Tag: new adult (Page 13 of 17)

Kaetrin’s 2013 Favourites

December 24, 2013 / Kaetrin

Up until 16 December, I read a total of 251 books for the year. Of those, 145 were books published in 2013. Last year, my 2012/all-reading ratio was a lot lower. Good for the newly released books, not so good for the books languishing on Mr. TBR.

Out of all the books I read, only 27 were rated 5 stars, but 144 were rated 4 stars. I’d have to say that’s a pretty good reading year.

Of the books released in 2013, my favourites were (click on the pics to see my reviews):

Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Paranormal elements

New Adult/YA

I’m at AudioGals…

December 5, 2013 / Kaetrin

with an audiobook review of My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron, narrated by Kate Rudd. I found a new narrator to ~~stalk~~ follow.

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

November 27, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley but I’m also a fan of the series.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that’s who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she’s just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can’t get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they’ll go to save each other.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I have always liked Isaiah since I first met him in Pushing the Limits. As much as I loved Dare You To, enjoyed Beth’s romance with Ryan and thought that the author was right; Beth and Isaiah should not be together, I was still a bit sad for Isaiah. I felt he got a bit of a raw deal. So, I was excited to read his story – where he finally gets his happy.

As expected, it was hard won and I had some nervous moments wondering how the author was going to achieve it (but she totally did) and in the process I met a wonderful heroine in Rachel, her yummy brothers (who I hope to see again in future books – especially West please) as well as more of Logan (may we have his book also? pretty please?) and had the opportunity to check in with Beth and Ryan and Noah and Echo. I felt all of the characters had an organic place in the book and as much as I was happy to see previous characters again, I’m also happy they were present because they had things to do relevant to the story being told.

Running Back by Allison Parr

October 28, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Rush Me, so I was looking forward to what’s next.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Natalie Sullivan is on the verge of a breakthrough most archaeology grad students only dream of: discovering a lost city. Her research points to a farm in Ireland, but to excavate she needs permission from the new owner: the Michael O’Connor, popular NFL running back.

On TV Mike seems so charming and good-natured that Natalie figures getting his cooperation will be a breeze. So she’s not prepared to deal with the arrogant—and adamantly opposed—man she meets in person. Or the way one look from him sends shivers down her spine…

Determined to kick-start her career, Natalie travels across the Atlantic and finds herself sharing an inn with Mike, who has come to Ireland in search of his roots. She tells herself her interest is strictly professional, but the more she gets to know him, the harder it is to deny her personal attraction to the sexy sports star. And when Mike confides why he refuses to allow the dig, Natalie must decide if she can follow her heart without losing sight of her dreams.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I enjoy this author’s voice. I like her wry humor and the easy style of the prose. I find it engaging and easy to read, even when sometimes aspects of the plot work less well for me. Here, I particularly enjoyed the romance between Natalie and Mike, as well as the descriptions of New York, Ireland and Paris. The setting, most particularly, Ireland, was so well drawn. Whereas some stories can really be set anywhere, here the sense of place was very strong. And different enough to provide a nice change to the usual US setting. Although it is a book about a running back for the fictional New York Leopards NFL team, there is almost no football in it (which wasn’t particularly a problem, but if you’re expecting a sports-themed book, you won’t get it here). Rather, it has an archeology theme – digging up the past in not only the physical but also the metaphysical sense.

Here Without You by Tammara Webber

October 24, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I bought this one on release day – I even broke my rules about not spending over $8 for an ebook for this one. And then I was kind of scared to read it – even though I’d been told it was great and has a HEA, I still put off reading it. But then when I was looking for a book to read this week, this one called to me.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Reid Alexander, Hollywood’s hottest young actor, is completely distracted. And this time it isn’t his latest co-star or a major new film role that’s demanding his attention but something far more life-changing…

The hotly anticipated fourth book in the irresistible Between the Lines series.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I feel a little conflicted about this book. I lapped it up and slurped it down very quickly. I enjoyed the writing and I loved the characters. I cried and laughed and was moved in various ways by Brooke, Reid, River and Dori. But. But I wish it had been longer. I wish there had been more of all of it.

Come As You Are by Theresa Weir

October 9, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a copy for review via NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Molly Young has a secret. To keep it she holds the world at a distance. Behind her lies a trail of dumped boyfriends who came too close to discovering what no one can know. When her estranged father dies of an unexpected heart attack he leaves an even deeper secret, one tied to Molly’s.

At the funeral repast Molly is unable to tolerate the shoulder-to-shoulder mourners and runs out the door and down the street to the nearest bar. Come dawn, with no memory of the past ten hours, she finds herself in bed with a beautiful stranger. She slips away before he wakes up, unaware of the role he’s about to play in her life. Is he the one guy who can convince Molly to face her painful secret and become the person she’s meant to be?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I’m not sure how helpful this review will be to anyone because it’s been days since I read the book and I still don’t quite know what to make of it. Even describing the story seems spoilerish but I can’t work out another way to do it. So, with the warning that there may be spoilers (I can’t tell if they count as spoilers or not), let’s proceed.