Tag: New Adult

Book Review | Confess by Colleen Hoover

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Confess by Colleen Hoover

Published by Atria Books on March 10, 2015

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 306

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

REVIEW

I’ve been hearing so many good things about Colleen Hoover’s books for the past few years that I decided it was time to finally read one. I’ve been really into the New Adult genre lately, and after doing my research on Hoover’s bibliography, I thought Confess would be a good place to start. Well, I loved the idea behind Confess, but unfortunately the book fell flat for me. Let me tell you why.

First and foremost, Confess is the story of Auburn and Owen, and is told in a dual-perspective format. Auburn has moved to Dallas for some reason unbeknownst to the reader, and stumbles across an art studio one day named Confess. The studio is hiring, and because she needs the money she decides to take the job. It turns out Owen is the studio’s owner and artist. He somehow knows Auburn, but she doesn’t know him. This is another secret that Hoover keeps from the reader.

As I mentioned, I really liked the idea behind Confess. Owen’s artwork is based on anonymous confessions that he receives through a slot in his door (it’s very similar to the famous blog PostSecret). I loved the idea that Owen creates paintings based on these confessions. I also thought it was genius that the confessions in the book were real confessions that Hoover received from her readers.

In the same way, I did appreciate that Hoover attempted to weave the ‘confess’ theme into the characters. Auburn needs to confess why she’s in Dallas, and Owen needs to confess how he knows Auburn. Keeping secrets from the reader can add suspense and be a real page-turner, but there are way too many secrets in this book. As I was reading I took notes on all the questions I had. This list is 10 questions long, and while some of those were answered as the book continued, the beginning of the novel was full of holes, and I found it difficult to form a full picture of the story. What could have been a good mystery turned into a mess because there were just too many unanswered questions.

I also found that the character development was quite lacking in Confess. For example, Auburn tells the reader that she has one goal in mind, yet all of her actions go against that goal. She is a very passive person who does what everyone tells her to do, even when she doesn’t want to do those things. It was annoying to see how she makes all the wrong decisions, and repeats them time and time again. Similarly, Owen is written as a lying and manipulative character, yet readers are supposed to accept that Auburn “deserves” his love (a word that is far too often used in this book, by the way).

Moreover, I found that the writing style was quite jumbled throughout the novel. For instance, Owen tells the reader early in the book that a certain character is a bad guy. However, that character does not show himself to be bad until late in the book. I would have much preferred Hoover to demonstrate the bad character’s qualities, than to expect me to simply trust the words of Owen. I definitely prefer to read writing that shows rather than tells.

Finally, the ending of Confess really bothered me as well. The solution is unrealistic because characters act outside of how they were written early in the novel. It is also formed extremely quickly. Even more troubling is that the solution doesn’t truly fulfill Auburn’s main goal. Of course, I am being purposefully vague so as to not spoil the book, but suffice it to say that the ending would never happen in reality.

Overall, I’m glad I gave Colleen Hoover a try. She did come up with a really interesting storyline, and her writing style is very fast-paced. However, I thought the flow of the book was jumbled, and the characters were poorly developed. That being said, I do want to give another one of her books a try. Confess seems to be a love it or leave it book, and I am part of the latter. I don’t recommend this book unless you are a huge Colleen Hoover fan and attempting to read all her works. I will definitely let you know if I read anything else by her in the future!

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Book Review | Sweet (Contours of the Heart #3) by Tammara Webber

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Sweet (Contours of the Heart #3) by Tammara Webber

Published by Tammara Webber (self-published) on April 27, 2015

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 340

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2 

He’s the love of her life, but he doesn’t know it.
She’s his one moment of sacrifice in a lifetime of survival.

He was damaged and wild, but resilient.
She’s always been obedient. Now she’s restless.

Home for the summer between college and med school, Pearl Torres Frank knows two things: Boyce Wynn is the embodiment of everything she should run from, and everything she wants to run to. Rebellious and loud. Unconcerned with society’s opinion of him. Passionate. Strong. Dangerous.

And one more trait he hides from everyone but her:
Sweet.

REVIEW

I picked up Sweet, the third book in Tammara Webber’s Contours of the Heart series, directly after finishing the second book, Breakable. Sweet is a companion novel to Breakable, and features Lucas’s best friend Boyce and classmate Pearl. While Sweet can be read as a stand alone novel, I highly recommend reading the Contours of the Heart series in publishing order. Each book builds on the previous one, and in this third installment we follow characters we’ve already met, who live in a town with which we’re already familiar. Thus, I do think it’s best to read this series in order, and not skip over Breakable.

Sweet is written in a dual perspective, with Boyce and Pearl telling the story. Pearl has just returned to her hometown after graduating from college, and is deciding whether or not to go to medical school as she’s always planned. Boyce remained in town after high school, and recently inherited his father’s mechanic shop after he passed away. The reader knows from the start that the two protagonists have some history together, and the book explores their past and, perhaps, their future.

I really liked both Pearl and Boyce as the main characters. They are very relatable, and are going through issues that many young adults face. For example, I related to Pearl because I am also a recent graduate, and I know how difficult it can be to make that next step in life. I appreciate that Webber creates interesting stories with such rich characters.

In the same way, the writing in Sweet is very well done. I did have a few issues, mainly with the flow of the story. There are constant flashbacks that shed light on Boyce and Pearl growing up, and while I absolutely loved those scenes, they sometimes came out of nowhere. I had to really pay attention as a reader and think about if I was reading a flashback, or a current event. Once I got into the book, this wasn’t much of a chore, but I think it is helpful going into the story to know that it’s not written in a fully linear fashion.

My biggest issue with the story is that everything seems to work out perfectly for the characters. Webber does state in her author biography that she likes to write happy endings because there are so many sad endings in real life. While I can appreciate that, there is a difference to me between a happy ending, and an easy ending. As much as I liked the conclusion of this novel, I thought it was too cliché and ‘happily ever after’ for my liking.

Nonetheless, I still really enjoyed this book. Webber’s writing is quite addicting, and her characters feel so real that I know I will be picking up the next book in this series when it is published at some point this year. If you enjoyed the other books in the Contours of the Heart series, I definitely think you should continue on with Sweet. Pearl and Boyce are great characters, and their story was very touching. Keep in mind that this is a new adult novel, and contains some explicit content.

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Book Review | Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber

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Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber

Published by Penguin Berkley on May 6, 2014

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paberback

Pages: 361

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

REVIEW

I was really excited to pick up Breakable as soon as I finished reading the first book in the Contours of the Heart series, Easy. Breakable is written in a unique dual perspective from Lucas’s point-of-view. Readers hear from Lucas when he was growing up and known as Landon, and in this way Breakable is part prequel. At the same time, the book is also Easy from Lucas’s point-of-view. I thought this dual perspective was really well done because it made the book a real page-turner, as Landon and Lucas alternate telling the story. The writing style also added a lot to the storyline, and Lucas’s character becomes extremely well developed.

In the same way, Webber does a great job writing the scenes from Easy in Lucas’s point-of-view. She speaks quickly about the major details, and really focuses on Lucas’s emotions and thought process. There are new scenes to the Lucas and Jacqueline storyline as well, ensuring that Breakable is not just a carbon copy of Easy. I really appreciated that as a reader.

Moreover, I did want to mention that Breakable is much steamier than Easy, which is not really my personal cup of tea. Perhaps this is because this book is written from a male perspective, but I would definitely take that into consideration if you don’t like heavier romances, or if you’re a parent with a teen wanting to read this book. I’d say it is for ages 17+, but, of course, that is for you to decide.

Overall, I really enjoyed Breakable and think it is a must-read for all who enjoyed Easy. I enjoyed it even better than the first book in the series, as it answers some questions I had and adds a lot to the story. It’s still a bit cheesy and does contain insta-love, but this is a romance book so I’m more willing to let it slide. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which follows Boyce and Pearl!

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Book Review | Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

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Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

Published by Penguin Berkley on May 25, 2012

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Format: Paperback

Pages: 321

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night – but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he’s hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

REVIEW

I’ve been interested in reading the New Adult genre for a while now, and I decided to begin with Easy by Tammara Webber after hearing so many good things about it. Easy follows college sophomore Jacqueline and begins with her getting assaulted while leaving a fraternity party. She is luckily saved by a mysterious guy named Lucas, who somehow knows her name. The book follows Jacqueline as she recovers from her assault, and as she learns more about who Lucas is.

Overall, I really liked Easy, and I think it was a good first step into New Adult. This is a genre between Young Adult and Adult, and includes more adult themes and some steamier romances. However, I really like that the romances aren’t too detailed or explicit. I also enjoyed Webber’s writing style, as it is well done and not cliché like some of the adult romances I’ve tried in the past.

In addition, I really liked the characters. Jacqueline is very likable and relateable, and Lucas is well-developed as well. The side characters in the book are also well written and add a lot to the story. I appreciated that Jacqueline had a strong best friend in her roommate Erin, a good role model in professor Dr. Heller, and a new buddy in classmate Benji. Webber knows how to write characters with great personalities for sure.

That being said, there were some things I didn’t enjoy about Easy. First and foremost, it was quite predictable at the beginning. While there is a bigger reveal at the end that I didn’t see coming, I did have a larger plot twist figured out from the start. Another writing issue is the setting. Webber does a great job embodying the college atmosphere, but there is no mention in the novel where Jacqueline’s college is situated in the country. There is a hint that this is a southern campus, but having a more specified geographic location would have helped me as a reader tremendously, as I kept wondering about the setting while reading.

My biggest critique with Easy, however, lies with the romance. While I won’t go into too much detail because of spoilers, I will say that at times I felt very uncomfortable with how Jacqueline and her love interest were interacting. Despite knowing that Jacqueline just got out of a three-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend and that she is recovering from a sexual assault, he pursues her full force and even ‘tricks’ her into his apartment. I would have liked for Webber to be a bit more attentive to the realities of Jacqueline’s situation when writing the romance.

All in all, I did really enjoy Easy, and I have already picked up the two other books in the series so I can continue on with the story. I’m glad I finally gave New Adult a chance, and will definitely be exploring other books in the genre as well. If you have any New Adult recommendations, please share them with me in the comments!

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Book Review | The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

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The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

Published by Poppy on September 7, 2010

Genres: Young Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley

Goodreads: ★★


Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face. 

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. 

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
REVIEW

I went into The DUFF not knowing what to expect. Reviews from my Goodreads friends are all over the map, but when I got the opportunity to review the book in celebration of the movie being released, I was excited to dive right in. Unfortunately, while The DUFF was a quick and easy read for me, it is not one that I enjoyed much at all. I have a lot to discuss, so let’s begin with my thoughts on Bianca, the book’s first-person narrator.

Bianca is one of the most unlikeable characters I’ve ever encountered. While I can understand that she is going through a lot in her teenage life, with her parents’ relationship failing and with her being labeled the DUFF by one of the most popular guys in school, her negative attitude really got to me. It was horrible for Wesley to call Bianca the DUFF, but Bianca bullies him just as much, if not more. She’s constantly telling him how despicable he is and saying how much she hates him. This negativity was annoying to me as a reader, and didn’t make me want to root for Bianca. Instead, I wished she would just grow up and stop being so horrible to everyone around her. The fact that Bianca constantly lied to everyone around her, including her best friends and family, only made me despise her even more.

Moreover, even getting past the protagonist’s many faults, the writing of The DUFF was lackluster as well. I found the dialogue to be quite awkward, with characters speaking long passages to each other. It was unrealistic, and really hyped up the teenage melodrama I felt while reading.

Similarly, this is one of those novels where all of the serious issues discussed throughout the story somehow wrapped up nicely with a big bow to tie everything together. In order to avoid spoilers I will not explain this critique much more. However, as an example, Bianca’s father relapses in an addiction he has struggled with for years, and seemingly gets over it instantaneously. Not only did this scene in particular rub me the wrong way (it gives young readers the idea that addiction is just a quick sickness that can be overcome in a day), but when I put it together with all the other aspects of this book that worked out perfectly in the end, it was quite damaging to the book’s credibility.

I was also very shocked with the content of this book. The DUFF is labeled as young adult, but it is definitely new adult. There is obscene language in the entirety of the book (I think the F word is Keplinger’s favorite), and there are several explicit sex scenes. While there was nothing wrong with the subject matter of the novel per se, I felt very uncomfortable thinking that so many young people have read this book and loved it. This book takes place in a high school with a protagonist who is only 17-years-old. I would feel much differently if the story played out between adults, and not between young people who are on the borderline of being able to legally consent.

In the same way, while I appreciate that The DUFF is taking on a “girl power” attitude, the feminism portrayed in the novel was quite unsettling. I whole heartedly agree that women should not be called sluts and whores, but while this book celebrates womanhood, it does so at the expense of bashing men. Male gender roles are completely upheld (in fact, there is a line commenting on how all teenage boys are obsessed with sex), and the author suggests that it’s okay to call Wesley a manwhore. This double standard was very aggravating, and not what I would want today’s youth to read. This is true with The DUFF’s moral, if you will, at the end of the story, though I will hold off on critiquing that in the interest of not spoiling the ending.

Finally, I want to quickly mention some of the serious issues brushed over in this novel that are clearly present yet not flushed-out. First, Bianca is clearly going through some mental anguish and needs to talk about her issues with a professional. Her obsessive clothes-folding routine and several comments regarding how “messed up” she is leads the reader to the conclusion that there is something wrong that needs to be addressed in ways other than casual sex. Unfortunately, we never see Bianca reach out for that help. In addition, I was very disappointed with the flippant comments marginalizing suicide in this book. Suicide is a serious issue that should never be used as a joke.

Overall, I’m not sure that I would recommend The DUFF to anyone, as I find it inappropriate for its target, young adult audience, and anyone older would probably not enjoy it. If you’re a contemporary lover who doesn’t mind some teenage angst and friends-with-benefits relationships, perhaps you’ll give The DUFF a try. Otherwise, it’s fine to go without reading this popular book. I don’t think you need to worry about missing out on anything!

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