Review (75): Rules of Seduction by Jenna Mullins

Rules of Seduction

by Jenna Mullins

Release Date: April 21, 2015

Publisher: The Studio

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

My Thoughts: 

Dani Young has just graduated college and is ready to start her screenwriting/directing career in Los Angeles. Her very first day in the City of Angels doesn't go as planned, but she reunites with her childhood best friend, Elise, who snags Dani a job on the set of Vamp Camp--a popular teen show where Elise's boyfriend (Tate Lawrence) just happens to be the star. Burned from a past relationship, Elise asks Dani to seduce Tate because she wants to be sure that he's a loyal boyfriend even when she's not around. Dani sees no harm in helping a friend out seeing as she has no intention of ever falling for a shallow and egotistical celebrity. However, Tate surprises her and she has no idea how to derail their growing friendship. 

This is written as a flashback--the main character, Dani, is getting her hair and makeup done and begins telling the story of how disastrous her first few months in LA turned out. We don't find out what she's getting ready for or who exactly she's talking to until the very end when everything is wrapped up. I thought this was a unique spin that added depth to the story. 

Overall though, I wasn't impressed. I felt like the dialogue was unrealistic and I didn't particularly like any of the characters except maybe Tate (who was a sweet, animal lover) and Dani's roommate, Brit (who was the most eccentric of the bunch and who was Dani’s only true friend in my opinion). Dani was a bit too snobbish for my taste and Elise was self-absorbed and annoyed me to no end. I thought that the drama between her and Dani ended a little too perfectly and conveniently to be believable. I also didn’t think that Dani and Tate had the best chemistry, but I did enjoy watching their friendship grow.

Even though this wasn’t one of my favorites, it is a quick, fun read and I think it might still be worth picking up if you like lighthearted new adult romances. 

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (74): Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru by Tera Lynn Childs

Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru

by Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Creative HeArts, #1

Other Entangled Reviews: 

Daisy and the Front Man,  

Anya and the Shy Guy,
Finding Perfect

Release Date: September 14, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Teen: Crush

Pages: 199

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

After getting herself into quite a bit of trouble, Sloane’s parents decide she needs a change of scenery and to distance herself from the bad influences in her life--i.e. all of her New York City friends. The plan they come up with involves Sloane and her mom moving to Texas for the year while her brother and father stay behind in the Big Apple. To say she’s less than thrilled is an understatement, but she’s prepared to be on her best behavior if it means getting herself home early. The problem is that the troublemaker next door won’t seem to leave her alone. She promised her mom she’d stay away, but there’s just something about Tru that makes her almost forget how much she hates Texas. 

This was a quick, cute read. I really liked both Sloane and Tru. Sloane is outspoken and witty. She seems to be the black sheep of the family--the others don't completely understand her artistic side. I thought it was super cool that she had a secret online comic strip and was sort of jealous at the same time because I've always wanted that kind of artistic ability. 

Tru also has his fair share of family drama--more so than Sloane is some ways. But despite all that, he is very charming and was just a very likable goofball. I can definitely see why it was so hard for Sloane to resist him, and am glad that she didn't let other peoples prejudices about him decide their friendship.

I did think that the conflict in the plot was a little juvenile and unrealistic (I know this probably sounds vague until you actually read what happens, but obviously I'm not going to spoil it). I just honestly doubt something like this would happen in real life without someone taking notice early on. But overall I did enjoy the book and am glad it is part of a series; I'm excited to see what happens next with these two because they were both such great characters!

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (73): Finding Perfect by Kendra C. Highley

Finding Perfect

by Kendra C. Highley

Other Entangled Reviews: 

Daisy and the Front Man, 

Anya and the Shy Guy

Release Date: September 14, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Teen: Crush

Pages: 199

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

“Perfect Paige” has her life all planned out; graduate high school as one of the top 5 in her class, attend Stanford University, and go on to medical school so she can take over the family practice. However, after getting a D on her latest calculus test she has to figure out how to pass this ridiculous class or risk the chance of her plans—and her parents’ expectations—going up in flames. Enter Ben Franklin: the sweet, smart boy from the wrong side of town. He agrees to tutor Paige if only she helps turn him into the kind of guy her best friend, and most popular girl in school, will consider dating. Paige hesitates, but can’t argue that this is the perfect plan…until she realizes that she wishes Ben was working this hard for her attention instead of Zoey’s. 

First of all, how freakin’ adorable is that cover? I mean seriously so cute. Just like this story. I thought it was going to be the typical cliche love triangle, but it turned out to be so much more--honestly the perfect contemporary romance. Ben has had a crush on Zoey for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately for him--and every other guy at their high school--he just isn't someone she'd ever notice on her own which is why he enlists Paige's help. As expected the two fall for each other the more time they spend together because they just make so much more sense. 

The twist though came with Zoey. She turned out to be a lot less like your typical self-absorbed queen bee than I had initially expected. Her and Paige could not have been more different; Zoey is completely laid back while Paige is anything but. Yet their differences work well together and Zoey is actually an amazing friend to Paige. Paige is a bit too nice—she can’t seem to say no to anyone—but she grows so, so much throughout the story. Ben is ridiculously hardworking and so incredibly sweet. He pushes Paige to finally be honest about all the pressure she's been feeling towards her future and gives her the strength to come clean to her parents--especially her dad. He helps her discover that perfection is overrated and that nothing but her happiness is important at the end of the day. I usually have a favorite character but I genuinely liked all of them which made this that much more of an enjoyable read.

The ending left room for a sequel and I really hope that is the case because I am definitely going to be reading anything else written by Highley if she continues writing such great characters and I'm definitely interested in seeing how Zoey's story continues!

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (72): Romancing the Dark in the City of Light by Ann Jacobus

Romancing the Dark in the City of Light

by Ann Jacobus

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Pages: 288

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

After getting kicked out of her fourth boarding school, Summer Barnes moves to Paris to finish off her second senior year of high school. She has until the age of 22 to graduate from a four-year university or she risks losing a hefty inheritance—which seems easier said than done at this point. She’s felt lost and alone since the sudden death of her father five years earlier and believes that all her problems will go away if she just meets the right guy. Lucky for her, she catches the eye of two; one challenges her and helps her rediscover life’s beauty, while the other leads her down a path of self-destruction. When her damaging behavior manages to alienate everyone, she has to decide if she wants to continue down this road or if her life is worth living and fighting for. 

As the title sort of suggests this deals with some dark topics including addiction, depression, and suicide. It is not an easy read so be aware of that if these are things you are not comfortable with or find triggering. As someone who also battled depression at the age of 18, I completely identified with Summer. It was easy to be sympathetic towards her despite how frustrating she was at times because I know what it feels like to be in her shoes. She may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought she was very real and appreciated her straight forward voice. 

Moony was a great character as well. I can't even image how he has such an optimistic take on life after everything he's been through. I think he and Summer meet just when she needs him most. Kurt on the other had is the complete opposite and encourages her down an even more dangerous path than she is already on. They definitely did not have your average love triangle; it was more of a light vs. dark tug of war that was a lot different than I had expected from how it's written on the cover. 

I figured out the twist pretty early on but it was still interesting to see that aspect of the plot unravel. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to give it away, but I thought it was an intriguing take on inner demons and the mental battle that is depression. Overall, I think this is a great read and I wish there were some others out there like it because depression and mental illness is still something that is not talked about enough. 

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (71): The Ugly Stepsister by Aya Ling

The Ugly Stepsister

by Aya Ling

Release Date: June 10, 2015

Pages: 452

Format: eBook

Source: Author

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

When Kat accidentally transports herself into one of her old fairytale books as Cinderella’s ugly step-sister, she finds herself in quite the predicament. The only way to get home is ensure that the story ends as it should—with a happily ever after. Unfortunately for her, the rest of the characters don’t seem to be playing along; she has no idea where the fairy godmother is hiding, the handsome prince seems to hate all the attention that comes with his status, her beautiful sister is dead set on becoming queen, and if all of that weren’t enough, Cinderella has her eyes set on someone else. How is Kat supposed to make sure the story runs smoothly and still learn how to navigate the social season as a highborn lady?

I am not a huge fan of retellings because I feel like they all end up being the same so I almost didn’t bother reading this. And omg, how horrible would that have been? Because I honestly loved everything about this! I think that just the small change of making this from the ugly stepsisters perspective added so much to the story. But that isn’t even the best part. The characters were so well-written and amazing. I loved every single one of them—even the actual evil, stepsister. 

Kat predictably started off as shy and clumsy but quickly turned into the brave heroine. It was great seeing her grow and become assertive and bold. She challenges various issues in the fairy tale world including child labor and sexism. I thought it was funny how everyone is either impressed or scandalized by her behavior and was happy that she felt the need to do something about these injustices despite knowing she wouldn’t be in Athelia long. Prince Edward is very down-to-earth and passionate about his position, despite the fact that he doesn’t like all the attention that comes along with being the crown prince. He was so cute and sweet and understanding—I just loved him. 

Another thing I really liked was the distinction between Kat’s voice and that of all the other fairy tale characters. They really sounded like they came straight out of a fairy tale while she had a modern vocabulary—it was very comical at times. Eventually she kind of starts to sound like them, but there was always that modern slang that confused the hell out of everyone else. 

This is by far one of my favorites and I hope Aya continues to write such amazing and strong female characters! The only thing I would change about this is the cover. The current one does not do this justice and I think this is definitely deserving of a prettier and more magical one. 

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (65): Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything 

by Nicola Yoon

Series: N/A

Other Reviewed Titles: N/A
Release Date: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Random House Kids/Delacorte

Pages: 320

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Everything, Everything tells the story of Madeleine, an eighteen year old with SCID (severe combined immune deficiency). She is allergic to the outside world and, therefore, has not stepped through her front door in seventeen years. Her house has been turned into a safe, sealed environment that allows her to continue her studies online and live as normal a life as possible. Her only friends have been her overprotective mother and her kindhearted nurse until the new neighbors move in next door. She’s always been fine with her sheltered, monotonous life, but the second her eyes meet Olly's, everything changes.

Maddy is a great character. She has a really likable and noteworthy voice. I expected her to be a bit immature because of her upbringing (she has been sheltered from virtually everything her entire life), but she really wasn’t and I quite admired her—I know for a fact that if I was in her position I would not have been as strong, optimistic and accepting. Olly was a nice, quirky addition. Their friendship started off a bit unconventional. They had to come up with interesting ways to get to know each other at first since she isn’t allowed to leave the house and isn’t allowed visitors. As their relationship grows, it is obvious how much he cares for her by how much he is willing to sacrifice. 

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but there is a pretty major plot bomb towards the end. I had my suspicions, but was still genuinely surprised when everything unfolded. 

By far my favorite thing about this was the little extras that are sprinkled throughout the book. There are emails, journal entries, IMs, drawings, web pages, and diagrams. For some reason I always like it when stuff like this is included, I feel like it adds a little bit of fun to the book, especially to one that has some serious and emotional subject matter like this one.

This is a fantastic debut! Fans of The Fault in our Stars will definitely appreciate this (not that the two books are very similar). Can’t wait to see what else Nicola Yoon has in store for us!

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (64): Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between

by Jennifer E. Smith

Series: N/A

Other Reviewed Titles: N/A
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for YR/Poppy
Pages: 256
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Author Website
Book Website

My Thoughts: 

Claire and Aidan have been avoiding this moment for months, but the time has finally come. They only have 12 hours left before both leave for college and have yet to decide what to do—stay together or break up. They believe that revisiting the places that brought them together will help make the decision easier. Morning comes all too quickly and they must decide if this is a temporary goodbye or if it’s goodbye forever. 

This was such a cute and romantic read which is common of Jennifer E. Smith’s books. I think this is a great end of summer book especially for those also about to leave for college. The entire story takes place within just 12 hours but so much occurs that it does not feel like such a short amount of time. I really love one night or one day stories when they are done right. Everything that happens is important to the story and I didn’t feel like there was a lot of filler which was great. Nothing particularly exciting happens, but that’s okay because this is a story about rediscovering--and possibly letting go of--young love. 

Claire and Aidan are a great couple who have an envious relationship. They are complete opposites but I think that’s why they work so well--Claire is the level-headed bookworm while Aidan is the risk taking jock. You would think these would be qualities that would not attract each other or work well together, but they seem to bring these things out in each other. I felt that they balanced each other out very well and that they were needed influences on each other; Claire is more outgoing and spontaneous with Aidan by her side and Aidan is grounded with Claire. 

What I particularly liked about this book is that both Claire and Aidan (no matter how much they love each other) choose their dream schools over schools that would allow them to be closer to each other. I thought this was a very admirable decision. To me it seems like most other books with this exact premise always have couples where one of the individuals decides to follow the other to college--as if that person's dreams are more important than their own. I never understood this so I’m glad it was a focal point of Aidan and Claire’s story.

Lastly, I just have to say that I LOVE all of Jennifer E. Smith’s book covers. I think it’s super cute that they all have a similar theme despite the fact that they are not directly connected to each other through a series, etc. This makes them very recognizable and uniquely hers. 

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (60): Like Candy by Debra Doxer

Like Candy

by Debra Doxer

Series: Candy, #1

Other Reviewed Titles: None
Release Date: July 28, 2015

Pages: 299

Format: eBook

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Candy Seaborne is pretty sure her father is a spy—or maybe even an assassin. Either way, he’s a total badass and she wants to follow in his footsteps. But for now she’s a senior who’s trying to reestablish her place in the high school hierarchy. She is instantly drawn to Jonah Bryson who seems to be full of contradictions. He’s a jock, but not your typical player. He’s popular, but kind of antisocial. And despite the fact that they just met, he seems to understand her better than anyone. 

This is told over two full-length books; Like Candy and Sweet Liar. The beginning was kind of slow as we are introduced to the characters and it mainly focuses on Candy’s growing relationship with Jonah. I love it when the author actually takes the time to build the romantic relationships in their book; it is always enjoyable and much more believable seeing a relationship bloom slowly rather than having the characters get together after just 5 pages or whatever. 

It wasn’t until almost the very end that the action picked up and the interesting stuff started to happen (which was a little frustrating because I had no clue where the plot was going most of the time since there wasn’t much happening in the first 3/4 of the book). I still have no idea what Candy’s father does for a living or what he did to piss off his superiors, but it is something that is spilling into his personal life quickly—and, shockingly, into Candy’s as well. I won’t say how, but I will say that it was a well-developed plot twist that I did not see coming! The story also ends in a pretty massive cliff-hanger that leaves you wishing this was not split into two books because you need to know exactly what happens after the last word. 

I didn’t particularly love Candy at the start, but she definitely grew on me as the story progressed. I feel like as Jonah got to know her better, so did I. She is manipulative and thrives off of revenge, but is also really sweet and kind of a homebody; she would rather spend her nights at home cooking dinner for her father instead of being out all night with her friends. Jonah was also really sweet and caring. He does some of the nicest things for Candy, but at the same time is very secretive which made it hard to really get to know him; I’m hoping we get to learn more about who he really is in book two. 

I would probably have given this a full 5 stars had it not been for the lull in the plot at times. I appreciate that the time was taken to really develop the characters and their relationships with each other, but it would have also been nice if a bit more action was thrown in earlier. But other than that, I really did enjoy this and will definitely be picking up Sweet Liar and any other books written by Doxer in the future.

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (58): Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner

Anya and the Shy Guy

by Suze Winegardner

Series: Backstage Pass, #4

Other Reviewed Titles: 
Daisy and the Front Man, #3
Release Date: July 14, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Crush)

Format: eARC 

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Anya Anderson has been on her own and homeless since she was just 15 years old. She has been trying to figure out a way to make enough money so that she can get off the streets and can get her friend Jude the help he needs. She somehow convinces an online music blog to hire her as a freelance writer, and so for the next two weeks it is her job to shadow Will Fray—the bonafide “shy guy” of the hottest boyband around, Seconds to Juliet—and try to dig up as much dirt about him and the band as possible. What she doesn't expect is that Will is actually Matt, his twin brother, who has been reluctantly filling in for him while he is in rehab. (Although this is the fourth book in the Backstage Pass series, they are all written by different authors and do not need to be read in order).

Anya is a 17 year old girl who has worries and problems no one her age should have to face. Her time on the streets has made her guarded, anxious, and she has a difficult time trusting people, yet none of this has made her angry or bitter. She is primarily trying to make this job work for the sake of her friend Jude—who helped her and kept her safe when she first arrived on the streets—which made me like her that much more (it’s never explicitly said, but I am assuming she’s trying to save enough so she can help him go to rehab). 

Matt is really sweet and self-less. He fills in for his twin while he is away in rehab because he wants to see him get better and also because he does not want either Will or his mom to face a 20 million dollar lawsuit. Stepping into the shoes of a world famous boy band member can not be easy for someone who has no experience or desire to be in one. 

This is the second Backstage Pass book I have read (the first being Daisy and the Front Man). I genuinely enjoyed it; it is well-written and easy to get into. This is told in alternating view points which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it worked for me because Anya and Matt both have strong voices and it was easy to distinguish between them. I also thought that the conflicts and drama throughout the book were well-thought-out and believable which was something that I did not like about the third book. Anya and Matt have great chemistry from the beginning and I loved seeing their relationship progress. The ending is seriously so cute; my favorite part by far!

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (57): Along the Way by Jacqueline Kolosov

Along the Way

by Jacqueline Kolosov

Release Date: April 1, 2015

Publisher: Luminis Books, Inc.

Pages: 300

Format: Paperback 

Source: ARC for Review

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Three lifelong friends have decided to do the famous Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage before they begin college in the fall. They have been preparing for a year and are finally heading out on this once in a lifetime experience. Tessa, entranced by her grandparents love story, is also looking for a fairy tale ending of her own. Piper—dealing with her estranged mother constantly popping in and out of her life—and Dani—struggling with the fact that her mother and her fiancé are pregnant with twins—just want a summer to remember. Despite the fact that the girls have since moved across the country from each other, their friendship and bond has remained constant and is only strengthened by this journey.

I had never heard of this pilgrimage but I am now really interested in doing it myself. Although this is fictional, it still seems like a great experience and like an amazing thing to do before college. I feel like this is not something that most 17 year olds would want to do since it is by no means a vacation—they walk hundreds of kilometers a day, sleep in overcrowded hostels, and even have to endure a rain storm. The walk really allows them to get to know themselves and each other. They each discover who they are and become comfortable in their own skin. They realize that what seemed important or overwhelming at the beginning of the walk really isn’t that big of a deal. Although there were a few major bumps in the road, I was pretty proud and impressed that they were able to fight through and finish.

This is a great read and I think that it would appeal to a large audience. It is told in alternating view points which I know is an issue for a lot of people. I usually don’t mind, but this time it was a little hard for me to keep track of who’s turn it was because it was all in the first-person perspective. But it does allow you to really get to know each girl individually and experience their emotions and feelings throughout the Camino. Tessa was a bit annoying at first because she is used to the finer things in life and has a hard time slumming it on the Camino, but she eventually steps out of her comfort zone. Dani was extremely sweet and really shy at first—out of all the girls I think she is the one that comes into her skin the most and you can really see her gain confidence day by day. Piper comes to terms with her relationship with her mother and even falls for someone with the same illness. What I really liked about the three is their relationship and how open and honest they are with each other; they seemed more like sisters. 

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC in return for my honest review *

Review (56): Don't Ever Change by M. Beth Bloom

Don’t Ever Change

M. Beth Bloom

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 368

Format: eARC 

Source: Edelweiss

Author Facebook

My Thoughts: 

Eva has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. So when she hands in her last writing assignment of her high school career and her writing teacher tells her she should focus on writing “what she knows”, she is a little distressed and realizes she doesn’t actually know all that much. She decides to take advantage of her last summer before college to gain new experiences and finally live a life worth writing about. That’s how she ends up as a camp counselor even though she is wholly unqualified, how she finds herself falling for the last person she ever thought possible, and how she almost loses her two best friends. 

Eva is a judge-y, know-it-all who has this irritating need to be different than everyone around her. But despite all of this, I found myself liking her. She knows how problematic she is (because she is told by pretty much everyone she talks to) and she genuinely seems like she wants to change her negative attitude. She realizes that she hasn’t lived any life changing moments thus far because she hasn't really let herself; she’s been more preoccupied trying to be different and unique that she has shunned people and passed up opportunities. She kind of reminds me of my high school self in this regard, unfortunately.

Her sister, Courtney, is also a great character. She is 21 and, although she is more confident and in control than Eva, she is also a little lost and trying to find herself. She is going to community college and doesn’t sound like she fully knows what she wants to do with her life—except maybe travel. I really liked her and Eva’s relationship. She is always there whenever Eva needs her and is actually great at giving her advice and making her realize when she’s being difficult or ridiculous. 

The plot isn’t particularly exciting or action-packed, but it is real. The book takes place the summer after Eva’s senior year and is spent just like any new graduate probably would; with a summer job, spending as much time with friends as possible, and coming to terms with the fact that going to college means leaving the only home you’ve ever known. What I also really liked about this is that Eva doesn’t go through a magical transformation and doesn’t turn into a completely different person by the end of the story. She learns a lot about herself during those few weeks but she herself recognizes that this is just the beginning and that she has a long way to go. And I think that’s perfect.

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

Review (55): Faking Perfect by Rebecca Phillips (& Giveaway!)

Faking Perfect

Rebecca Phillips

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Publisher: Kensington Books

Pages: 272

Format: eARC

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

Author Blog

Book Website 

My Thoughts: 

Like most high school students, Lexi Shaw is pretending to be someone she’s not. In order to fit in with the popular crowd at school—and ultimately make Ben Dorsey fall in love with her—she needs to look and act the part. This means hiding the fact that her mom is hardly ever around because she is too busy off drinking with one of her boyfriends. And making sure no one finds out what she does with Oakfield High’s resident bad boy in her room at 1 A.M. Oh, and keeping her relationship with her best friend a sort of secret because her popular friends think he’s weird.

Although this seems like it is going to be about the Lexi-Tyler-Ben love triangle, it is really about Lexi’s self-growth. For two years she has tried to be the perfect everything just so she can impress a boy she doesn’t truly know—ultimately losing herself along the way. She has been fixated on her idea of Ben instead of who he really is; she even pushes away two of the only real friends she has because she can not bear to disappoint him. When everything blows up in her face—and someone from her past resurfaces complicating things further—she snaps out of it and allows herself to be, well, herself. Mostly because she doesn’t really have a choice, but also because she finally sees that what you wish for might not always be what you actually want.

Nolan is probably my favorite of all the characters. He does not care an ounce what people think of him and actually takes pleasure in making them squirm when he gets the chance. (Still not sure what everyone’s problem with him is either…) I just really liked his friendship with Lexi because he shows how much he cares in a quiet kind of way. He is her rock and she knows she never has to hide who she is from him and that he’ll always be there for her no matter what. I wish we had gotten to know Tyler more because he is so sweet (albeit a little hotheaded) and could have been a great character. I wanted more Lexi and Tyler scenes that really took the time to develop their romantic relationship. 

As for Lexi, she is a bit lost, has low self-esteem and believes that she is not good enough for anyone. She doesn’t have the greatest support system or role models at home—Nolan’s parents practically raised her and her mom doesn’t even bother to attend her high school graduation. I can see why she would want to pretend to be someone else and I applaud her for standing up to her mother. 

I think this cover is perfect. The girl in the picture just looks so FREE which perfectly sums up Lexi at the end of the book. (It is the same image used for Heather Topham Wood's Falling for Autumn, but honestly I much prefer the way this one was designed).

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *

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Review (53): Daisy and the Front Man by Rebekah L. Purdy

Daisy and the Front Man

Rebekah L. Purdy

Series: Backstage Pass, #3

Release Date: June 16, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Pages: 232

Format: eARC 

Source: Netgalley

Author Website

My Thoughts: 

Seconds to Juliet is the hottest boyband around and, after winning a concert, Daisy Morris just so happened to snag their front man, Trevin Jacobs, to be her Homecoming date. Too bad he stood her up. Now, almost a year later, she is given the perfect opportunity for revenge: she is spending the summer with her father who happens to be on tour with the band as their bodyguard. She plans on humiliating Trevin just like he humiliated her. As for Trevin, when he meets the gorgeous redhead, he has no idea who she is. But he is intrigued by her icy personality and so when one of his bandmates proposes a bet—one that involves him getting Daisy to fall in love with him by the end of summer—he can’t resist. (Although this is the third book in the Backstage Pass series, they are all written by different authors and do not need to be read in order).

I was excited to read this because this type of story is right up my alley, but unfortunately I did not enjoy the writing style and could not fully immerse myself into it—there was just too much telling and not enough showing. I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary dialogue and the plot was too predictable and cliché (and this is coming from someone who loves clichés).

The characters also missed the mark for me. I didn’t find myself liking either Daisy or Trevin. I think the reason is that by the end, I still didn’t feel like I knew them. Yeah, Daisy has trust issues because of her parents divorce and is still mourning her grandfather, and yes, Trevin is dealing with the fact that he seems to be a disappointment to his father even though he is hugely successful. But these are all things that are told to us, almost just so we will feel sympathetic towards them. Both were just a bit too dramatic for my taste and didn’t feel natural or believable to me.

I did like how Daisy’s relationship with her father progresses throughout the story (but I wish more time could have been spent on this part of the plot). He has been a huge disappointment in her life ever since her parents’ divorce which she has always blamed on him. Throughout the summer she learns some things that change her perspective and it was nice seeing them forming a better, stronger relationship.

Although this wasn’t my cup of tea, I know that my 13 year old self would have enjoyed it. I think this could have been great if it was longer and the proper time had been spent on the development of the characters and plot. Maybe there was just too much trying to happen in a short amount of time? I will definitely be picking up the first 2 books in the series as well just to see how they differ and how the stories fit together.

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* Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC in return for my honest review *