Chasing Shadows by S.H. Kolee (Shadow Series #2)

Warning: Spoilers for Seeing Shadows, Book #1 of the Shadow Series, are contained in the description below. Chasing Shadows is a direct continuation of Seeing Shadows. Caitlin Kile is on the run. Her life was shattered in one terrifying night, and now every decision she makes is a decision between life and death. The only thing she knows for sure is that she's tired of being scared. She's no longer a victim of shadows; she's their executioner. But who can she trust? And who can she save? Everybody Caitlin has ever loved is at risk and she'll do anything to protect them, even if it means her own death.

Initial Thoughts:

I was given a free copy of Chasing Shadows by the author for review. You can find my review of Seeing Shadows (Book #1 of the Shadow Series) here. The ending of the first had a big cliffhanger and I couldn't wait to find out what happened in book two.

The Pros:

Talk about suspense! I finished this book in a night because I couldn't stop reading until I knew what happened.

Caitlin is not one of the typical "too stupid to live" heroines. She is determined to do all that she can to keep herself and her loved ones safe. 

Once again, I enjoyed the not so typical paranormal storyline. Vampires and werewolves bore the crap out of me lately.

The twist ending. I was speechless. It totally came out of left field for me!

The Cons:

I didn't like the possessive, angry side of Simon. Not attractive.

I would have liked to see more from the supporting characters like Sarah.

I was confused at the end. I am guessing that my questions will be answered in the third book, like my questions from book 1 were answered in this book.

The Wrap Up: 4/5

A great follow-up to the first book. I can't wait for the third!

Buy Chasing Shadows by S.H. Kolee on Amazon

In Your Dreams by Amy Martin

Sixteen-year-old Zara "Zip" McKee lives for three things: basketball, books, and bailing out of tiny Titusville, Illinois, where the junior high and high school are in the same building and everyone's known everyone else since birth. But when Kieran Lanier moves to town and passes out on her desk on his first day at school, Zip's life gets complicated in a way she never dreamed. Kieran has narcolepsy, and although he sometimes struggles to stay awake, he has no trouble capturing Zip's heart and trusting her with his most guarded secret--he sees bits and pieces of the future in his dreams. But just when Zip thinks that maybe she can handle having a boyfriend who sees things before they happen, her budding relationship with Kieran gets a jolt when Kieran's parents reveal that his sleeping disorder is not what it seems and may be putting them in harm's way. And when Zip begins to have unsettling dreams, she must decide if she can live with knowing the future in advance when she's afraid of what might happen.

Initial Thoughts: I was given a free copy of In Your Dreams by the author to review.
The Pros: I really thought there was going to be some sort of paranormal twist. I kept waiting for it to pop up, especially with Kieran's condition. But it never happened. And I loved that. It seems all YA books these days have to throw some paranormal action in it, even if it makes no sense.
I liked the mystery/crime component to the novel. Not everyone is who they appear to be.
Kieran and Zip's relationship was every bit of what I remember being like at 17. The realism was a great touch.
I liked how quirky Zip's mom was. Definitely not your typical mom.
The Cons: I felt like Zip's friends should have been more well defined. We didn't find much out about them, nor were they mentioned in the book very many times. So few, that I struggle to remember their names and I just finished the book last night.
I'm a visual reader. I like to make pictures in my head of how everything looks. Given the descriptions of the characters in the books, I had a hard time visualizing them in my head. A little more detail on looks/personalities would have been good.
I liked an atypical heroine, but it felt like Zip could have cared less how she looked. For some reason, that bothered me. Talking about sweaty gym shorts, etc. kind of turned me off.
I'm not sure how I felt about the narcolepsy. It was a little odd.
The Wrap Up: 4/5 A really decent YA novel that is going to be a series. If you're sick of the vampire/werewolf/etc. theme in today's YA novels, this book is for you.
Favorite Quote: "I can live without the dreams. The best one already came true anyway."
Get your copy of In Your Dreams on Amazon.

Between the Lines by Tammara Webber

When Hollywood It Boy, Reid Alexander, arrives on location to shoot his next movie, his goals are the same as always—film another blockbuster hit and enjoy his celebrity status to the fullest while doing so. His costar is a virtual unknown with whom he had blazing hot chemistry during her auditions. The universe is lining up nicely to grant whatever he wants, as usual, until he’s confronted with unexpected obstacles on location like a bitter ex-girlfriend and a rival for the first girl to spark his genuine interest in years. Emma Pierce just got her big break after more than a decade of filming commercials for grape juice, department stores and tampons, and more recently, bit parts in made-for-TV movies. Nailing the lead role in a wide-release film sent her agent, father and stepmother into raptures, and should have done the same for her. The Problem? Emma is experiencing a building desire to be normal, and starring in a silly, modernized adaptation of one of her favorite novels—opposite the very hot Reid Alexander—isn’t going to advance that aspiration. Graham Douglas doesn’t fear playing the part of a nerdy dimwit; when it comes to choosing film roles, if it pays, he’ll do it. Besides, his friend Brooke Cameron snatched up the role of the bitchy hot girl and could use his help as a buffer, because her ex is the star. Graham has no problem keeping a handle on the situation, until he finds himself attracted to Reid’s costar, Emma, the girl Reid is pursuing full-throttle with his standard arsenal of charm, good looks and arrogance.

Initial Thoughts:

I loved Easy by Tammara Webber, and wanted to read another of her books.

The Pros:

The storyline was fun and engaging. There were twists and turns and lots of cattiness.

Graham is a legit good guy, unlike Reid. He's also a bit of a mystery, which leaves you wanting to know more.

Hollywood storylines always have a bit of glitz and glamour that makes me turn pages a little faster.

The evolution of Emma from innocent commercial girl to Hollywood star was fun to follow.

The Cons:

Reid was a disgusting slime ball.

Brooke knows no bounds of her bitchiness. 

The storyline was a bit overdone. It seemed very much like the A List by Zoey Dean.

The Wrap Up: 2/5

Just another cutesy YA novel. Nothing too special here.

Favorite Quote:

"Oh no! My wings are effed up!"

Do you want to read Between the Lines? Click here.

Point of No Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart. Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

Initial Thoughts:

I read Slammed, and some part of me needed to complete the story. I guess that's just the OCD in me.

The Pros:

The addition of Kiersten and her mom was the best part of this book.

The author managed to make me use "butterflying" as a curse word. Hilarious.

I liked how the two families came together to form one non-traditional family. Will being present for both boys at Dad's Day at school was particularly heart warming.

The Cons:

The crash storyline. I didn't like it.

I was disappointed to see that the book was written from Will's POV. I'm not sure why.

Layken acted a tad bit childish for a girl who asked to have a lot put on her.

The Wrap Up: 3/5

I appear to be the only person on Goodreads who wasn't completely enamored with this series. It just fell flat to me.

Favorite Quote:

"He's got one of those intelligent phones. He's trying to twit the president."

Will you retreat or march forward with Point of Retreat? Click here to march forward.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope. Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope. Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Initial Thoughts:

I thought this book would be like another Thoughtless/Effortless which I really liked.

The Pros:

I liked that Layken was a strong girl. She had to up and move her entire life after her father passes away. She looks after her little brother, as her mom is running "errands" or "working" constantly.

I really liked Layken's friend Eddie. She provided comic relief to the story.

I loved the interaction between the two brothers. It reminded me so much of my own little brother at that age.

The slam poetry in the book is something I've never seen before, and that's saying something.

The Cons:

The whole Will being a teacher thing threw me off. Even though the author "explained" it, it really didn't see feasible. 

The chances of Will and Layken being in the same situation are next to nothing. I don't like when books aren't realistic.

The writing style wasn't my favorite.

The Wrap Up: 2/5

This book wasn't really my cup of tea. If you like YA romance though, it might be good for you.

Favorite Quote:

"There are three question every woman should be able to answer yes to before they commit to a man: 1. Does he treat you with respect at all times? 2. If he is the exact same person twenty years from now that he is today, would you still want to marry him? 3. Does he inspire you to want to be a better person?"

Click here for your copy of Slammed.

Eden by Jamie McGuire (Providence #3)

She had seen the unspeakable. She would learn the unknowable. Now, she would fight the invincible. In the third and final installment of the Providence series, Nina Grey will marry the wrong man, carry the child that was never supposed to be born, and fight a war she can't win. Faced with the impossible task of protecting his new wife and unborn child against the throes of Hell, Jared Ryel is allowed no mistakes. Pressured to return the Naissance de Demoniac to Jerusalem, he revisits St. Ann's to learn the answers were in front of him all along. Together, they must survive long enough to let their child save them - and the world.

Initial Thoughts:
This is the final book in the trilogy, so I was hoping to get the answers I was looking for in the first two books. And hopefully a happy ending too.

The Pros:
Action. Freaking. Packed. Big upgrade on the other two books! The series started as a romance, and ended as a thriller.

All of the conclusions that I wanted to happen, happened. I don't want to give away too much.

The ending battle was intense. I really didn't know what was going to happen. I like when I can't figure out the author's next steps.

The culmination of all the different paranormal beings in this book was super intriguing. It was like seeing what you were taught in bible school come to life.

The Cons:
The same writing flubs she made in the first two. Gets me every time.

Some of Nina's friends sort of get shoved to the background. I liked Beth's character and missed her a lot in this book.

The hybrid baby thing was a little too Twilight for me

The Wrap Up: 4/5
A good way to round out a series. Full of action, a dash of romance, and a happy ending. What more could you want?

Favorite Quote:
"I felt like Winnie the Pooh trying to squeeze into the honey tree."

Requiem by Jamie McGuire (Providence #2)

Dreaming of the dead might mean a restless night for anyone, but for Nina Grey, it was a warning. Still healing from her last run-in with Hell, Nina struggles with not only her life as a Brown University student, but also as an intern at Titan Shipping, her father's company. Recurring nightmares about her father's violent death have become a nightly event, but being overwhelmed with guilt from Ryan's unexpected departure to the Armed Forces, and heart ache over Claire being across the ocean to protect him, Nina believes her sleepless nights are the least of her problems—but she's wrong. Worried about Nina's declining health, Jared must steal back Shax's book for answers. Fighting new enemies with the help of old friends, Jared's worst fear comes to fruition. Desperate, he is faced with a choice: Fight Hell alone, or start a war with Heaven.

Initial Thoughts:
I liked the first book in the trilogy, Providence, so I thought I would give the sequel a go.

Pros:
The relationship between Jared and Nina grows and strengthens.

Not only does this book continue the romance story line of the first book, it definitely adds a mystery story line as well. Double the intrigue!

This book deals a lot more with the Ryel family. We get to know Jared's brother Bex a lot better in this book, and I really like him. He starts out as the cutie younger brother, but really steps up to the plate as a protector. Jared's sister Claire is one of the most kick ass literally females I have ever come across. 


The revelation of who Claire's Taleh is was shocking.


Cons:
Nina was annoying in some parts of this book. She asked some stupid questions and came off demanding.


Her internship didn't really add anything to the story line. It just made it look like she had something to do during her summer off.


The typos continued from the first book. Using "shuttered" instead of "shuddered", missing letters in words, etc. As a spelling stickler, it drew my attention away from the book.


Nina's mom is quite annoying. She seems hell bent on being a problem and not providing any information to those who need it.


The Wrap Up: 4/5
The sequel was a good follow up to Providence. It explained a lot more in detail that you were left wondering at the end of book one, and provided more questions to be answered in the final book. Once again, I liked it enough to read the third and final book in the trilogy.

Favorite Quote:
"Claire freed him, and then lifted Ryan to his feet. She pushed back his head to inspect his wound, overly rough. 'You'll live". Ryan winced. 'Thanks, Honey, I love you too.'"

Providence by Jamie McGuire (Providence #1)

In the old world shadows of Providence, Rhode Island, Nina Grey finds herself the center of a war between Hell and Earth. Struggling with her father’s recent death, Nina meets Jared Ryel by chance…or so she believes. Although his stunning good looks and mysterious talents are a welcome distraction, it soon becomes clear that Jared knows more about Nina than even her friends at Brown University. When questions outnumber answers, Jared risks everything to keep the woman he was born to save—by sharing the secret he was sworn to protect. When her father’s former associates begin following her in the dark, Nina learns that her father is not the man she thought he was, but a thief who stole from demons. Searching for the truth behind her father’s death, Nina stumbles upon something she never expected—something Hell wants—and only she holds the key.

Initial Thoughts:
I hadn't read anything paranormal since the latest Sookie Stackhouse came out and I loved Jamie McGuire's book Beautiful Disaster, so I figured I would like this one. Cover art was a little lacking, though.

Pros:
This paranormal story line has nothing to do with vampires, werewolves, witches, fairies, etc. Which was refreshing.

Jared is the ultimate protector. I wish I had someone like him around at all times, maybe I wouldn't be so clumsy!

Although there are a lot of characters, they are all well developed. There aren't any filler characters either.

I liked that it was set in Providence. I don't think I have read another book set there.

There was not only one, but TWO swoon worthy guys in this book.

Cons:
A few typos here and there. I know it was a self published novel, but run it through a spell checker maybe?

It wasn't made clear if everyone has a guardian angel or just a select few. I want one.

There are quite a few similarities in this book to Twilight, but just enough differences to keep it intriguing.

The Wrap Up: 3.5/5
Pretty darn decent paranormal romance novel. I liked Jared and Nina together, and there was enough drama to keep me reading, but not so much that there was confusion. I liked it enough to read the sequel as well.

Favorite Quote:
"Don't interrupt my anxiety attack. It's rude."

Want to get a start on book 1 of the Providence trilogy? Clickity click here!

Easy by Tammara Webber

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex’s frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life. Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she’s still the same intelligent girl she’s always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There’s just one problem—their only interactions are through email. Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees—hoping for more. Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they’ve hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

First Impressions:
This was at the top of my recommended reading lists on Goodreads for some time. After finally getting around to looking at it, the blurb looked interesting enough, but I honestly was thinking it would be just another college romance novel.

The Pros:
Holy cow was this book intense. I love how the author focused on empowering Jacqueline's character, and not knocking her down. Self defense classes are ALWAYS a good idea for a girl.

The whole stalker story line is terrifying. Like they tell you in college, rape almost always happens with someone you know.

Lucas = bad boy hottie. Kind of like Kellan in Thoughtless, minus the rock and roll.

Jacqueline's best friend stood by her through everything, like a best friend should. She also provided nice comic relief to the book.

I liked the use of text messages and emails in the book. It wasn't overdone, and it added to the story line, not detracted.

The Cons:
This book really scared me thinking back on my college days. Not that this is totally a con, but it made me set down the book for a little while.

The secrets in the book took a bit too long to unravel. It had me confused at some points. I thought I had figured it out, but then I didn't.

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5
Easy is a really good college romance novel with some real life lessons thrown in. The main characters are relatable and the author really hit home that rape is something that needs to be taken very seriously, even when it's attempted rape. It is a huge problem on college campuses that many people are letting slide. Take a self defense class, ladies!

Favorite Quote:
"'You are full of contradictions Ms. Wallace'. I looked up at him and arched a brow. 'I'm a girl. That's part of the job description, Mr. Maxfield.'"

Want your own copy of Easy? Click here!

Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance. Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side ... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes. And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul. To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well ... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer. Flat-Out Love comes complete with emails, Facebook status updates, and instant messages.

Initial Thoughts:

• This book was rated very highly on Goodreads and Amazon, and it appears on many peoples' "must read" lists. I thought the premise sounded intersting and the cover was cute, so I gave it a go.

The Pros:

• I loved the character of Celeste. She is beyond quirky, into the realm of needing professional help, but she was adorable. The way Julie came into her life and put Celeste under her wing was heartwarming.
• Like in my review of Beautiful Disaster, I liked how the characters were actually participating in college. Studying occurs often in this book, like it occurs often in real life.
• I thought the beginning of the book was hilarious. I'm sure it wasn't hilarious to Julie at the time, but it's one of those moments that you'll look back on one day and laugh.

The Cons:

• I know this book was trying to be on trend with including Facebook status updates, but hardly any of them made any sense. They surely didn't add anything to the book.
• When Julie goes home to see her family for Thanksgiving, it was super awkward. Like cringe inducing. 
• I knew from the beginning what the "big secret" was. It really didn't take a lot to figure it out.
• I know we were supposed to be rooting for Finn and Julie, but I liked the real life boyfriend much better. It felt like she didn't even give him a chance.
• This whole family needs psychiatric care.

The Wrap Up: 3/5

• I wasn't a big fan of this one. While it did have a story line that was different to those I have been reading, I just couldn't connect. I kept putting the book down and forgetting about it, which is very unlike me. It was cute, but it lacked the ability to keep me guessing and turning pages.

Favorite Quote:

• "Then she did what any girl would do: she Googled him."

Want to give Flat Out Love a chance? Click here.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs--and wants--to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis' apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

The Pros:

• I was impressed by the how well the author represented the Eastern University college community. Many books state that the characters are in college, but never actually involve any college activities. Beautiful Disaster contains many aspects that are straight out of the life of a college student; meeting your friends in the cafeteria at your regular table to eat unidentifiable food, cramming for a test, hitting up the local bar with your fake id, and attending a fraternity party with the rest of the campus.
• The character development in this book is fantastic. A lot of times just the main characters are developed, and not the supporting characters. The annoying roommate, the best friend from home, the best friend's boyfriend, the token gay friend... this book has them all and you get to know them really well.
• Abby has a past that could threaten her good girl image. One that she wants no one to know about. The only one who knows her past is her best friend America, and the truth isn't revealed until pretty late on in the story, making you wonder the whole book what exactly she is running from. Once you find out what it is, a lot more of the story makes sense.
• Travis is the ultimate bad boy. He has tattoos, he smokes, he drinks, he rides a motorcycle, he fights, and he brings a different girl home every night. I definitely have a soft spot for bad boy characters.
• Abby is not your typical young adult book heroine. Although her heart is telling her one thing, she allows her head to make the decisions, which is rare in young adult literature. She is no Bella Swan, that's for sure.

The Cons:

• Why in the world would Travis nickname Abby "Pigeon"?! It grated on my nerves for the entirety of the book. And the shortened version, "Pidge", that he uses is almost worse. Ugh,
• Their relationship is seriously dysfunctional, almost like watching a car crash but hoping for a happy ending. This couple would need some SERIOUS counseling in real life
• The ending. It wrapped up too quickly and wasn't very believable. 

The Wrap Up: 4.5/5

• Is this book as good as the hype surrounding it? Yep. Sure is. I ripped through this sucker in less than 24 hours. The book was such a roller coaster that I found myself having to turn my Kindle off so that I could decompress for a moment or two. Loved. It.

Favorite Quote:

• "'To douchebags!' he said, gesturing to Brad. 'And to girls that break your heart,' he bowed his head to me. His eyes lost focus. 'And to the absolute fucking horror of losing your best friend because you were stupid enough to fall in love with her.'" -Travis

Click here to buy a copy and start reading RIGHT NOW.