Adult Review: Mogul by Joanna Shupe

Mogul by Joanna Shupe
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Publisher: Zebra
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Author/Netgalley (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
The privileged members of the Knickerbocker Club can never climb too high up the social ladder. But for one charming New York bachelor, does the ascent take precedence over love in the Gilded Age?

As owner of a well-respected national newspaper, Calvin Cabot has the means to indulge his capricious taste for excess—and the power to bring the upper crust of society to its knees. So when a desperate heiress from his past begs for his help, Calvin agrees...as long as she promises to stay out of his way. Except, like the newsman, this willful beauty always gets what she wants...

Lillian Davies lives a life brimming with boundless parties, impressive yachts, and exotic getaways. But when her brother disappears, Lily knows that blood runs thicker than champagne and she'll spare nothing to bring him back alive. Unfortunately, the only man who can help her is the one she never wanted to see again. Can Lily keep Calvin at arm's length long enough to save her brother and protect her name...even when the tenacious powerbroker turns out to be absolutely irresistible?

Review:
Calvin and Lily fell in love quickly and completely when they were young and eloped. But when Lily's father threatens Calvin with cutting Lily off and revealing Calvin's secret (which isn't his secret to reveal), Calvin knows he has to let Lily go. Lily's not so forgiving, though, especially when her father tells her that Calvin took his offer for money. Her love quickly turns to hate and she never wants to see him again. But years later when Lily's brother goes missing and she receives a threatening note with her brother's and Calvin's names in it, she must ask Calvin for help before it's too late. Calvin always thought he did the right thing with Lily, and even though he still thinks about her every day and yearns to go back in time to change his decision, he knows he wouldn't because he has to protect his best friend. Calvin's reluctant to help Lily but when he finds out the Chinese man he's been investigating for the newspaper is behind the letter, he knows he's their best bet at getting the information they need. Will Calvin and Lily be able to find her brother without risking their own lives and hearts?

Mogul is both a second chance and an enemies to lovers romance since Calvin and Lily were once young lovers (and married) yet because of misunderstandings they grew to hate each other. But as all of us know, there's a very fine line between hate and love, and the chemistry between Calvin and Lily from the first page is evidence of this. Lily isn't too unique of a heroine—she's rich and lives her life lavishly (but she never comes across as snobbish) and puts her family above everything else. She doesn't really stand out from other historical romance heroines, especially because she's also seeing a man she doesn't have feelings for yet everyone expects her to marry him, a man that's in her social class unlike Calvin. At times it bothered me that Lily didn't have a backbone when it came to her father or her beau, but I also thought Lily had redeeming qualities as well including her love for her brother. Calvin, on the other hand, is more ruthless. He has a typical rags to riches story—he wasn't wealthy when Calvin and Lily got married, but he now owns several newspaper presses. Calvin and Lily together were perfect. I loved that it was love at first sight but because they were young when they fell in love, it didn't end up working out, but they still manage to find each other again. And while I typically like second chance romance stories, one thing I disliked about Mogul was that there were too many minor misunderstandings between Calvin and Lily and at times it felt like the author just continued to throw in more misunderstandings to strengthen the conflict, which became frustrating.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Mogul by Joanna Shupe to readers looking for a historical romance with a second chance and enemies to lovers romance.

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YA Review: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
Seventeen-year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, a legendary bounty hunter—that is, until her father is murdered. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen Mackay, her father's former apprentice. The only friend she's ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart.

She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a force to be reckoned with. 

Review:
In a divided kingdom at war, Britta's father, a famous bounty hunter, taught her everything he knew alongside Cohen MacKay, his apprentice. Working with each other, Britta and Cohen soon became close friends until Britta began developing feelings for him. Even after Cohen moved to the kingdom to work as a bounty hunter, Britta believed that he would come back to her like he promised. But after her father is murdered and there's no sign of Cohen, Britta begins to lose hope. She's alone and starving, and when she's caught illegally poaching in the king's land, she assumes she'll be killed. But to Britta's surprise, the king doesn't want to kill her because he knows of her tracking skills and wants her to find Cohen, who he believes killed her father. This comes to a surprise to Britta because she thought she knew Cohen, but when all the facts point toward a guilty Cohen she makes it her mission to find her father's murderer. Unfortunately the facts aren't always what they seem and Britta's journey turns into a mission to not only find her father's murderer, but also answers about herself.

I added Ever the Hunted to my Amazon wishlist as soon as I read the summary because it sounded similar to The Hunger Games, and since I loved The Hunger Games I knew I had to pick this one up. As soon as I sat down to read Ever the Hunted I was pulled into Britta's world. The book itself is sort of a medieval urban fantasy and features characters with supernatural abilities. And much of the story takes place in the forest, which is one of my favorite settings because it allows the characters to show off their intelligence and skills. Britta is a great character and the author used the forest in order to play up her strong characteristics. She also comes across as relatable since she isn't perfect or completely confident with herself.

And even though I enjoyed Britta as a character, the romance between Britta and Cohen was probably my favorite thing about the book. The story begins with Britta poaching in the woods because she's starving and left with few other options. At this point her father was already murdered and Cohen has already been gone for months. So the resentment and disappointment that Britta feels toward Cohen is definitely there, and it grows even more when the king tells her Cohen was the one who murdered her father. And even though Britta views Cohen more as a villain at this point in the novel, there was still definite chemistry between them. And it was the best type of chemistry as well. Britta doesn't know where she stands with Cohen and vice versa. And because their relationship is so strained, it takes Britta much of the novel to figure out her feelings. Cohen is also purposely kept in a mysterious light throughout the novel, which made his character and the relationship more interesting.

While I loved many things about Ever the Hunted, one thing I couldn't get past was the fact that it was too similar to The Hunger Games. Britta reminded me of Katniss and the plots of both novels were often similar since they both revolved around the corrupt society that the heroines lived in and them trying to survive in such a society. While I would have liked to see this novel stand on it's own, I wasn't able to completely separate it from The Hunger Games because of these similarities. But even with that being said, I did genuinely enjoy Ever the Hunted until the last page and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series (especially after the book ended on a cliffhanger).

Overall, I would definitely recommend Ever the Hunted to any fans of The Hunger Games or to any readers who are fans of young adult novels that take place in the forest and feature love/hate (enemies to lovers) relationships.

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Adult Review: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased

Summary (from Amazon):
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can't understand Joshua's joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy's overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job...But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn't hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn't hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Review:
During Lucy's first day in the office Joshua refuses to smile at her, which instantly begins a rivalry. From the beginning they can't stand each other with their constant bickering and harassment. And now that they're up for the same promotion, their rivalry is kicked up a notch. Lucy can't let Joshua win the promotion because it's her dream job at the publishing company she loves working for. But one day in an elevator changes everything and they begin to rethink their feelings for each other. Lucy is beginning to see Joshua in a new light, a light that might mess up her chances at a promotion if she keeps thinking about Josh in a romantic way. Can their hating game turn into something else...like love?

I absolutely adored this book. From the first page the author caught my attention with her witty writing and interesting characters. Lucy is a great heroine. She's witty, charming, quick and very relatable with her clumsiness and mistakes. And Joshua is the perfect hero. He's masculine, hot, and is very serious and determined. Their relationship together was perfect from the beginning (even though they didn't like each other) and I couldn't put the book down because I had to find out if their rivalry would grow into something more. I love reading novels that feature a love/hate (enemies to lovers) romance, and The Hating Game delivered. I could sense the sparks from the first page and it was interesting to watch Lucy try and sort out her feelings for Josh while also trying to stay focused for the potential promotion. The Hating Game is romantic. It's funny. It's perfect.

I would definitely recommend The Hating Game to anyone looking for a witty, well-written novel that features a love/hate relationship.

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YA Review: Forget Me Always by Sara Wolf

Forget Me Always by Sara Wolf
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Savage Delight, this fully revised and updated edition is full of hilarity, drama, and heartbreak.

It's been three years, twenty-five weeks, and five days since Isis Blake fell in love, and if she has it her way, it'll stretch into infinity. Since then, she's punched Jack Hunter—her nemesis-turned-maybe-something-more—in the face, survived a brutal attack by her mom's abusive ex thanks to Jack's heroics, and then promptly forgotten all about him.

The one bright spot for Isis is Sophia, the ephemeral girl who shares Isis's hospital stay as well as a murky past with Jack. But as Isis's memories return, she finds it harder and harder to resist what she felt for Jack, and Jack finds it impossible to stay away from the only girl who's ever melted the ice around his heart.

As the dark secrets surrounding Sophia emerge, Isis realizes Jack isn't who she thought he was. He's dangerous. But when Isis starts receiving terrifying emails from an anonymous source, that danger might be the only thing protecting her from something far more threatening.

Her past. 

Review:
After Isis is attacked by her mother's abusive ex-boyfriend, she has to stay in the hospital to recover both physically and mentally. Her friend Sophia, who has been in the hospital for years, helps to pass the time but with all the therapy sessions, Isis can't help but wonder who Jack really is to her. After the accident Isis lost her memory of Jack completely, but Sophia seems to have a connection to Jack, too. Jack and Sophia are both keeping secrets from Isis and Isis can't help but dig into their pasts to uncover secrets that might devastate all three of them. Can Isis move past her memory loss and give Jack another chance or is there just too much history to start over?

This is the sequel to Sara Wolf's Love Me Never and the story begins with Isis in the hospital, trying to recuperate after her head trauma. Jack used to date Sophia, who Isis has a strong friendship with now that she's been in the hospital for so long. Sophia also suffers from medical problems because her mom used drugs when she was still in the womb. Sophia knows she won't live long but both Isis and Jack refuse to believe that and will do whatever it takes to get her better. From the beginning of Forget Me Always, the story is bittersweet. Sweet that Sophia and Isis find companionship in each other, but bitter because of Isis's memory loss and the fact that Jack is still troubled and trying to get rid of his guilt by taking care of Sophia. The relationship between Isis and Jack is more complicated now that Sophia's in the picture because Sophia still loves Jack while Jack it trying to move on with Isis. There's just too much complication for a happy ending, which was disappointing but also realistic. I love Sara Wolf's raw writing and her realistic characters. This book does leave off with a cliffhanger but the third and final book will be published in the beginning of 2017.

Overall, I would recommend Forget Me Always but I also recommend you read the first book in the series, Love Me Never, first.

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YA Review: Love Me Never by Sara Wolf

Love Me Never by Sara Wolf
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Lovely Vicious, this fully revised and updated edition is full of romance, intrigue, and laugh-out-loud moments.

Don't love your enemy. Declare war on him.

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn't fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she's lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to Buttcrack-of-Nowhere, Ohio, to help her mom escape a bad relationship.

All the girls in her new school want one thing—Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter's never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he's never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack's met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy.
The game board: East Summit High.
The reward: Something neither of them expected.

Review:
Isis Blake fell in love with the wrong guy, who used her insecurities against her. She was told she was ugly and fat and that no one would ever love her. After Isis loses weight and moves, she finally feels she can start over. But then at a party she watches as Jack makes a girl cry and it reminds Isis of the time she let a boy do the same to her. So she punches him and spreads a rumor about him, because it's what he deserves. Jack is empty inside. He doesn't feel anything and is angry at the world and sick of girls declaring their love for him. And then Isis punches him in the face and declares a war. Pretty soon they're trying to one up each other but their battle of wills turns into something more. Can Isis put her past behind her and move forward and can Jack admit he has feelings, or is it too late for both of them?

Although this novel takes place in high school, the prose reads much older and the problems that the characters face throughout the novel make the book feel more mature. While there isn't any explicit sex scenes or violence, there are other darker themes throughout the novel that would make it a better read for older teens or even adults. I was pleasantly surprised by Love Me Never and I know I'll have to read the rest of the series (there are three total) to see where Isis and Jack end up. Isis is a great heroine. She's snarky and doesn't let anyone walk over her, but she also has insecurities that she's trying to work through. She's not perfect, which makes her relatable. Jack on the other hand is cold and harsh and at times very mean to Isis. He has a hard time feeling anything because of his past and the fact that Isis makes him feel things angers him, so he takes it out on her. I loved the relationship because it felt so real. It wasn't even close to perfect but it was raw and powerful, and something I won't be able to forget about anytime soon.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Love Me Never to anyone looking for a young adult novel with an enemies to lovers storyline. But if you aren't in the mood for a depressing or raw read, I would recommend staying away from this one.

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