New Adult Reviews -Colleen Hoover & Erin Watt Edition

Hey, guys!

I'm back with another group of reviews! This past year was a really great year for reading new adult romance. I really enjoyed exploring the genre and finding the authors that I enjoyed. I'm excited to see what other new adult books I pick up in 2019. Stay tuned for more reviews and maybe some rereads!

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Page Count: 310

Published on: November 10, 2015

Published by: Atria Books

Genre(s): Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Print

Where To Find It: Goodreads// Amazon  

My Rating: 4 stars

TW: trauma, questionable advances, non-consensual sexual advances 

     I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I absolutely adore the characters - Fallon and Ben. I loved the whole concept of this book. It was really unrealistic but so addicting to read and I couldn't put it down. I really wish it had been executed a little differently, but overall I really enjoyed the story. Though I really enjoyed the concept and the characters. I also really loved how the book would make fun of itself sometimes. It was sort of meta, but also not? I'm not sure what to think. 

     With that being said, there were also quite a few aspects that were really problematic. I'm still not sure what to rate this book because of these elements. I really did not enjoy how Colleen used trauma and exploited the character's self-confidence issues to further the relationship. That really irritated me and made me feel gross for enjoying the book. Ben also really did not understand what consent meant. Some of the "romantic" scenes made me very uncomfortable and I wish they had been handled with more care. I understood what Colleen was going for, but the execution was just not stellar. 

      I think I'm going to reread this book in 2019. I'd love to mark up my book and write a longer review. I'm just so unsure at this point, but I really wanted to get my initial thoughts down. 

When reading this book, read with caution. 

It Ends With Us ~ 3 stars

Page Count: 367

Published on: August 2, 2016

Published by: Atria Books

Genre(s): Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Print

Where To Find It: Goodreads// Amazon  

My Rating: 3 stars

     I read this book while on a plane to and from Seattle, Washington and let me tell you...this was a hard book to read. The topic was incredibly impactful and very hard to stomach at times. This probably the most impactful CoHo book to date. I really did enjoy this book quite a lot. Lily is such an admirable and wonderful character. I absolutely adored reading her story. She is one of those characters that I can't help but root for and be proud of. She was raw, she was realistic, she was vulnerable, she was stronger than I could ever be. 

     The powerful message of this book is so inspirational but so heartbreaking. I love the originality of this storyline and I'm so glad that I picked this up. If you read this book, I implore that you read the author's note after finishing this book...but only AFTER, okay? It's pretty essential to the whole ending of the book. 

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Page Count: 306

Published on: July 17, 2018

Published by: Atria Books

Genre(s): Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Print

Where To Find It: Goodreads// Amazon  

My Rating: 4 stars

     This was another CoHo book that I could hardly put down (that tends to be the case whenever I read her books). This was another romance novel that touched on such a relevant and heartbreaking for both parties in the relationship: infertility. While reading this book, I felt so incredibly empathetic for Quinn and Graham. Their love is so beautiful and real, but when they begin to have problems having a child, their relationship and marriage are tested. 

     This story was absolutely beautiful. It is definitely my second favorite CoHo book. I can't wait to read what Colleen gives us next. 

     I'm also so glad that I got to go see Colleen during her Chicago tour stop. It was definitely an adventure to remember. 

Follow Courtney and Mallory @bookishmalpal and @courtney_ann_g

Paper Princess by Erin Watt

Page Count: 370

Published on: April 4, 2016

Published by: Timeout LLC

Genre(s): Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult

Source: Print

Where To Find It: Goodreads// Amazon  

My Rating: 3 stars

    I'm not usually prone to reading romance novels that are solely written for those who just want drama drama drama. I'm not usually a mega fan of books that are so unrealistic and fantastical that I roll my eyes every other page, but I surprisingly was quite engaged when reading this book. It was just so mindless and fast that I couldn't put it down. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, but we'll have to see. I might pick them up from the library. 

    This was just really fun to read. If you're looking for something mindless, potentially sexy, and full of drama..this is for you! 

When It's Real by Erin Watt

Page Count: 413

Published on: May 30, 2017

Published by: Harlequin Teen

Genre(s): Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult

Source: Print & ebook

Where To Find It: Goodreads// Amazon  

My Rating: 3 stars

When I first started this book, I was absolutely addicted. I loved it so much, but once it hit the half-way mark I really started to hate it. Once the two love interests got together, it was just bad. I was not a fan of the romance. One of my comments was "gag me with a tuning fork". I think I said that two or three times while reading this book. 

Overall, the first half of the book was excellent, but the last half really killed it. I just really did not enjoy the cringy-ness of the relationship. It wasn't executed well.

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Guest Review: Courtney} She's Not There by Joy Fielding

Page Count: 368 

Published On: February 23, 2016

Published By: Ballantine Books

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

Source: University Library 

Age Rating: Adult fiction

Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Synopsis: 

A novel of psychological suspense about a woman whose life takes a shocking turn when a young girl contacts her, claiming to be her daughter, kidnapped in Mexico years earlier, from the New York Times bestselling author of Someone is Watching.

A lifetime ago, every year Caroline Shipley looked forward to her wedding anniversary. But then a celebratory trip to Mexico for the occasion with her husband and friends ended in the unsolved kidnapping of her infant daughter, Samantha. Now, fifteen years after that horrific time, divorced and isolated,Caroline is forced to relive the kidnapping by reporters who call every year on the anniversary of Samantha’s disappearance. However, this year when the phone rings, Caroline hears the sweet voice of a girl claiming to be her long-lost daughter. Plunged back into the world of heartbreak, suspicion and questions that led the case to run cold so many years ago, Caroline doesn’t know what or who to believe. But when she starts to figure it out, she finds the answers dangerously close to home.

~~~

      As this review begins, I want to start out by saying that I never would have picked up this book if it had not of been for my boss. The only reason this book came into my life was because my boss had become annoyed with me because I was sitting at the library circulation desk and just staring off into space. She instructed me to go find a book to keep myself occupied during a slow day at work. I got up, I grabbed the first book I saw and ended up really enjoying it. I usually read YA contemporaries, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone. In the end, I am so glad I did because Joy Fielding has become a new favorite author. I have another one of her books in my work locker to read in the near future.

     The book is filled with flashback scenes as well as scenes that are set in the present. The book starts fifteen years ago when our main character is happily married with two beautiful children. This all quickly changes when one of her children Samantha, is kidnapped from a resort on a family trip to Mexico. This book follows the events that unfold from Carole’s point of view in the years following. She becomes the victim of the media and eventually divorces her husband and becomes estranged from her other daughter Michelle.

      Out of the blew close to the fifteenth anniversary of her daughter's disappearance she gets a phone call from a young woman claiming that she believes she is Samantha and from there it takes us on the journey of finding out the truth. I won’t go into any more details to save you from the spoilers so you can take the journey I took. But I will say it is worth the read and I highly recommend it.

      She's Not There has striking similarities to the May 2007 disappearance of Madeline McCann. She was snatched from her bed in a resort in Praia da Luz, a resort in Portugal. Her abduction occurred while her parents were in a restaurant below her. The McCann case caused an uproar because of the circumstances revolving around the disappearance. Though this book is fiction and does not end like the case does in real life the similarities are definitely there but the story still stands on its own and is very intriguing. As someone who loves true crime novels and actually follows the types of cases in true crime fiction novels, I really enjoyed the plot and pace of this novel. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you guys for reading! Courtney {Instagram}

{Other Reviews by Courtney}

{Review} The Princess Saves Herself In This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic #1) by Amanda Lovelace

Page Count: 156

Published on: April 23, 2016

Published by: Createspace

Genre(s): Poetry, Feminism, Nonfiction, Anthology
Source: Paperback 

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

"Ah, life- the thing that happens to us while we're off somewhere else blowing on dandelions & wishing ourselves into the pages of our favorite fairy tales."

A poetry collection divided into four different parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, & you. The princess, the damsel, & the queen piece together the life of the author in three stages, while you serves as a note to the reader & all of humankind. Explores life & all of its love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, & inspirations. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

      I've always been a fan of poetry, but this poetry anthology/collection really blew me away. I really enjoyed Amanda Lovelace's perspective and really appreciated the personalization and raw emotion that was put into this book. The amount of creativity, depth, and love that went into these poems is so evident and her desire to use her heartbreak and experiences to help those who read her work is inspiring and beautiful. I was really wary to actually read this when it first came out because of the disappointment that I experienced when reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. 

    Within the first few pages of this book I was blown away by her experiences. The poems were gorgeous and her message was so encouraging. I felt really empowered by these poems and I think that this book would be very important to those who share similar stories to Amanda. I know for a fact that this book, and Amanda's other work, has inspired my friends and positively influenced them. Though I cannot directly relate to all that she wrote on, I know that this book has the capability to empower and help those who do share her experiences. 

Other Verse Novels That I've Reviewed:

• The Good Braider by Terry Farish ~ 3 stars
• Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams ~ 3 stars
• Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur ~ 3 stars

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

Page Count: 320

Published on: October 4, 2016

Published by: Henry Holt & Co. 

Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance

Source: Hardback - personally purchased

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Twitter: @elmify

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     Right before I started my book buying ban, I made a BookOutlet order that had the hardcover of This Adventure Ends in it. This was right after I finished First & Then and I just had to have TAE in my hands. I'm just in love with Emma Mill's writing now. TAE was even better than F&E! It is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year. 

     This Adventure Ends follows the snarky and hilarious Sloane. Sloane is the new girl in her new Florida town. She doesn't expect to become friends with Vera, Gabe, Remy, Aubrey, and Frank. Vera and Gabe are twins. When their late mother's painting is sold, Sloane decides to track it down. This book is full of fantastic friendships, an awesome parental relationship, hilarious banter, and an amazing plot. This book! Read it!

     This book had such a fantastic plot and a wonderful and diverse cast of characters. All of them were so fun to read about. They were all so relatable and natural. They had their own issues and flaws, but they stuck together. The big friend group was so wonderful. Their friendship is solid and their loyalty to each other is so great. Granted, they had their own issues amongst themselves and were prone to miscommunication sometimes, but that's normal! 

     I loved Sloane as the main character. Her voice was so great. She said things that were literally laugh-out-loud hilarious. I found myself laughing in public and I nearly cried during a couple parts of the book. This book was just so wonderfully written. I'm definitely going to be reading the books Emma Mills puts out in the future. Sloane's character development really made the book for me. She has her own flaws, but they're not the over dramatic things that frequent YA books. It's so original and fun.


      I loved the friend group. They all love each other so much even through their flaws. Emma Mills really has a skill for developing friend groups. They are always so loyal to each other, but of course, there's bound to be drama and miscommunication. I loved how they were portrayed in this book. 

     Vera is absolute friend goals. I loved her character. She's so different and she has a constant presence throughout the book. Sometimes girlfriends are just plot devices used to keep the plot going, but Vera was a true friend. I love her so much. She is a sweetheart.

      Gabe is such a cutie. I loved his character. He's kind of a butt at first, but he really grows on you as the book progresses. I loved his relationship with Sloane. It's a very natural and sweet. I shipped them throughout the book. I could just tell that he was a good egg...even with the annoying attitude at the beginning. It's not the main focus of the book, but it was such a great addition. I think I would be total trash for a whole book about Sloane and Gabe's day-to-day interactions. Add Vera and the rest of the gang and it would a hilarious and adorable book. That makes no sense, but....I want more of Sloane's snark and Gabe's attitude. 

      Remy is such a cinnamon roll. He is really flawed and imperfect. His character arc is so great to read. I love how his struggles were handled. I want more of his story. I also loved Frank. He's literally a legend. At first, I wasn't too sure about him, but by the end of the book, I wanted to be his best friend. I really loved the respectful girl and guy friendships. This book is a great example to show to those who think girls and guys can't have platonic friendships. THANK YOU, EMMA MILLS! Also! The female characters are so great in this book. There is no animosity between the girls, even if they aren't friends. I just loved that there wasn't any unneeded girl hate. Sloane literally calls herself out whenever she's being internally rude to others. I loved how aware she was of her actions. Much respect for Sloane. She's the best.

     Sloane's relationship with her parents was so refreshing. Cool and relatable parent relationships are also hard to come by in YA romance/contemporary. I don't know as much about Sloane's mom, but her dad was the best. I wish I had a dad similar to him. I'm a fan. He is such a hilarious and original character I've never read about a character like him before. He's basically an author similar to Nicholas Sparks. I would love to read his books. They sound perfectly cheesy and exactly like what I need in my life. I loved his passion for fanfiction and writing. His introduction to fandom is so REAL! I love love loved it. He and Sloane's mom have a very dynamic relationship and I loved the underlying subplot. 

     I also really liked Sloane's little sister, Laney. She's so cute and is so nine. My baby sister, Bailey, is nine and whenever Laney did anything I just had to nod my head and mutter "oh goodness she's so nine!" I love it when smaller kids are represented well in YA. Sometimes they're really annoying. 
    
     This book is just so fantastic. I adored every bit of it. I need more books like this. I desperately hope that Mill's books are like this in the future.This was exactly what I needed in my life. I highly recommend this book. 

Other Emma Mills Reviews: 

• First & Then

Other Contemporary/Romance Books You Would Love:

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
• Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
• If I Fix You by Abigail Johnson

Happy reading!
Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository @LivTheBookNerd on Books Amino