Rowdy (Marked Men #5) by Jay Crownover

Title: Rowdy
Series: Marked Men #5
Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: October 21st 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

Review

Goodness, what to say about Rowdy's story.  Rowdy has a lot going on and I liked it.  The rest of the Marked Men's story's continue, much to my enjoyment.  Similar to Nash, Rowdy was not a main focus character for me yet I still really enjoyed learning more about him.

Rowdy is a tough guy but also a sweetheart and I loved that trait.  I really really liked the dates he took Salem on and how it was a perfect blend of cute romance with steamy romance. While their romance is fiery it also grows throughout making it feel more real.

Between Salem's sister's drama and Rowdy's family surprises, I was flying through this book.  The plot never lets up. While some of the sister drama was a bit of a turn off, in the end I felt like it really came together.   I am definitely glad to have learned and understood more about Rowdy's character. This was another great addition to the series!

Nash (Marked Men #4) by Jay Crownover

Title: Nash
Series: Marked Men #4
Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Release Date: April 29th 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

Will their past determine their future?

Saint Ford has worked hard to achieve her childhood dream of becoming of nurse. Focused on her work and devoted to her patients, there’s no room for love. She doesn’t need a guy making waves in her calm, serene life—especially when he’s the unforgettable hottie who nearly destroyed her in high school. Dark, brooding Nash Donovan might not remember her or the terrible pain he caused. But he turned her world upside down... and now he’s trying to do it again.

Saint has no idea that Nash isn’t the cocky player he once was. Uncovering a devastating family secret has rocked his world, and now he’s struggling to figure out his future. He can’t be distracted by the pretty nurse he seems to meet everywhere. Still, he can’t ignore the sparks that fly between them —or how she seems so desperate to get away from him. But the funny, sweet, and drop-dead gorgeous Saint is far too amazing to give up on—especially since she’s the only thing in his life that seems to make sense.

When Nash discovers the truth about their past, he realizes he may have lost her heart before he could even fight for it. Now, Saint has to decide: is Nash worth risking herself for all over again?

Review

Nash has never been one of the characters I felt drawn to.  I have always thought he seemed like a more distant secondary character.  It was nice to get to learn more about his history and his role in the marked men family. The details and aspects of his life really add to another layer of depth in the overall series.

Nash has some sadder moments than Rome.  Even though there were some steamy scenes and happy moments, this book felt a little less happy than the others.  When I finished the book, I felt that I had enjoyed it but did not leave with the grin on my face that some of the other books evoked.  Saint, the main interest in this book, has some personal demons to overcome.  At times I really could relate or feel for her but then at other times I just found her to kind of bother me.

This one was not my favorite but it was still enjoyable and added to the overall series.  At times I felt like I was merely reading to continue some of the other secondary character's stories, not quite for Nash and Saint's story line.  But I love a lot of those other characters so it all worked out!

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

Title: Ghostly Echoes
Series: Jackaby #3
Author: William Ritter
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: August 23rd 2016
Source: E-arc from the publisher.  Thank you Algonquin Young Readers! 

Summary from Goodreads:

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the investigative services of her fellow residents to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, Detective R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all, and her killer may be far more dangerous than they suspected.

Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

Review

Ghostly Echoes is the third book in the Jackaby series and probably my favorite thus far. This main mystery in this book focused on characters we are introduced to in books one and two. Jenny is the ghost that currently resides in Jackaby’s house and her murder is the main focal point in Ghostly Echoes.

The previous two books introduced Jenny’s back story slightly but it was a nice change to have this book focus on a character the reader has already grown attached to as oppose to introducing new characters and plot lines. Compared to the first two books, Ghostly Echoes was more suspenseful and faster paced. Everything about the mystery had me flipping through the pages in one sitting, so much more was at stake. The reader also learns more about Jackaby’s past really developing him as a detective and overall more dynamic character. The underlying humor is still sprinkled through out, I enjoyed Jackaby’s eccentricities and Abigail’s spunk and dedication.

Ghostly Echoes is the perfect mix of mystery and the supernatural. As the story progresses it gets weirder and weirder, stranger characters appear and the stakes climb to life or death situations. This third installment of the Jackaby series will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more of the Sherlock-like world.

Rome (Marked Men #3) by Jay Crownover

Title: Rome
Series: Marked Men #3
Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: January 7th 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

Review

I LOVED this book.  (Even after finishing the whole series, this is hands down my favorite book) I love Rome and I love Cora.  Of the first three books Rome felt like it had some of the heaviest themes, PTSD specifically but Crownover did an amazing job of incorporating his struggles into the story line without it feeling forced.

I have always been a fan of Cora, I can picture her perfectly and just feel her spunk and feisty-ness every time I read.  Her love for all the marked men and the girls is fantastic.  She really encompasses friendship and tough love.  The dynamic between Rome and Cora is wonderful- they fight, they love and they conquer.  While some aspects of the plot were a bit predictable other parts were such a pleasant surprise.

I for sure recommend this series but especially this book.  If you were on the fence after Jet, really give Rome a try!  Even though Rome was not my favorite in books one and two, he really really grew on me.

Goldfish by Nat Luurtsema

Title: Goldfish
Author: Nat Luurtsema
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: June 7th 2016
Source: Arc from the publisher. Thank you Disney-Hyperion! 

Summary from Goodreads:

Lou Brown is one of the fastest swimmers in the county. She’s not boasting, she really is. So things are looking pretty rosy the day of the Olympic time-trials. With her best mate Hannah by her side, Lou lines up by the edge of the pool, snaps her goggles on and bends into her dive…

Everything rests on this race. It’s Lou’s thing.

… or it was. She comes dead last and to top it all off Hannah sails through leaving a totally broken Lou behind.

Starting again is never easy, particularly when you’re the odd-one out in a family of insanely beautiful people and a school full of social groups way too intimidating to join. Where do you go from here? Finding a new thing turns out to be the biggest challenge Lou’s ever faced and opens up a whole new world of underwater somersaults, crazy talent shows, bitchy girls and a great big load of awkward boy chat.

Lou Brown guides us through the utter humiliation of failure with honesty, sass and a keen sense of the ridiculous. This girl will not be beaten.

Review

Goldfish was a quick and fun read. Humor and competition are two key elements in Goldfish. Lou doesn’t make the swimming time trials and feels like everything she worked for is gone along with her best friend. So she is faced with finding her new role in school without swimming or her best friend

I really liked Lou, she had me cracking up throughout the entire book, goldfish is lined with some dry humor and some laugh out loud humor. The overall premise is a bit crazy but it works. It was super easy to imagine all the wackiness that ensures. I love the rag tag group and how they all worked together to achieve something crazy.

Overall I really enjoyed Goldfish; it was a funny sports competition focused book. That while not the most memorable read it was thoroughly enjoyable! It is quite a feel good story that will leave you grinning when you finish.

Jet (Marked Men #2) by Jay Crownover

Title: Jet
Series: Marked Men #2
Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: May 28th 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.

Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.

Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?

Review

It took me a tad longer to get into Jet and Ayden's story than it did Rule and Shaw's.  Once the plot picked up through, I was hooked again into the Marked Men world.  While I did enjoy their story, there were times when I wanted both of them to get over themselves.   Both Jet and Ayd had issues to overcome and circumstances that continued to make it challenging for them.

This book stands alone really focusing on Jet and Ayden yet all the secondary characters from book one are present.  I love the addition and tie in from the other characters.  Not only does it strengthen my attachment towards Jet and Ayd but it also had me feeling attached to all the others as well. When the plot slowed or I was getting slightly annoyed with the Jet and Ayd it was a reprieve to get to hear more about the rest of the group.

I definitely recommend Jet and the Marked Men series if you are looking for a steamy, new adult read with a fantastic case and great plot.

Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

Title: Summer of Sloane
Author: Erin L. Schneider
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 3rd 2016
Source: Arc from the publisher. Thank you Disney-Hyperion! 

Summary from Goodreads:

Warm Hawaiian sun. Lazy beach days. Flirty texts with her boyfriend back in Seattle.

These are the things seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre pictured when she imagined the summer she’d be spending at her mom’s home in Hawaii with her twin brother, Penn. Instead, after learning an unthinkable secret about her boyfriend, Tyler, and best friend, Mick, all she has is a fractured hand and a completely shattered heart.

Once she arrives in Honolulu, though, Sloane hopes that Hawaii might just be the escape she needs. With beach bonfires, old friends, exotic food, and the wonders of a waterproof cast, there’s no reason Sloane shouldn’t enjoy her summer. And when she meets Finn McAllister, the handsome son of a hotel magnate who doesn’t always play by the rules, she knows he’s the perfect distraction from everything that’s so wrong back home.

But it turns out a measly ocean isn’t nearly enough to stop all the emails, texts, and voicemails from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend, desperate to explain away their betrayal. And as her casual connection with Finn grows deeper, Sloane’s carefree summer might not be as easy to find as she’d hoped. Weighing years of history with Mick and Tyler against their deception, and the delicate possibility of new love, Sloane must decide when to forgive, and when to live for herself.

Review

Summer of Sloane was not what I was expecting at all in a surprising way. I was expecting a light summery book with a strong romance element yet instead it was a story of a young girl finding happiness in herself and her surroundings.

Friendship, trust, and starting over are some of the major themes throughout. The friendship aspects were heartfelt and honest, while at times the drama seemed a little much it also seem feasible. Some friendships are hard and Sloane has her fair share of complicated friendships both new and old. She has to face tough decisions and also gets called out for some of her actions. Sloane grows up some during the course of the summer, she learns about choices her family made and choices her friends made that really force her to reevaluate her thoughts.

While I did really enjoy the story line, the character development (specifically Sloane), and the friendship dynamics, Summer of Sloane was not as uplifting and light as I was looking for. It did make me pause and think and really take in the circumstances of the story but I did not finish the book with an overwhelming happy feeling. It was much more along the lines of, ‘Oh, this was pretty good.’ I do recommend it though if you are looking for a character driven plot, believable high school struggles, and a beautiful Hawaii setting.