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Off the Map #1
Upside Down
If you never get lost, you'll never be found...Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . of if they were meant to live a world apart.PRAISE FOR UPSIDE DOWN"Upside Down gave me all the feels. Romantic and poignant, the journey of love and acceptance lingers long after the book is closed." - Jennifer L. Armentrout/J. Lynn # 1 New York Times Bestselling Author."Lia Riley turned my emotions Upside Down with this book! Fast paced, electric and sweetly emotional-- I couldn't put it down!" -- Tracy Wolff, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2014
51 people are currently reading
6253 people want to read
About the author
Lia Riley
19 books1,026 followersLia Riley is a contemporary romance author. USA Today describes her as "refreshing" and RT Book Reviews calls her books "sizzling and heartfelt." She loves the beach, fresh flowers, foggy redwood forests and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California.
Visit her at www.liariley.com to learn more.
Visit her at www.liariley.com to learn more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
July 29, 2016
4-4.5 stars!!
“Who doesn’t want to be different? Be perfect to somebody? To matter?”
This book took me by surprise in the BEST of ways! The blurb made it sound like a typical NA book and I went in with the ‘let’s get this over with’ mindset. Now that I’m finished with the book, I can definitely say that the NA world needs to watch out for Lia Riley, a fresh, new voice in the genre. This is an author who has a talent for effortlessly incorporating humor, wit, and realism in a story. This is an author who knows the literary disadvantages of cheap plot devices and instead, relies on authenticity to get her point across. How many times can I say that about books in this genre? Answer is, not many. As much as I adored this book, however, it wasn’t completely perfect and I’ll get to that part later.
Without a shadow of a doubt, this book’s strongest point resides with the heroine Natalia Stolfi. Twenty one years old and suffering from OCD, Talia and her family are still reeling in the aftermath of her older sister Pippa’s death, causing Talia to drop behind in school and exacerbating her OCD conditions. Because of this ordeal, her family is torn apart and everyone is miserable.
“Dad finds solace in warm beer and cold pizza and my mom in baby men. Me? I’m still digging out of the wreckage.”
She decides to study abroad in Melbourne, Australia in hopes of saving her grades and taking some time to recuperate and heal.
I adore Talia. It’s cliché to say she’s so strong, but honestly she is. I thought the author did a fantastic job of portraying her OCD and how her actions and attitudes in life stem from it. But you want to know my favorite thing about her? Well, it’s the stuff that she says. She’s down-to-earth, sarcastic, yet mischievous and I can easily believe that this is a woman who, in a NA college romance is a thoughtful person, unlike the simpering ninnies in so many other NA books.
“I picked history to study for a few reasons. I like secret stories. I’m not content with being fed the easy version. There’s always more to a situation, you know? I’m curious about the voices during war or large social change movements that don’t get heard quite as easily.”
“This is a dude in a koala suit. He clearly lacks vital screws.”
Another high point of the book is the hero Bran Lockhart. Broody, cynical and mysterious, Bran is unapologetic about his semi-asshole ways yet his innate kindness is undeniable, especially when displayed in the dire situations where he comes to Talia’s aid. Burned badly by love in the past, Bran vows to never let another girl hold his heart; however, he can’t deny that Talia tempts him. I want to point out that I absolutely hate it when character say that they don’t want to fall in love blah blah and in the next second they do. It definitely wasn’t the case here with Bran and Talia’s relationship. I could totally understand Bran and his decision for wanting to fortify his heart because when it came down to it really, the outcome of what happened in his past wasn’t the reason. The reason is this:
“I’d given everything I had and it wasn’t enough.”
He had nothing left to give and he did not feel worthy. And until he did, I knew his relationship with Talia would go nowhere. Thus, witnessing his slow transformation and seeing Talia’s sharp wit and fun-loving self melt the ice around his heart was the best part of the book. These two complemented each other perfectly, each one bringing out something in the other. Both are flawed characters, but they fit together like a lock and a key.
Okay. I’ve been avoiding this part of the review up until now but I still have to say it: the last 10% of the book sucked donkey balls. I honestly felt like a different author wrote it. Harsh but some of the character’s decisions did not sit well with me at all (it’s not cheating guys) and all that was running in my head while I read it was: what the hell happened to the amazing Lia Riley in the first 90% of the book? I think the author was rushing to and to do that will always cheapen the romance. Always. So as much as it pains me to do, I have to dock stars for this part, however minimal it is.
I do want to highlight that despite the last 10% being a bust, this book is still SO worth the read! There is so much beauty to be found in this book and Bran strangely reminded me of a younger version of Paul from How to Kill a Rock Star – thoughtful, candid, and wise beyond his years. Not to mention one awesome heroine and tons of humor and I was a goner!
Recommended read.
ARC provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“Who doesn’t want to be different? Be perfect to somebody? To matter?”
This book took me by surprise in the BEST of ways! The blurb made it sound like a typical NA book and I went in with the ‘let’s get this over with’ mindset. Now that I’m finished with the book, I can definitely say that the NA world needs to watch out for Lia Riley, a fresh, new voice in the genre. This is an author who has a talent for effortlessly incorporating humor, wit, and realism in a story. This is an author who knows the literary disadvantages of cheap plot devices and instead, relies on authenticity to get her point across. How many times can I say that about books in this genre? Answer is, not many. As much as I adored this book, however, it wasn’t completely perfect and I’ll get to that part later.
Without a shadow of a doubt, this book’s strongest point resides with the heroine Natalia Stolfi. Twenty one years old and suffering from OCD, Talia and her family are still reeling in the aftermath of her older sister Pippa’s death, causing Talia to drop behind in school and exacerbating her OCD conditions. Because of this ordeal, her family is torn apart and everyone is miserable.
“Dad finds solace in warm beer and cold pizza and my mom in baby men. Me? I’m still digging out of the wreckage.”
She decides to study abroad in Melbourne, Australia in hopes of saving her grades and taking some time to recuperate and heal.
I adore Talia. It’s cliché to say she’s so strong, but honestly she is. I thought the author did a fantastic job of portraying her OCD and how her actions and attitudes in life stem from it. But you want to know my favorite thing about her? Well, it’s the stuff that she says. She’s down-to-earth, sarcastic, yet mischievous and I can easily believe that this is a woman who, in a NA college romance is a thoughtful person, unlike the simpering ninnies in so many other NA books.
“I picked history to study for a few reasons. I like secret stories. I’m not content with being fed the easy version. There’s always more to a situation, you know? I’m curious about the voices during war or large social change movements that don’t get heard quite as easily.”
“This is a dude in a koala suit. He clearly lacks vital screws.”
Another high point of the book is the hero Bran Lockhart. Broody, cynical and mysterious, Bran is unapologetic about his semi-asshole ways yet his innate kindness is undeniable, especially when displayed in the dire situations where he comes to Talia’s aid. Burned badly by love in the past, Bran vows to never let another girl hold his heart; however, he can’t deny that Talia tempts him. I want to point out that I absolutely hate it when character say that they don’t want to fall in love blah blah and in the next second they do. It definitely wasn’t the case here with Bran and Talia’s relationship. I could totally understand Bran and his decision for wanting to fortify his heart because when it came down to it really, the outcome of what happened in his past wasn’t the reason. The reason is this:
“I’d given everything I had and it wasn’t enough.”
He had nothing left to give and he did not feel worthy. And until he did, I knew his relationship with Talia would go nowhere. Thus, witnessing his slow transformation and seeing Talia’s sharp wit and fun-loving self melt the ice around his heart was the best part of the book. These two complemented each other perfectly, each one bringing out something in the other. Both are flawed characters, but they fit together like a lock and a key.
Okay. I’ve been avoiding this part of the review up until now but I still have to say it: the last 10% of the book sucked donkey balls. I honestly felt like a different author wrote it. Harsh but some of the character’s decisions did not sit well with me at all (it’s not cheating guys) and all that was running in my head while I read it was: what the hell happened to the amazing Lia Riley in the first 90% of the book? I think the author was rushing to and to do that will always cheapen the romance. Always. So as much as it pains me to do, I have to dock stars for this part, however minimal it is.
I do want to highlight that despite the last 10% being a bust, this book is still SO worth the read! There is so much beauty to be found in this book and Bran strangely reminded me of a younger version of Paul from How to Kill a Rock Star – thoughtful, candid, and wise beyond his years. Not to mention one awesome heroine and tons of humor and I was a goner!
Recommended read.
ARC provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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December 10, 2015
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Off the Map series recommended reading order:
Upside Down
Sideswiped
Inside Out
Carry Me Home...can be read as a stand-alone but references/unveils secret from main series
Into My Arms...a standalone novella featuring secondary characters Beth and Z (Inside Out)
February 12, 2017
TW: OCD, Anorexia
I wanted to love this so much.... But it felt like I was reading an unfinished story. Even though it's the first in a series, it was just lacking so, so much. That being said, I think I have a pretty even balance of things I liked versus disliked in this book.
First of all, I loved that it was an ownvoices book about OCD. I don't have OCD, but I have faith that it was represented accurately, and I thought that the scenes where she struggled with her rituals were very compelling and gave the book an extra punch.
This is one of the only new adult books that doesn't make me want to choke on its corniness, terrible dialogue, and problematicness. This book employed a lot of joking humor and pop culture references (I screamed when I read "no one mourns the wicked"!!!!), but nothing was over-the-top and annoying to read. This is one of the very VERY few new adult books I've read that was actually bearable.
Additionally, I liked how sex positive this book was. There was no emphasis on virginity, male ownership, or anything anti-feminist that a lot of romance books focus on. In fact, this also normalized female masturbation, which I thought was a great addition instead of making it seem like ~~oooh a tabboo scene~~ I loved Talia because she constantly proved herself to be a strong main character--so different than a lot of the women we see who have self-confidence issues and thus rely on their male counterparts to tell them they're worthy and what-not. Talia was very independent, wouldn't let guys control her, and she was very mature in the way that she navigated relationships.
In general, this book dealt with a lot of amazing, progressive topics, and had a lot of diversity. For example, Talia's best friend is a lesbian, her mother deals with anorexia, and Bran's uncle is a drag queen. In addition, there's just a general attitude of feminism and taking care of the environment, which I was super thrilled to read about!
This book is set in Australia (Melbourne, woop woop!), which I found really fascinating! I wish that the scenery could have been talked about a little more, but I'll mention that in a sec.
I really liked Bran in the beginning, but his character pulled a couple of unforgivable dick moves and I couldn't quite reconcile why Talia would forgive him for that. I'm unsure if i'm going to pick up other books in this series (thank God it's not a companion series!!), but I would be interested to see how their relationship progresses since I feel a lot of explaining is yet to be done.
My biggest issue with this, however, is that this feels like the first draft of a book. Not grammatically or anything, but this just feels like so much description, plot, and narration is missing from it. I was craving more description, more fleshed-out scenes, but this just reads extremely, extremely condensed.
1. In the beginning when Talia flies from California to Australia, there is literally no description of her travels. She literally goes from one place to the other from chapter 1 to chapter 2. It was shocking, and I felt like I was actually missing a prequel to this series or something because a lot of scenes were being omitted and it seemed very abrupt.
2. For a book about a girl attending school overseas, there is not ONE scene of her going to class, doing homework, or studying. This is incredibly suspicious and bad storytelling.
3. In general, it just seemed like this book skipped every scene other than when the 2 love interests were together. If the male main character wasn't there, it wasn't in the book. This made the book incredibly choppy, we missed important scenes occurring in between, and it was actually just really frustrating.
4. This book takes place over 6 months, but it skips around so often and so sloppily that it doesn't even feel like it.
5. Since the book is so rushed, this feels incredibly instalove-y. It has the potential to be a slow-burning romance, but everything is so rushed and skippy that the author just needs to chill and elongate the story.
6. I liked when the book talked about her OCD, but in the entire last half of the book, it hardly mentioned it at all. It went chapters without even mentioning it, when at the beginning of the book, it seemed like a big deal. I thought this was such sloppy storytelling to completely ignore her mental illness for entire sections of the book, especially when she would say things like "I feel better around Bran." Her OCD didn't completely go away because of him because there's more mentioning of it at the end of the book, but I was upset that it would seem this way since it was hardly mentioned at all in the last half.
Just the incompleteness of this story is what absolutely breaks it. This feels like the skeleton of a story that could be five stars, but it just needs a lot more content and detail. Some parts went completely unsolved, such as Talia's relationship with her mother, Bran's ex drama, Talia's mother's eating disorder, Talia's schoolwork, etc. It just felt like there were no answers, not even in the way of the author suggesting, "We'll find out in the next book!"
This is still one of the better new adult books I've read, especially considering how great of a protagonist Talia was and how the tone of this book was very progressive, but the book itself just read as a skeleton of something bigger that I wish was better.
I wanted to love this so much.... But it felt like I was reading an unfinished story. Even though it's the first in a series, it was just lacking so, so much. That being said, I think I have a pretty even balance of things I liked versus disliked in this book.
First of all, I loved that it was an ownvoices book about OCD. I don't have OCD, but I have faith that it was represented accurately, and I thought that the scenes where she struggled with her rituals were very compelling and gave the book an extra punch.
This is one of the only new adult books that doesn't make me want to choke on its corniness, terrible dialogue, and problematicness. This book employed a lot of joking humor and pop culture references (I screamed when I read "no one mourns the wicked"!!!!), but nothing was over-the-top and annoying to read. This is one of the very VERY few new adult books I've read that was actually bearable.
Additionally, I liked how sex positive this book was. There was no emphasis on virginity, male ownership, or anything anti-feminist that a lot of romance books focus on. In fact, this also normalized female masturbation, which I thought was a great addition instead of making it seem like ~~oooh a tabboo scene~~ I loved Talia because she constantly proved herself to be a strong main character--so different than a lot of the women we see who have self-confidence issues and thus rely on their male counterparts to tell them they're worthy and what-not. Talia was very independent, wouldn't let guys control her, and she was very mature in the way that she navigated relationships.
In general, this book dealt with a lot of amazing, progressive topics, and had a lot of diversity. For example, Talia's best friend is a lesbian, her mother deals with anorexia, and Bran's uncle is a drag queen. In addition, there's just a general attitude of feminism and taking care of the environment, which I was super thrilled to read about!
This book is set in Australia (Melbourne, woop woop!), which I found really fascinating! I wish that the scenery could have been talked about a little more, but I'll mention that in a sec.
I really liked Bran in the beginning, but his character pulled a couple of unforgivable dick moves and I couldn't quite reconcile why Talia would forgive him for that. I'm unsure if i'm going to pick up other books in this series (thank God it's not a companion series!!), but I would be interested to see how their relationship progresses since I feel a lot of explaining is yet to be done.
My biggest issue with this, however, is that this feels like the first draft of a book. Not grammatically or anything, but this just feels like so much description, plot, and narration is missing from it. I was craving more description, more fleshed-out scenes, but this just reads extremely, extremely condensed.
1. In the beginning when Talia flies from California to Australia, there is literally no description of her travels. She literally goes from one place to the other from chapter 1 to chapter 2. It was shocking, and I felt like I was actually missing a prequel to this series or something because a lot of scenes were being omitted and it seemed very abrupt.
2. For a book about a girl attending school overseas, there is not ONE scene of her going to class, doing homework, or studying. This is incredibly suspicious and bad storytelling.
3. In general, it just seemed like this book skipped every scene other than when the 2 love interests were together. If the male main character wasn't there, it wasn't in the book. This made the book incredibly choppy, we missed important scenes occurring in between, and it was actually just really frustrating.
4. This book takes place over 6 months, but it skips around so often and so sloppily that it doesn't even feel like it.
5. Since the book is so rushed, this feels incredibly instalove-y. It has the potential to be a slow-burning romance, but everything is so rushed and skippy that the author just needs to chill and elongate the story.
6. I liked when the book talked about her OCD, but in the entire last half of the book, it hardly mentioned it at all. It went chapters without even mentioning it, when at the beginning of the book, it seemed like a big deal. I thought this was such sloppy storytelling to completely ignore her mental illness for entire sections of the book, especially when she would say things like "I feel better around Bran." Her OCD didn't completely go away because of him because there's more mentioning of it at the end of the book, but I was upset that it would seem this way since it was hardly mentioned at all in the last half.
Just the incompleteness of this story is what absolutely breaks it. This feels like the skeleton of a story that could be five stars, but it just needs a lot more content and detail. Some parts went completely unsolved, such as Talia's relationship with her mother, Bran's ex drama, Talia's mother's eating disorder, Talia's schoolwork, etc. It just felt like there were no answers, not even in the way of the author suggesting, "We'll find out in the next book!"
This is still one of the better new adult books I've read, especially considering how great of a protagonist Talia was and how the tone of this book was very progressive, but the book itself just read as a skeleton of something bigger that I wish was better.
May 14, 2015
(A digital copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
I've started reading this book last year but had to put it down because it simply failed to appeal me. And after continuing it, I realized that it still doesn't work.
The synopsis of this book is really promising, but when I got into the story I realized that it did not meet my expectations. The author's writing style is strange that I could not easily get the whole point of the story. I could not relate to the characters, especially Talia (who, by the way, is quite annoying). I don't like her POV. It just makes me roll my eyes.
All throughout the book I was so bored. I'm sorry but this book just did not work out for me.
I've started reading this book last year but had to put it down because it simply failed to appeal me. And after continuing it, I realized that it still doesn't work.
The synopsis of this book is really promising, but when I got into the story I realized that it did not meet my expectations. The author's writing style is strange that I could not easily get the whole point of the story. I could not relate to the characters, especially Talia (who, by the way, is quite annoying). I don't like her POV. It just makes me roll my eyes.
All throughout the book I was so bored. I'm sorry but this book just did not work out for me.
May 14, 2015
I will be hosting a paperback giveaway on my Facebook page - > HERE
4 Down Under Stars
Upside Down is part of the Off the Map series. Upside Down can be read as a standalone, but the characters do continue into the series.
Upside Down reminds me a lot of Jessica Sorensen reads. It’s emotional, there’s a lot of angst, and it has young characters and a lot of drama. And you kind of want to pull your hair out sometimes.
It’s really addictive. You will want to read it in one sitting.
Natalia (Talia) is a mess. She’s dealing with her sister’s death. Her mom is kind of crazy and Talia just wants to get away. She decides to go to Australia for six months. She wants to escape and just figure things out.
Brandon (Bran) is a mess. He’s not a nice guy. He likes to use girls and he doesn’t want a relationship. He even tells girls he isn’t a nice guy. And believe me, Bran IS.NOT.A.NICE.GUY. Bran has issues too. We don’t know what they are, but it kind of made Bran build a wall around himself.
Talia and Bran meet and things get out of control.
Upside Down isn’t an easy read. There’s a lot of inner character conflict. Meaning, Talia and Bran have a lot of character flaws. Are they redeeming? I am not sure, but does it make for an enticing read? You bet it does.
Talia has OCD. You kind of have to have an open mind about this disease. It’s not her main character flaw, but it’s apparent. I do like that that the whole book isn’t about this, but I do feel for her. I understand Talia and her issues. What I liked most about Talia is that yes, she has problems, but it doesn’t define her. She kind of takes it one day at a time.
Bran isn’t your typical Hero. He’s completely mean and a little self-absorbed. I wouldn’t call him an anti-Hero, but just a really tough one to love. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. He tries really hard to warn Talia and not to be with him, but as things move forward Bran starts to warm up. He doesn’t say overly flowery things. Sometimes I had to re-read his dialogue because I couldn’t believe he said half the things he said to Talia. His character is very real. He’s a real boy with messed up issues and as much as he cares for Talia, she can’t fix him.
I liked Upside Down because of the drama. There’s tons of it and the characters are hard to love. I know it doesn’t make sense, but sometimes these are the kinds of books I crave when I’m in that mood. I did pull my hair out at times, I did question if I would love Bran and I wonder if Talia was strong enough. But when I finished I realized I got what I wanted. I got a messed-up story and it left me with a pleasing feeling.
If that is what you are in the mood for, then I recommend.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
AMAZON
Want to read
August 8, 2014 DNF at 27%
I'm terribly sorry, but I just couldn't do it. I just hated the writing! I found the author's sense of humor not right up my alley; I wasted quite a few minutes to get a joke, mostly I was too busy with rolling my eyes at the imaturity of them. I just couldn't understand them.
I also couldn't connect with the main heroine, Talia, who was getting on my nerves constantly.
Review Copy provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest review
I'm terribly sorry, but I just couldn't do it. I just hated the writing! I found the author's sense of humor not right up my alley; I wasted quite a few minutes to get a joke, mostly I was too busy with rolling my eyes at the imaturity of them. I just couldn't understand them.
I also couldn't connect with the main heroine, Talia, who was getting on my nerves constantly.
Review Copy provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest review
August 5, 2014
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Giselle's Review:
Giselle's Review:
I. Loved. This. Book.
Lia Riley ’s debut novel, Upside Down, in a couple of words, can be described as: hilarious, sassy, witty, sensual, intense, and phenomenal. I guess that’s more than a couple of words, but I’m just seriously fangirling over this novel!
Natalia Stolfi needs to get away. So what better place to go then Australia? In Australia, Talia meets Brandon Lockhart and lets just say that their first encounter isn’t the friendliest, so from that point you already know the sass and wit is going to be off the charts between these two. I loved every second of it.
“Looks like I’m enduring a two-hour car ride with the human equivalent of a splinter -a sexy splinter.”
Talia has made it onto my list of favorite female MCs because she’s just so awkward, quirky, hilarious, and sassy without even trying to be. She’s 100% real and she’s extremely down-to-earth. I related so, so well to Talia’s personality and sense of humor that I couldn’t help but develop a huge girl crush on her.
“I mean, I can’t even choose my favorite song, let alone a career path, let alone committing myself forever to a person.”
And let’s not forget Bran.*cue swooning* Bran is mysterious, sexy, and definitely has a way with words. Bran is one smooth talker when he isn’t being an asshole, which yes does happen, but don’t worry, you’ll still manage to fall in love with him. ;) Going into this book, I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Bran has his own chapters from his POV!!
“How does she walk into the world every day, scared as hell, and not only survive, but also succeed, witty and cute as hell? All I do is sulk around with my black thoughts replaying a life long lost. This cheeky American with the sad brown eyes has a warrior heart. And maybe it’s selfish, but I want to get as close to that, to her, as possible.”
I also feel like I should dedicate a whole paragraph to rave about the humor and amazing writing in Upside Down. Lia Riley, this is me applying to be your best friend because I am quite literally obsessed with your sense of humor. I am seriously fangerling over the wit, sass, and humor throughout this novel. The dialogue was spectacular and Talia’s inner thoughts had me rolling around in hysterics. I highlighted about half this book and if I didn’t want to avoid making this novel my personal coloring book, I’d probably go back and highlight every sentence because every sentence was golden.
This book isn’t just amazing cause of its humor though. Upside Down had sad and even heart-wrenching undertones that, when came to the surface, almost had me in tears. Not only does Lia Riley know how to write her humor, but she knows how to get profound and deep and bring out some raw emotions.
“Because such is life. And maybe the part that makes everything beautiful, worthwhile, bearable is the trying.”
During one of the more emotionally intense chapters in this novel, *cough*29*cough*, Lia Riley’s writing also managed to actually make my eyes WATER, which is the equivalent of me crying! This in itself is a phenomenal task because if you’ve read some of my other reviews you’ll see I’ve mentioned before that it is very difficulty, if not impossible, for a book to affect my tear ducts in any way, shape, or form.
Upside Down has most definitely put Lia Riley on the list of authors I won’t hesitate to One-Click. Fans of Cora Carmack and Lex Martin’s Dearest series need to get on this book like peanut butter on jelly because if you like one or both of these authors you’ll LOVE this book.
Upside Down is a must read debut novel by Lia Riley that will have you rolling around in hysterics, swooning like crazy, and will make you feel every emotion alongside these beautifully imperfect characters. I can not wait to get my hands on Sideswiped, a continuation of Talia and Bran’s story! <3
Don't forget to add this book on Goodreads and oh yeah, buy the book HERE!
October 28, 2014
Upside Down is my first book by author Lia Riley and it was a good story told with heartbreak, romance, and humor abound.
Talia Stolfi lost her older, perfect sister tragically. She has lost the entire sense of family completely in the aftermath. All that is remaining is her guilt and her "rituals" that threaten to take over her life. She is escaping to the land down under in hopes to take a breath and forget the bad that waits at home.
In a new land of unknown with casual flirty fun friends is living day to day. Life seems to be at ease until she encounters an angry kaola! Bran Lockhart is brash and intriguing to Talia. He is hot and cold, sweet yet sexy, totally in tune to bullshit and most importantly he seems interested. Bran has not had a good run of late and his past has definitely shaped him into the "Bastard" he truly is!
For both characters there is a comfort and a want to be with one another, yet a sense of fear of the unknown. Bran is jaded, unbelieving in anything love related, but his actions are always contradictory to that sentiment. Talia is doing her best to stay in the moment and not fall for a man who will break her. He makes it hard to not fall when he says and does all right things...but since we get his POV we know, he truly is a bastard!
For me I liked Bran and Talia individually. Neither possessed characteristics that made me want to scream. I had a hard time seeing them together. I felt as is Bran was so much older than Talia. I know she was 21 but she had a very "high school" vibe to her. She was naïve a lot and she was a hoot when it came to sexuality. I felt her moments with Bran were child and scholar lol! Also, Bran was quite screwed up...I mean the whole "black out" during the first time was kinda odd...I think Talia should have reacted a bit more, but again he was having a moment and she was having her "first real good sex."
Overall, if you want to read about two characters that are flawed but likeable then Bran and Talia are it. They are quirky, funny and pretty real. The relationship progresses slowly and cautiously at first then goes full warp speed...it does wrap up a bit too neat and fast also after about 10 seconds of angst! I would like to see where they end up next as I have a feeling they are in for a bumpy ride!
Talia Stolfi lost her older, perfect sister tragically. She has lost the entire sense of family completely in the aftermath. All that is remaining is her guilt and her "rituals" that threaten to take over her life. She is escaping to the land down under in hopes to take a breath and forget the bad that waits at home.
In a new land of unknown with casual flirty fun friends is living day to day. Life seems to be at ease until she encounters an angry kaola! Bran Lockhart is brash and intriguing to Talia. He is hot and cold, sweet yet sexy, totally in tune to bullshit and most importantly he seems interested. Bran has not had a good run of late and his past has definitely shaped him into the "Bastard" he truly is!
For both characters there is a comfort and a want to be with one another, yet a sense of fear of the unknown. Bran is jaded, unbelieving in anything love related, but his actions are always contradictory to that sentiment. Talia is doing her best to stay in the moment and not fall for a man who will break her. He makes it hard to not fall when he says and does all right things...but since we get his POV we know, he truly is a bastard!
For me I liked Bran and Talia individually. Neither possessed characteristics that made me want to scream. I had a hard time seeing them together. I felt as is Bran was so much older than Talia. I know she was 21 but she had a very "high school" vibe to her. She was naïve a lot and she was a hoot when it came to sexuality. I felt her moments with Bran were child and scholar lol! Also, Bran was quite screwed up...I mean the whole "black out" during the first time was kinda odd...I think Talia should have reacted a bit more, but again he was having a moment and she was having her "first real good sex."
Overall, if you want to read about two characters that are flawed but likeable then Bran and Talia are it. They are quirky, funny and pretty real. The relationship progresses slowly and cautiously at first then goes full warp speed...it does wrap up a bit too neat and fast also after about 10 seconds of angst! I would like to see where they end up next as I have a feeling they are in for a bumpy ride!
March 14, 2014
Okay, first off let me start by saying that if you only read one NA contemporary romance this year, it needs to be this one. This is a spectacular debut by Lia Riley.
The main character, Talia, is running away from her problems. Her sister died in a car accident—one that happened when she was rushing home to check if Talia had left her hair straightener on. Talia (and her mother) blames her sister’s death on Talia’s OCD tendencies. With Talia’s life going to shit, she decides she needs a break from her life in California and chooses to study abroad in Australia. Lia does such a good job portraying a girl who is dealing with OCD. Talia’s discomfort rolled off the page, and I really felt for her. Her struggle with wanting to be normal, but her compulsion to do her rituals was heart-breaking and eye-opening. GOD DAMNIT, TALIA, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HUG!
Anyways…
Fast forward to her new life in Australia. Talia is on her way to meet up with a guy who is a total wanker (never heard that term til this book and am now going to use it to describe every dirtbag I meet!) Right in front of the bar is where we meet Bran for the first time. The way Talia meets Bran is quite possibly the funniest “how we met” story ever. I won’t spoil it, but it involved a Kuala suit. And I snorted. In public.
Bran is a very complex hero that kept me guessing the whole time. Not giving any spoilers, he has been through a hell of a lot with his ex-girlfriend, and the last thing he wants is to have a relationship. But the way Talia and Bran are drawn together is absolutely magnetic. The sex scenes were very steamy and well done.
What I really loved about this story was that it wasn’t cookie cutter. These characters were truly flawed, but I loved them for that. Their problems were real and relatable. Also, the secondary characters, such as her friend Marti, who was HILARIOUS and I wanted to be her friend, also added so much to the story.
This book made me run through the gamut of emotions. I laughed, cried, snorted, and wanted to punch Bran (the hero) in the nads (and also swoon majorly for him).
Lia’s writing is so rich, and the characters are so complex, they literally pop off the page. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good laugh, cry, and beautifully-crafted story.
The main character, Talia, is running away from her problems. Her sister died in a car accident—one that happened when she was rushing home to check if Talia had left her hair straightener on. Talia (and her mother) blames her sister’s death on Talia’s OCD tendencies. With Talia’s life going to shit, she decides she needs a break from her life in California and chooses to study abroad in Australia. Lia does such a good job portraying a girl who is dealing with OCD. Talia’s discomfort rolled off the page, and I really felt for her. Her struggle with wanting to be normal, but her compulsion to do her rituals was heart-breaking and eye-opening. GOD DAMNIT, TALIA, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HUG!
Anyways…
Fast forward to her new life in Australia. Talia is on her way to meet up with a guy who is a total wanker (never heard that term til this book and am now going to use it to describe every dirtbag I meet!) Right in front of the bar is where we meet Bran for the first time. The way Talia meets Bran is quite possibly the funniest “how we met” story ever. I won’t spoil it, but it involved a Kuala suit. And I snorted. In public.
Bran is a very complex hero that kept me guessing the whole time. Not giving any spoilers, he has been through a hell of a lot with his ex-girlfriend, and the last thing he wants is to have a relationship. But the way Talia and Bran are drawn together is absolutely magnetic. The sex scenes were very steamy and well done.
What I really loved about this story was that it wasn’t cookie cutter. These characters were truly flawed, but I loved them for that. Their problems were real and relatable. Also, the secondary characters, such as her friend Marti, who was HILARIOUS and I wanted to be her friend, also added so much to the story.
This book made me run through the gamut of emotions. I laughed, cried, snorted, and wanted to punch Bran (the hero) in the nads (and also swoon majorly for him).
Lia’s writing is so rich, and the characters are so complex, they literally pop off the page. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good laugh, cry, and beautifully-crafted story.
July 28, 2014
Where to even start with this book? Beautifully written, Australia, hot surfer Bran, unique heroine Talia. Yep, it's all just a whole lot of awesome! Loved it!
Want to read
July 15, 2014 New book for the TBR!!
Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.
Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.
Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.
Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.
July 21, 2014
Breaking my rule again and rating a book because DAMMIT THIS WAS THAT GOOD. Five stars. All the stars. SO MANY STARS.
Right away, I was sucked in to Lia's writing. There is so much voice mixed with humor mixed with real life issues. I want to be Talia's friend. I want to hike with her while she complains about heights and drink coffee with her while we ogle cute Aussie boys. Her characterization is flawless.
And then there's Bran. Who is such a unique character. He's not close to any sort of typical hero. He has his own flaws and is admittedly a "bastard," but there's also a vulnerability to him. A boy-man looking for acceptance and love and eager to get his life back on track.
UPSIDE DOWN is a brilliantly-written New Adult romance that transported me to another country. With vivid imagery and rich characterizations, I was completely smitten with the love story of Bran and Talia. I cannot wait for the rest of their story!
Right away, I was sucked in to Lia's writing. There is so much voice mixed with humor mixed with real life issues. I want to be Talia's friend. I want to hike with her while she complains about heights and drink coffee with her while we ogle cute Aussie boys. Her characterization is flawless.
And then there's Bran. Who is such a unique character. He's not close to any sort of typical hero. He has his own flaws and is admittedly a "bastard," but there's also a vulnerability to him. A boy-man looking for acceptance and love and eager to get his life back on track.
UPSIDE DOWN is a brilliantly-written New Adult romance that transported me to another country. With vivid imagery and rich characterizations, I was completely smitten with the love story of Bran and Talia. I cannot wait for the rest of their story!
July 23, 2014
Absolutely, positively adored this book. I wasn't sure going in what I would think. New author, first book...add in the fact that it's new adult, and the scale could have tipped either way. Happy to report that it tipped toward the good book feels.
I immediately connected with the main character, Talia, and as soon as Bran came on the scene, I was hooked, koala and all. I have a thing for surfers. I'm from the bay too, and Santa Cruz is close to my heart in a lot of ways. She couldn't have done this any better for me.
Talia, whose sister passed away the year before, is setting out on an adventure. She's leaving home to visit Australia for a semester, to hide her compulsions and keep from her parents a little longer that when the summer is over, she won't be graduating from college as expected. Once in Australia, Talia's main goal is to have fun, to do what she promised her dying sister. To live her life and see things. And then she meets a literal koala on the street, fighting with a guy in a suit.
Which introduces us to Bran. A surly, gorgeous Aussie with a bad attitude and too many notches on his belt. He's jaded and a little bit rough around the edges, but he can't seem to stay away from Talia, and she's having the same problem.
These two together just made me smile and feel and like I said, I adored it. There were a few points near the end where I was sure this would be a very shouty-capped and angry kind of review, but Lia pulled it all together and left me smiling and happy and totally looking forward to the next book in this series. I need more Bran and Talia!!
If you haven't added this one to your TBR yet, DO IT NOW. I promise you won't be disappointed.
July 2, 2014
Study abroad in Australia? Check. Complex hero/heroine who have their own stories in addition to their romance? Yep. UPSIDE DOWN has that too. Hot broody hero who surfs? Yeah, that's quite the bonus.
I laughed a lot reading this book. Lia Riley's humor is quirky, original, and spot on. But I also had so many feels. Like all of the feelings. Both Bran and Talia have tragedy in their pasts that they are running from. But when the two run into each other (in the best sort of way two characters can meet), they find what they didn't know they were looking for.
Both Bran and Talia see each other in ways people they've known their whole lives haven't or can't. And it's exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I loved going on the emotional journey with these two...as well as the physical journey as they travel parts of Australia together.
Swoonworthy love story, excellent character growth, and witty humor--Lia Riley weaves it all into a story I didn't want to end. THIS is your next New Adult Romance!
I laughed a lot reading this book. Lia Riley's humor is quirky, original, and spot on. But I also had so many feels. Like all of the feelings. Both Bran and Talia have tragedy in their pasts that they are running from. But when the two run into each other (in the best sort of way two characters can meet), they find what they didn't know they were looking for.
Both Bran and Talia see each other in ways people they've known their whole lives haven't or can't. And it's exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I loved going on the emotional journey with these two...as well as the physical journey as they travel parts of Australia together.
Swoonworthy love story, excellent character growth, and witty humor--Lia Riley weaves it all into a story I didn't want to end. THIS is your next New Adult Romance!
May 5, 2018
I won this whole trilogy in a competition a few years ago, and for no real reason other than fear that if I read the first I would need to sit and read the rest straight away, as I suspected if they were good they would be addictively good.
Fast forward a couple of years and Upside Down is winking at me on my bookshelf and being a bank holiday weekend, I figure if I can't lose myself in someone else's relationship fora weekend then I never will!
Let's just say I'd rather be reading Sideswiped already and getting back to the sizzling chemistry between Natalia and Bran which I am thoroughly enjoying. Neither are great with relationships which makes the anticipation all the better, and the more intimate scenes were hot!
Natalia turns her life upside down when travelling to Melbourne for a 6 month stay and study placement, while still trying to come to terms with her sister's death. She isn't expecting to meet Bran, not the way she starts to feel about him.
I loved the travel around Australia and it added a great dimension to the book, that I really enjoyed, since I don't tend to come across too many books set in Australia.
Upside Down is a romance book in its purest form, most of the story appears to be about relationships and sex, although there is some character development and depth and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next to this lovely couple.
Fast forward a couple of years and Upside Down is winking at me on my bookshelf and being a bank holiday weekend, I figure if I can't lose myself in someone else's relationship fora weekend then I never will!
Let's just say I'd rather be reading Sideswiped already and getting back to the sizzling chemistry between Natalia and Bran which I am thoroughly enjoying. Neither are great with relationships which makes the anticipation all the better, and the more intimate scenes were hot!
Natalia turns her life upside down when travelling to Melbourne for a 6 month stay and study placement, while still trying to come to terms with her sister's death. She isn't expecting to meet Bran, not the way she starts to feel about him.
I loved the travel around Australia and it added a great dimension to the book, that I really enjoyed, since I don't tend to come across too many books set in Australia.
Upside Down is a romance book in its purest form, most of the story appears to be about relationships and sex, although there is some character development and depth and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next to this lovely couple.
November 6, 2014
☆I was gifted a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!☆
Before my review, some useless rambling from me…
Originally, when Lia Riley approached me with reviewing her book debut, Upside Down, I’ll admit, that I was initially reluctant to accept it. While I do love meeting new and upcoming authors, I also cringe at it for fear of the unknown and not knowing to expect from them. So hence, I pondered on it for quite a bit.
Luckily for me, what ultimately gave this book a go, were the words: Australia. Surfer. And Hawai’i.
For one thing: I LOVE AUSTRALIA! I'm obsessed with that country and Ireland.
Number two: Hawai'i. I know that this may not be where the book is based. But, IT IS, where the heroine's mom is holed up at. AND ALSO, where I live and my home state!!
And last but not least: Surfing. As I said in my point "Number two"-- I'm a Hawai'i girl, so come on! Surfing is a culture thing where I'm from so it naturally appealed to me.
THEREFORE- Australia, beach theme going on, and surf?!! Hells yes! I'm there!! <3
☆☆☆☆☆
That allpointlessly said, here’s my basic jest and thoughts on the story…
Upside Down was actually a “surprise, surprise” kind of moment for me. While I was only going to read so much of it to test the story and writing out, I found myself sitting at my kindle for a much longer period of a time than I had expected. In the end, I had read it from start to finish without even putting my e-reader down. Who would have thought?
Author Lia Riley tells a poignant and engaging story of two broken individuals, Bran and Talia. Shattered on the inside and mentally&emotionally tainted, Bran and Talia each give off a beacon of light and darkness to the other and bring a sense of reason and awareness that neither has ever known.
They both experience a chain of what I’d like to call, “A series of unfortunate events” to which has shaped the people who they are today, and the people, they are trying to make a clean break from.
Each looking to start over from the woes of their lives, their paths eventually intersect, and while their relationship is initially supposed to be light and no attachments…it turns out to be something, MORE. Something that neither Bran nor Talia ever expected.
But with tragic pasts, old hurts and demons coming into the mix, will these two young lovers learn to let go and break out of the holds stopping them from moving forward in their lives? Will Bran ever feel enough for once in his life and rediscover himself for the better? Will Talia ever come to terms with her dysfunctional family life, the loss of her sister, and the emotional turmoil she feels?
#A heart-stopping and sentimentally packed tale of life’s unforeseen ups and downs, and picking yourself up and realizing that you are worth a life of greatness and happiness. Not everything has to be as “upside down” as it can seem. It’s what you make of it that really matters!
Before my review, some useless rambling from me…
Originally, when Lia Riley approached me with reviewing her book debut, Upside Down, I’ll admit, that I was initially reluctant to accept it. While I do love meeting new and upcoming authors, I also cringe at it for fear of the unknown and not knowing to expect from them. So hence, I pondered on it for quite a bit.
Luckily for me, what ultimately gave this book a go, were the words: Australia. Surfer. And Hawai’i.
For one thing: I LOVE AUSTRALIA! I'm obsessed with that country and Ireland.
Number two: Hawai'i. I know that this may not be where the book is based. But, IT IS, where the heroine's mom is holed up at. AND ALSO, where I live and my home state!!
And last but not least: Surfing. As I said in my point "Number two"-- I'm a Hawai'i girl, so come on! Surfing is a culture thing where I'm from so it naturally appealed to me.
THEREFORE- Australia, beach theme going on, and surf?!! Hells yes! I'm there!! <3
☆☆☆☆☆
That all
Upside Down was actually a “surprise, surprise” kind of moment for me. While I was only going to read so much of it to test the story and writing out, I found myself sitting at my kindle for a much longer period of a time than I had expected. In the end, I had read it from start to finish without even putting my e-reader down. Who would have thought?
Author Lia Riley tells a poignant and engaging story of two broken individuals, Bran and Talia. Shattered on the inside and mentally&emotionally tainted, Bran and Talia each give off a beacon of light and darkness to the other and bring a sense of reason and awareness that neither has ever known.
They both experience a chain of what I’d like to call, “A series of unfortunate events” to which has shaped the people who they are today, and the people, they are trying to make a clean break from.
Each looking to start over from the woes of their lives, their paths eventually intersect, and while their relationship is initially supposed to be light and no attachments…it turns out to be something, MORE. Something that neither Bran nor Talia ever expected.
But with tragic pasts, old hurts and demons coming into the mix, will these two young lovers learn to let go and break out of the holds stopping them from moving forward in their lives? Will Bran ever feel enough for once in his life and rediscover himself for the better? Will Talia ever come to terms with her dysfunctional family life, the loss of her sister, and the emotional turmoil she feels?
#A heart-stopping and sentimentally packed tale of life’s unforeseen ups and downs, and picking yourself up and realizing that you are worth a life of greatness and happiness. Not everything has to be as “upside down” as it can seem. It’s what you make of it that really matters!
June 2, 2018
Trigger warnings: mental health, death of a sibling (in the past), car accident (in the past), mentions of abortion and stillbirth, implications of eating disorder and alcoholism, shitty parenting.
1.5 stars.
So here's the thing: if this hadn't been set in Melbourne, I...probably would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. But it was set in Melbourne. And as a result, I nitpicked the entire thing from start to finish because there were so many glaring inaccuracies that filled me with rage.
Look, it's a running joke in Australia that the first thing anyone from Melbourne will tell you is that they're from Melbourne. It's pretty accurate. So if you're going to set a book in Melbourne - and at Melbourne Uni - maybe run it past someone from Melbourne (who's at least vaguely familiar with Melbourne Uni) before you publish it???
Place names were spelled incorrectly. Brands were spelled incorrectly. Products that aren't available in Australia are magically available. Basically everything about the Australian university system (what little gets mentioned, anyway) was incorrect. Geography is...flawed. Melbourne's population is increased by half a million people. She's in Australia for six months, but only does a semester of university which makes zero sense because universities generally use a 12 week teaching term, followed by exams. Etcetera.
And that's before you get to all the stuff that's left out, namely any kind of culture shock that doesn't involve Bran using the word "thongs". Like, the first chapter is Talia about to leave California. The second chapter is a few weeks after she arrives, when she first meets Bran. It's like anything that doesn't involve their relationship can't possibly happen on the page, and we just have to fast forward to their next encounter.
Look, the romance was...mostly fine, if you like stories about two broken people helping each other become less broken while also having a lot of communication issues. But the rest of it? LOL NOPE.
1.5 stars.
So here's the thing: if this hadn't been set in Melbourne, I...probably would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did. But it was set in Melbourne. And as a result, I nitpicked the entire thing from start to finish because there were so many glaring inaccuracies that filled me with rage.
Look, it's a running joke in Australia that the first thing anyone from Melbourne will tell you is that they're from Melbourne. It's pretty accurate. So if you're going to set a book in Melbourne - and at Melbourne Uni - maybe run it past someone from Melbourne (who's at least vaguely familiar with Melbourne Uni) before you publish it???
Place names were spelled incorrectly. Brands were spelled incorrectly. Products that aren't available in Australia are magically available. Basically everything about the Australian university system (what little gets mentioned, anyway) was incorrect. Geography is...flawed. Melbourne's population is increased by half a million people. She's in Australia for six months, but only does a semester of university which makes zero sense because universities generally use a 12 week teaching term, followed by exams. Etcetera.
And that's before you get to all the stuff that's left out, namely any kind of culture shock that doesn't involve Bran using the word "thongs". Like, the first chapter is Talia about to leave California. The second chapter is a few weeks after she arrives, when she first meets Bran. It's like anything that doesn't involve their relationship can't possibly happen on the page, and we just have to fast forward to their next encounter.
Look, the romance was...mostly fine, if you like stories about two broken people helping each other become less broken while also having a lot of communication issues. But the rest of it? LOL NOPE.
October 27, 2014
I started this book with high expectations because the idea of a girl going to study abroad reminded me a lot fo Anna & The French Kiss and since it's my favourite book I was like "hell yeah!" then I found out it's set in Autralia and my excitment reached a new height because do you know how many books are set in Autralia?! I can only remember 2 books set in Australia and both are Young Adult so a New Adult in Australia made me really excited my expectations were definitely set high for this one and I am delighted to announce that it did NOT let me down.
Lia Riley's story will suck you in from the beginning and won't let you go until you finish the book with your tear streaked face at four a.m, Talia and Bran are definitely two of the most troubled people I've ever read about but somehow they work together and are perfect for each other, their problems could end up feeling soap operish but the author's writing somehow avoids that rolling your eyes moment that most New Adult books inevitably have. The ending leaves you wanting more, so much more of this two characters because you need to know if they'll get their happily ever after, one they both deserve, so I am extremely excited to be reading the next two books in this trilogy.
September 6, 2016
3-3.5 Stars. I actually did enjoy this book, but some of it seemed just sort of average. There were parts I loved, some I wasn't crazy about, and everything in between. My biggest problem was the fact that some of the plot either didn't make sense, or didn't fit. It was like all of a sudden there was an open spot and the author had to fill it with something , so we had conflict. A lot of this referred to Bran's character and I wasn't a fan of how his personality or reservations could switch on a dime. This wasn't present at all in the first half, so where the hell did it come from? Some of this was just completely unnecessary. He was cute for the rest of it though. I liked Talia enough but didn't connect with her. More so just how you view an acquaintance. You're curious, but not overly invested. However I did love the last few chapters.
I'm intrigued to check out the other books and see what additional trouble Bran and Talia can get into!
I'm intrigued to check out the other books and see what additional trouble Bran and Talia can get into!
July 21, 2014
I loved this book! It's the kind of writing that is so good, I was genuinely sad when I finished it. I just wanted it to keep going! Lia Riley perfectly captures the turbulence of the college years, the intensity of first love and the terror of putting your heart in someone else's hands. Yet somehow she does it all with a dry sense of humor that had me laughing out loud! I really appreciated that her characters are not perfect - they struggle with their own flaws and have to make some kind of peace with themselves and their pasts in order to move on. The book is full of quirky references and creative language that felt fresh. And the setting is an added bonus - I'm ready for a trip to Australia now! I can't wait for the next book in this series!!
January 24, 2014
I love this book! Engaging characters, unique plot line. I couldn't put this down!
May 5, 2015
Sul blog trovate la mia recensione qui
http://www.leggereromanticamente.com/...
Secondo me un bel libro è tale se riesce ad emozionarmi, a trasmettermi un messaggio, a farmi sognare e a farmi sperare che, nonostante tante situazioni complicate e difficili, vi possa esistere, in qualche modo, un lieto fine possibile per tutti. Per questo motivo non resisto proprio ai romance new adult, dove quasi sempre oltre ai sentimenti, alla storia romantica e a qualche scena più o meno sensuale c'è anche tanta sofferenza, situazioni familiari complicate ed esperienze di vita reale.
Anche "Ho imparato ad amare" è uno di questi libri, e sebbene sia solo il primo di una serie (sempre con gli stessi protagonisti), ha un suo bel epilogo. Non fatevi quindi frenare dal fatto che si tratti di una trilogia: se lo iniziate adesso non resterete in sospeso per mesi, anche se sono proprio curiosa di scoprire cosa l'autrice ha in serbo per il futuro di Talia e Bran.
Il romanzo è scritto in prima persona dal punto di vista di entrambi i protagonisti, ma quello della ragazza è il predominante.
Talia è una ragazza californiana di 22 anni che dopo la tragica morte della sorella deve far fronte ad un sempre più evidente disturbo ossessivo compulsivo e a varie fobie. Per allontanarsi dal disastro che la sua famiglia e la sua vita sono diventate dopo l'incidente, e per cercare di rimettere insieme i pezzi della sua vita, Talia decide di partire alcuni mesi per l'Australia grazie ad un programma di scambio. Per fortuna direi, perché è in questo Paese tanto lontano da casa il luogo in cui conoscerà Bran, un affascinante surfista (e attivista) che non crede nell'amore ma che è destinato ad entrarle nel cuore.
Anche Bran ha i suoi tristi trascorsi, e c'è un motivo che l'ha portato a non credere più nei sentimenti e a fidarsi degli altri.
Nonostante i vari problemi, tentennamenti e incomprensioni varie, i due ragazzi iniziano a frequentarsi ma devono fare i conti con il fattore tempo, perchè quello che hanno a disposizione è limitato.
Bran è un personaggio che mi è piaciuto molto (anche se lo scivolone da parte sua non è mancato…ma nessuno è perfetto!) per il modo in cui ha sempre ascoltato e compreso Talia, e per come non le ha mai fatto pesare le sue strane manie. Nella storia non mancano scene sensuali ed hot ben inserite nel contesto e momenti intimi che l'autrice ci fa anche un po' penare, immaginatevi quindi una situazione in cui la tensione sessuale tra i due protagonisti è alle stelle.
Lia Riley ha uno stile scorrevole ed utilizza un linguaggio moderno e schietto. Direi che è stata una bella scoperta questa nuova autrice! Inoltre, non mi ha fatto nemmeno dannare con il finale di questo primo capitolo della serie, quindi 4 stelline piene sono più che meritate!
http://www.leggereromanticamente.com/...
Secondo me un bel libro è tale se riesce ad emozionarmi, a trasmettermi un messaggio, a farmi sognare e a farmi sperare che, nonostante tante situazioni complicate e difficili, vi possa esistere, in qualche modo, un lieto fine possibile per tutti. Per questo motivo non resisto proprio ai romance new adult, dove quasi sempre oltre ai sentimenti, alla storia romantica e a qualche scena più o meno sensuale c'è anche tanta sofferenza, situazioni familiari complicate ed esperienze di vita reale.
Anche "Ho imparato ad amare" è uno di questi libri, e sebbene sia solo il primo di una serie (sempre con gli stessi protagonisti), ha un suo bel epilogo. Non fatevi quindi frenare dal fatto che si tratti di una trilogia: se lo iniziate adesso non resterete in sospeso per mesi, anche se sono proprio curiosa di scoprire cosa l'autrice ha in serbo per il futuro di Talia e Bran.
Il romanzo è scritto in prima persona dal punto di vista di entrambi i protagonisti, ma quello della ragazza è il predominante.
Talia è una ragazza californiana di 22 anni che dopo la tragica morte della sorella deve far fronte ad un sempre più evidente disturbo ossessivo compulsivo e a varie fobie. Per allontanarsi dal disastro che la sua famiglia e la sua vita sono diventate dopo l'incidente, e per cercare di rimettere insieme i pezzi della sua vita, Talia decide di partire alcuni mesi per l'Australia grazie ad un programma di scambio. Per fortuna direi, perché è in questo Paese tanto lontano da casa il luogo in cui conoscerà Bran, un affascinante surfista (e attivista) che non crede nell'amore ma che è destinato ad entrarle nel cuore.
Anche Bran ha i suoi tristi trascorsi, e c'è un motivo che l'ha portato a non credere più nei sentimenti e a fidarsi degli altri.
Nonostante i vari problemi, tentennamenti e incomprensioni varie, i due ragazzi iniziano a frequentarsi ma devono fare i conti con il fattore tempo, perchè quello che hanno a disposizione è limitato.
Bran è un personaggio che mi è piaciuto molto (anche se lo scivolone da parte sua non è mancato…ma nessuno è perfetto!) per il modo in cui ha sempre ascoltato e compreso Talia, e per come non le ha mai fatto pesare le sue strane manie. Nella storia non mancano scene sensuali ed hot ben inserite nel contesto e momenti intimi che l'autrice ci fa anche un po' penare, immaginatevi quindi una situazione in cui la tensione sessuale tra i due protagonisti è alle stelle.
Lia Riley ha uno stile scorrevole ed utilizza un linguaggio moderno e schietto. Direi che è stata una bella scoperta questa nuova autrice! Inoltre, non mi ha fatto nemmeno dannare con il finale di questo primo capitolo della serie, quindi 4 stelline piene sono più che meritate!
September 14, 2016
Can you go to the bottom of the world to find your way up?
Book Title: Upside Down
Author: Lia Riley
Series: Off the Map #1
Genre: New Adult
Source: Kindle E-Book(Library)
♫My Pick for Book Theme Song: Say Something (I'm Giving Up On You) by A Great Big World w/Christina Aguilera --Seriously, sometimes, I was just like say something to him already…
Ratings Breakdown
Plot: 4.3/5
Characters: 4.5/5
The Feels: 4.7/5
Addictiveness: 4.3/5
Theme: 4.5/5
Flow: 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.5/5
Originality: 5/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Ending: 3.8/5. Cliffhanger: There is an ending…but there is two more books…
Will I continue this series? I may prefer to think this is their ending…
My Thoughts
First the bad: While I dislike this type of story; where the story is strung out over three books. I could have done two books with no qualms, but three is too much. I also could have done without so much of the over-the-top, I-want-to-be-trendy dialogue. A certain amount is fine, but this just seemed like it was trying to hard.
Then the good: I have to say the realness of these characters really got me, they are fucked up, flawed and genuinely real. I really connected with them. I loved the setting of Australia and how Bran is always teaching Talia about the culture and different words they use there. It really added to whole adventure
Sex Factor: Yes, super hot and it's fairly explicit.
Book Title: Upside Down
Author: Lia Riley
Series: Off the Map #1
Genre: New Adult
Source: Kindle E-Book(Library)
♫My Pick for Book Theme Song: Say Something (I'm Giving Up On You) by A Great Big World w/Christina Aguilera --Seriously, sometimes, I was just like say something to him already…
Ratings Breakdown
Plot: 4.3/5
Characters: 4.5/5
The Feels: 4.7/5
Addictiveness: 4.3/5
Theme: 4.5/5
Flow: 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.5/5
Originality: 5/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Ending: 3.8/5. Cliffhanger: There is an ending…but there is two more books…
Will I continue this series? I may prefer to think this is their ending…
4.3/5 STARS
My Thoughts
First the bad: While I dislike this type of story; where the story is strung out over three books. I could have done two books with no qualms, but three is too much. I also could have done without so much of the over-the-top, I-want-to-be-trendy dialogue. A certain amount is fine, but this just seemed like it was trying to hard.
Then the good: I have to say the realness of these characters really got me, they are fucked up, flawed and genuinely real. I really connected with them. I loved the setting of Australia and how Bran is always teaching Talia about the culture and different words they use there. It really added to whole adventure
Sex Factor: Yes, super hot and it's fairly explicit.
August 13, 2014
**Upside Down generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
3 Upside Down stars
Upside Down tells the story of two young people journeying to discover themselves apart from the actions of the past defining them. The plot starts off on Talia’s adventure to Australia where she’s separating herself from a life she longer recognizes. Continuing there we meet Bran, with a past weren’t privy too but a disposition that makes you eager to know more about him.
Written mostly from Talia’s POV with glimpses from Bran we get a personal look into Talia’s processing mind. The author delicately traces the line of the mania overcoming Talia in times of struggle, weakness, and anxiety. The ways she deals with her emotions tax her as she’s trying to redeem herself to freedom from her mind. Her character provides a good balance between hardship, fun, angst, and redemption. She meets Bran and short circuits. His character, full of charisma and dark charm, makes the mystique of him more appealing. There’s such sweetness under his hardness that when Bran is at his most vulnerable and open we understand Talia’s attraction. Their stories mesh in such a way you want them to move forward and find what they’re seeking.
I liked both these characters as individuals. I felt for them, rooted for them. This is a good read when you’re looking for young love between two lost people. While I wanted them to master their issues and felt myself cheering for a victory there was never a time I truly felt their connection to one another. The conflict of story I wish had been more developed. I enjoyed it and think it’s a story that many will enjoy as well. The end of Upside Down left questions able to be explored but didn’t leave me hanging in a way that the need for the next is great yet has me quite excited to see where the development of Bran and Talia’s lives leads them.
August 9, 2014
You can’t see me, but I’m doing ridiculously goofy cartwheels for Lia Riley’s book, UPSIDE DOWN. I was lucky enough to get an early copy, and I can’t express how much I loved it. Her characters are gritty and real and dig under your skin until you realize there is no way you can put it down before you’re done.
Talia’s story, albeit heartbreaking at times, is underscored with beautiful and biting imagery, crisp writing and dozens of laugh-out-loud moments. You’ll fall in love with the brooding Bran and wish he were your own even though you’ll want to smack him a few times for his stubbornness. But if you’re like me, you’ll have a huge soft spot for the sexy surfing Aussie. Did I mention there were wetsuits? Bran + wetsuit + accent = undeniable.
UPSIDE DOWN is a sexy and enchanting novel that will hook you hard and reel you in. So do yourself a favor and ignore your huge TBR list, and one-click UPSIDE DOWN now.
Talia’s story, albeit heartbreaking at times, is underscored with beautiful and biting imagery, crisp writing and dozens of laugh-out-loud moments. You’ll fall in love with the brooding Bran and wish he were your own even though you’ll want to smack him a few times for his stubbornness. But if you’re like me, you’ll have a huge soft spot for the sexy surfing Aussie. Did I mention there were wetsuits? Bran + wetsuit + accent = undeniable.
UPSIDE DOWN is a sexy and enchanting novel that will hook you hard and reel you in. So do yourself a favor and ignore your huge TBR list, and one-click UPSIDE DOWN now.
July 30, 2014
I have to be honest and admit that the cover sold me this book from the very beginning. Even before I read the blurb my eyes were all over that cover! Seriously!? Have you seen the beautiful covers for this series? Intense, passionate, tender and romantic. A perfect reflection of Talia and Bran's love story. I was shocked to find out that this was Lia Riley's debut novel. Wow!!! Absolutely AMAZING!!!! My bookworm radar is ready! I will be adding to my TBR list anything she writes! I loved every single minute of my reading escape, and I can't wait to follow the rest of Talia and Bran's beautiful journey together.
Australia. Two strangers. One unforgettable journey. For Talia it's time for a new beginning. When she takes a step towards turning the page on her heartbreaking past, she never expected to meet Bran Lockhart. From the moment their paths cross, a hurricane of feelings comes crashing down on them. Bran is irresistibly addictive, but his behavior turns Talia's world upside down. Every time she takes a step forwards with him, he takes a step back. Will Talia and Bran be able to overcome the obstacles of their pasts and move forward together?
Upside Down, by Lia Riley, was an emotional roller coaster ride! I was engaged from the first chapter and it never stopped until the very last page. This beautifully written story had everything that I look for in a NA book. The most important thing for me when I read a book is my connection to the main characters. Talia and Bran's chemistry was powerful! I felt everything that they were feeling. I had butterflies in my stomach when they first met, my heart was beating fast when they shared that sensual first kiss, my heart broke for them when they put up those walls not to get hurt, and I was at the edge of my seat to see if they would take a chance on love and move forward together to a future they both deserved. It was easy to relate to them. I think that's why I connected so easily with them. I have seen friends struggle with the same problems that both these characters had. I don't want to give out too much of the story because you totally have to feel this journey.
After reading Upside Down, I feel like I really know Talia and Bran. I would absolutely hang out with them. I also loved Marti, which is Talia's friend, she's super funny. I LOL at some specific scenes because Marti is from Montreal. I live in Montreal so I had a huge smile on my face while reading some scenes. Her sense of humor is contagious and it reminds me of some of my friends, and yes, I have used the same swear word that she does ... LOL!!!
I am so happy that there is another two installments in this series. Talia and Bran's amazing love story is far from over! The bad news is I have to wait until October to read Sideswiped :( The good news is that by the end of the year the final installment, which is Inside Out, will be out and I can indulge in another amazing reading escape :)
I give, Upside Down, by Lia Riley 5 tender, passionate, heart-melting, emotional, marvellous stars!
Australia. Two strangers. One unforgettable journey. For Talia it's time for a new beginning. When she takes a step towards turning the page on her heartbreaking past, she never expected to meet Bran Lockhart. From the moment their paths cross, a hurricane of feelings comes crashing down on them. Bran is irresistibly addictive, but his behavior turns Talia's world upside down. Every time she takes a step forwards with him, he takes a step back. Will Talia and Bran be able to overcome the obstacles of their pasts and move forward together?
Upside Down, by Lia Riley, was an emotional roller coaster ride! I was engaged from the first chapter and it never stopped until the very last page. This beautifully written story had everything that I look for in a NA book. The most important thing for me when I read a book is my connection to the main characters. Talia and Bran's chemistry was powerful! I felt everything that they were feeling. I had butterflies in my stomach when they first met, my heart was beating fast when they shared that sensual first kiss, my heart broke for them when they put up those walls not to get hurt, and I was at the edge of my seat to see if they would take a chance on love and move forward together to a future they both deserved. It was easy to relate to them. I think that's why I connected so easily with them. I have seen friends struggle with the same problems that both these characters had. I don't want to give out too much of the story because you totally have to feel this journey.
After reading Upside Down, I feel like I really know Talia and Bran. I would absolutely hang out with them. I also loved Marti, which is Talia's friend, she's super funny. I LOL at some specific scenes because Marti is from Montreal. I live in Montreal so I had a huge smile on my face while reading some scenes. Her sense of humor is contagious and it reminds me of some of my friends, and yes, I have used the same swear word that she does ... LOL!!!
I am so happy that there is another two installments in this series. Talia and Bran's amazing love story is far from over! The bad news is I have to wait until October to read Sideswiped :( The good news is that by the end of the year the final installment, which is Inside Out, will be out and I can indulge in another amazing reading escape :)
I give, Upside Down, by Lia Riley 5 tender, passionate, heart-melting, emotional, marvellous stars!
October 30, 2015
4 stars!
"Leaving is the only way to move forward. If I never get lost, I'll never be found."Witty and heart-warming. Talia and Bran pulled at my heart strings. From the moment they met, I had an inkling that they'd have me grinning and giggling (which they did). It was instant chemistry between the two. I really enjoyed how their relationship grew. But there were many times where I wanted to shake either characters, I must admit. Both Talia and Bran are flawed, but it's how they owned up to their mistakes that made me root for them even harder.
Talia's family fell apart after the loss of her sister. Her OCD has been uncontrollable, she won't be graduating as planned, and she's afraid to tell her parents and closest friends about it. She escapes to Australia for an exchange program in hopes to reinvent herself and live life for two. I read Upside Down in my third year of university, so I felt a connection with Talia as she was figuring out what to do about school. I liked Talia. I liked how she spoke her mind and could get snarky despite being vulnerable at times (gotta love a heroine who can hold her own).
"Don't break your heart trying to batter against the world, okay?"Bran is a charming environmentalist who stole my heart with his humor. He was very sweet and observant. He noticed many of Talia's OCD 'rituals' yet didn't treat her differently like Talia's own mother did. I loved him 85% of the time. The other 15% made me want to shout out in frustration at his choices. And it was the last 15% or so of the book that I felt was rushed. The conflict resolved too smoothly for my liking, not that the scene didn't make my heart flutter.
There were a few secondary characters that made an impression on me. My favorite being Marti, Talia's dorm neighbour. She wasn't present for a majority of the book but her energetic and fun personality made me like her right away! Talia's mother was a piece of work. She couldn't move on from her daughter's death sure, but it made me so sad how she pushed blame onto others, and how treated Talia. Thank goodness, Talia's father seemed like a sweetheart. I do hope that her mom will redeem herself later on in the series. I look forward to seeing what the next book has to offer!
"We're two screwed up people and still, for some reason when we are together, we're okay."
July 30, 2014
Finally, a NA hero who's not a complete ass/Alpha male! I loved *everything* about this book!
August 7, 2014
Upside DownI absolutely LOVED Lia Riley’s debut novel, Upside Down and found myself on an emotional roller coaster ride from page one. I laughed and cried along with Talia and Bran–two perfectly flawed characters who manage to find their ‘perfect for me’ partners despite having every reason to shy away from love.
After a tough year, California senior Talia Stolfi decides to use a study-abroad opportunity in Australia as the perfect excuse to escape. After losing her sister Pippa in a tragic car accident, Talia’s life falls apart. Her OCD has become a full-fledged enemy, causing grades and her personal life to spiral down hill. The timing of this trip couldn’t be more perfect as Talia struggles to figure out what her next move will be. While she hopes this trip will be the beginning of a journey to forget her shattered life and move forward, she soon finds healing to be more daunting than expected considering the weight she carries. And the blame.
I loved Talia. She is a realistic, funny, and perfectly flawed girl who uses this trip as an excuse to run away from the mistakes of her past still hanging heavily over her head. In addition to dealing with the loss of her sister, her family falling apart, and a mistake with her sister’s ex, Talia’s OCD holds her back. On the surface, one would not think this to be a big deal but for Talia, it’s a daily reminder of her past. And her sister. Riley did an amazing job bringing Talia’s idiosyncrasies to life, which is what I loved most about her character.
Bran Lockhart came across brash and intolerable at first but quickly transformed into a man we all want to know better. As the story progresses, we learn so much about him, and I quickly fell in love with all that was Bran. He is smart, sexy, and cares about things bigger than himself, making him an amazing human being. And once we become privy to his own tragic love story, we get an entirely new understanding of Bran, and why he is definitely perfect for Talia.
There were so many scenes in this story that I loved. I laughed out loud—literally as I met Bran. I had to read this part twice as I was in disbelief of what I was reading. While waiting for a date, Talia meets a brawling man in a Koala Bear Suit—What? And the supporting characters were just as likable and real. I loved Talia’s roommate, Marti as she took Talia shopping for her very first ‘big girl toy.’ And the scene where Talia made herself a happy girl–well, I’ve read a lot of steamy novels, but few encourage a girl to take care of herself… Bravo, Riley!
The steam in this novel was nowhere near over the top, but the anticipation kept me waiting for more Bran and Talia. Both character’s had tragic past relationships that held them back from each other both emotionally and sexually, which is what I really loved about this book. So many books use not-so real excuses for their characters to shy away but not Riley. Bran and Talia both had reasons to stay single but once they met each other, their defenses broke down and their relationship flowed at a decent rate which to me, was both realistic and sweet.
Generally speaking, contemporary novels tend to drag for me. I prefer the escapism of the fantasy/paranormal genre but Riley’s unique, fun writing style had me hooked early and propelled me through Talia and Bran’s journey. The characters could have been your best friend or even yourself as they made the same mistakes we all do at some point. Riley made every tragic event in Talia and Bran’s past come to life. The imperfectly human choices each had made were spot-on for typical youthful mistakes, which made me fall in love with everything about Upside Down.
Riley has a lovely way with storytelling and knows how to make stark reality beautifully flawed. Her fun writing style will serve her career well, and I eagerly await whats next for Bran and Talia, as well as future stories from this up and coming author.
After a tough year, California senior Talia Stolfi decides to use a study-abroad opportunity in Australia as the perfect excuse to escape. After losing her sister Pippa in a tragic car accident, Talia’s life falls apart. Her OCD has become a full-fledged enemy, causing grades and her personal life to spiral down hill. The timing of this trip couldn’t be more perfect as Talia struggles to figure out what her next move will be. While she hopes this trip will be the beginning of a journey to forget her shattered life and move forward, she soon finds healing to be more daunting than expected considering the weight she carries. And the blame.
I loved Talia. She is a realistic, funny, and perfectly flawed girl who uses this trip as an excuse to run away from the mistakes of her past still hanging heavily over her head. In addition to dealing with the loss of her sister, her family falling apart, and a mistake with her sister’s ex, Talia’s OCD holds her back. On the surface, one would not think this to be a big deal but for Talia, it’s a daily reminder of her past. And her sister. Riley did an amazing job bringing Talia’s idiosyncrasies to life, which is what I loved most about her character.
Bran Lockhart came across brash and intolerable at first but quickly transformed into a man we all want to know better. As the story progresses, we learn so much about him, and I quickly fell in love with all that was Bran. He is smart, sexy, and cares about things bigger than himself, making him an amazing human being. And once we become privy to his own tragic love story, we get an entirely new understanding of Bran, and why he is definitely perfect for Talia.
There were so many scenes in this story that I loved. I laughed out loud—literally as I met Bran. I had to read this part twice as I was in disbelief of what I was reading. While waiting for a date, Talia meets a brawling man in a Koala Bear Suit—What? And the supporting characters were just as likable and real. I loved Talia’s roommate, Marti as she took Talia shopping for her very first ‘big girl toy.’ And the scene where Talia made herself a happy girl–well, I’ve read a lot of steamy novels, but few encourage a girl to take care of herself… Bravo, Riley!
The steam in this novel was nowhere near over the top, but the anticipation kept me waiting for more Bran and Talia. Both character’s had tragic past relationships that held them back from each other both emotionally and sexually, which is what I really loved about this book. So many books use not-so real excuses for their characters to shy away but not Riley. Bran and Talia both had reasons to stay single but once they met each other, their defenses broke down and their relationship flowed at a decent rate which to me, was both realistic and sweet.
Generally speaking, contemporary novels tend to drag for me. I prefer the escapism of the fantasy/paranormal genre but Riley’s unique, fun writing style had me hooked early and propelled me through Talia and Bran’s journey. The characters could have been your best friend or even yourself as they made the same mistakes we all do at some point. Riley made every tragic event in Talia and Bran’s past come to life. The imperfectly human choices each had made were spot-on for typical youthful mistakes, which made me fall in love with everything about Upside Down.
Riley has a lovely way with storytelling and knows how to make stark reality beautifully flawed. Her fun writing style will serve her career well, and I eagerly await whats next for Bran and Talia, as well as future stories from this up and coming author.
August 6, 2014
emotionally intense, messy emotions charge through the mine field of Bran and Talia's relationship. Equally excited and cautious about book 2
Upside Down is one of those books that grabs and holds your attention from the very first word. The dual narrative between Talia and Bran balances the story well and allows access to the way in which their mind works and what drives them.
Talia is a really complex character, she is quirky, unique and quite simply loveable. The insight into dealing with OCD and anxiety disorder provided a high level of empathy for her. Add in past tragedy and the disintegration of her family and you just want to protect her from anything else that could hurt her. I think this is one of the reasons I didn’t warm to Bran at first, he had heartbreak written all over him. Talia keeps her OCD and anxiety well hidden, she has been made to feel a freak for the issues she has by the person closest to her (her mother – who is a self-centred evil bitch to put it mildly). Talia has mastered the art of compartmentalizing her life and emotions so much so that she doesn’t fully realise she is doing it and that it is creating further barriers to her controlling her OCD/anxiety.
Looking for a fresh start as a way to discover herself and add distance to the painful memories crowding her life she takes a semester of international study in AUSTRALIA (you can’t get much further away than that) :)
Almost immediately able to be more herself than she has been for years, she draws people to her. Running into the ‘Jiu Jitsu koala’ ;) It felt as if fate really did throw Bran into Talia’s life. Bran is a deep character that has allowed his past to shape him, not in a good way, and it still has a powerful hold over him. He is extremely guarded, although the reasons for this do unfold as the story progresses. For all his barriers he is very perceptive and under all his defenses there are glimpses of the person he should be.
Both Talia and Bran are complex characters controlled by their past, battling their way through life; unfortunately they create their own barriers along the way making their path even harder. Regrets only act as further roadblocks to their happiness. Bran veers between a total b*$^*%d to utterly adorable, it’s hard to find a balance with him. Although where Talia is concerned we do see more of the adorable. While I have my reservations about Bran I have to admit that he does give Talia more inner strength and belief in herself. In that respect she brings out the good in him.
I love how fate/destiny steps in at the right moment to open up paths for the future that would never have been previously considered or possible.
Upside Down contains beautiful vocabulary surrounded by a narrative full of quips and sass, for me it was love at first ‘smalltalkaphobia’ ;) I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for Bran and Talia next.
Upside Down is one of those books that grabs and holds your attention from the very first word. The dual narrative between Talia and Bran balances the story well and allows access to the way in which their mind works and what drives them.
Talia is a really complex character, she is quirky, unique and quite simply loveable. The insight into dealing with OCD and anxiety disorder provided a high level of empathy for her. Add in past tragedy and the disintegration of her family and you just want to protect her from anything else that could hurt her. I think this is one of the reasons I didn’t warm to Bran at first, he had heartbreak written all over him. Talia keeps her OCD and anxiety well hidden, she has been made to feel a freak for the issues she has by the person closest to her (her mother – who is a self-centred evil bitch to put it mildly). Talia has mastered the art of compartmentalizing her life and emotions so much so that she doesn’t fully realise she is doing it and that it is creating further barriers to her controlling her OCD/anxiety.
Looking for a fresh start as a way to discover herself and add distance to the painful memories crowding her life she takes a semester of international study in AUSTRALIA (you can’t get much further away than that) :)
Almost immediately able to be more herself than she has been for years, she draws people to her. Running into the ‘Jiu Jitsu koala’ ;) It felt as if fate really did throw Bran into Talia’s life. Bran is a deep character that has allowed his past to shape him, not in a good way, and it still has a powerful hold over him. He is extremely guarded, although the reasons for this do unfold as the story progresses. For all his barriers he is very perceptive and under all his defenses there are glimpses of the person he should be.
Both Talia and Bran are complex characters controlled by their past, battling their way through life; unfortunately they create their own barriers along the way making their path even harder. Regrets only act as further roadblocks to their happiness. Bran veers between a total b*$^*%d to utterly adorable, it’s hard to find a balance with him. Although where Talia is concerned we do see more of the adorable. While I have my reservations about Bran I have to admit that he does give Talia more inner strength and belief in herself. In that respect she brings out the good in him.
I love how fate/destiny steps in at the right moment to open up paths for the future that would never have been previously considered or possible.
Upside Down contains beautiful vocabulary surrounded by a narrative full of quips and sass, for me it was love at first ‘smalltalkaphobia’ ;) I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for Bran and Talia next.
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