Review: Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn

Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn

Author: Nyrae Dawn

Series: -

Pages: 304

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Amazon

Release date: 4^th March 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

This is a Young Adult title.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

Searching for Beautiful was kindly provided to me by Entangled Teen and is a book about life struggles and self-discovery. Nyrae Dawn is an auto-read author for me, I tend to enjoy her complex characters and believable story-lines but unfortunately this book didn’t wow me and I wasn't able to connect on a personal or emotional level.

Sixteen year-old Brynn De Luca feels like she has lost everything – her boyfriend Jason turns into a childish creep when she tells him she is pregnant, she becomes a social outcast at school and amongst people she thought were her friends and her father has lost faith and trust in her; she is bombarded with emotions and at a complete loss with her life.

Brynn was a broken and flawed character, I would have liked to have known the ‘before’ Brynn a little more, I feel she would have been someone I would quite like but the Brynn we get to know is naïve, immature, pushes people away and continues to make silly mistakes, especially when it came to Jason who is continually callous. Brynn was really in a funk and I’m not sure if by the end of the book I actually liked her, sure she  progressed as a character but her actions and woe is me attitude to that point I didn’t find appealing to read about at all.

Brynn’s turnabout came with the arrival of an old friend, Christian Medina who I adored right from the onset; he was such a sweet, carefree guy and becomes a close confidante and friend to Brynn despite having his own difficulties. Their friendship was built on trust and their eventual romance was really endearing and I appreciated how they took their time.

I can’t say I liked a majority of the side characters; I did like Emery, she was ‘real’ and also quite broken and Christian’s mother Brenda was perfectly written.

When it comes to books about pregnancy, I don’t really connect and maybe that is because I have never been in the same situation or that I am a lot older and shook my head at a lot of Brynn’s decisions – it’s not a story-line I am fond of but Nyrae Dawn did explore this book about self-discovery, loss and heartache with compassion and kindness.

Overall, Nyrae Dawn’s writing is wonderful, she writes true to life stories that tackle some complex subject matters and despite not connecting with this particular story or the MC it was still entertaining none the less.

Thank-you to Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Searching for Beautiful.

 

About the author (Goodreads): I am a compulsive reader and writer who loves YA fiction. 

I love nothing more than writing about young adults. There is something so fresh and fun about it. You can pretty much always find me with a book in my hand or open document in front of me.

I live in Southern California with my husband and two children.

Review: Masquerade (Games #3) by Nyrae Dawn

Masquerade

Author: Nyrae Dawn

Series: Games

Pages: 320

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Amazon

Release date: 7^th January 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

A biker. A tattoo artist. A love to last a lifetime.

Maddox Cross has always had to be tough. When his father went to jail for murder, the teenager took care of his sister and mother. Now on his own and working security at a night club, Maddox wants to become a tattoo artist-a dream that comes closer to reality when he falls for the hottest, most tatted woman he's ever seen. She's wild and beautiful, and Maddox will do anything to be with her.

Bee Malone came to town to open up her new tattoo parlor, Masquerade. Since being kidnapped as a young girl, Bee has had trouble getting close to anyone. But when she meets Maddox, she sees that under his hard biker's body is the sensitive soul of an artist. What starts out as a sizzling one-night stand soon becomes so much more.

Bee wants Maddox to join her tattoo business, but letting him into her life means revealing all her most intimate secrets. And as the past begins to intertwine with her present, Bee fears their love may not be as permanent as their ink . . . 

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

I absolutely loved Charade, book 1 in the Games series; I’m yet to read book 2 Façade but Masquerade was fabulous! Nyrae Dawn never fails to disappoint with her amazing characters and truly heartfelt romances.

Masquerade is Bee Malone’s dream, her tattoo parlour; new in town and ready to start fresh she was a distant, hardened and straight talking character who has suffered since her kidnapping as a child and is trying to get on with her life without attachments; that is until she meets Maddox Cross who is just as broken as she is.

Maddox is guilt ridden and holds on to so much pain and anger towards his parents, the only person he seems to care about is his sister Laney and his dream to be a tattoo artist. When an opportunity comes up to apprentice for Bee despite sharing one night together she agrees to teach him what she knows but with the condition it is a professional relationship only.

Bee and Maddox clashed on numerous occasions but they were constantly drawn to one another, on many occasions I was rolling my eyes and hoping they would open up and let each other in but it was a bit of a journey to get there. They weren’t open or into heavy discussions but their attraction was off the charts, they complimented each other well.

The secondary cast were fabulous! it was great catching up with Colt & Cheyenne and I am now more than eager to read Laney and Adrian’s story – I’m really curious to learn more about Maddox’s hostility and anger towards Adrian.

With the story being told from both Bee and Maddox’s POV’s it gave us further insight into what both of the characters had been through which I appreciated and felt was necessary for this story, it bought out all the necessary emotions. Nyrae Dawn’s writing is fabulous! Her characters are written to perfection, they are flawed but believable and the romance is the kind I like, slow to develop and built on a mutual trust and chemistry.

I’ve also got to say that cover is one of my faves! It suits the couple perfectly and that model is mmmmm smexy!!

Overall, Masquerade was an emotional, heartfelt read that held my attention right from the very first page. A wonderful addition to the Games series.

Thank-you kindly to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read and review Masquerade.

 

About the author: (Goodreads) I am a compulsive reader and writer who loves YA fiction. 

I love nothing more than writing about young adults. There is something so fresh and fun about it. You can pretty much always find me with a book in my hand or open document in front of me. 

I live in Southern California with my husband and two children.

ARC Review: Out of Play by Nyrae Dawn & Jolene Perry

Out of Play

Authors: Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn

Series: -

Pages: 320

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher/Source: Entangled Teen

Release date: 6^th August 2013

Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a drug problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—just need a little help taking the edge off sometimes. After downing a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.　

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers to all the best schools, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absentminded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered to come home from work, let alone deal with their new tenants next door. 

Penny’s not interested in dealing with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps and begins to see what he’s been missing. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Out of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn was kindly provided to me by Entangled Teen and kept me riveted right from the very first page with its exciting premise and amazing characters.

Bishop Riley is the drummer for a famous award winning band and has been sent to Seldon, Alaska after nearly overdosing to think and sort out his priorities. Bishop was a broody character who was a bit of a mystery, I wanted to know more about him, his anxiety and addiction and what had sent him on a downward spiral and as the book progressed I enjoyed getting to know more about him.

Tomboy Penny Jones plays with the school boys hockey team and can’t imagine life outside of Seldon, she loves her lifestyle and her family and is hesitant when it comes to making a decision about college, she comes to be intrigued by the moody boy who has just arrived at her families rental cabins, his arrival shrouded in secrecy.

These characters couldn’t have been more different, Bishop with his cockiness and partying ways and Penny with her kick-butt sass and attitude who really cared about those around her, they ended up melding in a way which worked really well and the attraction between them was hot! I must say though, I was so anxious as I was reading along about how one beer only Penny would feel towards Bishop once she knew the truth about not only who he was but why he was there.  

The secondary characters were fabulous! I absolutely adored Gramps, he was such a wise old man and I really felt for him with his dementia; Gary and his advice was amazing; we all need a Gary in our lives with his positive affirmations and guidance I think and I liked the protective relationship Bishop shared with his mother.

This is my favourite kind of romance, no insta-love, just a slow (probably a little too slow) build up and mutual attraction which had me hoping for a HEA but it wasn’t to come without a few misunderstandings, drama and a lot of self-discovery, especially on Bishop’s part.

The writing is brilliant and the details we are given vivid, you are drawn into the scene along with the characters and feel their emotions and their experiences which I think is a sign of amazing story-telling.

Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn have written an entertaining page-turner with amazing characters, a wonderful storyline and really sweet romance. Dementia, addiction and anxiety were dealt with in a way which was believable, compassionate and extremely well done.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read by two fabulous authors.

Thank-you to Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Out of Play.

About the authors: (Jolene Perry) I wear juvenile T-shirts, worn-out chucks, and eat too much chocolate. I write. A lot. I make up words, drink Shirley Temples, and suffocate a little without my iPod.

You can also find me under Jolene B Perry...

Also I blog:
www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com

And I tumblr like a gymnast ;-)
http:writershoes.tumblr.com 

(Nyrae Dawn) I am a compulsive reader and writer who loves YA fiction. 

I love nothing more than writing about young adults. There is something so fresh and fun about it. You can pretty much always find me with a book in my hand or open document in front of me. 

I live in Southern California with my husband and two children.

Review: Charade (Games #1) by Nyrae Dawn

 

Series: Games

Pages: 254

Genre: New Adult

Publisher: Self

Amazon: Charade

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection.

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too.

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I am really loving the New Adult genre at the moment and Nyrae Dawn has written an emotional page-turner with Charade, the first book in the Games series which follows the stories of Cheyenne and Colt.

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her cheating ex and Twenty-one-year-old Colt needs money to help care for his dying mother, so they come to an agreement that will help them both out but what starts off as a game quickly turns into something both of them never expected.

Charade was an emotional tale of love and loss; seeing these two characters come together and fight their personal demons side by side was like being on an emotional roller-coaster but it was also wonderful to watch it all unfold.

Both Cheyenne and Colt have heart-breaking back stories that will leave you emotionally wrecked but also hoping that something good was going to come from their pain and the support they were able to offer one another, they couldn’t have been more different yet so perfect together. I really liked that the romance moved at a believable pace, no declarations of love at first sight which I really appreciated.

The secondary characters were each written well, I am intrigued by Adrian and I adored the interactions between Colt and his mother, it was the sweetest bond but also heart-wrenching to see how her illness was affecting him.

I really like Nyrae Dawn’s style of writing; she never fails to hold my interest. Her characters are so believable and likeable, the dialogue is fun and witty and the story captivating.

The only reason for not rating this book 5 stars was because I felt there was drama overload; everything came together in the end but there was so many obstacles this couple was having to endure that I felt it was at times too much.

Book 2 in the Games series, Façade has an anticipated 2013 release date.

Mature content: language, drug references and sexual situations.

REVIEW: What a Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn

 

 Author: Nyrae Dawn

Series: What a Boy Wants

Pages: 142

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Self

Amazon: What a Boy Wants

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…

With the last girl he would expect…

Totally not in his game plan.

Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.

But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it.

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I am so pleased I am finally able to say I have read a novel by Nyrae Dawn!! I have wanted to read What a Boy Wants for a while now and it was just what I needed after recently finishing quite an intense book, it was a sweet and heartwarming with fun and humor which kept me entertained throughout.

17 year-old Sebastian Hawkins is a love-em and leave-em kind of guy; after watching his mother go through a number of bad break-ups he has resigned himself to never falling in love but having enough knowledge to help others, girls namely find their dream guys he has created an online venture known as the Hook-up Doctor.

I adored Sebastian and his humorous, witty and loving personality; his inner monologue had me laughing on so many occasions and the way he tried to talk himself out of certain situations was a crack-up; his love and devotion to his mother was also wonderful to read about. I really enjoyed reading from a male’s POV.

Aspen ‘woodstock’ was the most adorable BFF, you could tell the friendship she shared with Bastian was one built on trust and loyalty, she was a sweetheart and absolutely perfect for him.

Now Bastian/Aspen – watching him notice the little changes in her and realizing he was actually crushing on his best friend was beautiful and left me feeling giddy, there were so many ‘awwww’ moments that I loved but also quite a few miscommunications which had my head spinning.

I enjoyed each of the secondary characters, I was especially intrigued by Jaden and the little hints we are given that all isn't OK in his life; I am eager to read more about him.

For some reason, I really felt my age reading this book; although it contained some mature themes, the dialogue and banter were at times immature which was meant out of fun considering the characters close knit relationships and their playful natures but it’s something I don’t tend to notice when reading other YA novels.

All in all, I really enjoyed Nyrae Dawn's writing and What a Boy Wants was a fun, heart-warming and really sweet read. I will definitely be picking up the companion book, What a Boy Needs which is Jaden and Pris’s story.