Review for The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

TITLE: The DUFF
AUTHOR: Kody Keplinger
PUBLICATION DATE: February 25, 2015
PUBLISHER: Hodder Children’s Books
PAGES: 288 pages
FORMAT: eARC / Paperback
SOURCE: publisher via NetGalley / Purchased
RATING: 5 bows

Bianca Piper is smart, snarky, and about as cynical as a 17 year old girl can be. She will be the absolute last person to fall for Wesley Rush’s womanizing charms. He’s a pig who nicknames her Duffy and she hates him. But when home life gets complicated and she needs an escape, kissing Wesley (and later doing much more) doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. The boy may be a jackass, but he is a talented jackass. The more time she spends with him, the more she notices that his life isn’t exactly perfect and he happens to be a damn good listener. She can’t possibly be falling for the guy she’s hated for so long, right?

I have been dying to read this since the moment I step out of the movie theater. The film was just my level of awesome. I’m a sucker for those high school rom-coms about finding yourself, so it’s no surprise I loved the film. I deliberately didn’t read this before seeing the movie. I’ve found that reading the books first can severely impair my ability to enjoy their film counterparts. Once I’ve read it, I want the film to be exactly like the book, word for word. I’m one of those people that would be deliriously happy if the film adaptation of all books were 4 hour long experiences identical to the books. I think most bookworms feel that way, but I can’t let go of the details. There are some things I can understand why it gets changed, but a lot of times there seems to be no logical reason behind changes and those anger me. It was harder to avoid this book before the movie than I thought it would be. The movie tie in edition of the novel is everywhere. It’s available in bookstores, WalMart, Target, even the tiny grocery story book section! It stalked me, but I resisted the urge to crack it open. I highly recommend anyone who has not read the book already to wait until after the film to read it. Though I adore the film, the changed a great deal of things and, if you are anything like me, it will make you angry if you read the book first. But this is supposed to be a book review, right? So let’s get back to the book!

I loved Bianca immediately. She reminded me a great deal of Katarina Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You and that is a high compliment because Kat was my role model throughout my entire high school career. She’s intelligent and sarcastic and opinionated. She has no qualms about sharing those opinions with everyone around her and she doesn’t care about what they think of her. I went in thinking she’d be somewhat insecure, but she really isn’t. I’d say she has more self-esteem than the average teenage girl. She truly doesn’t give a fuck about how other’s see her. She knows she isn’t very pretty, but she has made peace with that fact and she plays to her strengths. I do think she was a bit harsh sometimes, but that also what I loved. She wasn’t afraid to say exactly what she was thinking, no sugar coating required. She has no qualms about throwing a drink all over Wesley when he tells her she is the DUFF and she has no problem consistently telling him what she thinks of him (hint: it’s not usually pretty).

Wesley….what do I say about Wesley? The start of the story portrays him as a cocky jackass, but since I was already half in love with him because of the slightly altered film version of him, I couldn’t help but be amused by his shenanigans. He is a dick, but I think he’s a loveable dick and he makes no promises. He may be a man-whore, but he’s completely honest about that fact. He makes no promises for more than meaningless sex and he doesn’t string unsuspecting girls along. But once you start really seeing him, how he tries to comfort Bianca (and that scene where he defends her?)…well, let’s just say I swooned. I was a Wesley fan from page one. Even when he was being a jackass, I loved him. I couldn’t help it.

Jessica and Casey were both very interesting. They are loyal friends, sticking by Bianca when she needs it and getting angry with her when she starts avoiding them. They are probably the only people on the planet whose opinions Bianca actually cares about. They aren’t perfect. Casey is a little pushy and Jess is a little ditzy, but they are both very lovable and it’s easy to see why Bianca has stuck with them.

What I really loved about this was how realistic it felt. There was no censoring to dumb things down to a “high school” level. Bianca swears and has sex and is a normal teenager. This doesn’t try to hide that side of her. I also liked that there weren’t a bunch of cliches all over the place. Maybe I just didn’t pay enough attention to the other students in my high school or maybe I just went to an abnormal school, but I don’t remember a set of “popular” people from my high school or the jocks and the geeks and whatnot. I liked this Bianca’s main goal in life wasn’t to climb a social ladder. She was just biding her time until high school was over and she could get on with her life. Plus, I loved how Keplinger played the whole love triangle aspect. Toby isn’t a bad guy. Toby is actually the perfect guy. Toby is the one Bianca wants, but sometimes what we want and what we need aren’t the same thing.

I don’t know what took me so long to find this novel and read it. Though I’m very happy that I waited until after the film to read it, I’m also sad that I went years without this awesomeness in my life. This novel is perfect. There is not a single thing about it I would change. It smart and funny and heartfelt. It has the perfect level of teen angst. And it has that I hate you until I love you thing going on that we all secretly crave. Seriously, it’s perfect.

****Thank you to Hodder Children’s Books for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Untamed (Unbeautiful #2) by Jessica Sorensen

TITLE: Untamed
SERIES: Unbeautiful #2
AUTHOR: Jessica Sorensen
PUBLICATION DATE: February 27, 2015
PUBLISHER: Independent
PAGES: 296 pages
FORMAT: eARC
SOURCE: Via Author
RATING: 5 bows

In Unbeautiful, Emery tried to escape her family’s boundaries. She moved out and went away for college. Unfortunately, since she refuses to return home, her family has brought their rules and restrictions to her. The ex-boyfriend reappears with strict family orders that she will date him and the one guy she thought she could trust has betrayed her more than anyone. Ryler is her new bodyguard and the fact that he has been working for her father this entire time just breaks her heart. She was out on her own and her family still manages to control every part of her life. Her father has a creepy way of knowing exactly what is going on in her life and now she knows why. Ryler has been reporting back to him with her every move. But Ryler didn’t betray her as much as she thinks and he has no choice but to follow her father’s orders. The sooner he finds that gold information that the feds are looking for and can get out of this situation, the better. But the more he sees the abuse they put on Emery, the more he knows he needs to find a way to get her out of this life as well. Can they both escape their pasts or will it continue to haunt them?

Emery and Ryler are pretty much the same characters we fell in love with in Unbeautiful. We get to see a little more of Emery’s crazy side and a lot more of her worries now that the secrets are out in the open, but she’s still that girl who has been abused by her family in unbelievable ways. Ryler is much more tortured here because he’s new “job” requires him to lie to Emery and the tension between them is killing him. Gone is that easy way they had with each other before the truth was known. Gone were are the days when Emery would confide in him. She sees him as the enemy now and he is desperate to change that.

This is definitely not one of those books you can jump into without reading the first one. If you don’t read Unbeautiful first, you’ll be confused beyond belief. This series has quite a bit more mystery and suspense than I’m used to with Sorensen, but she wears it well. Unbeautiful left us with so many unanswered questions and Untamed does it’s best to answer most of them. We finally find out what really happened with Emery’s brother and how her father is so all-knowing when it comes to her new life. We do (eventually) get to see things heat up again between Ryler and Emery. That doesn’t happen for a while. It takes a lot for Emery to trust Ryler again, after what feels like the ultimate betrayal.

I was a little surprised to learn that this was just a duology. I’ve come to expect much longer series from her and I worried a little that she wouldn’t be able to condense everything that needed to be covered into just two books. That worry was stupid of me. I should know by now that Sorensen is capable of writing goal that she sets her mind to and this is no exception. Though I was still left with a question or two, I was completely satisfied with this story. I now genuinely hope that Ryler and Emery don’t get another story because that would mean more turmoil for them and they deserve some peace and quiet.

This is one of those series that you spend your weekend hiding in your house to finish reading because you have to know what happens next. I read Untamed in a single day. I stayed super late Saturday night to finish Unbeautiful and get quite a ways into Untamed before collapsing from exhaustion. I got up the next morning and immediately pick it back up to keep going. I am not a fast reader, so for me to finish something in a single day is an accomplishment and that only happens with things I truly cannot put down. I should surprise no one, least of all me, that it happened here because Sorensen knows how to write exactly what I like to read. She’s truly a master of her craft and I bow down to her brillance. Emery and Ryler’s story is heartbreaking, almost to that Nova & Quinton level, and you cannot help but feel for them and hope that they get the best ending possible. And they do get it, so what more could you want? You get suspense, mystery, tension, romance, and an happy ending?

****Thank you to Jessica Sorensen for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review****

Review tour for The Reality O by Candy Sloane

We’re celebrating the release of The Reality O by Candy Sloane, aka Lisa Burstein! If you’re looking for something funny and a bit sexy, check this out!

TITLE: The Reality O
AUTHOR: Candy Sloane (AKA Lisa Burstein)
PUBLICATION DATE: February 23, 2015
PUBLISHER: Independent
RATING: 4 bows
BUY LINKS: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

DESCRIPTION

About a year ago a book titled Sneaking Candy was released. It was about a creative writing graduate student (Candice Salinas) and her erotic romance author alter-ego (Candy Sloane). Readers fell in love with Candy and so did author Lisa Burstein.

Lisa fell so much in love SHE WROTE A BOOK as Candy Sloane.

The Reality O is Candy Sloane’s first standalone debut erotic romance novel, but it may not be her last…

Fifteen Contestants, Twelve Episodes & One Chance to Rock Her World

When my best friend Allie posted about my need for an inaugural O on a prominent dating website it was meant to be a joke.
A joke she was supposed to delete.

But her post started an internet and media frenzy and, when I was offered fifty thousand dollars to star in my own reality competition show, I had no choice but to say yes.

The show was supposed to help me meet a carnal companion who could finally bring me to climax.

Unfortunately, the one person I want to win the undying allegiance of my, well, you know, can’t be in the running at all.

Now in an L.A. mansion with fifteen very persuasive contestants vying for my attention and one undeniably sexy Production Assistant secretly getting it all the word ACTION has a whole new meaning…

Author’s Note: This book is about sex. There are men kissing women, women kissing women, and men kissing lady parts. It is not meant for readers under eighteen, or my mother.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

https://twitter.com/CandySloane

Candy Sloane is an erotic romance author and the fictional creation of Lisa Burstein from the New Adult Novel Sneaking Candy. The Reality O is her debut novel.

Lisa Burstein is the author of the Young Adult Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie, and the New Adult Novels & Novellas: Sneaking Candy, The Next Forever, The Possibility of Us, and Again. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats.

Contact Links: Website | Twitter | GoodReads | Facebook

MY REVIEW

Chris has had the big O, just never from anyone else besides herself. Despite multiple attempts, no guy has managed to please her. After Allie, her best friend jokingly posts a Craigslist ad look for a talented man to liberate Chris that goes viral, Chris is swept away in a MTV offer to make a reality show about The Orgasm Virgin. From there she meets eleven men and four women willing to try to rock her world the way no one before them has. She also meets Scott, the completely hot (and completely off limits) production assistant. With each day that passes forcing Chris to consider these people and the reality of getting busy with one of them (and NOT Scott), the more she wonders if signing up for a reality show was really her best idea. Will she finally find the big O with some else, or will she head back home to her library just as unsatisfied as she arrived?

I loved Chris almost immediately. She’s somewhat deprived, spending her days in a library rather than carousing with the “normal” people and mostly she likes it that way. But there are moments when hearing about Allie’s sexscapades make Chris incredibly jealous and that’s something I can always relate to. That’s the same feeling I get when I read those romance novels where couples go at it consistently. Food, hydration, work, normal life are all apparently not as important as going one more round. I’m always awed and a little jealous of those fictional worlds. It was nice to read about a heroine who was out of the loop for once instead of the party girl. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that she is a librarian. I was not determined enough to get a masters of library science, but I have to admire those who do. Where would be we without them? It saddens me that they are becoming a little obsolete in this digital age. ANYWAY, Chris is that best friend who is a bit more straight laced than her friends. She seemed more of a normal girl character, but a realist one, not the ideal one we get fed in a lot of novels. I was immediately rooting for her to find her magical orgasm…and hopefully a nice boyfriend too. I wasn’t disappointed.

I didn’t love Scott immediately. I felt like he was risking A LOT just to sleep around with Chris and I didn’t know if that was justified. I mean, the boy has worked towards getting his own show for a while and now, on the cusp of that dream becoming a reality, he is willing to throw it all away to sleep with this one girl? I mean, I get attraction and lust and all that, but really, is it that preposterous to think that he couldn’t have waited 2 weeks for the filming to be over to go after her? Maybe that’s just me, but I felt like his interest was a little too much too quickly. Beyond that, though, he is sweet and thoughtful and does everything to help Chris through this mess she has gotten herself into. He laughs at her jobs, cracks ones of his own, and does everything he can to support Chris and lighten her load on the show. He is always there with advice and alcohol (because, really, there is no way for a shy-ish librarian to get through this without copious amounts of booze) in the background for the taking.

What I really loved about this was the humor. This is laugh out loud funny, with awkward moments, dirty sex jokes, and even a few smart jokes tossed in just to throw you off. Page one will have you snorting, page two will garner a laugh, and things escalate from there. I don’t think I stress enough how important comedy is in novels, but it really is a necessity. I hope I see more novels like this. I need more erotica that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The only thing I didn’t like was that this felt too short. An argument can be made that a well written (and entertaining) novel always feels too short, but this felt especially….clipped? I would have liked to have seen more of the interactions with the contestants and rounded that side out. We know pretty early on where this is going to go and who Chris fancies, but I just felt like some scenes where cut short or a bit more explanation would have helped. Or even just added fluff to allow me time to digest what I’ve read. It was just one thing straight after another with little space between to really get a feel for what just happened. Leaving me wanting more is definitely the best probably to have in any novel, so I guess I can’t complain too much, right?

This is the second novel I’ve read this year labeled erotic comedy and I hope this becomes the next big trend because I definitely need more of this in my life. I know dark romance and new adult is all the rage right now and there are great, but don’t we need something a little lighter? Isn’t there room for more fluff? I certainly hope so. This novel was everything I expected it to be and more. I must admit that when I initially read Burstein’s Sneaking Candy, I never expected her to actually write Candy Sloane’s book, but I’m incredibly glad she did! This novel has the humor and the heart to keep me begging for me. I will happily continue to devour anything else Candy (and Lisa) decides to write!

****Thank you to Lisa Burstein and WordSmith Publicity for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood #2) by Victoria Scott

TITLE: Salt & Stone
SERIES: Fire & Flood #2
AUTHOR: Victoria Scott
PUBLICATION DATE: February 24, 2015
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
PAGES: 320 pages
FORMAT: ARC
SOURCE: Publisher
RATING: 3 bow

Tella Holloway has become much stronger than she was at the start of the Brimstone Bleed. A trek through a jungle and across a desert will do that to you. Now, as she prepares to go into the second half of this deadly race to save her brother, she wonders if she is really strong enough to make it through. Can she really defeat all these people? Can she, a girl who spent her life in search of the perfect dress and cup of coffee, really go head to head with a group of adults and really come out victorious? And could she have survived the first half without Guy’s help? This second installment of the Fire & Flood series comes with just as much peril and self-doubt, but an altogether stronger Tella. Let’s see if she can haul ass and save her brother’s life.

It’s been a while since I read Fire & Flood, so my love for Tella had to be made over. I remember loving her sassiness in F&F as well as her pandora, but I didn’t quite remember her exactly as she is. At the beginning of this, I was annoyed at her. She keeps trying to step out from underneath Guy’s shadow and lead the group and that isn’t what I wanted to see. I wanted to see her follow Guy’s lead and maybe watch a few hidden make-out scenes. Every time she went against him, I wanted to smack her. And then she learns that he doesn’t believe she can stand on her own, that he isn’t sure she could have made it this far without him, and she’s is devastated…and more determined than ever to stand on her own two feet. During that whole speech, I was a little conflicted. I mean, on the one hand, you kinda have to agree with him. She doesn’t know how to survive on the land and may well have starved or died of dehydration without him. On the other, that is a harsh thing to admit and Tella is always stronger than anyone gives her credit for. Then, she starts making smarter decision and slowly earns everyone’s respect and I was finally okay with her stepping out. But it wasn’t an immediately response. The thing that always won me over from moment one was her love for her Pandora and that is amplified here. She reaches out to all the Pandoras and does what she can to protect them as they would her.

Despite his harsh words and general unwillingness to talk, I still love Guy. He’s constantly doing whatever he can to keep Tella safe, even when Tella doesn’t want him to risk his neck for her. Even if his actions are misguided, he still shows a great deal of care for Tella’s well being and it’s obvious that he cares for her, even if he can’t bring himself to say the words.

One of the things I applauded Scott for in my review of Fire & Flood was the novel’s brutality. This is no different than that. While I still applaud Scott for not holding back, it still broke my heart in many ways…as I’m sure it broke hers. We get more character death here and that’s harder to take because I’ve become even more attached to them by now. You all know I’m not a fan of character death. While I am aware that at story of this caliber requires character death (because it’s preposterous to believe they can all make this deadly trek without casualties), that doesn’t make it any easier for me to read. Besides the character death, the Pandora deaths are what really brought me down to a sob-worthy level. Just to be clear, I don’t want novels to make me sob. I respect that it takes a certain skill to bring your readers to such a state where they feel the need to shed real-world tears over a fictional event, but that is not what I seek when I look for a new novel. ANYWAY, by the time you reach the end of this, you know where it’s going Pandora-wise. We’ve really all felt it heading this way since the first introduction of the companions, but we were just hoping we were wrong, that Scott would find another way to devastate us. Trust you’re instincts on this because that is exactly where it’s going and you were spot on. And it’s heartbreaking. Devastating doesn’t seem a strong enough word. I won’t say more than that and the fact that it broke me.

Beyond the character death and the brutality, this novel is spectacular. I was able to continue reading it and enjoying it despite my issues and that’s saying something. The writing and plot blew me away, just like they did in the first novel. This is so very different than Scott’s Dante Walker series and I really liked that. It’s a very intense little book. I was one I could never binge read because it’s too potent. That is, until the last 100 pages when I didn’t care if my brain melted because I had to know what happened next. Does Tella win? DOES SHE? I’m not telling! But I’m excited about what comes next. Though this ends on a cliffhanger (is anyone really surprised by that?), I’m excited to see how the group works to take down this crazy company that is killing people for sport.

The low rating here is mostly due to character and animal death. I can be forgiving at times and I know some think it’s unfair to rate a book I enjoyed 3 stars because it’s a mediocre rating, but that’s just how it works for me. Animal death is something to grabs me more than character death. That’s my real-world personality showing through because I’m a big animal lover and I don’t like the thought of them being abused. Beyond that, this is a great follow-up to Fire & Flood. If you enjoyed that, you’ll love this. Just, you know, be prepared because no one is safe and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

****Thank you to Scholastic Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review****

Blog Tour – Rebound (Boomerang #2) by Noelle August (& Giveaway)

TITLE: Rebound
SERIES: Boomerang #2
AUTHOR: Noelle August (AKA Veronica Rossi & Lorin Oberweger)
PUBLICATION DATE: February 10, 2015
PUBLISHER: William Morrow Paperbacks
PAGES: 288 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: Publisher via Edelweiss
RATING: 4 bows
BUY LINKS: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound

DESCRIPTION

At Boomerang, one night can change everything…

Noelle August has taken the New Adult genre by storm, and readers can’t wait to see what chaos, confusion, and connections arise at the Boomerang offices next.

Adam Blackwood has it all. At twenty-three, he’s fabulously wealthy, Ryan Gosling-hot and at the top of his game in the business world. His life is perfect, until a scandal from his past resurfaces and threatens to knock the tech wunderkind down and throw his company, Boomerang, a hook-up site for millennials, into chaos.

Alison Quick, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a business tycoon—and the very ex-girlfriend of Boomerang’s former intern, Ethan—has a problem of her own. After nearly flunking out in her senior year of college, she has one chance to redeem herself to her father by proving that she deserves a place in his corporate empire. That means spearheading her father’s plan to sink big money into Adam’s company and launch it into the stratosphere—provided Adam has no skeletons in his closet.

When the two meet, their sizzling chemistry makes it tough to keep things strictly professional. But when Alison discovers Adam’s secret, she knows she should bring it right to her father, who’ll leverage it for his own gain and use it to ruin Adam. The only problem: she’s falling for Adam—hard.

Will earning her father’s approval come at the price of losing her first real love? Or can Adam and Alison leave behind past mistakes and conquer the world—together?

EXCERPT

Ali laughs. Her gaze feels like sunshine on my back, but I don’t turn around. I pull my wetsuit up to my waist, adjusting myself so I’m comfortable. The cool Neoprene layer feels familiar and my body responds, my heart thumping hard, anticipation rushing through my veins. The prospect of the ocean always does this to me. This has nothing to do with the girl behind me.

“Adam?”

Ali’s voice is close. Turning, I almost bump into her.

Her wetsuit is all the way on, which is good. And terrible.

“What’s up?” I ask.

She smells like suntan oil and peaches. This close, I see that her cheeks are turning slightly pink from the sun. With her hair pulled back, no makeup, and the wetsuit covering her completely, she looks better than she has all week at the office. Better than she did in the Catwoman costume. There’s something powerful about her now. The way her slender legs are planted firmly on the swaying boat, like she’s not trying at all. She’s at home on the water. This from an admitted equestrian. I can only imagine what she’s like with her horses.

“Sorry, but . . .” She smiles and points at her back. “My zipper’s jammed.” She turns around and pulls her ponytail up. “Can you help me out?”

“Sure. You want this on, right? Just want to be sure.”

I can’t see her face, but I know she’s smiling. “Yes. On please.”

I allow myself a moment to enjoy the way she looks right in front of me. Then I take the zipper leash, letting my knuckles drift over her back, just above the knot of her bikini.

If I weren’t completely focused on her, I’d have missed the way she curls slightly toward me.

Focus, Blackwood. Zip the wetsuit up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Question: What do you get when friends pen a story with heart, plenty of laughs, and toe-curling kissing scenes? Answer: Noelle August, the pseudonym for renowned editor and award-winning writer Lorin Oberweger and New York Times bestselling YA author Veronica Rossi, the masterminds behind the Boomerang series. You can visit them at NoelleAugust.com, @Noelle_August,
and facebook.com/NoelleAugustBooks.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MY REVIEW

Adam Blackwood has everything he could have dreamed of and more. He has looks, money, and a very successful business. Now, he needs capital to start up a new production company and that means convincing a rich and powerful man to had over the money. At task that should be simple. But it’s anything but when he sends his daughter, Alison, to do his dirty work. The more time he spends with her, the more he wants to open up about his past, but he doesn’t quiet trust her and he knows that a relationship with her will ruin his chances at an investment from her father. As for Alison, she’s just trying to make up for past mistakes and prove her worth to her father. She has one task to accomplish, get close to Adam and find out what he’s hiding. But the more time she spends with him, the more she doesn’t want to find the dirt for her father. She’s oh so very curious about Adam’s past, but she doesn’t want to hand it for her father on a platter. Can their romance overcome their issues or is their relationship doomed to fail?

I loved (LOVED) Boomerang, so I was hell bent on getting my hands on this book. I honestly didn’t care which characters this story followed, as long as I got more of that Noelle August magic. And I can’t say that I was disappointed!

Adam is the same character I remember from Boomerang, but obviously we get more depth from him here. He has that whole tortured past thing going on. He’s not interesting in relationships, just causal hookups, and he is always upfront with that information. The love of his life died and he sees no point in trying again for anything more than physical needs. That was an interesting view point. It’s one I’m seeing a lot of lately, but I still find it a bit fascinating. Anyway, the thing I liked best about Adam was his dedication to his company and his employees. It’s not just about building it up to be better so he can make more money, it’s also about these people who depend on him for their livelihood. He works hard to make sure things go right and he built Boomerang from nothing. This company is his baby and he will do whatever necessary to protect it. He’s unwanted attraction to Alison and the desire for more than just a hookup was hilarious to watch. He fights it, but we all know he’ll give in. This is, after all, a romance novel.

Alison was a character you weren’t meant to love instantly. She’s Ethan’s ex, you know, the one that cheated on him and broke his heart? I immediately didn’t like her. It doesn’t matter that Ethan has found someone much better for him in Mia, there were better ways to handle a breakup, if that is what she wanted, than the method she used. I am not a fan of cheaters. I don’t buy that bullshit line about not being able to help yourself. Maybe I’ve just never been swept away by passion, but I don’t find that to be an excuse. You an adult and you are in control of your actions. You know what the consequences for something like that will be. Beyond that, Alison does grow on you somewhat. She is in a bad situation, with a bully for a father and a pushover for a mother. She wants a better life for herself, but due to her father’s wealth, she’s used to a certain way of living and knows that a life away from her family wouldn’t afford her those luxuries. She’s not being snobby about it, but she doesn’t have the first clue on how to support herself and make a life of her own. When she meets Adam and starts to realize that maybe she’d like to find out, that’s when I started liking her. The moment when she starts thinking for herself and not just following Daddy’s orders.

My only problem with this was what happens after they get together. I can’t say exactly, but let’s just say things don’t go perfect right off the bat and I didn’t like the way either character handled that. Both jumped to conclusions and ran off, leading to irreversible consequences. I don’t know if that is a problem for me writing-wise because the author(s) led the characters that way, or if it’s a problem with the characters because that is what they would have done anyway, but regardless, it still bothered me. Beyond that, the writing and plot were almost as good as the first one.

I don’t believe this is quite the same level of awesome Boomerang was, but it’s a close second. I think I connected to the characters a bit more in Boomerang, but that is something I cannot control or predict. Either way, it’s the perfect follow up novel, giving us everything we’d expect in a sequel. You get decent characters, amusing antics, just the right amount of smut, and that happily ever after that we all crave. What more can you ask for?

****Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****

Review for A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas

TITLE: A Wicked Thing
SERIES: ? at the time of this writing there is no announced series nor a mention of one on GoodReads, but if not, than this thing was pointless
AUTHOR: Rhiannon Thomas
PUBLICATION DATE: February 24, 2015
PUBLISHER: Harper Teen
PAGES: 352 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: Publisher via Edelweiss
RATING: 2 bows

Princess Aurora pricker her finger on a spindle many years ago and fell into a death like sleep. Now, Prince Rodric has kissed her awake and she is utterly confused. Everyone she ever knew is dead and her kingdom is in the middle of a rebellion. She does not know this Rodric nor does she understand why she is expected to marry him. As their wedding day draws nearer, this sleeping beauty must decide whether she wants to carry on with the life everyone has laid out for her or if she wants to break the mold and fight for what she believes.

I was very ambivalent about Aurora. At first, I really sympathized with her. This poor girl has basically been in a coma for decades and everyone she ever spoke to is now dead and gone. Her parents, her friends, her servants, even any pets are long gone and she struggles to maintain a happy face for the kind prince who awoke her. She was pretty annoying though. On one hand, she wants to help her kingdom because it’s obvious that things have changed since she fell asleep. But she doesn’t DO anything. Instead, she just sneaks around with a guy and doesn’t really give Rodric a chance.

Rodric is someone I kinda liked. He’s just trying to make the best out of his situation and do what he thinks is right. Sure, he’s a little slow and might not really be doing what’s best for his future kingdom, but he believes it is and therefore trudges on. The other two points in the love square are Tristan and Finnegan. Tristan was obviously up to more than just hitting on a pretty girl in a tavern from page one. He clearly has his own agenda, even if Aurora is too dumb to see that. I don’t know what Finnegan’s angle is. He’s the charming and flirting prince of another realm and I liked him a lot…except that I felt like he was hiding something as well. The only prince that seemed utterly sincere was Rodric and we all know she is not going to end up with him. If she did, this would be a new spin on a classic fairy tale. I think she’ll end up with Finnegan in the end, but we’ll see.

I am know officially finished with fantasy fairy tale sounding novels for a while. I’ll stick to contemporary. First it was Stray and now this. Both promised fairy tale epic-ness and both failed miserably and I’m just done for a while. Because this sounded so amazing! Sleepy Beauty wakes up and has a realistic response to her sleeping fit? Awesome! Prince Phillip Rodric might not be the one for her. Cool. I was totally ready for a action-packed fairy tale with the required happily after and that’s not what I got. This novel is very slow, with little action. The first half is basically Aurora thinking about the changes and sneaking out to meet Tristan and learning that the king is a world class dick. There is just a bit of action in the second half, but basically, it’s all Aurora whining. Don’t get me wrong, her plight is understandable, but damn women, do something about it. I realize your reach is limited and there isn’t really a perfect option for you, but do something, anything!

Then, we get all this story and stuff building and building and building….and then it’s over. It’s done. No more story. No wrap up, no real conclusion, and certainly no happily ever after. I’m sorry, I was under the impression that this was a stand-along Sleeping Beauty retelling. Riding off into the sunset with the Prince Charming of your choice is a must for fairy tales. And you failed to provide that for me. Even now, a month before the release, there is still no word on whether there will be a sequel, if it is will just end this way. If that is the case, then it was pointless. Nothing was resolved. Nothing was fixed. This felt like middle book syndrome, but it’s book one. That doesn’t bode well if it is a series.

In the end, I was wholly disappointed in this novel. It was rather boring at times and downright irritating at others. If you are looking for an epic Sleeping Beauty retelling, this is not it. It gets two stars instead of one simply because I was liked Finnegan and his flirty self. No reason beyond that. The writing is decent, but not great. The plot was slow and dull. The characters (besides Finnegan) were boring. Oh, and be aware that a character dies. Yeah, that didn’t make me happy. So…you know…I am unhappy with this book and will not be recommending it to anyone or reading the possible sequel. That’s a massive pile of nope for me.

****Thank you to Harper Teen for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****

Review for Remember by Eileen Cook

TITLE: Remember
AUTHOR: Eileen Cook
PUBLICATION DATE: February 24, 2015
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
PAGES: 320 pages
FORMAT: E-ARC
SOURCE: Publisher via Edelweiss
RATING: 4 bows

Harper is used to protesters hounding her about her dad and calling him the devil. She just doesn’t understand why. Her dad created Memtex, a procedure to remove bad or unwanted memories. Many people think it shouldn’t be legal and Harper doesn’t understand why. She ignores the protesters, until Neil crosses her path. He is as hot and persistent as the devil himself. Harper puts a good amount of thought into not noticing the hot part, she already has the perfect boyfriend. But when Harper’s father refuses to let her have the treatment, she begins to wonder if maybe the protesters aren’t so crazy and Neil is the only way she will learn the truth. The deeper she looks, the more she learns that this new information may change her entire life. Is she ready for that?

Harper is that girl with a near perfect life that we all envy. She has loving parents with enough money to make sure she has everything she could want or need. She has great friends and a perfect boyfriend. She also has a passion for horses and the perfect mount. Her horse is perfectly in sync with her, allowing for amazing results in competitions. Then the horse dies and everything goes to hell. Everyone expects her to be upset for a little bit, but she can’t let it go. She’s falls into a depression and, even though she knows she shouldn’t be reacting this strongly, she can’t help herself. After much thought, she realizes that her dad can help her. She can get the Memtex treatment to remove memories of the horse and his death and she can go back to normal. To a normal where her boyfriend doesn’t irritate her with every word and where she has no desire to do anything beyond sulk. She is so startled when her dad refused to sign the consent forms that she doesn’t know what to do. If the procedure is perfectly safe as he and everyone at the company insists, why won’t he let her do it? Her tenacity is what won me over. Once she made her mind up to have the procedure, she is determined to make it happen, regardless of what her dad wants. But soon after, she has weird symptoms and it’s not her perfect boyfriend she runs to, it’s Neil.

I was on the fence about Neil, as I seem to be with most male characters lately. It was clear that he was hiding something, but I wasn’t sure what. Plus, there is that whole cheating element that I have serious issues with. Harper has a boyfriend, even if he is currently getting on her nerves, he’s still her boyfriend. I wanted to hate Neil actually, because I really wanted Harper to not go down the cheating road, but that’s never how it happens, is it? It’s always the new mysterious stranger who wins out, right? In the end, I did like Neil, and he goes through a great amount of trouble to help Harper in the end.

This novel has a great mystery in the middle. What exactly is her father hiding? What is Harper’s mind trying to remember? Why are the paper’s with her horse all wonky? Why do all these new places feel familiar even though she knows she’s never been here before? The answer is quite clear for a while before she really lets it sink in, but watching her confusion was immensely entertaining. My biggest issue, if you hadn’t already guessed, was the cheating element. I understand that you and boyfriend have been together forever and you don’t want to hurt him, but cheating hurts him. Period. I did like that she was aware and remorseful of that fact, but not enough to act on it. She let’s her emotions get away with her and I wanted to slap her.

I loved the idea and controversy of Memtex. This procedure could have an amazing impact on the world. War veterans who are haunted by their tours overseas could remove those memories and be able to move on. Rape and abuse victims can take away their fears. When you really start to think about it, the possibilities are endless. And then the controversy around it. Is it ethical to remove memories? The procedure is optional, no one is forced to have it, but should we be doing this? And what about side effects? They claim there are none, but what procedure has no side effects? What medicine is gives you something for nothing?

I requested this almost immediately after it appeared on Edelweiss. I was a big fan of Cook’s Getting Revenge On Lauren Wood and I knew I wanted to read her other work. This sounded very interesting and it doesn’t disappoint. We get romance, mystery, friendship, and enough drama to keep you needing more. Cook has mastered that need-to-read element in her writing to keep you wanting more and more until suddenly it’s over and you are happy to have finished but sad that there is no more story to read. I think this novel is for anyone who wants a good mystery with a side of romance!

****Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****