[Review: Under The Dusty Sky by Allie Brennan]

"Under The Dusty Sky"
Author: Allie Brennan
Series: Holloway Farms #1
Pages: ?
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: May 2013
Publisher: Self Published (Allie B Books)
Format Read: eARC provided by author for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Graceland Holloway doesn’t believe in perfect love, or love at all thanks to her mother. But she does believe in perfect memories.

And she gets them.

The perfect first crush, the perfect recital, the perfect summer with her best friend, the perfect first kiss…

When her oldest brother leaves the Holloway farm, Gracie meets the gorgeous new farm hand, eighteen-year-old Bentley McKinna.

Thinking he’ll be easy, like all boys are, Gracie plans his role in her next perfect memory…

The perfect first time.

~

Bentley knows it’s all a game he can’t afford to play.

But there’s only so much a guy can take… especially from someone like Gracie.

-Goodreads 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

Under The Dusty Sky was one of those perfect summer reads.  It was fast, it was fun, it was full of almost too much chemistry (the romantic kind, not the kind your learn in a classroom) and a handful of well constructed drama.  I don't read too many books that are set of a farm, but I liked this one a lot!

The story isn't something that is entirely new.  Rich, LA boy decides to get away and ends up working on a farm in the middle of nowhere and living with the family.  But somehow Brennan does a wonderful job with everything she wanted to include in this story.  A story all about a girl on the verge of her 16th birthday and the beautiful boy who falls into her lap, launching her newest plan to lose her virginity.  

The romance plays the biggest role in this novel.  The chemistry is off the charts and yet teases us without showing us almost anything.  I couldn't get over how much I loved Bentley and Graceland's interactions with each other.  He's older and it shows, but it makes for some really fun times out on the farm.

Gracie is so headstrong and so much of flirt that it's almost annoying.  She damaged by the fact that people seem to keep leaving her.  She victimizes herself so much that you can't decide if you want to yell at her or hug her.  I have to admit that I wasn't her biggest fan, but I don't think that you have to love every character to the fullest point to love their story.  Others will love her more than I do, that I'm sure of.

Bentley had a great role in this book and I kinda loved him.  He's trying to figure out his life and the last thing that he needs is a beautiful, overly intense girl trying to get him in bed with her.  He's trying to get away from his old life and instead gets so much more than he was bargaining for.  It's quite funny to watch, actually.  I think that he is just what Gracie needed and in a way Gracie helped him grow up as well.

I know I said that the romance is the main point of this book, but Brennan layers in some really interesting family dynamics as well.  Gracie's dad and 3 brothers are amazing!  I loved each and every one of them for different reasons.  They all added such interesting layers to the story, showing so many different sides of both of our main characters through their interactions!  There is so much pain left behind by Gracie's mom leaving, even if she left years ago.  It's an interesting thing to see. 

All in all Under The Dusty Sky  is a brilliant beginning to what is sure to one heck of an awesome series!

Rating:

  4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Tight Knit by Allie Brennan]

"Tight Knit"
Author: Allie Brennan
Pages: 327
Genre: Mature YA, Contemporary
Date Published: December 30th, 2012
Publisher: Allie B Books
Format Read: eBook provided by author for honest review

---------------------------------------------------------------

Summary:

Talia Gregory relies on her Nan for everything, especially helping her calm the anxiety that controls her life. But Nan gets sick, and it couldn’t be worse timing. Talia’s panic attacks are getting worse, her boyfriend is a jerk, her best friend is distant, her parents are more absent than usual and she’s stuck planning the Cozy Christmas Charity Drive for her knitting group in place of Nan. If that’s not panic inducing enough, enter Lachlan.

Lachlan McCreedy doesn’t rely on anyone. Not after what he’s been through. It’s him and Gram, nothing else matters but keeping his past buried, and his secrets hidden. So when Gram forces him to help with her Christmas sale, Talia is the last thing he expected, and trusting her with his secrets comes as a shock to both of them. But when he unexpectedly falls for her, the question becomes can he trust her with his heart?

-Goodreads

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Thoughts:

I had no idea what I was in for when I started this book.  It sounded intriguing, it had two leads with awesome names.  You have to admit that Lachlan and Talia are great names, right?  I just didn't really know what it was about, but I'm so glad that I dove in anyways!  What I got was an extremely heart felt novel of people who's lives keep spinning out of their control and the only thing that is keeping them anchored is each other.  

It was Brennan's honest writing that keeps you glued to your seat, or wherever your reading this book.  She even throws a few surprises into the plot line, things that I would have never seen coming.  The relationship building was brilliant!  Yes, I loved Lachlan and Talia, but I enjoyed the other relationships that played large roles in the book as well!  Speaking of Lachlan and Talia, there relationship was so real! 

A part of me wishes that we got to know a little bit more about Talia's anxiety, but then again I have a ridiculous fear of bananas and hell, I couldn't tell you why.  So, it was easier to accept that she just had this thing that she couldn't explain.  It also made her more vulnerable and I liked that about her.  I loved her character, in fact!

But here I go talking about how much I LOVED Lachlan.  I don't know if it was just because he was the perfect guy for this book, or if I just got him, but the stand out person in this novel would have to be him!  In my opinion anyways.  He was scared, literally and metaphorically and it made him more real than a lot of love interests that I read.  His back story, the life he is leading when he meets Talia and the person that he is finally able to become with her support is genuine and amazing to watch (or read).  Honestly I could go on and on about him.  

I also like that Lachlan helps Talia find herself, even though her journey is so different from his own.  It was refreshing to see two people who were so different rally together, even with some really hard times and pull through!

So what do I think?  I think you need to get your hands on a copy of this book so you can fall in love with Lachlan and Talia as well!

Rating:

      (P.S. Allie is putting the eBook copy of "Tight Knit" on sale this week for $1.99... GET IT)