REVIEW: Thomas & January (Sleepless #2) by Fisher Amelie

 

Author: Fisher Amelie

Series: Sleepless

Pages: eBook

Genre: YA - Contemporary

Publisher: Self

Amazon: Thomas & January

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Thomas Eriksson thinks he has it all figured out.

"People crossed the street when they saw me. I’m not really sure why that was. I mean, okay, I might have looked a bit intimidating if I was being truthful with you. I’d changed since New York. New York represented a life that wasn’t real, not truthfully, anyway. No, New York was the “young, immature, in love, idiot" side of Tom. The “Tie-Dye Tom of New York City” didn’t exist anymore. Tie-Dye Tom was dead."

January Mac Lochlainn thinks she’s her own worst enemy.

"I quit Berkeley. Threw away a full scholarship. Plans, you ask? What plans?"

But they’re both wrong.

***
Tom approached me slowly and met me under the light on the stone walkway. He leaned over me so closely, my neck craned to see his face. His expression was one of confusion as he studied my own.

“What is it about you?” he asked me.

I gulped. “What do you mean?” I whispered, closing my eyes and swallowing again, my breaths becoming labored.

He lifted his hand and dragged the backs of his fingers across my jaw so lightly I barely felt them, but they made me feel dizzy all the same.

“How can you be this extraordinary, January MacLochlainn?” He leaned closer, a look of pure frustration and anger lit his eyes and pressed his lips. “And why couldn’t I have met you before I realized I didn’t want anyone...ever?”

Life for Thomas and January will never be the same again...whether they like it or not.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I absolutely loved Callum & Harper by Fisher Amelie so went into Thomas & January with my expectations quite high and although I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it as much as book 1.

January MacLochlainn, the eldest of ten children has left a scholarship at Berkeley to pursue a career in the music world where her passion truly lies.

Thomas Eriksson fled NY for Austin with a broken heart, he is a former musician and now a music scout; his whole persona from Callum & Harper did a complete turnabout, he went from being tie-dye Tom to dark, moody mysterious Tom.

Thomas and January meet at a concert where they share a kiss but Thomas pulls away still reeling over his heartache and not expecting the emotions he feels after January kisses him. She is given gainful employment at the same company as Thomas but they don’t see each other for a few months which is about to change when Thomas is sent to Europe to scout for new talent and January is to accompany him.

I thought January was wonderful, head-strong and determined at the beginning of the book, there was an innocence about her but she still stood up to Thomas; as the book progressed though she seemed to become weaker, I feel the same happened with Thomas – they started with a volatile relationship that was snarky and a bit of fun to something completely different. I would have loved a bit more character development to get to know them more than what we did, especially January.

I did enjoy the secondary characters, each make a re-appearance from the first book which was great. I like when characters from past books play a big part, it is nice to see what they are now up to and the friendship they each share is sweet.

Ms Amelie’s writing is detailed and enjoyable; I really love a book that has a lot of witty, fun dialogue. The plot was a tad predictable but enjoyable none the less.

Thomas & January is a book filled with drama, romance, wonderful descriptions, a beautiful setting and likeable characters that will have you glued to the pages right from the beginning. A sweet read with a nice HEA.

REVIEW: Callum & Harper by Fisher Amelie

 

Author: Fisher Amelie

Pages: 355

Publisher: Self

Genre: Young Adult

Amazon: Callum & Harper

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.

Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease' with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they're forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.

So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates.

But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can't ever be acted upon because they're both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B.

And, oh, how lovely Plan B's can be.

Well, except for the psycho from Harper's past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there's the little issue that neither of them knows they're in love with the other.

Needless to say, Callum & Harper's life just got a bit more complicated.

“One day, you and I are gonna’ wake up and be alright. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day. One day. I promise you.” - Callum Tate

REVIEW: 4 out of 5 stars

When Callum Tate and Harper Bailey meet at the social services offices waiting on their respective fates, their lives are about to become intertwined. Since they have both turned 18 years old, they are forced to rely on the system after spending their lives in foster care; now their thoughts are on what their futures hold.

Homeless and with no room at the local shelter, Harper accepts Callum’s help; they literally become inseparable, she meets his friends, he shows her where to find fast paying jobs, he tries to keep a roof over both of their heads and he shows her that she does have a future if she could only believe in herself.  

What an amazing couple! The attraction between Callum & Harper was instantaneous; they both shared a painful past and were lacking in trust but they had come to rely on one another to get by, they had their ups and downs and I thought many times ‘how much back luck can two people have’ but they got by with the support of their friends and each other.

Callum & Harper was a beautiful romantic story, they didn’t rush in and declare their love for one another, it took a lot of time; they were the best of friends, supported and had come to rely on one another, it was gushingly sweet and adorable. Despite this, there was a misunderstanding between them that certainly could have been sorted a lot sooner but why they didn’t reveal their feelings was certainly understandable considering both of their pasts.

The John Bell storyline was creepy; his obsession with Harper had me feeling squeamish and what he did to her was despicable.

The secondary characters were each fleshed out well, I especially loved Charlie and Cherry; it would be amazing to have them as best friends.

I literally stayed up until all hours to finish Callum & Harper, they were two characters who held my interest and kept me rooting for a happy ending. I adored Fisher Amelie’s crisp, detailed writing style, it kept me riveted and the pacing was spot on.

All in all, Colorful descriptions and very real and believable characters will have you glued to the pages right from the beginning. Callum & Harper is a must read!