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A Broken Love Story #1
My Lea
When Lea Amelia landed her feet in San Francisco for her overseas study, her idea of freedom was simple, like eating junk food ten times a day, sitting in front of the TV in her PJs, or going out late with her friends without the need to check in with her mother constantly.
Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.
He was also the guy who hurt her.
Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.
Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.
His traumatic past refused to let him go.
When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.
Then she met Andrew Jaya, her brothers’ best friend. A twenty-two-year-old guy whose physical appearance looked like he was crafted straight from God’s heavenly hands, but possessed a past as bleak as if it was drawn by Evil himself. A conflicted guy who wore sadness like nobody’s business beneath his mask, a perfect-looking mask she slowly peeled away.
He was also the guy who hurt her.
Suddenly, everything about her was no longer simple.
Andrew Jaya had convinced himself that not feeling was good for him. He’d been doing it splendidly for almost his entire life. But that was before his best friend’s sister stepped into his life and ruined it. After weeks of knowing Lea, all of those warm and wonderful feelings he’d long ago denied to himself started to reappear. Problem was, the brighter the light, the bigger the shadows that came with it.
His traumatic past refused to let him go.
When the unthinkable happened, the easiest thing to do was to run. But life often proves that the easiest way is usually the hardest.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
678 people want to read
About the author
E. Mellyberry
10 books127 followersMelly Sutjitro is a Chinese Indonesian author who lives in Jakarta with her husband and two teenage kids. She spent a few years living in San Francisco while completing her Master degree. After spending a decade in corporate offices, she decides to pursue her love of storytelling through writing. She has nine Picture Books and three romance novels published under the pen name e.mellyberry.
When she’s not stressing over the plot in her manuscripts, she enjoys reading all sort of books (as long as they’re not horror) and documenting her thoughts on her Instagram page. Occasionally, she would spend her time cooking, doing Pilates, and watching the re-runs of Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Ted Lasso.
When she’s not stressing over the plot in her manuscripts, she enjoys reading all sort of books (as long as they’re not horror) and documenting her thoughts on her Instagram page. Occasionally, she would spend her time cooking, doing Pilates, and watching the re-runs of Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Ted Lasso.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 30, 2016
"Love was an anti-gravity force. Love was an art of falling and floating, but never crashing. Love shot her into the sky, then let her fall, absolute falling, and she kept falling and falling. She was falling... defenseless and fast."
I'd give this book 4 Stars. It's my first time to read a book from E. Mellyberry and I was honestly impressed with her writing and the way she plotted the storyline of the book.
My Lea is a story about Indonesian main characters namely Andrew Jaya and Lea Amelia who met in the United States. Lea is the kind of girl you would easily like. Sweet, easy-going and kind, while Andrew is the exact opposite-- bad boy, womanizer, and at times, an a-hole-- the kind of guy your parents will warn you to stay away from. They have this instant connection after they met most especially because Andrew and Lea's brothers are best buddies. Attraction soon bloomed between them, but little did Lea know that Andrew hides a dark secret from his past-- one he wasn't able to easily escape even up to the present. Soon, his past became Lea's nightmare and it was the thing that completely shattered her.
I simply loved the storyline of this book and how it was carefully constructed. It's dark, complex, and deeply emotional. It was also unpredictable. All throughout the book, I made different guesses about Andrew's past but none of them were correct after all.
The characters, on the other hand, were vibrant, unique, and well-drawn, especially Andrew whose redeemable quality was remarkable. At first, he really pissed me off because he was a complete asshat. He was, in a way, so full of himself and has this anger management issues that he couldn't deal with. Gratefully he redeemed himself in the later chapters, although I admit it really took me a while to forgive him for what he did to Lea. It wasn't THAT easy. Nope.
Apart from Andrew's attitude, what also kept me from rating this book higher was the first half of the book which was dragging. At times, it failed to hold my attention. It was in the second half of the book when it finally earned my full attention and made me become invested in the story. All the scenes produced an emotional typhoon. I didn't expect myself to cry when Andrew finally let his guard down and totally bared himself to Lea.
"The weird thing about the human brain is that even when we try to shut it down, demand it to go off and change channels, it can't. It keeps working, feeding us ideas, hopes,fears, and demands us to notice them."
The romance here was good and it developed right at the last few chapters. It had a promising and non-cliffy ending, too. I'm at least glad in the end because of the characters' development and how they became stronger when they were together. Overall, this book emotionally floored me. It's angst-ridden with a slow-burn plotline. I recommend this book to anyone who loves heavy romance and drama. (P.S. It has an abuse theme which will not suit younger audiences).
"Not all fairy tales started with a ray of golden sunshine or a chorus of beautiful angels sing-- theirs was far from one-- but from the moment she'd showed up at his door last night, Andrew was determined to give their story the happiest, the most beautiful sunshine ending he could find."
(Thank you to the author E. Mellyberry for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. :) )
April 6, 2015
Yay. My first debut novel :)
MY LEA is a story about love, hope, forgiveness, and second chance.
**Available in most sites that sell ebook**
MY LEA is a story about love, hope, forgiveness, and second chance.
**Available in most sites that sell ebook**
April 11, 2016
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review."
I always choose a quote from the books I fall in love with the most but you guys have no idea what a challenge it was with this one. So I didn't choose, instead I will write an essay that I hope will convey at least a bit of what I went through.
This was my first book by E. and I am... completely and utterly in awe of her. It was painful to read and painful to put down. This book had me laughing uncontrollably from the very start that my cheeks even went numb. The main characters are both Indonesian, Andrew has lived in America longer than Lea, and E. made me fall in love with their banter from the start. It's rare when I ship two characters this intensely but I was rooting for them since day 1.
The journey these two took me on was one I will never, EVER forget. Their emotions were so loud and heart shattering that I found it difficult not to experience their feelings as my own. The pages and ink disappeared, leaving me helpless as I became Lea... and it was incredibly agonizing. I don't know how I would've handled the things she went through. The way she handled them shows what a tremendously admirable character she is and everyone should learn from her. Even me.
This was a dual POV and I could not have been happier for it... or more angry!!!! I always, always, know if I love a character or not... but that was before I stumbled upon this book. My heart is completely torn and I don't know what to do with myself. I've never felt like this before. Andrew: I hate him. I despise him. I pity him. I'm terrified of him... but I can't help it, I think I'm in love with him.
I also loved the fact that this referenced V from V for Vendetta. I love that man and his sexy mask!
Like I said before, 5 stars will never, ever be enough. I have no idea what to rate this. This is not a work of a debut author... this was too magnificent. This book struck me profoundly. I had (still do) the worst book hangover even before I was close to finishing this book. It manipulated me and has left me feeling like a rag doll. It threw my heart out the window. It devastated me, broke me, and brought plenty of sorrow to last me a lifetime. But it also made me ecstatic and proud. It goes without saying that I was in tears for the entire thing.
If you're reading this, and are over the age of 18, I recommend this to you. Be cautious, this is a grenade. Once the pin is off, there's nothing you can do to prevent the explosion coming your way.
I always choose a quote from the books I fall in love with the most but you guys have no idea what a challenge it was with this one. So I didn't choose, instead I will write an essay that I hope will convey at least a bit of what I went through.
This was my first book by E. and I am... completely and utterly in awe of her. It was painful to read and painful to put down. This book had me laughing uncontrollably from the very start that my cheeks even went numb. The main characters are both Indonesian, Andrew has lived in America longer than Lea, and E. made me fall in love with their banter from the start. It's rare when I ship two characters this intensely but I was rooting for them since day 1.
The journey these two took me on was one I will never, EVER forget. Their emotions were so loud and heart shattering that I found it difficult not to experience their feelings as my own. The pages and ink disappeared, leaving me helpless as I became Lea... and it was incredibly agonizing. I don't know how I would've handled the things she went through. The way she handled them shows what a tremendously admirable character she is and everyone should learn from her. Even me.
This was a dual POV and I could not have been happier for it... or more angry!!!! I always, always, know if I love a character or not... but that was before I stumbled upon this book. My heart is completely torn and I don't know what to do with myself. I've never felt like this before. Andrew: I hate him. I despise him. I pity him. I'm terrified of him... but I can't help it, I think I'm in love with him.
I also loved the fact that this referenced V from V for Vendetta. I love that man and his sexy mask!
Like I said before, 5 stars will never, ever be enough. I have no idea what to rate this. This is not a work of a debut author... this was too magnificent. This book struck me profoundly. I had (still do) the worst book hangover even before I was close to finishing this book. It manipulated me and has left me feeling like a rag doll. It threw my heart out the window. It devastated me, broke me, and brought plenty of sorrow to last me a lifetime. But it also made me ecstatic and proud. It goes without saying that I was in tears for the entire thing.
If you're reading this, and are over the age of 18, I recommend this to you. Be cautious, this is a grenade. Once the pin is off, there's nothing you can do to prevent the explosion coming your way.
February 23, 2016
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm giving My Lea 3.5 stars.
This book was gritty and honest and tackled some difficult issues. The main characters were living in America, but had Indonesian heritage, so I enjoyed reading some of the cultural differences. However, Andrew, the male lead, was a difficult character to like and in my view, the incident he was involved in was unforgivable. Meanwhile, Lea was a sweet, naïve girl but I had difficulties in accepting some of the choices and decisions she made.
Overall, My Lea was well written with some beautiful prose and well used metaphors.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review My Lea.
I'm giving My Lea 3.5 stars.
This book was gritty and honest and tackled some difficult issues. The main characters were living in America, but had Indonesian heritage, so I enjoyed reading some of the cultural differences. However, Andrew, the male lead, was a difficult character to like and in my view, the incident he was involved in was unforgivable. Meanwhile, Lea was a sweet, naïve girl but I had difficulties in accepting some of the choices and decisions she made.
Overall, My Lea was well written with some beautiful prose and well used metaphors.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review My Lea.
November 9, 2014
******e-ARC was provided by the author for an honest review**********
Congratulations Ms. E. Mellyberry for your debut New Adult novel! I feel very proud I've met you through Goodreads and eventually , became friends! ( really, really good friends! )
When she offered me this book for read and review, I was beyond willing and happy to do it. You might think that I'll be biased since Melly and I were good friends? Uhmmm, so here's the thing : I'll temporary put our friendship aside ( Sorrrrrry M! ) and write a proper, unbiased, fair , impartial review. Here it goes :
Now, where do I begin ? Okay, the writing. I love how she wrote it. The words were free flowing ..and alive, like I'm hearing words and not just reading it. I also love that Asian vibe, even if the setting was in San Francisco , USA but the fact, that very familiar "Asian-ness" were being mentioned, like, rice, rice cooker and even the Asian-Mom-strictness?! I knooooow, I am Asian, a Filipina and reading this, it feels like home. I love that feeling.
I love the characters specially the heroine ,Lea , she has the BIGGEST heart of all! I cannot find fault in her except that she is just too good to be true! Is she a Martyr ? A Saint ? Or Both? Our hero, Andrew, on the other hand, was something else! I know he's both troubled and "trouble'. And I can't even imagine how could our sheltered good girl , Lea could instantly be attracted to this "something else Andrew" ?! Ahhh, maybe that "bad boy" vibe, Lea? Oooh, forget that he looks so damn good !
" Ahh. My God! Her mouth stayed open, but mute, stuck between A and O vowels. It felt unnatural as the creature standing in front of her. Saying that he was handsome would be an understatement of the year...
Word emphasis: Perfect. " <--------Me: 'nuff said. If Andrew's standing in front of me right now ..
So, let's just say... it all started with a "big crush", being attracted is perfectly normal. They are both single. Away from home. And yes freedom to explore every single possibility! Next : Getting to know each other. Andrew was all sweet , with all that flowers thing ( swoony! ) then suddenly became a different person when he, out of nowhere freaked out! Over a photo session?! ( Because "something" triggered from his "dark" memory! ) If I were Lea, I would think twice ?! But then, Lea was not me! Lea is Lea. Period. This. Lea. *No words*
It has been established from the start that Andrew was in battle with his inner demons. What exactly are those? That , I waited oh-so-slowly... oh-so painfully ! I want to know, I want to know! Many times , I was so tempted to take a peek on the later chapters ( to cheat?! Uhm, no! fnd out! ) ...or better yet, ask Ms. Melly! ..but I hold my tongue...or better yet hold my itchy fingers not to send her a message!
Darn! There is no shortcut here but to move along....
I enjoyed those cute, funny and sexy banters / encounters between them. That dinner and Lea's short , short black dress?! Priceless! I chuckled , giggled and smirked?! Really, Andrew?! Telling a girl, that she looked fat in that dress?! Waaaay to gooooo, Cassanova!!!
Soooo.. it looks like there's DEFINITELY something going on between these two....I can already feel my "swoon" building up! Until..... until THAT thing happened! Wha-wha-what-the %^&@ ?!!! I was.. I was.... *no words* I was shocked. Devastated. I ...I...don't know what to think?! All I can feel was my heartbeat racing this fast and my hands trembling! Nooooo waaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!! No... no... no....Nooooooooooo!!!! It's doomed!!
Ohhh how I haaaaaate Andrew after that!! How could he?! How could he ?!! Tortured, broken, troubled or what??? That was just soooo wrong!!!!!!!!!! And Lea? Lea...Lea... Lea.... always the golden girl. Tsk. Tsk.Tsk..
Oh my freaking Melly? What came into you??? Do I really know you???? Apparently, I do not. And this even made me loooove you even more! Keep on doing something like this, I don't mind if you give me a nervous breakdown! Haha!
Overall, I LOVE everything. THAT ending, those two words from Andrew? Loaded. Will it be a happy ending? Or another bumpy journey ahead? THAT ....is something I'll be looking forward to!
To my fellow readers, if you want something unforgettable and takes the word "angsty" into a different level , you don't need to wait that long ! Release date : November 11 th. Go grab your copy!
****Same review found on my blog : http://sparklingpinkpages.blogspot.co... ****
Congratulations Ms. E. Mellyberry for your debut New Adult novel! I feel very proud I've met you through Goodreads and eventually , became friends! ( really, really good friends! )
When she offered me this book for read and review, I was beyond willing and happy to do it. You might think that I'll be biased since Melly and I were good friends? Uhmmm, so here's the thing : I'll temporary put our friendship aside ( Sorrrrrry M! ) and write a proper, unbiased, fair , impartial review. Here it goes :
Now, where do I begin ? Okay, the writing. I love how she wrote it. The words were free flowing ..and alive, like I'm hearing words and not just reading it. I also love that Asian vibe, even if the setting was in San Francisco , USA but the fact, that very familiar "Asian-ness" were being mentioned, like, rice, rice cooker and even the Asian-Mom-strictness?! I knooooow, I am Asian, a Filipina and reading this, it feels like home. I love that feeling.
I love the characters specially the heroine ,Lea , she has the BIGGEST heart of all! I cannot find fault in her except that she is just too good to be true! Is she a Martyr ? A Saint ? Or Both? Our hero, Andrew, on the other hand, was something else! I know he's both troubled and "trouble'. And I can't even imagine how could our sheltered good girl , Lea could instantly be attracted to this "something else Andrew" ?! Ahhh, maybe that "bad boy" vibe, Lea? Oooh, forget that he looks so damn good !
" Ahh. My God! Her mouth stayed open, but mute, stuck between A and O vowels. It felt unnatural as the creature standing in front of her. Saying that he was handsome would be an understatement of the year...
Word emphasis: Perfect. " <--------Me: 'nuff said. If Andrew's standing in front of me right now ..
So, let's just say... it all started with a "big crush", being attracted is perfectly normal. They are both single. Away from home. And yes freedom to explore every single possibility! Next : Getting to know each other. Andrew was all sweet , with all that flowers thing ( swoony! ) then suddenly became a different person when he, out of nowhere freaked out! Over a photo session?! ( Because "something" triggered from his "dark" memory! ) If I were Lea, I would think twice ?! But then, Lea was not me! Lea is Lea. Period. This. Lea. *No words*
It has been established from the start that Andrew was in battle with his inner demons. What exactly are those? That , I waited oh-so-slowly... oh-so painfully ! I want to know, I want to know! Many times , I was so tempted to take a peek on the later chapters ( to cheat?! Uhm, no! fnd out! ) ...or better yet, ask Ms. Melly! ..but I hold my tongue...or better yet hold my itchy fingers not to send her a message!
Darn! There is no shortcut here but to move along....
I enjoyed those cute, funny and sexy banters / encounters between them. That dinner and Lea's short , short black dress?! Priceless! I chuckled , giggled and smirked?! Really, Andrew?! Telling a girl, that she looked fat in that dress?! Waaaay to gooooo, Cassanova!!!
Soooo.. it looks like there's DEFINITELY something going on between these two....I can already feel my "swoon" building up! Until..... until THAT thing happened! Wha-wha-what-the %^&@ ?!!! I was.. I was.... *no words* I was shocked. Devastated. I ...I...don't know what to think?! All I can feel was my heartbeat racing this fast and my hands trembling! Nooooo waaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!! No... no... no....Nooooooooooo!!!! It's doomed!!
Ohhh how I haaaaaate Andrew after that!! How could he?! How could he ?!! Tortured, broken, troubled or what??? That was just soooo wrong!!!!!!!!!! And Lea? Lea...Lea... Lea.... always the golden girl. Tsk. Tsk.Tsk..
Oh my freaking Melly? What came into you??? Do I really know you???? Apparently, I do not. And this even made me loooove you even more! Keep on doing something like this, I don't mind if you give me a nervous breakdown! Haha!
Overall, I LOVE everything. THAT ending, those two words from Andrew? Loaded. Will it be a happy ending? Or another bumpy journey ahead? THAT ....is something I'll be looking forward to!
To my fellow readers, if you want something unforgettable and takes the word "angsty" into a different level , you don't need to wait that long ! Release date : November 11 th. Go grab your copy!
****Same review found on my blog : http://sparklingpinkpages.blogspot.co... ****
January 23, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author E. Mellyberry.)
18-year-old Lea has come to America to study at university, when she meets her brother’s friend Andrew. Andrew has secrets, a troubled past, and may have more troubles in his future.
I’m not sure how much sense this review will make, because I am really angry with the male lead in this book. Steaming angry.
Lea was a sweet girl, and put up with her mother’s moaning, and even wanted to help Andrew after everything that happened.
Andrew was obviously a bit messed up from the start of this book, but no matter how messed-up he was, it didn’t give him free reign to do what he did.
The storyline in this started out quite slowly, but then picked up in the second half. It was in this second half that the ‘incident’ from the blurb happened, and boy was I mad. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but let’s just say that this event was not good, and definitely not recommended for people under the age of 18. The way Lea acted after this event was admirable, and I understood where she was coming from, but I just could not forgive Andrew for his part in the ‘incident’.
I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to drop spoilers, but I would like to say that the title of this series is very appropriate. This most definitely is a broken love story, with a lot of angst, and big questions over right and wrong, as well as some dodgy ethics. Don’t go into this expecting a normal romance, expect to read something a bit uncomfortable, that you won’t easily forget.
6.5 out of 10.
18-year-old Lea has come to America to study at university, when she meets her brother’s friend Andrew. Andrew has secrets, a troubled past, and may have more troubles in his future.
I’m not sure how much sense this review will make, because I am really angry with the male lead in this book. Steaming angry.
Lea was a sweet girl, and put up with her mother’s moaning, and even wanted to help Andrew after everything that happened.
Andrew was obviously a bit messed up from the start of this book, but no matter how messed-up he was, it didn’t give him free reign to do what he did.
The storyline in this started out quite slowly, but then picked up in the second half. It was in this second half that the ‘incident’ from the blurb happened, and boy was I mad. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but let’s just say that this event was not good, and definitely not recommended for people under the age of 18. The way Lea acted after this event was admirable, and I understood where she was coming from, but I just could not forgive Andrew for his part in the ‘incident’.
I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to drop spoilers, but I would like to say that the title of this series is very appropriate. This most definitely is a broken love story, with a lot of angst, and big questions over right and wrong, as well as some dodgy ethics. Don’t go into this expecting a normal romance, expect to read something a bit uncomfortable, that you won’t easily forget.
6.5 out of 10.
November 10, 2014
3.5 stars
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for honest review.
To be honest, I have two different feeling toward this book. In some way I liked it but in another way I didn't quite like it. 1) The writing. I liked the way it's written, though it's told from third person POV while I usually prefer first person POV in contemporary romance story. But in this case, I enjoyed it just like I enjoyed reading from first person POV. The third person POV takes turn telling the story both from Lea and Andrew's perspective.
On the other hand, in some way the words choice that the author used are kind of odd, I think?
There was a tilt at one corner of his mouth, making it shaped like a sexy comma, like he was baiting her to carry on with this conversation. She kept her mouth shut, not trusting herself to not say something stupid which would then turn his comma-smile into a full-blown semicolon wink.
And there are lots of hyperbole sentences from Lea and Andrew when they describe something.
It took all of his effort to do that since his eyelids suddenly weighed tons and he needed cranes to lift them up. For a moment, he couldn’t tell where he was.
They mostly made me cringe and sometime I have to read a couple times to understand the metaphors that are used by the characters. It might be it's-just-me-not-you case, though.
2) The pace. First part of the story is quite slow, though there are still interesting parts here and there that picked my curiosity. It left me questioning, guessing and can't wait to know the answer. However it changes in second part. It's so engaging made me glue to the story. It is better, so much better than first part I thought the author save her energy so that she can pour it all for second part. And let me tell you that second part brings so much emotion in me, mostly the ugly one. I don't know whether I should mad at the author because she can make me hate Andrew so much while I usually love the hero of the books I read or I should applaud her because she can pull those emotions from me.
3) The characters. I have to admit that after I finish the book, I still undecided how I feel about Lea and Andrew. But while I read, I more intrigued with Andrew than Lea. From the beginning of the story, I can tell that he has something big he hides from the world and I was so curious to know more about it. I also liked his cockiness and his dry humor, not to mention that he's also sarcastic.
But I didn't like his mood swing. Just like Lea said, I thought he has multiple personalities as it's so easy for him to change his mood. One minute he's a happy-sweet-nice guy and then in another minute he can be a jerk. And my dislike for Andrew took to a new level in second part of the story. I was so mad, like I-want-to-throw-my-ereader-and-kill-him-right-away mad, at him. I know he didn't mean what he did to Lea but he cannot hide it behind his reasons. There is no reason for what he did and I refuse to accept that!
While Lea is a 18 years old naive girl who seek freedom in another country. She's sheltered for all of her life thus she's so different from Andrew. I liked that every time she's around him, she's surprise him with her witty, shy but confidence personalities. It makes their banter is so interesting to read. And I really liked their first encounter. She can make Andrew speechless and shows how different she is from other girls Andrew used to know.
Just like Andrew, she changes in second part of the story. I was mad at her too, to be honest. Although I wasn't angry at her as much as I mad at Andrew, I felt like I want to shake her shoulders and tell her to use her head, instead of her heart. I just couldn't believe how easy she forgives Andrew. I understand her reasons, though. I really do and I admire her for that. She has bigger heart than I do, obviously :D
All in all I think this is one helluva angst story and the author obviously can write characters I love to hate really well. I still think about it long after I read it. In fact I still mad and hate Andrew and disagree with Lea's decision. But I also really liked that E. Mellyberry can "force" me to have those feeling, even when it's the ugly one for the characters. I’ll definitely read the sequel.
ARC was provided by the author in exchange for honest review.
To be honest, I have two different feeling toward this book. In some way I liked it but in another way I didn't quite like it. 1) The writing. I liked the way it's written, though it's told from third person POV while I usually prefer first person POV in contemporary romance story. But in this case, I enjoyed it just like I enjoyed reading from first person POV. The third person POV takes turn telling the story both from Lea and Andrew's perspective.
On the other hand, in some way the words choice that the author used are kind of odd, I think?
There was a tilt at one corner of his mouth, making it shaped like a sexy comma, like he was baiting her to carry on with this conversation. She kept her mouth shut, not trusting herself to not say something stupid which would then turn his comma-smile into a full-blown semicolon wink.
And there are lots of hyperbole sentences from Lea and Andrew when they describe something.
It took all of his effort to do that since his eyelids suddenly weighed tons and he needed cranes to lift them up. For a moment, he couldn’t tell where he was.
They mostly made me cringe and sometime I have to read a couple times to understand the metaphors that are used by the characters. It might be it's-just-me-not-you case, though.
2) The pace. First part of the story is quite slow, though there are still interesting parts here and there that picked my curiosity. It left me questioning, guessing and can't wait to know the answer. However it changes in second part. It's so engaging made me glue to the story. It is better, so much better than first part I thought the author save her energy so that she can pour it all for second part. And let me tell you that second part brings so much emotion in me, mostly the ugly one. I don't know whether I should mad at the author because she can make me hate Andrew so much while I usually love the hero of the books I read or I should applaud her because she can pull those emotions from me.
3) The characters. I have to admit that after I finish the book, I still undecided how I feel about Lea and Andrew. But while I read, I more intrigued with Andrew than Lea. From the beginning of the story, I can tell that he has something big he hides from the world and I was so curious to know more about it. I also liked his cockiness and his dry humor, not to mention that he's also sarcastic.
But I didn't like his mood swing. Just like Lea said, I thought he has multiple personalities as it's so easy for him to change his mood. One minute he's a happy-sweet-nice guy and then in another minute he can be a jerk. And my dislike for Andrew took to a new level in second part of the story. I was so mad, like I-want-to-throw-my-ereader-and-kill-him-right-away mad, at him. I know he didn't mean what he did to Lea but he cannot hide it behind his reasons. There is no reason for what he did and I refuse to accept that!
While Lea is a 18 years old naive girl who seek freedom in another country. She's sheltered for all of her life thus she's so different from Andrew. I liked that every time she's around him, she's surprise him with her witty, shy but confidence personalities. It makes their banter is so interesting to read. And I really liked their first encounter. She can make Andrew speechless and shows how different she is from other girls Andrew used to know.
Just like Andrew, she changes in second part of the story. I was mad at her too, to be honest. Although I wasn't angry at her as much as I mad at Andrew, I felt like I want to shake her shoulders and tell her to use her head, instead of her heart. I just couldn't believe how easy she forgives Andrew. I understand her reasons, though. I really do and I admire her for that. She has bigger heart than I do, obviously :D
All in all I think this is one helluva angst story and the author obviously can write characters I love to hate really well. I still think about it long after I read it. In fact I still mad and hate Andrew and disagree with Lea's decision. But I also really liked that E. Mellyberry can "force" me to have those feeling, even when it's the ugly one for the characters. I’ll definitely read the sequel.
November 9, 2014
First, I would like to thank the author Ms. E. Mellyberry for generously sharing her book in exchange for a review. I was really honoured and thrilled since I just knew her from a common friend.
This is Melly’s debut novel on New Adult genre and I would say that she did a pretty good job! Melly has a way with words making her book somewhat lyrical in some ways, like I can actually see an ordinary thing in a different light.
“His smile was not the sun, but it was blinding just the same. His smile was like the secret key that unlocked perfection.”
“Lea’s mouth on his was like the Earth beauty. He was floating in the quiet space, admiring the planet he called home and at the same time, he couldn’t wait to go back.”
My Lea is a story of a rich broken boy trying to move on from his painful past and a sheltered girl who’s excited to experience life on her own. But a dreadful incident happened that changed their lives forever. That dreadful incident may have repulsed the majority but it was written with such delicacy that despite the resentment I felt towards Andrew, I can only cringe and tried hard to open my mind on why he did what he did. But Lea...she is one beautiful young woman inside and out. She chose to do what is not expected after what she’s been through.
“But the sugar she’d collected up to this point didn’t make much difference in her lemon-drenched life. All she ever did was pouring packet after packet of sugar into her lemonade and watched them dissolve into nothingness. One day, she would have to drink it-sour, bitter, sweet-all at once. She had to face this, all of it.”
“Because it’s my choice, and I’m giving it to you.” Because honest to God, was there any guide book that listed out which act deserved redemption and forgiveness, which act didn’t? Was one’s heart decision not enough?
This book is profound and is written with such passion. I felt all “the feels” while constantly rubbing my chest in those heart wrenching scenes. This book kept me up most nights and this is one indication that I love the book! I almost ditch sleep and call in sick the next day at work so I could just continue reading! This book is that engaging! To think that Andrew and Lea had finally come to terms with each other but damn! That sneak peek!! I’m so looking forward to the next journey of Andrew and Lea! Congratulations Melly! You are one helluva writer!
This is Melly’s debut novel on New Adult genre and I would say that she did a pretty good job! Melly has a way with words making her book somewhat lyrical in some ways, like I can actually see an ordinary thing in a different light.
“His smile was not the sun, but it was blinding just the same. His smile was like the secret key that unlocked perfection.”
“Lea’s mouth on his was like the Earth beauty. He was floating in the quiet space, admiring the planet he called home and at the same time, he couldn’t wait to go back.”
My Lea is a story of a rich broken boy trying to move on from his painful past and a sheltered girl who’s excited to experience life on her own. But a dreadful incident happened that changed their lives forever. That dreadful incident may have repulsed the majority but it was written with such delicacy that despite the resentment I felt towards Andrew, I can only cringe and tried hard to open my mind on why he did what he did. But Lea...she is one beautiful young woman inside and out. She chose to do what is not expected after what she’s been through.
“But the sugar she’d collected up to this point didn’t make much difference in her lemon-drenched life. All she ever did was pouring packet after packet of sugar into her lemonade and watched them dissolve into nothingness. One day, she would have to drink it-sour, bitter, sweet-all at once. She had to face this, all of it.”
“Because it’s my choice, and I’m giving it to you.” Because honest to God, was there any guide book that listed out which act deserved redemption and forgiveness, which act didn’t? Was one’s heart decision not enough?
This book is profound and is written with such passion. I felt all “the feels” while constantly rubbing my chest in those heart wrenching scenes. This book kept me up most nights and this is one indication that I love the book! I almost ditch sleep and call in sick the next day at work so I could just continue reading! This book is that engaging! To think that Andrew and Lea had finally come to terms with each other but damn! That sneak peek!! I’m so looking forward to the next journey of Andrew and Lea! Congratulations Melly! You are one helluva writer!
January 20, 2015
When Lea arrived in San Francisco she was looking forward to exploring the freedom the move provided. Used to being under her mother's watchul eye, Lea couldn't wait to start her new life abroad. This new life came with the presence of her older brother and his cast of friends, which included Andrew. Soon Lea finds herself fighting her attraction to Andrew while being uncharacteristically drawn to him--moods and all.
Andrew rolls through life without really living it. His past is riddled with pain and disappointment which leads him to act erratically. He isn't looking to get into a relationship of any kind, but that choice was taken away the moment he set eyes on Lea. She is everything he should stay away from, but the very girl that awakens in him feelings he rather not explore.
With Lea's presence comes sweet and light moments, but try as he might Andrew can't get a handle on his emotions. It takes a drunken act where his past and the present collide for him to realize how much Lea means to him and how out of control his life truly is.
This book really did a number on me. It's been day since I've read it and I still recall the force of some of the scenes and the emotions they brought out in me. There was the curiosity about what would happen between Andrew and Lea, the enjoyment of the flirty banter and bickering between the characters, the incredulity of the tragic event that changed the course of the story and the anticipation of what would happen next for these two.
Kudos to E. Mellyberry for bringing an intriguing and unique story to the page, especially in a debut novel as touching as this one. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters, the emotions they both portrayed and the way the twist and turns the author threw into the mix in Lea and Andrew's story. From fun and sweet moments in the beginning of the story to those darker ones that altered the characters' lives, the story flowed flawlessly through the page.
This was by no means an easy read. I admit that were elements in the story that could be triggers for some readers, thankfully I just had to take a small pause during my reading. But that was mostly because I was in shock more than anything else.
As I understand it, My Lea is the first in a trilogy and if the excerpt on my copy is anything to go by Lea and Andrew's story is going to get more interesting in the upcoming installments.
All in all, an intense and unforgettable story that will stay with you days after you finish it. I can't wait to read more about Lea and Andrew!
Andrew rolls through life without really living it. His past is riddled with pain and disappointment which leads him to act erratically. He isn't looking to get into a relationship of any kind, but that choice was taken away the moment he set eyes on Lea. She is everything he should stay away from, but the very girl that awakens in him feelings he rather not explore.
With Lea's presence comes sweet and light moments, but try as he might Andrew can't get a handle on his emotions. It takes a drunken act where his past and the present collide for him to realize how much Lea means to him and how out of control his life truly is.
This book really did a number on me. It's been day since I've read it and I still recall the force of some of the scenes and the emotions they brought out in me. There was the curiosity about what would happen between Andrew and Lea, the enjoyment of the flirty banter and bickering between the characters, the incredulity of the tragic event that changed the course of the story and the anticipation of what would happen next for these two.
Kudos to E. Mellyberry for bringing an intriguing and unique story to the page, especially in a debut novel as touching as this one. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters, the emotions they both portrayed and the way the twist and turns the author threw into the mix in Lea and Andrew's story. From fun and sweet moments in the beginning of the story to those darker ones that altered the characters' lives, the story flowed flawlessly through the page.
This was by no means an easy read. I admit that were elements in the story that could be triggers for some readers, thankfully I just had to take a small pause during my reading. But that was mostly because I was in shock more than anything else.
As I understand it, My Lea is the first in a trilogy and if the excerpt on my copy is anything to go by Lea and Andrew's story is going to get more interesting in the upcoming installments.
All in all, an intense and unforgettable story that will stay with you days after you finish it. I can't wait to read more about Lea and Andrew!
February 1, 2015
My review:(Tour Host Jan. 19th)
4.5 stars! Review copy provided.
Let me start by saying I almost didn't finish this book. I rarely do that and because it was a book to review I thought it would be unfair. I am so glad I did. And it had nothing to do with the writing or the story but something happened that is a bit of a hard limit for me, I had to put the book down and decide if I wanted to go through with it. Well...I couldn't leave it, I almost picked it up immediately and continued on. My heart was slamming in my chest my stomach was a bit sick but for some reason I kept going and liking it more and more and eventually loving it. The author just handled everything so well that after awhile I was still rooting for the H and h (in my sick mind). This book is so hard for me to review without spoiling.
I'm almost mad at myself for loving this book so much. I think the author did a good job of keeping things tasteful? I'm not sure that that's the best word but because of the subject it was done well. I fell in love with the heroine (Lea) in this book, I just adored her and felt for her so much, she was such a forgiving person. The hero (Andrew) was a little harder to like and then just when I thought I started to like him BAM he does something to make me hate him again. Know that he is deeply depressed and broken, he doesn't see much worth in himself and he has weird episodes where he sort of blacks out or spaces out for minutes at a time. She just wants to help and there is a definite attraction between the two but they are committed to just being friends. The H is also the best friend of the h's brother making things more complicated because Lea's brother knows how he is with women.
This is most definitely a broken love story, you will be conflicted. Should they be together or not? A bittersweet story about love and forgiveness. If you read this book go into it being prepared, the subject matter is something you may not want to take on. It is gut wrenching but I think well worth the read. And there is a book two to their story.
This is just a funny after thought. My daughter is obsessed with the movie Mulan and I kept picturing Shang and Mulan as the H and h. ;)
http://triciaciak.blogspot.com/
4.5 stars! Review copy provided.
Let me start by saying I almost didn't finish this book. I rarely do that and because it was a book to review I thought it would be unfair. I am so glad I did. And it had nothing to do with the writing or the story but something happened that is a bit of a hard limit for me, I had to put the book down and decide if I wanted to go through with it. Well...I couldn't leave it, I almost picked it up immediately and continued on. My heart was slamming in my chest my stomach was a bit sick but for some reason I kept going and liking it more and more and eventually loving it. The author just handled everything so well that after awhile I was still rooting for the H and h (in my sick mind). This book is so hard for me to review without spoiling.
I'm almost mad at myself for loving this book so much. I think the author did a good job of keeping things tasteful? I'm not sure that that's the best word but because of the subject it was done well. I fell in love with the heroine (Lea) in this book, I just adored her and felt for her so much, she was such a forgiving person. The hero (Andrew) was a little harder to like and then just when I thought I started to like him BAM he does something to make me hate him again. Know that he is deeply depressed and broken, he doesn't see much worth in himself and he has weird episodes where he sort of blacks out or spaces out for minutes at a time. She just wants to help and there is a definite attraction between the two but they are committed to just being friends. The H is also the best friend of the h's brother making things more complicated because Lea's brother knows how he is with women.
This is most definitely a broken love story, you will be conflicted. Should they be together or not? A bittersweet story about love and forgiveness. If you read this book go into it being prepared, the subject matter is something you may not want to take on. It is gut wrenching but I think well worth the read. And there is a book two to their story.
This is just a funny after thought. My daughter is obsessed with the movie Mulan and I kept picturing Shang and Mulan as the H and h. ;)
http://triciaciak.blogspot.com/
July 7, 2016
4.5 Emotional Stars
This story is poignant and not your typical love story, which is not for the faint of heart.
Love and Fear are interesting emotions to say the least - having a different effect on one person from the next in any situation. There is no one way, let alone right way for a human to respond to situations and circumstances presented to them. We just simply respond, or reaction, based on a number of variables.
E. Mellyberry, regardless if you agree with the actions of her main characters in this book (no spoilers given, but I will say I do not condone Andrew's behavior), has brought those two emotions together masterfully, giving them a perspective that most people would cringe or disagree with, yet can still and does occur in the world.
Aside from the joy of seeing into the mind and out the eyes of another culture, which is always a joy for me, the thought patterns, emotions, and actions taken by the main characters are very real and possible (I studied human behavior and psychology in school). Not everyone responds or reacts the same, let alone how you want or expect them to and E. presents such a story in an intricate way. I'm certain that many will be uncomfortable about this story, however, it has been well written and presented and I look forward to the next installment, which my B. A. mind is racing with questions and anticipation for Lea and Andrew.
This story is poignant and not your typical love story, which is not for the faint of heart.
Love and Fear are interesting emotions to say the least - having a different effect on one person from the next in any situation. There is no one way, let alone right way for a human to respond to situations and circumstances presented to them. We just simply respond, or reaction, based on a number of variables.
E. Mellyberry, regardless if you agree with the actions of her main characters in this book (no spoilers given, but I will say I do not condone Andrew's behavior), has brought those two emotions together masterfully, giving them a perspective that most people would cringe or disagree with, yet can still and does occur in the world.
Aside from the joy of seeing into the mind and out the eyes of another culture, which is always a joy for me, the thought patterns, emotions, and actions taken by the main characters are very real and possible (I studied human behavior and psychology in school). Not everyone responds or reacts the same, let alone how you want or expect them to and E. presents such a story in an intricate way. I'm certain that many will be uncomfortable about this story, however, it has been well written and presented and I look forward to the next installment, which my B. A. mind is racing with questions and anticipation for Lea and Andrew.
November 7, 2014
(I received a copy from the author, In exchange for an honest review.)
My Lea was an okay read, but boy did i hate the male lead!
At first, i couldn't connect to any of the characters, and didn't feel anything for them. In the second half though, it all changed. I liked Lea, but really, really hated Andrew.
The first half of this wasn't very enjoyable for me unfortunatley. The pacing was too slow, the characters weren't great, and i just couldn't get interested in the story. The second half was better, but Andrew's behaviour in it pissed me off.
Overall, Slow to start, but an alright read.
My Lea was an okay read, but boy did i hate the male lead!
At first, i couldn't connect to any of the characters, and didn't feel anything for them. In the second half though, it all changed. I liked Lea, but really, really hated Andrew.
The first half of this wasn't very enjoyable for me unfortunatley. The pacing was too slow, the characters weren't great, and i just couldn't get interested in the story. The second half was better, but Andrew's behaviour in it pissed me off.
Overall, Slow to start, but an alright read.
July 17, 2017
I quite literally finished this book five minutes ago, and I'm not even sure where my head is at in this moment. This was a really hard book to rate- the prose was beautiful, the characterization was really strong. the storyline killed me, and Lea handled things just so very differently than I would have and I think it made it a bit difficult for me to relate to- that's totally my personal preference though. Dont even get me started on Andrew. I can't. I love that this author tackled such a big issue and did it through this cultural lense. I don't typically read a lot of NA, but I will definitely read more Mellyberry 😀
January 22, 2015
Ah. So this is what it feels like to have a hate-hate relationship with a book. In the course of this review, I’m going to tell you exactly why one Godforsaken book has spectacularly managed to piss the fuck out of me while also simultaneously making me feel like complete shit for even completing it.
Lea Amelia is an Indonesian local who’s come down to San Francisco to go to college. Unfortunately for her, she has a judgy mom and a good-for-nothing brother, Jo, with whom she is going to stay until college begins. Jo’s best friend is Theo, who is also a kind of an older brother to Lea. Another good-for-nothing.
And then there’s Andrew Jaya, Theo and Jo’s other friend. The biggest good-for-nothing of them all.
Lea, as a character, is a typical YA Misfit Sue. She’s all “my parents want me to do this but I want to do that and omg life is completely unfair! so let me go hump my brother’s friend.” Not only is she the Second Coming of Christ, she’s also forgiving and amenable to almost everything that the (non) hero says and woah! She can eat anything, anything, without gaining weight. Amazing, yeah?
Lately, I’ve been reading books that have some really shitty male MCs. And My Lea is no different. I don’t know what the appeal is, but apparently men who are cocky, forward and way too good looking to be real seem to be the famous ones. Andrew is just that. He’s a self-proclaimed man whore (even though he had sex with just one girl throughout this book) and it’s lust at first sight for him when he sees Lea. He takes her out on dates, freaks out when she mentions Japan and talks his erection down.
That’s pretty much all that his entire POV was about.
Then, at the 58% mark I think, I seriously contemplated giving up on this book. There are few lines that I draw when it comes to fiction, it is fiction after all, but this book just seemed to get from bad to worse. The book touched a topic that should be dealt with carefully but the way it was handled? To me that was promotion of rape culture. And from there, it’s a slippery slope. I didn’t care too much about the characters anyway and the story was clichéd and boring.
More power to the author for writing the book in English, considering it isn’t her first language, but I hadn’t expected to find the typos and awkward phrasings that I did. Complete bummer for a book I didn’t find too interesting in the first place.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
Lea Amelia is an Indonesian local who’s come down to San Francisco to go to college. Unfortunately for her, she has a judgy mom and a good-for-nothing brother, Jo, with whom she is going to stay until college begins. Jo’s best friend is Theo, who is also a kind of an older brother to Lea. Another good-for-nothing.
And then there’s Andrew Jaya, Theo and Jo’s other friend. The biggest good-for-nothing of them all.
Lea, as a character, is a typical YA Misfit Sue. She’s all “my parents want me to do this but I want to do that and omg life is completely unfair! so let me go hump my brother’s friend.” Not only is she the Second Coming of Christ, she’s also forgiving and amenable to almost everything that the (non) hero says and woah! She can eat anything, anything, without gaining weight. Amazing, yeah?
Lately, I’ve been reading books that have some really shitty male MCs. And My Lea is no different. I don’t know what the appeal is, but apparently men who are cocky, forward and way too good looking to be real seem to be the famous ones. Andrew is just that. He’s a self-proclaimed man whore (even though he had sex with just one girl throughout this book) and it’s lust at first sight for him when he sees Lea. He takes her out on dates, freaks out when she mentions Japan and talks his erection down.
That’s pretty much all that his entire POV was about.
Then, at the 58% mark I think, I seriously contemplated giving up on this book. There are few lines that I draw when it comes to fiction, it is fiction after all, but this book just seemed to get from bad to worse. The book touched a topic that should be dealt with carefully but the way it was handled? To me that was promotion of rape culture. And from there, it’s a slippery slope. I didn’t care too much about the characters anyway and the story was clichéd and boring.
More power to the author for writing the book in English, considering it isn’t her first language, but I hadn’t expected to find the typos and awkward phrasings that I did. Complete bummer for a book I didn’t find too interesting in the first place.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
October 3, 2020
So... basically this is a book that romanticizes rape just because the main "villain" is tragically good looking and has a "tragic" past that his own stupidity inflicted on himself? What. The. Actual. Fuck.
Most of this book is grossly cliche and just totally cringey for me but the final line was drawn when a fucking rape scene was used as a tool to show just how broken and sad the main character is, especially when he gets so drunk that he rapes a woman. How about no, huh? And the most shocking of all? She forgives him. And you know why? Because he's pretty and so broken and looks like he's so sorry all of the time afterwards... until all of this happens again, right? Because, let's be real - his anger issues, the ability to black out due to his anger and need (his words, not mine) will eventually lead to all of this to repeat itself again, no matter how happy he is in one moment. And that's what we call repeated abuse, ladies and gentlemen. If you don't believe me, read the end of the first chapter of the second book.
Not to mention my biggest shock was seeing how many people actually gave this 5 STARS and raved about how amazing of a story it is. Huh???? The rape story and cliche sappy one that made him so bad that he wants to drink and fuck all the time? Lol.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against bad characters and books that depict mature and cruel subjects because life is that way. I actually like and prefer them but when they are written properly and not teaching young girls that just because he's handsome we should allow him to get away with it all - especially in his case where his fucking problem is himself. He did all of this to himself and chose to be the tragic baby that couldn't deal with the aftermath of his stupid actions so he instead decided to drink and play the bad boy role all while screwing around and hurting people again. This is what bugs me the most. And then what I have a problem with is when all of it its romanticized and looked over because of the physical qualities of the main "villain". Being a "bad and sad boy with tragic story and drinking problem" is one thing, but being a fucking rapist with anger issues is another.
Rant over, because I'm so done with this.
Most of this book is grossly cliche and just totally cringey for me but the final line was drawn when a fucking rape scene was used as a tool to show just how broken and sad the main character is, especially when he gets so drunk that he rapes a woman. How about no, huh? And the most shocking of all? She forgives him. And you know why? Because he's pretty and so broken and looks like he's so sorry all of the time afterwards... until all of this happens again, right? Because, let's be real - his anger issues, the ability to black out due to his anger and need (his words, not mine) will eventually lead to all of this to repeat itself again, no matter how happy he is in one moment. And that's what we call repeated abuse, ladies and gentlemen. If you don't believe me, read the end of the first chapter of the second book.
Not to mention my biggest shock was seeing how many people actually gave this 5 STARS and raved about how amazing of a story it is. Huh???? The rape story and cliche sappy one that made him so bad that he wants to drink and fuck all the time? Lol.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against bad characters and books that depict mature and cruel subjects because life is that way. I actually like and prefer them but when they are written properly and not teaching young girls that just because he's handsome we should allow him to get away with it all - especially in his case where his fucking problem is himself. He did all of this to himself and chose to be the tragic baby that couldn't deal with the aftermath of his stupid actions so he instead decided to drink and play the bad boy role all while screwing around and hurting people again. This is what bugs me the most. And then what I have a problem with is when all of it its romanticized and looked over because of the physical qualities of the main "villain". Being a "bad and sad boy with tragic story and drinking problem" is one thing, but being a fucking rapist with anger issues is another.
Rant over, because I'm so done with this.
January 4, 2020
The story had a lot of potentials. It’s pure angst fest. A Romeo Juliet kinda sob story.
But....
Somewhere the book lacked something.
Boy meets girl. Boy is a manwhore and a badly broken soul. Girl is innocent with strict upbringing. The boy behaves jerk like with his hot and cold behavior. Girl tries to be nice to him but he continues acting like a controlling jerk. He wants her yet doesn’t say it to her.
Anyway talking about the first book, I liked it. The plot is good. But something was amiss.
But....
Somewhere the book lacked something.
Boy meets girl. Boy is a manwhore and a badly broken soul. Girl is innocent with strict upbringing. The boy behaves jerk like with his hot and cold behavior. Girl tries to be nice to him but he continues acting like a controlling jerk. He wants her yet doesn’t say it to her.
Anyway talking about the first book, I liked it. The plot is good. But something was amiss.
December 3, 2014
(source: i received the eARC from the author in exchange for some honest review. Thanks to E. Mellyberry for gave me such opportunity! :))
Hold a lost boy's hand and walk with him, then he will find his way home...
The story about some deadly-handsome guy with scarred past and troubled attitude may not new, but this one is good enough to make me craving for more.
Since it written in the POV style, there will be no problem to understand the characters's feeling, though it also means we lost the fun to assume and guess (Does she likes him? Is he crazy for her?) . But don't worry! The mysteries did not revealed in a blink of an eye. In fact, it revealed pretty slowly, and by slow i mean you have to wait until (almost) the end of the book to find out what the big secret is. Patience, guys, patience!
What i love most about this book is the conversation part. It sooo smooth, i can easily imagine how it happened in real life. Well, maybe except the part where Andrew (the i-knew-you-were-trouble dude, our main character) had his breakdown moment.
The other main character, Lea, is no special (in my opinion), except she made me envy her for having such awesome brothers, Jo & Theo (though the later is not her true sibling), and the part where she can eat probably everything without gain fat! This is too good to be true... And since Lea is a typical nice girl with so little experience around boys, it's not hard to see that she then fall easily for Andrew's charm (obviously from physical attraction at first). But soon after, she realized that this guy is no Prince Charming - at least not all the time. He burdened by his dark past, and so consumed by it. Sometimes it almost seems like he lives in two world, with two different personalities. And at this point i still can't see what makes this Lea so special (Andrew said it's her pure heart, but to me -beside her nice ass- well, like i said before : she's just some typical nice girl). Though she made out-of-line decision here and there and so made the story goes on.
Who's the character i like most? Definitely Matt. This guy is the best type of best friend you can hope for. And considering his sweet relationship with his fiancee, i feel free to asume that he's somewhat an excellent lover too. What an awesome dude!! If the author considers to make another book with Matt as the main character, I’m definitely gonna read it!
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and would love to read the upcoming sequel.
Hold a lost boy's hand and walk with him, then he will find his way home...
The story about some deadly-handsome guy with scarred past and troubled attitude may not new, but this one is good enough to make me craving for more.
Since it written in the POV style, there will be no problem to understand the characters's feeling, though it also means we lost the fun to assume and guess (Does she likes him? Is he crazy for her?) . But don't worry! The mysteries did not revealed in a blink of an eye. In fact, it revealed pretty slowly, and by slow i mean you have to wait until (almost) the end of the book to find out what the big secret is. Patience, guys, patience!
What i love most about this book is the conversation part. It sooo smooth, i can easily imagine how it happened in real life. Well, maybe except the part where Andrew (the i-knew-you-were-trouble dude, our main character) had his breakdown moment.
The other main character, Lea, is no special (in my opinion), except she made me envy her for having such awesome brothers, Jo & Theo (though the later is not her true sibling), and the part where she can eat probably everything without gain fat! This is too good to be true... And since Lea is a typical nice girl with so little experience around boys, it's not hard to see that she then fall easily for Andrew's charm (obviously from physical attraction at first). But soon after, she realized that this guy is no Prince Charming - at least not all the time. He burdened by his dark past, and so consumed by it. Sometimes it almost seems like he lives in two world, with two different personalities. And at this point i still can't see what makes this Lea so special (Andrew said it's her pure heart, but to me -beside her nice ass- well, like i said before : she's just some typical nice girl). Though she made out-of-line decision here and there and so made the story goes on.
Who's the character i like most? Definitely Matt. This guy is the best type of best friend you can hope for. And considering his sweet relationship with his fiancee, i feel free to asume that he's somewhat an excellent lover too. What an awesome dude!! If the author considers to make another book with Matt as the main character, I’m definitely gonna read it!
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, and would love to read the upcoming sequel.
August 3, 2016
Graceness flows as the story goes on and on...
My Lea is a story compiled with love, emotions,sadness and a second chance. The story has got the immense power to show the side of a woman who after going through so much brutality had the capacity to stand again and forgive the love of her life and endure him with a second chance and get everything settled. The book is funny at times and at some point of time darkness curves and makes its way which is possibly a different agenda created well by the author in a human behaviour.
Lea is a 18 year old who is from Phillipines and goes to America to stay with her brother for her overseas education and things becomes a little spicy when she gets her freedom after 18 years of being watched by her mother. She meets her brothers best friend Andrew and things get a little speedy and paced up with their attraction towards each other. But I would say here I am a bit disappointed with Andrew's behaviour . I believe every person has a darker side which most often people keep covered and never reveal in front of another person and Andrew's behaviour towards Lea went further which made me angry. Well and for all things got a grisp and thanks to Lea for her honesty and the capability to undergo emotions bravely.
The book has got characters who understands the needs of others and instead of creating turmoils they know how to fuss a burning fire which I believe is very important in a human nature.
Situations and lives were baffled at a certain point which became difficult to understand by their friends but at the end circumstances were well reacted and responds from the characters simply justify how beautifully our dear author have put the things into place. I loved the book from my heart and I am looking forward for the second part of the story with curiosity. I would highly recommend my fellow readers to go ahead and read the book.
Hearts break, things get out of place but at the end the solution comes out to catch the grip.....
My Lea is a story compiled with love, emotions,sadness and a second chance. The story has got the immense power to show the side of a woman who after going through so much brutality had the capacity to stand again and forgive the love of her life and endure him with a second chance and get everything settled. The book is funny at times and at some point of time darkness curves and makes its way which is possibly a different agenda created well by the author in a human behaviour.
Lea is a 18 year old who is from Phillipines and goes to America to stay with her brother for her overseas education and things becomes a little spicy when she gets her freedom after 18 years of being watched by her mother. She meets her brothers best friend Andrew and things get a little speedy and paced up with their attraction towards each other. But I would say here I am a bit disappointed with Andrew's behaviour . I believe every person has a darker side which most often people keep covered and never reveal in front of another person and Andrew's behaviour towards Lea went further which made me angry. Well and for all things got a grisp and thanks to Lea for her honesty and the capability to undergo emotions bravely.
The book has got characters who understands the needs of others and instead of creating turmoils they know how to fuss a burning fire which I believe is very important in a human nature.
Situations and lives were baffled at a certain point which became difficult to understand by their friends but at the end circumstances were well reacted and responds from the characters simply justify how beautifully our dear author have put the things into place. I loved the book from my heart and I am looking forward for the second part of the story with curiosity. I would highly recommend my fellow readers to go ahead and read the book.
Hearts break, things get out of place but at the end the solution comes out to catch the grip.....
April 10, 2016
My Lea is the first book in E. Mellyberry's series. It follows Lea Amelia transferring to San Francisco to study overseas. Her motive was simple: to be free. But then, she discovers that life isn't as simple as she thought it'll be. That brings her to Andrew Jaya. The only son of the Jaya family and one of the richest too. Andrew is a handsome guy. Carefree and is an active party person. Andrew Jaya do things for a reason which means he has his own reasons to put up a wall to everyone. As both characters fall inlove with each other, Andrew started to open up and move on to his past and live by their present. Will it last?
I give the book 5 out of 5 stars! Such great read. This book had caught my eye. Not only because the cover's great but because the description's catchy. I love everything about this book! I'm so excited to read the next book.
Moving on to the character and plot. The characters were amazing. I admire the fact that they're very likeable. Unlike to other books I've read, I wasn't in any way annoyed to the characters. Not even once, which I liked. The characters were well created, well developed. It felt real, just how it should be. I can feel the emotions run through me. The way the book was written is very smooth. Love it!
As for the plot, it's common but differed in the way it was handled by the author. To state the obvious, most books have the same idea but admit it or not, we feel different about them. That's because every book has it's own story and style. I find this book very unique. The scenes were great. Highly recommend it!
**Thank you so much to E. Mellyberry for sending me a signed physical copy of her book. This review is in NO WAY BIASED. All my opinions, compliments and comments are my own.**
I give the book 5 out of 5 stars! Such great read. This book had caught my eye. Not only because the cover's great but because the description's catchy. I love everything about this book! I'm so excited to read the next book.
Moving on to the character and plot. The characters were amazing. I admire the fact that they're very likeable. Unlike to other books I've read, I wasn't in any way annoyed to the characters. Not even once, which I liked. The characters were well created, well developed. It felt real, just how it should be. I can feel the emotions run through me. The way the book was written is very smooth. Love it!
As for the plot, it's common but differed in the way it was handled by the author. To state the obvious, most books have the same idea but admit it or not, we feel different about them. That's because every book has it's own story and style. I find this book very unique. The scenes were great. Highly recommend it!
**Thank you so much to E. Mellyberry for sending me a signed physical copy of her book. This review is in NO WAY BIASED. All my opinions, compliments and comments are my own.**
July 8, 2016
Tragic love stories are always a guilty pleasure for me, but lately I have found that when I pick up a tragic love story, it doesn't hit me as hard as I would like; however, that was not the case with My Lea. E. Mellyberry knew how to wrap the romance with tragedy and realistic elements perfectly, and I couldn't put her book down.
Lea, herself, is an intriguing character. The book followers her as she goes to San Francisco for an overseas study, and watching her become a part of American culture was intriguing. I enjoyed her alternative view on America as someone from overseas, and it was heartbreaking to see her falling in love with someone who was so tainted and beaten down by life, just to be torn apart from and by him in the end. Mellyberry did a wonderful job of putting the reader in Lea's shoes, by portraying to them what it is like to just be getting your life started, only to be hurt by someone who changes you forever. I really connected with Lea in that respect, because sometimes love can be damaging, but it does change you as a person and usually for the better.
Reading Mellyberry's novel was a roller coaster ride of emotion, and I was crying like a baby by the time the end came around. It is a novel that has pierced my heart, and one that I will never forget and keep going back to, despite the emotional turmoil it brings. I am honestly surprised that this novel hasn't been published on a a larger scale, and it is truly a hidden gem. If you are looking for a new romance author to send you into a whirlwind of emotion, then look no further than My Lea. The best books are those that tantalize your emotions so much that they change you, and this book is certainly among them.
Lea, herself, is an intriguing character. The book followers her as she goes to San Francisco for an overseas study, and watching her become a part of American culture was intriguing. I enjoyed her alternative view on America as someone from overseas, and it was heartbreaking to see her falling in love with someone who was so tainted and beaten down by life, just to be torn apart from and by him in the end. Mellyberry did a wonderful job of putting the reader in Lea's shoes, by portraying to them what it is like to just be getting your life started, only to be hurt by someone who changes you forever. I really connected with Lea in that respect, because sometimes love can be damaging, but it does change you as a person and usually for the better.
Reading Mellyberry's novel was a roller coaster ride of emotion, and I was crying like a baby by the time the end came around. It is a novel that has pierced my heart, and one that I will never forget and keep going back to, despite the emotional turmoil it brings. I am honestly surprised that this novel hasn't been published on a a larger scale, and it is truly a hidden gem. If you are looking for a new romance author to send you into a whirlwind of emotion, then look no further than My Lea. The best books are those that tantalize your emotions so much that they change you, and this book is certainly among them.
May 25, 2016
*The author was kind enough to send me a digital copy of My Lea in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a fast paced love story with dual perspectives. Two things I really appreciate the author for is her ability to present culture clash effectively (speaking from experience, I found it EXTREMELY relatable) and her ability to present a novel in dual perspective properly. Both the voices were different & unique-very important qualities of novels in dual perspective.
Moreover, I felt like both characters went through a tremendous amount of character development. At the start of the book, I was doubtful of it but my God, was I wrong. They ended up as entirely different people by the end of the book.
There were minor grammatical errors which, in my honest opinion, did not effect my journey as a reader.
Furthermore, the first half of the book was really fun. I was sort of let down by the pacing of the romance which, for my taste, was a bit fast. The second part, though, was amazing. It was darker and that very darkness helped the characters develop and change as people. I will admit that a certain plot twist is controversial and that's why I'm still confused about whether or not I should support Lea's decisions. (I mean I understand how it's all explainable but, looking at facts by themselves...is it justifiable?)
More importantly, readers should take the trigger warning (given in the description) seriously as it contains content which sensitive readers (as myself) may find disturbing.
In conclusion, it was a great read and I'd recommend it to any mature reader looking for a fast paced romance.
This is a fast paced love story with dual perspectives. Two things I really appreciate the author for is her ability to present culture clash effectively (speaking from experience, I found it EXTREMELY relatable) and her ability to present a novel in dual perspective properly. Both the voices were different & unique-very important qualities of novels in dual perspective.
Moreover, I felt like both characters went through a tremendous amount of character development. At the start of the book, I was doubtful of it but my God, was I wrong. They ended up as entirely different people by the end of the book.
There were minor grammatical errors which, in my honest opinion, did not effect my journey as a reader.
Furthermore, the first half of the book was really fun. I was sort of let down by the pacing of the romance which, for my taste, was a bit fast. The second part, though, was amazing. It was darker and that very darkness helped the characters develop and change as people. I will admit that a certain plot twist is controversial and that's why I'm still confused about whether or not I should support Lea's decisions. (I mean I understand how it's all explainable but, looking at facts by themselves...is it justifiable?)
More importantly, readers should take the trigger warning (given in the description) seriously as it contains content which sensitive readers (as myself) may find disturbing.
In conclusion, it was a great read and I'd recommend it to any mature reader looking for a fast paced romance.
December 19, 2014
Rating 1.5
Possibly the worse book I have read till now. I must say that I was actually very excited to read the story after reading the plot and seeing the awesome cover but then I got my hopes too high and get disappointed. . . . like a lot.
The male lead was really disturbing and irritating. At first the story started out really good but then the events as they turned out, my interest was lost. At a point, I left the story and started a new book with the intention of never finishing it. But then I thought of doing it and I read it till the end by skipping pages.
The male lead and his past was unclear and it wasn't interesting enough to keep the reader interested. Too many things in the story which I didn't like including:
Possibly the worse book I have read till now. I must say that I was actually very excited to read the story after reading the plot and seeing the awesome cover but then I got my hopes too high and get disappointed. . . . like a lot.
The male lead was really disturbing and irritating. At first the story started out really good but then the events as they turned out, my interest was lost. At a point, I left the story and started a new book with the intention of never finishing it. But then I thought of doing it and I read it till the end by skipping pages.
The male lead and his past was unclear and it wasn't interesting enough to keep the reader interested. Too many things in the story which I didn't like including:
March 26, 2016
* I received this book in an exchange for an honest review.
A story full of ups and downs of the two main characters - Andrew and Lea. It contains a heart breaking accident and Andrew's past that keeps his demons attached. A plotline that is most definitely worth all my time.
I love all the characters in the story. Most of them are Indonesians that are living in San Fransisco, US so it is very different than anything you have ever read (i think). They too are all so vibrant and full of diversity. I love how strong Lea is through hardships and how straightforward she is most of the time. Andrew can be a really pain in the ass at times - cocky at his best but also sweet and gentle when it comes to Lea. He definitely keeps up a faćade in front of everyone else.
Have I mentioned yet how amazing the plotline is? Let me tell you again, then. It is amazing! It makes you want to keep on reading and leaving all your necessities and worries behind.
I definitely recommend this book! A five star out of five! Okay, that's all now. I'm off to read the sequel, I Won't Break.
A story full of ups and downs of the two main characters - Andrew and Lea. It contains a heart breaking accident and Andrew's past that keeps his demons attached. A plotline that is most definitely worth all my time.
I love all the characters in the story. Most of them are Indonesians that are living in San Fransisco, US so it is very different than anything you have ever read (i think). They too are all so vibrant and full of diversity. I love how strong Lea is through hardships and how straightforward she is most of the time. Andrew can be a really pain in the ass at times - cocky at his best but also sweet and gentle when it comes to Lea. He definitely keeps up a faćade in front of everyone else.
Have I mentioned yet how amazing the plotline is? Let me tell you again, then. It is amazing! It makes you want to keep on reading and leaving all your necessities and worries behind.
I definitely recommend this book! A five star out of five! Okay, that's all now. I'm off to read the sequel, I Won't Break.
July 21, 2016
Loved this book!
The story starts with a witty, bubbly, funny atmosphere, and then you meet heart gripping, nerve wrecking, down spiralling chaos. Part monstrous, part sublime. The thing is I loved it.
Loved the writing style, the characters, even the secondary ones, and especially the kissing elephant. There was a bonus for me because most of the characters belong to a different culture from mine and it was refreshing, like getting to know new friends. There is an intricate rythm through the prose and I just couldn't put it down.
There is a great deal of real suffering and pain. Life threw lemons like hell in here, to Lea and Andrew, and sugar had to chemically rearrange itself in order for things to work, in an unexpected way, I must say.
Knowing there is a sequel I have a heartache already but I will definitely read it. I just need to recover first.
The story starts with a witty, bubbly, funny atmosphere, and then you meet heart gripping, nerve wrecking, down spiralling chaos. Part monstrous, part sublime. The thing is I loved it.
Loved the writing style, the characters, even the secondary ones, and especially the kissing elephant. There was a bonus for me because most of the characters belong to a different culture from mine and it was refreshing, like getting to know new friends. There is an intricate rythm through the prose and I just couldn't put it down.
There is a great deal of real suffering and pain. Life threw lemons like hell in here, to Lea and Andrew, and sugar had to chemically rearrange itself in order for things to work, in an unexpected way, I must say.
Knowing there is a sequel I have a heartache already but I will definitely read it. I just need to recover first.
August 5, 2016
This is the most emotional book I had ever read... until I read it's sequel 'I Won't Break'.
I laughed out loud at the cute humour. I smiled and sighed at the most beautiful love. I sobbed with grief through the trauma. And then I gasped in awe at the immense power of forgiveness.
At times I could not put it down, and then I had to put it down in order to process the power of emotion E. Mellyberry's word-art had produced in me. Sometimes I was afraid to pick it up again, but I had to.
I learned so much about the culture of Indonesia, and the incredibly complicated cultural interface between east and west. This aspect of the story was woven intricately throughout the plot so at no time did it feel like a lesson, but was beautifully revealed as a new awareness and appreciation.
'My Lea', and it's sequel 'I Won't Break' are not goodreads. They are MUST reads.
I laughed out loud at the cute humour. I smiled and sighed at the most beautiful love. I sobbed with grief through the trauma. And then I gasped in awe at the immense power of forgiveness.
At times I could not put it down, and then I had to put it down in order to process the power of emotion E. Mellyberry's word-art had produced in me. Sometimes I was afraid to pick it up again, but I had to.
I learned so much about the culture of Indonesia, and the incredibly complicated cultural interface between east and west. This aspect of the story was woven intricately throughout the plot so at no time did it feel like a lesson, but was beautifully revealed as a new awareness and appreciation.
'My Lea', and it's sequel 'I Won't Break' are not goodreads. They are MUST reads.
February 6, 2015
I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me read it!
Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I only got part way into it before I decided that I didn't want to go on. I started this with high hopes but I just couldn't get into it. The writing didn't pull me in, and I couldn't connect with the characters. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book, and it seems like you either love this book or like me can't connect it.
If you're thinking of this book then I would say give it a go, it might be the right book for you. But for me I just didn't enjoy it.
Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I only got part way into it before I decided that I didn't want to go on. I started this with high hopes but I just couldn't get into it. The writing didn't pull me in, and I couldn't connect with the characters. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book, and it seems like you either love this book or like me can't connect it.
If you're thinking of this book then I would say give it a go, it might be the right book for you. But for me I just didn't enjoy it.
January 14, 2015
I didn't really enjoy this book at all but I did enjoy some parts of it. The main parts that I did enjoy were the characters and how they interacted together. They were so well written and were well rounded to help the story out. However, I got bored about half way through it and it was pretty hard for me to get through the book itself. All in All I gave it 4 stars.
July 19, 2017
Extremely well written and with excellent characterization.
December 3, 2020
Broken love - a perfect description
The clarity and honesty of the author's narrative makes her characters seem three dimensional, like they might only hide in the pages of her book when readers look for them there, but the remainder of the time they are actual people living in the world, even in the city nearby. This excellent story shows how good can come out the bad decisions we make, growth from brokenness, and hope from despair. The pain in the book is deep, and the harm done cannot be swept away, but hope exists for Andrew and Lea. The supporting characters are also strong, believable, and integral to the plot, especially Theo in his gentle caring and acceptance of differences. This book is highly recommended.
The clarity and honesty of the author's narrative makes her characters seem three dimensional, like they might only hide in the pages of her book when readers look for them there, but the remainder of the time they are actual people living in the world, even in the city nearby. This excellent story shows how good can come out the bad decisions we make, growth from brokenness, and hope from despair. The pain in the book is deep, and the harm done cannot be swept away, but hope exists for Andrew and Lea. The supporting characters are also strong, believable, and integral to the plot, especially Theo in his gentle caring and acceptance of differences. This book is highly recommended.
October 5, 2023
Wow! M. Night Shyamalan would be proud of a twist like that! Cannot wait to read the second book, hanging on tenterhooks here. The two things that I love most about this book is number one that it reminded me of my first interactions with love and other drugs lol [pun intended.] number two plot twist was so unexpected, I love it. The cliffhanger, however, is tickling my anxiety, so I guess I’m gonna have to buy the second book right now 😅
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