A Review for Sealed with a Kiss (Diary of a Crush #3) by Sarra Manning

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 30th, 2013
Finished Date: April 21st, 2013

Publishers: Atom
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages:  288 
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

The third in the much-loved Diary of a Crush trilogy from bestselling teen author Sarra Manning

Edie and Dylan have been dreaming about their road trip across America for ever. But nine weeks in a car together is going to be a huge test for them. They're crazy in love, but what if that's not enough?

Trailer parks, diners, motels and glitzy casinos are the backdrop for an adventure that threatens the whole future of their relationship. Will Edie and Dylan be able to go the distance?

The Review: "You're not my friend," I said slowly, glancing at Dylan's tense face. "I don't want you to be my friend either, I just want you to be the boy I love who loves me back."

The Diary of a Crush series has literally consumed my entire weekend! I started the first book; French Kiss, on Saturday night and by Monday morning, I'd finished the final book. Talk about an addictive series!

In the third and final book, Sarra Manning brings us more drama. Edie and Dylan are still together but her parents are causing some problems for her. Her mother doesn't approve of Dylan but now Edie's eighteen, she can do what ever she wants, even if that's a trip to America during the summer, with Dylan. So, that's what they do! Edie and Dylan hit the road and take in the sights of America but of course, trouble always seems to find them... will these two ever get their happy ending or are they doomed? 

Sealed with a Kiss brings so many more hard times for these lovable characters. Both Edie and Dylan are not without their problems and for teenagers, of course they make mistakes but that's what I love about them. Their such an entertaining couple to read about, even though there's been so many highs and lows to their relationship, I love them and I'm honestly sad to see them go, but it's definitely the right time to end their story. 

Staying true to the series, author Sarra Manning sends Edie and Dylan on another road trip and this time it's America. I really found it great when they started going on the road, it has laugh-out-loud moments and it had sad moments. I love the way their are so many mis-understanding between the characters but by the end, I was ready for their happy ever after. I would have loved a epilogue set in the future, however, it wasn't really needed. 

In all, Sealed with a Kiss was a great finale - even with all the drama and I'm even more eager now to read something else by this author. 

A Review for Kiss and Make Up (Diary of a Crush #2) by Sarra Manning

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 30th, 2013
Finished Date: April 20th, 2013

Publishers: Atom
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages:  288
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

The second book in the much loved Diary of a Crush trilogy by bestselling author Sarra Manning

Edie's having major boy issues. Trying to get over Dylan is hard, but snogging new boy Carter isn't hurting. . .

When everyone heads off to a summer festival, Edie wants to forget her troubles and try and have fun. But she didn't count on her leftover feelings for Dylan and now she's all churned up again. Edie's got some big decisions to make, but is she ready to kiss and make up?

The Review: “I went out with Veronique to take my mind of you, and when I'm with you I don't feel like I'm on a rebound, I feel like I've come home. It's like my world is just different combinations of black and white, but when you're around everything goes Technicolor. You're still the coolest girl I know".” 

As soon as I finished French Kiss, I immediately started the second instalment Kiss and Make Up. I needed to see what happened next in Edie's world because I just couldn't wait.

In Kiss and Make Up we see Edie who's now seventeen (she had her birthday near the end of French Kiss) and Dylan in their new relationship together, but no sooner than it started, it all goes incredibly wrong. So, Edie decides to go away for the summer and get over Dylan, however, she's still having trouble with boys when Carter comes along; Dylan's new girlfriends sister's brother. Complicated or what? But that's not the only problem Edie has, her and Dylan seem to have a connection that just won't go away, no matter how much they fight it, but can they get back what they once had or will it be lost forever?

I really enjoyed Kiss and Make Up and it was a really enjoyable sequel. What I noticed about it was how the author's style of writing changed as Edie matured. The story stopped being so teenage dramatic and became more older teenage dramatic (if that makes sense, lol) The story is an emotional roller-coaster, but that's also the beauty of it; it's rare and very hard, it's kind of story that you love to hate because it comes with so much emotional baggage. The character's have many faults but you love them, the story is cheesy in parts but it's also very addictive. So many pro's and con's about it but in all, I love it. 

In my mind this story is split in two parts; seventeen-year-old Edie and then eighteen-year-old Edie. For me in the first part, Edie's unsure if she can trust Dylan and becomes a very needy girlfriend, she's moody, temperamental and very immature but, then there's the second part, where Edie's grown up, and becomes more mature and calmer. She's not without her problems, but you can just see the change and I much preferred Edie once she turn eighteen.

Dylan and Edie's relationship takes so man different turns that you honestly don't know if it's going to work out for them. It's nail-biting and honestly, a bit of a train wreck, but no matter what I was constantly rooting for them all the way through. 

Overall, Sarra Manning has created a sequel that is even better than the first. It's full of drama, angst and love. I can't wait to read the final book; Sealed with a Kiss.

A Review for French Kiss (Diary of a Crush #1) by Sarra Manning

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 30th, 2013
Finished Date: April 20th, 2013

Publishers: Atom
Source: For Review

Format: Paperback

Pages:  240
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

The first in the much-loved Diary of a Crush trilogy from bestselling teen author Sarra Manning.

New town, new college, new people, Edie's feeling overwhelmed. What if nobody wants to be her friend? But then something happens that turns her life upside down: Edie spots Dylan. Messy-haired, pouty, frustratingly elusive Dylan. . .

Fast forward to the college trip to Paris and things are really heating up. In between the shopping, the clubbing, the kissing and the making up, something happens between Edie and Dylan that changes both their lives for ever. But do boys like Dylan ever play for keeps?

"Dylan could make kissing the most exciting activity in the world. He kissed my shoulders and the stroked all the hair back from my shoulders before planting little butterfly kisses on my forehead and my eyebrows and my eyelids before reaching my mouth again. And when he kissed my mouth, it wasn't like those kisses you tell your friends about where you joke about boys trying to slip you a bit of tongue; it was as if he was touching my soul."

The Diary of a Crush series is one I've been aware of for some time, however as it's only available on Amazon to purchase by a second hand seller, so I've always put off reading it. Thankfully, Atom have decided to re-publish this series, giving them a new gorgeous covers with a new release date. Mark 30th May 2013 on your calendars guys, because French Kiss is an addictive, fast-paced and very entertaining read!

French Kiss follows the life of Edith aka Edie, a sixteen-year-old girl whose just moved to a new town and has to start a new college. Edie is a shy person but by meeting new people it starts to bring Edie out of her shell - especially the most gorgeous guy on campus; Dylan. He's broody, dark and very frustrating and it's clear from their first meeting that there's something between them. As Edie embarks in her new life, one that involves a school trip to Paris and a lot of kissing, can a guy like Dylan be for real or will he just end up breaking her heart?

I had no idea that this story was originally published in J17 magazine and then turned into a book. Seriously, J17! I used to read that magazine when I was a teenager! I loved it. Anyway, Fresh Kiss really lives up to it's name because it's written as diary entries rather than from a first person narrative. At the end of a certain days, Edie will tell us what's happened to her that crazy day. Admittedly, it was slightly hard to get into the way this story was told but, after a few minutes, it became very easy. 

Edie is a character that has so many pros and cons about her, she's loving, fun, caring, honest but then at times she is rash, stubborn and at times, very immature. With her being sixteen and most of the other characters being nineteen, you can sometimes see the age difference bewteen them. Dylan and Edie have a slight age gap (about 3 years)  and this seems to be the part of the problems for them, not only that but Dylan is emotionally troubled and doesn't believe he can handle a relationship with Edie as he believes she will only get hurt by him. 
For me, Dylan was a love/hate character that you tended to love more and more as the story progresses, he sends so many mixed signals to Edie to start with but in the end, he really does come around.

In all, I'm glad I got the opportunity to read French Kiss, Sarra Manning creates a very good YA read and I can't wait to read more in Kiss and Make Up!