Review: Down To You by M. Leighton

Down To You

By: M. Leighton

Synopsis From Goodreads:

One girl. Twin brothers. An uncommon triangle. 

When college student Olivia Townsend returned home to help her father run his business, she never imagined a complication like Cash and Nash Davenport—twin brothers different in so many ways but with one thing in common: an uncontrollable desire for Olivia.

Cash is dangerous, sexy, and bad to the bone—a man whose kisses make Olivia forget she is playing with fire. Nash is successful, reliable and intensely passionate—and already taken. But all it takes is one soft stroke to make Olivia forget he belongs to someone else.

However, Olivia is in for a surprise. These boys have a secret that should make her run away as far and as fast as she can. If only it wasn’t too late. A sensual game between three players has begun, and it’s about to spin deliriously out of control.

Goodreads | Amazon

My Review:

Rating: 

★★★

Down To You is yet another book pulled from my forgotten TBR pile. I picked this book up several years back when I was going through my hardcore romance phase, however just like all good phases that one came to an end and Down To You was just one more forgotten book. 

When I first read the blurb I was hooked and couldn't wait to dive right into this story, it sounded different from every other romance novel. However, while there were a few twists and unexpected turns I was not as hooked as I had originally hope. The writing was great and the characters had amazing dialogue, however at times it felt like just another romance novel. 

Down To You follows Olivia, as she struggles to understand her feelings for two brothers, Nash and Cash. One is the perfect guy; accomplished, intelligent and polite. The boy Olivia needs. The other is your typical bad boy, the type of boy Olivia always falls for and as sworn to stay away from. 

But these brothers have a secret of their own, one that could jeopardize everything. This was a twist I was not expecting. 

Down To You was a quick read for me and at times it could be a bit intriguing, however I haven't been able to find a romance novel that hits that 5 star rating for me in quite some time. Sometimes it feels like once you have read one romance novel you've read them all. The dialogue and writing made this a quickie read, it was fast paced and the character dynamics were captivating at times. 

While it wasn't a spectacular, on-the-edge-of-your-seat read I would like to finish out the series, just to see what is in store for Olivia. 

Published by: K

Review: Neverwas by Kelly Moore, Larkin Reed & Tucker Reed

Neverwas

By: Kelly Moore, Larkin Moore & Tucker Reed

Series: The Amber House Trilogy

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery

Length: 320 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

"I was sixteen the second time I had my first kiss...."

At the end of AMBER HOUSE, Sarah made a choice that transformed everything--and now she must choose it all again.

Things are very different--better--for Sarah and her family: her Aunt Maggie grew up; her parents are happily married; her grandmother died after a long, productive and respected life. But other things are different too, and not for the better.

After growing up in the free country of the Pacific Northwest, Sarah Parsons has settled in at Amber House, the stately Maryland home that's been in her family for generations. But the world surrounding the House feels deeply wrong to Sarah. It's a place where the colonists lost the 1776 Insurrection, where the American Confederation of States still struggles with segregation, and where Sarah is haunted by echoes of a better world that she knows never existed.

Her friend Jackson shares these visions of a different world--and together, they manage both to remember the way things ought to be, and to plan a daring mission that will reset the universe once again. Sarah must figure out what has changed, and why, and how she can fix it--how she can find her way to another otherwhen.

Goodreads | Amazon

♞ ♞ ♞ ♞ ♞

My Review:

Rating:

★★★★

After, reading Amber House I couldn't wait to pick up Neverwas to see what was in store for Sarah, Jackson and Sammy. I'll be honest the ending to Amber House had me a bit confused as to where we were going in book two. I never would have guessed a complete history and story change. And I must say I loved it. 

Neverwas picks up much where Amber House began, we are attending Gramma's funeral yet again only this time the circumstances are different. So much changed when Sarah saved her brother, Sammy from the mirror world. She saved more than one person that day and that choice rewrote history as we know it. Some of these changes have ruined the lives of so many people and Sarah is the only one that can rewrite history one more time. 

"He smiles and nodded, 'I know that too. I've seen you and loved you a whole lifetime's worth, Sare. You were worth dying for.'"

Once again we follow Sarah and Jackson as they struggle to piece together what went wrong and fix the past in order to save their future. But Sarah doesn't know where to start and with her fuzzy memory the task almost seems impossible. However, there's no worry, the house is determined to show Sarah exactly what she needs to see in order to save everyone she holds dear. 

The time travel, paranormal and constant mystery had me on the edge of my seat. These books have been quite the page-turners and I enjoyed every second. The writing is so captivating and flows along beautifully, that you feel transported into Amber House right alongside Sarah and Jackson as they piece together the many secrets hidden within the house.

These are two books I would highly recommend. I am truly disappointed that the final book has not yet been released after all these years. I am itching to know what is in store for Sarah, Jackson and Sammy. Did she do it? Was she able to get to the future Jackson as seen? I need to know that answers!! 

Published by: K

Review: Amber House by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed & Larkin Reed

Amber House

By: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed & Larkin Reed

Series: Amber House Trilogy

Genre: Young  Adult Fantasy, Paranormal

Length: 368 pages

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Sarah Parsons has never seen Amber House, the grand Maryland estate that's been in her family for three centuries. She's never walked its hedge maze nor found its secret chambers; she's never glimpsed the shades that haunt it, nor hunted for lost diamonds in its walls.

But all of that is about to change. After her grandmother passes away, Sarah and her friend Jackson decide to search for the diamonds--and the house comes alive. She discovers that she can see visions of the house's past, like the eighteenth-century sea captain who hid the jewels, or the glamorous great-grandmother driven mad by grief. She grows closer to both Jackson and a young man named Richard Hathaway, whose family histories are each deeply entwined with her own. But when the visions start to threaten the person she holds most dear, Sarah must do everything she can to get to the bottom of the house's secrets, and stop the course of history before it is cemented forever. 

Goodreads | Amazon

♞ ♞ ♞ ♞ ♞ 

My Review:

Rating:

★★★★

Here we go again with another book from my forgotten TBR pile. Several years back when my sister was still in middle school and had her Scholastic book fair, I found this gem sitting among the shelves. The synopsis had me intrigued right off the bat, however once I brought it home the book wound up at the bought of my TBR pile and forgotten through time. 

Amber House follows young Sarah has she struggles to navigate the halls of Amber House in the midst of her grandmother's death. The Parsons family came to Maryland for two things to attend Gramma Ida's funeral and sell Amber House as quickly as possible. However, Sarah finds herself fascinated with this old family home and its many secrets that lurk behind every door. 

As the Parsons prepare to sell Amber House under the charade of a sixteenth birthday party, Sarah wanders the halls of Amber House only to discover it has many more secrets hidden among its walls. Some dark and disturbing, others joyful and light. Sarah discovers a secret ability, to see the past, that has run through the family for generations. With the help of Jackson, the boy that grew up on Amber House's property, Sarah sets out to unearth as much of her families secrets and history as she can before Amber House is lost to her forever. 

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. The writing flowed together fluidly, bringing to life the many lives and stories of Amber House. It felt has though I was transported to Amber House myself and experienced ever heartbreak and captivating secret right along Sarah and Jackson.

There were so many twists and turned, new developments and mysteries that had me on the edge of my seat. This was a positively wonderful read and I thoroughly enjoyed every turn of the page. I can't wait to dive right into book two, Neverwas. 

Published by: K

Review: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

  The Vincent Boys

By: Abbi Glines

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him.

Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no.

Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist.... 

Goodreads | Amazon

❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦

My Review:

Rating:

★★★

Like many of my recent reviews, this book has been sitting on my TBR pile for years. I purchased this book years back in a big Book Outlet order, then it was shoved to the bottom of shelf and forgotten. After a much needed purge of my bookshelves I rediscovered The Vincent Boys.

Ashton, the preachers daughter has been best friends with the Vincent boys ever since they were kids. She and Beau were thick as thieves, always causing trouble only to be bailed out by Sawyer. However, as they grew up the three amigos fell apart. Sawyer and Ashton began a relationship that drove a wedge between Beau and Ashton. Their friendship forgotten. But this summer Ashton is without Sawyer and she finds herself drawn back into the arms of her once best friend. 

Beau is the rebel bad boy with quite the reputation, but as Ashton spends time with him she finds he is not as bad as everyone may think. She discovers she can be herself around him, no longer parading around as the perfect daughter or town good girl. She can finally release her inner rebel. 

The Vincent Boys is your typical YA romance. A girl stuck between the "good" guy and the "bad" boy. 

While the book wasn't bad, it was n't a series I can see myself continuing. It was predictable and resembled every other romance novel out there. The story overall was decent but it wasn't anything to right home about. 

Published by: K