Review: Sweet Oblivion by Bailey Ardisone

Synopsis:

When two worlds collide, nightmares become reality. And some secrets...are best kept in Oblivion.
...Until there is hope.

Have you ever wanted to forget? Nariella Woodlinn has. Many times. Especially when her already frustrating life gets turned upside down by a mysterious boy who randomly shows up in her small town. And she can't seem to understand anything about him, despite how much she tries.
​Nari hates everything about her life, except for her best friend Rydan, but now that they've been separated during their senior year of high school, she has to learn to make new friends without him. When strange, unexplainable phenomena start becoming an every day part of her life, Nari struggles to come to grips with reality. And with love.

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Naminé has responsibilities. Duties. It is her obligation to fulfill all that is asked of her by their King. But when a glimmer of hope is introduced to her by a prisoner she tends to, it means life or death for her and her people. She does all that she can to turn that hope into reality, and finally end the vicious war that has been ensuing since she was born. Even if that means keeping it secret from her King. Even if it means carrying out the biggest betrayal against the King ever seen during her time.
​
She has hope. She will fulfill her duty. She will not let her people down.

Sweet Escape, the second book in the Sweet Series, is coming to you July 25th, 2013!

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My Review

Nariella has a hard life. Hated and beaten by her father she finds solace in the one person that has always been there for her, Rydan. With the knowledge that her best friend will be attending a different school, Nariella accepts the fact that her last year of high school will suck. But with newcomers Zaylie and Desmond her year is looking up and her school year is off to a good start. Then Mycah shows up and throws her life into complete chaos.

Namine lives in fear for her family, for herself and for the kingdom. But there is hope and she is the only one who can bring that hope home. And Namine will do anything to make that happen, even if it means betraying her king.

Sweet Oblivion is a wonderful foundation for what promises to be a 'Sweet' series. (pun totally intended). It is so full of twists and turns that it is almost impossible to see which way Bailey Ardisone is going to take the story next. The story of both the above girls unfolds simultaneously with just enough speed to make you pull out your hair in frustration for not getting the answers you desire. I know at one point I wanted to throttle author Bailey Ardisone for keeping so many secrets from me.

And boy do secrets abound in Sweet Oblivion. Especially when it comes to the tall, dark, and overly mysterious Mycah Condie. But he isn't the only one keeping secrets. It seems that everyone in this story has something they want to keep hidden. Nariella wants to keep her heart hidden, Rydan hides anything personal, Mycah hides...well everything and Namine hides her mission--only the biggest piece of information!

But Mycah's secrets probably wreak the most havoc though. With Mycah's mysterious appearance in Nariella's life not only has she been in more danger then ever before, both physically and emotionally, but Mycah and his mysterious ways are putting a rift between her and her best friend.

Despite all the secrets Mycah is hiding, Nariella is thinking about ditching her life rule, never fall for a boy, ever! She is also thinking about opening herself up to him in a way that she has never done before, but when she goes to share her special place with him her world completely falls apart. Secrets get revealed, lives change and you go what the hell? Did that just freaking happen? And by the time you realize it actually happened it's over, but it has only just begun.

I seriously love the mystery of the entire story. Bailey Ardisone did an excellent job of keeping the truth of what was going on until the very end. As you slowly unraveled the story you couldn't help but fall in love with her characters. Nariella who's life sucks and just wants to get through her senior year, Rydan the mysterious and sexy best friend who is always there for Nariella, to the easy to like Zaylie and Desmond who give the book that needed real feel and of course the always mysterious, sexy and dangerous Mycah; that can't help but fall for the girl he swore to stay away from, a girl he can't stop saving. Each of the characters in this story has something for you to like and it is easy to fall in love with all of them. And to add a couple *cough* Mycah and Rydan *cough* to your book boyfriend list! ;)

I like to think of Sweet Oblivion as leaving a trail of breadcrumbs to awesome things to come. Each of the secrets held, lies told, and mysterious and unexplained things is just one more crumb that will lead you on a twisty, suspenseful, lovable, and sweet thrill ride with many more incredible things in the wings.

"Is this becoming a habit? You rescuing me?" I breathed. He grinned at the ground, a gesture I found completely adorable and endearing. But then he slowly looked up into my eyes, smile melting away, and said, "I think it's more of an addiction." (kindle, loc. 1644). 

This right there is just one of the reasons that Mycah got added to my book boyfriend list. Seriously swoon worthy!