you should give Everywhere and Every Way a try – you might like it more than I did!

3 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Billionaire Builders series

Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst 

#1 ~ Everywhere and Every Way: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Any Time and Any Place: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (Jan. 24, 2017)

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Review Tour: Wednesday by Kendall Ryan

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Welcome to today’s stop on the review tour for Wednesday by Kendall Ryan!

Wednesday by Kendall Ryan
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: May 23rd 2016
Add to Goodreads

Hard core fucking.

It’s not what I really want, but it’s all he has to offer. He’s filled with turmoil and heartache and regrets, but for two hours every Wednesday all he feels is me. How much I desire him, how desperate he makes me, how much I’d like things to be different between us. Real.

He used to be my best friend back before he got married. And now? Now, he’s a young widower. It’d be wrong on so many levels to expect something more from him. So I give him what he needs. Dark delicious fucking. But I know I can’t keep this up. I’ve already given him my body, my soul. I want him to have my heart. It might drive him away forever, but that’s a risk I’m forced to take.

Wednesday is an angsty romp told from dual points of view. If you’re in the mood for something quick and dirty, you’ve found it. Proceed at your own risk.

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

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Okay, this one is short and HOT! A little too short for my taste, but Wednesday is definitely the perfect smutty read if you’re in need of a quickie. This is actually the first book I’ve read by Kendall Ryan, but now I know why everyone thinks she writes some steamy reads. She gets seriously down and dirty in Chloe and Shaw’s novella! I liked it, but I would’ve preferred something longer and more fleshed out.

He was my drug. Bold. Intoxicating. Addictive.

Wednesday is a friends-to-lovers romance between Shaw, a grieving widow, and Chloe, who’s had a crush on Shaw for as long as she’s known him. After the death of Shaw’s wife, Chloe lets Shaw fall into his grief and use her – for sex. Every Wednesday, he goes over to her house a rough, raw, long ride. It’s wrong, taboo… but why does it feel so right between them?

My drug of choice was my best friend, naked and writhing beneath me. Did that make me a monster? Maybe.

Soooo basically, this was smutty novella to the max. The chemistry is hot and there’s plenty of dirty talk, but I did find myself frustrated with Chloe and Shaw – Chloe for being too passive with Shaw, Shaw for using Chloe and not really SEEING her until the last moment – but their romance wraps up pretty sweetly and cheesily. I still enjoyed this read – it’s fun, quick, and did I mention, HOT? If you’re a fan of short, dirty reads, this one’s definitely for you. 😉

3 hearts
lacey

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

about the author button

Kendall RyanA New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Website • Newsletter • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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