Mini-reviews: Lila Shortcuts by Sarah Alderson & While You're Away by Jessa Holbrook

Lila Shortcuts by Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publication date: 1st October 2013
My rating: 4 stars

Five compelling new short stories based in the world of HUNTING LILA. Told from the perspectives of Alex, Jack, Demos, Amber and Suki - fans of this thrilling series now have a chance to delve into the minds of other characters, and see what they really think!

Sarah Alderson is the master at bringing great characters to life, in the last two years I have become quite easily attached to the characters in Alderson’s Lila series, that I could possibly read stories with them again and again. Lila Shortcuts presents five novellas from five great characters from the Lila series; Amber, Demos, Suki, Jack and Alex.

The best thing about these novellas is that they fit in so well together, Alderson just doesn’t give you five different perspectives, but one story flows into the next by the order in which the events occurred. With these novellas we're given great back stories into our favourite characters, we get fresh new scenes that we've previously only be told about, but also scenes which we've already read about before but from the perspective of a totally different character like when Lila tumbled down the stairs, but from Alex’s perspective *sigh*.

If I had a chance to choose a favourite of these stories, I don’t think I’d be able to as each on their own brought so much. But here are couple of my favourite aspects;

Demos. You finally get to be inside this enigmatic characters head and let me just say I was expecting a lot of ego and cockiness, but instead we got an honest and vulnerable side of him and a lot of insight into why he became the man he is today. Such great brotherly love and affection between Jack and Alex, the depths to which these two went to help each other out was amazing. I loved being inside Jack’s head, he was an intelligent guy. But I loved seeing his ruthless side and his snarky sense of humour, but also seeing him stutter around “boyfriends”/guys interested in Lila. Alex there’s nothing about him that could make me love him more, his perspective was just perfect, I just wish I had more to read. I’m going to leave you with this quote.

"And then she looks up at me and holds my gaze and she smiles a smile so full of undisguised happiness that her whole face lights up with it and it makes me catch my breath. And that's when I know for sure that I'm in trouble"

Overall Lila Shortcuts is not a book to be missed out on, it will have you laughing out loud when you least expect to one minute and then rip away at your heart the next. But one thing, it will make you want to never let these characters go.

While You're Away (While You're Away #1) by Jessa Holbrook

Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: 15th October 2013
My rating: 3 stars

Once a cheater, always a cheater? From the moment Will and Sarah first set eyes upon each other, they know that what they have is special. There's just one little problem . . . each of them already has a significant other. After flirting with danger, it becomes clear their passion is too strong to be denied. But even if they make their relationship official, there are plenty of challenges in store. Will leaves for college at the end of the summer, while Sarah faces her senior year of high school in their small suburban town. Long-distance relationships always come with their fair share of troubles—mismatched schedules, jealousy, and temptation are only the beginning. Can cheaters ever change? WHILE YOU'RE AWAY is a steamy story about a love triangle, a long-distance relationship, and learning the true meaning of commitment.

While You’re Away was a lot different to what I had been expecting after reading the blurb. This in case wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it kind of left me wanting for more time between our main characters Will and Sarah. The way the relationship in the blurb is described is as forbidden, and I guess it was, both Will and Sarah are in relationships with other people, Sarah loves her boyfriend Dave, so her kiss with Will is so out of the blue, but it leaves her thinking that what she has with Dave isn’t as perfect as she imagined it to be.

Now I don’t condone cheating, but I actually wanted Sarah and Will to be together. Dave may have been a sweet guy, but which guy blatantly lets girls flirt with him when he’s girlfriend’s standing by? And then flirts back, and this isn’t even on one occasion, it happens every time after Sarah and Dave do a performance (they both play guitar). Sarah has even voiced that she doesn’t feel comfortable with this, but does Dave take any notice? No. And then there’s Will, he has the reputation that seems to follow him around, but when Sarah ends up spending time with him when Dave’s pre-occupied, she sees a side to him that no one’s ever mentioned before. Is this because of her? Or just put on every time Will’s with a girl?

While You’re Away was a pretty quick read that you could probably fit in when you’re in the mood for a book that’s sexy and fun. My only gripe was that I wish more time had been focused upon Will and Sarah spending time with each other. I will definitely be picking up While You’re Away 2, to see how this story continues.