Book Review: Sachael Dreams

Title: Sachael Dreams

Author: Melody Winter

Genre: NA fiction/romance

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

Twenty-two-year-old Estelle Bailey has had enough of busy city-life and her hot-tempered ex. She escapes to the seclusion and peace of her family’s clifftop home in Ravenscar, where the soothing solitude whispers to her soul as strongly as the sea itself does. But her newfound contentment is interrupted when a mysterious man—a Sachael, master of seduction—joins her midnight swim unexpectedly.

Estelle struggles against his charm and the overpowering attraction she feels for him. He offers her a life she never could have imagined, a life beneath the waves . . . but at what cost? Before she can decide, she’s captured, ensnared by the Sect, a secret enemy of the Sachaels, becoming a pawn in a war she knew nothing about.

Now, she’s left with a new choice—escape the clutches of the Sect and flee into the ocean, or side with her alluring, intimidating captor and destroy the Sachaels forever. Can she turn her back on the man she might love, or will the secret of her heritage change everything?

Set against a picturesque backdrop, Sachael Dreams is the first in a new series, exploring themes of romance, love, and identity, and the struggle that happens when all three collide.

Review:

Sachael Dreams certainly starts out very painful but interesting. It gives us a glimpse at the not so kind side of the Sachaels that we don’t necessarily see with the Sachael we view in the book after the beginning. So that was a nice doubt planter before we even knew anything of what was going on or any of the characters and could find ourselves cheering for them. It certainly put a damper on the the first meeting of the mystery man and Estelle.

And the story certainly kept readers guessing. It was hard to discern what was going to happen next and each time it was usually something I did not anticipate. It was a bit difficult to trust the Sachael at first and the minute anything came up that could possibly point to wicked things happening by them it made me rethink my thoughts on them again and again. Especially after Estelle was captured. It made me rethink everything I knew and I’m not sure that I’ve even figured it out now. I’m still trying to figure things out like who’s the good guy or the bad guy.

The writing drew you in, made you fall in love with the characters, kept you guessing and interested. There’s nothing more I can really say about the writing other than it was really good.

There are a few surprises awaiting you in Sachael Dreams and I strongly encourage fans of romance to read it. It’s intriguing, makes you think while still giving you those sweet moments that I, at least, tend to fall head over heels for. It was a book that I had a hard time putting down and I have no hesitation about telling my friends and family about it.

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Book Review: Bitter Sweet Love

Title: Bitter Sweet Love

Author: R C Stephens

Genre: NA Romance

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

After enduring an abusive childhood and having her heart broken by the only boy she trusts, Alexis White vows to never let anyone hurt her again. She's left her troubled past behind and starts a new life at college. For the past seven years, her social calendar has been filled with frat parties, drinking, and meaningless sexual hook-ups. Until one night she unexpectedly gets saved by a tall, dark, and handsome French foreigner, Luc Blanchard. He's charming, sophisticated, and very interested in Lexi, who has presented herself as a challenge when she tells him relationships aren't her thing.

She finds herself sucked in by his own intriguing past. But everything changes when Dylan Priestley, the gorgeous boy who broke her heart and shattered her faith in friendship and love, suddenly shows up in her life again while back home on a visit. Dylan doesn't hide his feelings for Lexi, but she can't forgive or forget being betrayed by the one person she ever truly loved.

Despite the pain Dylan's caused her, Lexi is once again drawn to the blue-eyed-boy-next-door. Will Lexi choose the man who seems perfect but hides a dark side or the boy who smashed her heart into pieces so many years ago?

Review:

Just a heads up I do have a bit of a bias going on but I tried my best not to let it affect my review.

While I didn’t enjoy the first person perspective(I’m just not a huge fan of that perspective, honestly), the prologue really draws the reader in. It’s exciting and eye catching. Which makes it easier to get into the book. There was at least one mistake that I noticed, but it was a simple mistake so I mean it wasn’t that bad.

The characters were different. And thus they were intriguing. Lexi was far from the typical girl and that was a good thing. It makes her stand out. The plot line itself was a good one. It was easy to get drawn into.

The going back and forth between past and present especially in the way it’s done where the past almost seems to mirror the present was a choice that I felt was a good one. Especially with what Lexi’s past and present are holding in stock for her.

Bitter Sweet Love isn’t told entirely from Lexi’s point of view. We do get Dylan’s point of view. Which helps make him less of a character that it’s easy to be annoyed with or something like that and instead turns him into a character that is 3 dimensional and lifelike.

This was a good book and I think ended on the right note to continue writing that plot line. So that’s always a good thing.

Bitter Sweet Love was a good book with few strikes against it. .

Rating:

Book Review: Normal

Title: Normal

Author: Danielle Pearl

Genre: NA Fiction

Reviewer: Aly

Book Blurb:

It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.

A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.

But this isn't a year ago.

Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.

Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.

But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart

Review: 

I do admit that I loved the narration used during Normal. It was almost as if the main character was talking with you as you read the book. It drew readers farther into the book, and gave it an interesting twist, as you would hear these comments that normally wouldn’t be included in the narration at that point but it is and it makes for some even better situations most of the times. Mostly because you’re hearing her thoughts and the comments she’s making and many times, Rory’s voice has a bit of a witty tone to it, and sarcasm. It just drew me farther into the book and into Rory’s head as well as becoming attached to Rory even more.

Then there was Rory. She was just a character that you could get behind, feel proud of and she felt as real as my own best friend. You felt for her even if you hadn’t experienced what she had gone through and it was just amazing to me that she thinks she’s not strong or that she’s damaged in someway. She’s stronger than a lot of people I know, including myself. I truly enjoyed this book because of Rory.

I did enjoy many of the other characters, including Sam, but Rory was my favorite by far.

I’m going to say now that this book does have some triggers, such as rape, and abuse. So if you don’t feel that that’s something you can read about than it might be best not to start this book.

The fact that we get small bits of Rory’s past while being involved in her present, it makes things a bit easier to take. I’m not saying that it’s easy to read at all. In fact, sometimes it was difficult to read all about these things. But the small doses of her past and seeing how well she’s doing even if she feels she’s not doing well at all makes things a bit easier to take.

And that ending. It had me in tears, wanting the world to leave me alone and never come back. I will tell you that if you can handle rape and abuse in your books that this is a book that you will enjoy.

Rating: