Unraveling Eleven by Jerri Chisholm

I waited this book for so long! Thank you for Entangled Teen and Jerri Chisholm for giving me an ARC to read and review!

I loved, so much loved, the first book of the series, Escaping Eleven. It triggered my memory of all those years ago when I used to read only YA-dystopian, books like Hunger Games, Divergent, Uglies, Delirium, Under The Never Sky, Matched... The list just keeps going.

I had high hopes with this one, too. But I knew that in reality the second book of trilogies are often not so perfect as the first ones were. But still I expected much. And the book sure delivered.

There were much stuff going on. The book mainly consentrates on Eve's struggles with herself. She has to make huge decisions and it affects the way she sees herself. It affects her relationship with Wren and with her friends. She has to decide what's more important to her; her own happines or the well-being of whole compound Eleven. 

Eve's struggles with herself are well written and believable. She's just a girl, 16 years old, and she has a whole faith of compound Eleven in her hands. 

I liked many things in this book, but it wasn't as good as the first one. I still like how Jessi Chisholm creates worlds. I could see myself in the corridors of Eleven. Reading this book felt like I met long-lost friends again. 

The book surely ended greatly. It will definitely peak your interest. Can't wait for the next book!

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Unraveling Eleven by Jerri Chisholm

Entangled Teen

2021

Puck Shy by Teagan Hunter

Thank you for Teagan Hunter and Valentine PR for giving me an ARC to read and review.

I have read Teagan Hunter's books before and I have liked the humor of the books. I kind of knew what to expect and this book did meet those expectations.

In Puck Shy we get to meet the girl, Harper, who loves all the scary things. She's an artist. She has some things in her past that still holds her back. We also meet Collin, the NHL superstar, who had some rough few months at the end of the last season and is now starting to get back on his feet, or skates. 

These two meet and sparkles fly. I would like to call their meeting each other as a meet cute, if you know what I mean. They share a car ride together, but neither one is brave enough to ask other ones contact information. 

Later they meet through a dating app. And this is where I think lays the Teagan Hunter's magic. She can write text conversations so incredibly well. I was so happy that there are these text messages through out the book. I enjoyed them a lot.

I liked the main characters and I liked the fact that the amount of the side characters was kept reasonable. I liked their character arc, I liked how the book was written, I smiled a lot. 

This book was a fast read for me, I read it almost in one sitting. There's not much drama, so this book is a happy book. I missed few popular culture references, since I can't watch or read any horror-stuff. I think that the only horror movie I have seen is The Ring and some say it's not horror at all, but it gave me many sleepless nights back in 2003. 😅😨

Over all, if you want a fast, enjoyable, funny friends-to-lovers romance with some steamy times, you should read this one. I know that I'll be reading the next book of the series!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Puck Shy by Teagan Hunter

2021

Famous Last Words by C.W. Farnsworth

Thank you for Grey's Promotions and C.W. Farnsworth for giving me an ARC to read and review. 

This was my first book by C.W. Farnsworth, but it will not be last. Famous Last Words hit my kindle late last night. I couldn't put it down. I needed to know how it ends.

To be honest, I have read tons of hockey romances. One of my favorite books ever is a hockey romance. This genre has some great books, but not every hockey romance isn't great. In my opinion, if you're saying that your book is hockey romance, there should be some hockey in that story. 

This book deliveres. There sure is some hockey action in this book. I liked how it (hockey) really felt one of the main things in this book. 

In Famous Last Words we meet Nora and Conor. They know each other, but are determined to avoid each other. But somehow they meet and talk. And there's a spark. They start spending time together and it's easier than they expected. 

I liked many things in this book. I liked the main characters. The chemistry between main characters was awesome. It felt real. I liked the banter and how they struggled with their feelings. 

I don't want to spoil anything, but there are much talk about loyalty and family. I can believe how much these two struggle with their own beliefs and how much you should be sidelines and watch the one you love to make their own mistakes. 

This book is great book with few heavy topics. I liked how C.W. Farnsworth made the world seem real. Her story building is awesome. Her characters have flaws. The story moves forward effortlessly. There aren't too many side characters and it was easy to keep track on them.

Famous Last Words is fast and easy read with lovable characters and great story line. I can absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves hockey romance, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers and some steamy times. 

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Famous Last Words  by C.W. Farnsworth 

2021

Mama's Boy by Avery Flynn

Thank you for Grey's Promotions and Avery Flynn for giving me an ARC to read and review.

This was my second book by Avery Flynn. I read Back to Burbs (which she has written with Tracy Wolf) earlier this year and I enjoyed the book. 

I have to admit that it took me too long to get in to this book. I always struggle with the third POV and did it this time, too. 

In this book we meet Dixon, who has made a bet with his cousins. Who will be the last man standing and win the last thing their grandmother left behind? Dixon thinks that he has the best plan ever, with this plan no woman will fall in love with him. And there's no chance that he will ever fall in love again. Once was enough and it left him with broken heart.

Fiona seems to fall in love with wrong people. Every man seems to be everything that she doesn't want or need. She sees Dixon's add in dating profile and decides to swipe right. There's no chance that she'll fall in love. She'll do everything that she can so she can talk about her grandmothers skincare line with the man, who can help her to make the product succeed.

These two meet and stuff happens. I won't tell anything more so I don't spoil the book. 

I liked some things in this book. I laughed few times and there were definitely funny moments in this book. I liked the dual POV. The main couple was sweet together. But there were few things I didn't like, like few incoherences.  Writing seemed a bit heavy from time to time. So many characters that it took some time to remember who was who.

This was fast read. Left me with happy feeling. Over all pretty good book. 

⭐⭐⭐½

Mama's Boy by Avery Flynn

Entangled: Amara

2021

All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

I found this on my drafts. Seems that I have not posted this back in April. Sorry about that.

I can't believe that I have never before made a post about Mariana Zapata's book. To be honest I have only read five books by her, but they all were amazing!

I think it was around 2016 or 2017 when I first heard about Mariana Zapata. The whole book community went nuts over The Wall of Winnipeg and Me. Still this day it must be the most known book by her. I haven't read it, though. It took years after hearing about her, before I actually read a book written by her.

My first book by her was Wait For It and I absolutely fall in love with her writing. Mariana Zapata is known as a queen of slow burn. You know that I usually skip sex scenes if there are too many for my liking. The whole story and characters mean more to me than steamy scenes. So after all this, I don't care that the main characters doesn't get together until 75-80% of the book. 

My second book by her was Dear Aaron. Absolutely stunning book. I loved how characters connected through e-mails and messages. The third book I read was Luna and the Lie, amazing book with cool characters. Then last fall I read From Lukov With Love, a beautiful story of two broken people.

When I heard about All Rhodes Lead Here I bought it immediately. It was a bit of surprise when this book was released. I read the book. I can not say that it was a fast read, because there's over 500 pages in this book, but it didn't take too long to read the book. I was hooked from the beginning.

This was a bit of grumpy/sunshine -book and I really liked it. I like how the characters felt drawn to each other. There were some drama, but it all ended well. This is a great book for all of you slow burn  lovers. The characters had back stories and I could see the view MZ was so vividly describing in this book. I want to believe this kind of love. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata

2021

The Sinner by Emma Scott

Thank you for Emma Scott and Valentine PR for giving me an ARC to read and review!

Once again I had the privilege to read new Emma Scott -book beforehand. I am incredibly thankful! 

The Sinner is a paranormal romance. I rarely, very rarely, read those, but I love the way Emma Scott writes so I had to give this book a chance. Once again the words she wrote left speechless. 

I have no idea how much I can actually write, because I am afraid that I might spoil this book. I didn't read the blurb before I started reading the book. But I read the blurb just now hoping it might give me some guidelines with this review. 

I believe for something. I don't know if it's God or karma or just some major force that's bigger than us, but I truly believe that there's something out there. That something is definitely good. But I also believe in bad. We see so much of the bad everyday. We see it in ourselves, we see it in our fellow people. Emma Scott used a term inner demons in this book and I totally believe in those, too. They are all our insecurities and I listen them way more than I listen any other people. 

I have been a bit in a reading slump for a while. But this week (it's Sunday now) I finished Hush, Hush -series by Becca Fitzpatrick (review coming soon!) and there were same themes as there is in this book. Yesterday my kid, the one with the special needs, wanted to watch the movie, Coco. You know that one, where the kid goes to the land of the dead? So, somehow my this week has been consumed with the greater questions. Maybe this is the time when I am open to think about all these things.

Okay, back on track. I read this book in a day. It's so addictive. I couldn't put it down. I felt myself in Lucy in so many ways. She is an introvert, shy and has very simple life. She listens her inner voice that calls her "silly Lucy". Then one day there's a dead man outside of her apartment. But as it turns out, he isn't dead and maybe he isn't a man at all. 

I don't want to give anything more away from the story. You need to read and experience it yourself. But I will tell you that once again Emma Scott has written a beautiful book that will break your heart. I cried, my heart ached for these lovers who seemed to be doomed to live in loneliness from one life to another. Sure there twists I could see coming, but it didn't bother me, since all was very well written. I bet that Emma have needed to done a great deal of background work for this book, but it have paid of, since all felt real. 

I liked that there was mentioned a character from other Emma's book. I liked that this book really made you think on what you believe. I liked how Lucy has named her house plant. I liked the side characters. I loved the main characters. I liked that there wasn't too much violence. 

I am grateful that I had the chance to read this book. I have read Emma's books since 2017, not for a long, but long enough to have learned to love her work. It feels like I'm repeating myself in here, but I love the way she writes, it's so beautiful. I am grateful for so many things tonight. Thank you for this book, Emma Scott! There are no words to describe how much your written words mean to me!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Sinner by Emma Scott

2021

 

It's Raining Men by Julie Hammerle

Thank you for the author and Grey's Promotions for giving me an ARC to read and review!

I really liked the cover of the book. I think this kind of covers are popular these days in rom-coms, at least it seems that way, because so often you see them. But yeah, the cover of the book is nice. The blurb seemed promising, too. 

Dr. Annie Kyle sent a drunken text to all men in her contacts. The text stated that she's more than ready to get married and is looking for a husband to share her rare moments of outside of work. She's a doctor and her work is her priority. She gets few answers, but there's also someone else in the picture.

This is a age-gap romance, which I didn't know. I usually don't read those, but this time it was okay. And that's how I feel towards the whole book, it's okay. 

Some scenes felt unreal and I hated Annie's relationship with her best friend. I was furious, it seemed unhealthy and childish considering that these characters are in their forties. In my opinion we didn't get to see these characters to solve these problems. I would have liked to see, how they got to the point where they were at the end of the book.

Annie's dates with different men left me with a question why she actually went to the dates. After the beginning I was a bit afraid that this will be a love triangle book, but luckily it isn't one. 

The things I liked in this book. The first POV. The trigger warning in the beginning of the book. Joanne. Dax. The trivia-moments. 

After all, this is a fast read with some good moments. You can easily pass time with this book, it won't leave you with a book hangover.

⭐⭐⭐

It's Raining Men by Julie Hammerle

Entangled: Amara

2021