The Hit List

Overall, I found The Hit List to be a great debut read! This book has made me dig up my copy of Centre Stage and re-watch it. This is definitely a book I will be re-reading again sometime soon, I only wish that it was a series instead of a standalone. Would I recommend The Hist List? Yes! Have you seen the two teasers I included? Doesn't think make you curious? If so, pick up this book!

Full review can be found on my blog!

I'm not now nor have I ever been a dancer. I don't have the body type OR the coordination required. But no matter, I am obsessed with dancing. So many of my guilty pleasure movies and TV shows are based around dance and dancers. I've seen Center Stage and all the Step Up movies hundreds of times. I never miss So You Think You Can Dance. I've read a fair few dance books, and while I enjoyed them at the time, none of them really stood out. Until now, that is. I've been eagerly anticipating The Hit List since a friend featured it as her Waiting on Wednesday post a few months ago. It SO lived up to my expectations.

The Hit List was a great, fast read. While I admit it was the combination of dance and "the game" that initially drew me to this book, it was the wonderful characters and their development that sucked me in the most. Sadie and Luke were great main characters, but there were some fantastic secondary characters in this story as well. I would love to see The Hit List turned into a series that tells different characters' stories in each new book. There's so much potential here with the other characters. I'm already hooked on them. I'd be thrilled to get the others' stories. (Starting with Brielle and Adam, of course.)

I was a fan of the thought of Sadie and Luke from the first time they set eyes on each other. Yes, I was a little weary of Luke and his outward image and reputation. Sure, I hoped he wasn't just playing with Sadie for the sake of the game. But damn, the boy was swoony. He was pushing her out of her comfort zone and challenging her to be a better dancer. He was supportive. I mean, he had his jerky moments, but I was willing to look past them because I was sure there was more to him than met the eye. Sadie was a great protagonist. She was real. She was flawed. But, at the same time, she's someone I could see myself being friends with.

I'm a fan of the new adult genre and all the things that come with it. Yes, I'm talking angst and sexy times here. The Hit List might have been fairly low on both the angst and blatant sexy times, but the sexual tension is incredible. Sadie and Luke have tons of chemistry and, even when they try to fight it, it jumps off the page. So good. It's also big on feels, and that alone made me love it. I was completely connected to these characters and definitely felt all the feels. If you're a contemporary romance fan and this book isn't yet on your radar (and your TBR list!) it should be.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Hit List, thank you to Spencer Hill Contemporary for providing me with a review copy.

Characters: Sadie came across as a bit of a loner, I felt extremely sorry for her but she pushed people away unnecessarily. Her mother was a real piece of work! & I liked the past snippets of her time with her former boyfriend/dance partner Patrick. I was wary of Luke and his womanising initially, I felt it was over the top too much but I enjoyed his character progression, side characters Brielle and Adam were written well.

The storyline: We follow Sadie as she moves from NY to LA to pursue her passion for dance, we also learn about the Hit List which was a little far fetched but it was interesting none the less, I was certainly very shocked by the person and the reasoning behind it.

The Romance: a lot of tension, miscommunications and some drama but they also had great chemistry and some wonderfully sweet moments.

The writing: Engaging and kept me flipping through the pages, this book was a quick read for me. I love everything to do with dance and this aspect was written very well, you could almost envision the characters movements and choreography, beautiful descriptive details. I will definitely read more books written by Nikki Urang..

I received a copy of The Hit List from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

“Not everyone leaves in the end. Sometimes you just have to give people a chance. Give them a reason to stay.”

The Hit List really surprised me, in a very good way. At first I thought it was going to be a contemp more on the silly side once I started reading and found about about “the hit list”, which is a list of girls that guys in school can earn points for scoring with. Yeah, not something I would normally be interested in reading about. But I was so happily surprised as I read more into the story how much more this story really was. It wasn’t simply regarding this game (thankfully!), but it was so much more than that. It focused quite a bit on dance, also carrying with it a strong message about staying strong, overcoming obstacles, and being the best YOU you can be.

Sadie dealt with inner struggles that were interfering with her dream – becoming a professional dancer. She was lucky enough to get into an amazing school that specialized in dance, one that only the BEST were able to get into, yet she found herself so overcome by fear that it took away from her performance. You see, she had this overwhelming fear that everyone would leave her, eventually. An incident in the past with her ex-boyfriend left her completely unable to trust anyway, including a dance partner. And wouldn’t you know it… the school required the big dance performance to be done in partners. And to make matters ever worse… her partner was the conceited, overly self-assured “player” of the school, Luke Morrison.

“I think I just contracted an STD from all the manwhoreness pouring off of you right now.”

Sadie and Luke are forced to work together as partners, which neither one was very happy about. As the story progresses their relationship changes, adding more confusion and drama to the story. Add in a few of their friends and this story is outright funny at times. Definitely entertaining and fun, for the most part. Though the beginning was a bit slow, it did end up picking up as the story progressed, and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would to begin with. The “hit list” story line took a backseat to the dance part, which I found rather enjoyable. I was surprised by who the “bad guy” ended up being, which was a fun little shocker for me that gave the story another few points, in my opinion.

Overall, an entertaining read that I would definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for that type of thing. Especially to fans of dance, as I felt this story portrayed it extremely accurately. Nikki Urang is a new author for me, one that I will be sure to keep my eyes out for in the future.

(Thanks to Spencer Hill Contemporary for the review copy!)

I wanted to read The Hit List because I am drawn to books about dancers. I have never done it, but I guess that is a lot of little kids' dreams. Then I read about the list, which is giving guys anonymitiy to sleep with or otherwise score with girls. I haven't read anything quite like it and I knew it could lead to some hard core emotions and heart break.

The main character, Sadie, has just transferred to LA after an injury with her ballet partner and ex-boyfriend. She has a lot pain inside and trust issues now. While the scene of dancing and that special bond you get from working with the same person for years, dancing with bodies aligned and the chemistry, I could definitely relate with her pain and fear of trusting again. She wants a new start, but the magazine article that was written about her and Patrick is the first thing to shadow her. Then the teachers drop the bomb shell that instead of individuals performing for the prestigious Fall Show, everyone will be auditioning and if accepted, dancing with a partner.

The Hit List made me and Sadie question all of the guys. I knew that only 12 were playing according to their numbers, but it casts suspicion on any guy that talks to her or asks her out. She has no intentions of putting her heart out there. But she is paired with known player and flirt, Luke. He is so frustrating-- he can be patient, sweet and attentive one minute, and then the next ignoring her or finding yet another new girl to flirt with, But as Sadie has panic attacks as Luke gets to close while dancing, we get to see the side of Luke that not many others do. He works to gain her trust, and Sadie's attraction to hot bad boy only grows and it confuses her.

So, besides the romance, I also like the friendship. Her roommate Brielle and token gay friend Adam both hang out with her, hoping to draw her out and let her have an outlet as well as convincing her to have some fun. But I do appreciate the realism that although she goes out occasionally she puts so much focus, intensity and time into practicing and keeping up her talent. Now, I know that for story purposes there has to be other conflicts going on to help the plot, but some aren't very realistic in how much time you actually have to put into classes and practices to get and maintain talent to be at a ballet school.

Honestly, it did get a little too angsty at times, and I know that its the emotion coming out, and her fear, but she does say she's giving up too easy. I like that the teachers just mostly try to avoid and ignore the drama, telling her to take a water break and get right back to it instead of getting mad or taking a moment of weakness to seriously.

I liked the ending, and I never would have guessed who was behind the lists. As far as that it did feel a little rushed and that forgiveness or justifying it without repercussions was a little hard to be okay with. But I liked where Sadie ended up, how she grew as well as getting to know the other side of Luke.

Bottom Line: Good drama and romantic tension

The Hit List was a superb book! Well written and packed with rich details that YAs and NAs can relate to, it was certainly not dull.

About the Characters:
- Sadie was a troubled survivor who was searching for her own version of balance. Dancing was her center. It was her salvation. It was her everything. Her home life was dysfunctional, her ex served as a ghost of betrayal who haunted her, and her new position at the Conservatory was shaky at best. She struggled with all of relationships due to trust issues. But when Luke attracted her attention, it was hard for her to remain unaffected.

- Luke was a totally mesmerizing character. He was complex and difficult to figure out in the beginning and yet as the story progressed, he grew on me. Upon first meeting him, he came across as a bit cocky. It was like he was so sure of himself. As the story moved forward, however, he demonstrated his sensitivity and deep feelings about many things. It made me better understand him. His Hit List status was always a shadow that loomed over his head when it came to Sadie. Up until the list was revealed, I just didn't know about him.

- Brielle was a drama mama. She seemed like a mix of stable and unstable at the same time. I had several thoughts about her. One minute she seemed jealous of Sadie and in the next minute, she seemed like she wanted to protect Sadie from the world. She was fiesty and confident one moment and in the next, she came across as paranoid and flighty. It was obvious that she had her own trust issues and acted in extreme ways to get attention and to bandage something that was broken.

- Adam was an old soul who lived in a young male body. He was fiercely loyal to his friends, he was a playful partner to Sadie and Brielle, and he was a quiet (sort of quiet) observer. I liked him.

- Brandon was a douche. He was an arrogant arse who deserved what he got.

- In general, I must say that the overall group of characters in this book came across like high schoolers. It was like 90210, the college years, in a sense. I found some of the characters (many of them) to be petty, selfish, dense, spoiled, and clueless. I also found some of them to be passionate, emotional, talented, committed, and driven. It was definitely a hot pot of tea!

About the List and Other Things: The whole concept of the Hit List was disgustingly entertaining. It was ridiculous and captivating. It was strangely understandable, especially when considering a NA storyline. I seriously got it. It was like a real thing.

The transition from young adulthood to new adulthood is the time of experimentation, it's the time of finding out who you are, it's the time of being challenged, and it's the time of "opening your nose" for many, so I totally got where the author was coming from. Her themes in this book reminded me of college...where, at least on my campus, there was an unspoken list that everyone knew about. Freshmen girls were considered "fresh meat." It was sickening, but as I said before, it was a real thing.

In this NA story, I liked how the author painted her picture. It was colorful and chaotic but it came across like a thing of organized and unpredictable beauty. I was intrigued by every aspect of her masterpiece.

Rating: 4/5 Recommend: Yes Audience: NA/YA (older)
Status: This book contains some profanity, sexual references, and adult themes.
Chemisty/Intensity: Yes Conflict/Drama: Yes Family Dysfunction: Yes Series Potential: Yes (Note: This book seems like it sets the stage for future stories about these characters. The ending presents several lines of question that linger and make you wonder.)
HEA: Yes???
Final Thoughts: Sadie and Luke had IT! It would be interesting to see how their relationship develops. A sophomore and a freshman, their chosen career paths, plus their regular life drama... Hmm...

A complimentary e-copy of this title was made available for review by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have submitted are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

With a cover this beautiful and a premise so absolutely intriguing, I couldn’t wait to get started on this book. The idea of the “game” set in a world of dance had me hooked from the start, and the execution is written perfectly.

What this book does beautifully is develop a character in a richly compelling and dramatic manner. Sadie begins this book as a broken girl, running from a past that has up to this point defined both her career and personal life. Moving to LA and starting over is the impetus for her development and change, and boy does she ever. As the book progresses, we see her take encouraging leaps of faith forward and devastating steps backwards as she struggles to once again trust in others. I was fully invested in her outcomes from page one and identified with her desire to have faith again.

Something else that strikes me in reading The Hit List is the absolutely palpable sexual tension created in the novel, without being overtly sexual in any way. The game itself revolves around sexual conquest, yet the author never has to resort to depicting sordid sexual encounters to get the point across.

Speaking of sexual tension, the chemistry between Luke and Sadie is absolutely unmistakable. The scenes that have them dancing together are these wonderful moments of push vs. pull that drew me in with every step.

I love a book that keeps me on my toes, and I spent the entire novel trying to figure out who was behind the Hit List. I never saw the twist coming, yet it made perfect sense when it arrived.

This is a wonderful addition to the New Adult genre, with compelling characters, an incredibly original and intriguing premise, and deftly developed plot. I highly recommend it.