Book Review: Heart-Break You

                     "This seems to go on forever, but time for me seems to be at a standstill. It's like watching a slow-motion movie playing out in front of me and not knowing how to stop it." 

                    I could not put this book down! I read the whole book in one sitting, it is that good. Seriously!!! This picks right up from where we left off, almost like watching a movie scene play out. I love this book a lot more than the first installment, which is funny because I really liked the first one. The characters are just flawless, and the plot is spectacular! 

Summary: 

                    "Our story didn't exist, it was broken before it began. Kisses were covered with lies. Lies were covered with kisses. Hate turned into lust. And lust turned into fantasy. That's what we were, a fantasy. Nothing more, nothing less. Now it's time to move on. But how can you when your heart wants to say stuck in the fantasy? When even through all the lies and kisses, you still have lust?" 

Characters:

                    Theadora: I find myself loving Theadora more and more as time goes by. She is such a strong character with a personality to match; you can't help but love her. She goes through a lot more in this book than the last, and it definitely shapes her views on everyone. I love how she is able to love herself, and takes the time she needs to do that. She is a lot stronger than she was in the beginning, and she has a whole new respect for herself. 

                    Atlas: In the first review I wrote about this character, I didn't really like him. I felt like he was just an average character, nothing more. However, in this one, he stands out to me! He has such a great character arc, and we see him in a whole new light. He still has the same personality and attitude before, but we can see his growth and attempt at being who he wants to be, rather than who he should be. 

                    Secondary characters: These characters have a bigger role in this book than the last, and I love that. I was able to connect to all of them in a different way and perspective. The first book sort of had them there for just entertainment purpose, but in this book, they are there for plot and entertainment. They all help the story to be as good as it is. 

Plot:

                    Since this book takes place seconds after the first book, the plot continues from book one. It slowly progresses into a new plot, while still having parts and tidbits of the old plot. 

                    I loved the plot! I love how Theadora is her own boss now, and doesn't take sh*t from anyone, including Atlas. There are so many surprising moments, and emotional moments, you can't help but just get sucked in. The pace is pretty fast, but it's kind of a short book to me, so it works out. 

                    This novel seems to develop the characters a lot more. They all have a character arc at some point, which definately changes up the plot. However, the plot is still very suspenseful, and sometimes violent. 

                    Everything just comes together perfectly in a simple and concise way! I like that the author sticks to the characters, and remains true to them. She doesn't change a character, but rather makes them better. 

Rating:

                    I constantly changed my mind between a 4 or a 5, so I went right down the middle: 4.5 stars. This book is a rather quick read, but it keeps you on your feet at all times. There are so many great moments between characters, even the villainous ones. Overall, I really liked this book, and can't wait to see where the author goes in the future! 

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Interview: B.B. Reid

 

Hi! I hope you all are having a great Friday! So for the perfect weekend treat, I have a very special interview with the fantastic B. B. Reid for you all. She is one of my favorite authors, and it is a complete honor to interview her! I hope you all enjoy :)

B.B. Reid is the author of several novels including the hit enemies-to-lovers, Fear Me. 

She grew up the only daughter and middle child in a small town in North Carolina. After graduating with a Bachelors in Finance, she started her career at an investment research firm while continuing to serve in the National Guard. 

She currently resides in Charlotte with her moody cat and enjoys collecting Chuck Taylors and binge-eating chocolate.

I am honestly so excited for you all to see this!! So without further ado, I present the wonderful B.B. Reid!

                        ps: I will have all the links and books at the bottom, as well as within this interview

 Interview: 

J:     To start off, why don't you introduce yourself to new readers. 

B:    Hi! I’m B.B. Reid, call me Bebe. I love fantasy. My all-time favorite to read is from the Sarah J. Maas. I also love to cook and bake. I have a Pinterest board dedicated to trying new recipes. My problem is that I don’t always have the time or energy to indulge so Ramen and Hot Pocket for dinner it is. When I was a senior in high school, I knew I wanted to work in corporate America, which I did for a time, but now I write romance and I haven’t looked back. I never imagined writing romance as a career, and I’ve been reading it since junior high. 

 

    Some quick facts about me: I love to laugh. My humor is often quick and dry. I eat chocolate every day without fail. I love witty, action-comedy movies like The Princess Bride. I love walking because it helps me clear my head and fill it with new ideas. I served in the National Guard as an MP for six years. My favorite color is orange followed closely by green and blue. I’m a bit of nomad. I move every year with the hope of finding my forever city to settle down one day. 

J:    That's great! I love chocolate too! So for the first question, I thought it would be fun to do an ice-breaker type question. The question is, "What's your best scary story?" 

B:    So I mentioned being a former MP in the National Guard. Well, I almost blew myself up. We were doing hand grenade training and when it was my turn to practice a proper live throw, I chucked it straight up into the air instead of down range. The instructor grabbed me just in time and thank fuck or else we wouldn’t be having this conversation. 

J:    That must have been terrifying! I'm glad your instructor saved you though! Let’s begin. Why did you choose to be an author as a career? Or in other words, what got you into writing and becoming an author? 

B:    It was pretty random. I had a hard time finding what I wanted to read so I decided to write it instead. My decision to share it with whoever found me was mostly because I never expected it to go anywhere. The joke was definitely on me, and I’m not mad at all. 

J:    I love that answer! I admire how you knew what you wanted and went for that! It's so incredible to see the journey you have been on. In the past couple years, you have written so many incredible stories and characters. After some of your success with those books, how has your life changed, if at all? 

B:     Oh, yeah! My routine has definitely changed. Instead of dragging myself out of bed at seven to shower, dress in business casual, and fight my way through traffic to sit in a cubicle for eight hours, I skip all of the above and bum it out on my couch. I’ve made some pretty big decisions in my underwear. Some days I pretend I’m twenty-seven years old and use my office. I’m also a restless person so cabin fever sets in pretty often. Pre-Covid, I would travel across the city to my favorite Starbucks to write for a few hours, see a movie, window shop, actually shop, have lunch with a friend, etc. The only time I get any real excitement is when I travel for a book signing. 

J:     Hey, you never know what could come out of thinking in your underwear :) I totally relate to the restlessness. As much as I love my home and the constant conversation, I need change. So, you've mentioned that you sometimes write at Starbucks, obviously pre-covid, but what is your writing process like?

B:    First, I’ll try to flesh out as much as I can about the characters and the story in a rough outline, but I’m a pantser at heart. I don’t have a rigid writing schedule, but I prefer to write in the morning when I’m my most productive. Unfortunately, I prefer to do most work in the morning so my writing schedule is pretty sporadic. It works for me though. Living is part of the inspiration. 

J:     Many authors use different things for inspiration, like music and movies. Do you use personal experiences as inspiration in your books? 

B:    I have and I do use personal experiences, but I don’t rely on it. Our experiences are pretty limited even if we’ve been through a lot, and I don’t like to limit myself. The challenge is exploring concepts you’re not familiar with, learning, and making it your own. I have fun doing it.

Movies and songs have been known to inspire me though. Fear was a big inspiration for Fear Me. David was the first toxic male I remember being exposed to and from that moment I knew I was doomed. I wanted my own crazy, obsessed, dark and damaged hero but this time, he gets the girl. 

Early last year, I was inspired to write an FFM by the song “Nights Like This.” I must have listened and sang along twenty times before I realized Kehlani was singing about a girl. When Ty Dolla $ign began rapping, my mind started turning…what if they were talking about the same girl? And so on…I’m a couple of years away from writing it, but I can’t wait.

J:    Ok, so the next few questions are all about characters. Personally, I feel like characters make up a large part of a book. You have multiple books, with a variety of characters in them.

 

 Who would you say is your favorite character to write about, and why? Is it easier to write certain characters than others? 

B:    I love writing the damaged characters like Keiran because I don’t feel constrained by boundaries. It’s easier to let the words flow when I don’t have to consider right and wrong. I also enjoy the goofballs and troublemakers like Jamie because they’re so much fun. It’s easy to get lost in what they’re doing. 

 

J:    Who do you relate to the most in your books, and why? 

B:    I relate the most to characters like Lake Monroe and Louchana Valentine. Lake never thought twice about protecting her friends and family, but it took her a long time to learn that it was okay to stand up and put her own well-being first. Lou was also very relatable to me. Man, she was fierce and funny but hated feeling vulnerable. She wanted to belong to someone but was more comfortable being on her own because it meant never being hurt again. Both heroines are polar opposites but represent who I was and still am. 

J:    If given the opportunity to have your book adapted into a film, which book would you choose? Who would be the leading actor and actress? 

B:*insert Michael Scott screaming God, please no*

 

    I suppose if I had to choose, *grumbles* I’d pick Fear Me. I doubt I’d ever find an actor or actress who could satisfy the image I see of Keiran and Lake in my head. I don’t use muses when crafting characters so it’s hard to find someone who checks all my marks. 

J:    You have a new release coming out soon called Lilac! In honor of that, how would you describe Lilac in 3-5 words?

B:     Filthy, exciting, and unique! 

Thank you so much for doing this with me B.B Reid! 

For those who have not read any of her books, you are in for a treat! They are so amazing, and I honestly urge you to go pick them up now! NOW! 

This amazing author is coming out with a new release soon, so you can pre-order it now!! 

I have all the links down below, so you can go check them out! 

Links:

Book List

Lilac

Amazon Books

B.B. Reid:

Instagram

Author Website

Amazon Page

Book review: Present Perfect by Alison G. Bailey

                       “I’ve been unsure about many things in my life except for one thing, that I have always loved him. Every single minute of every single day that I have been on this earth, my heart has belonged to him.” 

I started and finished this book in ONE WHOLE DAY! There is so much emotion and depth in this book, it’s hard to put it down. I’m always a huge fan of friends to lovers, especially best friends to lovers, and this book was no exception. It had everything, the angst, heartbreak, emotions, etc. 

Summary: 

He was my first friend, my best friend, and my first love. Noah Stewart was my everything. Standing tall with his dark handsome features, he was as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. Noah was perfect in every sense of the word. He wanted us to be together, and we should have been together. Except I wasn’t good enough.

I knew if I dared to cross that line with him, I’d do something to screw things up and lose him forever. I couldn’t take that chance. I wouldn’t take that chance. A life without Noah was not a life I wanted to live. So, I kept my feelings in check and didn’t allow them to ruin us.

But sometimes life slaps you in the face, forcing you to pay attention, and stop wasting what time you have left.

The only thing in life that’s perfect is the present, because it’s our only guarantee. 

Characters:

Amanda: I have a love/hate relationship with this character. I understand and feel her pain of not living up to her sister, but I feel like that was just an excuse. Amanda constantly pushes Noah away for no particular reason. At times I was annoyed with her because she just made some really dumb decisions that I didn’t agree with. For example, she uses her sister’s relationship as a guide to her and Noah’s. I just don’t understand that, because she didn’t seem to look up to her sister all that much.

Noah: I like Noah. He is a really sweet boy. I love how he cares and waits for Amanda to be ready. He doesn’t really push for anything without her permission. It was super sweet and cute to read about. He is funny, caring, and loyal throughout the whole novel, which I love!

Plot:

I love the message this book sends: “ Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Stop living in the shadows of other people.” The characters grow a lot, and continue to grow, learning more about themselves and each other.

The friendship in this book is just so sweet and wholesome. It is really well written! You feel all the emotions in that friendship. 

Perfection can be a lot for people. Some need to be perfect at everything, and that’s just not possible. In this book, perfection played a huge part. It broke two people apart for so long. 

There is a huge shift in the second half of the book that sometimes made me feel like I was reading a second book. The characters are still the same, but there are other factors that take place which definitely changes things. It makes the story a lot more angsts than before. *cue emotional wrecks*

Rating:

I give this book 3 stars! Everything just comes together at the end of the novel in a really good way.

I like Noah and the secondary characters, but I had my problems with Amanda. She seems extremely stupid at some points in the book that I couldn’t fully wrap my head around it. 

The plot was fascinating and well written. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Book Review: Leo by Jay McLean

                                        "I read somewhere that the human body replaces itself every seven years. The thought stuck with me for months afterward, until I became so intrigued by the notion that I finally looked it up. turns out,  it's bullsh*t. Like a lot of things in life." 

Ok, so I just read Leo by Jay McLean and I am speechless. I have no idea how to put into words the emotions I am feeling right now. It's a pretty big book, and it took me about 3-4 days to read. I loved every second of it! 

There are so many important themes and messages in this book that a lot of people may miss. It discusses the stigma of mental health, and how that can affect someone's actions. Sooooo, let's dive right in. 

Summary:

                                    One single summer changed them forever, and one moment of devastating silence         destroyed it all. 

Growing up with six siblings, Leo Preston has always struggled to find his voice.

While his brothers are loud, greedy, and somewhat obnoxious, Leo is forever the quiet one.

The thinker. 

The listener. 

He watches his life pass by as an outsider in his own world, absent and alone. 

Lost.

Until he finds her. 

For Leo, Mia Kovács is like a prize, a gift wrapped in passion and devotion.

And she’s his—his very own secret he doesn’t have to share. 

Together, they can overcome anything…

heartache and destruction, guilt and regret. 

Mia gives Leo everything he didn’t know he needed, 

including her fragile heart. 

The only thing she doesn’t give him... 

are secrets of her own.

Characters

Mia: During this whole book, I just wanted to give her a huge hug. So many things happen to Mia, which is why she acts a certain way. She has such a great personality that not a lot of people notice. 

Mia is not the most outgoing, social character in this book. Instead, she is the shy one that captures the reader's attention. Mia portrays such a realistic protagonist that it is super easy to connect and relate too.

Leo: I LOVE him. He seems to be the most unproblematic character I know of. Leo always has really good intentions, just not the best execution to them. For example, he tries to compliment Mia, and that just ends up in disaster. Poor Leo! 

Leo is an amazing protagonist, because he has so much depth and personality to him. As the novel continues, we learn more fascinating facts about Leo that just adds to the story. 

 

The character arc of both protagonists is fantastic. Both characters continue to grow as the story progresses. 

There are tons of secondary characters which is the BEST. They play phenomenal and pivotal moments in the book. They don't take the spotlight of Mia and Logan, but they definitely add to the drama. 

I want to give a huge shoutout to my BAE --Hunter! He is my new favorite person ever! Seriously, go read this book just for him. 

Plot: 

Ooh Boy! This book is extremely long. It spans a decade, so there is a lot to cover in this story. 

To put it simply, I love it! Everything just comes together in this book! But, there are a few things that are just hands down amazing. 

1.) Jay McLean writes stories about imperfect people. The protagonists all have at least one flaw. I admire how McLean dives into this flaw and basically examines it. 

For example, in Lucas, Lucas has many flaws, but the one that comes to mind first is atelophobia. His fear of not being good enough hinders him in most aspects of his life. It brings a mountain load of stress and anxiety, that is not needed. McLean uses this flaw and extends on it. She is able to show that flaws don't define people. 

In this book, mental health is a big subject and reoccurring theme. I love that she shows how mental health is not a weakness, just a part of life. 

2.) This is an emotional book. No joke. There are so many plot pieces and scenes that are just so creative. We get to see the Preston Family in a different light. 

The thing I love most, is how realistic this book is. Insecurities is discussed a lot, and I can guarantee you that 99.9% of people are all insecure about something, whether it's their body or personality. That should not define you! 

Rating: 

FIVE STARS!!! This book deserves five stars and so much. It's not just a love story, but a story about growth and life. The characters learn how to grow on their own, and how to be comfortable in their own skin. You can relate and connect with all the characters. 

There was not one bland moment in this book. Almost every scene gives an important message or theme! 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good, heartfelt story. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Interview: Rina Kent

Hi Everyone! Today is an exciting day, because I get to share with you all my interview with Rina Kent! 

Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything romance, especially enemies to lovers. 

    Darkness is her playground, suspense is her best friend, and twists are her brain's food. However, she likes to think she's a romantic at heart in some way, so don't kill her hopes just yet.

    

    Her heroes are antiheroes and villains because she was always the weirdo who fell in love with the guys no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of mystery, a healthy dose of angst, a pinch of violence, and lots of intense passion.

    Rina spends her private days in a peaceful town in North Africa daydreaming about the next plot idea or laughing like an evil mastermind when those ideas come together. 

I am honored to have interviewed her, and I am so excited for you guys to see this. I will include links to her social media sites, and websites. 

Interview: 

J: Hi! For interviews I like to do a little ice-breaker question just to ease us into it. So our question is, "Who was your childhood actor/actress crush"? 

R: Definitely Denzel Washington

J: To begin with, why did you choose to be an author as a career? 

R: My love for storytelling is what got me into writing. Ever since I was a little girl, my head often buzzed with other worlds and different characters. I used to go to sleep, dreaming and analyzing plots, so writing came naturally to me. My love for telling stories is the main reason why I'm an author. 

J: After your success with some of your books, how has your life changed, if at all?

R: I became more organized about my writing schedule and adopted a pace that fits me and my creativity. I also became more workaholic which is nothing new, but I might have taken it up a notch due to my perfectionist nature. 

J: What is your writing process like?

R: I usually plot in my head months prior to starting writing. During that time, I get to know my characters and story better. It's like giant puzzle and with the passing days, I add one piece after the other until the whole picture is clear. Then, a few days before I start writing, I put those thoughts and pieces to paper in an outline. After than comes the fun part of writing. I often deviate from my original outline, but it's always in the most fun/most unexpected way ever. Once I'm finished, I let the manuscript cool for some time then I revise it thoroughly before I send it to my editor. 

J: Do you ever use personal experience as inspiration in your books? 

R: Yes, absolutely. As someone who's inspired by everything - real-life included, I often extract some personal experiences to include either in my characters or my storyline. 

J: Who would you say is your favorite character to write about, and why?

R: I can't pick a favorite character. However, it's no surprise that I love writing about grey damaged characters that readers hate to love and love to hate. Delving into said characters' defective minds is one of my favorite things about writing. I'm always been interested in the dark side of the humankind and the psychology of it so I take every chance I get to delve deep into it. 

J: Who do you relate to the most in your books, and why?

R: I relate to any deep thinker of my characters. The ones who see the world differently from others. Currently, that's Cole from my upcoming release, Ruthless Empire. 

J: In 3-5 words,  how would you describe your new release: Vicious Prince? 

R: Intense, Raw, and Surprising! 

I can't thank you enough for doing this interview with me! 

For those who have not read any of Rina Kent's books, go do it now! Her stories are so creative and amazing! I fall in love with every single one of them. 

She just came out with a new release called Vicious Prince, so you all can go order it now or get it free with Kindle Unlimited. 

AANNNDDD in two weeks, Ruthless Empire is coming!!! So, you can go and preorder it right now! 

Links:

Vicious Prince

Ruthless Empire

Book List 

Rina Kent: 

Amazon Author Page 

Instagram

Author Website 

Book Review: Wild Distortion by Tina Saxon

                                    "A second in time of perfection doesn't outweigh the other seconds of imperfection. That's where I am right now. 

               "A life of imperfection."

"Uncertainty." 

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the author is able to grab my attention with her writing. But, on the other hand, the plot and the characters did not mix well for me. So, let's dive into the book a little bit more . . .

Summary: 

                                        "Ryker

Coach gave me three rules. Train. Stay focused. Stay away from women. After being suspended from three football games, I was exiled to a remote island to stay out of the press. 
 
One sight of the island beauty and I knew I was doomed to fail. 
 
She’s the girl from the island.
Her eyes the color of whiskey and her lips, the taste of sugar. She’s all of my addictions rolled up in one hot body. What’s wrong with having a little tryst while on a mini-vacation? 
 
Except addictions are hard to quit. 
 
                                              "Aspen

He made me fall in love with him and then left me broken-hearted. My prison was his fantasy. But he wanted to see me again. He offered me something I couldn’t resist. A chance to leave the island. 
 
I should have never gone to New York City. I was a stranger in his world, but secrets about a past I never knew lurked in the shadows threatening to unravel my life. I thought I left the mysteries of the island at home. I didn’t know I was one of them. 
 
I’m the girl from the island.
And I was found dead twenty-four years ago. 

Characters: 

                    Aspen: Overall, I like Aspen. She is a good protagonist with a cute and quirky personality to match. Her sassy comebacks keeps the story from being boring. However, I feel like she is not the easiest to connect with. There are moments where her decisions are just extremely foolish, and ignorant. She seems like a really smart and intelligent person, but I questioned that at some moments. 

                                

                    Ryker: I surprisingly do not have a lot to say about Ryker. He seems like a good character, with a good heart. I didn't feel like he shows a lot of emotion in this book, you know? For example, he plays football, and yet he doesn't seem extremely thrilled about it. He'll say, "I love football", but I didn't feel the emotion in that statement. It feels like he says that to say something. 

Plot:

                   We've got a lot to cover in this section, so I'm going to break it down for you all: 

                   First: I feel like I read two completely different stories, but with the same characters. The first part is all about the Island, and what happens on the Island. The two characters meet, and start to like each other. Then fast forward to a couple pages later, and literally everything changes. The setting, and plot are completely different from the beginning. There are new secondary characters we see that don't even play a big part in the book. And the Island? Remember that? I think the Island was mentioned maybe once, or twice? 

                        The transition between these two scenarios could improve, but I like the idea this author had. It is an original idea with great potential. 

                Secondly: This isn't that big a thing, but I just wanted to discuss it a little. I don't know about you all, but I can't stand an unrealistic scene. Those scenes don't help the novel in any way. Unfortunately, there are a couple of those scenes in this book. 

                    The main character lives on an Island that has never heard of technology, apparently. But, I looked this Island up, and there is technology, and internet. In this book, Aspen has no idea what a phone is, or what internet is. It is very unrealistic to me that a character who lives in the 20th century doesn't know what a phone is. But that's not what bothered me!!! It was about how ignorant Aspen was about the phone. It irritated me because she was like, "How do I type?", or "How do I call you?" It is super simple, and easy to learn, but she couldn't understand those instructions. It took many tries, and she still didn't get it! 

            Lastly: There are a few more things I could go over, but those aren't extremely important. The last  thing I wanted to talk about was the relationship between the characters. If you read one of my reviews, you know that I hate insta-love. I just think it is unrealistic and brings nothing to the story. To me, this novel had some insta-love. The characters were smitten with each other in the first couple pages. It's definitely a "love at first sight" book. So, I wasn't a huge fan about that part. 

            While there are the negatives, there are positive about this book. I really like the amount of detail in the descriptions. It helps paint a picture in my head, which I love doing. It makes the read a lot more enjoyable to me. 

        I read this novel pretty fast. I think maybe two days? It has a fast pace, with entertaining aspects. There are some funny parts, like the banter between the two characters, which I really liked. 

Rating: 

                    I give this book 3 stars. I like the concept and themes in it, but I feel like there are still some parts that could improve. The characters are very interesting, entertaining, and polite which creates a fun read. 

Overall, I like the book. I like the general plot and idea, which is why I give it 3 stars. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.