Review: The Elizas by Sara Shepard

The Elizas by Sara Shepard 

Publisher: Atria Books

Published: April 17th 2018

Format: E-ARC

Pages: 352 pages

Challenges: 2018 Bookish Resolutions

ISBN #: 1501162772

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When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness.

 

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional—isn’t it?

 

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel, until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins...

First off I want to thank the lovely publishing company for letting me be part of this tour. Normally this isn't my kind of read, but I did love Pretty Little Liars so I figured I would love this book too and of course I did. This author has a way of dragging you right into a story and this book did just that. Like directly into the story, so much so that at first I was blown away by what was happening.  At times while reading this book I wasn't sure what was going on, but at the same time I had to know what was going to happen next. 

That's the kind of author Sara Shepard is, one that pulls you in and you don't stop reading till she let's you go, which means the book is over and your still sitting there like what in the world just happened. I need more now! LOL. I can't wait to read the next book by this author and will of course do so as soon as her next one comes out. The twists and turns of both stories that went on in this book, one of course is Elizas and one is a character in the book she's writing are so similar, at some points I wondered if it was happening to Eliza and she was just writing about it. There was just so much to take in, but at the same time, again I wanted more. 

The characters of this story are just jaw dropping and the character development that this author has to have gone through to create these amazing characters is mind blowing. I honestly don't know how she kept up with everything while writing, but I'm so glad she did! This book is a slow burn triller and one that had me questing everything at every minute. It's also one that had me up all night reading it and I couldn't stop till I knew how it was going to end. 

There was only one part that really got on my nerves at first, but then I kind of understood it as well. Her family doesn't believe her at first and that killed me, but I got to think about it for a few minutes and I understood why. Still bothered me a bit though.  When you read the book, let me know in the comments below your thoughts about this..

If your looking for a book that you won't want to put down and one that will draw you in right away, then The Elizas is the perfect book for you, make sure you pick up your copy today!  Seriously the link to Amazon is above! I don't want to give too much away about this one, because you really need to just read it to understand how amazing this one is. If you loved Pretty Little Liars, you will LOVE this book! 

I'm giving The Elizas a Ali's Bookshelf...

Sara Shepard is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series. She has also written other Young Adult series and novels, including The Lying Game, The Heiresses, and The Perfectionists. Sara now lives in Pittsburgh with her family. 

Here at Ali's Bookshelf we accept books in exchange for a honest review. The book above came from the publisher through Netgalley. We also use Amazon Affiliate links at times

 

Review: Dating The It Guy

Dating the It Guy 
by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Publication date: March 21st 2017

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Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating, Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator’s son and well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon’s world and it doesn’t help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren, seems determined to get back into his life, along with every other girl who wants to be the future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when you’re dating the it guy.

First off let me begin this review by saying how excited I was to read this book. I had heard some great things about it before I agreed to be part of the tour and I'm so glad that I did.  Even though this book reminded me how it was to be a teenage girl and how it felt to be insecure, I really enjoyed reading it.

Dating The It Guy wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be going in either, which of course I loved. Sometimes you need to be thrown for a loop as a reader, at least I know I do, I need those twists to keep me interested and this book did just that. I really connected with the main character Emme on so many levels and of course that made me want to continue reading just to know what was going to happen to her and Brendon.

The writing style the author uses in this book is perfection! It shows just how much passion she had for writing this book and telling Emme's story.  The best part about author Krysten Lindsay Hager writing style is that she shows you every angle of the story. You don't just get the one sided story, you get to see everything and I really loved that about Dating the It Guy.  I also really loved the growth that she shows with each character in this book, Emme especially.

This story is full of heartbreak, love and all the other emotions that come with being a teenage girl. Yikes I had forgotten how crazy it was to be that age.  I can't wait to read more from this talented author. Dating the It Guy has becoming easily one of my favorite YA reads of this year. Fair warning there are some points while reading that you will want to cry, so grab some tissues. There is some agnst in this one. 

The rating I'm going to give Dating the It Guy shouldn't come as surprise! 

Here at Ali's Bookshelf we accept books in exchange for a honest review. The book above is just that, I got this one from the blog tour company.  I also use Amazon Affiliate links at times.

Review: One Week With The Marine

Title: One Week With The Marine 

Author: Allison Gatta 

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Brazen)

Series: Love On Location #1

Format: Ebook ARC

Date Published:  July 24th 2017

Date Read: July 16th through 21st

ASIN #: B073P12W2R

Goodreads * Amazon * Author Website

 Best friends with benefits…

Avery Forrester has never been the type to settle down—not to one place, not to one job, and certainly not to one man. Still, when her long-term best friend with benefits comes home on leave with a plan—including marriage and children—she realizes she’ll have to do something drastic in order to keep him. Luckily, drastic is what she does best.

…isn’t enough anymore.

U.S. Marine Holden Morris has never backed down from a challenge. And this time, that challenge is persuading wild child Avery Forrester, the woman he’s loved his entire life, to marry him. He wants the whole deal—a wife, a family. But convincing her to become a military wife won’t be easy. Then again, he knows Avery—in every way possible. Armed with that kind of knowledge—carnal and otherwise--how can he possibly fail?

 One Week With The Marine was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The perfect read while on vacation, well a perfect read period. I loved reading every word and can't wait to read more from this fantastic author.

The writing style of this fantastic author, Allison Gatta, is one that flows easily and makes it really simple to read and makes you want to keep turning each page to see what's about to happen. I love books like that don't you? Books that you just have to keep going to find out what's going to happen next. If so then this book is perfect for you.

Now it's a little steamy and I must say Holden has become one of my new book boyfriends. I swear ladies, you will thank me for recommending this one to you. You know I don't give any spoilers, but let's just put it this way, my favorite scene in this one involves a strangers car, an airport and the Marine!

The characters themselves really had me rooting for them to get together, even though she doesn't want to admit she really cares.  There are times when I really connected with Avery and how she was feeling. She didn't want to get hurt and she knew he was going to have to leave again. That's something I think all of us feel at least a few times in our lives. I love when you can really root for characters to get together. I need more books like this one in my life. I can't wait to read more of this series and more from this author
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There were two characters though that I must confess that I hated! That was his mother and his father. I wanted to jump into the book and shake them a few times. They really got on my nerves, but again it added to the story line and of course I love that about the writing style as well. There's always a villain and I'm pretty sure they fit the word to a tee.

All in all, One Week With The Marine was spectacular and I hope you will feel the same when you take the time to read this one. I know I wasn't disappointed in the least.

I'm going to have to give One Week With The Marine an Ali's Bookshelf...

 Here at Ali's Bookshelf we accept books in exchange for a honest review. The book above is one that I bought for myself. I also use Amazon Affiliate links at times.

Review: Fractures in Ink

Title: Fractures in Ink 

Author: Helena Hunting

Publisher: Everafter Romance

Format: Ebook

Pages: 269 pages

Date Published: November 14th 2016

Date Read: Feb. 3rd through 4th, 2017

Series: Clipped Wings #3

ISBN #:B01KMN3UYW

 Goodreads * Amazon * Author Website  

Sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...

Waitressing at a seedy strip club isn't ideal, but it pays Sarah Adamson's tuition. Her goal is to finish her master's program and get a job that doesn't involve tight skirts and groping hands. She doesn't need distractions. Especially not the one that comes in the form of a hot-as-sin tattoo artist who works across the street from her apartment.

Kicked out at sixteen, and a high school dropout, Chris Zelter is familiar with wanting things he can't have. His fractured life has never been easy. As the product of someone else's bad decisions, he knows exactly what happens when the wrong person controls your marionette strings. Now an accomplished tattoo artist in a renowned studio in Chicago, Chris has it together.

Mostly.

Apart from his infatuation with Sarah. She's way out of his league, and Chris knows it.
But he's willing to be her bad decision. At least for now

 Fractures in Ink, hmm how can I sum up how amazing this book and the whole series really is, I don't know but I'm going to give it a shot. I finished this book in one day! Fractures in Ink's main characters are two of the secondary characters from the first two books and their story was one that as I read the first two I was hoping she would write their story as well.

I was so happy when I realized that this book was Sarah's and Chris's story. To see/read more of their backstories and get to know them more as the main characters was great and I really loved getting to know more about Sarah herself. Getting to read why she chose the job that she did and also getting to know more about the other characters backgrounds in this book as well, really made me love it even more.

There really isn't much more that I can say about the writing style of this book that I haven't already said in other reviews of this series. I loved reading every single word of this book and all the others. I must say the dynamic is so different between Sarah and Chris than it is between Tenley and  Hayden. Which grabbed my attention right away, amongst so many other things about this book. 

If you haven't read any of author Helena Hunting's books, it's a must. Especially if you enjoy something different and books that showcase two people that have crazy pasts but connect with each other.

I'm giving Fractures in Ink an Ali's Bookshelf...

Here at Ali's Bookshelf we accept books in exchange for a honest review. The book above is one that I bought for myself. I also use Amazon Affiliate links at times.

Review: Inked Armor

Title: Inked Armor 

Author: Helena Hunting

Publisher: Gallery Books

Format: Ebook

Pages: 368 Pages

Date Published: May 13th 2014

Date Read: Jan. 18th through Jan. 25th

ISBN #: 1476764301

Goodreads * Author Website * Amazon

 In this follow-up to Clipped Wings, the emotional love story continues between Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

In the wake of losing Tenley Page, tattooist Hayden Stryker's tumultuous past is haunting him. Plagued by nightmares about the murder of his parents, Hayden reaches out again to Tenley. Having run from the man she doesn't believe she deserves, Tenley finally lays her guilt to rest. Despite their intense physical attraction, Hayden and Tenley struggle to repair their fragile emotional connection. As Hayden gets closer to the truth, he must find a way to reconcile his guilt over his parents' death in order to keep the woman who finally cracked his armor, and found her way into his heart.

Inked Armor is the second book in the Clipped Wings series and just like the first book I loved reading this one. It's actually the conclusion to the duo. Though there is another book in the series. Which I'll be reviewing later on this week.

The plot of this story and characters were both a large part of why I loved this story so much. The characters are so easy to root for and you just want them to finally work things out. You get to see more of Tenley's past in this book and I really enjoyed that part. Yes there is a bad guy and one that I wanted to punch in his face a few times, but that just made this book even better than the first.

The writing style that author Helena Hunting writes in is perfection. A fast and easy read that will have you laughing and crying all the way through. Best thing about this book is that I didn't want it to end. I want more of this cast of characters!  Really enjoyed the dynamic between all the friends and family throughout this whole series. Everyone is so different with crazy pasts and that just draws you in even more as a reader. Again I really connected with Tenley in this book, just as much, if not more than I did in the first. Her past is crazy and full of so much sorrow, but I'm so happy with what happened in this book to get her through it. She's so much stronger than she thought in the beginning.

All in all Inked Armor is a great book for someone who loved the first book in the series. It's not like most second book in a series, this one could carry it's own weight and did an amazing job doing so. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future and I know each book of her's will be amazing!

For Inked Armor I'm going to give it an Ali's Bookshelf...

 

Here at Ali's Bookshelf we accept books in exchange for a honest review. The book above was one that I bought for myself. I also use Amazon Affiliate links at times.