tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47542649620493595042024-03-13T10:54:52.946-07:00Kala's Book BlogReading and reviewing all types of Young Adult and Adult novelsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-22812756010777532962013-10-31T10:55:00.000-07:002013-10-31T10:55:17.206-07:00Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7144/7k96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7144/7k96.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Allegiant</b><br />
<b>Author: Veronica Roth</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span><span id="freeText16307082369599196324"></span></i><i><span id="freeText16307082369599196324"><span id="freeText9646552388120022698">One choice will define you.<br /><br /><em>What if your whole world was a lie?<br />What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?<br />What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?</em><br /><br />
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is
shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss
and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the
limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and
Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies,
tangled loyalties, and painful memories.<br /><br /> But Tris’s new
reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old
discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths
change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle
to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while
facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and
love.<br /><br /> Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1
New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent
series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the
dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and
Insurgent.</span></span><span id="freeText2722042594596669951"><span id="freeText10484928010313309216"></span></span><br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18710190-allegiant">Allegiant on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
<span class="readable reviewText">
<span id="freeTextreview706683179"> I finished this last night
and afterwards I felt just dead inside. I absolutely hate when a series
ends leaving me feeling unsatisfied and even, in this case, angry. I
feel kind of betrayed by the author.<br /><br />I loved Divergent. The book
had its faults, but I really fell in love with the whole story, the
characters, the romance between Tris and Four, the Factions, etc. I read
and re-read Divergent probably 8-10 times. I bought the audio book
version as well. I was SO PSYCHED about the movie! I bought Insurgent
and devoured it as well. It didn't have quite the same magic for me that
Divergent did, but I still loved it. So I was REALLY psyched to read
Allegiant.<br /><br />And maybe my hopes were too high.<br /><br />I don't know.<br /><br />That doesn't change the fact that this book utterly and completely disappointed me.<br /><br />SPOILERS AHEAD<br /><br />For real, SPOILERS!<br /><br />READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!<br /><br /><span class="spoilerContainer">**What's outside the fence?**<br /><br />I
was really excited, after reading the 'cliffhanger' ending to
Insurgent, to find out what was outside the fence. I had my theories,
and I was right about some, wrong about others. I was expecting the
cameras and Truman Show-esque thing, but I was not expecting all the
genetic manipulation crap. As soon as our heroes get outside the fence,
there are chapters and chapters of info dumping and, to be honest, it's
kind of dull. We learn that Chicago (and some other cities) were created
as 'experiments' because of genetic manipulation gone wrong. Supposedly
these cities were an attempt at creating more 'genetically pure' people
(aka Divergents). This is so far-fetched and bizarre, but I was willing
to go along with it.<br /><br />**Tris and Four**<br /><br />I wasn't against
the dual perspective, though once I finished the book I realized why she
HAD to write it in a dual perspective. However, I don't think it was
done well. There were several times where I would get halfway through a
chapter and not remember who I was in the head of at the time, mostly
because the two narrators had identical voices.<br /><br />Tris has always
been an interesting character to me. I really liked that she was tough,
but a little vulnerable and naive. I liked her progression through
Divergent and Insurgent. She doesn't really progress much here. We've
always known Tris is a selfless person who is more than willing to
sacrifice herself for the greater good, or for her loved ones. That
doesn't change here. More on that later. She does become kind of
arrogant and holier-than-thou here, and it really started to bug me.
She's 16, but she often acts (and everyone treats) her like a grown-up.
She is pretty much always right in Allegiant and she makes sure everyone
knows it.<br /><br />Four was awesome in Divergent. He loses all of that
awesomeness in Allegiant. He becomes quite whiny and pathetic to the
point where I actually wanted Tris to break up with him. She probably
should have, considering some of the stupid and completly out of
character stuff he does. I really hated seeing him reduced to this
quivering mess of a boy who does nothing but wax poetic about his mommy
and daddy issues. Four was always strong, and he is the polar opposite
of that here.<br /><br />I did enjoy the progression of their relationship
though. Some people have complained about the scene where Four accuses
Tris of being jealous, but I actually liked it. I like that they, FOR
ONCE, acted like TEENAGERS. Unfortunately that was a tiny part of this
book, and for the rest of it they act like 30-40 year old worldly
adults.<br /><br /><br />**THE END OF THE CONFLICT**<br /><br />So we have Four's
mother Evelyn running Chicago like a factionless tyrannical
dictatorship. Johanna and Marcus running the Allegiant, trying to
reinstate the factions.<br /><br />Evelyn has been portrayed as a nearly
heartless person, hell bent on making all the Factioned people clean
toilets like the Factionless had to do for so many years. At the height
of the conflict, she is willing to allow a "Death Serum" to kill pretty
much everyone in Chicago in order to avoid going back to the Factions.
This is when Four arrives and says "Hey Mom, I'll be your son again if
you stop acting like a monster" and she goes "Okay."<br /><br />She then
negotiates with Marcus and Johanna. Marcus wants to take over as evil
dictator and Johanna says "Nah, you're not gonna do that" and Marcus
just says "Okay."<br /><br />Conflict over.<br /><br />WHAT?<br /><br />WHAT????????????<br /><br />**Mass Murder**<br /><br />Roth
has not shied away from killing off characters in the first two books,
but I felt like most of that had a purpose. Tris' parents in the first
book, Al (due to the guilt over his own actions towards Tris), Jeannine
in Insurgent, and more. Deaths in Allegiant come just as rapidly and
have even less meaning. Tori dies in a very sudden manner, and then is
mostly forgotten about. She was referred to as the leader of the
Dauntless, but she is killed and then is nothing more than an
afterthought for the rest of the book.<br /><br />Uriah's death is given a
lot more page time, but only as a way to make Four feel like total shit
for getting involved in the rebellion and to make Tris "right" once
again.<br /><br />The biggest death of all was Tris, and this was the
biggest disappointment to me. I will be straight up honest - I LIKE a
happy ending. I read YA because I like knowing that things will most
likely end up happy overall. I read romance because I know there will
always be a happily ever after. HOWEVER, I can deal with a bittersweet
ending so long as it feels satisfying and feels like closure. Tris'
death was NOT that ending.<br /><br />Caleb's betrayal was a huge part of
Insurgent, and that continues on in Allegiant. He has a LOT to attone
for in Allegiant and when he volunteers for the suicide mission to help
save everyone, he does it because he wants Tris to forgive him. And he
doesn't want to live with the guilt of what he did. Instead of letting
him, Tris forces him to let her go instead. I understand this. Tris
forgave him and doesn't want him to die because he feels guilty. I get
it.<br /><br />HOWEVER<br /><br />Caleb doesn't get that opportunity to redeem
himself. While I understand that Tris acted the way she had to act, that
doesn't mean Caleb can't take a bullet for her. That doesn't mean he
can't force a redemption. Instead, Tris dies in a completly unsatisfying
scene that left me going "WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?" Caleb lives and
basically still is the coward and traitor.<br /><br />Caleb NEEDED to redeem himself. He needed to take that bullet for Tris and die.<br /><br />Instead,
we get this fucked up ending where Caleb lives. Peter lives (gets his
mind erased BY HIS OWN CHOICE and gets to start over). Marcus lives
(just disappears somehow). David (Tris' murderer) lives (also gets his
mind erased and even though he's an evil murderer, no one cares because
he doesn't remember). Almost all the bad guys live and get to have
perfectly happy, normal lives.<br /><br />This is NOT SATISFYING.<br /><br />THIS IS POINTLESS.<br /><br />Sorry,
but this book was awful. I wanted to love it. I REALLY wanted to love
it. I was willing to deal with all the weird genetically damaged stuff. I
was willing to deal with the complete dismantling of Four's character. I
was willing to deal with a lot, but Tris' pointless and needless
death... NOPE. This death felt like it was here for shock value only. So
the author could be "edgy" and "different."<br /><br /> </span>Unfortunately,
all she did for me is ruin the entire series. I won't be re-reading
Divergent or Insurgent anymore. I won't be re-reading Allegiant. And I
definitely won't be seeing the movies that I was once so excited for.
Knowing how depressingly it ends ruins it all for me</span></span>.<br />
<br />
1 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/386918283">https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/706683179</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-16540587875149522702013-04-19T09:11:00.000-07:002013-04-19T09:11:28.406-07:00Review: Sever by Lauren DeStefano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/3536/sever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/3536/sever.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Sever</b><br />
<b>Author: Lauren DeStefano</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span><span id="freeText16307082369599196324">With the clock ticking
until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After
enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an
eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated
house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past.
While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at
Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.<br /><br />Meanwhile,
Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine
to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what
she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and
about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.<br /><br />In
this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden
trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably
shattered.</span><span id="freeText2722042594596669951"><span id="freeText10484928010313309216"></span></span><br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12383869-sever">Sever on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
This book was dull and nonsensical. I liked the first book in this
series, felt a little MEH about the second, but this one is just bad.
The storyline meanders along, major revelations are mentioned and then
forgotten about, and some "main" characters are compeletly missing.<br /><br />MAJOR plot spoilers in this review!<br /><br />The
first half of this book is Rhine hanging out at Vaughn's brother Reed's
house. She goes there to keep safe and keeps talking about finding her
brother, but ends up just hanging out with Reed for page after page
after page. Linden and Cecily come visit her, and it's pretty boring.
We spend a LOT of time reading about mature Cecily is now (at age 14),
how Linden still seems to love Rhine, but also bows to Cecily's every
whim, how Rhine has to stay out of Cecily and Linden's marriage, how
Linden doesn't believe Rhine that Vaughn is a crazy douchebag, blah
blah. I DON'T CARE.<br /><br />During Rhine's time at Reed's we get one of
the most idiotic scenes EVER. For some reason they're all practicing
shooting an empty gun. There is this whole scene where Reed is trying
to get people's attention... so he fires an empty weapon and Rhine
comments about how EVEN WITHOUT A BULLET the sound was still deafening -
a loud crack. Ms. DeStefano, I understand you may not know how guns
work, but I'd think you would have seen at least ONE movie where someone
tries to fire an empty gun and it just clicks. Quietly.<br /><br />Eventually,
Rhine does decide to leave and look for her brother. Then, for some
completely random reason, Linden decides to believe Cecily when she says
Vaughn is a bad guy, so Linden and Cecily leave their baby with Reed
and accompany Rhine. I don't really know WHY they do this, but they do.
And they then proceed to go... to the stupid prostitute carnival from
book 2. A bunch more boring stuff happens and eventually they move
on...<br /><br />And find Rowan. Because apparently everyone knows what
building Rowan is going to bomb next and he even builds a huge podium to
give a speech before he blows it up. Even with all that info, the
government/police apparently can't stop him from blowing shit up. So
Rhine easily finds Rowan, who is apparently BFF's with Vaughn. And
Rhine is like, okay, let's go go Hawaii where we find out that
apparently the "virus" doesn't exist in the rest of the world. This
fact is just sort of said randomly and then NEVER TALKED ABOUT AGAIN.<br /><br />Seriously?? This seems like a HUGE FUCKING DEAL. <br /><br />But whatever, guess it doesn't matter.<br /><br />I'm
also curious why, if the government is trying to hide this fact from
the citizens of the USA, people are allowed to fly around to Hawaii and
visit. <br /><br />Then Rhine and Rowan both agree to help Vaughn discover a
cure, which he discovers, and some other dumb shit happens including
Gabriel randomly reappearing at the tail end of the novel (oh yeah, he
exists?) and Linden dying in a really random and silly way. <br /><br />It was just bad. Really bad. <br /><br />There's
been a build up to Rowan for like two and a half books, we get there
and he is basically Vaughn's lap dog. He doesn't seem to give a damn
that Vaughn kidnapped his sister and forced her into marriage with his
son. He doesn't care about anything other than blowing up labs (WHY are
we blowing up labs? WHY does Vaughn care about blowing up other
people's labs?) and sticking his nose all the way up Vaughn's butt. <br /><br />We
get a whole love story with Gabriel in book 2 that I found a little
dull, but it was still a major part of the novel. Gabriel is absent for
ALL of Sever except for the very end. He has a tiny handful of lines
and I cared about him even less than I did in book 2. <br /><br />In fact, I couldn't bring myself to care about ANY of the characters.<br /><br />Rhine
was a boring wuss. Linden had no reason to exist other than to cave to
his wives' demands. He has absolutely no backbone of his own. Cecily
is supposedly so mature this time around, but I just found her slightly
less obnoxious than before and even more dull.<br /><br />Completely awful
final installment to the series. If I had known it was going to end
this badly, I doubt I would have started it. Any magic from Wither is
completely absent here. <br />
<br />
1 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/386918283">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/386918283</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-46224984916516412762013-04-11T21:28:00.001-07:002013-04-12T06:19:58.371-07:00Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpP7UFwKufiACrQSQ4LnXQlle1wxDrMCZV9odz8heoi-zYvlKNbhzK6tTuSuRUWHDSHg0oCq5su6en9x3-ELgyf6LR6A1rqxbf_MBnxdk7iEshlS-gs3w8U1mLkh_Jdktaz4Y9KzcyG2E/s1600/Clockworkprincesscover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpP7UFwKufiACrQSQ4LnXQlle1wxDrMCZV9odz8heoi-zYvlKNbhzK6tTuSuRUWHDSHg0oCq5su6en9x3-ELgyf6LR6A1rqxbf_MBnxdk7iEshlS-gs3w8U1mLkh_Jdktaz4Y9KzcyG2E/s320/Clockworkprincesscover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Clockwork Princess</b><br />
<b>Author: Cassandra Clare</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span></i><i><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"><span id="freeText18082224056265473545"></span></span><br />
<span id="freeText2722042594596669951"></span></i><i><span id="freeText2722042594596669951"><span id="freeText10484928010313309216"><i>
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
</i><br /><br />Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?<br />Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.<br />A
new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man
who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices,
to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to
complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay
equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.</span></span><br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><b></b></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6131164-clockwork-princess">Clockwork Princess on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
I loved this book until the last part of the epilogue. Spoilers for that near the end.<br />
<br />
Clockwork
Princess was everything I wanted it to be and turned out to be the
nearly perfect conclusion to this series - a series I love more than
Clare's original Shadowhunter books (The Mortal Instruments). While
there didn't seem to be as much Tessa as I expected in the first 60%, we
got to spend a lot of time with other characters and I found that I
didn't mind. I was curious to see where everything was headed and Clare
did manage to surprise me a few times.<br />
<br />
We start off Clockwork
Princess a few months after Clockwork Prince has ended. Mortmain has
been fairly silent, and the Shadowhunter team at the London Institute
finds they have to deal with another (slightly) unexpected enemy while
gaining a new (also slightly unexpected) ally.<br />
<br />
The romance between Gideon and Sophie continues to grow, and I found it adorable. The scones! <br />
<br />
We
also get to know Will's sister, Cecily, who surprised us at the end of
Clockwork Prince by showing up at the Institute to train to be a
Shadowhunter. At first, I admit, I was a little bored of Cecily. I
didn't think she added much to the story and I struggled not to skim
through her parts. Eventually she grew on me and I was pleased to
discover her part in the family tree. <br />
<br />
**SPOILERS AFTER HERE - like MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR spoilers**<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
** DO NOT READ PAST HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED THE BOOK!!!**<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
**MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS BELOW!!**<br />
<br />
<br />Will
and Jem and Tessa are all still in love with each other (sorta). I
admit, I've never been Team Jem. I don't find the sickly pale skeletal
look to be attractive and he was always a little TOO sweet. I like a
snarky bad boy, so I've always been firmly Team Will. However, I will
give Clare credit in that she wrote an amazing love triangle. <br /><br />That
said, I was disappointed slightly with how she ended it. I thought she
had some serious balls to kill off Jem a little over halfway through
the book. I was shocked and surprised, but also a little happy. I
didn't think she would do that. I thought Clare would cop out and I was
happy she did something much more interesting than find a cure for Jem.<br /><br />Then
the whole "Jem's not dead, he's a Silent Brother" thing happened. Ok, I
get it. I'm still ok with that, because he has to give up everything
human about himself to become a Silent Brother. I didn't think it fit
well with Jem's personality though. He was so adamantly against it and I
was a little surprised he would choose to go that route, but I was
still okay with it.<br /><br />But then the last few pages of the epilogue
happened. I went from bawling in happy sad tears to annoyed that Clare
did cop out on the love triangle, just as I suspected (and worried) she
would. The whole "Guess what? You had a long happy life with Will and
he died an old man, now suddenly a few years later Jem is able to cure
his illness and stop being a Silent Brother and now you can have a long
happy life with him too" thing just ruined the whole feeling of the
epilogue for me.<br /><br />I may be in the minority there - I know there
are a lot of people who love Jem - but I was LOVING the epilogue until
that point. While I was crying and crying and crying while reading
about Tessa's life with Will, and Will's death, and her having to leave
their kids, and her going to Magnus, and them having a whole
conversation about how much being immortal really does suck (dealing
with outliving your children and loved ones)...<br /><br />Then we get the annual bridge meetup between Jem and Tessa and it just ruined it for me. :(<br /><br />The
epilogue didn't ruin the entire thing for me, but it just felt like
there was never a choice. Tessa just got to have both and like I said,
it felt like a total cop out.<br />
<br />
4 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/230274512">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/230274512</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-76908297767039821762013-04-05T11:13:00.001-07:002013-04-05T11:13:54.644-07:00Review: Rush Me by Allison Parr<br />
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<a href="http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/5397/rushme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/5397/rushme.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Rush Me</b><br />
<b>Author: Allison Parr</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span></i><i><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"><span id="freeText18082224056265473545"></span></span><br />
<span id="freeText2722042594596669951">When post-grad Rachael
Hamilton accidentally gatecrashes a pro-athlete party, she ends up
face-to-face with Ryan Carter, the NFL’s most beloved quarterback.<br /><br />While
most girls would be thrilled to meet the attractive young millionaire,
Rachael would rather spend time with books than at sporting events, and
she has more important things to worry about than romance. Like her
parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law
school. Or her brother, who’s obliviously dating Rachael’s high school
bully. Or that same high school’s upcoming reunion. <br /><br />Still, when
Ryan’s rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up
cohosting Friday night dinners for half a dozen football players.<br /><br />Over
pancake brunches, charity galas, and Alexander the Great Rachael
realizes all the judgments she’d made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a
Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy,
gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let
down her barriers if she wants real love–even if that opens her up to
pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.</span><br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17203923-rush-me">Rush Me on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
* I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!*<br /><br /><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview575856509">I've
rated this 3, but it's probably more like 3.5. I actually really liked
it - so much so that I started reading it when I got off work at 430 am
and liked it so much that I stayed up to finish it.<br /><br />Some parts
of the book were a bit far fetched (like the random walking in to a pro
football player's party, and the whole coming back to get her lost scarf
and ending up staying to watch tv and play poker thing...), but I liked
it. I'm a big fan of the rock star/sports star trope and Allison Parr
did it pretty well.<br /><br />I love how snarky Ryan and Rachael are to
each other at first - I fully admit I also love the
hate-turns-in-to-love trope too! Their constant arguing was funny to
read and their eventual relationship progressed sweetly.<br /><br />I know a
lot of people will dislike that we first meet Ryan while he's getting a
blow job from a groupie - but I liked that he wasn't Mr. Perfect from
the start. So many times in the rock star/sports star trope we get
heroes that are just too perfect - and Ryan definitely was not!<br /><br />A
lot of people also will dislike that Rachael can be a total bitch, but I
found her insecurity to be pretty realistic. I thought, actually, that
Ryan was a little too defensive when Rachael would get upset with him,
especially when he was getting a blow job when they met. He acted really
offended that Rachael was upset by having unprotected sex and I was
annoyed with him for that.<br /><br />Even so, this was a fairly good book
for the genre. The characters were unique (Rachael being Jewish is
something we don't often see in romance novel heroines) and the story
flows really well - it's paced in such a way that you keep turning the
pages wanting to know what happens next.<br /><br />I'm very curious to see what this author comes out with next. Definitely a good first novel. :)</span></span><br />
<br />
3 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/575856509">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/575856509</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-2567123698705081342013-04-03T21:26:00.000-07:002013-04-03T21:26:32.775-07:00Kindle Fire Giveaway (By I am a Reader not a Writer Blog) <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKdp2CQQ16wsd1J7KufiBX7u5E133JgvOofDEH3BgkY0DnWLi31UuDrMCxYN101gdGk2i6DZK9WZTExE2Cv-S9hFcCJGmRWMhOzb_bE7PgB1sJ8VaRcrXq4l586Hyxlk-yWMPZMe15tQm/s1600/Kindle+April.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKdp2CQQ16wsd1J7KufiBX7u5E133JgvOofDEH3BgkY0DnWLi31UuDrMCxYN101gdGk2i6DZK9WZTExE2Cv-S9hFcCJGmRWMhOzb_bE7PgB1sJ8VaRcrXq4l586Hyxlk-yWMPZMe15tQm/s320/Kindle+April.JPG" style="border: 0px;" width="255" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)</b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BWYlnbUUcDn3gUGa-7cJPr0ZukNJTwBy6HagkggBZovRH3R_N_PtCYIZxjBBtCZX_EH96b0up8TVdYukovxoCZ4LgLAuLDMpWYCCY0N5Ev_65FhMIjx26WMsLidlGgO2hEn6QuMw2Rk/s1600/kindle+fire+hd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BWYlnbUUcDn3gUGa-7cJPr0ZukNJTwBy6HagkggBZovRH3R_N_PtCYIZxjBBtCZX_EH96b0up8TVdYukovxoCZ4LgLAuLDMpWYCCY0N5Ev_65FhMIjx26WMsLidlGgO2hEn6QuMw2Rk/s320/kindle+fire+hd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)</b>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSqU-7Br-kgYCII2jnFV-VmbP8C3rJqgmFbemddUcDaucNIjaT93NdpjS7NdhqWV6pKz_mWKa1Kc3ChlJB4EnH_3o6DugeDHdmJO-nhjWcjsPvDw4ruN5u2Wu5Yell8uxMPYNT6daB1g/s1600/amazon+gift.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSqU-7Br-kgYCII2jnFV-VmbP8C3rJqgmFbemddUcDaucNIjaT93NdpjS7NdhqWV6pKz_mWKa1Kc3ChlJB4EnH_3o6DugeDHdmJO-nhjWcjsPvDw4ruN5u2Wu5Yell8uxMPYNT6daB1g/s320/amazon+gift.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)</b>
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</b></span>
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<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b><b>Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors</b></span>
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<ol>
<li><a href="http://iamareader.com/">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.jenniferlaurens.com/">Author Jennifer Laurens</a></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway Details</b></span><br />
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). Ends 4/30/13 <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer <a href="http://iamareader.com/">http://iamareader.com</a> and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.</span></div>
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<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-33057241057096994872013-04-01T17:36:00.003-07:002013-04-01T17:36:15.330-07:00Georgetown Academy (Book 1) by Etting and Schwartz<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3116/19371420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3116/19371420.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Georgetown Academy (Book 1)</b><br />
<b>Author: Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span></i><i><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"><span id="freeText18082224056265473545"></span></span><br />
</i><span id="freeText8007109201855574177"><i>It’s the beginning of a
new political administration. That might not mean much at most high
schools, but at Georgetown Academy, Washington D.C.’s most elite prep
school, January 20th means new alliances, new flings, and new places to
party.<br /><br />While freshmen—nicknamed “interns” for their willingness
to jump into bed with anyone higher on the D.C. totem pole—navigate the
not-so-friendly halls of GA searching for Algebra and Bio classes, the
school’s lifers have other things on their minds.<br /><br />For
self-proclaimed D.C. royalty Brinley Madison (of those Madisons), the
first day of school is all about establishing the social hierarchy and
playing the part of perfect political wife to her boyfriend, the
outgoing Vice President’s son. Too bad he has a wandering eye that puts
Bill Clinton’s to shame. Can she keep him, and her own secret vice, in
check?<br /><br />Ellie Walker, Brinley’s best friend, floats through the
halls on the arm of golden boy Hunter McKnight (the JFK of GA). But when
her ex-boyfriend, Gabe, returns to town and her Senator mother’s
political nemesis is reelected, Ellie’s life starts to snowball out of
control.<br /><br />Shy, quiet Evan Hartnett is more into books than beer,
and her closet is full of t-shirts and jeans instead of Jason Wu and
Jimmy Choo. No one’s ever really noticed her—but she’s been noticing
them. When her star rises as an intern at D.C.’s most-watched political
news show, she soon finds the two worlds colliding in ways that make her
question what’s secret and what’s fair game.<br /><br />New girl Taryn
Reyes is all laid-back, California cool; with a father who’s in line to
be the first Hispanic president, she’s ready to dive into the D.C. scene
with an open mind. But when her fellow students turn out to be more
interested in spreading rumors than making friends, she realizes that
forging a drama-free path might be a lot harder than she thinks.<br /><br />With
so many new friends and former flames in the mix, things are bound to
get a little heated. And while diplomatic immunity might keep the cops
away, there’s not much it can do about the press.<br />In a town where one
teenage misstep can turn into a national scandal, the students at
Georgetown Academy will have to be on their best behavior—or, at least,
they’ll have to make the world believe that they are.<br /><br />Because there’s only one rule: whatever you do, don’t get caught.</i><br /><br />What’s Cool from Coliloquy:<br />As
the party scene at Georgetown Academy gets under way, authors Alyssa
and Jessica let readers decide which of the main girls to follow. You’ll
see scandalous behavior, unexpected liaisons, and secret betrayals…all
giving you a different perspective as events unfold.</span><i><br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16066149-georgetown-academy">Georgetown Academy on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
* I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!*<br /><br />Choose
Your Own Adventure books work, in print. I don't think the technology
is quite there for Kindle books though, and that was a huge detriment to
this book. When we got to the "Choose which character to follow" I
chose Ellie, and then I had the option afterwards to continue on with
the story (which I chose) or go back and read everyone else's stories
(which I didn't do), so by the time I finished the book I felt like I
had missed out on a lot of the other characters' stories, but at that
point, it was too annoying to backpage through my Kindle to try and go
back to read their other stuff, so I didn't.<br /><br />That said, what I
did read was decent. I'm not in to politics, but I found the whole
private school full of politician's children to be somewhat interesting.
The characters are all pretty well fleshed out and compelling, but I
think the author's spread themselves too thin for such a short book. We
follow I think 4 different "main" characters and don't really get into
the meat of any story with any of them. This book just didn't feel like
a complete novel. :(<br /><br />I am curious enough about the characters
that I will continue on with the series and see how it goes. This book
ends on quite the cliffhanger for Ellie and I'm dying to know how that
works out for her!
<br />
<br />
3 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/578123188">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/578123188</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-19740916354524065402013-03-21T18:12:00.000-07:002013-03-21T18:12:00.115-07:00Review: Love on the Lifts by Rachel Hawthorne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/7629/loveonlifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/7629/loveonlifts.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Love on the Lifts</b><br />
<b>Author: Rachel Hawthorne</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span></i><i><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"><span id="freeText18082224056265473545"></span></span></i><br />
<i> <strong>Winter Break super-secret perfect cocoa recipe:</strong> </i><br />
<i> 8 oz steamed whole milk<br /> (no skim! doesn't work!) <br />
2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder (big scoops) <br />
1 tbsp. sugar (can't be too sweet) <br />
4 dried, crushed mint leaves<br /> (or 1 tbsp. mint syrup) <br />
Stir thoroughly. Add mint swizzle stick. Combine with cute ski
instructor, or brother's cute best friend, or cute guy you never noticed
was so cute...Enjoy. <br />
<span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/171012.Love_on_the_Lifts">Love on the Lifts on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
This book was sweet and cute and clean - basically a generic romance for
teens. It just didn't have that WOW factor. The plot line is one
that's overused and Hawthorne does nothing new with it here. Girl likes
Douchebag guy. Sweet guy likes girl. Girl takes awhile, but
eventually realizes Douchebag guy is a douchebag and falls for the sweet
guy. Happily ever after.<br /><br />Kate was one of the most oblivious and
idiotic romantic heroines I've ever read. She met Brad (her brother's
college roommate) once and "fell in love" with him. Right from the
start she can't give any reasons why she's head over heels for him
except that he's hot. She even says "What else is there?" when her Aunt
asks her what other reasons she has for liking Brad.<br /><br />The setting
for this book is a ski resort where Kate and her two friends (all high
school seniors) have to share a 3-bedroom condo with her brother Sam and
his two friends (Brad and Joe). Brad is the roommate that Kate has a
crush on.<br /><br />As soon as Brad enters the picture it's made VERY
obvious that he's a complete dirtbag. One of his first lines is about
how his favorite things are "driving fast and kissing babes." He hooks
up another girl on the very first night of their vacation and moves in
to the other girl's house for the duration. His lines are all skeevy
and douchebaggy, he moved in with another girl, and Kate still thinks
he's the most amazing thing since sliced bread.<br /><br />Enter Joe. The
other friend of her brother's. It's made VERY obvious from the start
that Joe has a thing for Kate. He's super sweet, super attentive,
flirtatious with her, asks her on a date, kisses her, and is generally
awesome. But she is wishy washy about it for the majority of the book
(gotta get conflict SOMEWHERE I suppose).<br /><br />It bugs me that authors
don't realize the best characters are not 100% evil or 100% good.
Making Brad a complete tool and making Joe Mr. Perfect makes them BOTH
boring. There was never any 'love triangle' or any reason for the
reader to ever believe that Kate wouldn't come to her senses and go for
Joe instead of Brad. <br /><br />I had two other issues with the book.<br /><br />1)
Were they or weren't they all having sex? It's kind of implied that
they were. ALL of them. Kate's friend Allie sleeps in the same bed as
Sam. Kate's other friend Leah moves in with a ski instructor for the
duration of the vacation. Brad moves in with his new girlfriend. Kate
sleeps in the same bed as Joe. While there isn't any explicit mention
of sex, it's kind of implied that everyone is pretty much doing it like
jackrabbits and that's something that annoys me in a YA novel -
especially one that is otherwise packaged as a sweet and clean romance.<br /><br />2)
The "Kate-have-a-good-time fund" .... DROVE ME ABSOLUTELY NUTS. How
many times did this saying need to be uttered? ZERO in my opinion, but
instead it's brought up OVER AND OVER AND OVER. I know it's minor, but I
admit I have occasional pet peeves and this is one of them.<br /><br />Overall, the book was just mediocre. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it that much either.
<br />
<br />
2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/557310689">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/557310689</a><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-2147856919130448172013-03-20T17:44:00.002-07:002013-03-20T17:44:26.405-07:00Review: Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4268/breathlesse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4268/breathlesse.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Breathless (an Elemental novella)</b><br />
<b>Author: Brigid Kemmerer</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"></span></i><i><span id="freeText11879633790279438445"><span id="freeText15448075030194423758"><strong>Too many secrets. Not enough time.</strong><br /><br />Nick
Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since
it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s
a survival tactic.<br /><br />But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.<br /><br />His
so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to
crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off
balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into
the dark.<br /><br />He can feel it—-the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is
on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that
sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.</span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15819003-breathless">Breathless on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
I don't usually like novellas. They're just too short and always leave
me wanting MORE MORE MORE. However, I'm addicted to Brigid Kemmerer's
Elemental series and as soon as I read the blurb for this one I HAD to
read it. I couldn't stand Quinn in Spark and I was curious about Nick,
so getting a little insight in to their relationship and Nick's head was
something I've really been looking forward to.<br /><br />While it was
short, this book REALLY makes me want a full length Nick book! I know
the third book is a Hunter book, but I've heard rumors the next one is
about Nick (please please please).<br /><br />I don't think it's a big
spoiler to say that Nick is having sexual identity issues - he's dating
Quinn, but he finds himself attracted to her dance partner (a guy named
Adam). I don't usually enjoy reading M/M (mostly because I like to
imagine myself in the female part of a romance novel... who doesn't??),
but reading about his inner conflict was quite fascinating. Usually gay
characters in YA are already self confident and sure about their sexual
preference and know what they want. Nick definitely has no idea what
he wants and is scared about the reactions of his family and friends if
they find out.<br /><br />Gabriel's book was my favorite, so far, but I have
a feeling I'm really going to like Nick's. Nick has this inner
insecurity that I think we all feel, but he doesn't come across as a
pathetic weakling. Can't wait to see more by Kemmerer!<br /><br />**I received a free copy of this novella from Netgalley.com. Thank you!!!**<br />
<br />
<br />
4 of 5 stars<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/563492473">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/563492473</a><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/403143603"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-1075087391507363242013-03-19T18:02:00.003-07:002013-03-19T18:02:32.619-07:00Review: Reckless by S.C. Stephens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img132/5274/recklessn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://imageshack.us/a/img132/5274/recklessn.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Reckless</b><br />
<b>Author: S.C. Stephens</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText11879633790279438445">Can love survive when life gets Reckless?<br /><br />When
the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their
love for each other survive the constant pressures of superstardom? The
friendships they've formed, the new family they've found, and the
history they've forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the
turbulent waters of the band's exploding popularity. A greedy executive
hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a
media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles
the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together.
Fame comes with a price-but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?</span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong></strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13600318-reckless">Reckless on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
I really really really wanted to like this book a lot. While
Thoughtless and Effortless weren't without flaws, the books were both
compelling and I found myself sucked in to Kiera and Kellan's trials and
tribulations. Reckless just doesn't come anywhere near that. <br /><br />This
book just shouldn't have been written. It really brings nothing new to
Kellan and Kiera's relationship. In fact, the two get along just fine
for pretty much the entire novel outside of a few minor spats that Kiera
gets over almost instantly. The first 20-25% of the book is downright
boring. I was wondering what the heck I was reading, because I haven't
ever been BORED by S.C. Stephens before. <br /><br />Perhaps it's because
nothing new was introduced. I mean, yes, Kiera gets drunk and Denny
takes her home and takes care of her (Kellan is out of town). But
Kellan doesn't get mad about it and Denny is a perfect gentleman. Yes,
one of Kellan's exes shows up and blackmails him about a sex tape, but
Kellan's former man-whore status was already a dead horse beaten to
death in the first two books. Kiera is mildly upset about the tape, but
gets over it after a page or two. We spend the majority of the first
20-25% listening to KIera and Kellan call each other husband and wife
(THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY MARRIED) and be all lovey dovey with each other.
It's cute, but a couple getting along perfectly doesn't make a good
novel.<br /><br />The middle of this book is good. I really liked the
conflict that Sienna Sexton brought to the picture. While Kellan and
Kiera still got along perfectly throughout all of it, it made sense and
was still interesting because I wanted to find out exactly how
everything was going to play out with Sienna as Kellan's fame continued
to rise.<br /><br />SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!<br /><br />Then
we get to the last 20% where things just go to shit again. Not in the
sense that Kiera's life goes to shit. Quite the opposite. There is a
car accident, but we're never afraid Kellan will die. He doesn't, of
course, and the accident suddenly changes the public opinion on Kiera
and from that point on, we spend probably 100 pages reading about how
perfect life is for Kiera and Kellan and all the D-Bags. <br /><br />Seriously,
it's like a 100 page epilogue and that doesn't even include the ACTUAL
epilogue which is pretty much pointless. Before we even get to the
epilogue, we get to read all about how Kiera and Kellan have a 'perfect'
wedding (in the hospital), how all of Sienna's fans suddenly hate her
and now everyone loves Kiera (when before all the fans thought Kiera was
'stealing' Kellan from Sienna), how Kiera and Kellan go to the Grammys
and of course the D-Bags win, how Kiera gets pregnant and has a baby,
how her book becomes a huge self published bestseller and gets picked
up by a traditional publisher, how they buy a huge house on 11 acres and
it's so perfect...it just goes on and on and on. Complete overkill!<br /><br />Then
we get a horribly long epilogue that really doesn't say anything new. I
mean, we already know that Kiera and Kellan are happily married with a
baby and a Grammy and a #1 album and a bestselling novel. What could
the epilogue POSSIBLY TELL US? And the answer is... nothing really.<br /><br />Stephens
also tied up EVERY OTHER character's storylines as perfectly as
possible. Griffin turns in to the perfect dad who marries Anna. Denny
and his girlfriend get married and live happily ever after as they
become the perfect managers for the D-Bags. <br /><br />This book just
reeked of Breaking Dawn syndrome. Completely unnecessary and everyone
gets exactly what they want in the end without really losing anything.
If the first 20% and the last 20% were cut out, this book would have
been a lot better. Pretty much the only interesting parts were the
entire storyline with Sienna (til the end) and almost everything with
Griffin and Anna. <br /><br />I don't know. This book just really disappointed me. <br />
<br />
2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/403143603">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/403143603</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-47494485904536904882013-03-06T08:16:00.000-08:002013-03-06T08:16:00.279-08:00Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9418/waitforyouy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9418/waitforyouy.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Wait for You</b><br />
<b>Author: J. Lynn (aka Jennifer Armentrout)</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"></span></span></span></span></i><i><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393"><span id="freeText15231001085836870525"><strong>Some things are worth waiting for…</strong><br /><br />Traveling
thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way
nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the
Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life.
All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the
bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to
herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that
would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never
planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter
the precarious future she’s building for herself.<br /><br /><strong>Some things are worth experiencing…</strong><br /><br />Cameron
Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete
with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her
want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she
needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his
charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so
lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the
simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other
becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.<br /><br /><strong>Some things should never be kept quiet…</strong><br /><br />But
when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing
her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to
acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that
night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out,
will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to
help her or will he be dragged down with her?<br /><br /><strong>And some things are worth fighting for…</strong></span></span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17314430-wait-for-you">Wait for You on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
This is more of a 3.5, but I'll round up to 4 because I'm a fan of Jennifer Armentrout's other stuff.<br /><br />Wait
for You is good, but it's just not anything special in the NA genre.
It's well written, characters are fleshed out, decently paced,
interesting plot... but it just doesn't have the same spark for me that
the Lux or Diety series have. <br /><br />Avery is way different from the
rest of JLA's heroines. She's skittish and weak and for awhile, it was
difficult to like her. She was realistic, but she definitely wasn't my
favorite. I tend to prefer strong heroines, the weak ones drive me
nuts.<br /><br />Cameron is perfect, but he tends to be too perfect. He's
amazingly good looking playboy, has a sexy tattoo and a six-pack, all
the girls fall all over him... but the minute he meets Avery he is a
sweetheart who turns in to a one-woman man. I struggled to find a flaw
with him and I have a hard time believing a guy can be THAT perfect.<br /><br />I
found the back story and the conflict between Avery and her parents
more interesting and complex than her relationship with Cameron.
Cameron chases after Avery like a puppy dog for the majority of the
book, until she finally gives in and starts dating him. <br /><br />That said, the story was still cute and a fun read. There just isn't much originality here.<br />
<br />
4 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/550435791">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/550435791</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-49859585749472630062013-03-05T05:43:00.001-08:002013-03-05T05:43:17.953-08:00Review: Escorted by Claire Kent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5094/escorted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5094/escorted.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Escorted</b><br />
<b>Author: Claire Kent</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><span id="freeText11721899736958194393">She hired him to take her virginity...but now she wants even more.<br /><br />Lori
might be a popular romance writer, but she's never been anything but a
flop with sex and love in her personal life. Still a virgin at
twenty-six and increasingly frustrated by her inexperience, she decides
to take matters into her own hands. She hires a talented, sexy male
escort to take care of her inconvenient virginity.<br /><br />She assumes
one time with Ander will be enough, but she never dreams how much
pleasure he can make her feel. Once isn't nearly enough. Twice isn't
enough either. Soon, she becomes one of his regular clients.<br /><br />Lori
knows that nothing would be as foolish as falling in love with her paid
escort, but she's never been wise with her heart. And, despite his
professionalism, he doesn't seem entirely immune either.</span></span></span></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"></span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17206996-escorted">Escorted on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
I went in to this book expecting to dislike it because I don't like the
idea of a male prostitute (er, escort), but so many reviewers I like had
good things to say about it so I decided to give it a shot. Glad I
did, because it was surprisingly good!<br /><br />However, in order to like it I had to get past a few small grievances.<br /><br />1) The pen name of our main character is Claire Kent (aka, the same name as the author of the book). This drove me nuts. <br /><br />2) A best selling romance author is 26 years old and a virgin. I don't know. It's possible, but it just seems unlikely. <br /><br />3)
Very clinical and unsexy first few sex scenes. After reading the first
sex scene, I was tempted to put the book down. Ander was very clinical
about it - describing exactly what he was going to do in a very matter
of fact way. Like, "We are going to watch a porn movie now. After
that, you will be aroused and I will put this plastic mouth guard in
before I give you oral sex." (That is not a direct quote, but that is
about how UNsexy the scene was)<br /><br />Fortunately, the book starts to
take off after that. Once Lori actually loses her virginity and she and
Ander start having more and more appointments, their lovemaking got
hotter and hotter. My favorite scene - ELEVATOR SEX! Woo, that's when
Ander finally let go and we got to see a little of the wild side.<br /><br />Escorted
flops a little at the end, becoming slightly cheesy and predictable,
but overall it was very sweet. The progression of the relationship
between Ander and Lori was as realistic as it can get when you're
talking about a male prostitute and a romance author. I believed in
them and liked them both and really enjoyed seeing their story unfold.<br /><br />Definitely recommend this book!
<br />
<br />
4 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/543160193">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/543160193</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-53428143372220038642013-02-27T01:13:00.000-08:002013-02-27T01:13:28.309-08:00WWW Wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3573/wwwwednesdays43.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…</h3>
<br />
• What are you currently reading?<br />
• What did you recently finish reading?<br />
• What do you think you’ll read next?<br />
<br />
<br />
What are you currently reading?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11563110-hallowed"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1278/hallowedd.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Just recently discovered this series and so far, LOVE IT! The third book just arrived at the library and I'm picking it up tomorrow. Can't wait to finish it out - been hearing so many good things about it!<br />
<br />
<br />
What did you recently finish reading?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11699055-the-disenchantments"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/193/disenchantments.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
I was a little disappointed by this book. I've recently read a TON of road trip books (been on a kick) and music/rock star related books, so I was hoping I would love this one. It ended up just being kind of meh for me.<br /><br />
<br />
What do you think you’ll read next?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13049981-boundless"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/5646/boundless.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Re-iterating what I said above, but this is most likely what I'll dig in to after Hallowed! Just got notice today that it's waiting for me at the library - will pick it up tomorrow. <br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-37575688259170676932013-02-25T05:05:00.001-08:002013-02-25T05:05:02.768-08:00Quick UpdateIn the middle of house shopping and packing and getting ready for a big move. Not that my blog is uber popular, but for those that do follow, posts will be much more sporadic for the next several weeks. :( Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-38453649453553427312013-02-20T05:47:00.000-08:002013-02-20T05:47:00.448-08:00Review: Rocked Under by Cora Hawkes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/57/rockedunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/57/rockedunder.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Rocked Under</b><br />
<b>Author: Cora Hawkes</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span></i><i><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922"><span id="freeText5042555477927404727"><strong>Falling in love
isn't always easy or pleasant. The intense and angst-filled story of
Emma and Scott is a painful, gut-wrenching and exhausting portrayal of
how hard it can be to let go...</strong><br /><br />Picking up the pieces
and starting again in the US, Emma enrols in college with her cousin,
Ashley. She is finally free to do what she wants and live how she
chooses, and no man will ever rule her decisions or emotions again.<br /><br />That is, until Scott Mason walks on stage...<br /><br />Intense
bad boy Scott is the lead singer of a popular local rock band. A
ladies’ man and Ashley's long-time friend, Scott holds an instant
fascination for Emma — she finds herself drawn to him, even though he
represents everything she hates and needs to stay away from in a guy. He
treats females like he does a cigarette — light it, use it, and lose
it. <br /><br />For her cousin's sake, Emma makes an effort to get along
with Scott, but she soon discovers that there is more to him than first
appears, making him even more dangerous in her eyes. Behind the façade
of friendship, jealousy, obsession, fear and insecurity fester — an
internal battle rages as she fights her attraction and does everything
she can to stop history from repeating itself.<br /><br />One thing she knows for sure is that if she breaks her rule, it may destroy her.</span></span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16051780-rocked-under">Rocked Under on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
The big problem I had with Rocked Under is that the characters are so
awful until the last couple of pages that they're nearly impossible to
like. <br /><br />SOME SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!!<br /><br />Our main character,
Emma, is a Brit who recently transplanted to a college in the USA
(can't even remember what school or even what state!). She is roommates
with her American cousin, Ashley, and neighbors with the frontman of a
local rock band (Scott) who happens to be good friends with Ashley.<br /><br />The
entire plot is Emma and Scott dancing around their attraction for each
other in the most obnoxious ways possible. We spend most of the book
reading about Emma being attracted to Scott, but refusing to act on it
because 1) her parents have a fucked up relationship and 2) Ashley told
her Scott is a player. <br /><br />Emma spends a large amount of time drunk
in nightclubs, allowing guys to kiss her and feel her up while Scott
watches. Scott spends a large amount of time having almost public sex
with girls while Emma watches. And while they're watching each other,
they appropriately seethe with jealousy. <br /><br />Scott also likes to
punch people out and is constantly beating up guys that hit on Emma -
he's probably worse about this than Travis (of Beautiful Disaster fame).
I personally do not think it's romantic at ALL to have a guy (who is
not even the girl's boyfriend) constantly yanking other guys off the
dance floor and punching them out just because they danced/kissed the
girl. I can't even count the number of guys that Scott punched. The
only one who deserved it was the boyfriend, Adam, that Emma had for
awhile.<br /><br />Speaking of Adam, for 30% of the book, he is referred to
as Adam. At around the 30% point, he suddenly becomes "Ad" which is
just weird. Adam is not THAT long of a name and doesn't really need to
be shortened! <br /><br />Further on Adam... I just don't get this
character. For a LONG time he is a sweet, nice guy, then after he takes
Emma's virginity he suddenly turns in to a major prick? Like, the
personality switch nearly gave me whiplash. It came out of nowhere and
up until right before the virginity losing scene there were NO signs of
it. <br /><br />Back to Scott and Emma...<br /><br />I don't know. These two were just a mess. <br /><br />Scott
does try to start things with Emma several times and she rejects him,
over and over and over. Then she cries when he goes after other girls.
If you're going to reject the guy, you don't really get ownership over
him anymore! You don't get to say who he does and doesn't get to sleep
with. You had your chance (or should I say CHANCES). <br /><br />Ugh.<br /><br />I
just didn't like either of them, and when I can't stand the main
characters I don't really care about rooting for their relationship to
work out. I found myself just rooting for them to finally get it on so
the book would be over so I could stop reading about Emma dancing at
Soundz and acting skanky while Scott acts like a drugged out manwhore.
<br />
<br />
2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/540161589">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/540161589</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-41642807259084266942013-02-19T05:18:00.002-08:002013-02-19T05:18:49.960-08:00Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale<br />
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<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img716/6840/geekgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://imageshack.us/a/img716/6840/geekgirl.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Geek Girl</b><br />
<b>Author: Holly Smale</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"></span></i><i><span id="freeText6071284197580760612"><span id="freeText8105638622530289922">Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. <br /><br />She
knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of
a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she
isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very
much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the
chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's
dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly
humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick.
Even if it means lying to the people she loves. <br /><br />As Harriet
veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly
enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to
realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than
the real world did. <br /><br />And as her old life starts to fall apart,
the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she
ruins everything?</span></span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13621089-geek-girl">Geek Girl on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
*I received a free copy of this book for review from NetGalley.com. Thank you!!*<br /><br />I
finished this a few days ago and I'm still not sure if I liked it much.
The book definitely didn't grab me and I had to start and stop it
several times, reading many other books in between. The main character
(Harriet) is difficult to like. While I enjoyed the quirky, socially
awkward side of her personality, her complete lack of honesty drove me
nuts.<br /><br />The premise of the story is that Harriet is a geek. When
she gets nervous, she spouts off random facts and is generally clumsy
and awkward. Her best friend is a fashionista with dreams of becoming a
model who forces Harriet to attend some sort of fashion show thing.
While there, a REALLY obnoxious scout sees Harriet and decides she MUST
be a model. He takes some photos of her, and when her best friend finds
out she is extremely jealous.<br /><br />So when the scout calls later and
offers Harriet a meeting with a top fashion designer, she accepts but
doesn't tell her best friend (or her step mother). At this point, the
book kind of veers off and teeters with being a romance, but not really,
as Harriet goes to Russia to do a modelling assignment for some big
name designer. She has to work with a cute male supermodel named Nick
that I wish we saw a LOT more of.<br /><br />The "mean girls" in this book
are stereotypical and over the top. At one point, the mean girl gets in
front of the classroom and asks the class who hates Harriet and gets
every single person to raise their hand. I just don't see this
happening in real life, but maybe kids have become even crueler since my
high school days. <br /><br />Actually, almost every side character in
this book is an over the top stereotype. The modelling scout is overly
flamboyant to the point of being annoying - especially with his
extensive array of nicknames for Harriet. The fashion designer is
overly rude, harsh, and mean. The other models are all bitchy and
catty. While I know some stereotypes are derived from truth, I'm not a
fan of books that constantly reinforce them in such an exaggerated way.<br /><br />I
do like that Harriet (and her father) have to take responsibility for
their lies and bad decisions. They both spend the entire book twisting
things around and lying in order to get their way without their loved
ones finding out and I was happy to see real consequences for those
decisions.<br /><br />My biggest issue with the book was the love story. I
LOVE LOVE STORIES! However, this one just skirted with it and ended
with a kiss that seems to come out of nowhere. Harriet meets the love
interest (Nick, no surprise there) only two or three times and I
wouldn't even say their conversations are flirtatious. While she is
swooning over his good looks, he does nothing overtly romantic to make
the reader think he's even interested in her as anything other than a
friend. I just felt like there was no build up to their love story and
the book would have been better off with the romance part either cut out
completely or fleshed out a LOT more.<br /><br />The book was also poorly
formatted in a way that was really jarring to read. There would be
several paragraphs in a row, then suddenly a break of blank space that
makes you think the scene is over, then more paragraphs of the same
scene. Also, there are ENORMOUS pics of sunglasses that show up in
completely random locations. I thought at first they were between
chapters, but they're not - they show up mid scene and were so
distracting I sometimes forgot what was going on. I didn't mark down
for the formatting, because this is a galley, but I usually get much
better.<br /><br />I didn't find out this was a trilogy until I finished and
started reading other reviews. The book definitely works as a stand
alone and I'm curious now to see what else in in store for Harriet.
<br />
<br />
3 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/538706043">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/538706043</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-82511716849782640032013-02-14T14:59:00.001-08:002013-02-14T14:59:07.423-08:00Review: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren<br />
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<a href="http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9035/17756854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9035/17756854.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Beautiful Bastard</b><br />
<b>Author: Christina Lauren</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048"></span><span id="freeText6071284197580760612">An ambitious intern. A
perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the
story that garnered more than two million reads online.<br /><br />Whip-smart,
hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one
problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and
completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.<br /><br />Bennett has
returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s
massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been
helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently
provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day.
Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But
Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules—or outright smash
them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.<br /><br />As their
appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and
Chloe must decide exactly what they’re willing to lose in order to win
each other. Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and
garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard
has been extensively updated for re-release.</span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16102004-beautiful-bastard">Beautiful Bastard on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
Alright, because I was approved for this via NetGalley/Gallery Books (thank you!), I went ahead and read it. <br /><br />I
still have a major issue with p2p fanfiction being marketed as
original. If you want to see a great post on WHY I feel it's unethical,
read this comment by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/451573452?type=review#comment_62517793">Alicia</a>.<br /><br />Now, on to the book...<br /><br />I
like to read a lot of Twilight fanfic (the actual fanfic, not the p2p
kind with new names!) and my boyfriend always calls it Twilight porn.
THIS STORY is exactly why he calls it that. If ever there was a story
that was pretty much porn without a plot, this is it.<br /><br />Bennett and
Chloe hate each other. For the first 2/3-3/4 of the novel, they have a
lot of hate sex. They snipe at each other in public, then in private
they have rough sex. Shirt ripping, buttons flying everywhere, bent
over the desk type of sex. The sex scenes themselves are pretty hot - I
will admit that. <br /><br />But that's all there is. Lots of sex.<br /><br />Towards
the end, the sex becomes less hateful and the characters snipe at each
other less frequently, but it's still just a sex story. I can give you
the entire plot in a few lines:<br /><br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Hate sex<br />Love/Hate sex<br />Love/Hate sex<br />Argument/Break up<br />Make up<br />I love you sex<br />The end<br /><br />The
book wasn't poorly written, but there just isn't any substance here.
It's Edward and Bella having hate sex all over an office. That's it.<br />
<br />
2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/471025587">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/471025587</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-12199196377980964772013-02-14T05:19:00.000-08:002013-02-14T05:19:31.203-08:00Waiting on Wednesday... on Thursday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2057/newwowqfc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2057/newwowqfc.jpg" /></a></div>
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"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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I had every intention on posting this yesterday... but real life intervened and I was too busy to get online! As usual, so many books I'm looking forward to! I just recently saw the trailer for <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13600318-reckless">Reckless</a> by <a href="http://authorscstephens.com/">S.C. Stephens</a> and it got me really excited about the book coming out (FINALLY!) on March 5th!<br />
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<a href="http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/5274/recklessn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/5274/recklessn.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
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<br />
Here's a really awesome fan-made trailer:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xjuKMm0g3pU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Happy Reading all! <3Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-49680076495011958902013-02-12T17:21:00.001-08:002013-02-12T17:21:48.893-08:00Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9617/lolanv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9617/lolanv.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door</b><br />
<b>Author: Stephanie Perkins</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957"></span><span id="freeText6123572449658985048">Budding designer Lola
Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more
expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better.
But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and
friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty
perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell
twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.<br /><br />When
Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and
back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings
for the boy next door.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9961796-lola-and-the-boy-next-door">Lola and the Boy Next Door on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
It took awhile for me to get around to this book, mostly because while I
wanted to read it when it came out, I wasn't willing to pay $11 for the
ebook. Finally I got it from the library and...<br /><br />I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it.<br /><br />I
might be in the minority who liked this one a LOT more than Anna and
the French Kiss. While I liked Anna, I just didn't connect with Etienne
at all.<br /><br />NOT so here!<br /><br />I LOVE Lola. And I LOVE Cricket
(except for his name, ugh). I think I connect so well with Cricket
because he's exactly the kind of guy I would go for in real life.
Slightly nerdy, socially awkward, sweet as pie. <br /><br /><em>His blue
eyes are bright. Sincere. Desperate. "Go out with me tonight. Tomorrow
night, every ni-" The word cuts off in his throat as he sees something
behind me.</em><br /><br />Oh, Cricket. I don't know how any girl could not hand you her heart on a sleeve after that whole scene.<br /><br />Lola
is this crazy, quirky girl who is trying to figure herself out. I love
her crazy outfits and overall weirdness. I thought the whole talking
to the moon thing was over the top, but whatever. I just skimmed that
part.<br /><br />Max disappointed me. :( However, his reaction was probably
pretty damn realistic. Considering how much I loved him at the start
of the novel, I was so sad to see him turn in to such a douchebag. I
knew things would go horribly wrong with him and Lola, but damn. Bad
Max. Bad.<br /><br />My only real issue was that I wished we got to delve
in to Calliope a little more. I found her really interesting, despite
her being the generic mean girl throughout most of the book.<br /><br />I
love Stephanie Perkins. I love how her characters are always so
different, but so real. It's going to be hard to wait on a library copy
of Isla, but I still refuse to pay that much for an e-book. :(<br />
<br />
5 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/414310688">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/414310688</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-89556993288554003332013-02-11T16:58:00.002-08:002013-02-11T16:58:42.301-08:00Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3821/everneath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3821/everneath.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Everneath</b><br />
<b>Author: Brodi Ashton</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321"></span><span id="freeText15745423938783709957">Last spring, Nikki
Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now
she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's
banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six
months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes
she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it
exists.<br /><br />Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the
Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person
most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more
than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering
immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has
followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the
underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And
he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.<br /><br />As
Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships
begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest
decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface
with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9413044-everneath">Everneath on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
<i>Everneath</i> got a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews from reviewers I
know and trust, but as I was reading I was wondering if we were reading
the same book! It's not that I thought the book was bad - it was
alright - but these same people are very stingy with the glowing reviews
so I think I was expecting more!<br />
<br />
I like the premise of the story
- a retelling of Persephone/Hades in a modern day/high school
environment. However, I think the execution was lacking. A lot.<br />
<br />
MAJOR spoilers below!<br />
<br />
The
thing is, I feel like authors are too afraid to make their hero do
anything truly bad. You CAN have a likable hero who isn't perfect
(primo example - Dex in Karina Halle's Experiment in Terror series!). <br />
<br />
Let me back track a bit before I get back to that. <br />
<br />
The
basic plot line is that Nikki was in a relationship with Jack.
Something happened to make her "forfeit" willingly (aka pretty much kill
herself / give herself to the underworld/hell/Everneath). However, she
gets to come back to the real world for six months before she has to go
back to the Everneath forever.<br />
<br />
I'm not quite sure WHY she gets
to come back. We're told a little of the mythology behind Persephone
and Hades, but we never really see why Nikki is allowed the opportunity.
It was a little confusing.<br />
<br />
We are eventually told what happened
to make Nikki "forfeit" herself and when we find out, WOW. All I could
say was "That's it? For real?" I was expecting some kind of ultimate
betrayal from Jack, but instead it's nothing like that. <br />
<br />
Jack's
ex girlfriend came out of his room. That's it. Nikki didn't catch them
having sex. She didn't catch them kissing. She didn't catch them with
their clothes in disarray. She just saw the ex walk out of his room.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
Jack
has been her friend for years and her boyfriend for months that she's
completely in love with. He was the "player" who NEVER had a girlfriend
until Nikki. While I understand her having some insecurity, was seeing
something THAT simple and small enough to put her into a state of
despair bad enough that she would be willing to basically go to HELL
over it?<br />
<br />
I was really disappointed that Ashton didn't have the
balls to at least make Jack make a mistake big enough to send Nikki into
a depression. Instead, Jack didn't even do anything wrong. The ex
girlfriend was just there in his room when he got back, trying to seduce
him, and he kicked her out right away. <br />
<br />
I think my biggest
issue with the book is that Jack is just too perfect. The guy has no
flaws. He's ridiculously good looking, popular, football player, head
over heels in love with Nikki, aka perfect in every way. I'm sorry,
having dated a lot in the past, BEFORE Nikki, doesn't count as a flaw! <br />
<br />
Perhaps
I just prefer more realistic characters instead of the vanilla Bella
Swans we see so often in YA Romance/Paranormal these days. <br />
<br />
That
said, the story wasn't bad. The writing was good, I really felt Ashton
did a great job portraying Nikki's despair when she returns from the
Everneath (after 100 years!). The plot moves along fairly quickly and
it was an easy read.<br />
<br />
I plan to finish the series. I just think it could have been a lot better!
<br />
<br />
3 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/532781033">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/532781033</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-59285645616985526722013-02-08T11:29:00.003-08:002013-02-08T11:29:59.186-08:00Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1903/hotticketu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1903/hotticketu.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Hot Ticket</b><br />
<b>Author: Olivia Cunning</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888"></span><span id="freeText3303897444114165321">Book #3 in reading order of events in book series, per author<br /><br />There
are things in bassist Jace Seymour’s past that he is unwilling to share
with anyone. To cover his guilt and anguish, he seeks dominatrix
Mistress V (Aggie) to temporarily placate his inner turmoil.<br /><br />Aggie
doesn’t have much use for men–besides the power rush she gets when
they’re begging for mercy at her feet–but Jace isn’t like her usual
clients. His cool defiance and unexpected dominance in the bedroom
drives her to distraction and quickly steals her heart.<br /><br />When
circumstances threaten Jace’s position in Sinners, Aggie must help him
regain his rightful place in the band while showing him that time and
love can heal all wounds.</span><br />
</i><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12710035-hot-ticket">Hot Ticket on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
I absolutely LOVED the first Sinners book (Brian and Myrna). I felt a
little meh about Sed/Jessica and I sorta liked the Trey threesome book.
In those three books we really don't see much of Jace or get to know
him very well at all, so I was a little bit worried when I got to his
book.<br /><br />And I shouldn't have been.<br /><br />Cause JACE IS AWESOME!<br /><br />I
loved him! BDSM and dom/sub stuff isn't usually my thing, so I was
really expecting to have mixed feelings about this one. Instead, I
loved it! <br /><br />Getting to know the story behind Jace was my favorite
part. Where he came from. His past. His feelings about his
bandmates. I thought all of the tie-ins between Jace's pre-Sinners past
and various bandmates was a teensy bit convenient, but it was still
okay.<br /><br />I LOVED Aggie. I think she completely won me over in the
mugging scene. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go in to
more detail, but yeah. Aggie rocks! <br /><br />While I loved Aggie, I
thought she got kind of clingy after that scene and while she redeemed
herself later, her overly mothering/nurturing personality was <em>reallllly</em> annoying.<br /><br />The
sex was hot, as usual. Olivia Cunning writes some really awesome
'alternative lifestyle' sex scenes! I did laugh out loud a few times
during the scenes with Eric - now I'm REALLY curious to read his book
and see his motivations for why he is the way he is!<br /><br />If you're a
fan of the Sinners books and/or love erotic romance with a side of kink,
this book is DEFINITELY something you should check out!
<br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview471712861"> </span></span><br />
4 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/527739936">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/527739936</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-3785096928156935382013-02-08T05:21:00.004-08:002013-02-08T05:22:59.283-08:00In My Mailbox Part Deux<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">In My Mailbox (weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/in-my-mailbox">The Story Siren</a>)</span></b></span><br />
<br />
I read extremely fast. Like ridiculously fast. Sometimes I wish I read a lot slower because I tend to fly through books so quickly that I just couldn't afford to buy them anymore at $10/each! When I got a Kindle and discovered free and cheap self published books, it was like<br />
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<br />
But then I realized that a LOT of those free books were crap. While I still love seeking out those diamonds in the rough when it comes to self published books, I really wanted to read all the stuff coming from the big name publishers too. However, when you read 300+ books a year, those can be big $$. Then, I discovered the library.<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Yeah, I know. I probably should have discovered it long ago, but what can I say? I like to own books and re-read them. I still buy a lot, especially the ones by authors I know I will want to re-read, but DAMN the library is awesome! I usually go once every 7-10 days and pick up a bunch of books. Here's my current haul, which I'm extremely excited about! I've already read four of them!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
Hope everyone else is having a great week! Happy reading!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-2297938470019165002013-02-07T14:23:00.002-08:002013-02-07T14:23:33.300-08:00The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/3194/thingabouthetruth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/3194/thingabouthetruth.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: The Thing About the Truth</b><br />
<b>Author: Lauren Barnholdt</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558"></span><span id="freeText7861730870395363888">In this humorous love
story from the author of "Two-Way Street", an unlikely romance is the
best sort of surprise—but the wrong secret can ruin everything.
Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got
kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out.
But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on
track at Concordia High.<br /><br />Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools
than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is
under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before
boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to
stay put for a change.<br /><br />When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything
but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks
she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to
fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and
Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before. But nothing’s ever
completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no
exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that
can ruin it all: the truth.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12987127-the-thing-about-the-truth">The Thing About the Truth on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
This book was disappointing. I read Two Way Street this past week and
thought it was alright, so I was hoping another book by Lauren Barnholdt
would be just as good, if not better. Perhaps some of her other stuff
is, but this one isn't.<br /><br />I have two big issues with this book.
First, the entire plot of the book is a past/future retelling of a
ginormous event that happened because of a lie. We start off in the
"Aftermath" where Isaac and Kelsey are about to get expelled. Isaac
hates her for a lie she told and Kelsey hates herself.<br /><br />Here's the
issue... the lie (in my opinion) was so minor. It came about at the
tail end and even when she does it, it seems like such a small thing.
The majority of the "Before" part of the book is the build up of Isaac
and Kelsey's relationship. I thought this was reasonably well done.
Then the reveal of the "lie" and what happened to get them expelled
happens and it's so underwhelming.<br /><br />Then in the last two pages at the end they kiss and make up and it's all good now.<br /><br />I
mean, I knew there was going to be a happy ending (it's YA romance
after all), but ALL this build up to this supposed HUGE event and they
have an obscenely short and fast reconciliation. <br /><br />My other major
issue with the book is the cardboard secondary characters. None have
real personalities. Marina is the slutty crazy girl. We never really
learn anything about why she behaves this way, she's just the
stereotypical 'mean girl' villain. Rielle is the shit best friend. We
don't really get to learn much about her either, other than that she's a
terrible best friend but for some reason Kelsey keeps being best
friends with her. <br /><br />I know the main focus on the story was the
relationship between Kelsey and Isaac, but I would have loved to see
more fleshing out of the secondary characters. <br /><br />Goodreads says
two stars means "It was okay" and that's pretty much exactly how I felt
about this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. It was
just "okay."<br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview471712861"> </span></span><br />
2 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/529012839">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/529012839</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-52280834798778970642013-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:002013-02-06T09:00:04.955-08:00Waiting on Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a>, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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There's way too many books I'm looking forward to! My to-read list on Goodreads keeps growing and growing and despite reading over 300 books a year I can't seem to make a dent in it!<br />
<br />
The book I'm looking forward to most this YEAR is probably <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6131164-clockwork-princess">Clockwork Princess</a> by <a href="http://www.cassandraclare.com/">Cassandra Clare</a>. One more month to go!<br />
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<br />
<b>GOODREADS BLURB:</b><br />
<br />
<i><span id="freeText11801984124173761395">Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the <em>New York Times </em>bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.<br /><br />If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?<br /><br />The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.<br /><br />Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.<br /><br />Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy</span></i><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-38776513934318499132013-02-05T18:20:00.002-08:002013-02-05T18:20:32.909-08:00Making His Mark by Jennah Scott<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/5264/makinghismark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/5264/makinghismark.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Title: Making His Mark</b><br />
<b>Author: Jennah Scott</b><br />
<b>Blurb:</b>
<i>
<span id="freeText16974660111907008276"></span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"></span><span id="freeText1719161255887481602"></span><span id="freeText8593021562915542092"></span><span id="freeText10233330780805927316"></span><span id="freeText16580854207886125098"></span><span id="freeText3392436394989601577"><span id="freeText10345128278163326085"></span></span><span id="freeText14941870310349308737"></span><span id="freeText14688916167920110910"></span><span id="freeText17541692075530325322"></span><span id="freeText16705843758889508391"></span><span id="freeText8733886974106084327"></span><span id="freeText520018245722335600"></span><span id="freeText16656885938876436114"></span><span id="freeText1890186414659612724"></span><span id="freeText8693235193177730475"></span><span id="freeText14610556708628428392"></span><span id="freeText11953304558199713203"></span><span id="freeText15200242565663204347"></span><span id="freeText268940449406178235"></span><span id="freeText5518757196128605723"></span><span id="freeText7046613447987876243"></span><br /><span id="freeText4940116200248929213"></span><span id="freeText356733490842742056"></span><span id="freeText7967925923857653726"></span><span id="freeText11985630207940738326"></span><span id="freeText2240016194018801243"></span><span id="freeText18400903475631090845"></span><span id="freeText11231154312386557984"></span><span id="freeText16940577386764463961"></span><span id="freeText4388239576985432558">One kiss is all it took
for Alexis Catori’s world to turn upside down. One kiss with a man she
thinks can help her move beyond her past. <br /><br />Bo Nantan has one rule when it comes to tattooing: he refuses to ink his friends. Until Alexis asks him to do her work. <br /><br />Bo
tries to refuse, but decides maybe there is a compromise that will
work. Together they discover their compromise is about more than just
art, it’s facing the past so they can move on with the future.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17015098-making-his-mark">Making His Mark on Goodreads</a><br />
<span id="freeText13112204316596218222"> </span><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><br />
<b>Kala's Review:</b></span><br />
The cover of this book is pretty much the only thing good about it. I
struggled to finish it and have put it aside many times to read other
things. I don't even know WHY I finished it. I used to think I had to
finish every book I started and I've wasted so much time reading things
that I hate. I always try to at least get halfway before putting it
down and I should have done that here.<br /><br />Making His Mark starts off
dull and continues that way. For the entire novel. There's no real
conflict or plot, other than Alexis acting like a raging hormonal bitch
all the time.<br /><br />Example: (Bo buys her flowers)<br /><br /><em>"These
are lilies and they're orange. Both my favorites, and I've never told
you I loved lilies. These aren't just flowers. You got them for a
reason, spill it."<br /><br />"Guess you'll have to wait and see."<br /><br />"Whatever. I have a job to do."</em><br /><br />She's
just rude like this throughout the entire book. While she's not the
most hated novel heroine I've ever read, she's definitely top five.
There's pretty much nothing likable about her. Bo isn't the best, but
he's at least a decent person. Alexis just flies off the handle
constantly, over the most minor things.<br /><br />I guess I should expect
it though considering the entire conflict of the novel is over whether
or not Bo should do Alexis' tattoo for her. She asks him to do it, he
says he doesn't tattoo friends, she gets emo about it, he tattoos a
friend and she finds out (and flips out), and he agrees to do her
tattoo.<br /><br />His reason for not doing tattoos on friends doesn't even make sense (Waaa my parents told me I'd never amount to anything). <br /><br />I
like a fluffy romance novel, but there should at least be SOME real
conflict. I don't give a fuck whether or not Bo does her tattoo. A
tattoo is not a real conflict.<br /><br />The author creates other bullshit
conflict, but it's all so dumb and minor and facepalmingly bad. Another
example, Bo gets Alexis tickets to a Taylor Swift concert (her favorite
singer).<br /><br />At the concert, Bo is kind of grinding/feeling up on
Alexis. She gets pissed at him, telling him that the parents of kids at
the concert wouldn't like that and makes him stop. He doesn't get mad,
he just says okay and stops. Immediately after, Alexis starts
molesting Bo. He tells her to stop and winces about his blue balls.
Alexis flips out, cusses him out and breaks up with him.<br /><br />UH... WHAT?<br /><br />I
could have dealt with the flimsy boring plot if the sex was good, but
the sex was awkward and boring. Who wants to read a sex scene with
lines like this?<br /><br /><em>Bo had an unobstructed view of Alexis' moistened entrance to her core.</em> <br /><br />I just get a vision of him between her legs staring in to a huge gaping vagina. <br /><br />Pass on this one. <br />
<span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextreview471712861"> </span></span><br />
1 out of 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<b>Link to</b><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><span id="freeText13112204316596218222"><b> Kala's review on Goodreads:</b></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/522728004">http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/522728004</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08541469738799872355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4754264962049359504.post-88230272709682235562013-02-04T13:50:00.000-08:002013-02-04T13:50:10.763-08:00In My Mailbox<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">In My Mailbox (weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://www.thestorysiren.com/in-my-mailbox">The Story Siren</a>)</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not a big time book blogger (wish I had more time for it!) but I do love to read and write reviews and interact with other people who love books as much as I do! I am fo<span style="font-size: small;">rtunate enough to get some ARCs, but I usually buy my books. I'm so excited because this has been a great week for <span style="font-size: small;">me on NetG<span style="font-size: small;">al<span style="font-size: small;">ley<span style="font-size: small;">! This week I plan on reading <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13621089-geek-girl">Geek Girl</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7741325-dash-lily-s-book-of-dares">Dash and Lily's Book of Dares</a><span style="font-size: small;">, b<span style="font-size: small;">oth of which are <span style="font-size: small;">recent approvals from <span style="font-size: small;">NetGalley. I also <span style="font-size: small;">am completely ad<span style="font-size: small;">dicted to the Karina Halle's <a href="http://experimentinterror.com/">Experiment in Terror</a> <span style="font-size: small;">series and <span style="font-size: small;">I start book four,<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061289-lying-season"> Ly</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13061289-lying-season">ing Season</a>, tonight! <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.marielu.org/">Marie L</a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.marielu.org/">u</a>'s <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy">Prodigy</a> i<span style="font-size: small;">s t<span style="font-size: small;">he sequel to her bestselling (a<span style="font-size: small;">n<span style="font-size: small;">d AMAZING) book <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legend">Legend</a>. I just got it as well and can't wait to <span style="font-size: small;">get start<span style="font-size: small;">ed! So many great books, so little time!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy reading all! </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"></span> </b></span><br />
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