REVIEW: Tortured by Kate Givans

Tortured by Kate Givans

Series: #1 Tortured Soul
Published: 19th July 2014
Genre: NA Contemporary
Format: kindle | for review

Overall: DNF

goodreads | amazon

Summary:      A contemporary romantic drama about loss, healing, and love's ability to reach beyond scars and secrets, no matter how deep or hidden.

WARNING: This book is intended for 18+ readers ONLY. Potentially triggering content and concepts in books to follow.

More than a year after the death of his best friend, Josh is still tormented by the past. Everything changes when free-spirited Willow barges into his life. She challenges him, helps him feel something other than the overwhelming pain, sadness, and anger.

There’s just one problem.

Underneath that carefree spirit, Willow is elusive and secretive. Josh believes she may be fighting a few demons of her own, but the harder he tries to uncover the truth, the more she pushes him away.

Can Josh get her to open up before it’s too late? Or will he discover that some secrets are better left untold?

I was contacted to review this book and post for the blog tour, after reading the summary on goodreads I wanted to give it a shot. I have been reading a lot of New Adult lately--too much, honestly-- and I figured I may enjoy this one. I liked that it would be told from a male's POV.

I'm pretty sure that if I read this a year ago, or even a few months ago, I would love it. But I am so burned out on new adult and the same storyline that I could not take the book seriously, at all.
I'm over the harboring secrets, the push and pull, helping each other through their "dark" pasts, blah blah blah... ENOUGH!!!

From the very very very beginning, there was no one else but Willow and Josh and this attraction that Josh had towards her for no reason. At all. I could not find a single moment when I thought "I could see why you would like her." We knew nothing about her other than she smelled like vanilla and sugar and had a "side smile." That's not enough for me to want to be with someone. Especially the vanilla and sugar scent. Gag. [Two of my very least favorite scents....ever.]

Josh is harboring all this pain for possibly killing his best friend on a drunken night and Willow blows in and brings him smiles and laughs and etc etc... the same thing.
I'm sure something else along the way may be different than any other book, and maybe Willow's story grows and we learn more about her, but I just couldn't bring myself to care enough to read further.

This may very well be a book for someone, judging by the reviews on Goodreads, but this book was just not for me!!

I need to run from the NA contemporary genre and come back when I've cleared my head of the repetitiveness. Redundant.

It's repetitive and redundant. It's repetitive and redundant. (Gilmore Girls, anyone?)

Tune Tuesday - Block B - "Her"

I have four male groups that are equal in how much I like them: SHINee, BIGBANG, Got 7 and Block B.
Block B cancelled their promotions of their last single, "Jackpot" after the Sewol Ferry accident, like many artists did. But unlike many artists, they were completely silent after. I was getting antsy and needed new Block B immediately.

Finally... FINALLY, they released a new single and a mini album to go along with it. And I love the new single!! ZICO and PO's voices.... and Kyung's... and just yes!!

So this week (while I listen to some recently downloaded music for future reviews) I give to you:

BLOCK B - "HER" and their crazy MV.

So, are you a fan of BLOCK B? Who is your bias? I think ZICO is mine, and has been since the beginning.

REVIEW: Upside Down by Lia Riley [Plus Giveaway]

Upside Down by Lia Riley

Expected Publication: 5th August 2014 | Grand Central
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Series: #1 Off the Map Series
Format: Kindle
Finished: 18th July 2014

Overall: ½
goodreads | amazon | barnes & noble

Summary: If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

I learned about this book from a blog tour I joined and even posted it one week for "Waiting On. . . Wednesday," I was very very excited about this book for reasons even I can't comprehend. It really doesn't sound any different than most other NA books out there. And while reading it, I learned that in fact it wasn't much different than most other NA books out there.

However, I did like it. A lot. I loved that this was mostly set in Australia. However, when they'd mention taking a plunge in the ocean during our summer months, I couldn't help but wonder are you all not freezing your butts off?

But I digress. Getting into this book, I actually questioned if it was new adult or young adult as the writing didn't feel as heavy as other NA's I've read and just a bit naive almost. But once I got into the story, it really didn't bother me, at all. However, the pace... it felt so off and weird for me. I felt like we'd jump to far ahead or something would happen and there was nothing in between or a heads up to lead us into the next scene. It got better towards the middle on, but it still felt off throughout the whole book.

I loved the characters though, especially the MC, Talia and her OCD, rituals and the way she just goes about life. She lost her sister and according to her mother, it's her fault, and for that she is a bit lost herself, but she doesn't walk around like she has a 1000lb boulder on her shoulder or mope about like the world is out to get her.

When she meets Bran, it's not with lack of a little comedy in the form of a boy in a koala suit. They immediately have this connection--but really, isn't that every book--that just doesn't quit. They are drawn towards each other and from then on they keep that connection and I loved that. Though at times I felt like they could spend a little time apart, I loved that they were together so frequently too.

I truly loved the voice Lia Riley provides in this book and actually wish there was more from Bran's POV. Other than the pace of the story feeling off for me, there really wasn't anything I didn't like about this book.

I only gave it 3½ stars because though I liked it, it didn't blow me away. The story was adorable and the characters were interesting, but I didn't feel the pull I would have liked. I feel like the ending was satisfactory enough for me, but I will be reading the next two books in the series. I'm actually looking forward to more time in Australia and hopefully more of Marti (Talia's spunky roommate) and others from this book. And less of her mother and Jazza.

Lia Riley writes offbeat New Adult Romance. After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, she scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling XXXX with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live in Northern California.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by Good Choice Reading Blog Tours

Drama of the Week - It's Okay, That's Love

» It's Okay, That's Love | 괜찮아, 사랑이야 «

Genre: Romantic comedy & medical | Episodes: 16 | Air day: Wed & Thurs | Air dates: 07/23 to 09/11

Gong Hyo Jin was the deciding factor in watching this drama. I loved her in Master's Sun and when I learned she was doing another romantic comedy: I had to watch!

As of this post, there are four (4) episodes released and I have loved every single one of them.
The first episode was a bit confusing and I didn't know where they were going with it. It seemed off and just overall weird. But once you get to know the characters a bit more and how their minds works, it all makes sense. The way it is shot almost feels more like a movie rather than a drama. You know how you can always tell when a movie is on and when a TV show is on, just by the lighting, camera work, etc etc...? That's how this looks; like it's a movie rather than a show.
The soundtrack to this drama is amazing. I love it!! I need the soundtrack on my iPod! In dramas, they use the same song(s) over and over throughout the entire season, but with the variety of songs playing in this one, I don't think I'll get tired of any of them. They all have this indie vibe to them rather than the sappy songs that get annoying very quickly.
I thought I knew what was happening, who they were, what the relationship between everyone was, and then episode 4 came and I was staring at my computer like I had just witnessed life being created. I love when something takes me by surprise and I don't see it coming! *slow claps* Good job, producers & writers, good job. I am super excited for this week's episodes! *squeal*

There is only one thing that has annoyed me so far, and that's the lead male Jo In Sung, his voice is weird a bit high pitched. But he's a fun character and I love his attitude and OCD-ness.

UGH... Just watch. Just. Watch. Now.
I decided to post this on a Monday, so you could catch up before the episodes air this week.
That's how much I love this and believe you should watch!


Summary of this drama:

Jang Jae-yeol is a writer of bestselling mystery novels and a radio DJ. Playful and a bit arrogant, he also suffers from obsessive–compulsive disorder. Ji Hae-soo is a psychiatrist on her first year of fellowship. Despite her chic and competent exterior, she is compassionate towards her patients but dismissive regarding her personal life. Once they meet, they attempt to heal each other's deep-seated wounds and fall in love in the process.

Are you watching this one yet? If not... get on it. (I'm kind of speaking to one person in particular. coughKRISTENcough! But everyone should watch.)

Get hooked on this drama by watching it on: viki | dramafever | hulu.