In the Band

Description: When family problems push Riley Middleton into giving up a percussion scholarship in another state and attending college from home, her friends push her to try out for a local rock band. Of course, Riley makes the band. She rules at the drums. Riley soon finds out rock bands have a different dynamic than marching bands, especially when each of her male band mates has a major ego and is a major player. Two of them relentlessly flirt with her. The other-a dark, sexy rock god she can't help being attracted to- is a total jerk and pushes her to quit. She becomes determined to ignore his rudeness and his hotness. Even if she was interested in jerks, a hook up would probably get her booted out of the ego-ridden band, and playing keeps her sane. Behind the drums, the world and her family's troubles evaporate. If she wants to stay in the band, Riley just has to ignore the growing sparks between her and her band enemy. But as she gets to know the man behind the stage persona, ignoring him proves to be more difficult than flowing through a time shift. -Amazon

Author: Jean Haus

Release date: October 18, 2012

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Pages: 306

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: New Adult

Teaser Sentence: 'He places a hand on the side of the van next to my head and leans near my ear. "I'll play the fiddle for you."'

My thoughts: This book was really good. I love that Riley is a kick-ass chick drummer. She could be whinny and a push over at times, but she could also be strong and determined. Some of both those personality traits made her a pretty good protagonist. She loves her family, and works hard to get done what needs to be done. Romeo is absolutely my new book boyfriend of the moment. Hot, smart, and plays a lot of different instruments, I was hooked even when he was being a jerk. The only thing that really bothered me was the ending. The story was good. The romance was good. The characters were good. The ending was wrapped up in very few pages. I didn't feel like I got the closure I needed. Maybe I just wanted more Romeo. I really could not put this book down, so I am going to say it wasn't a bad ending after all. I just wasn't ready for it to be over. Definitely read this one if you if you find a copy of it!

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Beautiful Disaster

Description: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants-and needs-to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis's apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match. ~Amazon

Author: Jamie McGuire

Release date: May 26, 2012

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 432

Source: Borrowed from a friend

Reading level: I keep seeing this book listed as Young Adult, so I am just going to say it contains a lot of illegal gambling and fighting, sex, bad language, underage drinking, and lots of violence. 

Teaser Sentence: '"You should know by now that it takes patience and a forgiving attitude to be friends with Travis. He's his own universe."'

My thoughts: This book is not going to be for everyone. Travis, the hunky, tattooed guy of this story, is quite possessive and violent. Not to mention, some what of a man-slut. He does have some scenes where you wonder what the hell Abby is thinking when she forgives him. I read up on some other reviewers perspective of this and what I haven't seen mentioned anywhere is that Abby is not the innocent, sweet, blinded by love protagonist like in most young romance novels. She has a dark past, even though she is trying to escape it, that involves everything from illegal gambling to knowing members of the mob. They both have bad flaws that they are trying to overcome. Neither one of them is really good for each other and that is why their friendship starts out as such a disaster. 

 I personally enjoyed this book. Yes, it has some questionable scenes, but then there are chapters like the one that take place on Thanksgiving. I have to give kudos to Jamie McQuire, because those chapters, to me, where heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. I love books that make me feel strong emotions, that's why we read books right? And this book was not stingy with the emotions. There was everything from love, to being down right pissed off, to laughing. I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone, but I personally really liked it. 

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Losing It

Description: Virginity.   Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simple as possible--a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She's left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier. 
-Amazon

Author: Cora Carmack
Release date: December 5, 2012
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 211
Source: Kindle edition

Reading level: New Adult

Teaser Sentence(s): '"Let me get this straight... you didn't have a cat? Did you get a cat just so that you wouldn't have to tell me you were a virgin?"'

My thoughts: I really liked this book! I normally do not get into romance novels that do not involve some kind of paranormal twist, but this one did it for me. I stumbled into this book from Jennifer L Armentrout's blog. She posted it as her favorite book of 2012, so I had to check it out. I found this book charmingly funny. Bliss gets herself in a lot of awkward positions, and it is humorous to read the excuses she comes up with. I loved every scene that mentioned her cat, Hamlet. Plus everyone loves a hot, blonde British man!

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