Reluctantly Charmed

Title: Reluctantly Charmed
Author: Ellie O'Neill
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 8/10

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

"Kate McDaid is listing her new-year’s resolutions hoping to kick-start her rather stagnant love life and career when she gets some very strange news. To her surprise, she is the sole benefactor of a great great-great-great aunt and self-proclaimed witch also called Kate McDaid, who died over 130 years ago. As if that isn’t strange enough, the will instructs that, in order to receive the inheritance, Kate must publish seven letters, one by one, week by week.

Burning with curiosity, Kate agrees and opens the first letter – and finds that it’s a passionate plea to reconnect with the long-forgotten fairies of Irish folklore. Almost instantaneously, Kate’s life is turned upside down. Her romantic life takes a surprising turn and she is catapulted into the public eye.

As events become stranger and stranger – and she discovers things about herself she’s never known before – Kate must decide whether she can fulfil her great-aunt’s final, devastating request ... and whether she can face the consequences if she doesn’t.

Witty, enchanting and utterly addictive, Reluctantly Charmed is about what happens when life in the fast lane collides with the legacy of family, love and its possibilities … and a little bit of magic. "

***

Reluctantly Charmed was a delight to read; easy and sweet, the book flowed well through the ups and downs of Kate's life.

O'Neill does a fabulous job of getting Kate's character across at all times. The narrative twists and turns, lose and filled with digressions at times, which is exactly the kind of person Kate is presented as being: always a little confused by life, but happy to go along with it. The line O'Neill treads with the narrative is a thin one between cute, good characterisation and an overwhelming amount of telling instead of showing; she successfully manages to keep it always on the good side of it throughout the novel.

I loved the fact that, for all that it starts off as a funny, quirky novel about what would happen if fairies were real and suddenly wanted to reconnect, in the end it posed much more important questions about freedom, about humanity and human nature. Seeing Kate grow was a beautiful process, aided by an extremely colourful secondary cast of characters.

Definitely worth a read to anyone looking for a fun, whacky novel that will sweep you away to a charming world.

Roulette

Title: Roulette
Author: Megan Mulry
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, oh, my excitement over Miki's character knows absolutely no bounds. She is exactly what we need more of in terms of heroines - she's strong, independent and self-assured. She knows she's got it good, and that she doesn't need any guy to make her life complete. The fact that she desperately wants Rome does nothing to take away from her stunning independence. I honestly wanted to stand up and clap when she tells Landon to go take a hike over his "full package" comment. For the first time since Hunger Games and Harry Potter, the girl stole the scene entirely from the love interest/guy, and it was glorious.

I also loved how she just sort of went around making friends with everyone, even - and maybe especially so - if they initially seemed quite scary; even Pavel.
As for Rome, I don't know. I mean, he was dreamy all right, and damn him and his smooth, sexy French accent to hell. But the way he reacted to some things I think maybe deserved an explanation. Which is really why it's a 4.5/5: I felt some point could have been explored in a little more detail; and, even though the ending was slightly predictable, it worked - it really, really worked.
Definitely give this a read, if you're sick and tired of all the Christmas-themed books!
Roulette is out December 2nd.

Releases to look out for in November

November is a relatively calm month, publishing-wise, compared to the mad frenzy of September and October. Here are three books you don't want to miss out on this month!

Starting out the month with a bang, Mara Dyer is back, and she's out for blood.

"Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.

There is.
She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.
She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.
Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.
Retribution has arrived."
The Retribution of Mara Dyer is out November 4th.

On November 6th, get rid of your Halloween decorations, because Christmas has arrived!
"Running out on your wedding shouldn’t be this much fun!

A remote Scottish castle on a snowy Christmas Eve. A handsome husband-to-be. A dress to die for. It should have been the happiest day of Leah Harvey’s life – but the fairytale wedding turns sour when she finds her fiancé halfway up the bridesmaid’s skirt just hours before the ceremony!

Fleeing the scene in a blizzard, Leah ends up stranded at the nearest cottage, where she collapses into the arms of its inhabitant – a man so handsome she thinks she must have died and gone to heaven!

And when Rob Cavelli suddenly finds himself with an armful of soaking wet, freezing cold, and absolutely gorgeous bride on the run, he’s more than happy to welcome her into his snowbound cottage this Christmas…"
You can read my review of Cold Feet at Christmas here.

And on the 11th, Arcana brings some magic and hot guys.
"A romantic, suspenseful, genre-bending debut set in Edwardian London.

Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome—or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls. But upon her arrival in London, Katherine realizes there will be more to this season than just white gowns and husband hunting.

Through her late mother’s enchanted diary, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. Any misstep could mean ruin—and not just for her family name. The Order of the Eternal Sun is everywhere—hunting for those like her, able to feed on arcana with only a touch of the hand.

But society intrigue can be just as perilous as the Order. The machinations of the fashionable elite are a constant threat, and those who covet Katherine’s arcana, seeking the power of her birthright, could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor—even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood.

With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?"
You can read my review of Arcana here.

Pieces of You

Title: Pieces of You
Author: Ella Harper
Genre: contemporary
Rating: 5/5 painful stars
Cover: 10/10

It's been a whole day, and I'm still struggling to put into words all the emotions this books gave me.
The cover is so misleading, too. Seriously, that's a blooming pink dress.

I just, I have a lot of feelings about this book. About halfway through I literally had to put it down and go for a walk. I'd planned on coming back and reading something, but I physically couldn't. The characters were banging around in my head; at one point I swear there was a full-blown jury going on in my head. It ruled wrong, because it turned out he'd been guilty, but still.
Amazing characters, and really the whole story struck quite a few chords personally. I don't know about wanting babies, but I do know all about having a loved one in the hospital, and Harper captured the emotion range perfectly.
In a way, I liked the ending Harper gave to Patricia. It seemed to suggest that maybe Lucy would get there one day too, and that maybe not everything would be so bleak always.
I've heard a few grumblings about the multiple narrations, especially from Nell and Patricia. I have to admit that it threw me at first; it just doesn't make sense to have one narrator be in first person and the other two in third, and I still think that was weird. I did like stepping out of Lucy's head every now and then, though. The pain going on in there got to a bursting point every now and then, and it was always a relief to step back into the more detached third person; so, even though it's weird, I think it's just what this particular book needed.
Definitely read it, but be sure to have tissues around. You'll need them.

The Temp

Title: The Temp
Author: Emily Benet
Genre: Contemporary adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first word that springs to mind is fresh. Amber is quirky and funny, and her story was an absolute delight to follow. What really struck me about this book was just how utterly, unabashedly British it was. You don't get many books who are so unapologetically Brit, in a world of American authors, so that alone was enough to make me pause and take notice. But then Amber comes along, and starts going on about all these crazy ideas of how to become an artist and famous at that.

In a style almost reminiscent of the blunders of Princess Mia from The Princess Diaries (the grown up, British version, of course!), the book follows Amber as she chases her dream around London with a lot of determination and a stack of... bananas.
It probably didn't help that the first image that pops into my head when I think of a banana is a minion from Despicable Me, which just made the entire book that much funnier, I think.

Minions aside, however, Benet tells a great story about following our dreams, and finding love in the places we sometimes least expect - another very refreshing part. Not being sure which way Amber was going to go in the man department until well past the 50% mark is always a bonus, as it kept me guessing and wondering, making sure I was always thinking about the characters as I went about my day.

It probably goes without saying, since I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish this, but I definitely recommend this book to anyone in search of an easy, funny and light-hearted book. The characters are compelling, the plot is believable - what's not to love?

Note: no sexually explicit scenes in this one, but marked as adult for the swearwords that come naturally to the Brits, but might shock an American ;)

The Temp is out October 23rd.

Cover Love: The Bride Wore Size 12

It's been a while since this particular lady writer has made an appearance on this blog, but it's that time again - Heather Wells and Cooper are back in September, and wedding bells are ringing...

Here's the blurb and cover for Meg Cabot's latest Heather Wells mystery, out 24th September.

"Heather Wells is used to having her cake and eating it too, but this time her cake just might be cooked.Her wedding cake, that is.

With her upcoming nuptials to PI Cooper Cartwright only weeks away, Heather's already stressed. And when a pretty junior turns up dead, Heather's sure things can't get worse—until every student in the dorm where she works is a possible suspect, and Heather's long-lost mother shows up.

Heather has no time for a tearful mother and bride reunion. She has a wedding to pull off and a murder to solve. Instead of wedding bells, she might be hearing wedding bullets, but she's determined to bring the bad guys to justice if it's the last thing she does . . . and this time, it just might be."

The Moon and More

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10

I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into The Moon and More. Quite a few friends of mine have been Sarah Dessen (hi, Kim and Amy) fans for quite some time now, but I just never got around to reading any of her books.
I had quite the cheer team behind me while reading this book though, I can say that much. And since I love my friends and trust their taste in all things, including literature, I knew the book wouldn't be horrible.
But there's something about chick-flicks. Once you've read the first, it's quite safe to say you have more likely than not, read them all. The formula hardly ever changes, so it can be quite hard to be fully interested and invested in the story when you know how the story is going to end.
But I was happily surprised with The Moon and More. Throughout the book, I wasn't quite sure where it was going, and with who Emaline was going to end up with - and since that's usually the focus of chick-lit, this was a nice change. Usually, I can spot the HEA coming from miles away. Not this time. Which made reading actually interesting because I wanted to know, and not only out of morbid curiosity about how it would happen.
Also nice was the MC, Emaline, who is a spunky, takes-no-crap-from-anyone kind of girl which reminded me quite a lot of myself (except I don't have one boyfriend, never mind two guys running after me. Also, I don't live in a cute seaside town).
It was a wonderfully light and easy read for the half-term, and kept me highly entertained with Emaline's humour and snarky remarks to Ivy. Definitely worth a read.

Billy and Me

Title: Billy and Me
Author: Giovanna Fletcher
Genre: YA
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 6/10

I got this book as an ARC, and would like to thank Penguin for the chance to read it.

I’ve read quite a few books about the girl who falls in love with the rich, super-hot guy, and then their struggle to make their relationship work. My favourite famous-guy will always be Kellan Kyle, but Billy was great (despite his rather unfortunate name… which grew on me as the book went on), as far as egotistically inclined super-famous and ridiculously rich men go.

I really enjoyed the book, and it was an easy read throughout. Sophie was like a breath of fresh air after so many weak-willed, simpering heroines, who, after a little sweet-talking and puppy-dog eyes, always end up doing what the love interest wants. But not Sophie. She stood her ground, and battled her way through a situation no one is ever prepared for. She never lost herself and her feisty, independent nature, and I really liked reading about a girl who isn’t badass, can’t kick everyone’s ass with her eyes closed, but is still incredibly strong and powerful in her own, natural way. Most of the strong females in books are girls who are good at fighting, and while I appreciate how they show that girls can be just as physically adept as boys, it was lovely to see a girl show strength simply by standing by her own values, and refusing to take crap from life.

The only thing I felt was missing, was this big “secret” of Sophie’s. With all the buildup, I expected something a little more explosive, not grieving. Still, a nice, easy read that is both heartwarming and refreshing.

Warning to younger readers: although the book is tame, there are a few slightly racy scenes that might make you uncomfortable if you’re not used to reading more adult books.

Reckless

Title: Reckless (Thoughtless #3)
Author: S. C. Stephens
Genre: Adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10


To those of you just starting: deep breaths, grab your tissues, a box of chocolates, and never despair... or maybe do. I'm not telling :P

Oh, wow... where do I even start? I'm aware I need to keep the spoilers away from here, lest I be murdered by an enraged Heather (hi, hun! *waves*), so bear with me ;)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Reckless. I was so happy for Stephens for having gotten herself a contract with a major publishing house, but I was a bit miffed that the release date was pushed back because of it. Gotta say, though. Totally worth the wait.
Kellan and Kiera's story grabbed me from the first, and Effortless was just... I read that book twice, one in the tail of the other. I literally finished it the first time, turned to the beginning and started again, that's how bloody great it was. And Reckless... hell, if I didn't have a teetering pile of unread books balancing precariously on my nightstand, I'd be very tempted to do the same. What. A. Ride.
There are good books, there are great books, and then there are those books that make you say 'to hell with life, I need to read this shit!'. I stayed up way too late (Kellan does that to me, what can a girl say?), almost forgot to eat, and thoroughly neglected all homework sent my way. I even read while walking home from the bus. Not even kidding. First time I've actually done that, and I don't even want to know how nuts I seemed these last two days, smiling like a moron throughout the day, giggling out of the blue and then almost sobbing the next moment. I'd forgotten what an emotional mess these books always left me. Thoughtless broke me into a thousand tiny pieces, only to glue me back together at the end; still, it was so painful, I've yet to go back an re-read it - unlike Effortless which, like I mentioned before, got a twofer. But even Effortless, with all it's awesome, romantic mush, still exhausted me emotionally. And Reckless was no different. The ups and downs with Kellan and Kiera are from cloud nine to hell and back again in the span of one chapter.
I loved seeing more of Denny. I really didn't like him in Thoughtless, but he's grown on me, and I love the fact that, unrealistic as that is, he was able to look over what my babies had done to him, and still be good friends with both of them. I am glad he read Kiera's book and finally apologised, though. He had more than his fair share of blame in what happened, and my main problem with him was how self-righteous he acted.
I really liked Kiera in this book. In fact, the only person I disliked was Sienna (I even loved - yes, LOVED - Griffin in this book. I guess miracles do happen), and that's self explanatory, really. I never trusted that backstabbing bitch, and I was just itching for someone - Kiera, preferably, though I'd be fine if it were Kellan - to bitchslap the bejeesus out of her.

The reality of this being the end hasn't quite sunk in yet, and I'm still wandering the house, smiling maniacally because that ending was as perfect as could be, considering *shrugs*.

The Widow of Larkspur Inn

Title: The Widow of Larkspur Inn 
Author: Lawana Blackwell
Genre: historical
Rating: 3.5/5
Cover: 10/10

While I appreciate that a truly Victorian-time novel would have quite a few links to the church, and God, I did feel that it was a little too heavily laid-on here. Maybe it's just because of my views on religion (I'm an atheist), but it just didn't sit very well with me. It felt a bit like the book itself was preaching, trying to convert me the entire time. Now, despite my religious views, I have nothing against religion, and/or religious people. I don't even mind people trying to convert me. I enjoy getting to know the dogmas of different religions - perhaps there is still a small part of me that wants to find one creed that I can believe in heart & soul, rather than agree with bits and pieces of different religions. I've been to Mormon services (quite a few, too. Long story, and I digress), Baptist services, Catholic services and even some Church of England and Spiritist ... "service" (I forget the name of what the Spiritist do, but I'm pretty sure it's not a service), and I highly enjoyed them all. I talked to priests, pastors, and all that, and am starting to build my own Bible collection, one from each different religion. So, no, it wasn't the fact that it felt like the book was trying to convert me that bothered me. It was just a little too excessive. I can see why a recent widow would turn to God for help, and like I said before, in the Victorian Era, religion was a BIG part of society, but still.

Not only that, but the ending was rushed. After all those chapters creating a rapport for the various characters (and what characters! Oh, so wonderfully three dimensional, all of them! This is character heaven), the last quarter of the book skipped various months and weeks at a time, and frankly, I felt cheated of time with my friends. I know that, for the sake of healing, more time needed to have gone by before wounds healed to the point where a happy ending was possible, but it still bugged me a bit, the jumping.

HOWEVER, as previously mentioned, the characters! Oh, they are so delicious to read! Not one person in the quite extensive cast of characters in 'The Widow of Larkspur Inn' is the dreaded one-dimensional character. They all have rich, wonderful, intriguing back stories. Even the smallest, most insignificant characters has more behind him/her than what first meets the eye, and that is what gives this book a 3.5. If religion puts you off, you HAVE to read this, even if it's just for the characters. Please do. Everyone deserves to read such wonderfully real characters.

Hopeless

Title: Hopeless
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 7/10

I just finished it, so forgive me if this comes out more rambling and sobbing than reviewing decently.

Hopeless... wow. Colleen Hoover has once again blown me away completely. I didn't even know what my heart was doing half the time I was reading this book, it was just such a huge roller-coaster of emotions.

Holder, what can I say about Dean Holder that doesn't sound cheesy and infatuated? Because, to be honest, that's exactly how I feel about him. Though, I remember when I first started reading the book, I just thought he'd be the bad boy she fell for - and we all know I have a weakness for bad boys, so it's a moot point, I guess - but OH MY GOD he was so much more than that. Holder is everything that makes girls read romance books and sigh, silently wishing boys in real life were like that. He's not perfect, not by any stretch of imagination, but he loves Sky so much, so purely and so entirely, that pretty soon you stop seeing him as a bad boy we all love to kind of fear, and he becomes The Guy. You know. The one you'd marry if he ever crossed your path. The one you'd jump on and would never, ever let go. He's broken, but he still loves her passionately, and that made me love him more than his bad boy side ever could have.
As for Sky herself... well. I cried so much when I realised, about 100 pages before she did what had happened, that I had to put the book down, or run the risk of showing up with red, puffy eyes in all of the New Years pictures. There's something so horrible, so absolutely inhuman about what happened to her, and yet she somehow still found the strength to keep going. That made me love her. It's rare that in a book I love both sides of the couple; usually I fall madly in love with the guy, and accept the girl as either worthy of his love, or as a lucky bitch who doesn't deserve him, but end up having to deal with it because they're fictional. With Sky, though, I fell utterly in love with her, just as much as I fell for Holder (though in a different way, thanks). Both of them are so broken, so alone and so lost in the world, and yet, they refuse to give up. I honestly don't know. Lesslie might have taken the selfish way out, but it's also the easiest one; and the fact that doing that never even occurred to Sky just made me love her even more. When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

Only down point in the book, is that I wish we'd gotten to see more of Six; she sounds like a right character, and I would have loved to know her more.

Foolish Games

Title: Foolish Games
Author: Leah Spiegel
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 3/10

Joie Hall just wanted to get away from her mother. Now that high school is over, Joie's mom seemed to take far too much interest in what Joie's plans for the future would be - which would be frustrating enough if she actually knew what she wanted to do. Since she has no idea, Joie jumps at the chance to spend the summer with her two best friends, following a band, even though the idea of being a groupie holds zilch attraction for her. Even so, she agrees to drive Riley and Lizzie across the country for The Grimm Brothers Band's summer tour.
When Lizzie hooks up with the bassist, Warren, Joie finds herself stuck in an extremely awkward elevator ride with the two lovebirds and the lead singer, J. T. Hawkins - a ride that would change her life forever.  When Hawkins makes a snide remark about her to Warren, he sparks a flame of resentment that ends up spilling out the next day, when Riley asks for her help reviewing the concert for the band's official website. In a moment of driving despair, the full email with Joie's bitter words gets sent to the website.
That review started a verbal and cyber war between Hawkins and Joie that would drag in everyone they know, as they battle it out to find out who can be more stubborn, and come up with the wittier comeback.
Worst of all, it put Joie and her friends in the spotlight of a deranged, psychotic stalker of the band, hell-bent on destroying Hawkins... no matter the cost in collateral damage.

I could not put Foolish Games down. For such a good book, I was most pleasantly surprised at the low Kindle price, and pounced on it; only to find myself now, mere hours after starting it, feeling adrift and lost now that I've been kicked back into the real world. Joie's world is compelling, with heart-thumping, grip-your-chair-in-anxiety action and suspense, and a love story to make any fan of a good romance fall in head over heels. Most definitely recommended!

Size 12 and Ready to Rock

Title: Size 12 and Ready to Rock (Heather Wells Mysteries #4)
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: Adult, chick-lit
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 7/10

I've always loved Cabot's writing for one reason: her writing is so light, so easy to read, it's really the biggest pleasure, and always makes me smile.
Heather Wells has been gone from bookstores for some time now, so I was thrilled to see her come back (not to mention that hilarious book trailer! Kudos to whoever had the idea), and let me tell you: she sure came back in big style.
When Tania Trace, wife of Heather's ex-boyfriend Jordan Cartwright is almost shot at, she ends up, along with Jordan, inside the closest building they found: Death Dorm. Neither Heather nor Cooper, Heather's fiancé and Jordan's brother, are happy to see the starlet couple barge in, especially when Tania announces she wants to move the filming of her new reality show into the dorm, claiming to be too scared of being out in the open again. She also contracts Cooper to protect her, which Cooper does quite happily, since it means spending his day in the same building as his fiancée.
Which is how Heather finds out that the shooting might not have been a stray bullet, like everyone has been saying... but rather Tania's ex-husband that no one, much less the media, know about.

Pulled kicking and screaming back into the popstar world, Heather resigns herself to helping Tania escape her ex, even if it means Jordan, along with the entire Cartwright family have to find out about her secret engagement to Cooper, the black sheep of the family - a fact that most certainly won't go down too well with some of them... But what's a girl to do? And popstar sensations have to stick together after all, even when it involves getting almost killed by a psycho ex. What is fame for, after all?

52 Reasons to Hate my Father

Title: 52 Reasons to Hate my Father
Author: Jessica Brody
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover: 10/10

This is what I imagine when I hear the term 'contemporary fairytale'. Because no fairytale is complete without a beautiful message in it, mixed in there with the drama, and seemingly-impossible love with the prince charming. Granted, Luke is no Prince, and for at least half the book, he is about as far from charming as a guy can get, and still I wished we'd seen more of Lex and Luke together, but the rest of the book totally made up for the lack of togetherness on their part.
Most YA books are in first person, and most of the time, we enjoy the narrator's voice (it's hard to get through the book otherwise...). But not Lexi. Oh, no. Lex's voice is the I-met-this-girl-last-weekend kind of voice. 
If you made a habit of meeting filthy rich heiresses during your weekends, I mean. But other than that, you can actually picture her throughout the book. 
The obnoxious, snotty girl from school? Mix that up with a healthy dose of living in a bubble, being forced down from the obnoxious and snotty horse to work as a maid and clean up horse poo, a sprinkle of romance, lots of humour and you get 52 Reasons to Hate My Father.
And for the first time in a long time, I wasn't rooting for the bad guy. Which turns out to be good in the end, of course, but it's a nice change of scenery, too. So yay to that ;)

Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light read.

Almost

Title: Almost
Author: Anne Eliot
Genre: YA
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 4/10


I need to talk about the awesome that is this book. Fans of Beautiful Disaster (Jamie McGuire), Slammed (Colleen Hoover), Barely Breathing (Rebecca Donovan) and Thoughtless (S. C. Stephens), you're in for a treat!
Buckle up boys & girls, because Jess's past isn't pretty... but she doesn't remember it. At least, almost nothing of it. Not the night she revisits every time she falls alseep during dark hours, and not how what was meant to be rape was reduced to almost-rape. Everything about her life is almost. Almost remembered. Almost forgotten. Almost raped. Almost fine. Almost better. Almost dating...

It has many references to Pride & Prejudice, Titanic, Romeo & Juliet, and a few to Twilight. Because we all love popular references, and you know it.
But awesome references to gain (or lose... ahem) cookie points, Almost is a heart-wrenching tale of a teenage girl struggling to come to terms with the trauma in her past, while trying to convince her overbearing parents that she isn't made of glass, getting her younger sister to stop acting like the older sister for once, and falling in love - all at once. Oh, and she needs to fill in college applications, on the off chance that she can convince the parental entities that she's ready to move on - which is where Gray Porter comes in. Tall, dark and handsome with killer green eyes, he seems immune to Jess's death stares and not-so-subtle back-off hints. With an easy smile and the butterflies he gives her, she figures he'd be an okay candidate for number 3 on the list her sister made for her on How To Be Normal. #3 is getting a boyfriend. After some fast-talking and involuntary guilt-tripping, she gets Gray to go along with her plan... not knowing that Gray knows her deepest secrets, or that he's had a crush on her since freshman year, back when she was still a normal girl...

Almost is told in first person by both Gray and Jess, which I loved. Getting simultaneous intel inside both of their heads was wonderful. And let it be said - I love Gray Porter. And I want one of those BBB bumper stickers for myself! ;)

Book Review: Underworld

Title: Underworld (Abandon #2)
Author: Meg Cabot
Genre: YA, supernatural
Rating: 4/5
Cover: 7/10

In the sequel to Abandon, we continue following Pierce Oliviera's struggle to accept the truth about the nature of the boy she loves.

I'll be honest: Abandon didn't impress me all too much. In fact, the one scene in Abandon that I did enjoy, and felt it was more in tone with the theme of the book, was so close to the end, I'd almost given up hope of finding it by then. But Underworld surprised me nicely; not only did John, the present-day personification of Hades, act more like what I'd expect from a Death Deity, but there was hardly one slow moment in the entire book, and that always makes for a gripping read.
All that said, I've read every single book Meg Cabot has eve written, including the ones that are all but impossible to find these days (my school library was too good for words), and I just know she can write better than this. Which is why Underworld got a 4/5.

Underworld has a light feeling to it, that might not be the best image for a book that is, in its' core, a retelling of Persephone's myth, but while Pierce is in love with Death, she isn't Death; in fact, she's somewhat his opposite, caring so much for any living being, and doing everything in her power to help those who need it. Of course, opposites attract, but they also clash. A lot. Which makes for an interesting relationship, that's for sure.
But I saw a great deal of much-needed character development in Underworld. John was acting more like Death, but at the same time, as a man very much in love; it's a delicate balance to tread, but Meg pulled it off pretty well. As for Pierce, she really came into her own strength in this this book. It's like someone reached down into the book and slapped her a good one for her to wake up. I really enjoyed seeing her and John butt heads, two stubborn mules that they are.
And I loved meeting John's shipmates. I adored little Henry, and wanted to hug him every time he showed up.
All in all, a fun read, but nothing too desperate. And beware: it does end in a cliffhanger.

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)
Author: E. L. James
Genre: Adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10

Yes, I decided it was about time I joined in the melee. Eveyone is talking about Fifty Shades, and while I first read it late last year, I'm only now reviewing the book here...

I... loved, loved, loved this book.
And to those of you who have already read it, that statement might raise quite a few eyebrows. Let me explain: Fifty Shades of Grey will invariably create heated discussions about propriety and whatnot, but the truth of the matter is that it wasn't the BDSM which captured me, but rather the character development.
Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of Anastasia Steele, a recently graduated girl who, by a whim of destiny, ends up interviweing the most influential CEO of the century - all because her best friend who was supposed to do the interview, had the flu. To save her friend, Ana goes to interview Christian Grey, the 27 year old multi-millionaire owner of the Grey Enterprises Holding Inc.
First impressions are what stay, or so they say, and Ana's first impression of Christian was that of an arrogant, dominative and control-freak man. But he intrigues her when he expresses a deep desire to help the poor, and feed the whole world, single-handedly, if necessary. Not to mention his hot bod.
After an extremely awkward interview, Ana leaves Christian, happy that she will never again have to lay eyes on him. But apparently life has other plans, and Ana will have to decide if getting to know this mysterious man is really worth all the sacrifices she'll have to make so their... relationship can work.

Okay, now speaking truthfully. Yes, there were some scenes that made me uncomfortable, and I can safely say that lifestyle is not for me. However, like I said before, the character development is something to watch. Personally, I found it fascinating to see both Ana and Christian change so much about their own lives, and step completely out of their comfort zones to try something new. So yes, if you don't get squeamish with hot  - and I do mean... hot - scenes, you should read Fifty. The book has a little of a slow start, so as you read on, you can have a little bit of an idea more or less how hot things get, so you can safely decide if you want to continue or not.

Book Review: Thoughtless

Title: Thoughtless
Author: S. C. Stephens
Genre: Adult
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 8/10 - muted, subtle, but not too in-your-face.


What can I say about Thoughtless without going off on a ramble?
Every now and then, I get tired of all the paranormal books (much as I love them to death), and just need a nice, realistic novel, whith characters so truly messed-up due to their own choices. Sadly, good books like that are few and far between, but Thoughtless... wow. It was all that, and so much more.

Kiera isn't your Mary Sue. She's just like any other girl out there who is deeply in love with her boyfriend - reckless, sometimes cute to a fault, happy, and, when the boyfriend leaves her for two months for work after she moved state to be with him, understandably devastated.
Her boyfriend, Denny, is the typical you're-too-perfect-to-be-true kind of guy. He doesn't cheat on Kiera, not ever, nevermind that he's hot (which he is), and deeply, recklessly in love with his girlfirend.
Kellan is Denny's best friend. Beautiful, confident, and exuding sex appeal, Kellan hides a syrprisingly vulnerable and broken interior with his smokin' hot looks.
Denny was an exchange student from Australia in Kellan's house during high school, and the bond between the two boys never faded. So when Denny gets offered a job in Seattle and moves from Ohio to Washington with Kiera, Kellan offers his spare room to them for a low price.
Kiera never knew what she was getting herself into when she decided to transfer to Washington University to go with Denny to Seattle. What she finds when she gets there, is that her new roommate, Kellan Kyle, is not only the singer in a band called the D-Bags, but also "the hottest guy on the East Coast".

What happens when Denny leaves for Tucson for two months wreaks all three lives forever.


I'm not sure what exactly in this book had me so hooked. I guess it was the emotions, which run so rampant on every page here. The fights are vicious, the love is intense, and every scene in between is so filled with palbable emotion, the world around you fades into the background as you get sweeped up into Kellan and Kiera's hurricane of emotions. It's a rollercoaster ride, and worth every damn second of heartbreak, tears and anger.