PLAYING HE PLAYER

By: Lisa Brown Robert.

Genre: Y/A Contemporary Romance

Year:  2015

Rate: 4 Stars

Synopsis:

The Good Girl Vs. The Player

Round one begins...

“Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she - the most organized, prepared student in school - spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don't ask her about the secret job of "fixing" the bad habits of a certain high school player...

Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She's all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he can totally get her to unwind by the end of summer...

Then the weirdest thing happens. There's chemistry. A lot of it. 

But nothing gets between a boy and a girl like a big, fat secret...”

I love contemporary Romance Y/A, but lately, I haven’t been fortunate with my choice of books. Although it’s true, that they have not been a complete disappointment, they aren’t what I was expecting, nonetheless, what I was looking for. That’s why I’m so glad I found this book.

Overall this story is well done written. Despite the telling, there are excellent descriptions, great dialogues and a great touch of humor, with this I mean I laughed a lot.

The plot is simple but flows well, the development of the romance feels real and the scenes with the protagonists were really cute.

The secondary characters are a good complement, and even when there is not a real antagonist, there is tension, lies, and secrets during the story.

Slade is a great character.  A teenager that pretends he doesn’t care but that behave as the way he is, passionate, good friend, and considerate.

My biggest problem was Trina. She isn’t anything as she is presented. There is a huge contradiction between the way she behaves and the way she is descriptive as a character. Of course, as any story, there should be a development, but Trina as a character feels lost through the pages.

 Also, there is the telling and explanation, that even when it is not much, I think the writer lost a good opportunity for giving us more of her wonderful showing and descriptions.

Besides, I believe there are some threats left lose, some conversations missing, especially between Slade and her mom, and at the end, I would change some words, to give the sense of a “longer intention.” You’ll understand when you’re at this point.

But yes I recommend this book 100% it’s funny, romantic, and perfect for a summer day.

Note: Image was taken from google.com

PLAYING DEFENSE

Author: Cate Cameron

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Year: 2016

Rate: 3.75 stars.

“Sixteen-year-old Claudia Waring has never kissed a boy. Never been popular. Never been to a hockey game. All that’s about to change. Assigned to tutor Chris Winslow, a prank-loving, gorgeous hockey player, Claudia’s perfectly planned life immediately veers off course. And she kind of likes it. But as fun, as Chris is, she knows she'll never fit in his world.

After his latest prank lands him in hot water, Chris has to get serious about school or lose hockey. Not an easy thing for someone as carefree as the defenseman. The biggest problem, though, is how much he wants to help his cute, buttoned-up tutor loosen up a little. But while confidence has never been a problem for him, around Claudia, Chris is all nerves. Why would a girl as smart as her ever fall for a jock like him?”

I almost mark this book as DNF.

At the beginning, I didn’t connect with the characters. They didn’t feel real to me. In addition, there are so many repetitions and explanations, and an overuse of adverbs that it ruins the good showing and descriptions in the story.

But, Cate Cameron is Canadian like me, and the story is settled in the province where I live, so I forced myself to keep going and I’m so glad that I did. 

This story is lovely and hilarious, honestly the plot is nothing deep or with a good twist, but if you don’t pay attention to those little issues in the writing, you’ll enjoy the reading, in fact at the end you will hug the book and sigh with a big smile on your face.

I fall in love with Chris, he is a wonderful character.

The dialogues are funny and witty.

Also, I like how the author address sensitive topics for teenagers like difficult family, what is wrong and what is right, and the importance of the express consent in a relationship.

Furthermore, I like the final message about choices and the importance of belief in yourselves. I think it’s never going to be enough stories about this topic.

I recommend this book 100%. You are going to have a good laugh.

  

Note: Images was taken from www.google.com

COMING UP FOR AIR

By: Miranda Kenneally.

Genre: Y/A.  Contemporary Romance.

Year: 2017.

Rating: 4 stars. 

“Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic try out, so she feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to lose to win?”

I love Miranda Kenneally’s books, and Coming up for air isn’t an exception, this book is funny, lovely and inspirational.

I loved the characters, all of them are well portrayed, and the friendship and loyalty between them is the best part of this story. I think friendship like this is what people need, not just to go through school but through life. 

I enjoyed the dialogues there are effective and help to move the story at a good speed. Although in some points, the story turns a little repetitive and slow, especially in some telling parts, there are so may step by step that it seemed I was reading a diary. Also, I think Maggie’s thoughts seemed to be all over the place, she was back and forth with the same ideas, but then I realized that is the way a teenager’s mind works, with spontaneity.

The romance feels real, it was beautifully built from a strong friendship.

Besides the romance and the friendship, the author added interesting aspects, like; the importance of the equality between girls and boys, the necessity of finding a balance in order to enjoy the best of life, also that hard work, discipline and passion can help you to make your dreams comes true, and how important is to know yourself and what kind of person you want to be.

In addition, I have to mention how fantastic the epilogue is. It’s the best ending for and amazing series.

Finally, there is something else I always enjoy from Miranda’s books. Her acknowledgments. In all her books, the writer gives us a message, an encouragement to try to be the best of ourselves. She talks to the readers with beautiful emotive words.

I recommend this book 100%. This is a story you aren’t going to be able to put it down.

Note: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing the ARC.  

Note: Image was taken from www.google.com