Book Review: In Your Honor

Title: In Your Honor

Author: Heidi Hutchinson

Genre: YA fiction

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb: 

He was as wild and unpredictable as a prairie storm. She was trying to pretend like he wasn't everything she ever wanted. 

How long can a storm be in stasis before lightning strikes? 

Double Blind Study is taking charge of their future. Coming off of one of the most successful tours to date, they start their own label and decide to get back to what they love the most: the music. But relearning how to be responsible adults can be a long road. 

Blake Diedrich has been running from himself his whole life. Being in a band with his very best friends has helped to keep him on the move during that time. But then Blake's past joins the tour and he's forced to think about all the choices he's made to get him where his is today. 

Lucy Newton, raised by her widowed rock star father, has a talent beyond measure. But she's placed her hopes on the back burner, putting family first. An opportunity arises that allows her to chase her dream but there's a catch: Blake Diedrich, the man who broke her heart too many times to count is part of the package. 

Pride is a destructive foe and Forgiveness is hard to accomplish. Friendship is powerful and Love is unpredictable. Every journey has a purpose, will Blake and Lucy come out stronger for it on the other side? Or will it destroy what's left of their shattered hearts? 

Review:

You’d think that because In Your Honor started with the same events that Learn to Fly but from a different view that the scene would be familiar. But it wasn’t. Blake is a very different character with a different set of feelings and a whole new past. It was interesting to see that past play out, even as we’re left in the dark about specifics. I was really curious about Blake and why he would call this girl during this difficult time. Not to mention why he made the promises to her he did. But we weren’t given much in the way of hints.

I admit(guiltily) that at first I read this book, looking for updates on Lenny and Luke as well as the rest of the guys. From the previous book I was really invested in the life of the band and the crew and that was one of the reasons I continued reading this series. But then something happened. While I did get the look into familiar characters lives I also found myself begging for Blake’s past and why this girl. Pretty soon I began reading because Blake grew on me and I was interested in hearing his story.

Book Review: Learn to Fly

Title: Learn to Fly

Author: Heidi R Hutchinson

Genre: YA contemporary

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

Lenny Evans felt like her life was suffocating her. She would do just about anything to change that, which is how she ended up taking a job that landed her on tour with the biggest rock band in the world.

The plan was simple: get a job, get out of town, don't get attached. But Lenny has never met anyone like the members of Double Blind Study and they easily adopt her into their makeshift family. Now, Lenny finds herself caring far too deeply for these tattooed misfits, daily bringing them closer and closer to revealing Lenny's true past and everything she's running from.

Sometimes crashing headlong into the unknown isn't the worst thing.

WARNING: contains foul-mouthed rock stars, irritating exes, loud music, an overworked tour manager and random shenanigans.

Review:

The prologue of Learn to Fly threw me for a loop. I wasn't quite sure what it was for, or why it was there but it was quite emotional. However due to the fact that I didn't know what relevance it had to do with anything I found myself curious to find out more. That was part of the reason I continued reading. And I found my answer later in the book. It satisfied me to know that the Prologue actually made sense to understand why Luke felt a certain way towards the band. It's an interesting dynamic and one that works. Luke was a great character. He was really well written and I immediately fell in love. 

Then there was Lenny, desperate to run but from what we're not certain until later in the book. I found myself curious about Lenny but I didn't really understand her so I didn't feel a connection with her until later in the book. But the dynamic between her, the band and her boss was funny and fun to read about. It seemed as if they were best friends and didn't seem to hold any of the employer/employee lines intact. But it was fun to see those lines really destroyed. And for them it worked. Clues were being dropped about Lenny's background but it didn't really seem to make sense. You knew small things that seemed inconsequential and they added up. I didn't really get the full picture until the author revealed everything. It was great to see Lenny's past finally come to light. 

Throughout Learn to Fly we are also given some text messages. However many of them make little sense at the time. It isn't until we gain insight to Lena's background that suddenly you go back to read the text messages and realize what they're talking about and who the characters were as well as their importance.

The plot had kinks and characters that readers just have to hate. That certainly was a contributing factor to what kept me reading. I was wondering what new secret would be revealed, when Luke would get his head out of his bum and what they would say next. It was just one great big mystery and I was one curious reader. 

Towards the end of the book, I wanted to slap both main characters. They were being frustrating and stupid. I honestly felt like calling them out and telling them they were acting like five year olds. (Really, I took a minute and just vented about what they were doing wrong....I think my friend thought I was nuts.) But when they finally get things together you can't help but sigh. 

Seriously, Learn to Fly was an amazing book about a band that's more family than anything. Even as it focused more on Lenny and Luke.

Rating: