Being Me (Inside Out #2) By Lisa Renee Jones Review

Being Me By Lisa Renee Jones

Release Date: June 11th 2013 by Gallery Books

Series: Inside Out #2

Paperback : 368 Pages

Characters : Sarah McMillan, Chris Merit, Mark Compton

First Sentence : "Journal 8, entry 1"

Last Sentence:“Good-bye—Love, Rebecca”

Summary:

The sexy second installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy, following If I Were You—in the seductive tradition ofFifty Shades of Grey. 

Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?

Review:

This is the second installment in the Inside Out trilogy and the first thing you need to know is it does not stand alone. You must read the first book to understand the second and the third am sure.Being Me begins at the exact place If I Were You, left off. Sara is at the storage unit and if you’ve read the book, then you remember the massive cliffhanger so yes, you have to read this one to find out what happens next :D

I found book 1 to be more suspenseful than book 2. Being Me was all about Chris and Sara.It focused on their growing relationship i.e two damaged souls seeking each other out, yet afraid of the repercussions a relationship with this much depth could cause. Sara as we know had an awful childhood. Book 1 even hinted at an abusive relationship. And in Being Me we get the full details of her relationship with her father and her ex. Sara is very afraid of telling Chris the truth about her past. She sees that Chris is a damaged man. She sees the weight he carries on his shoulders, and when another tragedy happens, she worries that telling him her story will not only break them apart, it will also push him over the edge.
We still don’t fully get to understand Chris, especially since he’s convinced that fully knowing him will drive Sara away. But what we do know is that as tormented as he is and trust me when I say we really get to see his torment, and he has this amazing love and sweetness and I absolutely loved the way he always wanted to protect Sara.
Than there is Mark. We only get to know slightly more about him. But not nearly enough. The reason I say that this book wasn’t as suspenseful as book 1 is that I feel as if Sara forgot her quest to find Rebecca. She would of course remember that Rebecca’s missing and that Ella is also missing but I felt like these were afterthoughts. Of course it’s only because her relationship with Chris was so consuming.

As I enjoyed this angsty haze, the last few chapters happened. Actually ‘happened’ is the wrong word, more like exploded! The suspense that was lacking was here in spades and if this was a TV show I’d have been at the edge of my seat. Yes, secrets are revealed, an in-control man loses control and a relationship faces an ultimatum.

The Game Changer (The Perfect Game #2) By J. Sterling Review

The Game Changer By J. Sterling

Release Date : June 25th 2013 by Amazon Publishing

Paperback : 306 Pages

Characters : Cassie Andrews, Jack Carter

First Sentence : I opened my eyes the next morning, half terrified that it had all been a dream…

Last Sentence : I can’t wait until she’s knocked up.

Summary :

After a tumultuous year, Jack and Cassie are finally where they were always meant to be... together. But being with Jack isn't all it's cracked up to be. He knows it's his last chance to prove it to Cassie, but can he do it? Thrust into the spotlight, Cassie must learn how to navigate the waters of this sometimes unforgiving and cruel world. It's a lifestyle that makes you question your happiness and sanity as the past is never truly far behind. How do you stay together when the world's trying to tear you apart.
Review :

"You told me once that I was your game changer, but the thing is, you're mine too. It took me a while to realize that, but I finally did. You're my game changer. Because nothing else matters if you're not with me." 

As much as I was completely and 100% satisfied with the way things ended in The Perfect game I have to say that I was thrilled to find that there was gonna be a sequel to it. The Game Changer for me was a surprisingly pleasant addition to The Perfect Game.
The Game Changer starts off exactly where the first book left off before the epilogue. Jack tells us why it took him so long to get back to Cassie. The recap of their six months apart truly shows just how much our beloved pitcher loves his kitten.
This book deals with the ways of life a celebrity has to lead and the things which have to be endured by those who are connected to them. The problems created due to Jack "celeb" status is simply too much for Cassie to handle. She needs to find a balance between her life and the life that she has with Jack, and not lose herself in the process. Yes I do admit, that would be really hard to adjust to being criticized constantly and I probably would have reacted the same way about some of the things she dealt with. But instead of talking to Jack about it, she let it build and the result made my heart ache for both of them.
Melissa & Dean, well all I can say about them is that I loved them in the first book and I sure loved them even more in this one. In fact one of the quotes said by Meli to Crystal has me downright bursting with laughter!! 

“Oh, great.” Melissa rolled her eyes. “You touched her Dean. She’s probably pregnant now.” 

So all in all,I really liked it. I was happy with how the story played out. As I said, there is a different level of intensity to this one, but I thought it was fitting, as well as realistic. Fans of Cassie and Jack will be happy. If you're a fan of sports romance or even a fan of true love stories, check out this series!

If I Were You (Inside Out #1) By Lisa Renee Jones Review

If I Were You  By Lisa Renee Jones

Series : Inside Out #1

Paperback : 352 Pages

Published  : September 13th 2012

Characters :  Sara McMillan , Chris Merit , Mark Compton

First Sentence : Sunday, March 7th, 2012

Last Sentence : Someone is in here with me.

Summary :

When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she’s shocked and enthralled by the erotic life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer—until the terrifying final entry.

Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca’s life. Soon she’s working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca’s friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she’s going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she’s not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more.

Review :

Sara McMillan is an English teacher who is used to playing it safe in life. But when her friend buys an abandoned storage facility and finds very descriptive journals of a girl named Rebecca, Sara finds herself invested in this girl's life. Scary things go on in the journal, and Sara wants to know why Rebecca has seemed to disappear without any of her belongings. So she decides to investigate and finds herself taking over Rebecca's job in an art gallery, a job Sara has only dreamed of having since she was in college. But with the jobs comes a very demanding, overbearing boss that Sara fears is the same dangerous man in the journals. When Chris Merit, a very talented artist who also happens to be crazy attractive, comes into the picture, Sara can't help but fall for the guy. Relationships are put to the test and Sara doesn't know how much she can open up to Chris, or how much she can get Chris to open up to her about his mysterious, dangerous past. 

I loved how Rebecca's journals led Sara to putting herself out that and finally getting a job in art, which is a field she loves. And the hot artist that falls into her path isn't too bad either. Chris, no matter how much of a bad guy he claims to be, is so sweet and I love the fact that he's an artist. I swooned when he drew a picture of Sara and gave it to her. How much more perfect can you get?

The only irritating part about this book was how Sara found herself maybe/sort of attracted to her boss, who was just an arrogant, demanding jerk. He ordered her around and said really weird things that she just accepted because he was showing his power over her. I'm not sure if things are going to happen there in the next two books of the series, but I really hope they don't. With this book, I feel like we only got an introduction into Sara's life and her journey towards becoming more confident and finding out what happened to Rebecca. And the cliff hanger ending definitely left me immediately looking up for the next book. 

The Book of Broken Hearts By Sarah Ockler Review

Title - The Book of Broken Hearts
Author - Sarah Ockler
Hardcover - 352 pages
Published May 21st 2013 by Simon Pulse
Characters - Jude Hernandez, Emilio Vargas, Bear Hernandez, Mariposa Hernandez, Araceli Hernandez

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

“Don't settle, okay? Not for anything. I mean it. You only get this one chance at life, far as I know. Take it. Even if its not with me.” 

The Book Of Broken Hearts was a rather refreshing read. It was as fun as it was cute. This book deals with Alzheimer’s Disease with great care. There are depictions as to how awful this illness can be. The way in which Alzheimer’s affects the dynamic of Jude’s family is heartbreaking.
Jude here is the baby girl of the family with three older sister all set off with their life off to college,married etc. so Jude is the only one left at home with her parents. Although she is crushed when she finally realizes the severity of her father's illness she has done a remarkable job of taking care of him. 

She think that if she is can fix his old bike than maybe it will help him get better. She finds a guy to help and it sure doesn't hurt that he's so hot :D But there's a catch, he's a Vargas. Jude's sisters have had some bad history with his family. They've gotten their hearts broken one too many times and they don't want her to go through the same fate. 

This book is "cute" in many ways. Even though it has a deep meaning based around family and dealing with a disease, it's a nice romance too. Emilio's was an amazing character. He was an awesome guy, and I loved his interactions with Jude. I loved their banter, and how they each got under the other’s skin. It was obvious to me as the reader where they were headed, but watching them GET there was the real treat.He gave Jude strength and a friend she didn't know she needed. He encouraged her to be someone who could deal with what was going on around her instead of being in denial. 

Overall,The Book of Broken Hearts is an engaging story about love, family, and loyalty. This is my first book by Sarah Ockler and I've really enjoyed reading it.

The Fault in Our Stars By John Green Review

Title - The Fault in Our Stars

Author - John Green

Hardcover - 318 pages

Published January 10th 2012

Publishibg House - Dutton Books

Characters - Hazel Grace Lancaster, Augustus Waters

Summary

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” 

I have to admit that I was anxious to read The Fault In our Stars seeing as so many of you loved it and I am so glad I did. The story was different that what I expected and in a good way. My heart laughed and cried so many times during the story. Even though I somehow suspected how the story would end it still broke my heart to actually see the story progress that way. 
That said, while I knew to expect sadness, what I didn’t expect at all was to laugh. I laughed, I smiled, and I chuckled. So much of this book was just downright cute and funny.
So this amazing but tragic story is about Hazel & Augustus. Hazel is diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It was supposed to be terminal, but thanks to a miracle drug, she’d continued to live. And while she had to carry an oxygen tank around with her at all times she was still living her life, surrounded by her loving family and living each day to the best she could. In Support Group, she met Augustus. Oh Augustus! So self-assured, gorgeous, witty, and just wonderful. He had a form of cancer that had an 80% survival rate, and was doing quite well for the most part. And he and Hazel struck up a friendship that, over the course of the book, developed into so much more. 
When he first appeared on scene, I felt that sort of instant connection and love for him that you feel when you meet those special book characters that steal your heart. I knew when I met him though, that there was no way this book would not break my heart. He was just downright swoonworthy – in an oddly witty and endearing way. For the first half of the book, I honestly spent most of it smiling. I loved watching Hazel and Augustus fall in love. It was slow, sweet, and beautiful… and sometimes you just forgot what they were going though. Sometimes, they just seemed like regular happy teens – gorgeously intelligent, fun, flirting teens.

“May I see you again?" he asked. There was an endearing nervousness in his voice.
I smiled. "Sure."
"Tomorrow?" he asked.
"Patience, grasshopper," I counseled. "You don't want to seem overeager.
"Right, that's why I said tomorrow," he said. "I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow." I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious," he said. 
"You don't even know me," I said. I grabbed the book from the center console. "How about I call you when I finish this?"
"But you don't even have my phone number," he said.
"I strongly suspect you wrote it in this book."
He broke out into that goofy smile. "And you say we don't know each other.” 


"Seriously, don't even get me started on my hot bod. You don't want to see me naked, Dave. Seeing me naked actually took Hazel Grace's breath away,' he said, nodding toward the oxygen tank.” 

This book is full of absolutely beautiful & amazing quotes! The quotes were actually what made me decide to start the book in the first place. It’s so rare for me to read a book that doesn’t have a happy ending, but I felt I had to make an exception in this case. The Fault In Our Stars was a beautiful book, with beautiful moments and a beautiful story. Augustus and Hazel have a special place in my heart.

Favorite Quotes

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” 

“That's the thing about pain," Augustus said, and then glanced back at me. "It demands to be felt” 

“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” 

You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 

"In freedom, most people find sin.” 

Beautiful Beast (Enchanted Fairytales #1) by Cindy C. Bennett

SUMMARY

Calli is cursed by her beauty.

Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. When she hears him for the first time, her heart is wrenched by the anguish she hears in the sound. 

Facing trespassing charges for her folly, Calli is forced to move into Monster House where she is to befriend the beast. Using the bribery offered by his father to gain some desperately needed money for her father, Calli accepts his terms. Horrified but trapped by her circumstance, Calli steps inside the doors of the great house to face the unknown.

Alex is cursed by his beastliness.

Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Alex allows Calli into his inner sanctum, sharing with her the most private parts of his heart. But when he finds out the truth, will her love be enough to convince him of her true feelings, or will she lose him forever? 

REVIEW

Beautiful Beast is a short story that somehow manages not to feel like one. It has great character development and the storyline is also well set up and well developed. The characters felt real and I in particularly really liked Calli. She was strong and stubborn yet sweet, funny and humble. Alex is haunted by his past and his story is sad and turns out to be pretty heartwarming. The romance between these two was quite beautiful as was their friendship.
I would recommend this read to those of you who enjoy happy endings, romance and/or fairytales.