Review: Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

Breaking Nova (Nova #1)
Jessica Sorensen
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: September 3, 2013

Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next . . . until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life-but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life . . . but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

(This review may contain slight spoilers, but nothing major)

I have been read a lot of Sorensen's novels lately. I haven't read her Fallen Star series but I love all of her contemporary new adult novels. When I found out that another of her books was available, I got it right away and started reading.

Breaking Nova is a lot different than Sorensen's other novels, or anything I'm used to reading for that matter. It's really dark and really intense. This is not a novel filled with angsty characters that are redeemed by love, like I initially thought. Like I said, it is a lot darker and more intense than I expected. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; I just wasn't expecting it and it's out of my comfort zone.

The two main characters in this novel are completely, utterly lost. They've both been through separate tragedies and are struggling to survive. Because of their situation, I found it was hard to connect with these characters. I could sympathize with them, sure, but it was hard to understand a few of their decisions.

This story is mostly about Nova. Throughout the novel, she has to lose herself more and more. Breaking Nova is the story of how Nova is able to find herself again after a tragedy. Even though I questioned Nova's decisions, I was so proud of her by the end of the novel.

Breaking Nova is not a romance--at least not in the sense I was thinking when I first picked it up. I honestly (and I never say this) did not think that the two main characters were good for each other. Quinton was not able to redeem himself like Nova. However, there is going to be a sequel so I'm not completely go against their relationship--hopefully things will get better for these two in the next book.

With an emphasis on drugs and suicide, Breaking Nova took me out of my comfort zone. These characters are deeply scarred, and for them, things have to get worse before they can get better. This dark novel is not one I'm likely going to reread, but I am anxiously waiting for the sequel.

Review: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

The Sea of Tranquility 

Katja Millay

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: November 13, 2012

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.
Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.
Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.
The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

I'm going to start this review by saying that those who are wary of the cover or description should or are turned off by new adult still look into this book. The Sea of Tranquility is more than just a romance, it's a story of healing.

Both of the characters in this novel have dark pasts that they are trying to recover from. Although Josh has his problems, too, The Sea of Tranquility mostly focuses on Nastya and her healing from losing everything that defined her. Both of these characters are unique and frustrating at times. I loved Josh's unique view of life and reading about his hobby of building.. And Nastya--she has an exterior that everyone so no one will want to get know her. She has experienced something terrible and needs to learn how to live with the after. 

Even though a romance is not the first word I would use to describe this novel, I do have to address the relationship between Nastya and Josh. Their relationship is very slow-building, which I appreciated. This is more of a story of how these two characters learned to let others in than how they fell in love. Both Nastya and Josh learned to let the other in, which led to letting other people in as well. More than anything, Nasty and Josh found a family--both with each other and with others. 

The Sea of Tranquility is a beautifully-written and well-paced novel that tells the story of two characters and how they learned to live again. 

New Adult Review: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden (The Coincidence #1)
Jessica Sorensen
Release Date: December 1, 2012

There are those who don't get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don't get saved.
Luck was not on Callie's side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it's all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it's a struggle just to breathe.
For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.
Now he can't stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. the more he tries to be a part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved. 

I was really surprised by this novel. When I first picked it up, I was expecting a cute, fun read. What I wasn't expecting was for this to pack such an emotional punch. 

Both Callie and Kayden have had painful pasts that they have yet come to terms with. Callie and Kayden were just so damaged. I definitely feel that I sympathized with them more than I empathized with them. But I just wanted them to be happy. Kayden was better at hiding than Callie, and it took me a good chunk into the book to realize how much he was hurting. Both of these characters came a long way from the beginning of the book, mainly with trusting others and letting each other in. They still weren't completely healed, though, which was very frustrating.

For a fairly short novel, I think it was paced well. The relationship between these two characters grew (for the most part) at a good pace. I thought that I had everything in this novel figured out, but I was wrong. The last fifty or so pages of this book really pack a punch. Sorensen through some last minute punches and killed me with this ending.

Overall, I was very impressed with this novel. It was an addicting read that had me rooting for the characters and screaming at the ending. I'm anxiously waiting for the next book in this series.