Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn.

Title: Wait for You.
Series: Wait for You, #1.
Author: J. Lynn.
Publication Date: August 15th, 2013.
Publisher: Harper Collins.
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult.
Format: Paperback, 404 pages.
Source: Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:

Some things are worth waiting for...
Some things are worth experiencing...
And some things are worth fighting for...

Avery knows she should stay away from Cam Hamilton: he might be the hottest guy on campus but she really doesn’t need that sort of drama right now. Love is best left in the past – along with her troubles. But sometimes, the last thing you want, is just the thing you need...

 

Review

First off, I need to say; Holy cow! Secondly; I never thought I’d find any contemporary novel with characters, writing and a plot line as good as Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series – but I am so pleased to squash those thoughts as I was completely wrong! Wait for You is an incredible novel, with beautiful writing with an inspiring and heart-wrenching story. I had to force myself to not read this book in one go, and spread it out over the space of a week or so – as I didn’t want to rush it and have the book be over too soon. Needless to say, I was addicted to this story.

Avery is our main protagonist and I absolutely adored her. Not only is Avery smart, but she’s funny and kind – but she hates to depend on people. Avery has her own personal demons, which are revealed overtime throughout the book – and my heart just broke when I read about them, and how badly they’ve affected her. I felt like I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a big hug! As Wait for You progresses, Avery starts to open up more and you learn more about her character and you watch her develop into an even better version of herself – and she even becomes happier with her life. I thought Avery was a really relatable character and ticks a lot of boxes when it comes down to what I look for in a protagonist - I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her life, her issues and her first love, all of these were so raw and full of emotion that I just couldn’t put ti down.

Cam is the main love-interest in Wait for You, and BOY did I love him! At first, I was expecting not to like Cam at all, mainly because; he’s a jock and extremely popular – I just expected him to look down on people. How wrong was I?! Very! Cam is sweet, kind, swoon-worthy and funny with an ego the size of a house – however he doesn’t use any of these things to be cruel or rude to people. Cam is kind to everyone he meets, he may be way over-confident, but you learn that he uses it in a joking way – and doesn’t have superiority complex. I wish I could have my own Cam, as he’s the type of guy any girl would love to fall in love with – even if he’ll probably end up breaking your heart!

What I loved most about Avery’s and Cam’s relationship was that it definitely wasn’t insta-love. They meet at the very beginning of the novel, and although they seem interested in each other – they don’t get together until at least half way through the book. Their relationship took months to build, and they started off as friends and slowly became more – which is what made the book even more incredible for me. The romantic scenes in Wait for You are incredibly well done, with not a hint of cheesiness. They’re hot, steamy and will make you feel and think all sorts of naughty things! I didn’t just write that, did I? Don’t judge me! The romance in this book will blow your mind and keep you needing more, even after the last page is turned. Watch out for the feels!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Wait for You; it was a tear-jerking, mind-blowing and fantastic book that made me laugh and cry, sometimes even at the same time! I really didn’t want Wait for You to end - I wish that It could have gone on forever, as I’m sure I would never get bored of reading about Avery and Cam’s lives. I couldn’t find a single fault with this book and J. Lynn’s writing is flawless and absolutely beautiful. I believe it well and truly earned the 5/5 star rating I gave it, and if I could give it more – I definitely would! Wait for You has quickly become one of my favourite books and definitely one of my favourite reads of this year. I’d recommend this novel to anyone who’s looking for a wonderful contemporary read – also for fans of Katie McGarry’s writing – as I think their writing has quite a few similarities. I can’t wait to read more from J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout in the future, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this companion series!

Quotes

My stomach knotted and I prayed to God, Shiva and Zeus that Jacob didn’t say anything that’d make me want to kill him later. - Page 87.

‘Oh, you know, mischief and mayhem,’ he replied.
‘That so reminds me of Harry Potter,’ Brit said, sighing. ‘I need a reread.’
We all turned to her.
Two bright spots appeared on her cheeks as she tossed her blonde hair back. ‘What? I’m not ashamed to admit that random things remind me of Harry Potter.’
‘That guy over there reminds me of Snape,’ Cam said, jerking his chin toward the table behind us. ‘So I understand.’
The guy with jet-black hair did kind of look like Snape. - Page 88.

‘Fuck, Avery. You think I don't want you?’ His voice came out low, almost a growl. ‘There's not a single part of you that I don't want, you understand? I want to be on you and inside of you. I want you against the wall, on the couch, in your bed, in my bed, and every fucking place I can possibly think of, and trust me, I have a vast imagination when it comes to these kinds of things. Don't ever doubt that I want you. That is not what this is about.’ - Page 271.

If I had any doubts about the seriousness of our relationship, they were vanquished that evening.
Cam brought Raphael over to my apartment.
Nothing got more serious than allowing a tortoise to crawl across your kitchen floor. - Page 290.

Review: Pretty Girl Thirteen by Liz Coley

Title: Pretty Girl Thirteen.
Author: Liz Coley.
Publication Date: February 28th, 2013.
Publisher: Harper Collins.
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult.
Format: Paperback, 244 pages.
Source: Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:

Angie Chapman is only 13 when she gets lost in the woods in the middle of the night.
The next thing she knows she’s returned home, scars around her wrists and ankles, physically exhausted. Her parents collapse into tears when they see her, but Angie doesn’t understand – until they tell her she has been missing, presumed dead, for three years.

Angie doesn’t remember anything from her missing years. But there are people who do – people who could tell Angie every terrifying detail, if only they weren’t locked inside her mind. With help, Angie begins to unravel the darkest secrets of her own past.
But does she really want to know the truth?

 

Review

The synopsis of this novel was pretty vague, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I first started it. However, this book turned out to be one of the most fantastic books I’ve read this year! Pretty Girl Thirteen is dark, creepy, intense, scary, gritty and downright incredible. I finished reading this book in two sittings; I was so drawn into the story that I found it really hard to put it down and couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. I’ve honestly never read anything like this novel before, it was so intense and heart-wrenching that it shook me to my very core.

One minute thirteen year old Angie Chapman is camping in the woods with a group of friends, and the next minute she’s standing at the end of her road. Angie has scars around her wrists and ankles and her parents are crying and telling her she’s been missing, presumed dead for three years. Angie can’t remember anything from the past three years, and is more than a little confused. However, there are people who can tell her what’s happened to her, who could tell her every, terrifying detail. The only problem is that they’re locked up inside her mind.

I was worried when I first started reading Pretty Girl Thirteen, that Angie’s other personalities or ‘alters’ would slow down the novel and make it generally confusing and hard to follow. However, this was definitely not the case at all! I loved how only little bits of information were revealed to Angie and the reader, being able to let everyone absorb the terrifying and intense information at a slower pace – rather than bombarding you with it all at once. As the novel progresses, we learn about what really happened to Angie over the last three years and piece together the memories she has locked away. Every new piece of information Angie remembers is completely ground breaking and constantly twists and changes your expectations of the novel.

I really loved Angie’s character – she was a really strong, smart and interesting protagonist to read about. I thought it was amazing how Angie managed to adapt to her new life – her mind was still thirteen years old, but her body was that of a sixteen year old. Obviously, Angie was completely freaked out by the entire situation, but acted really mature about everything and tried to cooperate with everyone. I loved how Angie didn’t behave all angst filled and angry at the world - but was sweet, kind and funny - I think her character was perfectly formed; if she was a person in real life, I’d love to be her friend.

Liz Coley writes about a variety of very sensitive and upsetting topics throughout this novel, but they were all handled with great care. Liz’s writing style is very raw, yet beautiful and amazing at the same time. I felt such a different array of emotions whilst reading this book, with every page; things kept getting darker, creepier and more sinister. Yet there were the higher moments, with Angie feeling such stronger and friendlier emotions – all of these mixed together to create an emotional rollercoaster ride you definitely won’t forget. I raved and talked about this book to my mum so much that she thought she might enjoy it and ended up buying herself a kindle copy! My mum doesn’t read YA books, but she has really loved reading Pretty Girl Thirteen.

Overall, I was completely blown away by this book – and even now I’m still finding myself lost for words. I believe the 5/5 star rating I gave it was well and truly earned, and if I could give it more – I definitely would. Pretty Girl Thirteen is a must read for everyone, whether you’re a teenager or an adult - I can’t recommend it highly enough! I also can’t wait to read more by Liz Coley; she’s an outstanding author that I’ll be definitely keeping tabs on in the future.

Quotes

Angie rubbed her face into Mom’s shoulder. “Do you think I’ll ever remember?”
For a long moment, Mom was silent. Angie pulled back and caught the tortured expression on her face, the mourning in her eyes, a split second before she fixed her expression.
Finally, Mom answered. “For three long years, all I’ve wanted was to know what happened to you. Now ... I don’t honestly know if I want you to remember.” - Page 45.

Angie released a huge, irritated sigh. “Fine. I get your point. I wish they’d all just tell you what they know. They’re like ghosts, hanging around with unfinished business on earth. I wish they’d just spill their guts and move on. Get out of town. I don’t need them anymore. I don’t want them!” Her voice rose again. - Page 128.

“Do you want to put up in a hotel for a few days so they can’t stake out on your front lawn?”
Mom laughed wickedly. “I’ll set up the lawn sprinklers. Let’s see them try.” She would, too.
I could see her turning the hoses on all their expensive video equipment. - Page 316.

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Body Finder.
Series: The Body Finder, #1.
Author: Kimberly Derting.
Publication Date: March 16th, 2010.
Publisher: Harper Collins.
Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Young Adult.
Format: Hardback, 327 pages.
Source: Bought.
My Rating:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

 

Review

The Body Finder is an absolutely fantastic and gripping murder mystery novel that I found incredibly hard to put down. In the end I had to force myself to put the book down on several occasions so I could eat, sleep and do the other everyday necessities. The Body Finder is full of suspense, mystery and engaging characters – linked together with an amazing and unique plot. I was completely hooked from the first few pages.

When Violet Ambrose was eight years old, she was walking through the forest with her father when she was drawn by a particularly strong echo. Undeterred by this, she follows it; unfortunately it’s not the body of a dead squirrel - it’s the body of a dead teenage girl. Violet has a unique ability; she can sense and hear the echoes of dead bodies, and can be drawn to the place where they are concealed. Each body has a different and unique ‘echo’ that Violet can sense. To add to the ‘gift’ she has, she can also sense the killers, who carry the imprint of their prey on their body.

Eight years later, Violet is learning to deal with her gift – along with her feelings for her best friend, Jay. Whilst Violet is trying to deny her feelings for Jay, a serial killer is on the loose and had begun terrorizing her small town. As the killer claims more and more victims, Violet realises that she may be the only one able to stop him. So with the help of Jay; Violet sets out to try and trace the killers echo – but as she gets closer to the truth, she finds herself closer to becoming his prey herself.

The Body Finder switches between the perspectives of Violet, our main character, and the murderer. I’ve always loved multiple perspectives in books, and theirs didn’t let me down. I thought it was down-right creepy hearing the twisted words from the killers point of view, the killer’s reaction and the pleasure he takes in the hunt. Violet’s point of view was quite the opposite and innocent, making it a great contrast.

I loved Violet’s character, she was so up-beat and friendly. I found that she handled her ‘gift’ really well, where as I’m sure, a lot of other characters may have gone off the rails because of it. Violet keeps a calm head throughout most of the book and was generally a very mature, sweet and kind character. I do wish, however, that the author had gone into a little bit more detail about Violet’s gift and maybe spoken about the family history from previous relatives who also had ability.

As for Jay’s character, he was so sweet! Not only is he an amazing friend to Violet, but he’s cute, funny, kind and caring. Move over, Violet, I wouldn’t mind having him to myself! Jay and Violet grew up together and have been inseparable ever since they met. Jay is fiercely protective of Violet and he definitely doesn’t like the idea of Violet going out to hunt down a murderer.

I found it amazing to read about how Jay and Violet danced around each other, trying to deny their true feelings, even though it was totally obvious that they loved each other. I often found myself feeling jealous of the amazing relationship they had, the connection they shared and the chemistry between them. I also found that there were some really sweet and interesting quotes throughout this book, which I thought helped me connect with the characters even more.

Overall, I thought this book was extraordinary and has quickly become another one of my favourite books. Whilst reading The Body Finder, I was constantly on edge and had no clue what would happen next. I found my heart racing, just as if I were the one the killer was hunting - or as if I were actually there; watching the scenes play out in front of me. I believe the 5/5 star rating was well and truly earned and deserves nothing less – it’s a shame I can’t give it more than 5 stars! Kimberly Derting’s writing is incredible and so easy and lovely to read – I can’t wait to pick up the sequel and read more from her.

Quotes

"I was just waiting for you to want me as much as I wanted you." His words were quiet but carried one hell of an impact. "I knew we were going to be together; it was just a matter of time. I kept hoping that you would figure it out. But for a smart girl, you’re a little dense, Vi. I kept bringing up Lissie Adams, and showing you the notes she was leaving me, hoping that you’d get pissed enough to finally admit how you felt about me." - Page 220.

He loved her.
Jay Heaton, her best friend since childhood was in love with her. He didn't say it but she knew that it was true. And the part that really freaked her out, the part that caught her completely off guard, is that he wasn't in it alone. Because even though she'd been denying it for a long, long time, it had always been there ... waiting just beneath the surface of their friendship. And now that it was out, there was no going back.
And it was so weird to even be thinking it but...
...she was in love with him too. - Page 226.

"Don’t worry, Claire-bear," Chelsea soothed condescendingly. "I’m not going to hook up with Jules."
She wrapped her arm around Claire’s waist and then said suggestively in her ear, "I’m much more likely to make a move on you."
"Eww!" Claire shrieked, shoving Chelsea away. "Get away from me!"
"Leave her Alone Chels," Jules interrupted, "Or you're gonna make her start on her ‘It's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve’ speech.” - Page 296.

Review: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Title: Slide.
Series: Slide, #1.
Author: Jill Hathaway.
Publication Date: March 1st, 2012.
Publisher: Harper Collins.
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult.
Format: Paperback, 250 pages.
Source: Bought.
My Rating:

Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy. But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth - when Vee passes out she slides into other people's heads and ends up seeing through their eyes. Then Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a cheerleader.

Now another cheerleader is dead, and everyone is a suspect. Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted 'gift', Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger...

 

Review

I was expecting quite a bit from this book because of all the hype and general love of it throughout the blogging community and I was not disappointed. This book is fantastic. Once I started reading Slide, I couldn’t put it down and was instantly drawn into Jill Hathaway’s world.

Sylvia ‘Vee’ is a narcoleptic – not only can she not control her sleep; but when her episodes happen, she ‘slides’ into someone else’s mind and see’s through their eyes. She’ll slide into her father’s mind whilst he’s in the middle of surgery, into her teachers and find out they have a drinking problem or into her sister’s mind and overhear private conversations she definitely shouldn’t be hearing. However, she’d take that any day over accidently slipping into the mind of a killer, standing over the dead body of a cheerleader - her sister’s best friend.

Suddenly, another cheerleader is dead and everyone around her seems like a suspect, everyone seems like they have something to hide. Vee must try force herself through the tangled web of lies and danger to find out who the killer is before they strike again.

I loved Vee’s character; I thought she was very refreshing and such a relatable person. She’s so compassionate, kind, selfless and headstrong, all of which mix together to create a character I would be more than happy to know. Vee’s an outcast at school and is constantly whispered and laughed at because of her ‘episodes’. I found it so easy to connect with her character on so many different levels; especially with her feelings of loneliness and thoughts that she has no one to talk to. She also has very rebellious, bright-pink hair, which is pretty awesome if you ask me.

Vee is only really close to one person, her best friend, Rollins, but feels they are drifting apart because of Vee not being able to tell him about her sliding. I loved Vee’s and Rollins friendship; they were on rocky waters throughout the book, however Rollins was constantly trying to be there to support her. I believe the bond they had was unbreakable and I felt like you could see their raw emotions sparking off each other. As for Zane, well, what can I say? He’s a sweet, vulnerable, gorgeous guy with a beautiful personality to match. Whenever I was reading scenes with Vee and Zane together, I felt like I should be wearing a cheerleading uniform, waving Pom Poms and yelling ‘GO! GO! GO!’ Zane was a wonderful character and I loved watching his and Vee’s relationship grow; from a new-found friendship to something sweet and sensual.

Moving on; I thought that Vee’s relationships with her father and sister, Mattie were really well developed and incredibly well thought through. Vee’s father is a surgeon, and ever since the death of his wife, has been very distant, staying at work late and barely being around his remaining family. Because of this, Vee has had to step up and take responsibility for her younger sister, and basically become a second parent to her. Even so, Jill wrote about this is a way that makes you understand and feel compassion towards the characters; and create a need to dig deeper into the story to see what’s between the lines.

The concept for this book is incredibly unique and whilst reading it, I was constantly suspicious of all the characters. Slide keeps you guessing and wondering at every turn and doubting any prior ideas you may have had whilst reading it. This novel also tackles more serious and emotional affairs such as; suicide, bullying and adultery in a careful and tactful manner. I felt like I could feel the heartache of the characters and the raw emotion that was occurring, but was unable to help ease the pain; which made the book even more incredible.

There are so many more fantastic things I could say about this novel, but I don’t want to ramble on for too long. So I’m just going to say this; if you’re a big fan of thriller mysteries that keep you wanting to turn the page, this book is definitely the one for you! I believe that this book would have done better as a standalone novel; however, I am very excited to see what Jill Hathaway does with its sequel. I also believe it well and truly earned its 5/5 rating I gave and it deserves nothing less.

Quotes

Death is always there, whispering in your ear. It's in the spaces between your fingers. In your memories. In everything you think and say and feel and wish. It's always there. - Page 18.

I step closer to the mirror. The girl I see looks wild with her bright-pink hair - rebellious and free. I wish I felt that way inside. I dyed my hair because I needed a drastic change from pale blonde - my natural hair color is exactly the same shade as my mother's. I was tired of looking in the mirror everyday and seeing her, missing her. Dyeing my hair couldn't disguise the other parts that lived in me, though. - Page 28.

Luckily, when I return, I find my body flopped safely on my bed. I sit up and wipe a bit of drool off my chin. Sliding is not the most glamorous way to get around, that's for sure. - Page 194.