Review: Happenstance by Jamie McGuire

What is this? Another review, on the same day? Why yes my lovelies, yes it is. What can I say? I have some catching up to do!

I'm sure you all know by now, I am one huge ass Jamie Mcguire fan. I am not ashamed to admit that I'm a total fan girl when it comes to this lady. I sit and clock watch, counting down the seconds whilst syncing Mr Kindle to see if the book has been downloaded yet. It happened with Beautiful Disaster, it happened with Walking Disaster, it happened with Happenstance, and you got it, it's gonna happen with Beautiful Oblivion.
**Sighs**. Maybe I need to join a therapy group for this? Or not ;)

Now, I've seen some pretty pissy reviews. Oh yeah, I busted out the italic right there for a reason. See, you cannot call these things reviews. Nuh uh. It says right on the cover that it is a novella.Meaning, short. Meaning less detail. Let's admit it, it's true, it's acceptable. So why do people still feel the need to point out how short it was? Okay, I agree, I totally could have gone for some more Weston, I freakin love the guy, of course I want more of him. What I cannot deal with is people saying shit like "it would have been five stars but I'm only giving it three because of the length".  I mean, seriously? And you know these are frequent readers. You know they know the difference. **Pulls angry face**. GAH!  Total touchy spot for me right there. I cannot understand why people do this. And I'm only a blogger! Authors, you all deserve gold star stickers and lollypops.

Okay, I swear, my mini meltdown thing has passed. I'm gonna review in

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Why hello there! You have reached CJ's Book Blog, the safe part of the review. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy the rest of this post. Hee hee. 

Happenstance had be laid awake at night trying to sort out my crazy ass emotions. I had finished the book earlier in the day. I had hours to sort my shit out. Clearly, I failed. I didn't know what to think, hell, I still don't. I liked Weston, but I also wanted, no, needed him to sort his shit out. If you have read my other reviews, you know I despise live triangles. Now I'm not saying there is one, or any cheating, but it hints at it. Does that make sense? Nothing actually happens, but it totally could have if Easter had agreed. Maybe. Gah! See, this dude has me so confused I don't even know what the hell I want to say anymore. Okay, deeps breaths CJ. Focus. What does McGuire have for us this time?

#1 New York Times Bestseller Jamie McGuire returns to self-publishing with this page-turning YA account of Erin Easter, one of three Erins in the small senior class of rural Blackwell High School who not only share a first name, but also their birthday. Easter, raised by a neglectful single mom, keeps to herself and admires Weston Gates from afar. The other Erins, Erin "Alder" Alderman and Erin "Sonny" Masterson are the darlings of the community: daughters of the two wealthiest families in town, best friends, cheerleaders, and everything Easter isn't--and they never let her forget it. Alder has even claimed Weston since the 8th grade. 

Weston is a well-liked star athlete, and the son of two prominent attorneys. He struggles daily with the pressures of living up to his family name and secretly empathizes with Easter's feeling that she belongs somewhere else; in a different life. Not until he begins sneaking nights out with Easter does he gain the courage to buck expectations and acknowledge his feelings ... both for his future, and for her. 

A shocking tragedy rocks the tiny town, and Easter's life is turned upside down in the best way possible. But when the truth is revealed and everything she thinks she wanted falls into her lap, life only becomes more complicated.

We all expect things to feel slightly rushed with a novella, and it's acceptable pretty much all the time, because usually, authors do a damn good job. I can't say this felt rushed. We get to see the main characters relationship develop. We still get the good and the bad. Granted, it doesn't have that oomf that full length novels do, but still, it's there. It's a beautiful story. The ending, now that was a little crazy. I still don't know what to think of it. See, I want more. I want to know what happens next, I want to know if Easter suddenly becomes Queen B or if she shies away from everything even more. I just want one big fat HEA.

My overall rating for this is 4. Purely because of the ending. The writing itself was beautiful as always though! All you Travis Maddox fans, get on this! Say hello to another McGuire man ;)

(Random Note: How beautiful is the cover?)

Review: Changing Course by Aly Martinez

Hurrah! I'm really posting a review! **silly dances around the room** 

This is my most recent read and I'm excited to share this with you guys. I came across this whilst browsing the Kindle store. It was a recommendation based upon previous purchases, had some really good reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads alike, so I thought what the hell? It was cheap too, less that £2, so I wasn't gonna be super disappointed if it was, well, crap.


I met Sarah Kate Erickson when I was twenty-one years old. I was lucky enough to keep her for seven years before a tragic accident stole her from me. She didn’t die, but sometimes I think it would have been easier if she had. 

I lived in a haze for those four years after the accident. Catering to her every need, even though she hated the very sight of my face. I tried to hold on to her and the future that we were supposed to build together. But you can’t hold on to someone that doesn’t exist anymore. 

It wasn’t until I met Jesse Addison, a barista at the local coffee shop, that I realized I didn’t just lose Sarah that tragic night, I lost myself as well. Jesse taught me how to let go of the past and learn to love again. But what happens when your past haunts your present, and the woman you used to love refuses to accept the woman you can’t live without? 


Okilydokily. Down to the good stuff. What did I love? I loved how Brett was a generally nice guy. There is no other way to describe him. Okay, there totally is but we'll get to that later ;)

I actually admire him. Now don't get me wrong, there were times where I wanted to strangle him, maybe give his head a little bang against the wall, but overall, oh man. He's super sweet, maybe a little too eager to make everyone else happy at times, at least it seems that way until you really get to know him. I don't think I have read a book with a character like him.

The other characters? I have a serious love/hate relationship going on with them at the moment. I wanna explain why, but I'm afraid I might spoil it for you all. Just..trust me. Read it and let me know what you all think of them. :)

Now, the book overall. It has the right balance between pretty much every emotion I could feel. That sounds silly, I know. It has angst, it has humor, it will make you squirm whilst reading those sexy scenes. It is perfect.

I wasn't expecting much, I hadn't read about this on any other blogs that I stalk (hee hee!) all previous information I had was from like, three Goodreads reviews and maybe one from Amazon. I truly thought that if it was so good, why hadn't I heard of it before. This is one of those awful habits of mine. I'm working on it. Some of the best books I have ever read are ones that nobody seemed to be talking about. It still shocks me each and every time though, I feel like I have found lost treasure!

Back to it. Overall, 5 stars. It has the potential to be more sure, but it's a beautifully written piece of perfection.

So this happened

I wrote three weeks ago. Oh yes, three damn weeks ago. Why have I been away for so long? Oh where to begin. My best friend had a baby! I almost ran away with the gorgeous little munchkin, then remembered how badly I cope with crying babies. My new role? The totally awesome adoptive Auntie Jay (apparently this will be easier to learn than CJ, personally, I think my friend it just lazy), I'm the Auntie who encourages food fights (it's been known to happen). **Sighs**
What else? I moved. It's not interesting (to you) but to me? It's like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one. The downside, I left everything until the last minute. I'm talking moving day last minute. Seriously, everyone was packing everything into various cars and I'm stood in the middle of my old room just glaring at my clothes. They ended up crammed into boxes. Yup. And yes, they're still there.

I've had birthday parties, engagement parties, weddings, and just generally random as hell parties to attend. It's been crazy. And I have loved every damn second of it. But now, it's time to do something that I have missed! Review! I've read a fair few books recently, and I finally have the time to have a little rant about them. So,  my lovely readers, enjoy!

I'm back..

Hello my fellow book lovers, I am back! 

I haven't posted in, according to this anyway, a month. A whole freakin' month. Why? Uh, I don't have any particular reason if I'm honest. I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe because I had nothing to read/recommend/review?

It's all okay though! This past week, I found my weird book mojo thing, so reviews will be posted later today/early tomorrow morning. And yeah, when I say early tomorrow morning, I totally mean like 2am. 

On that note my lovelies, I'm out! Authors to stalk, shit to write. You know how it goes ;)

CJ x