"Destroyed" By: Pepper Winters

Destroyed

By: Pepper Winters

Synopsis

She has a secret.
I’m complicated. Not broken or ruined or running from a past I can’t face. Just complicated.
I thought my life couldn’t get any more tangled in deceit and confusion. But I hadn’t met him. I hadn't realized how far I could fall or what I'd do to get free.
He has a secret.
I’ve never pretended to be good or deserving. I chase who I want, do what I want, act how I want.
I didn’t have time to lust after a woman I had no right to lust after. I told myself to shut up and stay hidden. But then she tried to run. I’d tasted what she could offer me and damned if I would let her go.
One secret destroys them.

My Thoughts

    Hazel meets Fox for the first time in an underground fighting club. Instantly attracted to one another, she is appalled but intrigued when Fox offers her thousands of dollars for just one month of her presence. They each have secrets and dark spaces in their lives, yet these two people find what’s missing in one another.

     Fox has survived horrific abuse from his childhood. Taken from his home and forced to perform horrific acts, he has escaped and now runs this illegal fighting club. When he meets Hazel, he’s attracted to her pureness. Yet, Hazel needs more from Fox than his presence...she needs money for her terminally ill daughter. Forced to take Fox up on his offer, they each keep secrets from one another while attempting to heal the other.

    Extremely complex with complicated characters, Winters has built a dark world unlike anything I have read before. Filled with secrets and dark passions, Hazel and Fox are unable to find salvation by themselves so they turn to one another. I finished their journey but at certain points I felt that the drama was stretched out a little more than it needed to be. The pacing seemed off in places so it wasn’t a smooth read but overall the story was solid, sad, and heartwrenching. There may have been tears in a few places.

   This is the first Pepper Winters book I have ever read. While I read it to the end and honestly enjoyed it, I must say it was quite dark. Each of the characters fights demons, both outwardly and inward. Now I’m not saying I wasn’t warned it would be dark, but it was a bit shocking to me once I had finished how dark the story actually had gotten. I’m not saying its bad, I’m just saying that I should have prepared myself a bit better.

Book Details

Publisher: Self-Published

# of Pages: 408

ISBN: 2940149218271

Date of Publication: March 7, 2014

Location: Australia

"Out of the Dust" By: Karen Hesse Review

Out of the Dust

By: Karen Hesse

Synopsis

When Billie Jo is just fourteen she must endure heart-wrenching ordeals that no child should have to face. The quiet strength she displays while dealing with unspeakable loss is as surprising as it is inspiring.

Written in free verse, this award-winning story is set in the heart of the Great Depression. It chronicles Oklahoma's staggering dust storms, and the environmental--and emotional--turmoil they leave in their path. An unforgettable tribute to hope and inner strength.

My Thoughts

     Incredibly gritty and heartbreaking, Out of the Dust tells the story of a teenager living during the dustbowl in western America. Rain hasn’t come for quite some time, the crops are dying, the animals are suffering and the people are struggling just to survive. Billie Jo, our main character, sees everyone barely getting by and in the beginning, worries only about herself. Wanting to hang out with her friends, play her piano, and just go to school, Billie sees her parents falling farther into despair. Her life takes a devastating turn, when she accidentally hurts her mother, resulting in her death days later.

         Now alone with her father, Billie Jo faces growing up by herself and dealing with the guilt of having a hand in her mother’s death. The days flow together in an endless cycle of dust storms and hopelessness. The crops won’t grow, the rain won’t come, and everyone seems to just be getting more desperate. Hesse absolutely brings out the emotion in this novel and in the end, a happy future isn’t assured. At the finish of the novel, Billie accepts that life is hard and sees hope as the rains come. Sad, melancholy, and heart wrenching in parts, the lives of Billie and her family are not happy and they struggle for everything they have or hope to be. An incredible resource for the era with great historical details, Out of the Dust shares what life could have been like for the lower class of America during the dust bowl and during F.D.R.’s presidency

Book Details

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

# of Pages: 256

Date of Publication: June 1, 2005

ISBN: 9780439771276

Location: Oklahoma

"Looking for Alaska" By: John Green Review

Looking for Alaska

By: John Green

Synopsis

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
After. Nothing is ever the same. 

My Thoughts
     Miles "Pudge" Halter's entire life is separated into two sections, before and after. The before time equals his life before meeting Alaska Young and attending Culver Creek Boarding School. Before the terrifying and heartbreaking event that took Alaska from school and from Pudge's life. The after is coming to terms with life, death, and how normal teens deal with absolute loss. Pudge and his friends try to find meaning in something that may never have meaning.
     I enjoyed Looking for Alaska but I think if I had read it before reading The Fault in Our Stars, I would have enjoyed it more. Dealing with a possible suicide is always heart wrenching and Green talks in no nonsense terms about life, death and what comes after. The teens are nowhere near perfect and their actions after Alaska's unfortunate death show how imperfect life and death truly is.
     Perhaps my favorite part of the book is Pudge's fascination of famous people's last words. The juxtaposition of a dying person's last moments and their life here on Earth worked well for the story and gave extra meaning to Alaska's life and subsequent death. Well written and definitely a page turner, Looking for Alaska will appeal to readers of The Fault in Our Stars quite well and to teens as a general audience.

Book Details

Publisher: Speak

Date of Publication: December 28, 2006

ISBN: 9780142402511

# of pages: 256

Location: Alabama

"The Wintergirls" By: Laurie Halse Anderson Review

The Wintergirls

By: Laurie Halse Anderson

Synopsis

“Dead girl walking”, the boys say in the halls.“Tell us your secret”, the girls whisper, one toilet to another.I am that girl.I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.
Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

My Thoughts

            Lia begins Wintergirls by hearing the terrible news that her former best friend has died, alone, in a hotel. What follows is a whirlwind of emotions as Lia wonders what she could have done to help her dead friend while spiraling downward into her own bout with anorexia and mental illness. Lia presents her story in the first person, often crossing out thoughts she wishes she wasn’t having with thoughts she thinks everyone wants her to have. To add to this difficult situation, Lia’s parents seem disinterested in her issues and more absorbed in their own careers than their daughter’s problems.

            Incredibly heart wrenching and an emotionally moving story, Wintergirls takes us into the mind of a teenage girl in the midst of her own mental breakdown. Having a break in reality and seeing her dead friend every night before she sleeps, Lia’s mind plays tricks with her emotions and without much support from either her family or her friends, she continues to spiral downward. I was touched by how ingenious Lia was in hiding her anorexia from her parents (pennies in the pocket of her robe to weigh more), and appalled at how little her parents seemed to want to address her issues until it was too late. 

Book Details

Publisher: Viking

Date of Publication: March 19, 2009

# of Pages: 278

ISBN: 9780670011100

Location: New Hampshire

"Brown Girl Dreaming" By: Jacqueline Woodson Review

Brown Girl Dreaming

By: Jacqueline Woodson

Synopsis

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

My Thoughts

      Telling the story of Jacqueline Woodson’s childhood, beginning in Ohio, then living in the South in the middle of the Civil Rights movement and ultimately ending up in New York City, the city of dreams and light. Beautifully told in verse, Woodson’s story shares their triumphs of life and love of family. It’s really a love letter to her family, whether it be good or bad, and a snapshot of her childhood life.

            Woodson doesn’t hold any punches in her writings. She discusses without sugarcoating her religious upbringing in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, her absentee father, her unwed mother and the surprise of a younger half white sibling and what his arrival meant to her family. Jackie’s time in the South is marked by sit-ins, black’s only restrooms, and the trying times her family endures when fighting for their own rights in this controversial period of American history.

            Gorgeously written, Woodson’s story speaks to the human experience. Covering such taboo topics as religion, race, poverty, education, incarceration, death, sickness, unplanned pregnancies, learning disabilities, absentee parents and growing up. This story is so much more than a coming of age novel, it’s a historical document testifying to our past and giving us hope for our future.

Book Details

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Date of Publication: August 28, 2014

ISBN: 9780399252518

# of Pages: 336

Location: South Carolina

"Mayhem" By: Jamie Shaw Review

Mayhem

By: Jamie Shaw

Synopsis

When college freshman Rowan Michaels meets gorgeous, up-and-coming rock star Adam Everest, she knows a player like him is the last thing she needs after her ex-boyfriend shattered her heart. But she can't stop thinking about the kiss they shared on his tour bus.

On the first day of school, Rowan is stunned when Adam saunters into her French class. He's soon failing miserably, and, on a whim, she offers to tutor him. But Adam doesn't recognize her as a makeup-free, glasses-clad college student—a far cry from the beautiful, mysterious "Peach" he met at his concert.

During a wild weekend on tour with the band, Rowan can't help falling for the sweet guy buried beneath Adam's rocker persona. Yet she knows she could never compete with the girls constantly throwing themselves at his feet. She'd just end up hurt … again.

Peach is all Adam thinks about, though, and when Rowan realizes this, she has a decision to make: stay just friends to protect her fragile heart … or reveal the truth about the night they met and admit she's fallen completely, hopelessly in love with him.

My Thoughts

   Rowan is a freshman in college living the dream. She’s living with her boyfriend who she thinks she loves. Yet one night her dreams for the future are dashed when she sees him with with another woman. That very same evening, she meets Adam Everest, local college student and rock star extraordinaire. While dealing with the heartbreak of her first love, she looks to Adam. Hijinks ensue as there are mistaken identities, rock band parties, late night/early morning study sessions and some super sexy times.

    This is going to get a bit confusing, so pay close attention.  I started out strongly disliking it, and ended up freaking loving this book. The first ⅓ of the book, I absolutely couldn’t get my mind around. I began reading it and I didn’t like the characters one bit. Rowan seemed needy and Adam was just a huge dirt bag. But once I got through my initial dislike of them, I truly saw Rowan and Adam for what they were. These two twenty something people, looking at the world in a different way and just trying to find their way through life when they are confused. Ultimately these two are just trying their best and I had initially met them at their worst.

     Adam is fantastic. I think I’m glad that I didn’t like him in the beginning because he became redeemed as you meet him through the story. He’s this partier who goes through women like socks. Yet he knows that Rowan is different. First of all, she’s the only woman who has ever turned down his advances. She doesn’t seem super impressed by his rock star status. Rowan likes his friends and they like her. Dealing with the heartbreak of her boyfriend cheating and then fighting loneliness in a city by herself, Rowan and Adam find friendship first, then a fantastic relationship. Adam is the true definition of a reformed rake and I wish I was lucky enough to have found him when I was going to college!

     A little hard for me to get into to begin with, I am thrilled I was lucky enough to read Jamie Shaw’s newest book. She plans to continue this series with the other band members. I’ve been stalking her like a crazy person. Her followup to Mayhem is titled Riot and will explore the story of Adam’s bandmate Joel and Rowan’s friend Dee. Filled with fun sexy times and a great voice in the New Adult genre, Jamie Shaw is a rising star! I wouldn’t mind being one of Adam’s socks...just sayin’!

Book Details

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Date of Publication: January 20, 2015

# of Pages: 258

ISBN: 9780062379610

Location: Virginia

"The Game Plan" By: RL Mathewson Review

The Game Plan

By: R.L. Mathewson

Synopsis

Spend the next 40 years in prison or break her lease early?
Normally she’d be able to say that this one was a no-brainer, but things have definitely changed since she was forced to move in across the hall from Danny Bradford.
A lot of things……
She wanted to get through one day, just ONE day without Danny Bradford doing something to test the limits to her control, but with that damn smile of his and his habit of leaving her contemplating manslaughter, she didn’t see that happening anytime soon.
He loved his family, but some days…….
It was too much, but that was okay, because his small neighbor living across the hallway provided him with endless hours of entertainment. Not on purpose of course, but did it really matter as long she made him smile?

My Thoughts

    Hilarious, fun, and quirky are the three words I can’t get out my head when reflecting on The Game Plan. A sequel to a few of my other favorite Mathewson novels, The Game Plan continues the Neighbor from Hell series. I had been eagerly anticipating Danny and Jodi’s story and boy, was I not disappointed in the least!

     Jodi is coming off a breakup from a truly terrible character. She moved into a new apartment building in an attempt to rebuild her life and career. Things seem to be going fine yet her neighbor, Danny Bradford begins to make her life an absolute living hell. Keeping her up at all hours of the night, stealing her food, and being rather obnoxious, Danny loves making Jodi’s life a little more difficult.

    Danny has had a hard time of it lately. Recovering from a wound he received while a marine, Danny is intrigued by the small spitfire that lives across the hall from him. When he discovers that she is more than she appears, he finds himself even being more vexing than usual.

      Incerdibly funny and cute, I thought this latest addition seemed to fit in well with the others. My favorite characters in previous novels showed up and I was tickled for a brief glimpse into their lives. Danny is heroic, funny, and is absolutely every inch a Bradford and has that special charm. It is a little over the top in parts, but I think those pieces just add to the total fun of the novel. A great story that has the perfect amount of romance, humor, and sexy times, The Game Plan is Mathewson’s crowning achievement of 2014!

Neighbor from Hell Series

Playing for Keeps

Perfection

Checkmate

Truce

The Game Plan

Book Details

Publisher: Rerum Industries, Inc.

Date of Publication: December 27, 2014

ASIN: B00R3TEWXM

# of Pages: 332

"One Night...Nine Month Scandal" By: Sarah Morgan Review

One Night...Nine Month Scandal

By: Sarah Morgan

Synopsis

A sleek Ferrari in the sleepy English village of Little Molting was always going to create a stir—but for schoolteacher Kelly it only means one thing. Her ex, Alekos Zagorakis, has stormed back into her life the way he left it: completely on his own terms.
Four years ago Kelly stood, bridal bouquet in hand, realizing that her gorgeous groom wasn't walking down the aisle to meet her. Now he's come back to claim what's rightfully his—and that includes one night with Kelly….
But it's a night that has lasting consequences!

My Thoughts

    Kelly was left at the altar by the love of her life, Alekos years before. Having thought she moved on, she decides to sell her engagement ring on eBay. Imagine her surprise when Alekos shows up ready to claim the ring...and her! Only a few months after their initial meeting again, Kelly finds out she’s pregnant and reaches out to Alekos.

    This is my first Sarah Morgan book and it will likely be my last.  I know that sounds incredibly negative and I honestly don't mean for it to be. I just felt a huge disconnect between myself and the characters.  Kelly seemed like such a pushover and not realistic at all. Would she really be wearing around a ring of the man who left her years and years before? Would you she immediately sleep with him when she saw him for the first time...in years after everything he put her through? Again, I just had a hard time connecting with the character and her motivations behind her actions. I didn’t care for Alekos AT ALL...he seemed arrogant, self centered, and just blase about the whole situation. I wanted a little redemption after what he had done, but I never got what I wanted.

    

Book Details

Publisher: Mills & Boon

Date of Publication: July 16, 2010

# of Pages: 192

ISBN: 9780263878257

Location: Greece

"I Do!" By: Rachel Gibson Review

I Do!

By: Rachel Gibson

Synopsis

In New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson's newest novella, Vince Haven and Sadie Hollowell are headed to the altar, and all their friends are headed to Lovett, Texas, to join them for the party of the year.

But Becca Ramsey doesn't have time for all that. Fresh out of beauty school, Becca's all business … and the last thing she needs is bad boy Nate Parrish anywhere in her life.

In the past, Nate was trouble. He's been trying to repair his reputation—heck, he's even got just one girlfriend. The problem is, she isn't Becca. Now Nate's in a whole lot of hot water. He needs to get Becca from "I won't" to "I do" … but how can he do that when she won't even say "I might"?

My Thoughts

     Becca Ramsey is the local hairdresser in Lovett, Texas. She’s ready to handle the Sadie Hollowell’s hair for her big day, but before she can, Becca has to deal with Nate Parrish. Nate is the town’s mechanic, ultimate bad boy, and falls immediately for the slightly wild Becca.

     I am a huge fan of Gibson’s work and this novella is no different. Fun, quirky, and fast paced, Gibson’s voice shines through. Offering quick glimpses of our favorite characters from previous Lovett, Texas novels, the main portion of the romance centers around Becca and Nate. Will they, won’t they?

     Cute and a fun read, I enjoyed reading about past favorites and meeting both of these new characters. A great addition to the series offering a great look at what comes next, I enjoyed I Do! immensely and am eagerly anticipating Gibson’s next book!

Book Details

Date of Publication: January 20, 2015

ISBN: 9780062247513

Publisher: Avon Impulse

# of Pages: 150

Location: Texas

Other Gibson Reviews...

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Crazy On You

2015 Where Are You Reading?

2015 Where Are You Reading Challenge?

Hosted by Book Journey

1. I Do! By: Rachel Gibson - Texas
2. One Night...Nine Month Scandal By: Sarah Morgan - Greece
3. Four Nights with the Duke By: Eloisa James - London, UK
4. Mayhem By: Jamie Shaw - Virginia
5. Brown Girl Dreaming By: Jacqueline Woodson - South Carolina
6. Wintergirls By: Laurie Halse Anderson - New Hampshire
7. Looking for Alaska By: John Green - Alabama
8. Out of the Dust By: Karen Hesse - Oklahoma
9. Destroyed By: Pepper Winters - Australia
10. Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant By: Roz Chast - New York
11. Slow Burn By: Autumn Jones Lake - New York
12. Corrupting Cinderella By: Autumn Jones Lake - New York
13. Four Nights with the Duke By: Eloisa James - London, England