Tamed (Tangled #3) by Emma Chase

Tamed is the third installment in the Tangled series, and this time we get to see the world through the eyes of Matthew Fisher, Drew's best friend. Matthew is every bit the playboy that Drew is, but maybe not as cynical. Matthew is fine with playing the field, especially after getting his heart ripped out in college. Sure he plans on settling down and getting married someday, but for now he is content to have fun with all the Ms. Wrongs he meets along the way.

When Matthew meets Dee Dee, Kate's best friend, he knows right away that there is something special about her. But Dee Dee has been burned too many times, and despite the connection she has with Matthew, she is hesitant to jump into a full on relationship with him. The more time Matthew spends with Dee Dee, the more he wants to convince her to trust him and let him in. The question is: can she do it?

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Emma Chase delivers another great installment in this series with Tamed. I can see why Matthew and Drew are best friends, and by the end of this book, I loved Matthew just as much as Drew. One of my favorite things about this series is the humor. This book is just as laugh out loud funny as Drew's book. I love Emma's leading men - they are sexy, smart, witty, arrogant, and dripping with confidence. I love watching them get knocked on their asses by love. Dee Dee is also a great character. She is vivacious and strong, with just the right amount of vulnerability to make her believable and easy to relate to. 

The humor in this book is probably not for everyone, but I think it is sarcasm at its finest. I'm always impressed when I remember that this book is written by a female, because she so perfectly nails the male POV. I've even read passages to my guy friends to make sure, and they pretty much say she nails the nail on the head when it comes to the male perspective. Tamed is well worth the read, especially if you are looking for a good laugh mixed in with your romance.

The fourth installment in this series, Tied, is due out in October, and I for one can't wait to see what's in store for this group of characters.

Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent #0.1 - 0.4) by Veronica Roth

This book is a collection of short stories told from the perspective of Tobias Eaton, a.k.a. Four, from the Divergent series. In "The Transfer," we learn about the driving forces that lead him to leave Abnegation and join Dauntless. "The Initiate" tells the story of Tobias's initiation into Dauntless, and his transformation from Tobias to Four. "The Son" sets the stage for the rest of the Divergent series, as Four discovers some of the first clues about corruption in the faction leadership. The final story, "The Traitor," runs parallel to the events of Divergent, and we get to see the affects Tris Prior has on Four's decisions concerning loyalty and love. The collection also contains other exclusive scenes from Divergent retold from Four's POV. It should definitely not be read until after you read Divergent to prevent spoilers.

Four is one of my favorite characters from the Divergent series, and I loved being able to jump inside his head and learn more about his background. I think fans of the Divergent series will love this short story collection because it further illuminates Four's character. The stories are written in the same style as Divergent and are more substantial in length than other shorts in other series I have read, which I liked. These stories are more than just teasers, they are meant to allow the reader into the head (and heart) of Four. This book will make a great addition to your Divergent collection, and is worth the read.

Until We Fly (Beautifully Broken #4) by Courtney Cole

Brand Killien has spent his life trying to be good - a good friend, a good soldier, a good everything - all in an effort to overcome a past where he was told repeatedly that he wasn't good enough. But after having his heart broken again, Brand is done being the good guy and is determined to never let anyone in again.

When a family emergency brings Brand reluctantly back to his hometown, his path crosses Nora Greene's in a dramatic turn of events. Nora has loved Brand from a far since she was a teenager. No one has ever been able to measure up to Brand's goodness, and Nora is determined to make him hers, even if he fights her every step of the way, and even if it can only be for a short while.

Both Brand and Nora have dark secrets and are scarred from their broken pasts. Their relationship was only supposed to be a fling, but as they grow closer, more and more of their pasts are exposed, and they slowly begin to help each other heal. However, when Nora's past comes back to threaten not only her, but Brand as well, she is forced to make a decision that could mean the end of her and Brand, unless they are both willing to fight back.

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Brand, Brand, Brand! I have been waiting (rather impatiently) for this book to be released. If you haven't read the Beautifully Broken series, then you need to ASAP! These books are amazing and are a prime example of what makes the New Adult genre so fantastic. Each of these stories is about loss and love, and are packed with angst, emotion, heart, and plenty of steam as well. My heart squeezed for Brand from the first moment he appeared on the page. I can totally see why he was Nora's fantasy, because he really is perfect. He is good, brave, loyal, protective, sweet, just anything you could want. He's the kind of book boyfriend that makes you lament the fact that guys like him only exist in fiction.

I was so happy to hear that Courtney was giving him his own book, because he really did deserve his own happy ending. What I wasn't expecting was his totally gut wrenching back story. I shouldn't have been too surprised, seeing as every other book in the series involves a heartbreaking back story. All the story really did was make me love Brand even more. I liked how Nora also had a broken past as well. It made for a highly emotional read and kept me flying through the pages. The resolution of the story had me crying and this book earned a big book hug at the end. I highly recommend this series.

Chased Dreams (Chasing Nikki #3) by Lacey Weatherford with Chase Walden

Chase's life is perfect. He is married to his beautiful wife, Brittney, and has a baby on the way. His dreams of playing professional football are on the verge of becoming a reality. After everything he has been through, Chase finally feels like life is starting to go his way...or so he thought. When an injury jeopardizes all of his plans for the future, Chase struggles to figure out who he is and hold his relationship with Brittney together. Chase also finds himself plagued by dreams from the past that stir up confusing emotions. As everything falls apart around him, Chase finds himself wondering if all he has left is chased dreams.

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I was surprised to learn that there was going to be another book in this series. The Chasing Nikki series is an emotional roller coaster from start to finish, and made me ugly cry on more than one occasion. It is a heartbreaking story about love and loss, and I thought it was brought to a perfect conclusion after the last book. I really didn't see a need for a third book, but having loved the first two so much, I didn't hesitate to pick this one up. In retrospect, I think I should have...

This book was written by Lacey, in conjunction with Chase Walden, who is the cover model for the series. While I had absolutely nothing against the writing style, I was not at all happy with the direction the story took in this book. I loved Nikki, and I was devastated by her death, but I also really loved Brittney. Watching Brittney and Chase fall for and heal each other in the second book was emotional and I swear that I went through all the stages of the grieving process right along with them. I has glad to see them get their happy ending. After everything they had been through, they deserved a happy ending.

Then Chased Dreams comes along and obliterates their (and my) happy ending. I don't want to give too much away, so writing this review is somewhat challenging. I have the feeling that people will be of one or two minds after reading this book: they will either love it, or they will hate it. While I think "hate" is too strong a word for how I feel about this book, I was definitely not happy with it. I'm not even sure what the right word to describe the feeling I had upon finishing the book, but it was something akin to betrayal. I felt like everything that I had suffered and overcome while reading the previous two books was for nothing, and as such, I had a really hard time embracing the new ending of this story. In hindsight, I wish I had stopped after book two. However, I know that there will be many out there who will love how this book plays out, and will be thrilled with the new ending. Loving or hating this book really comes down to which ending you prefer.

Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) by Jamie McGuire

The Maddox brothers have a reputation for being trouble, and Trenton Maddox's reputation is well known around Eastern State University. Dating co-eds even before graduating from high school, Trenton was the kind of guy that his friends wanted to be, and women wanted to be with, until a tragic accident changed the course of his life. Now he is living at home with his widower father, and working at a tattoo parlor to help pay the bills. His life takes another unexpected turn when he notices Cami, a girl that he has loved from afar, sitting alone at a table at The Red.

Cami has been on her own since she was sixteen, when she left to escape her dysfunctional family. She spends every waking moment working and studying, and has little time for anything else. On the night that Trenton sees her at The Red, she is nursing a bruised heart after her boyfriend calls to cancel her weekend trip to see him. Cami knows all about the Maddox brothers and is not interested in getting involved with Trenton, but she can't deny that she feels a pull towards him.

Trenton won't take no for an answer, and the two quickly develop a friendship that leaves them both wanting more. Even when things fall apart with Cami's boyfriend, she is still hesitant to start something with Trenton. She has a secret that she knows will make Trenton hate her if he knew. A secret so big, it has the power to rock his family to the core. Even though she warns him, Trenton doesn't care, because when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever. When her secret is revealed, Trenton will find himself facing the most important decision of his life.

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I first fell in love with the Maddox boys when I read Jamie's Beautiful Disaster Series, featuring Travis Maddox. There truly is something special about these boys. They love fiercely, are so loyal, and are just the right mix of big-hearted and bad boy. I was super excited when I heard that Jamie was going to give Travis's brothers their own books, and I wasn't disappointed. While a little less dramatic that Travis's story, Beautiful Oblivion is still a fantastic read and has everything that I loved about the previous series - a hot male lead, a strong female lead, humor, heart, and heat. 

I have to say what made this book for me was the very last chapter. The whole book was great, but the final chapter contained a twist in the story that I didn't expect. Let's just say that Cami's secret...well, it's a big one! While the ending wasn't a cliffhanger, it definitely caused a jaw dropping, OMG moment, and left me dying to know what's next for the Maddox clan.

I would definitely suggest reading the Beautiful Disaster Series before reading Beautiful Oblivion, as events in this book overlap with events in the previous series. If you read it out of order, it will spoil some things for you. No word on when we can expect the next book in the Maddox Brothers Series, but I will be snatching it up as soon as it is released.