Review: Where the Road Takes Me by Jay McLean

ISBN: 9781477849408
Format: E-Book
Source: ARC from author
Series: Stand-Alone (maybe)
Released: February 10, 2015
Length: 323 pages
Goodreads  |  Amazon

     SUMMARY

Chloe has one plan for the future, and one plan only: the road. She’s made a promise to herself: don’t let anyone in, and don’t let anyone love her. She’s learned the hard way what happens if she breaks her rules. So she’s focused on being invisible and waiting until she can set out on the road—her dream of freedom, at least for a little while.
Blake Hunter is a basketball star who has it all—everything about him looks perfect to those on the other side of his protective walls. He can’t let anyone see the shattered pieces behind the flawless facade or else all his hopes and dreams will disappear.
One dark night throws Chloe and Blake together, changing everything for Blake. For Chloe, nothing changes: she has the road, and she’s focused on it. But when the so-called perfect boy starts to notice the invisible girl, they discover that sometimes with love, no one knows where the road may lead.

     REVIEW

It's been a while since I've been in the blogging game consistently, but anyone who's anyone knows I am a Jay McLean Fangirl of the most obsessive kind. I've read every one of her books, and if you haven't tried at least one, this is me telling you that you should. Where the Road Takes me was McLean's first stand-alone novel (which may or may not stay stand-alone... just sayin'...). I was thrilled for a new McLean book, but nervous at the same time. I'd read her first four books which were all part of a series (More Than series) and loved them, and I knew Where the Road Takes Me was going to be pretty different. Not only the fact that I would be reading about different characters, but the entire feel of the book would be different since it was an entire story in one book, not four.

When I got my ARC copy a couple weeks before release time, I hunkered down and finished that baby in two days, which is a mean feat for me these days since I've slowed down on my book intake in recent months. I was sucked right in by Chloe and Blake's story and read almost three-quarters of it on the first day.

Jay's writing, in general, is great, and while I do sometimes have my issues with it, she has steadily progressed in her skill as a writer and it's been a privilege to watch that happen over the course of five books. In WtRTM, she did not fail to deliver and I was so glad that, even with as different of a story as it was, I still fell in love with it all.

I found myself boohoo-ing through the better portion of the book, as tends to happen when "McLeaning", and Chloe's story really broke me. Chloe was not always a likable character and sometimes hard to understand or identify with. With that being said, I always appreciate an author who doesn't create perfect characters who never make mistakes or don't have flaws. So for Chloe's flaws, I commend you, Ms. McLean. And the few Blake had, too. But Blake = <3, so it was easy to ignore his faults.

As with some of her other books, sometimes the plot in Jay's books can get a little funky, leaving you wondering what the heck is going on until it picks back up and fixes itself, but one flawless characteristic that is common among all (now) six of her books is her ability to make me adore her characters. Especially her supporting characters (ahem, Josh) and make them feel like a family I am privileged to be a part of for a short while.

I did feel as though the ending was a bit rushed which took away from the story for me a bit. We saw years of Chloe and Blake's life go by before the epilogue even came and I wished we could have gotten a deeper look at those scenes rather than an overview.

Either way, rushed ending notwithstanding, I fell in love with Chloe and Blake, Josh and Blake's mom, Chloe's entire family... it was hard to let them go at the end of the book, and when I heard trickles of rumors that there may be another book, well, needless to say I was thrilled. I can't wait to hear more on that, and the other books she has in the works.

     THE BREAKDOWN

RATING: ★★★★ - 4 stars!

I don't think a book needs to be perfect to be great. I have come across various issues with many books, McLean's included, and still found reasons to adore them, just like I adored Where the Road Takes Me. Sometimes her stories veer into the cheesy, sometimes the endings are rushed. Sometimes the shocking scenes seem a bit unbelievable. But never have I not fallen in love with a protagonist or supporting character presented to me by that woman or not been touched by her words and ideas and the relationships she creates.

She has a passion for what she does and even more than that, she is a great person which, to me, makes all the difference. Those of you who've stopped reading books by "authors behaving badly" understand the exact opposite of that spectrum and when an author is behaving like an amazing human being, they deserve all the respect and attention in the world. So hey, give Jay McLean a try and you might just thank me if you look past the occasional typo and delve deeper into the worlds and relationships of Jay McLean. I think you'll find something worthwhile there if you do.

Happy Reading!

A.

Blog Tour Stop - Review: More Than Forever by Jay McLean + Teasers, Excerpt, and Giveaway!

ISBN:
Source: ARC provided by author
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: More #4
Released: July 12, 2014
Goodreads |  B&N
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is no way swayed my opinion. Scout's honor!*
*Please note this review may contain spoilers for the previous books in this series.*

     SUMMARY

-LUCY-
There is a love so fierce it cannot be measured.
A heart so strong it will never slow.
There is a promise so sure it can never lie.
He promised me that love forever.
Even when it wasn't enough.
-CAMERON-
Forever. Everlasting. Eternal.
There is no measure of time.
No sounds of the ticking of a clock.
Just the rising and falling of the sun.
And our own sense of forever.

But our forever isn't always.

     REVIEW

They say lightning never strikes twice, right? Or something like that. I can't remember if that's a complete and total freaking myth or not, but whatever - I digress. I'm here to talk about books not lightning and freak accidents. The point I'm trying to make is this: after reading one ridiculously amazing book by an author, you think that the next one can't possibly be as good. Nothing can make you feel the way you just felt after reading that book - it's just impossible, right?

Wrong. Said author comes along with another book which effectively blows your mother-lovin' mind. You're like HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!? But you take it for what it is (see above-referenced freak accident) and prepare yourself for the next book which cannot possibly be better than the one you just finished. It just cannot. Math class says the probability is like 1:1,000,000,000,000,000.

Only said author comes out with one more and you're now on the floor sobbing and laughing at the same time and wondering what magical power this author has been graced with, because WHAT?!

Now that's it. This fourth one - it's not going to live up. You're well and truly afraid now because literary genius is not an endless spring from which said author can eternally draw, right? After the delightful surprises that are the first three books, you're not complacent with the idea of just a good novel. You need - you yearn for - another mind-blowing sequel and don't know what you're going to do if you don't get it.

You open up book number four, brace yourself for impact, and BAM. It's happened again. This is when you become 100% positive that said author is a supernatural being and you should probably be afraid and what she is capable of.

I bet you'd like to know who this said supernatural author is, wouldn't you? I'll tell you:
Jay motherf****in McLean (that's actually her middle name. Okay, I'm lying, but how badass would that be?). Author of my favorite NA romance series ever.

The opportunity presented itself to review an ARC of Jay's latest novel, More Than Forever (picture me lounging on my couch with my fiance and an e-mail pops up on my phone from Jay herself. "Have this ARC" she says [more or less] and all freaking hell breaks loose. Just sayin' - I was excited). However, after three wonderful, fantastic, heartwrenching, hysterical, beautiful, A. MA. ZING. novels, I wasn't sure it could happen again. I wasn't sure it could be all of those things and more - but it was.

In her first three books, Jay weaves a continual story of love, friendship, hope, with a heavy dose of reality thrown in. Things are never easy for our friends in the More world but at the risk of sounding cheesy as all hell - Jay shows us that love really can conquer all - but it ain't always gonna be fun, that's for sure. This story continues on in a monumental way in More Than Forever. If you're already a fan of this series but haven't read this book yet, just know that whatever you're expecting out of More Than Forever is moot at this point. Let go of all expectations. Simply expect the emotional roller coaster of a lifetime and to fall in love with Cam and Lucy and friends all over again.

(As always) I laughed as hard as I cried while reading this book (which was hard as f*ck). At times I laughed and cried at the same time. The love I have for this series has yet to be matched by any other NA series I've read to-date. Seriously. I've exaggerated substantially in this post but this is actually not an exaggeration. It's true! (Does this make me the girl who cried "book"? Cause I'm totally okay with that.)

I would also like to let the world know that my heart is broken by the fact that I now have to wait until next year to read the next book in the series. This is obviously a pretty standard practice when releasing books in a series, but Jay, you're magic (see above proof of magical abilities), so um... hook a sista up? No? What if I cry? Still no? Okay, well I guess I'll have to stick with re-reading the first four until book five finds its way into my greedy little hands!

BUY LINKS

Amazon >  http://amzn.to/1que6Fo

iBooks > http://bit.ly/1qrKsUO
B&N > http://bit.ly/1qrKxrB
Kobo > http://bit.ly/1qrK8p3

BOOK TRAILER

READ AN EXCERPT 

"I hate that guy," Logan jerks his head toward Jake and a new kid.

"The new kid? Dylan?"

He nods. "He thinks he owns the school."

"Really?" I glare over at them. "Apparently he kills  it on the basketball court, but I dunno." I shrug. "He hasn't said two words to me. He seems quiet."

"Those are the ones you have to worry about, Cam. The quiet broody assholes get all the girls. Better watch him around that new girl of yours."

I play dumb. "What new girl?"

"Shut up, asshole. You don't think I notice you watching her all the fucking time?"

I lift my chin. "I think if there's an asshole in this entire school to watch out for, it's you."

He laughs and adjusts his cap. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm not into stealing my friend's girls." He shoves his hand in his catcher's glove and smacks my arm with it. "Say the word. Claim her. I promise to stay away and I'll make sure she's untouchable to everyone else."

"I'm not an asshole and she isn't property. I can't own her."

"If that's what you want." He raises an eyebrow. "She's cute. In a couple years she'll be hot. Guys will be all

over her. I'm just trying to help out."
I think about what he's saying, and he makes a good point. Only he's wrong—she's hot now. "Fine. I claim her. She's mine."
His smirk is instant. "You can't own someone, you pig. She isn't property."
I laugh. "Fuck you."
Jake struts over to us. "Ya reckon that new kid Dylan can hang out with us this arvo? He seems like a top bloke."
Logan's gaze moves to me, confusion clear on his face. 
I shrug. He lets out a chuckle before gripping both of Jake's shoulders and shaking him gently. He looks him right in the eye, speaking slowly and clearly. "I have no idea what the fuck you just said."

RATING: ★★★★ 1/2 - Loved it!

More Than Forever is one of my favorite NA romances ever. (I do still hold a special place in my heart for Logan from MTHer but that's beside the point). It was everything I'd hoped for and more while simultaneously shocking the crap out of me and taking me on one hell of a ride.

Have any of you read the first few in the series? How freaking excited are you to read MTForever next?

And for my More-munity pals who've read this one along with me, I know you all agree with me when I say that Jay is freaking magic, amiright? Now we get to bug the hell out of eachother for the next year until the next one. Yay!

The More Series 

More Than This, #1

*Mikayla*
In one night my fairytale ended. Or it may have begun. This is my story of friendship and love, heartbreak and desire, and the strength to show weakness.
*Jake*
One night I met a girl. A sad and broken girl, but one more beautiful than any other. She laughed through her sadness, while I loved through her heartbreak.
*This is our story of a maybe ever after.*

He was right. It made no difference whether it was 6 months or 6 years.
I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t change the future.
I couldn’t even predict it.
It was one night.
One night when everything changed.
It was so much more than just the betrayal.

It was the Tragedy.
The Deaths.
The Murders.
But it was also that feeling.
The feeling of falling.

BUY LINKS

**LIMITED TIME ON NOOK AND IBOOKS**
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1aIy8Im

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ryjNn5

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1nVIU2j

Nook: http://bit.ly/1ryi2pZ

More Than Her, #2

For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction." For every choice you make there are rewards, or there are consequences. It was my choice to walk away the first time. And my choice to chase her the second. But sometimes you don't get a choice, and all you get are the consequences.” "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” Unless that someone is Logan Matthews. Because loving him didn't give me the strength to walk away. It didn't give me the courage to fight for him. And when it was over, all it gave me was a broken heart. 

BUY LINKS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/17FDmnp
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ryjQz8
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1nVIZD6
Nook: http://bit.ly/1ryikgo

More Than Him, #3

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson

We live in a world of darkness and shadows,

where monsters hide and aim to ruin.

And they did.

They ruined us and turned our dreams into nightmares.

But now we're back.

And we're fighting.

Not just for us, or for each other, but for our light.

BUY LINKS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1liA53P

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ryjUyY

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1nVJ6yC

Nook: http://bit.ly/1ryiPXW

AUTHOR BIO

Jay McLean is the author of the More Series, including More Than This, More Than Her, More Than Him and soon to be released, More Than Forever. She also has two standalones coming soon titled The Road, and Combative.

Jay is an avid reader, writer, and most of all, procrastinator. When she's not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, or devouring some tacky reality TV show. She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her smile, make her hurt, and make her feel.

AUTHOR LINKS

You can follow Jay on Instagram and twitter @jaymcleanauthor.

You can also find her on her blog at www.jaymcleanauthor.com where you can subscribe to her newsletter and get teasers and updates first and, her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jaymcleanauthor or her fan group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/moreserieslovers. You can contact Jay directly at jay@jaymcleanauthor.com

All her other social media links can be found below. Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaymcleanauthor/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4724550.Jay_McLean

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure you pay Jay a visit and enter below for an awesome giveaway!

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A.

Review: More Than Him by Jay McLean

ISBN: 9781495340604
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: More #3
Released: January 2014
Goodreads  |  Book Depository
*Please note this review may contain spoilers for the previous books in this series.*

     SUMMARY

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson
We live in a world of darkness and shadows,
where monsters hide and aim to ruin.
And they did.
They ruined us and turned our dreams into nightmares.
But now we're back.
And we're fighting.
Not just for us, or for each other, but for our light.

     REVIEW

There isn't much to say about this book that I haven't already said about Jay McLean's previous books in the series. They're amazing, heart-wrenching, hysterically funny... I can't think of words adequate to describe how these novels made me feel. More Than Him was very unique in that the progression of the series took a bit of an unexpected turn - something I'd never experienced in a romance series before: (highlight to read sort-of spoiler) MTHim is a continuation of Logan and Amanda's story from book 2, MTHer. Most romances generally have some sort of happy ending for every book, especially in a series. So the series as a whole kind of blew my mind in that aspect, too - McLean totally took it outside the box.

There weren't as many gasp-worthy moments in this book that broke my heart as there were in the previous book, but for me this was a good thing. There were more swoon-worthy moments in MTHim and that really made the book in my opinion. Jay McLean seriously cemented my love for Logan, the MC, in this one and there is nothing anyone (real or fictional) can say or do to change that.

One of the best parts of this book (and of the series) is that we see more hilarious friend interaction here and I can honestly say I've never laughed so hard at another book as I have over the nonsense these characters get up to. I love them, I love the romance, I love the little lessons hidden in the stories - I love these books!

RATING: ★★★★ 1/2 - Loved it!

The More series is definitely my favorite NA romance series ever. Not only was it one of the first I've ever read which basically introduced me to the genre, but every NA romance I've read since hasn't lived up to the standard. Have you read any of the books in this series yet, more specifically, MTHim? What do you think of the series as a whole, and what do think of Logan now that we've seen who he really is?

Also, be very aware that the next book, More Than Forever, is being released in less than two weeks from today - July 12, 2014. You'll see a review from me some time in July, but trust me - you won't be disappointed!

Happy Reading!
A. 

P.S. In non-More related news, I'm giving away a paperback copy of If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Giveaway ends July 7, 2014, at midnight. Enter below!

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Review: More Than Her by Jay McLean

ISBN: 9781494205942
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: More #2
Released: 2013
Goodreads  |  Amazon
*Please note this review may contain spoilers for book one in the series. See my review for More Than This here*

     SUMMARY:

"For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction."
For every choice you make there are rewards,
or there are consequences.
It was my choice to walk away the first time.
And my choice to chase her the second.
But sometimes you don't get a choice,
and all you get are the consequences.

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
Unless that someone is Logan Matthews.
Because loving him didn't give me
the strength to walk away.
It didn't give me
the courage to fight for him.
And when it was over,
all it gave me was a broken heart.

     REVIEW

I managed to read this book in one day (same as I did with the first in the series, More Than This). I think this speaks volumes for the book all on its own considering I usually take a bit more time than that, but don't worry - I'll give you plenty of other reasons why you should go read it.

I went into More Than Her with low expectations - it's about a character from book one that I actually happened to hate. You'd never know it now, but I hated Logan Matthews before reading this book. In the first book, he was arrogant, obnoxious, only seemed to care about himself - oh, and add in that he was a womanizer, screwing chicks left and right like it was his JOB. I couldn't stand him. Logan's lucky he was funny, because didn't think I could deal if he had no redeeming qualities. So then I find out he has a book - which means someone was about to make him settle down right? Correct...ish. Please take that statement with a grain of salt. MTHer is nothing like what you're expecting.

Jay McLean not only manages to completely change my mind about the preconceived notions I had regarding the main character, but she makes me love him, deeply - you know, if being in love with a fictional character is possible.

Not only are there hella plot twists and heart-wrenching moments that simply took my breath away; not only did Jay McLean manage to make me crack up laughing seconds after I finished ugly crying, but she managed to build me up - all the way freaking up - and then knock my ass right down. This book left me an emotional mess and I thank the heavens that I read these books when I did,with the ability to order the next one on my kindle immediately after finishing this one.

Trust me - if you're reading paperback, you're going to need the next one handy. If you're reading via e-book, please have at least $3.00 handy to order the next one the very second you finish this one. This is not an exaggeration. You will thank me for this advice one day.

On top of all of this, I think what Jay did with this book (and the series as a whole) was very unique and perfect for the way things played out. There's a very intense feeling that comes along with reading these books and Jay's fans have formed a very tight-knit "Moremunity" to work out these feelings (because therapists cost too much).

MTHer is my favorite book out of the four in the series, not because of the actual things that happen, but because of the FEELS. I've never been so emotional over a book before. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that if you haven't read any of these yet - please do it now! You won't regret it.

RATING: ★★★★ 1/2 - Loved it!

MTHer is one of my favorite books so far this year! The tiny little issues I had with the book don't even warrant mentioning at this point. Just know that there is basically nothing that can keep you from loving this book if you give it a shot. I adored it and I adore Logan Matthews and one day when I find out where the human manifestation of this beautiful specimen has been hiding himself, he is all mine! DIBS!

Have you read this book or any of the books in this series? What did you think? I bet you loved Logan just like I do! And if you haven't read them, I know you will love him just as much.

Let's talk books!

A. 

P.S. In non-More related news, I'm giving away a paperback copy of If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Giveaway ends July 7, 2014, at midnight. Enter below!


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Review: More Than This by Jay McLean

ISBN: 9781490916637
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle eBook
Series: More #1
Released: 2013
Goodreads | Amazon

     SUMMARY

*Mikayla*
In one night my fairytale ended. Or it may have begun. This is my story of friendship and love, heartbreak and desire, and the strength to show weakness.
*Jake*
One night I met a girl. A sad and broken girl, but one more beautiful than any other. She laughed through her sadness, while I loved through her heartbreak.
*This is our story of a maybe ever after.*
He was right. It made no difference whether it was 6 months or 6 years.
I couldn’t undo what had been done. I couldn’t change the future.
I couldn’t even predict it.
It was one night.
One night when everything changed.
It was so much more than just the betrayal.
It was the Tragedy.
The Deaths.
The Murders.
But it was also that feeling.
The feeling of falling.

     REVIEW

I just recently finished the fourth book in this series (More Than Forever, which releases on July 12) and I think all of my fellow bloggers will agree that love for a series can sometimes better your opinion of each individual book. I'm (not entirely) sad to say that I feel extremely biased toward this series (and this book) after reading the three books that follow this one. Not that I didn't love it when I first read it, but I had an issue or two at first, but now I just don't even care.

I bought More Than This on a whim. I'd never read anything dubbed "New Adult" before so this was a big step for me. I'm sure most of you know some of the controversy surrounding NA: that it's just erotica with a new name and younger characters; that it's just YA with explicit sex, that it's all garbage, etc. It's hard to get past the stereotypes when everyone you know and trust is saying there's no reason to give it a chance.

The Goodreads community reviews for MTT are what did me in. After seeing a ton of 4 and 5 star reviews for it, I wanted to read it pretty badly. Not to mention the air of mystery surrounding what went down in this book. I can't seem to control myself when people hold out on me like that. I had to find out for myself.

MTT starts out a little emotional, but sweet and funny and you'll be sitting there thinking, "Hm, I think I might like this one," and then WHAM. Jay McLean hits you right between the eyes with a curveball and you're like WHAT THE FUCK?! I'm pretty sure that exact phrase came out of my mouth several times after the first few chapters of this book. Things get pretty intense right away.

There were two things that I didn't necessarily like when reading MTT: the first was that the book, being self-published was... a bit less polished than what I'm used to. McLean's writing style is wonderful, it's powerful... but sometimes I cringed a bit inside when reading certain sentences. That's not to say they were bad, just that as someone who writes, maybe I would've written it differently. But I'm not a published author with one hell of a fan base, so I'm probably not the best person to judge.

The other thing was the sexual tension. It was intense, sometimes it was downright hysterical, but after a while it got to be plain annoying. Maybe that's what McLean was going for - I can't honestly say. But I know I would've enjoyed it a lot more without feeling the need to roll my eyes during certain part of the book waiting for you-know-what to happen. Honestly though, neither of these issues even mattered to me by the time I got halfway through the book. I was hooked and nothing could have stopped me from loving this book as much as I do.

Some of my favorite things about this book, however, include the adorable love story told effortlessly with one hell of a crazy subplot, as I mentioned before, Jay McLean's powerful (if not perfect) writing style, and the group of friends we are introduced to in MTT. I've never loved a group of friends in a book as much as these. I laughed so hard I cried - several times. They really helped make this book what it is.

Without giving too much away, I'll simply say that experiencing the way Micky and Jake's relationship developed after the traumatic events at the beginning of the book was just beautiful. I cried, I laughed - damn, did I laugh - and found myself grinning for hours after finishing. I think I also need to add that I finished this book in one day. ONE DAY. I generally read pretty fast, don't get me wrong, and the book wasn't incredibly long or anything, but I read this one during every free second I had (at work, on the bus, in between doing things at home).

MTT was the beginning of a beautiful relationship between myself and the More series. It's definitely a favorite series of mine and you'll get to hear all about it this week and next when I review the next two! :)

RATING: ★★★★ - Really Enjoyed It!

I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It's one that I hold dear to my heart. I even forced a few people to go out and read it, including my sister, who is finishing up the third book as we speak. While there were a few things that I didn't love such as the less-than-"polished" writing and the beyond annoying sexual tension between the main characters, the supporting characters and the powerful, heart-achingly beautiful story made me love this book, and eventually love this series so much!

If you haven't heard of this book or this author, I recommend you get off your butt right this second and go get acquainted. As a matter of fact, the kindle ebook is only $0.99 right now on Amazon (click the link above in the description to check it out). It's for a limited time only and it'll be the best dollar you've ever spent on a book!

Have any of you read this book yet? What did you think? Other than the extreme sexual tension (because I know that had to bug the hell out of you), what did you think?

Let's talk books!

A.