Book Review: Revealing Us by Lisa Renee Jones

Revealing Us

By Lisa Renee Jones

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Summary: The third installment in the sexy Inside Out erotic romance series—in the seductive tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.

You've discovered Rebecca's secrets. You've discovered Sara's secrets. Now Sara will discover "his" deepest, darkest secrets...but will those secrets bind them together--or tear them apart?

Review: I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, so when the third book showed up on my door, I did a little happy dance, then went straight to my room to crack into it. 

Now that the secret about what really happened to Rebecca, Sara thought there couldn't possibly be any more trouble. But life is never that easy, and Chris has some dark secrets of his own that Sara isn't sure if she's ready to face yet, or even at all. 

Normally, I love Sara's story about finding herself in a world that is unlike anything she's ever been in before. She's working in the art world and dating an incredibly sexy painter. But, of course, that painter has some damaging secrets that he just can't seem to open up about. But to me, that's what makes Chris so amazing. He's such a caring, talented guy, but he really does have some dangerous secrets. 

While I still loved the characters, I felt like this story was a lot slower and not as exciting as the first two books. Sara and Chris are incredibly happy, get into a fight, make up, then things get awkward, then they make up...I feel like that's all that happened. Sara is still super insecure and she sort of got annoying by the end with how she was acting. Really? I know you're trying to be a good person, but try to be smart for once please. It was nice, though, to meet some new characters that befriend Sara and some characters from Chris's secret past. 

Sadly, Revealing Us was not as great as I was expecting. I wanted more romance, suspense, and intrigue, but instead the story was too slow and more talk than action. The end, though, is what made this story exciting. Now, even though I wasn't that into the story, I can't wait for the next book to come out to see what happens next.

Stacking the Shelves (64)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what they got throughout the week!

For Review

Just one book for review this week, but I absolutely love the cover! This is the third book in the series and I've only read the second one, so hopefully I'll remember enough and enjoy this one!

From the library

Being back at school means I had to visit the local library and get some books! I got about 10 movies to keep me occupied between the mounds of homework and class time, and I picked up these three books as well! I've been wanting to read April Lindner's books for forever, so I was excited to see her book based on Wuthering Heights on the shelf. I still haven't read Sophie Kinsella's newest book, but now I have a copy! And Breakfast At Tiffany's is one of my favorite movies ever and I absolutely can't wait to read the book! 

And that's all for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? 

Follow My Book Blog Friday (100)

This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: If you could have ONE - one book - for the rest of your life. Don't cheat...what would it be? 

Answer: Gah, only one book? How the heck am I supposed to choose one? That's like, living in a world where only one book existed...

But if I HAD to live in this hypothetical awful world, the one book I would like to exist would be...

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I contemplated choosing one of my favorite YA or adult contemporary fiction books, but would I want to read those for the rest of my life? Will I always love YA books? Or will I eventual *gasp* outgrow them? I don't know! But I do know that Pride and Prejudice is a timeless novel with such an incredible romance that I know I could never get tired of the story. So that's my choice :)

Book Review: The Book Of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The Book of Broken Hearts

By Sarah Ockler

Release Date: May 21, 2013

Source: Library

Summary: When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author ofBittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Review: I love love love Sarah Ockler's books. Bittersweet? One of my favorites. So when I saw she had a new release, I knew I had to get my hands on it asap. Who doesn't love a story about a girl falling in love with a notorious heartbreaker? 

If there's one thing Jude's learned from her older sisters, it's this: never ever date a Varags. Now that all of her sisters have grown up and moved away, Jude is left to live with her parents. So when her dad's early onset Alzheimer's starts to get worse, Jude decides to spend her summer before college taking care of him. And the only thing that her dad seems to clearly remember is his motorcycle, which hasn't worked in years. So Jude hire someone from the local mechanic to help fix the bike in hopes of fixing her dad. Little does Jude know that the mechanic turns out to be non other than a Vargas. But does every Vargas have to be a heartbreaker? I guess there's only one way to find out...

Gah, Sarah Ockler always finds a way to write a contemporary romance with some serious issues thrown into the mix. While it was fun to see Jude and Emilio bicker and turn on some serious chemistry, the whole deal with her father's alzheimer's is so sad and emotional. How can you expect an 18-year-old girl to watch her father fall to pieces? But I love how Jude uses her father's old bike as a way to try to put him back together. Of course, though, there's got to be a hunky mechanic to help her along the way. 

Oh Emilio. How perfect you are for Jude at this point in her life. Seriously, despite his reputation due to his Vargas name, Emilio can be so sweet with both Jude and her father. Even when moments can become extremely awkward, Emilio just takes life in stride and knows exactly how to act to make Jude tempted to break the promise she made to her sisters years and years ago. Who could resist someone as charming as that?

The only thing I wasn't a big fan of with this book was how quickly some of the romance moved. I think their relationship should have built more and the attraction shouldn't have been so sporadic and sudden as I read it. Other than that, though, the story was so emotional and I was definitely a fan of the romance. And Emilio and Jude had the bickering, stubborn kind of romance that I just love in contemporary romances. So if you're a fan of Sarah Ockler, definitely pick up her newest release. And if you haven't read anything by her yet, then what are you doing? Go out and find a copy of ANYTHING by her now! Because you're missing out on one seriously amazing author.

Waiting On Wednesday (106)

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Crash Into You

By Katie McGarry

Release Date: November 26, 2013

Summary: From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane 

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. 

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

-------------------------------------

I absolutely love everything Katie McGarry has written, and I devoured Pushing the Limits in one day. I really didn't like Isaiah in that one, though. Maybe because he got in the way of how I wanted things to work out in the story. Now that he has his own story and his own romance, maybe I'll like him better! And look at that cover! How could I not want to pick this one up? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Memorable Secondary Characters

This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten most Memorable Secondary Characters

Oh boy, this one was a hard one. I always remember the main characters of the books, but things like secondary characters get a little fuzzy. So here are ones that stick out in my mind because if I remember them, that means they were some pretty awesome characters...

1. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter

2. Ron Weasly from Harry Potter

3. Simon from The Mortal Instruments

4. Jessica from Twilight

5. Elli from On Dublin Street

6. Dee from Obsidian and Onyx (but not in Opal...)

7. Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice

8. Patrick from The Perks of Being a Wallflower

9. Fred Weasley from Harry Potter

10. Kiersten from Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)

Weekly Roundup [8/20-8/26]

Hey guys! I'm writing to you from my very first apartment! I moved in on Friday with my three roommates and classes start today for the semester, so I'm both nervous and excited for this day to start! Hopefully the classes go okay and this semester won't be too bad with my class load. I guess we'll see :)

Book Reviews

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Sharkopedia by Discovery Channel

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Paradox by AJ Paquette

Dead River by Cyn Balog

Memes

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Things that Make Our Lives as Bloggers Easier/Better

Waiting On Wednesday (105)

Stacking the Shelves (63)