Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Title: Sins & Needles
Author: Karina Halle
Blurb:
Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents' latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.


**The Artists Trilogy is a dark and sexy contemporary ride about three flawed individuals caught in a world where it's so easy to justify the bad things we do. This is a pure adult read (Not YA or NA).**

Links:
Sins & Needles on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
I went in to this book with zero expectations. I had never heard of Karina Halle before and the cover/title wasn't something that would usually draw me in. Not that it's a bad cover, it's nice, but lately I've been on more of a YA Contemporary kick and I've been in to the fluffy pretty covers. However, I saw this book floating around GR and noticed some of my GR friends buying it and talking about reading it. At $2.99, I'll generally give a new (to me) author a try and WOWZA I am SO GLAD I DID!

Ellie Watt is a con artist and a grifter and she's on the run from some pretty bad people. In fact, she's been on the run for most of her life, except for a brief stint during high school where she stayed with her uncle. It was during that time she met and befriended Camden McQueen - whose description made me think Marilyn Manson.

Most of the book is about adult Ellie, who I believe is around 26. She's on the run and has returned to her uncle's to seek refuge for awhile. While trying to find a job, she runs in to Camden, who has turned from lanky/skinny goth freak in to a muscled tattoo-covered hottie with a septum ring and nerd glasses. What happens next... well... I want to talk about it, but I can't, because it would ruin everything.

I will say this.

It's not easy to surprise me in novels. I often find myself guessing what happens next and I almost always guess who the killer is in mystery/thriller novels.

Karina Halle, you totally got me here.



What happens in the middle was a complete and total surprise to me that I did not see coming from a mile away! Perhaps I was too engrossed in the story.  Perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention. Maybe all the red flags were there and I missed them. Maybe, but I don't care. I freaking LOVED IT.

The twists and turns after that point...let's just say I started reading this book around 11pm at night and planned to put it down around midnight and go to sleep. I hit the 40% mark around 12:30 and that's where the shit hit the fan and from there, I HAD TO FINISH IT. I couldn't stop.

Action, romance, surprises, twists...

“I hate you Ellie Watt,” he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, “because I still love you after all these years.”

That about sums it up.

This book is amazing. It's a wild ride and BELIEVE me, once you get on you will not want to get off! And Karina Halle, you evil EVIL EVIL woman! That cliffhanger ending.



SO BEYOND EVIL!

I don't rate things 5-stars very often, as there just aren't that many books that blow me away. This one did. I've already started buying everything else I can buy this author and I can't wait to dig in to more of her stuff while I wait until MAY for the sequel to this book.

MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!

Buy this book! Buy it! Read it! You won't regret it!
 
5 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/517368675

Luck of the Draw by Kelley Vitollo

Title: Luck of the Draw
Author: Kelley Vitollo
Blurb:
Rowan McKinley isn’t looking for one wild night while vacationing in Vegas, but she gets it anyway when she meets professional poker player—and professional ladies’ man—Breck Wilder. Breck’s easygoing charm and lighthearted banter draw in the reserved Rowan, and though she’s always dreamed of the kind of forever love her best friends Sidney and Kade share, she’ll settle for one night with the charismatic player.

After their crazy one-night stand, Breck never expected to see the mysterious redhead again. So when he shows up at a Shamrock Falls B&B looking to get away for a few weeks and Rowan answers the door, he’s floored. Breck’s rolling-stone lifestyle and ill-fated history with women means he’s not interested in anything long-term. But the longer he stays at the B&B, the more he considers dropping the poker face and putting all his cards on the table…for Rowan.

Links:
Luck of the Draw on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
*I received a free copy of this book via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!*

I got this book from Netgalley last week and finished it up a few days ago. Luck of the Draw is one of those fluffy romance novels that I hear a lot of people referring to as a beach read or a plane read. I'd have to agree in this case. Luck of the Draw is cute and fun, but lacks much substance. There's nothing wrong with that - I enjoy fluff - but I was surprised when I later found out that Kelley Vitollo is another name for one of my favorite YA/NA authors, Nyrae Dawn.

Nyrae Dawn's books tend to have these awesome flawed, but likable, characters. While I got a hint of that here, especially with Breck's baggage from his former relationships, the characters in Luck of the Draw just weren't as compelling as I've come to expect from Dawn.

Mild spoiler after this point!

The plot is fairly stereotypical of something you might find in a Harlequin category romance. Rowan has a one-night-stand with Breck, but of course it's something she wouldn't normally do. Of course circumstances have them running in to each other again a month or so later and surprise! Rowan's pregnant!

Overall, cute story, but the stuff Vitollo has written under the Nyrae Dawn name is MUCH MUCH better. Check it out if you haven't already!
 
3 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/517378796

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Title: The S-Word
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Blurb:
First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

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

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

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

Links:
The S-Word on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
*I received a free copy of this book via netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review - thank you!*

I've made it halfway through and I just can't continue. This book is bad. Really bad.

Teenage suicide is a big deal. It's a huge problem in the United States that doesn't get the attention it deserves. There are some REALLY good books out there that address the issue (Saving June!) and there are some really bad ones (THIS BOOK).

The S-Word is supposed to be about two best friends, Angie and Lizzie. Angie catches Lizzie having sex with her boyfriend and the two have a falling out (for obvious reasons). Lizzie also becomes somewhat of a social pariah in the school because of sleeping with Angie's boyfriend. Shortly after, Lizzie commits suicide.

After Lizzie's death, someone writes "Suicide Slut" on a locker in Lizzie's handwriting and starts passing out Lizzie's journal pages.

The novel could have been about Angie trying to figure out what went wrong in her friendship, what happened to make Lizzie destroy it, and what went so terribly bad that Lizzie had to kill herself.

But it isn't.

Instead, it tries to be funny and amusing as Angie plays "detective" in the most bizarre ways, interviewing classmates in her quest to find out who wrote "Suicide Slut" on the locker. Angie suddenly turns in to an awful parody of Joe Friday from Dragnet and the book just went completely down hill.

One example - Lizzie was apparently in to acting. She had recently gotten the lead part in a play. Angie believes that the drama queen goddess Shelby McQueen who got ousted from her position when Lizzie got the part, might be behind it. She she goes to interview her. Apparently this girl is 'in character' and Angie decides to get 'in character' to talk to her too. Here's an excerpt (all typos, formatting errors, and mangled capitalization straight from the book):

so i think, but shelby's in rare form today, smoking an imaginary cigarette and lounging on the piana like she's preparing for her solo. (...) shelby greets me with a husky "hello, sugar. What's your poison?"

"reality," i quip, and climb onto the piano beside her. "that's what they all say." shelby bats her pretty brown eyes. so she wants to play hide Behind the Character. so what?

Drama class is a veritable free-for-all at the end of the year and i've got nothing but time. she can play the dame. i'll play the old-timey detective. Whatever gets the canary to sing.

"Nice to see ya, sweet cheeks," i say, tipping an imaginary hat. shelby's smile spreads across her face. she's wearing a purple
1950's style cocktail dress. the hem dances just past her knees, all propriety. But her attitude says floor-length, slit-up-the-thigh red satin.

"What can i do for ya, daddy-o?" she asks.

It continues from there in the awful Dragnet-wannabe style as Angie interviews more kids and pretends to be a hardcore detective.

Later on Angie and DRAKE (the boyfriend that Lizzie slept with), go to Lizzie's house to help pack up belongings. Angie is mildly upset, but mostly because of wondering "Did he use those eyes on Lizzie? Did he use that voice?". Drake, who apparently doesn't give a lick that he's in the bedroom of a girl he just banged who is now dead, uses the time to try and snuggle up on Angie and make out. I'll give Angie credit, she kicks him out, but still. Would this happen in real life?

The thing that annoys me most is that from what I've read so far, this isn't about Angie coming to terms with her best friend's suicide. In fact, Angie barely seems affected. It's about Angie playing Joe Friday to find out who is writing things on the wall in Lizzie's handwriting.

WHO CARES?

Seriously. It's not like Lizzie was murdered (unless there's a twist at the end where she was, but I'll never know).

There's also some rambling journal entries of Lizzie's where she gets emo about being called a slut and how no one really knows the meaning of the word slut and blah blah blah.

For the record: Slut or slattern is a term applied to an individual who is considered to have loose sexual morals or who is sexually promiscuous.

A girl who betrayed her best friend by sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend could definitely meet the criteria of having "loose sexual morals." I don't think the definition of slut is really in question here.

If this book was trying to show us the difference between men and women, and how a woman who has sex can be labeled a slut while a man is a stud.... IT FAILED. Lizzie had sex with her best friend's boyfriend. In general, when you do that, you'll earn the slut label.

Perhaps this author's style just wasn't for me. Actually, I'm positive this author's style wasn't for me. I don't like the lackadaisical approach to suicide that it took. It could have gotten better towards the end, but if it takes me over a week to struggle through the first half, I'm not going to continue in hopes that it will get better. Because to be honest, I can't think of one example where it has.

I also hate to harp on formatting issues in a galley because I know they are not completely edited yet, but this galley was the absolute worst I've ever seen. The majority of the sentences are not capitalized. The majority of the names are not capitalized. There are constant cases of words in the middle of sentences that have random capitalization mid word. While the formatting wasn't the reason for the 1-star rating (that's all the terrible writing and plot), it did make it jarring and even more awkward to read.
 
1 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/510117024

Me & My Invisible Guy by Sarah Jeffrey

Title: Me & My Invisible Guy
Author: Sarah Jeffrey
Blurb:
The cheerleader who has everything . . . ? Mallory Dane has a great family (at least on the surface), is popular at school (as long as she doesn’t make waves), and dates an amazing boyfriend, Todd (who happens to be completely made up). Boys—and sex—are something Mallory just can’t deal with, so she created her “invisible guy” to avoid it all. But when Liam Crawford comes along—a real guy, flesh and bones and strumming his guitar—Mallory starts questioning her fictional relationship. Is she really willing to give up Todd for Liam? And can she make amends for the lies she’s told—even to her best friend, Tess? What if your biggest, most embarrassing secret was broadcast to the whole world? Letting go of her secret will be easier said than done, and Mallory will risk everything—her family, Tess, cheerleading, her reputation, and most of all, her heart.

Links:
Me & My Invisible Guy on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
*I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!*

I don't usually dislike 'issue' books (ie: books that bring up a buzz worthy issue, like pre-marital sex, homosexuality, underage drinking, suicide, etc), but I REALLY dislike when books get preachy with me and this book got very preachy. I am also not a fan of faith-based books and this book came across very much like a faith-based book that's been toned down somewhat to try and appeal to the mainstream.

Me & My Invisible Guy is about a popular cheerleader named Mallory. All of her friends have had sex with their boyfriends at some point and Mallory is too embarrassed to admit she is a virgin and doesn't want to have sex, so she created a fake boyfriend (Todd) and has told all of her friends that she and Todd have had sex.

There are reasons why Mallory doesn't want to have sex and I don't really want to get in to them because it will spoil parts of this novel for those who plan to read it. I'll just say that I understand and respect her reasons.

When a new guy, Liam, moves to the area, Mallory is instantly attracted to him and ends up having to dump her fake boyfriend so that she can have a 'real' relationship. This happens early on and Mallory spills the beans about her fake boyfriend to Liam pretty early on, so I don't think it's much of a spoiler to mention that.

Liam is a very religious guy who is also a virgin and doesn't believe in sex before marriage.

One of the girls at his church, Lexi, who is also a classmate of Liam/Mallory, has a crush on him and doesn't approve of Mallory dating him. Mallory is a cheerleader and supposedly had sex with Todd, so she is one of "those" girls that Liam shouldn't be dating. Lexi constantly inserts herself in Mallory and Liam's new relationship and causes problems for them. She keeps trying to steal Liam and even goes so far as to tell Liam how slutty Mallory is so that he won't date her. She also makes snotty comments to Mallory and vaguely threatens her.

Eventually, once Mallory's secret comes out, Lexi apologizes.... but the big issue I had with this is that she apologizes for midjudging Mallory, not for treating her badly to begin with. Basically, what Lexi said is that because Mallory is a virgin, it's okay for them to be friends now. And that Mallory isn't one of "those" girls, so Lexi can be nice to her. I'm fairly certain the Bible talks about not judging others and how that's God's job - so I really would have preferred Lexi actually feel bad for mistreating and judging ANYONE, but instead she just feels bad for mistreating Mallory because Mallory wasn't the slut she originally thought.

As for the faith stuff... it was a bit much. I don't know how to describe it other than it just felt like I was reading something that belongs on a Christian Books for Teens list. While those books often have a purpose of the main character 'finding God' and changing his/her life, which wasn't 100% the case here, we do have a LOT of Christian preachiness going on here which was overwhelming. While I'm not anti-religion, I don't like it this hardcore in my novels.

Another main problem with this book is that I feel it tried to tackle too many issues at once. We have abstinence, bullying, STDs, suicide, abusive alcoholic parents, and overbearing military parents (who disown their kids if they don't follow the chosen path of armed forces). Not to mention tackling the family issues that arose in the aftermath of the suicide thing. While I feel like the author handled these topics respectfully (which is always appreciated), it seemed too much.

Overall though, the book wasn't bad. I liked Mallory a lot. She came across like a very real teenager - something rare in YA these days! I probably will not read anything by this author in the future, mostly because of the religious stuff, but she has some talent and if reading faith-based stuff is your thing you'll probably like her book.
 
3 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/514672093

Ape House by Sara Gruen

Title: Ape House
Author: Sara Gruen
Blurb:
Sam, Bonzi, Lola, Mbongo, Jelani, and Makena are no ordinary apes. These bonobos, like others of their species, are capable of reason and carrying on deep relationships—but unlike most bonobos, they also know American Sign Language.

Isabel Duncan, a scientist at the Great Ape Language Lab, doesn’t understand people, but animals she gets—especially the bonobos. Isabel feels more comfortable in their world than she’s ever felt among humans . . . until she meets John Thigpen, a very married reporter who braves the ever-present animal rights protesters outside the lab to see what’s really going on inside.

When an explosion rocks the lab, severely injuring Isabel and “liberating” the apes, John’s human interest piece turns into the story of a lifetime, one he’ll risk his career and his marriage to follow. Then a reality TV show featuring the missing apes debuts under mysterious circumstances, and it immediately becomes the biggest—and unlikeliest—phenomenon in the history of modern media. Millions of fans are glued to their screens watching the apes order greasy take-out, have generous amounts of sex, and sign for Isabel to come get them. Now, to save her family of apes from this parody of human life, Isabel must connect with her own kind, including John, a green-haired vegan, and a retired porn star with her own agenda.

Ape House delivers great entertainment, but it also opens the animal world to us in ways few novels have done, securing Sara Gruen’s place as a master storyteller who allows us to see ourselves as we never have before.

Links:
Ape House on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
I love Sara Gruen's previous three novels, but it took me a long time to even pick this one up at the library and I put off reading it. Something about the summary just didn't hook me and if I wasn't a fan of Sara, I probably would never have read it.

The book wasn't awful. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I don't know if I can really explain why, either.

It started off great. I liked Isabel right away and the apes really steal the show with their distinct personalities and silly antics. The explosion and aftermath was heartbreaking and I found myself turning pages quickly.

Then Ape House started, and the book fell apart for me. I didn't find John nearly as compelling as Isabel and the apes. Amanda was totally unlikable and at this point the book seemed more focused on John and Amanda instead of Isabel and the apes, and that's where it lost me. John is bland and Amanda is so freaking emo I wanted to bitchslap her.

Based on the summary, I was expecting some sort of attraction between John and Isabel threatening his marriage, but that was really a non factor throughout the majority of the novel. Instead we get to read page after page about Amanda's emo depressiveness because her book didn't get published. John and Amanda were so hot and cold (and not in an interesting way), I felt like I was getting whiplash with the amount of times they were jerks to each other then apologizing to each other.

The ending of the book was okay, but it seemed too perfect and happy - a la Breaking Dawn where everyone gets everything they ever wanted and they all lived happily ever after. Don't get me wrong, I love a happily ever after - in fact I HATE books that don't have some kind of happy ending - but this one just seemed like overkill.

Like I said, I didn't hate the book, but I didn't love it either. I still am a big fan of Sara and will read whatever she publishes next, but I am hoping it's more along the lines of Water for Elephants instead of Ape House.
 
2 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/221836492

Confessions of an Angry Girl

Title: Confessions of an Angry Girl
Author: Louise Rozett
Blurb:
Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

Links:
Confessions of an Angry Girl on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
*I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley.com (thank you!!) in exchange for an honest review*

This is another I have mixed feelings on. I think my hesitation on liking it is based on the fact that when I got to the end, it didn't feel like a complete story. At the end, I felt unsatisfied. :(

The author did a lot of telling instead of showing. A main example, which drove me nuts, is that Rose is constantly telling us how she uses big words all the time in dialogue. I can't even think of one example where Rose used big words in dialogue. Most of Rose's dialogue consists of "um" and stammering.

Jamie was another odd character. I couldn't like him, and I tried. I kept hoping that he would redeem himself. That the whole relationship between him and the mean girl was a fallacy. But it kind of wasn't. He pretty much was dating her and leading Rose on on the side. While the mean girl was stereotypically mean and probably deserved all the bad stuff, but what does it say about his character when he's playing two girls like that?

I did appreciate that Rose was willing to stand up to the mean kids and do the right thing, especially like at the party where the girl was passed out, possibly not breathing, and she called 911, knowing that she would be ostracized for it later.

I couldn't stand Rose's best friend. She was an awful person who treated Rose terribly all for the sake of being popular. I could see this happening in real life, though, so I can't really mark down for it. I just thought she was a horrible person and I wanted Rose to kick her to the curb and find a real friend. I did like that Rose tried her best, despite risking her own reputation, to help her friend do the right thing (which she never really did).

MINOR SPOILERS AFTER THIS

The ending was what really left a bad taste in my mouth. Jamie 'kind of' redeems himself by telling off the mean girl, but does that excuse his behavior the rest of the book? I don't think so.

I don't want to spoil the end for anyone who plans on reading this, but the end is just... unsatisfying. I can't think of another way to say it. There's no resolution to the Jamie/Rose storyline at all. I guess there are going to be more books, but I feel like even books in a series should feel complete.

I'm not sure I will continue reading this series. It wasn't the most awful book ever, but it just wasn't that good either.
 
3 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/510685759

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Title: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare
Author: Melissa Jensen
Blurb:
Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Links:
The Fine Art of Truth or Dare on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
The blurb for this book is misleading. This book is not a romantic comedy at all. I can't recall a single moment that made me laugh. It's more like a typical YA romance novel.

Ella, the main character, is not too bad. She's shy and damaged and very self conscious about a scar she got as a child. Her best friends and her family are even better - Frankie and Sadie and her grandma are all awesome. Ella and her friends attend a private school and are the outcasts. She's had a crush on popular boy Alex Bainbridge for a long time.

Eventually (not until about 30% of the way through) Alex becomes Ella's tutor. I enjoyed most of the Alex/Ella interaction, but they were too few and far between. I think Ella spent more time interacting with a picture of a dead painter (who TALKED BACK). This is where the novel got so boring. I couldn't stand Ella's infatuation with "Edward Willing." She had long in depth conversations with him and spent pages and pages and pages researching him. I got so bored I ended up skipping most of it.

The ending was also kind of abrupt. I think Ella had a valid point about Alex hiding their relationship. He had excuse after excuse about why and the way it's written, we're made to believe that his hiding her is okay.

I enjoyed the parts of this book where Ella was with her friends/family/Alex. Hated the parts where she was obsessing over the painter. Because of that, I wasn't overly impressed by it, but I would read something else by this author.
 
3 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/397528740