Mini Reviews: Toxic by Rachel Van Dyken and Best Kind of Broken by Chelsea Fine

Toxic

(Ruin # 2)

By: Rachel Van Dyken

Pub. Date: March 4, 2014

Publisher: Self

Pages: 200

Source: Author

Everyone has a secret...

Gabe Hyde is on borrowed time. He's been hiding his identity for over four years-hidden from the world that used to adore him--obsess over him--driven to the edge of insanity by one poor choice.

But that one choice, altered the course of his life forever.

Pretending isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when pretending means hiding your real self from the people that care about you the most. But if anyone ever discovered the truth it wouldn't just be his life at risk--but hers.

Saylor doesn't hate men.
Just Gabe.
Only Gabe.

He's a reckless, happy-go-lucky, silver spoon fed pain in her ass. Everything about him makes her more and more confused. Unfortunately they both donate time at the same Group Home. If she wasn't afraid of flunking, she'd be long gone. She hates that she's attracted to him almost as much as he hates that he's attracted to her--and she can tell, especially since their first encounter ended up making her knees so weak she couldn't form coherent sentences for weeks afterwards. But the closer she gets to him, the more confused she becomes. He isn't who he says he is, and he's hiding something big.

What happen when two worlds collide? Two worlds that never should have met in the first place? Some secrets are too big to be hidden forever--the only question? Will his destroy everyone he loves? Or finally bring about the redemption he's been craving for the past four years?

Everyone has a secret...What's yours?

I received this galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and Ink Slinger PR.

When I first requested this title, I didn't realize that it was the second book in the series, the first book being about Gabe's best friend, Wes. I don't think I lost out on anything by not reading the first book. I understood what was going on and I enjoyed all of the characters. Gabe is holding in a lot of secrets. Between what his father wants from him, who exactly Princess was and even what his real hair color is! I am surprised this guy was able to hold everything together. There were plenty of times I thought he would just completely lose it. I really loved Gabe. He was so broken and sweet and I thought the relationship he had with Saylor was so much fun! But the relationship he had with Princess broke my heart. When I actually found out how Princess fit into Gabe's life, my heart completely broke for the two of them. I really enjoyed this story, and I look forward to getting myself a copy of the first book and reading it! 

Best Kind of Broken

(Finding Fate # 1)

By: Chelsea Fine

Pub. Date: March 4, 2014

Publisher: Forever

Pages: 336

Source: Netgalley

Pixie and Levi haven't spoken in nearly a year when they find themselves working―and living―at the same inn in the middle of nowhere. Once upon a time, they were childhood friends. But that was before everything went to hell. And now things are... awkward.

All they want to do is avoid each other, and their past, for as long as possible. But now that they're forced to share a bathroom, and therefore a shower, keeping their distance from one another becomes less difficult than keeping their hands off each other. Welcome to the hallway of awkward tension and sexual frustration, folks. Get comfy. It’s going to be a long summer.

 I received this galley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing.

I love Chelsea Fine. She is one of my favorite authors so I was very excited to find out she was writing a New Adult novel. Best Kind of Broken was so wonderful and I am so glad that I read it. It was just the kind of New Adult story that I would expect from Fine. It was sad, but it was also so much fun! Pixie, Levi and Charity were best friends growing up, but that all changed last year when Charity, Levi's sister, was killed in a car accident. This ended the friendship, and freshly blossoming relationship between Levi and Pixie and the two haven't spoken since that night. But now they are both working and living together in Pixie's aunts Bed & Breakfast and tensions are high. They act like they hate each other but the connection that they share proves otherwise. They were both broken and dealing with what happened, but I wish they could have been honest with each other a lot sooner in the story. I felt that they kept going back and forth so many times, I started to get bored with it. But it was so amazing when they were finally honest with their feelings! I really enjoyed this one and excited for the next book in the series!