Blog Tour: Breaking the Ice by Julie Cross | Review

Welcome to our stop on tour for Breaking the Ice by Julie Cross. 

This tour is hosted by Chapter by Chapter.

Breaking the Ice
Juniper Falls #2
Author: Julie Cross
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: December 26, 2017
Review Source: Chapter by Chapter

The second book in the Juniper Falls series from NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Julie Cross, perfect for fans of Miranda Kenneally and Abbi Glines. Haley Stevenson seems like she’s got it all together: cheer captain, “Princess” of Juniper Falls, and voted Most Likely to Get Things Done. But below the surface, she’s struggling with a less-than-stellar GPA and still reeling from the loss of her first love. Repeating her Civics class during summer school is her chance to Get Things Done, not angst over boys. In fact, she’s sworn them off completely until college. Fletcher Scott is happy to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls. He’s always been the invisible guy, warming the bench on the hockey team and moonlighting at a job that would make his grandma blush. Suddenly, though, he’s finding he wants more: more time on the ice, and more time with his infuriatingly perfect summer-school study partner. But leave it to a girl who requires perfection to shake up a boy who’s ready to break all the rules.

 

Hi my name is Bianca and I am a sucker for cute contemporaries and boys with cute names.

Although Breaking the Ice is the #2 installment in the Juniper Falls series, it can be read as a stand alone. It's completely out of my OCD nature to enter a series this way, and to be honest I don't know why I did- but what matters is that I did. It was such a good start to have this be my first read of the New Year. Nothing too complicated. Although we can argue about Fletcher being complicated.

That was the base of Breaking the Ice. Fletcher and his mysteriousness. All he wanted was to take Civics in summer school for extra credit so he could focus on having ice time during hockey games. But, his seat selection changed his world. He sits behind Haley Stevenson, Princess/ Cheer captain.

Fletcher TOTALLY intrigues Haley and immediately she wants to know more about him. So they end up as study partners and before you know it each of their focuses or goals have changed. And, although on the outside these two characters seem as simple as it gets- high school cheer captain who cares only about cheer and invisible guy who cares about nothing, Julie Cross comes through with making them very realistic.

Listen, I stayed up till close to 4am because I couldn't stop reading. If that doesn't tell you how much I liked this book I don't know what can. (P.S. I'm a tired person with a 1 year old human to chase after everyday. I love sleep.)

And now I'm going to go back and pick up the first book in this series also...

About Julie Cross

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).

She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.

She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.

Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

       

Book Review: Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

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Whatever Life Throws at You
Author: Julie Cross
Reading Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance | Sports
Release Date: October 7th 2014
Review Source: Entangled Teen

Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing.

After an awkward first meeting with "Brody" involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?

Who would say no, to reading about a sexy baseball player? I know I wouldn't. You might say, ehhh I not into sports that's much, no problem! You don't have to a fan of baseball to like this book. But you might become a fan after you read Whatever Life Throws at You. 

Whatever Life Throws at You follows Annie, the daughter of the newest pitching coach for the Royals. With this new job comes several new events. Annie and her dad have to relocate which was a good thing for Annie, that put her as far away as possible from her crazy mother and ex-boyfriend. Its like starting with a clean slate for Annie. But who does Annie run into and play a trick on? The new rookie pitcher signed on to the Royals. Jason Brody is the eighteen year old sexy pitcher from the Kansas City Royals and he comes with a reputation. Or so it seems, Annie sort of wants to find out if it is all true.  

From the second these two meet, the motion was set off. Thing is though, Annie and Jason know they are off-limits to each other. Annie tries to concentrate on her running and Jason on his pitching but when your dad is the coach, you know running into one another is unavoidable. You can't fight the chemistry those two have with each other. So when they finally start to take things to the next level, that's when the fireworks show begins. And it's explosive.

For all the contemporary romance readers, pick this book up. You won't be disappointed. Its has a little bit of everything and then some. The baseball isn't the main focus but it does add meat to the story. The charters will win you over and have you falling in love with them and their story. 

Book Review: Vortex by Julie Cross

Vortex
A Tempest Novel #2
Author: Julie Cross
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Time Travel/Science Fiction
Release Date: January 15th 2013
Review Source: Author
Available: Amazon
Past Review: Tempest

Summary (from goodreads) Julie Cross's Vortex is the thrilling second installment of the Tempest series, in which the world hangs in the balance as a lovelorn Jackson must choose who to save.

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

Vortex is time travel at it finest. In Tempest we got familiarized wit how the time travel worked and now in Vortex, we see how truly complex and life altering it really is. The storyline in Vortex was by far much easier to stay with then with Tempest. I did not have to go back and re-read at any point in the book. Now I'm not saying its not complexed, because it is. if you loose focus one second while reading Vortex, you will find yourself lost. This series in general is the type that each word must be read with your full attention. I compare it to the Mara Dyer series or Insignia. Those are all books you have to pay attention too when reading. 

Vortex cuts right to it when you begin reading it. The thrills, action and mystery begin immediately. You don't have to wait like in Tempest. Again I repeat the paying attention part when reading, because you finally begin to understand the different worlds. Those worlds are World A, World B and World C. Jackson and yourself will travel throughout this book figuring out new deceptions, new lies, new characters, new love interest and a couple more new things throughout the book. Even Jackson himself, you will see this new side you have not see before. As far as the time-jumping, it wont be all over the place like it was in Tempest. So that's probably one of the main reason Vortex is easier to follow along. The jumps will happen when needed, as needed. I can stress enough though for you to pay attention when reading. When you least expect it, something will go down, and I don't want you to be like WTH.  Because believe me something or things will go down. That's what this series sis all about. 

Journey with Jackson as he beats himself up about Holly but eventually does meet someone new. Sound pretty easy, right? Well its not. I just wont give you all the juicy details. See how working for Tempest is. Then read to follow what Eyewall has in store for Jackson and his fellow agents. Just now going in Vortex will keep you on the edge of your seat. Julie once again nails it and her writing style flourishes even more in Vortex. If you had a bit of trouble with Tempest, I recommend you read Vortex. Vortex in my opinion was even better than Tempest. 

Book Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest
Tempest #1
Author: Julie Cross
Reading Level: YA
Pages: 352 Hardcover
Release Date: January 17th 2011
Review Source: St. Martin's Griffin
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Tempest was not what I expected at all when I began reading it. I thought when I started reading I would feel like I'm reading The Time travelers wife or something equivalent to that story. Boy was I wrong. Tempest is about time travel, but Julie creates this idea and characters and a special unique flair to the time traveling. Just get ready to jump on your favorite ride at a amusement park and not come off EVER! Its so heart poundingly good. Just when you think OK I know what will come or happen next, your transported somewhere else completely not what you were expecting or prepared for. 

Tempest is about Jackson. Jackson attend college just like any other guy his age. Jackson also has the hot girlfriend everyone wants. Now one thing that Jackson is or has that your average Joe doesn't do, he can time travel. His gift is limited but still a gift. In the beginning Jackson can go back just a few hours to a couple of days at most. One day while hanging with is girlfriend Julie, 2 unknown men come to her dorm room and a struggle unfolds and Julie gets shot. This propels Jackson to jump (that's when he time travels) to the year 2007. He has never in a'll his years been able to jump that far back. Now the problem with this jump, he is now not able to come back to current time. he is stuck in 2007. Jackson is completely unsuccessful at jumping back to his Home Base (this is the current time for Jackson). While trying to figure out how to go back and possibly help Julie and prevent her getting shot, Jackson begins to uncover secrets about his past and father. What will Jackson accomplish once he learns certain truths and will he be able to reunite with Holly 2009 even though he has run into Holly 2007. Which Holly will he choose?

Tempest has so much that I literally cant give you more in my review without spoiling certain events or things. Julie does a fantastic job with Tempest, you have to trust me and read this book. When the movie industry comes knocking and getting rights to a book even before its been released you know there has to be something great in the pages. They are right! Tempest will be excellent for the big screen. Julie writes with such detail that you can see in your mind when Jackson jumps. Now Tempest is not just all action and no romance, there are definitely some swoon-worthy scenes mixed in there. Be ready to Jump with Tempest!!! 

Books Complete Me and ourselves are hosting the officially blog tour for Tempest. You can follow all the post on the schedule by clicking HERE.