Book Review: Losing It by: Cora Carmack.

Title: Losing It

Author: Cora Carmack
Release Date: February 26 2013
Publisher: William Morrow
Page Count: 288
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

 Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

I picked up this book at Target and I put it down three times before I finally decided to buy it. The cover looked like something light and fun and the description was very Pretty Little Liars' Aria and Ezra -- College Edition, but I bought it and I adored it.

Bliss is a 22 year old virgin, which might as well be a leper as far as she's concerned. The night before classes armed with her bestie and too much make up, Bliss decides she's going to do something about it. Everything is going according to plan when she encounters Garrick reading Shakespeare on her way to the bathroom. It's smooth sailing until she panics when they get back to her apartment and makes up an off the wall excuse to get Garrick out of her apartment -- thinking it doesn't matter since she will never see him again... atleast until she shows up for her first class tomorrow morning...

Bliss is my absolute favorite. I loved her awkwardness. I found her incredibly relatable and hilarious. I had a great time hanging out with her

Garrick is delicious. I literately wanted to shake Bliss several times when she was pushing him away. Girlfriend... He's British and seriously into you! What's your deal?!

Cormack's writing is hilarious and steamy in all the right spots. Definitely something I would read again!

Book Review: Twenty Boy Summer by: Sarah Ockler.

Title: Twenty Boy Summer

Author: Sarah Ockler
Release Date: June 1 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 290
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★ 

 "Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?"
"Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?"

According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer

On her 15th birthday Anna Reilly gets everything she has ever wanted – Matt her best friend as a boy kisses her and from that moment a secret love affair is born - a secret from everyone including her best friend and Matt’s sister Frankie. The three of them have been inseparable since Anna can remember and she’s fears a secret like this might ruin everything and after Matt suddenly dies Anna is sure the secret is going to go with him.
A great
 summer read. When Anna and Matt get together in the beginning of the book I was immediately sad because we know from the summary that Matt is going to die. They are so good together. It almost seemed like a waste of a good romance. I completely understand why it takes Anna so long to get through it. Not only is she losing her best friend but her super dreamy new boyfriend. Sad right?

I developed a love/hate relationship with Frankie throughout the book. At first I didn’t really know what to think about her since she was acting out over the death of her brother. But I didn’t really like that she kept pushing Anna into doing things she thought she should be doing. Granted I know she had no idea about Anna and Matt but it still frustrated me. I also felt like she was pretty selfish when it came to grieving over Matt it was like she felt like she was the only person who should be able to be sad.

However the more I got into the book the more I liked her. Sure she’s superficial and pretends to be dumb but so do a lot of girls. She reminded me a lot of a girlfriend I had in college who was very similar around guys, but she her heart was in the right place and Frankie’s is too.

Nothing’s better than a summer romance and Anna and Sam’s is perfect. I loved falling in love with Sam just as Anna did. Slow and second-guessing at first and then finally giving in all at once. He is perfect to help her get over Matt.

I thought this book was going to be dark and intense and while it does have those moments the lightness and healing are what made this book so wonderful. Watching Anna put not only herself but her best friend back together is heartwarming.

Book Review: The Sea of Tranquility by: Katja Millay.

Title: The Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay
Release Date: June 4 2013
Publisher: Dutton Children's
Page Count: 448
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★★★ 

 I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.- GoodReads 

The Sea of Tranquility – how more perfect of a title could you fathom about a girl who doesn’t talk? I know that isn’t where the title comes from and that it is actually talked about in the story but I just thought it was extremely fitting.

The first paragraph of the book is intense. If that doesn’t draw you in I don’t know what else would. To be honest it scared me a little bit. I was afraid this book was going to be all darkness and no light. Man was I wrong.

When the book opens all we know about Nastya is that a tragic event has taken from her everything she loved and left her with a severe enough hand injury that it will never work the same. We learn that since the incident Nastya has stopped talking and moved in with her Aunt Margot.

Enter Josh Bennett – steel-toed boot wearing, Angel of Death to most people. Josh is the last person Nastya thinks will save her from herself but when she wanders into his garage lost after a long run she finds something familiar about it and a feeling that she will most definitely be returning to feel again.

Nastya is a sassy character and I love that about her. Her inner dialogue really drove the story home. She collects names! How cool is that? It was interesting to watch the new people she was encountering start to chip away at the icy exterior she has created around herself.

I would totally date Josh Bennett. Who doesn't love the strong silent type? I found myself looking forward to his short POV interludes. He was such a warm character despite all the things he has had to deal with throughout his life. I just wanted to hug him and tell him that it was going to be ok.

I adore Josh and Nastya’s relationship and think it is completely necessary, but the relationship that surprised me the most was the one that develops between our heronine and Drew – Josh’s cocky-one night stand loving-best friend. Drew and Nastya grow together over the course of the book and bring things out in one another that the other didn’t think was possible.

Book Review: Second Chance Summer by: Morgan Matson.

Title: Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson

Release Date: May 8 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing
Page Count: 468

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★★ 

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love. -GoodReads 

I was really apprehensive when I picked up this book because I knew that dad was going to die at the end, don’t look at me like that… its says it in the blurb on the back of the book, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read something that made me really sad. I am a very emotional person who cried whenever she saw promos of when Pam and Jim got married on The Office, still do actually. So I had a friend of mine read it first to test the waters. Now ladies and gentlemen, my friend Rachel is a self-diagnosed sociopath, meaning she has zero feelings like a Vulcan, and this book made her get teary eyed. She is however a daddy’s girl and I feel like that should be said.

I felt a lot of emotions with this book. I felt annoyed with Taylor every time she tried to run away. I felt annoyed with Henry at first because he was a big meany head. I felt a since of nostalgia whenever they would do the flashbacks to the last summer at the lake. But mostly I felt sad because the Edwards family didn’t function as a family but more as acquaintances living in the same house. I think my favorite part of the book was watching Taylor’s relationships with her siblings bloom. It sounds cheesy but it really warmed my heart. That and Warren and the girl from the Pet Store. So adorable.

Book Review: The Name of the Star by: Maureen Johnson.

Title: The Name of the Star

Author: Maureen Johnson

Release Date: September 29 2011

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 

Page Count: 372

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★ 

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities -GoodReads 

Call me a freak, call me morbid but I’m am super interested in Jack the Ripper. I think what interests me the most is the fact that they never caught him or even had any idea who he was. I stumbled upon this book when I was in a rut and looking for something good to read. I picked it up for three reasons: 1. Jack the Ripper! 2. I loved the 13 Little Blue Envelope books from Maureen Johnson. 3. I studied in London one summer when I was in college and everyone that knows me will tell you I am obsessed with it.

I thought this book was ok. I did not hate it by any means but it was not my favorite book I have picked up so far this year. I think my expectations were really high. I loved the concept of the book and I think if it had been shorter and a little more action packed that I would have enjoyed it more. There was a lot of down time, where not a lot happened.  The book had some great characters though and they’re what kept me reading. I’m intrigued to find out how this is going to go on to a sequel.

Book Review: Matched by: Allie Condie.

Title: Matched

Author: Allie Condie

Release Date: November 30 2010

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Page Count: 369

Source: Bought

Rating: ★★★★ 

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. -GoodReads 

How would you feel if in the blink of a computer screen, your best friend, whom you’ve had a crush on your whole life, was suddenly that was chosen for you to spend the rest of your life with? This is Cassia’s life after her Matching Ceremony on seventeenth birthday. This should be the happiest day of her life but for Cassia it’s a little anticlimactic. While all of her friends are learning things about their Matches via the microchip they’ve been given Cassia is hesitant, feeling like she knows everything about Xander already. Little does she know that a single face and “glitch” in the microchip will change her world as she knows it.

Cassia to me was a little boring, almost like a Stepford Wife, in the beginning. She did everything she was told and was the Society’s biggest supporter. She believes in this system that to her knowledge works. Her parents are happy. Her and her family are healthy, what the Society is doing is a good thing. It isn’t until she sees Ky on the microchip, that I was intrigued by the bravery in her. Ky brings out a strong, rebellious side of Cassia, that I didn’t think was coming.

Book Review: The Reece Malcolm List by: Amy Spalding.

Title: The Reece Malcolm List
Author: Amy Spalding
Release Date: February 5 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Page Count: 352
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★ 

 Things I know about Reece Malcolm:

1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything? -GoodReads 

When Devan's dad dies and she moves in with her mom that she knows almost nothing about she's convinced that she isn't going to last. Having been so used to being invisible in all aspects of her life other than when shes on stage, she assumes she'll just slip into this new life undiscovered and without disrupting anything.

Devan is the perfect narrator. I felt as though she was telling me her story over coffee at Starbucks. The words are so natural and real. Devan is funny and incredibly relatable – despite the times I wanted to shake her a little bit. Watching her and Reece divulge into uncharted territory was endearing although a little awkward at times naturally.

Reece is one of my new favorite characters of all time. I think part of the reason why I enjoyed her so much is that she reminded me a lot of me. Quick temper, bad at keeping personal relationships, not too hung up on her appearance and addicted to caffeine… yep I can totally relate. Through all of the snarkiness and sass I could tell she really loved Devan and she was just trying to form a relationship with her.

Now let’s talk about Brad… say it with me now… SWOOOOOOOON!!! Seriously who wouldn’t fall in love with Brad? He’s adorable and BRITISH! I loved watching him and Reece interact – you could just tell that they were really in love and it was real despite Reece’s devil-may-care attitude. He accepted Devan immediately and ultimately became her knight in shining armor.

Precious. Absolutely adorable. I really enjoyed it.

Book Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by: John Green & David Levithan

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green & David Levithan
Release Date: April 6 2010
Publisher: Dutton Children's
Page Count: 310
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★ 

 One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.
- GoodReads 

I did it. I finally read a John Green book…. Ok so it wasn’t just John Green, David Levithan wrote the other half but it’s a start right?!

 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was like reading my diary back in high school in I was a boy that lived in the Chicago suburbs and half of me was gay… Anyways the story was very relatable, though I found myself drawn in more with will grayson at the beginning towards the middle and at the end I was dying to know what was going to happen with Will Grayson and Jane.

 

Now let’s talk about Tiny Cooper and my immense love for him. I had a friend in high school that was very similar to Tiny in all instances except for he was not yet out of the closet so there was no revolving door of boyfriends. He was however big and lovable and so full of feelings that he felt like he might burst at all times (all of the time he did). It was riveting to be on Tiny’s journey to self-discovery and I enjoyed every minute of it.

PS I’m in need of an I’m with Phil Wrayson T-shirt…. Like right now!

Book Review: The S Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Title: The S Word
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Release Date: May 7th, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Page Count: 302
Source: eBook via NetGalley
Rating: ★★★

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.
 - GoodReads 

The one thing I came out with after reading this book was that it made me feel a lot of things. The characters were interesting and well thought out for the most part. I would have liked more insight into Angelina, I felt like even thougth she was the main character I still don't know very much about her. Lizzie is a different story.

Pitcher really thought about who she wanted Lizzie to be. She multiple layers and it was interesting and disheartening to get to know her through her diary entries. Lizzie was definitely more than what you saw at face value, even though she'd be the last person to tell you that.

All in all I thought the book was very intense and dark but I knew what I was getting into before I started. I don't quite agree with other readers that there were too many characters. I think the amount of characters was just right and I loved Angelina's gum-shooing, but I felt like Pitcher tried to deal with too many issues at once. This book could have a been a series, a very depressing series but a series none the less.

I enjoyed the writing style of this new author and will definitely be checking out whatever she publishes next.

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by: Lani Taylor

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1)
Author: Lani Taylor
Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 448
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself? -GoodReads 

If I could live anywhere ever it would be the setting of this book. Lani Taylor has created such a seductively magical world that I felt myself longing to return back to in after I had put the book down and returned to normal life. With its hidden passages to another world and old time pre/post war Prague setting, this story is an artist dream come true.

I felt a kindred spirit with that of Karou, the wildly curious protagonist, who has spent her life, as much as she can remember, running errands for a Wishmonger named Brimstone. It was a thrill to travel the world and learn her story along the way. It’s not however until the appearance of the enthralling Akiva that our heroine starts to learn the truth about herself and her origins.

Never has a story of love and hate been more beautifully told since Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Book Review: Beautiful Disaster by: Jamie McGuire.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Travis Maddox was the last thing Abby was looking for when she moved across country to go to school. Covered head to toe in tattoos and muscles just didn’t go with her cashmere cardigan image. But when her best friend America drags her along to one of her boyfriend’s cousin’s fights sparks fly the moment they lock eyes with each other.

This story is intoxicating and addicting. The best way to describe it is 50 Shades for a younger generation. It’s steamy but not to the same extent. Travis is intense and a little scary but not nearly as controlling as Christian.  And on the plus side I actually liked Abby unlike Ana.

It’s a roller coaster ride until about the halfway point when what you think is going to be the conclusion happens. However the last 100 pages make up for the slow middle and you’ll want to live in Travis and Shepley’s apartment forever.

 

Beautiful Diaster Dream Cast

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by: Jennifer E. Smith.

Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

By now we have established how much I hate female protagonists in most books, yes? (Bella, Nora, Ana...) Hadley is a completely different ball game. I adore her. She is quite possibly one of my favorite characters of all time. She is written so real. She has real, believable, issues and insecurities. 

Hadley is about to board a plane to London for her dad’s wedding to a woman she has never met. While on the way she gets into a fight with her mom in the car outside the airport and ends up missing her flight by four minutes. In a panic she gets put on the next flight that doesn’t leave for another couple of hours. Little does she know that the passenger seated next to her will change her life in ways she cannot even begin to imagine and show her that she is capable of forgiving even the most heartbreaking situations.

A really interesting and refreshing look at determinism. It is such an incredible story about the harshness and forgiveness that comes with unconditional love. Hadley wonders to herself in the preface if all the things that happened would have mattered if she had just made that first flight. She certainly would not have met Oliver. Quite an interesting concept, eh? xoxo.

Book Review: Silence by: Becca Fitzpatrick

Rating: ★★★★☆

Amazon Summary:

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Me:

Hats off to Becca Fitzpatrick! She did it. She actually got me to like Nora. I never thought that would happen, but she takes a complete one-eighty in Silence. After being kidnapped and having her mind wiped of the past six months it was really intriguing to go with Nora as she pieces her life back together.
This book was very different than the first two. All the light and fluffy YA-ness of the book was gone. Silence is dark and intriguing. Fitzpatrick took everything she had built in the last two books and turned it completely upside down. It was agonizing, but in a good way, waiting for Nora to find out that the mysterious Jed that she keeps finding herself drawn to is actually Patch the love of her life, whom she does not even know existed. The only draw back for me was how weak Fitzpatrick made Blythe, Nora's mom. I felt like she was just a pawn in Hank Millar's game than an actual character, but maybe that was the point...

Book Review: The Lucky One by: Nicholas Sparks

Rating: ★★★★☆

Amazon Summary:

After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck -- winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph -- his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother -- and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart -- destroying not only their love, but also their lives.

Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love. 

Me:

I started this book twice before I actually dove in, but once I did I could not put it down. It's a little slow in the beginning especially coming off of Silence and admittedly I picked up the book in the first place because the movie is coming out soon and it stars my boyfriend Zac Efron, but it is such a rich and beautiful story. It's a great escape from everyday life.
This is only the fourth Nicholas Sparks book I have read. I don't think about reading his books unless there is going to be a movie and then I go out and get it. I did the same with A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, and The Last Song (the book is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the movie so if you haven't read it, do yourself a favor). I always forget he has like A MILLION books. I also own Dear John which I haven't read but I did see the movie and enjoy it so I may have to go back to it.
In The Lucky One Sparks charms once again with another tale set in home sweet North Carolina. Logan Thibault, a retired marine, sets out to find the woman in the photograph he believes is responsible for keep him alive. Some people say Sparks is a formulaic writer and I can see that but I have to hand it to him the man writes female characters that I can actually stand, not only stand but root for. Beth is a firecracker.

I have to say the thing that kept me reading the most, other than the delicious Logan Thibault... and delicious he is, Zac Efron or not, was wanting to get to the love scene in the rain that they showed in the trailer. There is so much build up whether Beth and Logan are going to get together and that scene is the peak of the whole story in my opinion and it is the point where the whole story turns around.

I'm going to stop giving stuff away there. The book is wonderful and I would definitely check it out if your in the mood for a good romance. It really makes you question who decides your fate: you or destiny?

Book Review: Crescendo by: Becca Fitzpatrick.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Amazon Summary:

Despite starting a relationship with Patch, her guardian angel (whose title is the only angelic thing about him), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking good for Nora Grey. Aside from fearing her boyfriend is interested in her nemesis, Nora is haunted by images of her father and becomes obsessed with understanding his disappearance. As Nora delves into the mystery of her father’s death, she begins to wonder whether her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it. And since Patch isn’t answering her questions, Nora has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch—or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Me:

I am really enjoying this series so far. It really sucks you in and before you know it you have already read 100 pages, which on my phone is really like 400. I feel like I flew through this book. It was very different than Hush, Hush. It takes place during the summer and unlike the first book hardly any of it takes place at school. Fitzpatrick really developed the secondary characters in this one especially Vee and Rixon whom shortly into the book start one of the most precious relationships. I really enjoy both of their characters and think I would actually like to hang out with Vee because she is a hoot. 

I said in my review of Hush, Hush that I wasn't exactly crazy about Nora, well this has grown to a huge annoyance. Nora really needs to get a grip on life. Patch is quite possibly the most adorably dreamy creature (other than Peeta Mellark) thought up and she keeps throwing him away. I would be ok with it if she was but no she breaks up with him and then pines after him the whole book. I just want to shake her.

This book also introduces us to new character, Scott Parnell, who you just aren't sure what to think of. He switches from creeper to nice guy and back so many times that it really messes with your head. At one point in time I actually questioned whether he had a split personality or not. 

Overall this book was pretty good. It's a quick read and has some great characters. In my opinion its not as good as Hush, Hush which just had that something special, but it was still very entertaining.

Back to my movie cast... I have found a much better Patch.

His name is Steven Strait and I can't believe I didn't think of it right away he is perfect. I'm moving my previous Patch who was Gaspard Ulliel to Rixon.

Book Review: Mockingjay by: Suzanne Collins.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Amazon Summary:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

Me:

Mockingjay was one of the hardest books I have ever had to get through. It is very emotional and very dark. I was not nearly prepared for the grimness of this particular book. It was so different than the first two that I enjoyed so much and devoured in a number of days. The entire series is dark, as it is about children killing other children while people watch for "entertainment", but Hunger Games and Catching Fire had some nice, warm moments that you could cling to and hope for in the dark, more emotional moments. Mockingjay hit me like a ton of bricks. It was lovely and beautifully written. It gave me the closure I needed to end the series. It came to a natural ending that you need for this kind of a series that really wraps you in. I'm warning you now that this book will break your heart over and over again. Suzanne Collins is a brilliant writer and knows how to create characters that you will fall in so in love with that have to put the book down and mourn them when they are gone. She knows just how to create someone whom you have such a deep hatred for that you would be willing to spit on their grave.

No, this book was not my favorite of the series. Not by a long shot and it took me much longer to read than the others because I just didn't have the optimism to get through it, but I did and I'm happy I stuck with it. The book is completely necessary and the war is what is building the whole series. So if you find yourself starting the book and wanting to put it down I encourage you to finish it. You will be happy you did. This series is not a love story as much as we want it to be. It is about so much more and once your finished with the book I think you will agree.

I'm already about halfway finished with Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2). I told myself after I was done with The Hunger Games I would read something a little lighter and non-paranormal but Hush Hush has already sucked me back in. As soon as I'm finished with Silence I am going to read The Lucky One by: Nicholas Sparks, have you seen the trailer yet with Zac Efron?! Yum.

Book Review: Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon Summary:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Me:

I didn't realize how much I liked Catching Fire until I was actually finished with it. There is so much that had to sink in. I had a lot of expectations of this book, especially since I enjoyed the first one so much, but I was not disappointed. I was angry at times but not disappointed. I loved the arena in this book too. Without giving too much away I will say that I thought it was much more creative than the arena in the first book. Catching Fire also introduced some lovely new characters. I have a soft spot for Wiress. She is just so lovely. And of course I love me some Finnick. He's dreamy and cocky and witty, all the things I love. 

I'm about a third of the way through Mockingjay. It's waaaaaaaaay different and it may take me longer to read since I don't feel as in to it as the first two.

Book Review: The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins

Ok people. I did NOT want to read and like these books. I thought for sure they would be something stupid and/or boring. Oh man was I wrong. I was sucked into The Hunger Games after ten pages. I could not put this book down and now on to the review.

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon Summary:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Me:

I absolutely adored this book. I had serious issues putting this book down, good thing I was reading it on my phone and I could take it with me wherever I wanted to go, good bless technology. I thought I would really hate Katniss, but I actually like her a lot and find myself rooting for her. The story is really good and very interesting. I literately flew through this book. I am also completely in love with Peeta. He is the most amazingly sweet boy ever. Team PEETA!

I'm about halfway through Catching Fire and have Mockingjay on deck. Heepwah!

Trois Book Reviews.

Sorry things have been falling behind a little lately. We had a lot going on this week and weekend but I'm going to try to carve out some time every day to give a quality post. I apologize for the lack there of in the past week.


Past that dinner with the parents went great. My mom made some yummy lasagna and homemade rolls, with banana creme and chocolate creme pies for dessert. It was good food and great conversation. Quite a success, if I do say so myself.


Onward to the reviews, since I've been working and going to school from home I've had a lot more time to read and I have been taking advantage of it. In the past month I feel like I have been flying through books, some good, some not so good.

Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon Synopsis

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

(Includes Special, Never-Before-Solicited Opinions on Breastfeeding, Princesses, Photoshop, the Electoral Process, and Italian Rum Cake!)

Me:

Very. VerY. VERY. Funny. If you're a fan of Tina Fey or smart women it is definitely worth a read. I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoy Tina Fey so much it was exciting to see how she got where she is and all the wonderful things she has done for women. I could not recommend this book anymore.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Amazon Synopsis

Summer is a magical time in New York City and Carrie is in love with all of it—the crazy characters in her neighborhood, the vintage-clothing boutiques, the wild parties, and the glamorous man who has swept her off her feet. Best of all, she's finally in a real writing class, taking her first steps toward fulfilling her dream.

This sequel to The Carrie Diaries brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around the Big Apple, going from being a country "sparrow"—as Samantha Jones dubs her— to the person she always wanted to be. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile her past with her future, Carrie realizes that making it in New York is much more complicated than she ever imagined.

With her signature wit and sparkling humor, Candace Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha and Miranda, and what turned a small-town girl into one of New York City's most unforgettable icons, Carrie Bradshaw.

Me:

I adored this book. It was a great follow up to The Carrie Diaries, which I read a couple summers ago. Being a huge fan of SATC and Miss Carrie Bradshaw in particular, I have really enjoyed these prequels. This one especially as it introduces Miranda and Samantha (who we got a peek of at the end of TCD). It's a great tale of love and learning in the greatest city on Earth.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Amazon Synopsis

The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

Me:

This book and I have had rounds. It was REALLY slow at first. Then the middle picked up and I was really intrigued by it. I was really rooting for Jessica. I wanted her to get with Lucius and make everything right, but by 3/4ths of the way through the book they had twisted too far. To be honest I have about 20 pages left that I can't even manage to read because I get bored. 

Don't worry all I haven't forgotten about the Hush, Hush series. I'm about a quarter of the way through Crescendo right now. I read about three books at a time so we'll see what I finish next. Book recommendations are ALWAYS welcome.