Cute and perfectly pleasant read. It didn't really sway me one way or another to be honest but it was fine. ( )

Natalie has OCD, her sister died, her folks divorced and she's escaping to Australia in hopes she can be better, with a new improved version of herself. Bran has been burned and wants nothing to do with another relationship and yet finds his attraction to Natalie something he can't stop. He's not very nice and she has a lot of problems. The story unfolds slowly, her interactions with her mother are difficult and yet the way Natalie interprets her mothers actions could have been interpreted differently if Natalia was healthier. Many of the characters have issues that need working out, was an ok read but not always a fun read.
( )

I kind of felt that this was your typical new adult genre book. I also didn't care much for Talia. I didn't hate her, I just didn't particularly like her either. However, the book's humor is well written. The author doesn't go for the easy joke. Everything is written in a way that requires some thought and I appreciate that! So, this wasn't a bad book. It wasn't a great book either. If you like new adult, you will like this book just fine. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Sexy new adult romance that covers mental illnesses really well. There were a few things about it that I didn’t love, but overall this was a very enjoyable read!

Opening Sentence: I breathe on my bedroom window and smear a spy hole in the condensation.

The Review:

Natalia Stolfi needs a fresh start and what better way to do that then to move clear across the world to Australia? For six months she gets to go to school abroad and try to remake herself. It shouldn’t be too difficult to forget about her failing last semester of college, or losing her virginity when she was really drunk to her dead sister’s boyfriend, or the fact that she has crazy OCD. That is all going to be in her past and she wants the next few months of her life to be carefree and fun. Things are going pretty well for her until she meets Bran, a boy that seems to see right through her act into her very soul.

Bran hasn’t really had the best year. With his last relationship failing miserably and royally messing up his life, he has decided that love no longer exists. He needs to put his life back together and he can’t afford to deal with anything that is complicated. Then he meets Talia, a beautiful girl from California that screams complicated, but he can’t seem to stay away from her no matter how hard he tries. Can they get past their holdups and actually make their relationship work or will they let all their insecurities keep them from finding true love?

Talia is by far my favorite thing about this book. She suffers from a pretty serious case of OCD, which has really affected her life. While I can’t relate with her personally because I have never experienced anything like she has, but I felt like I could still connect with her. It was interesting being inside her head and it actually helped me to understand her illness much better. She is a very sweet girl with a tragic past and I respect that she is trying to change her future even though it scares her. She also has a very sarcastic personality which I found very entertaining. She also had some insecurities that at moments got a little annoying, but for the most part I really loved her character and can’t wait to continue her story.

I really struggled with Bran. He was so moody and the hot and cold vibes he would give got annoying really fast. He did have some great qualities as well, but for the most part I just never really liked him as much as I wanted to. I think the only thing I really liked about him was how blunt he was, and for the most part he was very honest. He was also very perceptive when it came to others and I loved that he noticed the little things about Talia that no one else ever did. But I never really liked the way he treated Talia. I get that he had a very hurtful relationship in the past, but I struggled with the way he would push Talia away one moment and then pull her close the next. He gave very mixed signals which were really frustrating. I also wanted to mention that for the most part this was told from Talia’s POV, but there were a few chapters where Bran was the narrator. I usually love reading books from dual POV, but every time I was in Bran’s head I felt out of place with the rest of the story. It didn’t help me understand his character any better and to be honest I think it actually confused me. Overall, Bran didn’t quite live up to my expectations and I wish that I could have liked his character better.

Upside Down had some really great things and some not so great things as well. I’m going to start with the stuff I wasn’t a huge fan of. The main thing that bothered me was how inconsistent the story was. You would be reading and everything would be flowing perfectly then all the sudden there would be a moment that felt really rushed and totally sporadic. Then the story would go back to this great pace, but unfortunately there was multiple times where the story felt rushed or there was unnecessary drama added in. It made it really hard for me to connect with the story and honestly it made it less believable as well. Okay, now let’s talk about the good parts of the book. I think the best thing about this story was how well it addressed mental illness issues. I have read other books that have covered similar types of illnesses and I will be honest, I couldn’t connect with the characters at all. But in this story, I felt like I could really understand Talia and what she was dealing with. Her OCD isn’t over the top, but it is something that has affected her life in major ways. The way everything was handled actually made me understand the disease much better and helped me develop a sympathetic connection to Talia. Another thing I really enjoyed about the story was the overall story. Yes, there were some seriously cliché moments, but overall it was a very enjoyable read. I am excited to see what happens next in the story and I would highly recommend this to anyone that likes new adult contemporary romance books!

Notable Scene:

“California!” Jazza appears beside me. I turn at the exact moment he leans in for a cheek peck and give him a mouthful of nose. That’s how I roll. Not at all uncomfortable.

“A table’s free in the back.” He recovers nicely and nods to a shadowy corner. I resist stiffening when his gaze rakes my too-short dress. This is what I want, right?

We’ve just taken our seats when a familiar shaggy body saunters through the throng. I clutch the edge of the table. Intense heat flares in the pit of my stomach even as my shoulder blades slam together. What’s he doing here?

It’s the jujitsu koala

FTC Advisory: Forever/Hachette provided me with a copy of Upside Down. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

Oh my. I thought this was an excellent story. I really had no idea what to expect when i won this and realized I got a wonderful story of loss, young adult angst, and first loves.

Ms Riley's ability to make you see the story is superb. I'm semi-familiar with Santa Cruz and it made me feel homesick. I've always wanted to go Down Under, and this just added to it.

I don't mean to repeat myself but this is an a very good book and totally worth the read. I have 2 teenage kids, one who is 19 and to see how the female character slowly grows and works through her various issues is very heartwarming (after the heart-wrenching). It made me realize there really is hope for the young adults of today. (that's said with a chuckle; I know our young adults of today will be fine).

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes YA (early 20's), various settings, seeing characters work through obstacles and continue to grow up. Awesome story! ( )