Juilliard or Else

Have you ever read a book and afterwards thought, "I wish I could write like that?"Well, that's totally me after reading Nichele's book. The way she explains the surroundings, the movements, the emotions, just the characters in general is Aca-amazing. This book has so much depth to it. She takes the rich good girl/poor bad boy idea to an unheard of direction. This isn't your typical story. Everything that is going on, you feel like you are a part of. I felt like I was in every scene as a side ch [...]

I started off this book kind of excitedad couple of reviewsd thought hey this sounds kinda fun!It was just a bitchy rollercoaster for me! My emotions were just everywhere. It was OK to HATE to LIKE then to FUCKING HATE then to I WANNA BITCH SLAP EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!***WARNING***MAY INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS***First the book starts off pretty nice. Abigail a.k.a Gabs lives with her very controlling mother Carol and a pushover lawyer daddy. Carol controls EVERYTHING in Abigail's life and is pretty [...]

First of, I want to say that the cover is amazing. So beautiful. As beautiful as the story.Juilliard or Else is a story about two very different people. Abigial McCall is a girl who is set in life. She is going to the prestigious Juilliard Academy and she has her perfect life all set to go. Then, one day, she meets Tucker. Oh my!!! Tucker is a bad, bad boy but he just finds himself in a whole lotta trouble with Abby. And this is where their love story begins.Juilliard or Else is a poignant story [...]

For a debut I think Nichele did an excellent job! I absolutely loved Tucker & Abigail's story and was sucked into their world as soon as I started reading. Abigail came from a privileged background growing up living in the best neighborhoods in NYC; on the outside her life seemed perfect but nothing is ever as it seems. Both Abigail and her parents have secrets. Big secrets. Our Tucker on the other hand grew up in Bushwick, with a useless mother more concerned with getting high than caring h [...]

I really wanted to like this book. I kept pushing on and trying to get past some of the issues I had with the book. Sadly at 60% I decided I no longer cared anymore about anyone in the story.I loved the ballet story. I felt like everything else was too cliched. We have a ballerina with an eating disorder. Check. We have a crazy strict (step)mom that treats the main character like shit because she's not really her biological daughter. Check. Abigail gets into Juilliard and becomes immediate best [...]

I had the pleasure of reading Juilliard or Else and let me tell you this is a must read. Author Nichele Reese captivated young love in a way I haven’t read before. Tucker is painted as this bad boy,but has such a soft loving, caring side you are immediately drawn to him. Abigail was brought up a little different but what a perfect pair they make. This debut novel is a great example for all young adults, that love truly can overcome any dilemma as long as both parties try. The love these two yo [...]

Abigail has been accepted to Juilliard to study ballet after years of training. Her overbearing and demanding mother has pushed her to her limits and stressed her to the point of bulimia. Enter Tucker, a bad boy with a dark past who makes his living by less than honorable means while he apprentices as an unpaid tattoo artist who only makes tips. Can Abigail and Tucker overcome all the obstacles that stand in their way as they try to join their two very different worlds? The chemistry between the [...]

I had the honor of reading an advanced copy of Juilliard or Else. Part of me was honestly expecting the good girl/bad boy melodrama but I was quickly mistaken a short while in. Do no be deceived by the fact that Abigail or as her friends call her "Gabs" is a ballerina. Nor be too quick to judge the surface appearances of what some would consider a hopeless, delinquent Tucker. One word that would describe Nichele Reese as a writer is FIERCE. She is fearless and is not afraid to push the reader pa [...]

I was lucky enough to get Juilliard as an ARC so I thought I would let you all know what I thought. Nichele Reese is giving us a beautifully written story of following your dreams whatever they may be. Life can give you many choices and not all of them are easy but when choosing between following your dreams or following your heart making the wrong choice can change your life forever. Abigail and Tucker are forced to choose between life and love and deal with the consequences of their decisions. [...]

Could NOT finish. The writing was horrible. Could have gotten into the storyline, but was too annoyed. I'm not picky about grammatical errors because I understand indie writing, but I just couldn't stand this book. It was inconsistent and inappropriate swearing. I had so much hope for this book because I'm a fan of Kim Karr, but I just couldn't get into this book. I felt that this book got to where it is because of the support of Kim Karr which I find highly annoying. There are a lot of good boo [...]

Just like Abigail, since I was a child I’m fascinated with ballet – with their graceful moves and colorful dresses. I think, my dad even sign me up on a ballet class when I was about 5 or 6 but I really don’t know what happened after that since that certain memory was 95% hazy to me now. He-he. Anyway, now guys, you see what brought me into reading this one – it’s the concept of ballet added up to a very intriguing story.The rich girl ballerina with Bulimic problems.The deprived tattoo [...]

Stick with this story as it revs up at about the 30-40% mark. Before that I was thinking that this book was a bit too YA for my liking, and then I ended up loving it! I panicked at the 90% mark thinking there was going to be a dreaded cliffhanger ending, but it wrapped up nicely with a fantastic epilogue. Abigail is the rich girl that has everything to prove to her mother, but no matter how hard she tries, she is a disappointment in her mothers eyes. She gets a scholarship to Juilliard and final [...]

Wow. Nichele came out of the gates with a BIG BANG on her debut novel! BRAVO! This book hits you right in the gut in Chapter 1 and I swear you won’t be able to put the book down until the end.This book hits some major, major issues while spinning a heart wrenching tail of love and tragedy. And I loved every second of it! Nichele does a fantastic job of creating characters that will live with you long after you finish the book! Some of them you want to throat punch… while others you will want [...]

"I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC from Nichele Reece for Juilliard or Else & want to sharebut not give too much away."Abigail & Tucker come from two different worlds & when that happens sparks can fly. They both have experienced so many different things in life, but they both know how to fight for what they believe is right. Love, at any age will have ups & downs but these two, are willing to go against the world, take it head & not let obstacles get in the way. They [...]

Was not able finish this book. This has not happened to me in a long time. I love reading and the written words and I never really write reviews because I think that every reader deserves to make up their own mind about the book. I am a hypocrite in a way because I do look at star ratings though. I saw a few ratings for this book and it received a lot of 4/5 stars so I bought it. I was really disappointed and well I guess it was just not my cup of tea. The writing was very inconsistent and there [...]

I was given the honor of beta reading Juilliard or Else. What a touching story of two very different characters with two very different upbringings who were brought together by a chance meeting and fell in love. Tucker is the epitome of "bad boy", but has a soft side that makes you fall in love with him almost immediately. Abigail is kind of girl you want to hate, based on her upbringing you imagine her to be the rich spoiled princess stereotype. But, the more you get to know her the more you re [...]

I hate, hate, hate giving bad reviews for books because authors put so much time, energy, and emotion into their work. But, this warrants what I have to say. The Good: Love the cover and the story has a lot of potential to be fantastic.The Bad: The writing was stilted and she did more telling than showing. I felt absolutely no chemistry between any of the characters, most especially, the two love interest. Very disappointed in what I thought would be a great read. This was a DNF.

3.5 stars. Choppy and short sentences. Christ did she cry a river! Every page hot tears leaked from her eyes and down her face

Heartbreak and sadness. A good read overall. I did get a little miffed with Gabs from time to time. You'll understand when you read the book.

3.5 stars

Dance Academy much? But, my, who cares? I love that show, I need that book!

This sounds so familiar. I read a fan fiction with such a similar plot. I can't remember the story off hand though. I am placing this as nope-nope until I find out for certain.

gorgeous cover. Clichéd story

JUILLIARD OR ELSE by NICHELE REESEThis is a moving story of young love, friendship, family and fighting for something that makes you happy. Nichele did an outstanding job in writing such emotional, deep and a freakin roller coaster ride kind of story bout two young adults who are figuring out who they want to be. And given the fact that this is Nichele’s debut novel, this is definitely a must read. One of the best standalones of 2013, that I bravely say with all certainty and conviction. And t [...]

Nobody approves of the ballerina and the poor boy.Since this book is one mess of stereotypes and clichés, that cliché quote is perfect for kicking off this review.I think you all recognize the story: rich white girl with dreams of becoming a ballerina and an independent person after living under her stepmother's thumb for her whole life while her father is the most amazing person on the planet (according to our heroine). On the other side of the tracks we have the young man coming from a rough [...]

shhmomsreadingThis was Nichele Reese’s debut novel and wow! I truly enjoyed everything about this book – Tucker and Abigail, the setting in NY, the emotions and connections I experienced throughout my reading experience and most of all the honest love I felt between these two characters.The book opens in Tucker’s POV – he is dealing drugs to make money to support himself in Bushwick Brooklyn. For anyone who is from NY, we all know what this area is like – the crime, the drugs and the h [...]

3.5 stars certain parts of this book felt like 3 stars and some felt like 4 so I'm right in the middle. ****************Contains spoilers!!!!The author did a great job making Tucker irresistible and I loved how she got me loving him from the very first chapter in his POV. I like that we experienced Abigail's home life so we were able to relate to some of the crazy decisions that she was making thru out the book. I even fell for the friends Abigail makes and their mouths. The premise is what real [...]

Source: PurchaseRating: 3½/5 starsFor the vast majority of her life Abigail McCall has been less than perfect in the eyes of her mother. Though she is well-educated, has impeccable manners and breeding and, is Juilliard bound, Abigail is still not good enough for her mother. The only two times Abigail feels truly free and good enough is when she is intentionally throwing up or dancing. Juilliard is all Abigail has ever wanted and with her acceptance to the prestigious school and the chance to m [...]

Abigail McCall had one dream since being a small child; she wanted to attend Juilliard Schoolof Dance for Ballet. At nineteen, she had her life planned out, attend school and becomea world-class ballerina.Kyle Tucker grew up in Bushwick, Brooklyn a hellish and dangerous neighborhood where even if you lived there, you did not go out after dark unless you were looking for trouble.Tucker grew up basically taking care of himself, his mother a drug addict and a father who left years earlier, he did w [...]

“One choice can make you or break you. That one choice can be life changing. Choose right or choose wrong. What’s more important…Fun or Happiness? That one choice is yours.” ~ Nicele ReeseThis book was more than I thought it was going to be more than a love story, more than a story of discovering one’s self, a story about making choices, following your dreams and listening to your heart. It shows you decisions aren’t always easy, decisions can change your life forever. “When I danc [...]