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. 

Book Review: Beautiful Criminal by M.N. Forgy

                                        "That's what every girl wants, right? That guy who is unruly and mean to the world. Yet, they treat that one girl as if she's special, like she's number one and if you come near her you'll face her man's wrath?" 

OK, before I even get into this review, can we just take a minute and appreciate this quote? I don't know how M.N. Forgy does it, but she literally put what almost every girl wants in these three sentences. (round of applause to her!) 

Now the review: This was actually a pretty fast read for me, maybe two to three hours. I saw some of the turns and predicted them, but the execution was good. It was a little too insta-love for me, but that could just be me, because I LOVE my build up. I liked the characters, but I feel like we didn't really get to know them on a really deep level. I need to be inside the character and their minds!

Summary: 

                                    "As the son of the infamous boss of the DeAngelo family, I have merciless duties expected of me. The public labels me a monster, a man without a soul, and one hated by many. They’re not wrong, and I’m not sorry for it. When my father orders me to marry a longtime enemy’s daughter to settle a score between our families, she did what any smart woman with a beating heart would do. She ran. So, I found her. She tries to negotiate for her freedom, but despite being inexplicably drawn to the deviant woman, I refuse her pitiful bribes with pleasure. I still have a job to do, and I’ll make her tell me her family’s secrets, turning a treacherous situation into a game of hatred. A code of silence will be broken. Lines will be crossed. I’ll promise her freedom to get the answers I need, but I’ll burn this city to the ground before I let her go."

Characters: 

     Kieran: Kieran is controlling, dangerous, possessive, and merciless. However, he is also caring and respectable. I like him. He is not my favorite character in this book, but I didn't really have any problems with him.

     Leona: Leona is innocent and oblivious  She seems to just be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. I like her, but not as much as I thought I would. She seems to be very obtuse and oblivious, when she shouldn't be. There are some scenes with her that are really bizarre and strange. I don't want to spoil things, so I won't tell you what happens, but those scenes just don't fit into the story. 

One thing I noticed while reading, was that the characters would be described one way, and then act a completely different way. That confused me a little, because the story then contradicts itself. I like the main protagonists, but I feel like I didn't connect with them. There wasn't really a personality for me to bond with. Some characters I instantly love, and others, it takes time. For me, in this book, I just didn't really bond with any of them. 

Plot:

    The plot has a ton of potential! There are some really good scenes that are executed quite well. Then, there are other scenes that really aren't necessary in this book. Those scenes don't help the plot nor the characters. 

    While the reading went fast, the book went pretty slow. I felt that the scenes were extremely long, but not very detailed. For example, there is a scene that seems pretty important and is about ten pages, but isn't detailed enough for me to delve into the characters and plot. 

    The storyline and idea of this book is really good! I like the idea of a mafia/mob story, but in order for it to work, there has to be a lot of mafia/mob. In this particular book, I thought that there wasn't and it took a backseat to the relationships and romance. Now don't get me wrong, I love romance! But, I also love my violence. 

    To me, there can only be so much change a person can have in a certain amount of time. I felt like this book was a little unrealistic in that department. People can change, but they cannot change in exactly two seconds. 

Rating: 

    I give this book 3 stars! I liked it and it has great potential. For me, I just couldn't connect with the characters that much. I don't know if it's because I'm not in the mafia/mob or what, but I just couldn't. I like the overall story, and it has some good twists. I did think that this book would have more violence than it did, which changed my opinion a little. However, this book is a great read, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested!!!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Album by Sian Ceinwen

                    "That's easy for you to say, isn't it? You knew what you wanted from your life, and you got it. Why would you bother with door number three?"

After the first two chapters of this book, I had decided to stop reading this and put it as a DNF. But, my instinct told me to keep on reading. So I did. I ended up finishing this book, and liking it. I really liked the idea of this book, and the plot. But, the characters on the other hand, I was not a fan. Let's take a closer look. 😊

Summary:  

                                    "What happens when you fall in love with a rock star? Ariana isn't a fan of celebrities, but she is a fan of Cruise Control. The night she attends a charity event with her aunt and meets rock star, Gabriel Knight, sets in motion a roller-coaster ride that is out of her command. Risking it all on the man who plucks at her heartstrings, and hiding her struggling self-esteem behind a wall of privacy. Ariana joins the group on tour as the lead singer's new sweetheart. But when she's suddenly thrust into the wild world of a rock star, the sour taste of the limelight could cut desire's set list short. Will life in the fast lane ruin Ariana's chance at true love?"

Characters: 

    Ariana: Oh Ariana! I have a huge problem with her. I did not like her whatsoever, until the last 20-30% of the book. She had no self-esteem and so many insecurities, that it made me not like the book at first. Every time she was in public, whether it be with Gabriel or not, she constantly didn't believe in herself. She automatically agreed with other people's opinion of her. It bothered me as a reader to see a character have so little faith in herself. She didn't even stand-up for herself when people were talking bad about her. 

    The last 20-30% changed my mind about her a little. She seemed to look back and understand why and how things went wrong. She still had little self-esteem, but it wasn't on her mind 24/7 like it was previously. 

    Gabriel: The entire book, I just felt bad for Gabriel. He constantly had to deal with things I felt he didn't need too. Although, he did deal with them rather well. I liked Gabriel. He was a fine H, but he wasn't my favorite. He didn't seem to really have a personality to me. (You know?) Gabriel was just there. I didn't really understand him, and I felt his one purpose was for the love of Ariana. 

Chemistry:

     To me, the chemistry felt a little forced. There were some cute moments that I really liked, and then there were the moments where I asked myself Why?. The whole relationship was very insta-love in my opinion, which I didn't really like because I feel it's not really realistic. I like reading about how the characters fall in love with a ton of tension and build up. Instead, these characters met, and then BAM, they couldn't be without each other at all. It also seemed to me that Ariana didn't even want the relationship at times. Gabriel was just trying to show his love for her, and she didn't really appreciate it. 

Plot: 

    I actually really liked the plot, and there was a lot of opportunity for the author to take it and change it up, which she did. I like the idea of the rockstar falling in love with a "normal" women. But, I felt like this book was a lot about Ariana's insecurities, rather than the actual budding relationship or even the band. The last 20-30% was SO GOOD. It totally changed my mind about this book. There were moments where I hated both main characters, and then there were others where I was just WAITING for it:THE moment.

Rating:

    I thought about this a lot and kept going back and forth between a 2.5, 3, or even 3.5. I ultimately decided on 3 stars. This book had great potential, if it weren't for the main characters. I did not like her at all. I didn't mind Gabriel, but I felt like he just went after Ariana like a lost puppy. The book was very insta-love, which I did not really like. It was like the first moment they met, they instantly loved each other. To me, that just isn't realistic. The last 20-30% of this book, made me change my mind between a 2 and 3. I really liked seeing the character development in Ariana, and Gabriel. They seemed to take a step back in their relationship and just look at it in a different light. I would have liked to see a lot more character development, as well as the development of their relationship, but overall it was a good read.

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

                                                   

Ok So I know this book came out a while ago, and it got a lot of hype, especially from the Netflix Movie. But am I the only one that actually liked the book more? Don't get me wrong, I really liked the movie, but I just thought the book went a lot smoother and I could relate to the characters better. Anyway, let's get to this review! (even though it has been a while, oh well)

This book follows a young girl who is entering her junior year of high school, when her love letters (letters she wrote to her crushes when she was younger) were mailed. What's even worse, was that a couple people read them and then tried to talk to her about them. Uh oh. This is a disaster. 

To start off-the characters

    -I really liked Lara Jean, and what she represented. I thought she was very sweet, naive, innocent, and comedic. (Especially Lana Condor and the little faces and expressions she made). She loved to bake, which I easily relate to. The only difference is that she can cook well and I can't. LOL. I digress, anyway I liked how Jenny Han was able to create a protagonist that has flaws, and has a little bit of everyone in her. Whether it be a little uptight, and a rule-follower, or very sensitive and comedic.

    -Peter. Oh Peter, oh Peter. Are there any words to really describe you? I liked him and didn't at the same time. I do not know why, but there is something about him that I am not a big fan of. On the flip side, he can be very harming when he wants to be, especially to Lara Jean. I liked Peter the majority of the book, just not the last few chapters. He is a popular jock, with a lot of friends, but inside has a kind and caring personality. It just takes the right person to figure him out. 

    -The rest of the secondary characters made the book. Lara Jean's best friend, Christine, and her two sisters made it such a fun and unique atmosphere. The culture was also really cool. I liked in the book how it went into more detail about her culture, than it did in the movie. But I guess that is what the time limit is all about. Anyway, overall the character were very good, and very fun to read about. 

The CHEMISTRY:

    -Oh I felt it all right. The chemistry was very good, and there were some moments where even I was like should I be reading this because I feel like I'm intruding on something. :)) It was very clever and well written, the chemistry was a little more on the cute and flirty side, but i am just assuming that because it is a YA book. 

The Writing: 

    -I thought Jenny Han did an exceptional job with this book. The writing was very good, and the description was also very well written. It wasn't all description and details which I prefer in most cases. She didn't give you details the whole book, but rather a story, and a good one at that. Han did not have any grammar or spelling issues, so well done to her and her editing crew. I am never a fan of syntactical errors. 

 Plot: 

    -The plot was very good. I liked how they became pretend boyfriend and girlfriend, and that she had a list. I thought that was very funny and original. The beginning was grab worthy, but the ending I felt kind of lacked. The ending just seemed a little too fast for me. I would have liked a little more conversation, but that could very well just be me. 

Overall:

    -The book was very well put together. Not all authors have the ability to organize a book well and consistently, but Han did. The characters were generally likable, and the comedy aspect was very fun and I laughed a couple of times. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

    -I am giving this book 3.5 stars just because I felt like the characters could have been a little more built up, and that the ending felt a little rushed. However, definitely give this book a read if you like a cute, fun romantic comedy in a book. Also if you liked the movie too. I mean Noah Centineo, hello!