Lost in Us by Layla Hagen
Release Date: February 14, 2014
Pagecount: 316
Series: Lost #1
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Buy It: Amazon | B&N
Description from Goodreads:
Serena has learned to
live with her past, locking her secrets and nightmares deep inside her.
But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s
catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in
mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal
with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound . .
.
The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking.
Electrifying.
And best not repeated.
James
is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a
fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely,
and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes
opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes
opposites are perfect for each other.
James is everything her
damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of
this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But
as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a
past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that
has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the
power to shatter her.
Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.
A lot of New Adult contemporaries are cut from something of the same cloth. They have the girl who is just going about her regular ol' life, and then BAM. Mr. Love Interest pops up. They meet, they banter, they fall in love, they fight, they make up, they CANNOT BE TOGETHER! And then they get together and everything's fine, okay. And I know I'm simplifying this a bunch, and I sound kind of meh about it, but I DO enjoy these books. I do tend to need to be in the mood for these books, but I swoon right along with the best of them when reading these stories. I want that couple to get together just like everyone else, and I have fun watching it all fall into place for those two characters.
But this book...this book is pretty much the same ol' same ol'. But it just didn't work for me. I somewhat liked the book in the beginning, because I thought the two main characters would be all romantic and sweet and get together and it'd be that way for a good portion of the book, and I'd LOVE IT. But nope. And the characters weren't exactly people I was a fan of, either. The whole novel got on my nerves way too much.
The MC, Serena, didn't really work for me AT ALL. She tried my patience so many times, and her good qualities (like her confidence and general intelligence) were not enough to counter this. For a majority of the book, I was either bored with Serena or I was irritated with her. She narrated the whole book, and she was so wishy-washy about things that she should have been quite sure about.
Normally, the love interest would make up for the MC if she was annoying me. He'd be sweet and awesome and I'd fall in love. Or he'd bring out the best in her, and I'd be cool with her. JAMES, however, got on my nerves just as much as Serena. It is a well known fact that I am the most jealous person ever. James messed with that way too much. With that one chick (was it Sophie or something? I can't remember her name) and then teasing with that other chick. I know I was supposed to feel for him and whatever, but all I wanted to do was run off and find a better love interest. I wanted a new one. I actually have a nice, hefty list of NA book boys I wish could have taken James' place. Ahhhh.
The relationship between James and Serena was too up and down. I couldn't deal with it. It made me too mad. They'd get together and I'd think that they were FINALLY in for the long haul, and then something would come up again to mess with that. And they'd break up. And not be talking. And tease each other. But they were both still extremely jealous. It was obvious to everyone that they both were still hung up on each other the whole time, which made everything even more frustrating. I was reading this book and trying to convince these characters to just STAY together. Or don't. Just pick one, because they way it was going was making me want to throw things. UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGH.
There were parts I enjoyed, however. I liked their relationship in the very beginning, before James made me not like him by doing you-know-what with you-know-who (or maybe you don't--goodness knows I don't remember her name). They did have some cute moments before they started the on-again-off-again thing. I also enjoyed James' character once he decided he was IN the relationship. It didn't bother me much that he couldn't say certain words, because actions speak louder sometimes. I trusted that he'd get there in his own time, and he didn't need Serena's pushing and ultimatums (and that's another aspect of that girl that made me want to hit her). I was also happy with the ending.
Overall, this book did not work for me. It made me angry, and the love interest never completely won me over. I ended up liking him well enough, SORT OF, but I will never forget the things he did to make me feel like a raging jealous lunatic. The main character didn't float my boat either. In the end, I liked the two together, but it was after a ride that ended up way too bumpy for my taste. However, I would not be opposed to reading the next book in the series, Found in Us. Since there are different characters, I think I may like it. Especially I had no qualms with the writing in Lost in Us. Plus, I did quite like Parker...
Beyond Our Stars by Marie Langager
Release Date: December 19, 2013
Format: eARC, 180 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Description from Goodreads:
Fleeing a destroyed
Earth, seventeen-year-old orphan Hope grew up living in the confines of a
spaceship heading to CR-3, a new home planet. She's been kicking the
steel walls for too long and ever since she broke her boyfriend's heart,
touchdown could mean open air and a fresh start. But no one expected
the Locals.
Hope’s dreams of freedom turn into nightmares when
the Locals trap the humans and mark groups for observation. At any
moment she can be called into a holographic observation room for
testing. Some days she’s drowning in a strange dark ocean, some days
she’s locked up without food, and all with the one boy she can't seem to
forget.
As the Locals study Hope, she studies them. She wants to
believe the tall grey creatures could be peaceful, but as the
simulations become more dangerous, Hope is about to become the human
race’s last chance for survival.
I've been slowly branching out into sci-fi. I'm pretty cautious about it, because it's kind of easy for me to be completely bored with some science fiction books, but I thought this one would really entertain me. The MC sounds strong and likable, the premise as a whole appears interesting, and there's romance. All of that combined should equal a book I had a good time with, yes?
Unfortunately, no. That is not how this book turned out for me. I was actually pretty disappointed, considering how much I honestly thought I'd be into this book.
Beyond Our Stars started off great. I loved how we were pretty much thrown into the situation Hope was facing and were learning things little by little as we went. It kept me engaged and interested. But then the story went back to BEFORE they got to the planet they land on and the story got kind of dull for me. I'd much have preferred to keep going ahead instead of backtracking. After we went back, the story never really gained back to the level of awesome I felt like the very beginning was.
Hope got on my nerves. She contradicted herself all the time, and she wasn't very open to ideas that weren't hers. She pretty much decided what she wanted to do and then stopped caring what anyone else had to say. And then everyone--even the captain/chief person of their spaceship--listened to Hope and followed her without question. Well, except for the rebel people. They didn't listen to her. But still, why did ANYONE listen to her? I don't understand what was so special about her.
And then the rest of the characters...I didn't really care much about them. At all. They all seemed to practically worship Hope, and the ones who didn't were side-eyed by everyone else. I felt like all of the characters were pretty much puppets to do as the plot required. I wasn't attached to any of them. At all. Even when a certain twist happened (though I KNEW how that would turn out, so it wasn't a big deal for me), I didn't care much.
The plot...yeah, I still don't get it. I spent a majority of this book confused as to what the point was. The beginning was so promising, and then everything went downhill. I think the book may be about trying to make this new planet their home, and getting along with the Locals. Okay. But there was other stuff going on that didn't hold up. Things with Legacy--whose mind was very easily changed--and the rest of the rebel people. It all kind of linked. Sort of. I think.
Romance is something I freaking LOVE. I hoped so hard that the romance may be the saving grace in this book. But no. The fact that I didn't feel anything for these characters carried over to the lovey dovey stuff. I didn't care if they ended up together. I have to say, however, that I am glad the guy (his name was Chance, right?) didn't try to make Hope jealous. If he did that, I very well may have had to DNF this book because one more thing on top of the annoying MC and confusing plot with characters I cared nothing about would have been TOO MUCH.
The world building didn't work for me. Just like the plot, I'm still utterly confused about what was going on. I understand the basics. I won't deny that. But I would have preferred to gain a more thorough understanding. The world sounded so interesting, but I don't think we got the explanations necessary to make that boat float.
I have to give this book credit, though. The premise, in general, was awesome, and the writing was pretty good. And the beginning rocked my socks. I have to give credit to the boyfriend/ex-boyfriend who didn't try to make the MC jealous. That made me happy. Other than those few things, though, there wasn't much I liked about this book. I honestly wish I could have found more enjoyment in this story.
