I love escaping into a good book where you can actually ...
588081
I love escaping into a good book where you can actually visual every detail and this was one of those books. It was also my first time reading a military type based book and Shannon made it pretty clear to understand the whole military stuff. Pretty awesome in my book!  This was a fast past emotionally,heartfelt,beautifully written story with old friends and new enemies and how two people decide they are going to make it past their demons and work together to survive. This book past my expectations and really deserves 10* rating but I can only give it a 5 here. If you like stubborn military heroes and female heroes who do the whole enemies to friend to well you get the drift then this is a book that you won't be able to put down.
2491557
Sometimes you just want to sit down and enjoy a respite.  This book will do that, while it does capture the attention, you will escape for some time and then walk back to normal life.  I say this in the nicest way as I have learned there are more people out there, like me, that when they pick up a book they can not put it down until it is done.  You will achieve your break and then its over. A good read.
1742244
If you like books that hook you into a good story, this is the right pick for your book list
1318929
Some books I devour and enjoy, then lovingly place upon my bookshelf where I can walk by it and smile, remembering that first reading with fondness. I may pick them back up weeks, months, or years down the road, but often I just put them up like trophies in a `display case' while I move onto new stories, worlds, and characters.

Other books I turn the final page, close the cover, sigh, and then start all over again. These books teach me about myself or shed light on something I never thought of before, or simply involve characters who become a part of me during the reading process. Their story becomes my story.

This was the case with PLAYING HURT by Holly Schindler.

I discovered this book from YA Outside the Lines and, to be perfectly honest, I fell in love with the author. I loved the path to publication story, reading what she learned from her characters, and mostly, I loved the passion she showed for her writing. I wanted to support her so I bought the book.

Then I got it, cracked the cover, and fell in love with the story. And Clint.

Holly's writing is lyrical and poetic. She paints with words. Visually, PLAYING HURT is a wonderland of images, and emotionally, it's a feast for your heart. It is a romance, but more than that, it is about two people finding each other, discovering themselves, and working through just about every emotion conceivable. With the pasts of these two characters littered with sadness, it would've been easy to fall into melodrama. But that never happens. And while the pain is real and dealt with authentically, there's also hope on every page.

And lots of swooning.

Chelsea is an awesome protagonist. She's strong and her voice is part-humorous, part-romantic. Her inner-battle between staying faithful to Gabe, her amazing boyfriend back home who stayed with her during the hardest year of her life, and following her heart with Clint, her trainer who understands everything she's gone through and makes her feel alive again, is spot on. And Clint is the perfect mix of wounded hottie and strong protector. Originally, this was strictly told from Chelsea's point of view, but I'm so glad Holly made the change. Clint's voice and backstory is probably what made this story so special for me.

In the book, Chelsea and Clint vow to "never live timidly," and to never take the coward's way out again. As a storyteller, Holly follows her character's advice. She doesn't hold anything back, whether it's exploring sexuality, living with regret and pain, or hurting the ones you love the most and dealing with the fallout. Her characters live and breathe, and in the end, become a part of you.
1291294
I love to read a book and really get into that I want to read all the other ones by this author
3926780
I had to find excuses to sneak away and read more of this book!
4043280
Disclaimer: I got the audio book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

The book drew me right in, and after the first few pages, there was no escape -- I just *had* to listen on, and on, all through the night . ;)

I love a good mystery, and if there's some romance to boot, I can't ask for more.
The idea is great, and the execution is excellent. I've never been to the USA, leave alone Florida, but I could picture it all.
The narrator was excellent, too, which greatly added to my enjoyment of this novel!

This is my second novel by this author, and I'll definitely check out other novels by her.
2574939
I liked this book, in fact, I liked it more than I had expected to. When I first saw this, the description sounded interesting, but I wasn't sure it was my type of book. It turned out that it was very enjoyable and worth the time to read.

Eve is a great character. She is well thought out and had a lot to offer the reader. I love emotional characters that can produce feeling in me when I am reading, and you can't help but love her.

At seventeen, Eve is still a bit naive about the way the world works. She wants to think the best about everyone, especially the members of her own family and their life together. She must learn some valuable lessons in order to understand what the bond among them truly means.

I found this to be the type of coming-of-age story that leaves you thinking about the history of the subject matter and makes you want to learn more. Although it is fiction, the author did such an amazing job researching her material that at times, you forget you are reading a made up story at all.

The pacing of this novel is difficult to explain. There are some pretty long stretches where there isn't a tremendous amount happening, but you get so interested in the family and the plot that you want to keep turning pages regardless. The author's writing style is always pleasant and I never lost interest. The detailed history of this family and their struggles kept me coming back for more.

This would be a perfect book for an afternoon reading escape. I would recommend this to anyone.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.
3454510
You know you love a book when you find yourself reading it in bed at 5 am, or sneaking into the bathroom at work to read while hiding in a stall. ;) Cannot wait to read more from this author.
3794198
When I requested this book from NetGalley I wasn't 100% sure that it would feature part 1 and 2 but good thing it did because I don't if I could wait for Part 2. My biggest problem when books are split like this is that most of the times there is no reason to stop, it could be one book only, but then we have to wait months for Part 2 (believe me, it already happened to me once. Also, I loved Part 2 way more than 1, and both complemented each other pretty well, but if I didn't had both parts my rating would be lower. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Ariel might look like a really shy person but she still stands for herself and fights for what she wants. Chase was a complex character and while he might look like a jerk at first he really cares about the people he loves. Both of them had difficult things happening to them in their past but it was worst for Chase and his past is the main reason he is like he is. Their relationship development was pretty amazing too. I love how they started as friends and trying to help each other reaching their objectives and only then it developed something more. I also liked to see them finding stuff about each other a lot. This is one of that books when you actually see the main characters talking about a lot of things. Part 2 of this book really surprised me because I wasn't expecting it to take a dark turn but I loved it anyway and it was something that help the characters development a little bit more. Another thing I loved was the writing and the dual POV. My only big problem is that in the beginning the introduction of the characters was too fast. I would love if the first chapters were a little bit slower. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you love new adult romances with some dark twists you should give this one a try (but get both parts at the same time so you don't have to wait to read everything :D ).When I requested this book from NetGalley I wasn't 100% sure that it would feature part 1 and 2 but good thing it did because I don't if I could wait for Part 2. My biggest problem when books are split like this is that most of the times there is no reason to stop, it could be one book only, but then we have to wait months for Part 2 (believe me, it already happened to me once. Also, I loved Part 2 way more than 1, and both complemented each other pretty well, but if I didn't had both parts my rating would be lower. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Ariel might look like a really shy person but she still stands for herself and fights for what she wants. Chase was a complex character and while he might look like a jerk at first he really cares about the people he loves. Both of them had difficult things happening to them in their past but it was worst for Chase and his past is the main reason he is like he is. Their relationship development was pretty amazing too. I love how they started as friends and trying to help each other reaching their objectives and only then it developed something more. I also liked to see them finding stuff about each other a lot. This is one of that books when you actually see the main characters talking about a lot of things. Part 2 of this book really surprised me because I wasn't expecting it to take a dark turn but I loved it anyway and it was something that help the characters development a little bit more. Another thing I loved was the writing and the dual POV. My only big problem is that in the beginning the introduction of the characters was too fast. I would love if the first chapters were a little bit slower. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you love new adult romances with some dark twists you should give this one a try (but get both parts at the same time so you don't have to wait to read everything :D ).
3469069
I rarely read romantic novels. I prefer diving into books about business, religion, or just about anything else so when a friend of mine recommended that I check this one out I was skeptical. After reading the book, I am glad I listened to her advice. Chloe's story of adventure, romance and friendship in a big new city was really refreshing and reminded me of my first few years in NYC (or what I hoped it could be anyway). It's a great read to escape every day meh-ness and help you re-imagine what your life in new surroundings could be. I've since sent a copy to my mom who loved it but "doesn't do computers" so I am sharing on her behalf. I'm still a romance novel skeptic, but would be interested to peek into another book from H.K. Abrahams.
1092645
This book is page turning fun! I work 8 days a week and when I read anything that is non-work it better be fun and engaging. Lost Library ticked all those boxes for me.

I'm not much for romance novels and I was glad this didn't fit that particular mold. Lost Library doesn't take itself too seriously and because of that you get to go on this really brilliant adventure that keeps you turning the pages, laughing out loud and forgetting that you have to get up early in the morning.

There are many books in this genre that are all dark and emo. The character of Lizzie is so likable and relatable, sure there are definitely some brooding characters but the mix is perfect and playful with just the right dash of holding your breath.

Thank goodness there are two more in the series!
3108476
I was looking for a new book and this was perfect given the times. It was a great escape for me and I immediately enjoyed getting to know the main character, Charlotte Walsh.  I love how the author, Jo Piazza portrays her in an honest light.  It's about being a woman in the public eye and has a nice dose of humor and insight into. It's a nice portrayal of what it means to be an ambitious woman today.  It was a fast read for me which I need - lol, who has any time!  I've left it out and my husband has even taken to it.  A great read, highly recommend.
2680669
I was really looking forward to the day I finally got to read this book.  I just had a feeling I was going to like it.  And I did!

Megan is a bit pampered, it's true.  She has always known the finer things of life.  But Megan also knows that those things are not worth abuse.  In order to protect herself and her son, she knows she must escape the hands of her abusive and controlling husband.

I liked the transformation that Megan goes through.  She is a bit haughty at first, judging people and places but Megan has a good heart and she is willing to try new things and new ways of doing things.  Her heart transforms.  She learns that she is capable and able to things she never ever thought about doing.  She finds peace and enjoyment in self accomplishment.

The sense of community that surrounds Megan is awesome.  I love books where I feel that.  Maybe that's because I've mostly lived in smaller communities and it feels like home to me.  Ammon is a "do good" scouter.  He helps his community and loves his home.  Life lessons have taught him a lot and he is a person of strength and character.  I LOVED Ammon's dog.  :)

This was such a good read.  Clean, romantic with a bit of suspense thrown in.  I was drawn in from the beginning reading about Megan's abusive marriage and her desperate plans to escape.  I was able to connect to the characters and make a movie in my head while I read.  That makes me happy.

Please note that there are some descriptive abusive scenes in this book.  Those especially sensitive to this may want to proceed with caution.
1740895
There are certain things that I love to find in a book. Storyline and characters that stick with me and pull me back into the book even when I've stopped reading because it's way past time to go to sleep.  Setting and descriptions that give me clear pictures in my head. Resolution that is satisfying and not forced and that leaves me with a smile in my heart. Clean and compelling writing. This book had all of these qualities in bucketloads. Even though there were serious issues addressed and sad and/or infuriating moments in the storyline, I still had a little glow inside and smile on my face while I read because of the loveliness of the book overall. It was a wonderful way to spend a few hours and I look forward to more from this author.
2647459
This was a delightful diversion for me from my more involved and darker reads  not that a book with the themes that this one uses doesnt involve some dark acts. It just doesnt delve into them too deeply. Our heroine, Sarah is married to the man of her dreams and in the middle of writing a novel for her thesis but its not all going that well for she is keeping a big secret from her husband and her novel is going nowhere. As she continues her research into San Franciscos less than savory past she stumbles upon an intriguing headline of two dressmakers who went missing. Little does she know where this one small tidbit of history will lead her.

Sarah is a young woman who has come up from nothing to marry into one of the wealthiest families in the San Francisco area. Her husband is nothing liker her cold father in law. While her mother in law welcomes her into the family she never quite feels as if she belongs. She somehow feels adrift until she stumbles upon the story of the two missing seamstresses. Once she decides to investigate their story instead of writing her novel everything changes; she feels alive again but she also starts to receive threatening messages.  Why? From whom?

This was a book that entertained me, gave me a look into San Franciscos dark history and let me escape for a while. Its not a book that required a lot of thought and to be honest its better if you don't think too hard while reading it. Its an escapist piece of reading and well suited to that realm. Id pick up another book by the author without hesitation for an enjoyable afternoons reading

I received a free copy for my honest review
4642785
This book was so perfect for me that I don't feel like a completely objective reviewer. Ive recently realized that I love books where peoples lives intersect in such a way that they all help each other become happier. This is one of those books. Like The Wedding Bees and other books with a vivid, happy atmosphere, the author clearly chose her similes and metaphors carefully to add to the mood shes trying to create. There was a little more conflict than in The Wedding Bees, conflict which largely involved two particularly dislikable characters. Although I adored The Wedding Bees for what it is, the addition of those protagonists made this a slightly less fluffy book. The main characters really got a chance to grow as they learned to stand up to the dislikable characters when it was necessary for their own happiness.

Another bookish love Ive recently discovered is the genre of magical realism. I think I love magical realism so much because I like happy stories and there isn't much thats more optimistic than magic that you almost believe could exist. I actually would have liked to see the details of the magic fleshed out a little more than they were, but it was pretty well done. It was certainly internally consistent and there are a few things that hint at a magical system connecting the different magical events. At the end of the book, I didn't feel like it was something new and spectacular. It was, however, a perfect comfort book, superbly written and a delight to read.