Review: Love, in English by Karina Halle

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Love, in English by Karina Halle
Series: LIE #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 20th 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

He’s thirty-eight. I’m twenty-three.

He speaks Spanish. I speak English.

He lives in Spain. I live in Canada.

He dresses in thousand-dollar suits. I’m covered in tattoos.

He’s married and has a five-year old daughter. I’m single and can’t commit to anyone or anything.

Until now. Because when they say you can’t choose who you fall in love with, boy ain’t that the f*#king truth.

***

To a restless dreamer like Vera Miles, it sounded like the experience of a lifetime. Instead of spending her summer interning for her astronomy major, she would fly to Spain where she’d spend a few weeks teaching conversational English to businessmen and women, all while enjoying free room and board at an isolated resort. But while Vera expected to get a tan, meet new people and stuff herself with wine and paella, she never expected to fall in love.

Mateo Casalles is unlike anyone Vera has ever known, let alone anyone she’s usually attracted to. While Vera is a pierced and tatted free spirit with a love for music and freedom, Mateo is a successful businessman from Madrid, all sharp suits and cocky Latino charm. Yet, as the weeks go on, the two grow increasingly close and their relationship changes from purely platonic to something…more.

Something that makes Vera feel alive for the first time.

Something that can never, ever be.

Or so she thinks.

“Love is like a thief, it robs you of all thought and logic, and all you have left is a heart that you can only pray is strong enough to survive the rest.”

I read Love, in English the moment it appeared on my kindle and I couldn’t. stop. reading. I literally had to force myself to stop when it was 2 AM and by then I was around halfway done. God, this book did a number on me. I can’t stop thinking about it–my mind and heart are still in a jumble of a mess right now. All I really want to say is the I love this book so freaking hard. Love, in English has become one of the best books, the best romances, I have read this year yet, and it’ll most likely stay that way because, simply put, this book is phenomenal.

“You can fall in love in a second,” she said with a snap of her fingers. “The heart has no regard for time.”

First, let’s talk a little bit about forbidden love! Yes, as you can see from the blurb, our heroine, Vera Miles, falls in love with a married man. A married man, you say??? Yes, yes, a married man. This is a touchy subject, but it’s one I felt Karina Halle handled flawlessly. I normally stay far, far away from books that involve cheating, and only very, very few books have made me fall in love with the story and characters. Love, in English is one of them. So if you’re wary of the cheating aspect of the book, I would say to not turn your back on it just yet.

The thing about Love, in English is that it is so much more than just a forbidden romance. The very essence of this book is not the forbidden part, but the love part. Vera goes to Spain to teach English to a group of Spanish native speakers, and there she discovers more about herself and about love than she could ever have dreamed of. She thought she was fairly okay with her life up until her trip to Spain, where she meets new people who “get” her. She doesn’t have to pretend with these group of Spaniards and Anglos, who welcome her with open arms, something she never had at home.

“You are lonely, but you say you like to be alone.”
I nodded. “I do. I prefer it. But… it doesn’t mean I don’t want someone to love me.” My eyes stung, as if tears were on their way. I bit my lip, debating if I should say more. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t have a lot of love in me to give someone.”

And along the way of this self-discovery, Vera actually falls in love… but it just so happens that he’s married. And what I love most about Vera, besides her kickass attitude and her awesome tattoos, is that she knows what she feels for Mateo is wrong. She knows there would be consequences and was very adamantly against having any feelings for him. And it certainly is wrong to act on those feelings, but what she feels for Mateo is something completely different. As she spends more time with Mateo, talking with him, getting to know him, her feelings blossom into something… beautiful. And it is very obviously reciprocated by Mateo.

“What is love? In English.”
I raised my brows. “Love, in English, is love?”
“What is it in Spanish?”
I was so enthralled by his hypnotic eyes, I could barely remember. “Amore?”
He shook his head ever so slightly. “No. Love in Spanish is you.”

Cue the blubbers!!! My heart was seriously bursting here. *sigh*

But but but… heartbreak is like a dark cloud hanging over Vera and Mateo. If they had only met under different circumstances, then a love this theirs would have been the most wondrous, glorious thing. But they didn’t, so what can actually come out of a love between the two of them?

“You and I, we were always a memory in the making.”

Cue the goddamn tears!! Karina Halle is so powerful with her words. I could feel the heartbreak, the anguish, but most of all, the love between Vera and Mateo. And another thing Karina Halle so eloquently expresses in this book? Spain. It was like I was taken into another world, a special place designated to Mateo and Vera for falling in love. And I was rooting for them every single second. They were two people falling in love at the wrong time, but there was no doubt that the two of them were meant for each other, meant to be with each other. I had no idea what direction Karina Halle would have the two of them take, but everything was honest, heartbreaking, breathtaking, and real.

“But love makes you an optimist,” she said. “That is what love is. It is hope for the future. Love doesn’t want you to lose faith, to view the world darkly, to have no hope. Love makes you believe in the impossible. That is the meaning of the word.”

All in all, Love, in English was one beautiful book. It made me laugh, made me cry, made me hurt, and made me feel nearly every emotion out there known to man. I was gasping one moment, and tearing up in the next, but every single second I was falling more and more in love with the book. This is without a doubt one of the best romances I have ever read, and I wish every single person out there gave Love, in English a chance.

Reading Order: LIE series

#1 ~ Love, in English: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Love, in Spanish: Ebook • Goodreads (Nov. 11, 2014)
Spinoff ~ Where Sea Meets Sky: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (March 1, 2015)

6Apr2014

Joint Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Posted in 5 hearts, 6 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
Series: Maybe #1 (can be read as a standalone)
Publication Date: March 18th 2014
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Soundtrack

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

Alrighty, well the first thing I should say is that I finally have time to post more reviews, and what better way to start than with MAYBE freaking SOMEDAY? *fangirling commences*

So. Colleen Hoover. Is it ever possible for you to write a book that I won’t fall in love with? That my entire heart and soul won’t be invested in? That won’t take me, like, 3-4 days to recover from? No? Okay. Well, that’s fine. I’m totally okay with that. You know why? BECAUSE I FREAKING LOVE YOU, COLLEEN.

In case you couldn’t tell, I loooooooved Maybe Someday. It was probably the worst book Colleen Hoover has written so far, in terms of the amount of heartbreak and anguish. This book nearly killed me. And I loved every second of it. I honestly had no idea how much pain and heartbreak Maybe Someday would put me through. I mean, my first impression of this book was that it was freaking hilarious. Laugh-out-loud funny, and in my opinion, Colleen’s funniest book yet. But… as we get more into the story, more involved in the lives of Sydney, Ridge, Warren, and everyone else, all these layers come peeling away. We get such an in-depth look at all the characters that it felt like I knew them, like I connected with their souls. It was perfect.

As the book progressed, I loved that we slowly got know the very hearts of the characters. Sydney isn’t just a girl whose boyfriend has been hooking up with someone else–she’s a kickass girl who writes awesome lyrics to songs. She incredibly relatable–she’s funny, compassionate, and all around a good person. And Ridge is so much more than Sydney’s neighbor who’s talented at playing the guitar. He’s got to be one of the sweetest characters I’ve ever read. Ridge truly has a heart of gold and I fell in love with him over and over in Maybe Someday.

One thing I should highlight is that you absolutely MUST listen to the Maybe Someday soundtrack while reading this book! It makes an already fantastic experience so much better when you actually listen to the songs as they appear in the book. And can I just say–Griffin Peterson is incredible! I am so, so impressed with the songs he and Colleen created.

Maybe Someday is like nothing I’ve ever read. I don’t want to spoil anything about the book, because it’s just so much better to get the full experience without knowing anything, but the direction Colleen Hoover took the story is so unexpected, but so real, raw, honest, and pretty much… perfect. I couldn’t imagine a better story for Sydney and Ridge.

And don’t even get me started on what Maybe Someday did to my emotions. Jesus H. Christ, it was like a freaking roller coaster. But you know what? I love roller coasters. My heart was going crazy for Sydney and Ridge and everyone, because one second it would be full to bursting from love for everything about this book, but then my emotions would shoot straight down to where tears were in my eyes and my heart was aching so badly. Maybe Someday is far from a simple, easy read. It has so much heart–from the characters to the writing, everything comes off the pages so clearly and with so much emotion.

I’m listening to the songs on the soundtrack right now (Hold On to You is my favorite one, though Maybe Someday is a close second) and I still can’t over the beauty of this book and these characters and these words and these songs and these lyrics. And I probably never will. 5+ hearts!

Hey guys!

I know I haven’t been on this blog for a while now (but look at how successful it’s gotten! so proud of Lacey (‘: ) but I decided to write a post for this book.

I will always come back for Colleen Hoover.

Ahh yes, once again, Hoover has lived up to our expectations, if not exceeded them, with Maybe Someday. My feelings throughout the book? Heartbreak, awe, loneliness, happiness, and of course, sadness because of the 1/billion chance of meeting a guy like Ridge. I read this entire book in one sitting, and honestly it was probably the best 3 hours of my life.

When Colleen said that this book would be accompanied with a playlist, I was so excited to see how it would turn out! Since the main characters are both musicians and end up writing songs together, it feels so much more realistic when we actually get to hear the music. Griffin Peterson sounds amazing as well! The lyrics and his voice go together so well, and he sings with so much emotion that completely fits the songs. Not going to lie though, when I heard the first song, i was a bit skeptical because…well, Peterson didn’t sound like what I thought Ridge would. I grew used to it though, and I’ve actually had the entire soundtrack on repeat for the last week. Yep.

Ridge and Sydney’s situation was a mess. It made me cringe, smile, cry, laugh, and shake my head “no” repeatedly. ALSO- can I just say that Warren (Ridge’s best friend) was absolutely HILARIOUS? One of my favorite moments was when Sydney found out that Ridge was part of a band that was pretty well-known, and she started fangirling wow i COULD TOTALLY RELATE (that actually gave me hope that one day I will meet my favorite band member and we will begin our wonderful relationship and have a happily ever after). Their relationship was so cute and so funny, and I JUST LOVE IT. There was so much meaning in everything that they did, and every lyric that they wrote. This was a book that went from lust to heartbreak to even more heartbreak to love to heartbreak and then to full-on love.

It’s actually really amazing how Colleen Hoover is one of the very few authors that has never written a book that I was disappointed in.
Translation: Go read her books.

Until next time! (6 hearts because why would Colleen Hoover deserve anything less)

Update: Colleen Hoover released a novella about Warren!!

Review • Ebook • Goodreads

10Feb2014

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Posted in 6 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 4th 2014
Purchase: Hardcover • Ebook • Paperback

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love”

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she’ll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was “dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

I have no idea where to even begin with this review for Ignite Me, besides saying that I freaking LOVED this book so, so much, and it was everything I expected and more. I really can’t say anything about the story without giving away spoilers, but I will try my best ~~to make sure you read this book!!!~~!

Ignite Me continues right where Unravel Me leaves off. Juliette has been shot by Warner’s father and nearly dies, but Warner saves her life. Juliette is very conflicted about Warner–he does save her life, and yet she can’t quite let go of her original hatred of him. But I, of course, have no qualms whatsoever about Warner! I. Love. This. Boy! I’m nearly obsessed with Warner… Aaron… Just swoon! But whether you’re Team Adam or Team Warner, you learn so much more about both of these boys. We see them in a completely different lights, which can be both good and bad. You could stay on whichever team you’re on, or even switch to the other, but either way, you’ll have a heart-pounding, incredible experience reading Ignite Me, because there’s so much more going on than just the love triangle.

I do recommend reading Fracture Me before starting Ignite Me. Adam annoyed the hell out of me in that novella, but we are given some important information regarding Omega Point, the rebels. But even if you don’t read Fracture Me, it doesn’t take away the full reading experience of Ignite Me.

Juliette transforms into a completely different creature in Ignite Me. She was once a scared, timid girl with no idea of her powers, but now, she’s growing into them. She’s learning more about her powers, using her powers more skillfully, and it gives her a confidence she never really had. I loved seeing this new side of Juliette. She becomes someone much more fascinating to read about. We discover more about her powers as she does, and I have to admit that she has a totally badass power. Seriously, with her power of incredible strength, she’s like a freaking Superwoman!

For so many years I lived in constant terror of myself. Doubt had married my fear and moved into my mind, where it built castles and ruled kingdoms and reigned over me, bowing my will to its whispers until I was little more than an acquiescing peon, too terrified to disobey, too terrified to disagree.
I had been shackled, a prisoner in my own mind.
But finally, finally, I have learned to break free.

I literally could not put Ignite Me down. I was hooked from the start. I loved Juliette’s journey into becoming the person she was meant to be, a leader. We never really get to see Juliette shine until now, and I was just SO impressed with this girl!

“Ignite, my love. Ignite.”

This book is gripping, intense, electrifying, and so goooood. My heart was racing at the action scenes, which there are a lot of. My heart was bursting when everyone was working together to defeat The Reestablishment and Warner’s father. It was just so amazing to see everyone together for one final, epic round to fight for their future.

And lord have mercy, the romance. The romance swept me away. I was smiling, laughing, grinning, giggling, swooning so hard because the romance between Juliette and the man she chooses the love and be with forever is breathtakingly beautiful. Juliette really, finally does choose who to be with, and we don’t even have to wait until the very end, which I was so happy about! We get to see so much of Juliette being in love, a beautiful, forever kind of love that has me swooning every time I think about it.

His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he says, “I think,” he says, “my heart is going to explode,” and I wish, more than ever, that I knew how to capture moments like these and revisit them forever.
Because this.
This is everything.

Ignite Me is brilliant. It’s an epic, heart-stopping ending to this incredible series. I love the writing, I love the characters, I love the story–everything. This book just blew me away. If you haven’t read the Shatter Me series yet, you absolutely must. It’s one of my all-time favorite series ever, one I recommend to everyone.

6 hearts!

And now for the slightly spoilery part of my review! I wanted to rave a lot more about Warner and Adam, but I couldn’t do that without spoiling anything, because you already know I’m Team Warner, but if you don’t care about knowing who Juliette ends up with, or you already know, then you can continue reading!

Warner. Warner Warner Warner Warner Warner Warner Warner. I looooooove Warner. Ignite Me only ignited (hehe) my love for him. I loved that as Juliette spends more time with Warner, she sees another side of him as well. It’s a side no one else ever sees or knows. Isn’t that just a little bit beautiful? We know without a doubt that Warner loves Juliette, and he only ever shows his true self to her. But does Juliette love Warner? Or does she still love Adam?

Juliette’s reservations about Warner are slowly blasted away, because even though Warner was seen as some cold, manipulative, unfeeling, cruel person, we learn that he’s really not. There’s always a reason behind everything he does, and even though it doesn’t make him a better person, it does make him someone we can understand better, someone we can love.

Adam, on the other hand, is just so… different. He’s incredible bitter, something I never thought was possible. He has so much hatred festering inside of him, and it truly changes him. I was so impressed with how Tahereh Mafi handled Adam and Juliette. Juliette is different now–she’s not the same girl Adam loved. Adam is not the same boy Juliette loved, and the changes in both of them affect their relationship. We can clearly see how the two of them just weren’t meant for each other, how they brought each other down instead of up.

So all in all, I was definitely happy with the way the romance ended up, and not just because I’m Team Warner. Even if I wasn’t on any team (or if I was Team Kenji) I would still have seen that Adam wasn’t good for Juliette, and vice versa. Warner brought out the most, the best out of Juliette. And holy crap, can I just say, Warner is hot hot hot!!! Chapters 55-58 anyone? Woooh, I was fanning myself so much here. God, I love Warner.

Reading Order: Shatter Me series

#1 ~ Shatter Me: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Destroy Me: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Unravel Me: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Fracture Me: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ignite Me: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
Unite Me (paperback bundle of Destroy Me & Fracture Me): Paperback • Goodreads

5Feb2014

Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen

Posted in 5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Click the banner to follow the tour!

Welcome to the official Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen blog tour! I absolutely adored Scarlet, and I’m so ecstatic to be a part of Lady Thief’s tour! For today’s stop, I review the brilliantly written Lady Thief. Don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway below!

Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet #2 (full reading order below)
Release Date: February 11th 2014

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and the royal court has come to Nottingham to appoint a new sheriff. The people hope that Prince John will give them a champion, but the prince has different plans . . . involving Scarlet and Lord Gisbourne.

Scarlet must put aside her weapons and boys’ clothing to join the dark and plotting court. She will do anything to outwit the Prince and win a life with Rob, but hidden within the court is a secret no one was supposed to discover. When the truth is revealed, Scarlet will have to pay a steep price.

Featuring a strong girl heroine who will appeal to fans of Grave Mercy and Throne of Glass, this sequel to Scarlet will leave readers breathless for more.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • IndieBound

Oh. My. GOD! I honestly didn’t think Lady Thief could meet the high expectations I had after Scarlet, but Lady Thief blew me away! It’s a stunning, incredible sequel to Scarlet. I wholeheartedly loved Lady Thief, with its cast of unforgettable, lovable characters and unique writing. If you loved Scarlet, Lady Thief will not disappoint you! And if you haven’t read Scarlet, you really should–A.C. Gaughen’s Scarlet series is one of my favorite series ever! It’s an action-packed historical fiction, a refreshing fairytale retelling, and a heart-stopping romance all wrapped into one mind-blowing package.

“I love you, Scarlet. Go on, now, before you steal my sanity too,” he said.
“Too?” I questioned.
His grin by the moon were wicked and handsome. “Thief of my heart.”

Lady Thief follows shortly after Scarlet’s ending (and can I just say how THANKFUL I am that A.C. Gaughen wrote a sequel to Scarlet? Because I am so, so happy she did). Scarlet’s true identity as a woman of high class, as Marian of Leaford, is finally out in the open, the love between Scarlet and Rob has blossomed, but things aren’t exactly going well right now. For one thing, Scarlet is married to Lord Gisbourne, who is an evil man. Scarlet had to marry Gisbourne in order to save Rob, who was tortured horribly. Rob is safe now, but he constantly has nightmares in which he harms Scarlet in his sleep. There’s tension brewing between Robin Hood and his Merry Men, but there’s no doubt that all of them, Rob, Scarlet, John, and Much, will stick by each other through thick and thin. I’d missed the four of them, and I loved revisiting the bonds and camaraderie between them again.

Scarlet is once again a total badass in Lady Thief. I adore Scarlet. She’s a fierce, strong, compassionate girl who loves with all her heart, and will protect those she loves with everything she has. In Lady Thief, she always puts those she loves above herself–she’d give her life for them, and she basically does when she agrees to be a proper wife for her husband. Even in the midst of political drama including a cruel, despicable prince, Scarlet never gives up and never goes down without a fight. She fights for the people of her town, and especially for Rob and for their love. I love her for her perseverance, for fighting to have the future she wants with Rob. It’s an incredibly difficult road getting to their happily ever after, but Scarlet doesn’t give up.

And do you know what A.C. Gaughen has done to me? She’s made me fall head over heels in love with Robin Hood. I never gave a crap about the fairy tale Robin Hood before, but then I read about Scarlet’s Rob and it was love at first page. In Lady Thief, he’s a little broken after his torture, and attacking Scarlet in his sleep isn’t helping him get better. Even though the book is in Scarlet’s POV, I could just feel his shame and agony over hurting Scarlet, even unintentionally, because he just loves her so much. He’s such a vivid character, someone I can conjure up in my mind so easily. He’s loyal, compassionate, loving, and he has such a kind heart. He’s a thoroughly good man, and he and Scarlet are absolutely perfect for each other.

“It’s strange,” he said low in my ear. “When night falls my chest is full of fear, but holding you like this, Scar, I can’t help but feel grateful. Joyous. By the light of day, I still cannot fathom that I’m the one you love.”
I turned a little to look at him. “I do love you. I always will.”

Oh my goodness, my heart flutters every single time Rob opens his mouth. He and Scarlet are so much more romantic in Lady Thief, and I was grinning so much! They fight so hard to find a way to annul Scarlet’s marriage to Gisbourne, and they won’t stop until they can finally be together out in the open. They have a captivating, passionate love that made me swoon and sigh. It’s sometimes painful too, because they just have so many obstacles in the way of their happily ever after.

“These schemes may benefit the people, Scarlet, but I fight for you.” His hands squeezed my waist a little bit, and it made my blood run fast. “I will always fight for you.”

The other characters in Lady Thief are just as compelling as Scarlet and Rob. They all have their distinctive personalities, even the evil characters, and they made Lady Thief such a great book to read. There’s never a dull moment, and especially in the second half of the book, I was at the edge of my seat, nearly biting my nails. Things get intense in this book, and I loved every second of it!

Lady Thief is an absolute must read–Scarlet fans, you don’t want to miss this one! This whole series is brilliant–the story is executed perfectly, and the characters are so consuming to read about. I highly, highly recommend the Scarlet series–it’s unputdownable and unforgettable!

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

Reading Order: Scarlet series

#1 ~ Scarlet: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Lady Thief: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Lion Heart: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Goodreads

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won’t give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I’m not that mad at Scotland).

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Winner will get an amazing prize pack, including: a sword necklace, a lady thief tote bag, lady thief stickers and lady thief and scarlet bookmarks.
Giveaway is open to US Only. | Must be 13+ to Enter

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22Jan2014

Early Review: Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Posted in 6 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Kiss the Sky by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Series: Calloway Sisters #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 22th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the authors in exchange for an honest review

Virgin. Sex addict. Daredevil. Alcoholic. Smartass … Jackass. Her five friends are about to be filmed. Reality TV, be prepared.

Rose Calloway thought she had everything under control. At twenty-three, she’s a Princeton graduate, an Academic Bowl champion, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Fortune 500 mogul. But with a sex addict as a sister and roommate, nothing comes easy.

After accepting help from a producer, Rose agrees to have her life filmed for a reality television show. The Hollywood exec is her last chance to revive her struggling fashion line, and boundaries begin to blur as she’s forced to make nice with a man who always has his way.

Twenty-four-year-old Connor Cobalt is a guy who bulldozes weak men. He’s confident, smart-as-hell and lives with his equally ambitious girlfriend, Rose Calloway. Connor has to find a way to protect Rose without ruining the show. Or else the producer will get what Connor has always wanted—Rose’s virginity.

This New Adult Standalone Romance can be described as Friends meets The Real World. Expect fist fights, drugs, sex of varying degrees, crude humor and competitive alpha males. Definitely for mature ~~readers~~ audiences only.

People hope to touch the sky.
I dream of kissing it.

I fucking loved this book. I want to climb up some tall building and scream from the rooftops that I FUCKING LOVED THIS BOOK!! And yes, this is my very first, well-deserved, 6-heart rating of the year!

I literally finished Kiss the Sky the day after I got the ARC (which I may or may not have squealed over). It was non-stop reading for me after that–the book is quite long, but every page zips by so fast and I never wanted it to end. I’m so not the type to slow down a savor a book–I pretty much devoured Kiss the Sky! And holy hell, what a wild ride this book is. I already loved Connor and Rose from Lily and Lo’s books, but Krista and Becca Ritchie managed to make me fall even more in love with them, if that’s even possible! Seriously, I can’t even think of Connor without swooning and squealing over him. He’s perfection. And Rose? I have a total girl crush on her. These two characters could not be more perfect for each other, and I loved loved loved reading their story.

Rose and Connor are supporting characters in the Addicted series, but they finally get to take the spotlight in Kiss the Sky. I’ve never read a series where the secondary characters are so engrossing to read about, but Connor and Rose are just so… intense. They take up so much space in the Addicted series, if that makes sense. Even though they’re supporting characters, they have so much presence in the books, and now that they’re the main characters, everything about them intensifies. Rose and Connor are extraordinary people. It’s not just their brains, but to be honest, they’re really the smartest people I’ve ever read about. They’re intelligence is off the charts, and I have to admit, intelligence is such a turn-on for me. So, Connor? Yeah, I was swooning and sighing madly.

It’s really their hearts that endeared them the most to me. With Rose, we easily see how much she cares for and loves her little sisters. She is the backbone for her sisters, the one who holds up everyone and everything together. Yes, she’s bitchy, but she’s strong and confident and smart and assertive and ambitious. She’s the top-dog, a total alpha-female, and I loved her!

“I’d choose to die if it meant my sisters could live. You think it’s stupid, but sometimes love is worth every foolish choice you make.”

And I loved seeing the more vulnerable sides to Rose, the sides that she only shows to Connor, or at least that only Connor notices. The new reality show and her clothing line are taking a toll on Rose. At the beginning of the book, Rose hires some TV production people to film a reality TV show of her and her family and friends to boost her clothing line, which took a hit after Lily’s sex addiction was exposed to the public. And the man in charge of the reality show, Scott, is a slime-ball who wants to be the one to take Rose’s virginity. Ugh, I hated Scott. HATED him. Rose and Connor do too, since from day one, Scott makes life hell for the both of them. Scott is a horrible person, and the authors have created an incredible antagonist in him.

Connor knows that Scott wants Rose, and… Connor won’t let Scott take Rose away from him. Rose is his, completely and undeniably, just as he is hers. I loved reading more in depth about the relationship between Connor and Rose. From Lily and Lo’s POVs, we got that Rose and Connor are perfect matches and are meant for each other, but we don’t see the love between them, not really. But Kiss the Sky illuminates that love, a love that is full of fire and passion and need. Connor and Rose go head to head with each other all the time. I loved reading the hilarious banter between them, and most of all, I loved how they support and just get each other. They bring out not only the best, but the most out of each other.

He makes me believe that anything is possible. I don’t think I’ll ever find someone quite like Connor Cobalt.

Rose has been holding on to her V-card, and in Kiss the Sky, we see the growth and development of her newfound sexuality. And let me just say, Rose and Connor (AHHH CONNOR!! <3) are HOT HOT HOT HOOOOOT!!! God, I seriously needed to fan myself while reading. We know these two are already intense people, so it’s no surprise that they’re intense in bed as well. I’m literally grinning to myself right now as I remember how freaking hot the sex between Rose and Connor is. Heehee.

So you all know I fell even more in love with Connor in KTS, right? Besides the fact that he’s super-crazy-holy-hell-I-wish-this-man-was-real HOT, there’s so much depth to him that I was so happy to learn more about. He’s with Rose, but he’s incapable of love. He knows it, but Rose believes and hopes otherwise. Connor is a very critical, analytical man, and believing in love goes against every fiber of his being, and yet… he’s learned to care about Rose. About Lily and Lo and even Daisy. As for Ryke, well, Connor and Ryke don’t exactly get along (there’s tons of laugh-out-loud hilarious conversations/arguments between these two all the time), but Connor does grow fond of him eventually (hurray for the bromance between Connor/Lo/Ryke!).

I mouth, Don’t fuck with me. These five people mean more to me than words can express. I’ve never once felt like I had a real family.
But with them, I know I do.

The BEST part about reading Kiss the Sky (besides the sexy, sweet love between Connor and Rose) is learning about how Connor has a heart. He has a real, live, beating, caring heart. He’s not the same unfeeling, manipulative man we met from Addicted to You. Through Rose and her love for him, Connor recognizes in himself his own capacity for love. And oh gosh, oh gosh, I just can’t even handle the sweet words this man says!

“You’re not a pit stop. You’re my finish line. There’s no one after you.”

SAH-WOON!!

Kiss the Sky is just the. best. I applaud Krista and Becca on the impeccable writing, and for creating Connor. (Connor is To. Die. For.) Be prepared for some serious laughs, some hot-as-hell sex, a LAP DANCE *grins* and a beautiful, heartwarming romance that will make you smile and laugh and cry. KTS has become one of my all-time favorite books ever, and I recommend everyone read it.

6 beautiful, incredible hearts for Kiss the Sky!

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

Even though Kiss the Sky is a standalone, I recommend reading the Addicted series beforehand, since Connor and Rose are introduced there first. Here is the complete order to read the Addicted series, including spinoffs!

Reading Order: Addicted/Calloway Sisters series

#1 ~ Addicted to You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Ricochet: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Addicted for Now: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.1 (Calloway Sisters #1) ~ Kiss the Sky: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.2 (Calloway Sisters #2) ~ Hothouse Flower: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Thrive: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Addicted After All: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.1 (Calloway Sisters #3) ~ Fuel the Fire: My Review •˜ Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.2 (Calloway Sisters #4) ~ Long Way Down: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.5 (Calloway Sisters #4.5) ~ Some Kind of Perfect: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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