REVIEW: BETWEEN YOU AND ME BY EMMA MCLAUGHLIN AND NICOLA KRAUS

What happens when you are followed by millions . . . and loved by none? Twenty-seven-year-old Logan Wade is trying to build a life for herself far from her unhappy childhood in Oklahoma. Until she gets the call that her famous cousin needs a new assistant— an offer she can’t refuse.

Logan hasn’t seen Kelsey in person since their parents separated them as kids; in the meantime, Kelsey Wade has grown into Fortune Magazine’s most powerful celebrity. But their reunion is quickly overshadowed by the toxic dynamic between Kelsey and her parents as Logan discovers that, beneath the glossy façade, the wounds that caused them to be wrenched apart so many years ago have insidiously warped into a show-stopping family business.

As Kelsey tries desperately to break away and grasp at a “real” life, beyond the influence of her parents and managers, she makes one catastrophic misstep after another, and Logan must question if their childhood has left them both too broken to succeed. Logan risks everything to hold on, but when Kelsey unravels in the most horribly public way, Logan finds that she will ultimately have to choose between rescuing the girl she has always protected . . . and saving herself.

Published June 12th 2012 by Atria Books (first published June 1st 2012)
egalley provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Where to Find the Book:
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Our Review:

This is a story about how unglamorous the glamourous life is. Kelsey and Logan are cousins who were as close as sisters, lost their connection after a traumatic event, and re-connect in their twenties when an assistant to Kelsey (a uber-super star) (Also a cousin, right?) decides to surprise her with a visit from Logan. It's with this visit that Logan is offered the job to replace the assistant and become Kelsey's assistant/everything girl. Even though Logan's life in NYC left much to be desired, I knew that taking the job with Kelsey wasn't going to go well...and I wasn't too far off the mark.

I was drawn to this story line as I usually am by the "life of the pop" star aspect...but even more so by the supposed relationship of these two women. We find out early on that there was some big event that caused the family to separate at its core..which in this case was Kelsey and Logan's fathers. Something is eluded to the whole way through, and it has shaped each of their lives and relationships differently starting when Kelsey and her mother leave for LA when she is a pre-teen. 

Kelsey and her parents are the poster children for dysfunction. They are all in denial, they never deal with how anyone is truly feeling or what anyone wants, they are just cogs in the entertainment industry's machine.  Her parents, while at one time may have been well meaning, now come off as greedy and mean. They constantly push Kelsey to the extreme, berate her or manipulate her in to doing any and every thing and seem to have no desire for her physical or mental well being UNLESS it interferes with their financial bottom line. Kelsey plays into this by allowing them to be this way. She's so crippled by their demeaning, belittling, hovering ways that rather than act like the 25 year old she is, she acts like a teenager constantly acting out. When actually she tries to make decisions, she is constantly undermined and outvoted or pushed aside.

This happens so much I think, and is so sad. Michelle (Kelsey's mother) was one of those mom's who really enjoys being in the lime light...or the best friend...as she talks about as being this to Kelsey from the time she was 11. There is no other way for them to be, I suppose...and I don't think it always has to be a famous teen to make families dysfunctional, but every situation was extravagant as the life they lead. Kelsey's only goal is to be loved...but since she really doesn't know how she screws up pretty much every chance she has in some way shape or form...and her parents help her do it.

Seeing as Logan has been in the 'real world' for her entire life, you'd think that she'd be able to be a voice of reason in the debacle that is this family...but instead she gets sucked into the vortex like everyone else. She knows on some level that everything going on in this family is wrong and she mutters her feelings here or there but she never really tries to show Kelsey how crazy their lives are. On the few occasions that she does say something, she is immediately shot down by one or all of them, so she just continues to feed into the crazy. Luckily, early on she met a guy in her same position named Finn and he's able to be an outlet for sanity and reason when things just get to be too much.

I was disappointed in Logan and Kelsey. Logan didn't speak her mind, but Kelsey only treated her as a BFF when it suited her...any other time she treated her as a lowly employee who did everything for her, but would be mad when Logan didn't do every single thing she wanted. Couple that with Kelsey's parents making it clear that Logan's opinions were not wanted. Logan keeps the story moving and is there for her, but it was underappreciated. 

I kept waiting for there to be that one pinnacle moment when everything just exploded and a resolution would start to form, but instead it was just one insane and frustrating event after another. It wore me out. By the end I was just so disappointed in all of the characters and in their inability to get control of their lives that I really didn't like them very much. The only ones who generated any ray of hope were Logan and Finn..so here's to hoping that they can maintain their sanity and reason in an industry that seems intent on making everyone else crazy.

I too feel mostly the same way as you! I wanted somebody to learn something before the end...but they didn't. They learned zero..there is not much resolution...an allusion to it is probably more accurate. I had such high hopes all of the way through, and stayed up waaayyyy too late last night finishing it, but was disappointed by the seemingly rushed ending. I will try to look at it from the point of view is that is how the big machine of show business works...still trying!

Shelley: 3 Stars

Courtney: 3 Stars

COVER REVEAL: LET IT BE BY TONI ALEO

Title: Let it be Me

Author: Toni Aleo

Published or Expected Publication Date: 2014

Published By: Toni Aleo       

Genre: new adult, contemporary

Book Synopsis:

Do you see that woman there?


The one with long, wavy blond hair and blue eyes that used to sparkle?


That’s me, Violet Moore.


Do you see those men over there?


One is my husband, Rob.


A man who claimed he loved me, but proved his fist loved me more. 


The other is Tucker McCloud, my savior and confidant. 


I'm torn between what's right and my own fear.

But not anymore.


I’m taking my life back now.


I will fight back.


I will be happy.

Add it on Goodreads 

Author Bio:

Toni Aleo is the author of the Nasvhille Assassins series: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, Blue Lines. She can now add Let it be Me to that impressive list!

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, she’s going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance competitions, or reading the latest romance novel

Website | Goodreads | Let It Be Facebook Page | Toni's Facebook Page | Twitter

REVIEW: THE BREATHING SERIES BY REBECCA DONOVAN

Court, I'm not gonna lie, I was a little scared to begin this series because I'd heard that it was an emotional roller coaster and I wasn't sure if I could do it. Here I am 3 books and 3 days later and I'm sitting in a complete daze trying to process these books. I'm honestly a little bit of a wreck. My brain is whirring and stumbling upon scenes from the books and my heart is bouncing between contentment and heartache and everywhere in between.

Same here, girl. I read book 1 back around December of last year, and had book 2...but I was so rocked after book 1 I had to go on to happier things for a while. It is so intense...and when talking to Rebecca Donovan at RT to describe the series to my mom she said "I held nothing back." Truer words have never been spoken!

Also..longest blog post to date? Probably...sorry...but we had a lot to say! 

Book 1: A Reason to Breathe: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection—pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises, not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth―at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide.

One girl’s story of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and her precarious grasp of hope: Reason to Breathe is the first installment of the acclaimed Breathing Series.

The physical and psychological abuse inflicted on Emma completely horrified me. I've stated on numerous occasions that I'm not a cryer...I'm not opposed to it and I don't judge others for it, I just don't do it very often...so you can imagine how emotional this book must've been if I almost choked up before I was even halfway through it. I don't know how Emma did it but not only did she survive the horror, outside of her home, she thrived. She was able to shove every distressing notion out of her mind and excel in every sport she played and every subject she studied. She created a space in which she was comfortable numb (thank you, Pink Floyd) until Evan came along and pushed her buttons.

I have decided that it is my ultimate goal to find something that will make you cry! Or my mission of sorts....sorry, not sorry! There are almost no words to describe how beautiful this story is, even though some of it is so difficult to read and get through. It is the ultimate true representation of abuse that I have read, probably ever. I was terrified for her, and felt so many emotions right along with her. Epic emotional read.

The friendship and burgeoning love that grew between Emma and Evan was both frightening and fragile and sweet. She resisted trying to add one more complication or feeling to her life but Evan managed to burrow past all of her walls and attach himself to her. She tried to hide and protect him from the abuse she withstood and then when he figured it out she still denied the extent of the nightmare of Carol. Evan, to his credit, kept trying to charm her and protect her and love her. As much as she pushed him away, he kept coming back. He's either the best guy in the world or a complete glutton for punishment. Obviously the best guy ever. I loved the way Rebecca Donovan created their relationship; it felt so natural and right. I was also freaked out at every moment because I just KNEW Carol was going to catch them and do something horrible when she found out.

She takes so many risks to be with him...and I was so scared too that it was all going to blow up in their faces. Which it does...and I'm sure many of you wonder why they don't tell people what they know. Read to find out...I get it....doesn't mean I like it! Her selflessness was ultimately her downfall, but she is a compelling character.

At some point in the reading, I texted Courtney to say how bad I felt for Sara. She must've felt so guilty because she couldn't say anything about what was going on and she kept seeing her friend walk out of her house with new hurts. I cannot imagine the despair she must've felt trying to keep those secrets. 

That was a main focus for me too! I obviously need to reevaluate my role as a friend! Because she is seriously the best friend that I've ever encountered. She is there for her always...and wants to do what is right...but doesn't know how.

I could pour over every single detail in this book--the truly evil abuse, the sister-like bond of Sara and Emma, the non-date dates of Emma and Evan, Drew, the heartache of Emma, the lovely parents of Sara and Evan--but I could never really replicate them and so you should just go read the book instead. 

Final thought? Be prepared for a gut punch at the end. Luckily books 2 and 3 are out so you can jump right in to the next one. GUT PUNCH! HAVE THE NEXT ONE BOUGHT...TRUST US!

Shelley: 5 Stars
Courtney: 5 Stars

Obviously in a series such as this, it is difficult even to read the blurb without getting some mild spoilers....so PLEASE beware of spoilers ahead. We try not to reveal too much...but stop here just in case if you haven't read book 1...then come back when you have!  :)

Book 2: Barely Breathing | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

"I've spent most of my life trying to make it to a future that still hasn't happened, or avoid a past that won't let me go. I don't remember when I've ever just stopped to live in the present, to hold on to the seconds I'm in."

Emma Thomas’s struggle with an abusive home life came to a heart-pounding conclusion in the final chapters of Reason to Breathe, the first installment of The Breathing Series— Rebecca’s Donovan’s bestselling romantic-thriller (USA Today). Now her secret life has been exposed, and her tormentor can’t hurt her anymore. Yet some are still haunted by that night. The bruises may have faded, but scars and fears, remain. How will she reclaim her life when she's barely breathing?

It had been a while since I read Reason to Breathe, but picking back up with the second installment was effortless. Things change, but one thing I will never be able to relate to is how she has to find a way to overcome the trauma that has been her life and shaped the kind of person that she now is. She is slowly getting back to normal and has moved in with Rachel to finish out her senior year of high school...

While the first book, for me, kept me on my toes to see what that evil bitch Carol was going to do next, book two just pummeled me emotionally. Poor Emma is just so broken. You'd think now that Carol is out of the picture, Emma could breathe more freely but she's completely haunted by damage inflicted. She tries so hard to put up a good front but all she ends up doing is pushing the people who are best for her (i.e. Sara and Evan and their families) away and inviting in others with questionable motives (i.e. Rachel and Jonathan). 

I found that Emma was in survival mode for so long and keeping everything bottled up to protect herself and be the perfect person for those around her, that she obviously has issues with confiding in people. This one read so, so fast. I too was questioning motives of people and wanting to reach inside this book and help Emma. I started my inner monologue here that I can't believe that Sara's parents didn't insist that she continue going to therapy. I don't care if she didn't feel that it helped....she would've gotten there eventually...maybe....ahh! 

I repeatedly text Courtney, for this book, and told her that I felt like I was watching 2 trains speeding towards each other on the same track and I knew the wreck was going to end in catastrophe. Analise, Jonathan, Rachel, Stuart, and sometimes even Emma/Sara/Evan were all playing a part in the impending doom and I felt simultaneously sickened and compelled to read it as it all come to a horrifying and bloody crash at the end.

Perfect analogy. No one...no one knew how to help her, and the hits just kept on coming. She was still omitting things and that was so not good. It was hard to deal with, but things moved so fast and I could not put it down! 

I'm sure you're thinking...damn...are there any good moments??!!! There are! Obviously it was great to see Emma have the freedom of choice to come and go as she pleased. She and Sara and Evan had some really great days and funny times....but, honestly, I had a constant nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that just knew, KNEW, that bad times were coming and, well, they always were. The good times just didn't stand a chance against the bad times in this book. I guess what I'm trying to tell you here is when you finish book 2 and your agony subsides a little, you'll jump into book 3 (even if it's 2 AM ...ahem..that's what I did).

SOOOO....what she said! We do try now and again not be redundant! BUT this story still had a tremendous amount of emotional issues...and some great moments...new experiences and joy...and not nearly as horrifying as book 1, but still intense and important issues.

Shelley: 5 Stars 
Courtney: 5 Stars

Book 3: Out of Breath | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Emma leaves Weslyn and everyone in it behind to attend Stanford University, just as she always intended. A shell of her former self, she is not the same girl. She is broken, and the only way that she’ll be whole again is through forgiveness. Emma must find a way to forgive herself and recognize her own worth before she can receive the love she deserves. This final installment will have readers holding their breath until the very last page.

By the time I started book 3, at 2 FREAKING am because I just HAD to know what the hell was going on, I texted Courtney and told her that I was going to try to emotionally distance myself from book 3 because I didn't think I could handle any more. I think I said I was just going to enjoy the ride. Did you hear her hysterical laughter...because I'm pretty sure I did.

I did laugh, hard, when I got that the next morning. And you will too when you get this far. I on the other hand got really whiney..which in text form is just pitiful. I was scared. I wasn't ready. But...since we push each other off the cliff, Shel helped me just dive in blindfolded! 

I'm happy to say that I DID enjoy the ride. Maybe it was because I knew that the end was coming. Maybe it's because our friends on Facebook were kind enough to hold my hand through the reading? Maybe I'd just grown to accept that these characters were going to do some pretty messed up things to each other? Who knows? 

Okay, pause. The online bookish community is amazing. They are fantastic and one little comment turned around the apprehensive feelings that we were going through. And yes, I think by book 3 we were conditioned to expect the unexpected....right? 

This book startled me when it started with Evan's perspective. I know some people don't like dual POV's but I was glad to know what was going on in that head of his. This book begins almost 2 years later and both Emma and Evan are still in love with each other, still incredibly hurt, and both denying that either exists. We get little snippets of what their lives have been like but really the focus is on their present suffering. 

I'm a big fan of well-written dual POV...so I was ecstatic to finally get some insight into Evan. He was always great before, and I was glad to see that he did have some normal emotions going on in his head even if he had a lot of self control in when he expressed them. I was shocked by the time jump though! I was like "NO, that is too much time!" It was hard...and I thought that it was beautiful to really have to get to know these people again in a more new adult setting.

Emma has successfully shut out anyone or anything that evokes emotion. She's a shell of a human being until one of her roommates finally pushes her enough to go out on New Years. This kick starts a whole new level of living and/or destruction for Emma, by Emma. She finds herself seeking numbness or solace in people or acts that range from mild to dangerous. Why, Emma, why? Well duh. She's carrying baggage so heavy that it's crippling her. Her guilt, anger, sorrow, grief, fear, and hurt have completely blinded her to how life could and should be for her.

She seriously tried so hard not to be a certain way, and it was hard to watch her do exactly the things that she detested. The friendship with Cole was a breathe of fresh air through all of that...and her brutal honesty with him, even if it was about nominal things was finally a move in the right direction.

When Emma gets one particularly devastating piece of news Evan and Sara become fully entrenched in the narrative and her life. She is barely hanging on by a thread ...and she has the scissors in her hand ...and many times it seems like she's going to cut that thread. Finally, we see her begin to let go of the vestiges of her self-inflicted wounds and some that were placed upon her. It takes her a while to get there and it takes Evan and Sara tag teaming her to begin to snap her out of her typical shut down response mode. Thank god for them. 

Sara and Evan were so mature for their years, and even when they felt like they were drowning in not knowing what to do for her...they helped her even when she was so awful and that was incredible in itself.

And, thank you Rebecca Donovan for making your characters finally be truthful and honest and fess up to their flaws and fears and hopes. Thank you for forcing them to be brave and vulnerable enough to see if there is anything left for them to love and move forward with. This part of their journey was healing. Even if they walked away from each other, it soothed me to know that they were going to put everything out there and know everything before they walked away.Also, thank you for putting some lighthearted moments in here. I was so emotionally shredded by the end of book 2...having some fun times gave me some breathing room.

The last 25% of book 3 was hands down the most enlightening, finally, and by far my absolute favorite parts...because there was finally joy and acceptance and truth. Here was the parts where I stayed up until the wee hours in the morning to finish this book! 

I loved that not only did we get some closure with Emma and Evan, we also get interesting stories with Sara, Evan's parents, and even a little more of Emma's story. By the end, I felt satisfied...happy, even  actually, when I think of the entirety of the series I think of it as bittersweet. My heart aches for some of the things these characters went through but I felt content at where they ended...without giving too much away. Ditto. I saw some pretty unhappy people on goodreads...shame on them for the record...but I was not disappointed in this book in the least because for real...how much shit can one teenager go through before it is too much? There had to be a changing of the tides, and I thought it was perfection. 

Let me just finish with Rebecca Donovan's writing: It's phenomenal. She creates scenes that are beautifully detailed without bogging you down with too much detail, the dialogue was perfect, the tension and hurt and sorrow and grief and love--I felt it ALL because of her words, her talent, and her carefully crafted sentences. Everything plot point seemed perfectly placed. I'm not sure, yet, what my cure for this GINORMOUS book hangover is...but I'm okay with it lingering a little longer. This series is a definite must read. !!!!! She is a beautiful writer, and I cannot wait to see where her career goes from here! Being sucked into a book, and feeling every emotion the characters go through is hard to do...especially for a series...and each one just got better and better and the voices of each character remained the same. I couldn't ask for a better conclusion. 

Shelley 5 stars....entire series...5 x infinity stars
Courtney: 5 Stars...so how many stars is that for this series....30?! 

PROMOTIONAL EVENT: KEEP ME STILL BY CAISEY QUINN

CAISEY QUINN HAS EXCITING NEWS!

In honor of her nephew (who also happens to share a name with her main character) being born early, she's releasing a special edition of her novel Keep Me Still!

The special edition will include the novella Let You Leave which will no longer be available after this edition goes off sale!

So when can you get a copy of this special edition of Keep Me Still?

Wait for it...

NOW!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BOOK TRAILER

EXCERPT

“Tell me what you want,” I demand, pulling her two wrists into one of my hands. I lift them above her head so I can feel her body on mine without our hands in the way.

 “I want…” She pauses to swallow, and I don’t know why I need her to ask for it…but I do. I need to know that this is what she wants. That I’m the one she wants. “I want to have fun, to stop worrying and feeling guilty all the time just for being alive.”

That wasn’t exactly the response I was hoping for, but beggars can’t be choosers. “And how should we go about making that happen? Specifically,” I clarify, letting my lips rest just a few inches from hers. I can feel her breath on my mouth. “Tell me what I can do to help.”

 Her little pink tongue swipes her lips, coming so close to my own I can practically taste her, and I nearly come undone right then and there. “You should kiss me.” I move in closer, but only a tiny bit.

“And why would I do that?” Her voice is so low I have to lean in to hear her clearly. “Because you want to. Because I’ve been waiting for a very long time. Because you can.” Her words fill me with heat and need. I want so much more than to kiss her. But I’m not going to get greedy here and risk losing her all over again. My plan to make her jealous earlier was just a ploy to get her to admit she still wants me because I still want her. I’m pretty positive I’ll always want her. So now this has to be the best damn kiss two people ever shared in the history of kissing because I need her to want it again and again. Tension builds in my chest at the thought of finally kissing Layla Flaherty, and I’m a little afraid of screwing up her first kiss. But I owe it to her. It should’ve happened a long time ago.

 “Someone’s overthinking things,” she whispers against my lips, and I twitch with anticipation and nostalgia. It’s the exact phrase I used to use on her when she’d go off in her head. She remembers. Dammit, I’m losing control. I tighten my grip on her wrists and run my nose down her cheek. I place a soft kiss on her earlobe and feel her body sag forward as her legs buckle beneath her. Using my other arm to hold her around the waist and keep her vertical, I whisper,

“Here? Is this where you want me to kiss you?” Her breath comes in quick gasps, and she shakes her head no. So I let my lips skim the side of her face and holy hell, she even tastes like peaches. And I should definitely not be thinking about tasting her, but a torrent of images unleashes itself. I know I’m gripping her too hard, but she doesn’t complain. I press myself against her and place a chaste kiss on her cheek.

“Here?” I ask, doing my best to feign innocence.

 “Uh uh,” she groans, and I brush my face against hers until our lips are touching. 

“Here?” “Yes, please,” she says against my mouth, and I try to take it slow, I really do. But when her lips part, opening her to me, I’m done being gentle. My tongue sweeps inside, desperate for hers. She’s tentative at first. Barely skimming her tongue against mine with sweet little licks. But I press harder and she matches me. Layla lets her teeth graze my lower lip and I groan. I release her wrists and she wraps her arms around my neck, raking her hands into my hair. Keeping my hand out from under her short dress is an exercise in torture. My body aches for release, but this is her first kiss. We have to stop here. For now. .

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caisey Quinn is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series. She lives with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals in Birmingham, Alabama. She wears cowgirl boots most of the time, even to church. You can find her online at http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com or as @CaiseyQuinn on Twitter, where she spends entirely too much time chatting with readers, authors, and anyone who’s willing.

SWOON THURSDAY (8) Cole & Evan

We bring you today a fun meme that we thought would totally be up our alley! And here is how to play according to the wonderful host YA Bound

It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the steamy button above and share it on your blog. We want to know!

We're back at it again, swooning over our favorite book boyfriends and the moments that flat out made us giddy when we read them. So sit back, enjoy, and then play along by leaving YOUR favorite swoon worthy moments this week in the comments! (Here & at YA Bound!)

As always, remember to check the comments where our lovely readers share links to their favorite swoony scenes, too!

Courtney is Swooning over Edible by Ella Frank: 

"I can do this all night," he informed her as he lowered his mouth to her ear. "You, me, the warm water, and your sexy body...almost naked but still not quite naked enough. And after the way you tumbled me out of bed, the water feels good on my poor aching muscles." - Cole 

"Would you like a taste, Rachel?" .... "And if I said yes?" ..... "If you say yes, I'll give you my tongue to suck on, and you can take a guess at what it is." - Cole & Rachel 

Shelley is Swooning over The Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan:

From Barely Breathing:

       His smoky blue eyes connected withmine, and he whispered, "I breathed for you."
"You?" The shock of his confession devoured me. 
      "I begged for you to breathe with every breath I gave to you. I kept pleading for you to breathe over and over again. And then...then you did." He blinked away the tears that flooded his eyes.

From Out of Breath:

  I couldn't get enough of her, needing to seep into her skin and feel her heart beat within my chest. There was a pounding within me that convinced me that I had. That we were sharing the same pulse. ... "I love you, Emma Thomas," I whispered. "There'll never be another second of your life that you don't know it."