{Review} Summer Crush by Sasha Hibbs, S.D. Wasley, Melissa Frost, Diana Stager, Deanna Dee, Bridie Hall

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: August 21st, 2015
Finished Date: November 13th, 2015

Publishers: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 227
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

 

Summer Crush: A wonderfully romantic boxed set of Upper YA short stories by today's hottest authors.

Summer is the time for lazy days at the beach, sun-kissed hair, flip-flops, and sizzling nights with a new crush. Those stolen glances and first kisses can quickly spark a flame. However, the road to love isn’t always a smooth ride.

Every Summer has a story, whether it’s a second chance on love, seeing a friend in a different light, or taking a step in a new direction with someone special. Love and long days create endless possibilities, but can a summer crush really last?

Sutton Summer by Sasha Hibbs:
After breaking Dylan's heart last year, McKenzie returns to Sutton Lake for another summer. McKenzie realizes love was in front of her the entire time, but is it too late for Dylan to forgive her?

Exquisite Torture by S.D. Wasley:
16 year old Ryan thinks he's in for the summer from hell, stuck at his Gran's farm in a remote town ... until he meets the adorable Connie. But why is she so cagey about her past?

Forbidden by Melissa Frost:
The new guy in town has a bad reputation and a bad boy demeanor to go with it. Even so, Olivia can’t help feeling drawn to Gavin. Can she convince her mother he’s not the delinquent everyone believes, or will his past tear them apart?

Taking the Plunge by Diana Stager:
Overwhelmed and alone, Jessica is a teenage mother struggling to give her son the best possible life. Erik, a lifeguard at the local pool, never expected the girl of his dreams to have baby in tow. They have issues, but will it keep them from pursing the relationship, or are they willing to take the plunge?

Boarderline Love by Deanna Dee:
Nearly drowning wasn’t part of Dalya’s vacation plans. Neither was being rescued by a guy with a perfect six pack and a haunted look in his eyes. Mason reminds Dalya too much of her over-protective older brother, but when he offers to teach her to surf, she can’t say no. Can Dalya get past her frustration with her brother to realize how much Mason means to her?

An Ocean of Their Own by Bridie Hall:
Lola spends her days trawling the sand dunes in search of the perfect subject for her art. She finds it in a solitary, beautiful girl. Sarah doesn’t just fill the pages in her sketchbook, she enchants Lola’s heart too. But how can Lola tell her family about Sarah?

The Review: Summer Crush is a selection of short stories about teenage love & self-discovery set in the beautiful season of summer.

We get a little bit of everything here – Sasha Hibbs gives us some unrequited love that caused heartache for one teen only to have it switch around when Mckenzie has a change of heart only to discover that the boy who has crushed on her for years has moved on. She soon makes some realisations about herself when he turns the tables on her…. But will it be too late? I enjoyed this, I wasn’t thrilled about the little triangle that went on but the story wouldn’t have been possible without it. I liked the change it brought about in McKenzie and how she changed herself because of it. It definitely got my feelings going which for a short story is a really good thing.

S.D. Wasley gives us a little bit of spookiness in Exquisite Torture where a young man is forced to spend summer with his Gran, helping her around the farm. He is soon joined by the mysterious Connie who he is attracted to and spends all of his time with. Connie might have some hidden skeletons in her closet and Ryan really wants to uncover those. Again, this was a cool story giving us a bit of mystery with a paranormal feel to this romance. I enjoyed it because it was different, it delved into the towns history and tragic past and it also showed us that we can survive without our internet! Ryan and Connie were really sweet together and the ending was a great little twist.

Forbidden by Melissa Frost gives us forbidden love when a boy with the wrong kind of reputation and a girl whose family appearances are everything come together in a connection that defies the rules. Olivia is from a well to do family, Gavin is the new guy with a bad reputation. Olivia delves past the reputation to find the boy underneath and realises that no one knows the truth, they fall for each other big style but when her mother finds out…. She must give him up – will there ever be any hope for them? So, forbidden love… one of the best kinds to read about and this is a sweet story about that. I liked how Olivia pushed aside her preconceptions and got to know Gavin before forming an opinion of him, it’s very seldom that people are what their reputation states and it is always nice to see the true character. Their connection was natural and the relationship had the added excitement of being forbidden especially when we share stolen moments with them. I hate prejudice and thought the mother was wrong in her judgement, but I was satisfied by the end.

Taking the Plunge by Diana Stager gives us hopeful love where a teen mother is trying to make it on her own with her baby, she takes the baby to swim classes where she is looked down upon by the other mothers but the instructor takes a shine to her and goes all out to win her heart. I really liked this story, I myself was a teen mother and I know how judgemental people can be. I really felt for Jessica when she had to deal with snide comments and such, she felt worthless and had no body to turn to. When Erik started to pay her attention, she didn’t believe he could want her, she was a package deal – but he eventually worms his way in and gives her hope that she can have it all. With a couple of misunderstandings along the way, this story felt real and natural and I applauded Jessica for wanting to wait to take things to the next level.

Boarderline Love by Deanna Dee gives us some heroic love when a young girl nearly drowns and finds love with her rescuer. Dalya gets herself into a sticky situation whilst attempting to surf and is rescued by Mason. Dalya convinces Mason to give her surfing lessons and through these they form a connection, until her older brother interferes. Her brother is forced to re-evaluate his opinion of his sister when he sees her become the rescuer and realises that she can take care of herself more than he ever thought. I enjoyed this story, again it was a really sweet young love and what better way to start than to have someone rescue you? Mason has his own story that ties in to this one which does make you see his efforts in a different light. Dalya is headstrong and it’s clear she needed guidance in the right way and I’m glad her brother saw that she was growing up.

An Ocean of Their Own by Bridie Hall not only gives us romance but also a young lady on the brink of sexual discovery. Sarah was at the ocean with her family, staying there whilst her father was convalescing following a heart attack. She spent her days drawing and after seeing a girl sitting on a cliff, getting inspiration and drawing her…. They eventually meet. Lola is staying along the beach and looks for shells for jewellery making, she and Sarah begin to hang out and as their friendship grows…so does their feelings and they realise that all they need is each other. Sarah wants to tell her family but how can she when her dad is just making progress? I found this story just lovely, it was nice to read of two young womens’ sexuality being awakened and done so effortlessly. It was sweet, tentative and explorative and I was so happy to see that their love brought no bad feelings or prejudice. I enjoyed how both girls spoke of things clicking into place and suddenly realising what they wanted and sharing that passion together.

All in all Summer Crush was an excellent read, it brought some super sweet romantic moments that only young love can bring, given to us in varying scenarios that have that ‘feel good’ vibe to them. I read this all in one sitting and felt good doing it, with a big smile on my face and a good feeling in my heart.

Thank you to Everynight Teen & Sasha Hibbs for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

 

{Review} Black Atonement (Vulcan Legacies #3) by Sasha Hibbs

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: September 26, 2014
Finished Date: October 3rd, 2014

Publishers: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: eARC

Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

The burden of Dave’s girlfriend’s death pushes Brandi, the Seraph of Love, to abduct David Howels in hopes of protecting Dave from his murderous father. Will Brandi be able to show Dave that all in life is not lost in death? Twists and turns abound as Brandi discovers her own shocking revelation—that Dave has been her soul mate all along. 

Separating Dave and herself from their allies on the threshold of the apocalypse, Brandi turns to an old friend for help—a witch—to aid her in her quest to prepare Dave to face his worst fears and her own. Filled with curses, and secrets that threaten to destroy everything, Brandi must find forgiveness from within before she can find love. In the past, healing a broken heart would’ve been easy, but now faced with the task of healing Dave’s broken heart while not exposing her own, Brandi learns why love is truly the greatest gift of all.

The Review: Black Atonement is the third book in the ‘Vulcan Legacies’ series and this time it took on a different feel as we focus on only one pair of characters.
As the title will suggest - someone has to atone for their sins – and I can think of no one better in this this series to find redemption than Brandi our resident b*tch. Throughout the series we have heard all about her exploits, she was responsible for a lot of hurt and to be honest, I don’t know if I thought she could be a good person but low and behold…. We’re about to see it for real. At the end of book 2 there were some major losses for the good guys and non more so than Daves - who lost his soul mate Lucy at the hands of Ragnor, his father. Dave would have died had it not been for Brandi breaking the rules and resurrecting him and by doing that she discovered that she has found her soul mate but Brandi didn’t believe she was worthy of that gift so the focus of this story is that she will make everything right for Dave in the only way she knows how and that is by aiding him in going into the void to snatch his sister back from Ragnor’s clutches and getting revenge for the loss of his soul mate. Before they can do that though, they must train at the hands of the mysterious Abrahim for the perils that await in the void, where they will be forced to face their own worst nightmares.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a change to have the focus only being on the two characters when we would normally have a lot more and I did miss the others especially with Ally’s cliffhanger ending that had all of my attention. I do realise that this book needed to happen though and it goes a long way into changing my opinion of Brandi. In this we see most of her dirty laundry aired and how she really felt about events that stemmed from her actions and it’s definitely an eye opener because Brandi is indeed full of remorse and also as the Seraph of love that she doesn’t really think she is worthy of love. I liked the journey she went on throughout this because it challenged her in a way that I don’t think she has faced before, she needed to redeem herself to become a better person and by gaining her soul mate in Dave, she had reason to try even more than before. I liked that she had her chance at love and that Dave was given a second chance because it was heartbreaking to see what happened to him and when Brandi saved him, it was telling that it would make a massive connection between them – why she felt the need to save him may also be down to fate too.
Most of the story is about Brandi’s inner turmoil and training to get Jessica back which in itself is good but what I love about these books is the action and we get that later on in the story which as always - is awesome. It’s quite a short story but packed with content as Brandi not only atones but trains, falls in love, attends a ball and travels to the gates of hell in a death defying rescue mission where Brandi will really show how far she will go for love. This was a nice instalment to the series but I’m looking forward to having the gang back together again. 

4.5 flowers!

Thank you to Sasha Hibbs for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

A Review for Black Abaddon (The Vulcan Legacies #2) by Sasha Hibbs

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: February 20th, 2014
Finished Date: March 11th, 2014

Publishers: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Source: For Review

Format: eARC
Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Ally Watson struggles to live with the choices she made, the worst of which resulted in her soul mate's death. Michael’s sacrifice to save the girl he loved may have reversed the Apocalypse, but not the permanent damage inflicted by living with his loss. 

Ally begins a journey where she soon discovers that death is not always the end, but sometimes the very beginning. With old friends, she journeys to the Nosferatu Nation where she meets with new alliances willing to help her in her quest to defeat the Devourer. At every turn, Ally unearths secrets that threaten to destroy those she loves. 

The second installment of The Vulcan Legacies series will put Ally to the ultimate test, forcing her to face her fears and the true destiny she will fulfill as Azrael, the Seraph of Death.

The Review: 4.5 Stars!

In Black Abaddon we see Ally quite broken, everyone is dealing with the aftermath of book one in which her soul mate Michael was killed but Ally is struggling because she is now the Angel of Death and failed her test, therefore she failed everyone including Michael. The Devourer is still on the loose and everyone must come together to save the world from the evil that is coming. When Mariah, the Princess of the Nosferatu turns up looking for her brother Marik & long lost brother Michael, a surprising alliance is on the horizon and it looks like Ally will have to unite everyone for the battle to come. It soon becomes clear that whilst everyone is scrambling to build alliances, the Devourer is also building an army and some of our favourites are in for a shock when we find out who he has sided with… be prepared for anything as nothing and no one is safe!
As I mentioned above, Ally is a sad figure in this, she seems to have lost hope as she struggles with guilt, grief and the knowledge that everyone around her is at risk. Her powers are evolving and seemingly bestowed from up high but she’s struggling and finding it hard to deal with things. Her feelings are put to the test again but I’m hoping the gutsy, determined fighter will be back soon, we get a glimpse toward the ending but we need more!
This book was very sombre and had a very sad feel because of the ending of book one. The threat is still very palpable & urgent but the beginning very much focussed on the aftermath of book one, it was still filled with a lot of information and all of the characters dealing with their own feelings about what happened though. Things begin to look up as the start of some alliances are forged and the group is pulled together by mystical forces but don’t expect things to get any better, get the tissues ready because there  will be tears and heartbreak which is going to change a LOT of lives. I mentioned in my review of book one that the secondary characters are just as important and their stories are just as interesting, this doesn’t change here because not only is Ally going through turmoil but everyone else is too and there is no let-up in the pain & sacrifice department because everyone will lose something in this but that just makes you route for them all the more, I want them to succeed, I want them to band together, I want them all to find their soul mate and I need them all to get a HEA. Further into the book Ally seems to take charge of herself, making a few realisations and coming to some conclusions which leads the story to take on a run and chase feel as Ally starts to flee from her troubles and it seems like the devourer will never stop hunting her which definitely adds to the excitement of the book and leads to an absolutely amazing ending that really has the wow factor and leaves me desperate for book 3… just brilliant! 

A Review for Black Amaranth by Sasha Hibbs

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: August 16th, 2013
Finished Date: December 26th, 2013

Publishers: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Source: For Review

Format: Kindle
Pages: 216

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Eighteen-year-old Ally Watson arrives home from high school graduation, more than a little annoyed that her Uncle Argyle—Ally’s legal guardian and only surviving relative—didn’t even bother showing up. But instead of berating him for his forgetfulness, Ally finds him in a life-or-death battle with a monster. Argyle manages to kill the creature, and gives Ally a parcel containing a destiny she never knew existed.

Ally, along with her best friends Michael, Jessica, and David, hurry to Georgia to uncover the truth of Uncle Argyle’s secrets, and the meaning of the mysterious marks that Ally bears. Are the marks related to the blacksmith mythology of her ancestors? Who are these heavenly warriors who show up in the oddest of places? And will an ancient gypsy curse destroy the very things Ally fights to save?

Black Amaranth: a simple flower, a symbol with an ancient legacy, a conduit for prophecy…while faith and hope are essential to the journey, Ally soon discovers that love is the most powerful force of all.

The Review: I thought Black Amaranth was a great read & I really enjoyed it. The synopsis tells us everything we need to know as we join 18 year old Ally on her journey of self discovery. Ally was a great character, easy to gel with and really route for. I liked everything about her particularly how she can take everything in her stride, I loved watching her grow as she dealt with the secrets and the things that were thrown at her. I liked the relationships that developed for her, it was sort of a love triangle but wasn’t overly complicated because she was only on the verge of a relationship but happened to have two potential boyfriends. I did feel a connection to her from both sides and would have happily went with either one, although one was slightly more mysterious than the other BUT she has a way to find her true mate… This was also one of those books where the secondary characters are just as important and interesting as the main characters, it was easy to become involved in their drama & relationships and I really hope we get their stories too. The storyline was awesome, quite original and a great introduction to a series that has so much potential. I loved the history of it all, there are a lot of myths from all sides that lead up to current times and a big prophecy which is again told differently by all sides but all equating to the same outcome. We meet a couple of the clans of the supernaturals and they were really interesting particularly the warriors who are to protect Ally, every one of those men need a book of their own and I can’t wait to see them in action. ;) This book is filled to the brim with secrets and a whole lot of them are surrounding Ally which is always great, her heritage has been kept secret from her so she’s about to stumble upon that in a big way and I really liked that, I liked how she finds out things about herself from the past and they brought about some really revealing moments and it doesn’t end there, because as I said ‘brimming with secrets’…. And there are some jaw dropping surprises in store towards the end. I also love the soul mate angle, I’m such a sucker for soul mates, truly, nothing makes me happier and it was done well in this, I like how it’s possible to find out who your true mate is and I like the bonding part too in which the lovers make the ultimate sacrifice for love. To sum it up… Black Amaranth is an awesome story filled with so much potential, it has great characters, tons of secrets, a fair bit of action, a huge helping of romance from more than one source, a nice big prophecy and a battle between good & evil in the ultimate power play and really can’t wait for more.