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Reality #1
In Reality
Ellery Walker wants to avoid reality, or at least her mother's version of it.
Her family 'stars' on the hit reality TV show Life With the Walkers and Ellery despises every moment of it.
Seeking escape she hides herself away at a community college, hoping to live peacefully as an anonymous student. When her plan backfires and her identity is revealed she has an entirely new set of problems to deal with.
Sean Dixon is trouble, why else would the entire student body avoid him? His appearance doesn't help matters. He's tall, dark, silent and tattooed, there is no doubt he's as dangerous as he seems. right?
When a slip of paper throws these two together, both their 'realities' become entwined and in the end, there is no way for them to untangle.
Will they even want to?
Her family 'stars' on the hit reality TV show Life With the Walkers and Ellery despises every moment of it.
Seeking escape she hides herself away at a community college, hoping to live peacefully as an anonymous student. When her plan backfires and her identity is revealed she has an entirely new set of problems to deal with.
Sean Dixon is trouble, why else would the entire student body avoid him? His appearance doesn't help matters. He's tall, dark, silent and tattooed, there is no doubt he's as dangerous as he seems. right?
When a slip of paper throws these two together, both their 'realities' become entwined and in the end, there is no way for them to untangle.
Will they even want to?
Published February 26, 2018
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 21, 2018
I hate to do this especially to a new an upcoming author. I had so much hope for this one. I love the cover, I love the summary. I even enjoyed parts of the novel. I can see Murrison growing as an author, but I felt that this book was a bit unfinished.
Ellery and Sean as characters started out superbly, but I felt by the end they weren’t the same people. It would have made sense for them to have changed so much, but it was as if the moments were missed or overall not strong enough to support the growth they made.
Everything seemed rushed and garbled. The plot just didn’t seem to be completed, I felt as though I missed a lot of the story with a quick explanation of why this of this or that happened.
I do think this has potential, I did find it intriguing. I loved that we had a star who want to just be a regular person. Diana (Ellery’s roommate) fantastic. Simon aka Si (Sean’s brother) was a unique character with his background and upbringing, but his action seemed to be like an afterthought. I found some of the relationship to be odd for the Walker family. But, what can I say people would probably think my family is odd as well.
Overall I don’t think I would reread this book unless it went through an overhaul.
To read more reviews by me check out https://shealwaysreads.com/
Ellery and Sean as characters started out superbly, but I felt by the end they weren’t the same people. It would have made sense for them to have changed so much, but it was as if the moments were missed or overall not strong enough to support the growth they made.
Everything seemed rushed and garbled. The plot just didn’t seem to be completed, I felt as though I missed a lot of the story with a quick explanation of why this of this or that happened.
I do think this has potential, I did find it intriguing. I loved that we had a star who want to just be a regular person. Diana (Ellery’s roommate) fantastic. Simon aka Si (Sean’s brother) was a unique character with his background and upbringing, but his action seemed to be like an afterthought. I found some of the relationship to be odd for the Walker family. But, what can I say people would probably think my family is odd as well.
Overall I don’t think I would reread this book unless it went through an overhaul.
To read more reviews by me check out https://shealwaysreads.com/
June 2, 2018
"I held onto him as if he was the only anchor to reality I had left."
THOUGHTS
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review; thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This in no way sways my review or opinion of the novel.
In Murrison's new adult romance novella, Ellery and Sean's abundantly different realities come crashing into one another as fate intertwines them. To escape her reality, Ellery takes on her own big adventure - postgraduate education. Trying to hide her identity, Ellery wishes to live a normal life like everyone else...but fate has no such plans for her, for she meets the "bad boy" Sean Dixon and becomes involved in so much more than she anticipated.
A coming of age novel that highlights on a number of subjects we face in our world today, Murrison's story is a loving tale about forgiveness, family bonds, overcoming trials, and unconditional love.
THE PROS
Lovable & Interesting Characters
Character oriented readers will be happy to know that Murrison's novel is STRONGLY focused on the characters and their progression throughout the story. Additionally, the characters are likable and memorable. Ellery is absolutely adorable, one that us clumsy and shy individuals can easily relate to. Sean, the second main protagonist, is rather charming and driven; his ambitions and strive to battle through his trials are rarely found in society. The characters all had very unique personal stories and backgrounds; this made it really hard to put the book down, since I wanted to uncover their pasts so fast!
Compelling Plot
After reading the synopsis, it's hard to NOT want to give Murrison's novel a try. Two main protagonists living in VERY different "realities" coming together and seeing each others hidden secrets and pasts unfold...what's not to love about that? The story also just kept on giving, moving from one momentous event to the next. What I enjoyed is Murrison didn't paint Ellery's famous family as villains simply because they're famous, giving them a rather interesting story; however, she also doesn't neglect to highlight on the luxuries they have due to their fame.
Explores Sensitive Topics
Gender identity and exploration, interracial relationships, domestic abuse, assault, cyber-bullying, invasion of privacy...these are just a handful of the topics explored in this novel. There's a need for literature to continue touching upon these topics, both to rid (or at least reduce) the world of discrimination and for future generations to look back and learn from our mistakes. Exploring so many topics helps more readers to connect with the novel, for most will have experienced at least one of the many discussed issues.
THE WOES
Unembellished Plot & Simplistic Writing Style
Though the plot is intriguing, it fell through about two chapters into the novella. The writing's so simplistic that it felt parts of the story were missing. A number of jumps in the story occurred when their could've been more content, making Murrison's story feel incomplete. Additionally, the MAJOR story reveals (and I mean some pretty dark stuff) about characters and other events fell short as well. Murrison would provide this epic revelation, then simply dismiss it or have it QUICKLY resolved...I was left flabbergasted. There was A LOT happening in a less than 200 page novel, which may explain the rushed nature of the writing. If Murrison added an extra 150 pages or so, the story may have been more "fleshed out".
Character Development = Way Too Quick
In my personal opinion, character development should be gradual, allowing the readers to slowly see the changes of the characters throughout the novel. However, it was incredibly fast and felt like an overload of information, especially when there are a number of characters with "hidden and mysterious" pasts to unfold. Furthermore, the characters actually felt as though they didn't fully reflect themselves anymore; there were statements and action made by characters that completely went against how they appeared at the beginning.
Not Enough Dialogue
The balance between descriptive narrative and dialogue was very unbalanced, making it more difficult to connect with the story. There are a number of sections where the narration will state: "Ellery told [BLANK] how she felt". For me, I'd rather read the actual dialogue that happens between the two to feel the tension and emotion in that portion of the novel.
Instalove...TO THE MAX!
There's instalove...and then there's INSTALOVE TO THE MAX! It felt incredibly unrealistic. Ellery and Sean are an adorable couple, yet their relationship moved way too quickly. Sean's character has a rather dark past, which made Ellery's desire to move forward with him so quickly a SHOCK. Not only this, but their willingness to divulge into their secrets and personal trials within the first few chapters of the story felt incredibly rushed...making it really hard to take the relationship seriously.
Numerous Spelling Mistakes, Grammatical Errors, and POV Changes
Though my grammar and spelling mistakes are FAR from perfect in my reviews and throughout other parts of my life (probably in this review now...), the issue still stands that Murrison's novella requires a wealth of further editing. Every single page has a minimum of one spelling or grammatical error, if not more. The grammatical errors actually made it hard to read. There were sentences I had to re-read multiple times before I could grasp what was happening...the use of a comma is a beautiful thing! I also received an ARC, so the changes may have changed before it was published. The point of view narration also was rather odd. I didn't notice until halfway through, but Ellery's POV is first person, whereas Sean's is in third person...I personally wasn't a fan of this.
OVERALL
A truly adorable novella, Murrison's In Reality is an easy read that highlights on the struggles of young love in addition to focusing on a number of "real life issues" people face today. Even with the grammatical errors and the "incomplete" feeling, Murrison's Reality series has great potential and a number of compelling elements. If you're looking for a fast read with quirky characters and a memorable love story, Murrison's novella may be for you.
Spoiler Free
THOUGHTS
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review; thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel. This in no way sways my review or opinion of the novel.
In Murrison's new adult romance novella, Ellery and Sean's abundantly different realities come crashing into one another as fate intertwines them. To escape her reality, Ellery takes on her own big adventure - postgraduate education. Trying to hide her identity, Ellery wishes to live a normal life like everyone else...but fate has no such plans for her, for she meets the "bad boy" Sean Dixon and becomes involved in so much more than she anticipated.
A coming of age novel that highlights on a number of subjects we face in our world today, Murrison's story is a loving tale about forgiveness, family bonds, overcoming trials, and unconditional love.
THE PROS
Lovable & Interesting Characters
Character oriented readers will be happy to know that Murrison's novel is STRONGLY focused on the characters and their progression throughout the story. Additionally, the characters are likable and memorable. Ellery is absolutely adorable, one that us clumsy and shy individuals can easily relate to. Sean, the second main protagonist, is rather charming and driven; his ambitions and strive to battle through his trials are rarely found in society. The characters all had very unique personal stories and backgrounds; this made it really hard to put the book down, since I wanted to uncover their pasts so fast!
Compelling Plot
After reading the synopsis, it's hard to NOT want to give Murrison's novel a try. Two main protagonists living in VERY different "realities" coming together and seeing each others hidden secrets and pasts unfold...what's not to love about that? The story also just kept on giving, moving from one momentous event to the next. What I enjoyed is Murrison didn't paint Ellery's famous family as villains simply because they're famous, giving them a rather interesting story; however, she also doesn't neglect to highlight on the luxuries they have due to their fame.
Explores Sensitive Topics
Gender identity and exploration, interracial relationships, domestic abuse, assault, cyber-bullying, invasion of privacy...these are just a handful of the topics explored in this novel. There's a need for literature to continue touching upon these topics, both to rid (or at least reduce) the world of discrimination and for future generations to look back and learn from our mistakes. Exploring so many topics helps more readers to connect with the novel, for most will have experienced at least one of the many discussed issues.
THE WOES
Unembellished Plot & Simplistic Writing Style
Though the plot is intriguing, it fell through about two chapters into the novella. The writing's so simplistic that it felt parts of the story were missing. A number of jumps in the story occurred when their could've been more content, making Murrison's story feel incomplete. Additionally, the MAJOR story reveals (and I mean some pretty dark stuff) about characters and other events fell short as well. Murrison would provide this epic revelation, then simply dismiss it or have it QUICKLY resolved...I was left flabbergasted. There was A LOT happening in a less than 200 page novel, which may explain the rushed nature of the writing. If Murrison added an extra 150 pages or so, the story may have been more "fleshed out".
Character Development = Way Too Quick
In my personal opinion, character development should be gradual, allowing the readers to slowly see the changes of the characters throughout the novel. However, it was incredibly fast and felt like an overload of information, especially when there are a number of characters with "hidden and mysterious" pasts to unfold. Furthermore, the characters actually felt as though they didn't fully reflect themselves anymore; there were statements and action made by characters that completely went against how they appeared at the beginning.
Not Enough Dialogue
The balance between descriptive narrative and dialogue was very unbalanced, making it more difficult to connect with the story. There are a number of sections where the narration will state: "Ellery told [BLANK] how she felt". For me, I'd rather read the actual dialogue that happens between the two to feel the tension and emotion in that portion of the novel.
Instalove...TO THE MAX!
There's instalove...and then there's INSTALOVE TO THE MAX! It felt incredibly unrealistic. Ellery and Sean are an adorable couple, yet their relationship moved way too quickly. Sean's character has a rather dark past, which made Ellery's desire to move forward with him so quickly a SHOCK. Not only this, but their willingness to divulge into their secrets and personal trials within the first few chapters of the story felt incredibly rushed...making it really hard to take the relationship seriously.
Numerous Spelling Mistakes, Grammatical Errors, and POV Changes
Though my grammar and spelling mistakes are FAR from perfect in my reviews and throughout other parts of my life (probably in this review now...), the issue still stands that Murrison's novella requires a wealth of further editing. Every single page has a minimum of one spelling or grammatical error, if not more. The grammatical errors actually made it hard to read. There were sentences I had to re-read multiple times before I could grasp what was happening...the use of a comma is a beautiful thing! I also received an ARC, so the changes may have changed before it was published. The point of view narration also was rather odd. I didn't notice until halfway through, but Ellery's POV is first person, whereas Sean's is in third person...I personally wasn't a fan of this.
OVERALL
A truly adorable novella, Murrison's In Reality is an easy read that highlights on the struggles of young love in addition to focusing on a number of "real life issues" people face today. Even with the grammatical errors and the "incomplete" feeling, Murrison's Reality series has great potential and a number of compelling elements. If you're looking for a fast read with quirky characters and a memorable love story, Murrison's novella may be for you.
March 4, 2018
Real Rating: 4.5 Stars
I added this book as to-read back in 2017, back then the author had it to be released later that year. I was a bit bummed when it didn't come out, but I am so glad to see that it has and I am happy to say that I have completed it. Luckily it was available on kindle unlimited!
This book was a unique concept, I really like Simon's character I am dying to know more about him!
I may add to this review later, I hope this book comes out in audio as well!
I added this book as to-read back in 2017, back then the author had it to be released later that year. I was a bit bummed when it didn't come out, but I am so glad to see that it has and I am happy to say that I have completed it. Luckily it was available on kindle unlimited!
This book was a unique concept, I really like Simon's character I am dying to know more about him!
I may add to this review later, I hope this book comes out in audio as well!
May 4, 2018
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review (Making Connections group).
I really liked this book. And I couldn't put it down even to eat dinner. I kept reading while eating.
Elle was a good girl, really sweet and nice. And smart. She didn't let people influence her opinion on Sean and actually wanted to know the real story from him.
I really liked Sean, he was really sweet, although a bit introvert and scared maybe.
I also liked Diana, Simon and Jasper and even Nate.
The story was cute and I enjoyed reading it. But the ending felt a bit rushed. I wonder if there will be a sequel. Maybe for Nate's story?
I really liked this book. And I couldn't put it down even to eat dinner. I kept reading while eating.
Elle was a good girl, really sweet and nice. And smart. She didn't let people influence her opinion on Sean and actually wanted to know the real story from him.
I really liked Sean, he was really sweet, although a bit introvert and scared maybe.
I also liked Diana, Simon and Jasper and even Nate.
The story was cute and I enjoyed reading it. But the ending felt a bit rushed. I wonder if there will be a sequel. Maybe for Nate's story?
March 18, 2018
I am not giving you a five star rating just because we are you.... you know lol, but because the concept is really unique and I enjoyed the character development. the issue then climax then resolution was realistic and I enjoyed your writing style.
looking forward to reading more of your work in the future
looking forward to reading more of your work in the future
May 12, 2018
I want to start by saying that I did like this book. I enjoyed the characters and over all it was a pleasant read but it felt a bit rushed to me, particularly at the end. It was mostly engaging but there were times I nearly didn’t read on (although I’m glad I did!) despite this I would definitely recommend it to other people for a 'take your mind off your own problems' kind of read.
February 12, 2022
Finally, I am proud to bring you my debut novel In Reality
-If you are a blogger, please feel free to request an ARC
-If you are a blogger, please feel free to request an ARC
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews