After We Collided by Anna Todd | Book Review

After We Collided by Anna Todd

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Reading Group Rating:  M for Mature

Personal Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: 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?

Cover: The cover of this novel depicts a wave colliding onto the shore.  It's purple and I'm not really sure why, I don't think there is any significance in that.  Water is known to be a symbol or rebirth, which is maybe why it's chosen for this cover.  Hardin and Tessa do reconcile and rekindle their love for each other.    

My Review:  I know this novel is supposed to show that in the real world couples fight more than just once before they're able to live happily ever after, but it bothers me that every fight between Hardin and Tessa is the same.  It's always because of a misunderstanding and one of them would rather jump to conclusions than hear the other one out.  It also bothers me that Tessa kisses other people.  The one in the club when she's drunk is whatever, but the New Years party and Zed where uncalled for.  She knows that Hardin hates Zed and they had been away from each other for less than 11 days.  I just think that it was really rude of her to do something like that.  Those parts really bothered me.  The rest of the book is great.  It's a little bit of a cycle where they're together, they break up, they hook up, they're back together...etc. and at some points I found myself wishing Anna Todd had just cut an entire scene out when she went from her digital story on WattPad to the printed story, but there probably would have been an outrage from her fans.

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider | Book Review

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Given Summary: Varsity tennis captain, Ezra Faulkner, was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before—before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with unpredictable new girl Cassidy Thorpe.

Cover: The cover of this novel is adorned with a roller coaster.  There isn't a scene in the story with a roller coaster, so I imagine this cover is meant to remind us that life itself is a roller coaster.  There are ups and downs, and stuff that throws us for a loop.  Things happen in life that we don't always like or expect, but we can all make it through.  The cover also says, "Everyone gets a tragedy."  No ones life is perfect and bad things happen to everyone.  They may range in what you consider tragic, but everyones got baggage that they live with everyday. 

My Review: I really enjoyed this novel.  It was a story that was very real.  I mean, it is fiction, so of course there were some coincidences, but even those were things that could very well happen.  Ezra falls in love with the sister of the boy who crashed into his car and altered his life forever.  But if the two of them had grown up in the same area and she was new to the public school that could very well happen.  It would be a bit more of a stretch if she moved to his town.  The theme of friendship is very big in this story.  I think especially towards the end of high school you realize what friends are part-time and what friends are full-time.  And it's super common to lose touch with someone in middle school and then reunite with them in high school, even if you see them every day.  You guys know how I feel about happily ever afters and this book did that sneaky thing where it ends happy, but not with the two characters together.  That kind of bothers me because I feel tricked.  I also know that not every high school couple stays together and it's probably more common that they don't, but I am a complete sap and wanted Ezra and Cassidy to be together forever, okay.  This novel is definitely worth the read and if you read it please let me know what you think!  

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Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren | Book Review

Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren

Reading Group: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 

Given Summary: Lola and Oliver like to congratulate themselves on having the good sense not to consummate their drunken Las Vegas marriage. If they'd doubled-down on that mistake, their Just Friends situation might not be half as great as it is now. 

...Or so goes the official line. 

In reality, Lola's wanted Oliver since day one-and over time has only fallen harder for his sexy Aussie accent and easygoing ability to take her as she comes. More at home in her studio than in baring herself to people, Lola's instinctive comfort around Oliver nearly seems too good to be true. So why ruin a good thing? 

Even as geek girls fawn over him, Oliver can't get his mind off what he didn't do with Lola when he had the chance. He knows what he wants with her now...and it's far outside the friend zone. When Lola's graphic novel starts getting national acclaim-and is then fast-tracked for a major motion picture-Oliver steps up to be there for her whenever she needs him. After all, she's not the kind of girl who likes all that attention, but maybe she's the kind who'll eventually like him. 

Sometimes seeing what's right in front of us takes a great leap of faith. And sometimes a dark wild night in Vegas isn't just the end of a day, but the beginning of a bright new life...

Cover: A classic Christina Lauren book cover we've all come to love.  This novel depicts Oliver wearing a t-shirt and jeans.  I love that the Wild Seasons boys aren't as suit and tie as the Beautiful Series boys.  This cover shows a very relaxed man and proves that who you dress can say a lot about you even without seeing your face or knowing anything.

My Review: LOLIVER!!  I love these geeks.  Their story is very unique to the Wild Seasons because they're friends from the start and they slowly ease in to being in a relationship.  Obviously, Mia and Ansel didn't take anything slow and Harlow and Finn hated each other until the last moment.  Oliver and Lola are so cute and you just spend the whole time they're apart wishing they were together.  It's s little funny though because compared to other CL books this one started off a little slow and it was kinda frustrating, but it had to start that way because that's who these characters are.  I'm not going to lie to you guys though, this one wasn't my favorite of the series.  I think that Mia and Ansel will always have such a big place in my heart, the same way Hanna and Will does, and to me I don't think anyone will ever compare.  I still loved it don't get me wrong.  It was sweet and I loved Oliver and Lola's geeky personalities.  I also loved Lola and how she was trying to make a point that even though she is young (and a woman) she can still be successful and get things done the way she wants them to be done.  She's a good role model to have.

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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Something Beautiful by Jamie McGuire | Book Review

Something Beautiful by Jamie McGuire

Reading Group:  Anyone who has read all of the other Beautiful and Maddox Brothers series.

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: America Mason, a sassy undergrad at Eastern State University, is in love with a Maddox--Shepley Maddox. Unlike his cousins, Shepley is more lover than fighter, but a road trip to her parents' home in Wichita, Kansas could mean the next step, or the end of everything.

Cover: The cover shows what looks to be a windshield, cracked and being rained on.  This could resemble the storm they drove through in Kansas.  It could also symbolize their relationship.  It wasn't the best at times.  They didn't know where they stood with each other or what the future looked like, but they weren't shattered.  They were just cracked.  And cracks can be fixed.  It costs money to get a windshield fixed, but it gets fixed.  It costs time and energy to fix a relationship, but if you want it bad enough you will fix it.

My Review: I was expecting this story to be about how Shepley and America met.  I figured the road trip they went on was the one they were on when the fire took place.  I did not expect this novella to jump around and fast forward in time as much as it did, but I loved it!  I loved the little stories that led up to the trip to Wichita.  I loved that Shepley and America's relationship wasn't always perfect, but they didn't have giant fights and break up.  It felt very real.  The Maddox boys are a force to be reckon with and even though Shepley is as much of a physical fighter he will do whatever it takes to keep America and form a life with her.  The two of them together are such a power couple and the way they looked for each other proved that no matter what, they are forever.  Both of them were told to stay back in the hospital and wait in a safe place, but neither could.  Neither could just sit there and wait around they had to be moving had to be searching for each other.  This novella was short, sweet, and simply beautiful.
  

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