Sunday's Week in Reviews: Week of April 26th

This week's reads:

Wicked White (Wicked White #1) by Michelle A Valentine


After his mother dies, rock star Ace White—lead singer of the red-hot band Wicked White—is done with the celebrity game. The phony people, the meaningless one-night stands: he doesn’t want any of it anymore. Quitting in the middle of a sold-out tour, Ace sets out to find some place—any place—where he can be alone.

Aspiring singer Iris Easton’s life has never been easy. First, her mother walked out on her when she was a kid. Now she’s buried in debt, weeks after losing her beloved grandmother. When a mysterious and sexy new guy moves in next door, Iris can’t help but be drawn to his soulful gaze. She can tell there’s something from his past haunting him—something he’s not telling her.

Just as Ace starts falling for Iris, the media go on a worldwide hunt to find the missing rocker. Will true love conquer all, or will the truth be the very thing that tears the couple apart?

My Rating: 3 Coffee Cups

In all honesty, I was disappointed. I usually love EVERYTHING Michelle Valentine (and I have a special kind of weakness for "rockstar" books) but this one just didn't do it for me. Both main characters seemed COMPLETELY unbelievable and I couldn't relate to either of them. Ace was the misunderstood rock band front man who quoted Shakespeare and believed in love conquers all. And Iris, well Iris frustrated me the most. She stood up to the bullies in the trailer park she managed and to the cheating scum ex boyfriends who came around, but let Ace treat her like garbage. I understood why he did (because we got he POV), but she didn't and time and time again she let his dick moves slide because he was hot. It just made me not believe in the love story. The HEA also seem contrived and forced. I'll continue to snatch up Michelle Valentine when I see a book put out by her, but this one was a let down.

Only for Him (Only #1) by Cristin Harber

Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey—close since they were kids, opposites in every way. He’s the stuff high school crushes are made of, Mister Popular, and captain of every team. She’s artsy, cute, and not in his league, though fully aware of Summerland’s "I Dream of Dating Grayson Ford" support group.

I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.

He hides a life of hell. His father hates him, his mother’s gone. Emma is his only savior, yet she doesn’t know her power over him. She’s the only girl he wants, the only one he could ever tell—though he won’t.

I’m stronger, bigger, more of a man than he’ll ever be, but because I ruined his life, I’ve taken his crap, his attacks, the vulgar nature of his existence.

Until she discovers Gray’s embarrassment, his humiliation. Emma fights for him, for a chance. Theirs is a Cinderella story that she believes impossible. But as the layers peel back, it’s just a guy who needs a girl in order to keep breathing.

My mind is already doodling Mrs. Grayson Ford in imaginary notebooks. He has no clue where my head is at… But, given that I didn’t see what just happened coming, maybe I have no clue where his head is at either.

My Rating: 4 Coffee Cups

You know the way I know I LOVED a book? Two seconds after finishing it I immediately go on Amazon to see if the sequel has come out yet. And then I one-click it. And oh by the way, it's a trilogy. So I one-click that one too so there is no chance of me having to wait even just a tiny bit in- between books. It was a great short story. I literally devoured it in a matter of a couple of hours. While at work (shhh, don't tell anyone). What can I say about Grayson and Emma's story? It was the ultimate bad-boy good girl story. He comes from an abusive household and doesn't believe he's good enough for her and she is innocent and comes from an amazing household and doesn't believe she is enough for him in general. The entire story you can tell there's something he's keeping from her- and about halfway through, you work it all out in your head. But that's ok, even knowing what's going on it still unfolds beautifully. And the ending. It's definitely a cliffhanger, so be prepared! 

Across the Distance by Marie Meyer

There’s a drawer I never open. It holds a picture I never look at. It reminds me of a day I hate to remember, but I’ll never forget.

I’d give anything to be like the other girls on campus. Going to parties, flirting with boys, planning for a future. But that’s not me. And hasn’t been since the day my parents died. The only thing that got me through was Griffin. Even though I didn’t have my family, I always had him. Only, now I’m not so sure I do.

It’s not just the eleven hundred miles separating us now that I’m at college. And it’s more than his band finally taking off, and all the gigs and girls suddenly demanding his time. It’s like everything is different—the way we talk, the way we text . . . the way he looks at me and the way his looks make me feel.

Griffin has been the only good thing in my life since that horrific day. I can feel our friendship slipping away—and I’m terrified of what will be left in its place…

My Rating: 3 Coffee Cups

This for me was somewhat disappointing. The main characters, Griffin and Jillian were like-able, albeit slightly unbelievable. Griffin was a great male lead. He was there for Jillian throughout pretty much their entire lives. He was her rock, her shoulder, pretty much her everything. And it very well may be the independent gal in me, but one of the things that bothered me the most was how much Jillian really did rely on him. A tragedy occurred causing her to lose both of her parents at a very young age, and her older sister who eventually ended up taking her in is a total biotch. But Jillian was able to escape, go to college and make a life for herself. And instead of finding her inner strength like I was truly hoping she would she consistently NEEDED Griffin. I'm talking panic attack inducing NEED. Now don't get me entirely wrong, I liked how the love between the two unfolded but Jillian left me disappointed and wanting more for her character.