Friday, May 8, 2015

Review Time #82

Wait! By Stacey Nash

Jordan Hays knows just how precious life is; that’s why he has his own mapped out. He’ll work to pay his way through university while he studies hard, regardless of the constant distractions. Because when it comes to becoming a nurse, he’s deadly serious. He won’t fail to save someone again.

But Hex Penton is way too similar to the sister he lost, and even though the only thing more fun than stupid dares is the crazy girl who sets them, Jordan needs to make a choice. Hex believes every moment is important; every opportunity must be taken, because you never know when the world will be yanked out from underneath you. With the foundations he’s based his life on shaken, Jordan must discover what’s more important: making sure Hex’s life isn’t wasted, or remembering how to live his. 

It’s time to play truth or dare.

***

Wait! is a story about acceptance, learning to trust and in turn love while facing life's unexpected difficulties.

After reading and loving Ssh! by Nash I couldn't wait to get my hands on book two in the Oxley saga. Apart from the fact that the whole series is based where I go to college and University, I love the writing and knowing what really happens at an Australian college.

Wait! Is about Hex and Jordan, who are both freshers (first years) and what they are both dealing with while they begin studying at university. Jordan is Logan's brother from Ssh! so we get to see both him, and Liv again which is exciting. We know a little about Jordan's past from Ssh! but we really get to find out who he is and why he decided to do nursing rather than another course and why he seemingly drawn to Hex. First night of college and Hex is known as the party girl, not really caring about being at university in the first place she is really getting into O-Week.

Hex reminds Jordan of everything that his sister was and fears that she is heading down the same path as her. The overbearingness that Jordan has towards Hex really keeps them apart from each other as Hex doesn't want to know that she reminds him of his dead sister. While Hex manages to get Jordan having some fun instead of being so serious all the time and Jordan manages to get Hex to see that there is something that she enjoys and can do. I loved the continuous dare game they had going on which really added to the story.

I haven't said this in a long time to say that I related to the male character more than the female might be because Jordan and I have a lot in common, swimming, not huge partiers/drinkers and both study a health field. Hex on the other hand is a wild child or at least she is for most of the book. The minor characters were fantastic and I kind of want them to have their own story but still they added more to the story.


Nash has managed to create a realistic view of Australian college and university life which I haven't seen in any Australian YA/NA which is kind of sad but still the details about where they are and what is happening are fantastic and I could imagine exactly where they are. The story of Jordan and Hex isn't about romance (not completely) but about getting past the bad things and learning to move on from past. 

Thankyou so much Stacey for the ARC copy!

Rating: 5/5

Keely xx

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Paradise City Blog Tour + GIVEAWAY!

Paradise City by CJ Duggan

There's bound to be trouble in Paradise . . .

When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen-year-old Lexie Atkinson never expected they'd send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of home schooling on a rural Australian property, she's sure that Paradise will be amazing. But when she's thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie's not so sure. 

Hanging out with the self-proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie's never experienced, but all that's about to change. It's new, terrifying . . . and exciting. But when she meets Luke Ballantine, exciting doesn't even come close to describing her new life. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one. The resident bad-boy leader of the group, he's sexier than any boy Lexie has ever known. 

Amidst the stolen moments of knowing looks and heated touches, Lexie can't help but wonder if Luke is going to be good for her . . . or very, very bad?


I loved CJ Duggan's Summer series and I was super excited to hear about Paradise City at SAE in November. I really enjoy how she sets her books in the late 90's in Aus and her writing style.

Meet Lexie, from outback Victoria in a town with 3 pubs but no high school. Lexie has always wanted to go to high school with her cousin Amanda in Paradise City but never actually thought her parent's would send her. A surfer town (kind of like my hometown actually) to finish her final year of high school. However, when she gets there she isn't warmly welcome by her cousin Amanda. Amanda thinks that with Lexie around she won't be able to sneak out and meet the guys after curfew. 

First night staying with her cousin Amanda and Lexie runs into Ballantine, whom she wakes up to find him and Boon staring at her while Amanda was sneaking out with. Ballantine and Boon surfer and Kirkland guys who are seemingly who every girl wants. After becoming friends with Laura, Boon's sister, Lexie soon learns everything she needs to know about the Kirkland boys. However, getting detention on the second day of school really wasn't the best thing for Lexie even though she spent detention with Ballantine and Boon.

The sneaking out, late night beach walks and swims, late night make out sessions and secret telling is what the nights hold for Lexie after Amanda leaves her with Ballantine while she sneaks off to make out with Boon. They were doing the sort of things that teenagers did when they had their drivers license (I will admit to some of these). Dean however is a complication. Dean who is Ballentine's older brother whom Ballentine thinks is with or was with Lexie.



I really loved all the characters and how they were written and developed. I could really connect with Lexie surprisingly, while I didn't come from a country town I do come from a surfer/coastal town and now I am a country university, living in a country town for the past three years. The new experiences that come with being in a new place is what I could really connect with. Amanda once she got over the fact that Lexie wasn't going to stop her from sneaking out was actually a really good character and had Lexie's back when she needed it. Laura was a great best friend who knows how to get the guys to think what she wants them to think. The boys are well surfers, good looking and have a bit of a jealous streak with them.

If you loved Duggan's Summer series I am sure that you will enjoy Paradise City. With tales of sneaking out, night swimming, romance and Australian NA this is a book for you!

Thankyou to Hachette Australia for the review copy!

Rating: 4.5/5


Keely xx


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy now: Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Bookworld, Booktopia!