REVIEW: After Ever Happy (After #4) by Anna Todd

It’s never been all rainbows and sunshine for Tessa and Hardin, but each new challenge they’ve faced has only made their passionate bond stronger and stronger. But when a revelation about the past shakes Hardin’s inpenetrable façade to the core—and then Tessa suffers a tragedy—will they stick together again, or be torn apart?

As the shocking truth about each of their families emerges, it’s clear the two lovers are not so different from each other. Tessa is no longer the sweet, simple, good girl she was when she met Hardin—any more than he is the cruel, moody boy she fell so hard for. Tessa understands all the troubling emotions brewing beneath Hardin’s exterior, and she knows she’s the only one who can calm him when he erupts. He needs her. 

But the more layers of his past come to light, the darker he grows, and the harder he pushes Tessa—and everyone else in his life—away. Tessa’s not sure if she really can save him—not without sacrificing herself. She refuses to go down without a fight. But who is she fighting for—Hardin or herself?

My Thoughts:

When you love people, you don't let them destroy you along with themselves, you don't allow them to drag you through the mud. You try to help them, try to save them, but the moment that your love is one sided or selfish, if you keep trying, you are a fool.

So, here we are at the end. What a ride it's been!! A journey of emotions for me. So many emotions. I've only just now turned the last page and already I'm feeling a little melancholy. I'm gonna miss these guys!! 

When I neared the end of After We Fell, I was so happy and satisfied with Hardin and Tessa and the progression they'd made. Hardin had grown and changed so much. I loved him and his determination to be a better person. But then we had that huge bombshell dropped into Hardin's lap and I just knew that things were about to get a whole lot of crazy. If there's one thing that Hardin's an expert at it's self destructing and sabotaging the good in his life. And man, doesn't he do it good this time around!! I really wanted to throttle him. He was at his very self loathing, destructive best.

It's impossible to change people who have their mind set on who they are. You can't support them enough to make for their low expectations, and you can't love them enough to make up for the hate they feel for themselves.

Tessa still managed to frustrate me at almost every turn. There were times when her decision making left me scratching my head. Even up until about eighty percent through the book I wanted to curse at her. But after the events that go down in London, does she deserve the way Hardin treats her? Hell no!!! Sometimes despite loving someone so completely, we get to the point where we say enough's enough. Your heart and your soul can only take so much pain and hurt.

I'm nothing! I'm a fucked-up piece of shit with fucked-up parents and a fucked-up head.

Hardin Scott. Where do I start with him. Frustrating, infuriating, maddening, exasperating... But boy, I love the guy with everything that I have. I cannot express my love for him adequately. I seriously didn't think it was possible to fall in love with him more than I already was, but as I was getting towards the end of After Ever Happy, my heart was so full of him. It was fit to burst. The growth of this man was phenomenal. He is loving, patient, caring and considerate, all while maintaining that Hardin edge. And gosh do I love his dirty words!!!

I have to say that I hadn't cried a great deal throughout these books. Yes there were moments when a got a bit teary, but there was always a million other emotions going on at the same time. But reading the epilogue took me forever. I cried so damn hard!! Happy tears, sad tears, frustrated tears, angry tears. I cried them all. And even now just thinking about it I'm getting a bit emotional.

No two relationships are the same. We can't tell the heart who to love and who not to love. It has a mind of its own. We love who we love and that is that. Relationships and love come in all forms. And even though Tessa and Hardin's relationship was at times volatile and destructive, their love was a constant. Even through all the bad, and there was lots, I never doubted that love. When they were on, it was a beautiful thing to read. 

I'm so grateful to Anna Todd for giving me all the Hessa feels. Thank you for the 2587 pages of insane angst and emotional turmoil. But above all, thank you for giving us, the reader, the chance to take the journey of love with Hardin and Tessa.  

Whatever the hell our souls are made of, they are the same.

5/5 All The Feels Stars!!

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a review copy. 

REVIEW: After We Fell (After #3) by Anna Todd

Book Three of the After series—now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!

Tessa and Hardin’s love was complicated before. Now it’s more confusing than ever. AFTER WE FELL...Life will never be the same. #HESSA

Just as Tessa makes the biggest decision of her life, everything changes. Revelations about first her family, and then Hardin’s, throw everything they knew before in doubt and makes their hard-won future together more difficult to claim.

Tessa’s life begins to come unglued. Nothing is what she thought it was. Not her friends. Not her family. The one person she should be able to rely on, Hardin, is furious when he discovers the massive secret she’s been keeping. And rather than being understanding, he turns to sabotage.

Tessa knows Hardin loves her and will do anything to protect her, but there’s a difference between loving someone and being able to have them in your life. This cycle of jealousy, unpredictable anger, and forgiveness is exhausting. She’s never felt so intensely for anyone, so exhilarated by someone’s kiss—but is the irrepressible heat between her and Hardin worth all the drama? Love used to be enough to hold them together. But if Tessa follows her heart now, will it be…the end?

My Thoughts:

Let hers be the only voice in your head.

When I first saw that After We Fell was 834 pages long, my immediate thought was "what is Anna Todd going to do to me now?" 834 pages to mess with my heart and to screw with my head. But you know what? I was so ready for it, because these books, this series, has completely gotten it's claws into me nice and deep and I'm one hundred percent obsessed and addicted!!

After We Fell picks up right where After We Collided finishes, and takes you on a ride of heart racing and mind blowing angst, drama, growth and love. For the first third of this book I was so frustrated with Tessa and Hardin. They were constantly bickering and making dumb choices. It seemed that they never seemed to learn anything from the mistakes of their past and just continued to repeat everything over and over. I wanted to bang their heads together and knock some sense into them. Hardin especially made me angry. He's such an expert at sabotaging the good things that come his way. And while there's part of me that can understand it, the bigger part was so angry over his actions. 

Then it was Tessa's turn to get under my skin. I couldn't help but shake my head at the decisions she made. But then something happened. Something big. Something huge. Something that completely blew my mind. It was so out of the blue and I was so shocked that I had to put the book down and walk away. I couldn't believe what I'd just read. And then afterwards I was angry. I was angry over what happened and I was furious that the actions seemed to go unpunished. 

The growth of the characters in this book is what I loved the most. It's what I'd been waiting for and anticipating from the beginning. Both characters really change so much, but ultimately it comes down to Hardin and his choices that have the biggest impact. His maturity and his love and his willingness to make changes not only affects himself, but also those around him. It allowed Tessa to be much more secure in that love and she became the most wonderful tower of support for him. I finally feel like Hardin and Tessa are understanding what it means to love and have respect for someone else. 

"I'll always love only you."

...not one single girl, has ever gotten to hear him say "I love you." They haven't had, and will never have, the privilege of knowing him, the real him, the way that I do. They have no idea how wonderful and incredibly brilliant he is. They don't get to hear him laugh and watch his eyes screw shut and his dimples pop. They'll never get to hear the snippets of his life or hear the conviction in his voice when he swears that he loves me more than breathing. And for that, I pity them.

After We Fell is by far the best in the series so far. I loved Hardin and Tessa previously, despite all the frustrations they gave me, but this was the book that I think I fell in love completely. Hardin has my heart. He owned me. I love the passionate way that he loves Tessa. I love his dirty mouth and his dirty words. I love his willingness to make changes for love. What also really shone through in After We Fell was Hardin's wicked sense of humour. I'd never picked up on it before, but he really cracked me up. He's so incredibly witty.

Anna Todd messes with my emotions like no other. I experience them all. I went from excitement to frustration to shock and anger to sadness to giddiness to swooning and happy and in love and then wanting to get down and worship at her feet. She does it with such pace it's a wonder I don't end up with whiplash! I love it!!

I said in my review for After We Collided that Anna Todd is the queen of 'oh my God' endings. And she's done it again. She always leaves us right at that exact point where we are in desperate need to know what comes next. I'm so anxious about how Hardin is going to react to what's just been revealed. He's come so far and worked so hard to get to this point that I just pray that this revelation doesn't set him back.

And now the countdown for After Ever Happy. I think it will be the longest I've had to wait between books, and each day will be a little bit of torture.

"Functional is highly overrated, baby."

5/5 Hardin Owns My Heart Stars!!

A huge, huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with this book and introducing me to this series.

REVIEW: The Sea Breeze Collection by Abbi Glines

All four books in the sexy Sea Breeze series from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vincent Boys are available in one boxed set!

Set in the steamy coastal Alabama town of Sea Breeze, an interconnected group of friends hook up, break up and much, much more.

This collection of four hot-and-heavy page-turners includes Breathe, Because of Low, While It Lasts, and Just for Now.

Purchase: Amazon l B&N l The Book Depository

My Thoughts:

Breathe (Sea Breeze #1)

I remember reading Breathe way back when I first started reading YA. It was back when this book had the old, old cover. I was so enamoured with the story and Abbi Glines writing that I sent off and purchased a signed copy. It was my first ever signed book, and it still to this day takes pride of place on my bookshelf.

Jax Stone just rocked my world, and I wasn't sure what to do about it.

He was my air, my soul, and the keeper of my heart.

The version included in this boxed set has been updated with a little bit of steam I think. I don't remember it being in the original version. For me, it added that little something extra to the story. If it was at all possible, I loved this version even more. Jax Stone owned me. From start to finish, I was his. He was everything that I want in a book boyfriend. He was passionate and caring and considerate. Add in the fact that he sang and played the guitar and that right there is my perfect male all wrapped up in one neat little package.

Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)

When I read Breathe, I liked Marcus well enough. It was easy to see how caring and protective he was. But that was about as far as it went. Maybe I was just too wrapped up in Jax. But didn't Because of Low change all that! Boy oh boy, the guy is passionate. He gives everything when he loves. I love a boy who is protective of his family and Marcus was that and then some. He is an amazing son, brother, and friend. 

Damn, I was so far gone at this point I’d do anything she asked of me.

What really stood out for me while I was reading this was how much I loved Cage. Because of his relationship with Low, we actually get to see a great deal of him, and I can't wait to jump into his book. He is funny. So funny. I actually laughed big huge laughs at some of the things he said. But then on the next page he would have my heart breaking for him.

While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3)

Cage York could quite possibly be my favourite from this series, but since I have plenty of love to go around, I'm not really going to play favourites. I'm just gonna love them all. What I do know is that when I finished reading While It Lasts I was in a bit of a slump. I wanted more time with Cage. I just couldn't get him out of my head. He was with me constantly for days afterwards. I just couldn't let go and move on.

...maybe I'd lost my soul already. I doubted God let someone like me keep any gift from him. It was highly likely I'd been born without one.

Cage is carrying baggage from his childhood. He doesn't do relationships and commitments. But then he meets Eva and he wants what he's never wanted before. Watching cage fall in love was a thing of beauty. He fell so hard. I love nothing more than reading from a guys perspective as he comes completely undone by a woman.

Just For Now (Sea Breeze #4)

I must say that Preston and Amanda were two of my least favourite characters throughout this series to date. I thought Amanda seemed really young, and Preston was no more than a sleazy man whore, so I wasn't in any great rush to jump into their story. But let me tell you that Abbie Glines is a damn genius. I was completely hooked on this book after just a few pages.

I didn't need taming. I needed f**king saving.

Preston is under so much pressure, and he carries it all on his young shoulders. On the outside he's the party boy who sleeps with anything that moves, but that's only one part of his life. Outside of that his responsibilities are huge, and it was his determination, and the love for his siblings that won me over. It was impossible not to fall for Preston and his charms.

What I love about this series is that the characters from the other books all make appearances, so that we get little updates on what's going on with them. That suits me perfectly because I always find myself wondering what happened to the characters after a book is done. 

Abi Glines is a master of her craft. Good guy, bad boy, she writes them to perfection. How does she take these flawed males and make me fall head over heels in love with them. Now I'm not just talking minor flaws, Cage and Preston, have some pretty big issues when it comes to sex, but I loved them completely and without judgement. How did Abbi Glines manage that? I told you she's a genius!!

It doesn't matter which one of Abbi Glines books you read, because each and every one will have you addicted. Her books are one's that you start reading thinking you'll read a chapter or two, only to turn the last page and realise that you haven't moved for hours simply because you've been so wrapped up in her stories. I love her, and I will read anything she publishes for as long as she continues to write. Simple as that!! I'm having withdrawals from this series already. I need to get me the rest of the books pronto!!

5/5 Big, Bright, Shining, Stars!!

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me this boxed set for review.

REVIEW: After We Collided (After #2) by Anna Todd

Book Two of the After series—now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!

Tessa has everything to lose. Hardin has nothing to lose…except her. AFTER WE COLLIDED…Life will never be the same. #HESSA

After a tumultuous beginning to their relationship, Tessa and Hardin were on the path to making things work. Tessa knew Hardin could be cruel, but when a bombshell revelation is dropped about the origins of their relationship—and Hardin’s mysterious past—Tessa is beside herself.

Hardin will always be…Hardin. But is he really the deep, thoughtful guy Tessa fell madly in love with despite his angry exterior—or has he been a stranger all along? She wishes she could walk away. It’s just not that easy. Not with the memory of passionate nights spent in his arms. His electric touch. His hungry kisses.

Still, Tessa’s not sure she can endure one more broken promise. She put so much on hold for Hardin—school, friends, her mom, a relationship with a guy who really loved her, and now possibly even a promising new career. She needs to move forward with her life.

Hardin knows he made a mistake, possibly the biggest one of his life. He’s not going down without a fight. But can he change? Will he change…for love? 

My Thoughts: 

"Just because he can't love you the way you want him to doesn't mean he doesn't love you with everything he has."

When I finished reading the first book in this series, After, my head was full of Hardin and how disappointed in him I was. I was convinced that Anna Todd was evil for taking Hardin in the direction that she did. I was almost certain that my dislike for Hardin could never be overcome. So going into After We Collided, my anxiety levels were through the roof. There was just no coming back from what he did.

After We Collided picks up exactly where After left us, and if I thought that I had witnessed Hardin's depth of depravity I was mistaken. We learn things about his past that had me almost to the point of putting the book down and walking away. Just giving up on the story and never returning to it. It was only the little voice in my head of an online friend singing the praises of this book that kept me going. But I was devastated, disappointed and angry. I felt like there was nothing about Hardin that I could like. But, I've said it a hundred times before... I love broken characters, and if Hardin is nothing else, he is broken. He's going through a whole world of pain in this book and boy, didn't it pull at my heart strings. He really is trying so hard to be a better person, but after years of living the way he has been it's not going to happen overnight, but at least he's putting in the effort. And eventually I began to see the changes. I saw little snatches of the amazingly caring and loving person he could be. I saw him try to reign in his temper and to think before he spoke. 

This isn't the pain I had read about in novels. This pain isn't just in my mind, this pain isn't physical. This is a soul-aching pain, something that is ripping me apart from the inside out, and I don't think I can survive it. 

One of the big pluses for me was having the story told in dual points of view. That was what allowed me to soften as far as Hardin was concerned. Anna Todd was a genius for doing it, because without that, I wouldn't have been able to feel anything for Hardin. But being inside his head allowed me to understand his regrets, and his all encompassing love for Tessa.

There's no denying that Hardin and Tessa are toxic together. They fight like no other couple I've ever read about. But as the story went on, my whole view of these characters changed and it was Tessa that was completely doing my head in. She makes the dumbest, most impulsive decisions. And almost all of them involve other males. I wanted to reach into the pages of this book and shake some damn sense into the girl. Hardin only has to look sideways at another girl and Tessa goes all crazy ass on him, but then every time she goes way beyond that, she expects Hardin to forgive her. Tessa, listen up. Sharing the love around makes you look skanky. Quit it!! 

Communication and trust. These are the two of the biggest obstacles between Tessa and Hardin. For the most part they're really lacking in both those areas. I completely get the trust thing. They have both done some crazy hurtful stuff to each other. And where most people seem to learn from their mistakes, Tessa and Hardin seem to repeat the crazy behaviour over and over again.

I said in my review of After, that love is about respect, care and concern, and I still don't think that these guys have got the balance anywhere near right. I see glimpses of it sometimes, but then just as quickly they do something to blow it all to pieces. They seem to live in their own little bubble of drama. I have no doubt that they want things to be good between them, but they're just struggling to work out how to do it. 

"You aren't some conquest of mine -- you're everything to me! You're my breath, my pain, my heart, my life!"

But in saying that, love comes in all shapes and sizes. What fits for me, may not work for you. But we love who we love, without much say in the matter. The heart wants what it wants. Hardin and Tessa want each other, despite all the drama. 

Anna Todd is the queen of 'oh my God' endings. She leaves me turning the last page always wanting more. She knows how to tweak my emotions at every turn so that I'm in a constant state of feeling. Whether it be anger, or disappointment, or sadness, or frustration, I'm always feeling something. And she balances it all out with a touch of Hardin sweetness. 

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.

4/5 Addictive Stars.

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me this review copy.

REVIEW: After (After #1) by Anna Todd

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She's got direction, ambition, and a mother who's intent on keeping her that way. But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to. 

But he's also rude - to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessashould hate Hardin and she does — until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before. 

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper. 

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her? 

Unless… could this be love?

My Thoughts:

All that I'm certain of is that my life and my heart will never be the same, not after Hardin crashed into them. 

The cover of After proclaims that its had one billion reads online. Wow, I thought!! That's a whole lot of interest. I've personally gone a little bit cold on New Adult lately. The stories all tend to be the same and there are very few authors who I find can consistently produce something new. But when this came up for review I couldn't resist. Now, I've never really listened to One Direction before, so the fact that this was originally written as a 1D fanfiction wasn't what enticed me. I just purely liked the sound of it. And something that had so many reads had to have something going for it, right?

I have to admit to being hooked pretty quickly. Despite a few issues that I had with the grammar, I was loving the story. I was breezing through it. Smiling and swooning and happy as happy can be. I was slowly falling for Hardin, and I really liked Tessa. The whole dynamic drew me in and I couldn't put this book down. But then slowly things started to worry me. I began to have some real issues with the way that the characters, especially Hardin, treated each other.

Now I'm all for tattooed, pierced bad boys. I love them. I adore them. I could eat them for breakfast. And Hardin was tattooed and he was bad. But there's a difference between bad and cruel. And Hardin went from bad to sometimes being downright horrid. We eventually find out that he has had a really crappy childhood, and I found that my heart just about broke for him. What he went through as a child would affect anyone greatly. But it also doesn't excuse his behaviour and treatment of Tessa. He went from hot to cold, up to down, fighting and loving, happy and sad, and all in the blink of an eye and for the most insignificant of reasons. When it comes to his friends, he treats her like his dirty little secret. He doesn't want to commit, but then gets all he man and jealous when she so much as blinks in front of another male. But still I loved him. He had my head in a spin but there was just something about him. But then there is one big fat betrayal that we learn about at the end of the book. It was a doozy!! I really have no idea how the author is going to get me back onside after that one. My love for him was so big, but now I'm not sure I even like him very much.

Every second I spend with Hardin increases my feelings for him, and I know it's dangerous for me to allow these small, seemingly meaningless moments to occur, but I don't have control of myself when Hardin is involved. I become merely a passerby in this storm.

And then there is Tessa. Sweet and inexperienced, she is the complete opposite to Hardin. She's lived a fairly sheltered life, and she's also experienced her own share of childhood heartbreak. She frustrated me on so many occasions. I think that sometimes she forgave Hardin so quickly for the way that he treated her. To a point I could understand it, because she's lived a big chunk of her life trying to please her Mum and avoid confrontation. Then there were the times when Hardin asked her, at times even begged her to listen to him about different situations and she would completely disregard him and end up getting herself in some avoidable predicaments. 

"I just want to be the only person you ever love; that way you are mine."

There was just so much drama between these two and at times it felt like that was all that their time together consisted of. But when they were good, they were so good. Hardin could be so caring and loving. He was sweet and protective. Their chemistry was undeniable.

Even though I mentioned all of these issues that I had, I will definitely pick up the next book. I was addicted from start to finish. I really want to see where the author is going with things. I want to see where she takes Tessa and Hardin. I want Hardin to man up and learn that woman should be treated with respect, and I want Tessa to mature a little bit. Love is about respect and care and concern, and I'm not fully convinced that Tessa and Hardin are there yet.

For me, the first two thirds of After would be a solid four and a half, possibly five star read. But then the last third would be a three star read. And that is solely because of Hardin. But, there is no denying that I read to feel, and After made me feel so many things, and that can only be a good thing.

My feelings for Hardin are so confusing. I hate him one minute and want to kiss him the next... He makes me laugh and cry, yell and scream, but most of all he makes me feel alive.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Australia for the review copy. 

REVIEW: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late. 

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage. 

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target. 

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally? 

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

Purchase: Amazon l Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts:

This review contains spoilers. It would be almost impossible for me to get my thoughts across without delving into the story a bit, so read on at your own risk. Also there is not a whole lot of order to what I say. It was just getting thoughts out and being done with this book unfortunately. 

I think that Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush Hush series would be one of my favourite series ever. I loved it. You only have to mention the name Patch and it sends me into a self induced swoony haze. When I saw that she was releasing a new book, I was pumped with excitement. The synopsis sounded amazing. Absolutely amazing. And that cover!! I don't mind admitting that I can be swayed to read a book by the cover alone, and this one was stunning. I was all in on this one. I couldn't get it in my hands quick enough.

Unfortunately, that's where my love ends. I found Black Ice to be one of the hardest books to get through this year. It took me two weeks to read it, and almost every page was hard work. Once again, it was my complete lack of care of the characters. I couldn't relate to any of them, on any level whatsoever. They frustrated me, they made me cringe, and they made me groan. There were many, many occasions where I was ready to give up, but I had people telling me to keep reading, because it would get better and that everything would come together. So forge ahead I did.

The premise of the story was actually pretty good. A girl held captive by two criminals, and to save her life she agrees to help them navigate their way off the mountain in blizzard conditions. It sounds awesome right? Unfortunately for me, it had some pretty big holes. Firstly, Britt and Korbie head off into the mountains with their car fully stocked with an array of camping gear, supplies, warm clothes and plenty of food. Along the way a raging blizzard hits and they are forced to pull over. The snow is so bad that they aren't even fully aware if they have missed their turn off or not. So they make the decision to leave everything that they will need for their survival behind in the car and head off into the storm with not much more than the clothes on their back and no idea where they are heading. 

After stumbling through the forest they come across a cabin that is inhabited by two gorgeous males, Mason and Shaun. These are the two men who will hold them captive and force Britt to guide them off the mountain. I didn't really understand why these two grown men, who had found their way onto the mountain only hours before, needed this seventeen year old girl to help them find their way off it. Also Mason at one stage sets out to retrieve something from Britts broken down car, which is parked miles away on the road, on the mountain, and he had no trouble in finding it. Or finding his way back to the cabin. So why did they need Britt? Did I miss something? I'm confused!!

Then we have the characters. Britt and her 'best friend' Korbie annoyed me from the very beginning. I use the term best friends very loosely because for me, best friends don't treat each other the way that they do. Who keeps a book and lists each others assets and rates them? If my best friend did that there would be no way that she would be my best friend for very long. Everything that the other did seemed to irritate them no end. They bickered and constantly competed with each other over everything. I wanted to throttle both of them!! I was so glad when Korbie was left behind and they weren't together anymore.

"I tapped my cup to his, grateful to have found Shaun, because for a minute there, I'd thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I'd wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man.

She talks about being strong and independent, but at every turn, she wants and expects a man to come in and save her.

Something about Shaun was a little off. He was charming and friendly, but not necessarily warm or genuine. 

And then five pages later, we have this...

I wondered if his pulse was thrumming like mine. I wondered if he kept stealing glances at my lips, the way I shamelessly watched his.

She finds Shaun 'off', but he's cute, so what the heck. Cute comes first right?

I just found Britt to be incredibly immature. She went backwards and forwards between telling us of her love for her ex boyfriend, who treated her like dirt, to her wanting to make out with the guy who will be one of her kidnappers, Shaun, and then her developing feelings for her other kidnapper, Mason. She went from being in love with one guy to being in love with another in four days. She flirted with everyone even when she knew that Korbie liked them. And that was just a whole other issue. Korbie has a boyfriend but has no regard or respect for him whatsoever. She blatantly states that she can get together with Shaun because her boyfriend, who she was on her way to meet, is leaving for college soon. Not only is she a wonderful and loyal friend, but she's also a loving girlfriend. Not!! The moral standards of these two were non existent. 

Then we have the plot. This was why everyone kept telling me to keep reading. It was going to blow me away. And while it had it's moments, I guessed the way most of it was going to play out way before it happened, so there really weren't any big surprises for me. What frustrated me the most was that this book had so much potential. Unfortunately for me, it just failed to deliver on it. 

I really hate doing this but 1.5/5 Disappointing Stars. 

Paperback copy kindly provided by Simon & Schuster Australia.

REVIEW: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

My Thoughts:

Ugly love becomes you. 
Consumes you. 
Makes you hate it all. 
Makes you realize that all the beautiful parts aren't even worth it. Without the beautiful, you'll never risk feeling this. 
You'll never risk feeling the ugly. 
So you give it all up. You give it all up. You never want love again, no matter what kind it is, because no type of love will ever be worth living through the ugly love again.

I don't know why I'm blown away by Colleen Hoover's ability every time I read her latest release, but I am. I'm not talking about the specific aspects of the stories she writes, I'll get to that in a bit. I'm talking about her talent as an author. For me, she nails it every time. I'm always a little bit daunted when I go into writing my reviews for her books. To be honest, I've run out of words to describe how much I love what she writes. I think in my previous reviews I've called her writing perfection. I've called her the queen of New Adult. I've gushed over her characters. I've spouted words about the love I have for the swoony males that she writes. What words are there left for me to say? 

Ugly Love is told from both main characters point of views, but where Tate's voice is the present day, Miles goes back in time by six years. Six years to fill in the blanks about why he is the person he is today. Six years to build up to the complete and utter devastation that was delivered to him. Six years to fall completely in love with the boy he used to be, so that when that horrible blow came to him, you will feel all those six years of pain right along with him.

"I suppose if a man lived through the ugliest side of love, he might never want to experience it again."

I think Miles would be right up there as one of the most broken characters that I have read about. He has been ripped apart. Almost completely. He has endured what I think would be the worst kind of pain for a person to come back from, and so he is so closed off to anything that will make him feel. Even though he is still quite young, he was forced to deal with so many adult situations and incredibly painful experiences. It was heartbreaking to understand and comprehend.

I’m terrified to lose him for good, so I sell myself short and take what I can from him, even though I know I deserve better. 

There were times that I wanted Tate to speak up and voice her thoughts and feelings where Miles was concerned. She is an independent, intelligent woman, and she was slowly losing her spark. But then I couldn't fault Miles for that, because he was more than honest with Tate about what he was capable of giving her. But even though he was clear and honest with her about that, the heart doesn't understand that it's not allowed to fall in love, and fall in love Tate did. Will that love be enough to save Miles from his all encompassing pain?

I felt like Ugly Love stepped it up in the maturity level to Colleen's other books. There was a definite rawness and edge to it that her other books haven't contained. The writing was grittier and the storyline was heavier. But it still maintained the incredible beauty of words that Colleen Hoover is so good at writing. 

Ugly Love is the perfect title for this book. This is not a sweet, fun romance. You won't be swept along in a happy haze of emotions. But as with all of Colleen Hoovers books, Ugly Love will make you feel. It will make you question how you would react if you found yourself in those same situations that the characters find themselves in. You will without a doubt fall in love with Miles and Tate. 

I love the fact that Colleen Hoover has never failed to fill my heart. Whether it be with love, or pain, or heartache, or sadness, or happiness. This author gives me exactly what I want with every book she writes. And while Ugly Love was emotionally much harder to read, it was still as with all of Colleen Hoover's books, impossible to put down.

Another Stellar 5 Star Masterpiece From Colleen Hoover!!

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me this to review.

REVIEW: Losing Hope (Hopeless #2) by Colleen Hoover

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

My Thoughts:

I wonder if it's possible for people to fall in love with a person one characteristic at a time, or if you fall for the entire person at once. 

Damn Colleen Hoover and her damn books that make me feel every damn emotion and have me crying big fat ugly damn tears... 

Oh, okay, I love Colleen Hoover for her perfect books that make me feel every single emotion and have me crying big, fat, tears of sadness, and love and happiness. 

Every time that I read a book written by Colleen Hoover, I think that there's no way that I could love anything more that what I've just read. And every time I have to eat my words. I don't know why I never read Losing Hope before. I have no valid excuse, so shame on me. Once again Colleen Hoover has produced perfection. 

Sometimes, when an author writes a follow up book from an alternative point of view, it can feel like a complete rehash of the story, since you know exactly what's going to happen, but even though I knew how this story was going to turn out, reading it from Holder's point of view took it to a whole new level. It was like I was reading a completely new book. I never once felt like I was just reading the same storyline. I was completely one hundred percent sucked into the story. Other authors should take note. This is how it's done!! This is the exact way that an alternative point of view should be written. 

I’m pretty sure it’s too soon to love her, but shit. She’s got to stop doing and saying these unexpected things that make me want to fast-forward whatever’s going on between us. Because I want to kiss her and make love to her and marry her and make her have my babies and I want it all to happen tonight. 

Dean Holder is everything. To get a first hand account, an insight into all that he feels... the guilt, pain, and torment, just about broke my heart. He bears so much responsibility and blame. He is mature beyond his years for what he has had to endure. I thought that I was in love with him after reading Hopeless, but I had no idea how much more I could fall for him. His love. His concern. His care. His passion. Every single aspect combined to make him such an amazing character. Dean Holder will now be who I compare all others to. The perfect book boyfriend. 

But I'm not falling in love with her piece by piece anymore. I'm in love with the whole girl. Every single piece of her.

I also felt like I got a whole new level of understanding when it came to Sky as well. Seeing her through Holders eyes really hammered home the level of love that he felt for her. And the lengths that he would go to, to protect her.

The diary entries that Holder wrote throughout the story were so amazing and heartfelt. They also really allowed us to get to know Les. It also showed what an amazing brother Holder was. I know I keep saying how perfect Holder is, but I'm really lost for better words to describe him. He is simply amazing!!

Colleen Hoover's words are heart. They are feelings. They are emotion. They are beauty. After I finish reading one of her books, I swear that my heart will never recover from the level and intensity of emotions it's just experienced. But recover it does, ready for the next Colleen Hoover experience. And, I wouldn't have it any other way. Because books written the way that she writes, is the exact reason that I read.  

"F**k all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers."

5/5 Dean Holder is Perfect Stars.

Once again, thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for supplying me with a copy of such an amazing book.