roselaina
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
I wanted to like Meant to Be the second I saw it. The cover is just so bright and happy! It has what I like to refer to as the “Lizzie McGuire Movie Factor.” Class trip to a foreign country? I am SO there. And I'll probably love it. Which I did!
Meant to Be was a ton of fun. From the attention-grabbing intro, I knew I was going to love having Julia as a narrator. She was very relatable, and she matched my sense of humor very well. She was hilarious. I don't think I've enjoyed a narrator that much since Jessica Darling. Which is interesting, because they're so different, but it's true.
I'm Julia Lichtenstein, and even though I alphabetize my bookshelf and have, from time to time, quoted Dante at swim team dinners, I can have fun!
Meant to Be
so
There's a difference between preferring books to parties and preferring sixteen cats to seeing the light of day.
love
Meant to Be
lot
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
In all honesty, I picked up this book purely because I knew the Christmas feature was coming up, and I needed to read more Christmas books for it. I was not particularly drawn in by the summary, but I love Eloisa James, so I went ahead and started it. Little did I know what awaited me!
I love reviewing audiobooks. Since I listen to them while doing something (usually driving) during which I can't write, I leave voice messages for myself with my long, rambly, often incoherent thoughts of flailage or anger. Listening to those before I write my review is freaking hilarious. One day I'll transcribe myself or upload it (except not because then you would probably be frightened away by the crazy).
Let me tell you, this book? Caused me to leave some insane comments. At one point, I swear, I was talking like Lorelai Gilmore on speed. I loved so much about this story! Probably my favorite thing is how it flips so many historical romance norms. For instance, the book starts with the couple in love. How often does that happen? However, they were both young and rash, and you know that they really should not have gotten married at that point in their lives. Obviously, the marriage does not work the way either party planned, and the real story starts 4 years after the wedding.
The problem lies in the fact that while 4 years have passed, neither Poppy or Fletch have really developed. They are both still young, and they are stuck trying to fill these roles they do not really know how to fill. They are both still a little immature, and Poppy, especially, is very naïve. Thus, they are unhappy and resentful. Perhaps this does not make for the most likable characters for the first half or more of the book, but I like it because it is real. I could really see that happening for a couple of the time period, and I wanted desperately to know how they were going to solve it.
During the story, I loved watching each of the characters grow individually before they were truly able to address their relationship. Poppy especially had a lot of self-discovery to achieve and a backbone to grow. This book read almost like a new adult novel, but a historical one, and I really liked that about it.
One other thing I loved about the book was how the main story and the side stories intertwined. It reminded me how much I absolutely adore Elijah and Jemma (especially Elijah ♥), as well as how I need to give the book about Villiers another try. I actually got extremely invested in all three(ish) side plots, and I thought James achieved a really great balance between the main and side stories. They were there enough to be intriguing, but mostly, they were not there enough to take away from the main story.
Overall, An Affair Before Christmas is a great read. If you are looking for a realistic, beautiful romance with side characters who are sure to make you want to read the rest of the books in the series, I would absolutely recommend it.
*3.5 STARS
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
This book was not exactly what I expected from the summary, but I wound up mostly enjoying it nonetheless. I had two main issues with this book: the necklace Angelica had that apparently could tell you your ~hero~ when you wore it, and the fact that it was so long I got seriously bored. There were many unnecessary scenes of her family reacting/plotting about her kidnapping, but I am sure that someone who followed Laurens' books would love them. If they were, for instance, the Bridgertons, I would have loved to see the family all interacting together. But I digress. Enough with the negativity. There were quite a few things I liked about the book, too. Namely, the whole basic plot: Angelica is kidnapped by a man she thinks is her hero, but is really the guy who orchestrated the kidnapping of her sisters. Oh, and he's supposed to be dead. He also happens to be swoontacular, so romance commences. (I seriously love historical romance for plots like these.) I also like that Angelica was confident in the fact that he wanted her. Admittedly, it stemmed from the ridiculous necklace, but it added a nice dynamic to their relationship I enjoyed.
*3.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
A while back, I was struck by the Christmas impulse and grabbed a bunch of holiday themed Harlequins from the library. This was one of them. It was a fun way to spend a slow afternoon at work! It was a sweet love story that I very much enjoyed reading.
I liked the way the story was presented. Ross and Lucy had a slight history from years before, and their new meeting paralleled their old in many ways. The stories unfolded at just the right pace. The flashback integrated well into the present, and it was nice to compare and contrast the two.
I liked that it was the woman who was the Scrooge figure in the book (because heaven forbid you have a Christmas romance wherein one of the characters was not anti-Christmas) with the man who loved it. It made a fun change to read a hero who loved Christmas, because that just makes me smile. Also, Lucy didn't just hate Christmas to hate Christmas; it was because of a tragic accident that had happened years earlier.
As for the interactions between Lucy and Ross, they had some great chemistry from the very beginning. And I will forever and always love the locked/snowed in trope. It is a great chance to work out issues and perhaps steam up some windows (which is obviously going to happen in a Blaze).
Christmas played a great part in the story. It was actually relevant, not just tossed in there for Christmas marketing, which happened in the other “Christmas” Harlequin I read around the same time. The story would not have been the same without it. And what a great story it was! It was a little heartbreaking at times and incredibly sweet. It totally sneaked in there and made me cry during the epilogue. Darn the Christmas sappiness! (Except I totally loved every minute of it.)
*4.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at Fictionally Inclined. For current reviews, check out my new blog: The Book Barbies)
I was randomly browsing the YA section of my library when I came across this book. The cover was different than the one I'd seen before, and I did not recognize the title. Although I'm not always crazy about the torn-between-two-boys storyline, it sounded good enough, so I picked it up with pretty much no expectations. Little did I know just how amazing this book was going to be!
I loved everything about this book. The writing was incredible. It was very flowy and lyrical with an almost stream of consciousness feel to it, yet it totally matched the voice of a 17-year-old girl. I loved the originality of the characters. They were all so unique, and everyone lent something to the story. No one was superfluous. There was not an abundance of unnecessary secondary characters. Just the right amount for the story.
This book gave me ALL THE FEELS. I giggled, I cried, I swooned. I was completely caught up on Lennie's predicament with the two boys. Her feelings and emotions and thoughts were so clearly conveyed that I felt like I was living inside her head. I was confused when she was confused. I never yelled at her internally for being an idiot, because I could see where she was coming from with everything. The boys were SO DIFFERENT - and I loved them both - but she was drawn to each for different reasons, too. (Also, this really is not a love triangle book, despite how it might sound.)
I tend to dislike random poetry thrown in between chapters, which has become a “thing” with YA in the recent years. Honestly, it's usually super lame. But there were lots of poems and random notes strewn throughout this book, and they were actually good. I felt like I got to know Lennie better through them. And the best part is that it made perfect sense with the story for them to be there.
Also, random point, but I love that Lennie was obsessed with Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights. Girl after my own heart. I have not read it twenty-three times, but I have read it four times. And this book made me feel like a re-read may need to be imminent because I miss it.
Basically, if I had to describe this book, it would just be a long string of adjectives because I am not capable of fully explaining the awesomeness. Heart-breaking. Addicting. Enthralling, beautiful, real. Knock-you-off-your-chair fantastic. While I was reading this book, I felt like it moved quickly and that I was flying through it. But in reality, it actually took me my average reading time, if not slightly more, because I kept re-reading little sections that were particularly beautiful. Reading this book was a great experience, and I will definitely be re-reading in the future. Loved it!
*3.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
I had an odd sort of relationship with this book. Objectively, I enjoyed everything about it. But for some reason, I spent most of the story feeling rather detached from the characters. I don't know if it was me or the way it was written, but that feeling was disconcerting. At the same time, though, I did not want to put it down at all. The actions that set the plot into motion were rather overdramatic and ridiculous, but the plot itself was fantastic and original. I enjoyed the uniqueness of it, especially how the hero fell in love with the heroine without ever seeing her face. I also read this book after the second in the series, so it was interesting to see the Book 2 couple before their “romance” took place.
*3.5 STARS
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
I really liked the premise of this one because I used to love soap operas (Guiding Light specifically), and I am fascinated by the idea of how the making of them actually works. I know Mayberry used to (or still does?) work on an Australian soap opera, so it was nice to know what I was reading was at least fairly authentic. I just really enjoyed the whole atmosphere of writing and producing. Dylan and Sadie had great chemistry, and I believed the development of their relationship. I wish parts of it could have been dragged out a little longer, but I know Harlequin has pretty strict word limits for their category romance titles. I definitely liked how their history was woven into the story. I thought Dylan was a very complex character, but I enjoyed getting to know him. I could understand him more after seeing his struggles and what he had gone through to overcome them. Overall, while not my favorite Mayberry, Take on Me was still an enjoyable read.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
Victoria Dahl is one of those authors whom I always enjoy but never remember to list or look up when I'm at the library or in the bookstore. But she just writes such fun, sexy stories with her own flair. They're really good, and Close Enough to Touch was no exception! I'm also totally in love with the cover. The purple, the negative space, the plays with fonts.
One of my favorite things about Close Enough to Touch was the originality of the heroine, Grace. Far from the visual her name might inspire, Grace was a touch girl with purple hair, black boots, and a few things in her past that might cause sideways glances. Being a city girl, Grace wasn't sure what to make about a lot of the aspects of small town life. It was amusing to watch her adjust to the difference. She also had secrets she had to deal with.
Cole was a super sexy cowboy who also happened to be incredibly frustrated, due to the fact that he was injured. And as such, he could not work. He had bunches of down time, interspersed with brutal but helpful physical therapy appointments. Then Grace moved into the room next to his. It was dislike at first site, but of course, it didn't last. Soon enough, Grace and Cole were discovering more and more they had in common, despite their apparent differences.
I liked all the touches Dahl included. The small-town bar was great. Grace's eccentric aunt who only rented to men (Grace being the sole exception). How Grace got to experience real friendship outside of her only long-time best friend. The side romance that was incredibly cute.
Close Enough to Touch was definitely an enjoyable read. I'm also super excited for Too Hot to Handle, the next book in the series. Merry absolutely cracked me up, and I can't wait to read more about her. But back to Close Enough to Touch: If you love watching the sparks fly as dislike turns to something else a lot more fun and a lot more romantic, this one is for you!
(Review originally posted here at Fictionally Inclined. For more recent reviews, check out my new locale: The Book Barbies)
I went into Return to Willow Lake with a bit of hesitation. I had never read anything by Susan Wiggs before, and this book had a cover that made me think of those books that are cheesy in a way that is only acceptable if accompanied by lots of Christmas carols and mistletoe. I am very glad I gave Return to Willow Lake a chance, though, because it was so much better than I was expecting.
For starters, one thing I loved about this book was that the main two characters were not your typical leads. Sonnet was biracial - half African American, half Italian - and Zach was very pale with long, blond hair nearly as light as his skin. They had been very close friends throughout childhood and high school, and although they'd lived in separate cities for years, they were still share-the-big-news-first, visit-whenever-I'm-in-town friends. Until Sonnet's step-sister, Daisy's wedding at the beginning of the book. They had not seen each other for quite a while, and a romantic encounter caused Sonnet to freak and cut Zach out of her life for the next few months.
Then Sonnet received the news about her mother and moved home. As Zach was nearly a part of the family and her new job involved working with him (filming a reality show featuring Jezebel, a teenage hip-hop star), Sonnet and Zach's friendship began to recover. Except now there were feelings Sonnet did not know how to deal with.
One great thing about this book was how wonderfully the love story fit with the whole story. The romance moved at a great pace and never felt secondary, but it also did not overshadow Sonnet's relationship with her mother, which, as that was Sonnet's reason for turning away some amazing opportunities and moving back home, was rather important. I loved watching them interact. Nina was very wise and kind, and it broke my heart to watch her go through her struggles. Because Zach was so close to the family as well as working with Sonnet, the three plots - the family life, the job, the romance - all coalesced into one beautiful story.
There was some drama, which obviously had to happen. However, nothing was blown out of proportion or stretched to melodramatic lengths just to draw the book out longer, which would have been very easy to do with some of the conflict. I very much appreciate Wiggs and her ability to write a sweet, touching story without making me overdose on cheese. I will definitely be looking up more of her books, and I recommend this one, which is officially out today!
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
Sweet Evil was a super-quick, super-addicting read. I sped through it in a flash. It had an interesting premise. The two main characters had some great chemistry. Higgins had an interesting habit of combining two words into one such as “bloodred” of “superfast,” which I actually wound up liking, because it made Anna's voice more authentic. I could totally hear her thinking like that. However, Higgins was entirely too fond of pronouns; there were two scenes (one of which was possibly on purpose) where I had no idea who it was who was actually speaking the lines. It really took me out of the story. Other than that, though, I liked it.
*3.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
I had wanted to read this book for quite some time before I actually got my hands on it. Even though I know next to nothing about hockey (and still don't, even after reading this book), it was an enjoyable read. The beginning was extremely similar to It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; I half expected the heroine's name to be Phoebe. But it was about Faith and hockey, not Phoebe and football, and the similarities pretty much ended at the premise. The book was good, but nothing about it was overwhelmingly wonderful. The heroine was attractive, and the hero was Alpha (and his name was Ty Savage, which should not be sexy but totally is). One thing that bothered me was that there were some awesome secondary storylines happening, but we really didn't get any resolution for them at the end. Overall, though, it was a cute and fast read.
*3.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
Okay, singular complaint out of the way first: I don't enjoy random large paranormal/mysticism/whatever elements in books that are billed as straightforward contemporary romance. Much less in the third of a trilogy which has had none of it before! I'm still peeved about this, because I think the characters could have had a tremendous love story without the unnecessary elements that were included in the book. I do appreciate that Roberts did not go overboard with it, though. That aside, I loved so many things about this book! I could sympathize with Shannon and eventually grew to like her. I absolutely fell head over heels with Murphey, and I loved how he called her by her full name (Shannon Bodine) all the time like it was a term of endearment to him. I liked watching the bond between the three sisters grow, and I just love the Ireland setting in general. Also, I'm still in love with the voice of the guy who reads these audiobooks. Just saying. If you love a good Irish accent, look up the audiobooks of this trilogy!
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
*Warning: This review contains mild spoilers for the first in the series. Do not read unless you have read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.
What a tremendous in second installation in the trilogy! Although I was captivated by the first book in the series, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, it fell short in some ways for me. Evolution, however, exceeded my expectations. It was slightly less creepy, which I appreciated, but still just as thrilling and intense. (Seriously. I was alone in the house, curled up into a breathless, tension-filled ball on the downstairs couch for most of it. When I did finish it, my bladder was about to explode, and it was 2 hours past my normal dinner time. Talk about unputdownable!)
Interestingly, I liked almost all the characters better in this book than the first one. Noah was definitely the biggest one. I really tried to like him in Unbecoming because I kept seeing people talk about how amazing he was, but although he had some redeeming qualities, I was less than impressed. In Evolution, though, I grew to love him a lot more. He finally had some depth as a character and acted a lot less like a boy I'd like to punch in the face. I also liked Jamie more in this book; he annoyed me before.
The relationship between Mara and Noah was developed in a way that made me root for them. Although they displayed some codependency, which is popular in YA novels and always annoys me, they were also in nowhere near normal circumstances. Therefore, I could excuse it. They also had some pretty darn swoon-worthy scenes and sexual tension for a YA book, too. Loved it!
Story-wise, this book had some crazy twists and turns! There were some I saw coming and still jumped when they happened. If Hodkin excels at anything, it is writing jaw-dropping, hit-you-over-the-head, OH-MY-GOD-DID-I-REALLY-JUST-READ-THAT-RIGHT scenes.
If the trilogy keeps improving like this, I cannot wait to see what is in store in the concluding book, The Retribution of Mara Dyer (out WAY WAY FAR AWAY D: Summer 2013)!
Random note: I did not notice #213 in this book. I wonder if all the uses of it in Unbecoming were just coincidence, or if it is going to come into play in the next book?
*4.5 STARS.
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
As The Ugly Duchess was Eloisa James, I had fairly high expectations when I picked it up. But when I actually read it? Two words: Blown. Away. It was not at all what I expected! Seriously. It was going along in a great-but-expected way and then all the sudden, BAM. But it's a good bam. A very, very good bam. Just letting you know that the blurb is, well...pretty much not at all the story. But the story is better than that, and I for one loved being surprised with the twist and subsequent story, so I am going to let you enjoy it firsthand as well.
Back at the beginning, though, the book opened with Theo and James, only 17 and 19, and they actually had a friendship. A real friendship! And neither of them was ~secretly in love~ with the other. Which I love, by the way, but it was nice to not have that aspect for a change. They made me smile; I loved seeing how they interacted. I also really appreciated how their voices were different when they were younger compared to further on in the book.
One reason I love Eloisa James is that she does not idealize marriage. Marriage is work; it is not simply a solution to tie up everything into a pretty, tied-up-with-a-bow Happily Ever After. A ring does not magically solve all problems. But it can work! It can be a beautiful thing as long as the parties are committed to it. I absolutely loved reading James and Theo's journey to a happy marriage and their HEA. It made me smile, laugh, cry, and swoon.
Overall, The Ugly Duchess was one of the best reads of the season, and it is definitely among my top favorite James books. It was an intriguing mix of friends-to-lovers and marriage of convenience. I had never read a book that balanced those elements in that way so well before. I absolutely loved it! James remains one of my favorite historical romance authors. I am SO excited for her next book (Rapunzel story! Cross-dressing hero! Yes, please!).
Random funny sidenote: Verveine was mentioned at one point in the book, and I was momentarily nonplussed. I forgot it was an actual plant and had real uses besides repelling vampires. :D
*3.5 STARS
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
Confession time: I don't like the Beatles (though I do love the Across the Universe soundtrack). I had no idea this was a Beatles reference, or I probably would not have picked it up. Thankfully, though, even though Penny was Beatles-obsessed, that in no way turned me off the book! I like it quite a bit. While some of the dialogue seemed a little stilted, Eulberg had a really great cadence to her writing that I thoroughly enjoyed. Penny stood up for some great things and learned a lot of good lessons throughout the story. It was a cute one!
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
I had conflicting thoughts on Being Friends With Boys. The summary was extremely misleading, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. One of the things that I didn't like about this book was that it always felt like something was about to happen. But nothing really ever did. There was all this (really subtle, relying on guesswork) build up around the supposed love triangle, and by the end, I honestly didn't care about the romance. Not a bit. I honestly think I would have enjoyed the story more without it (aaand there was the sound of jaws dropping around the world because YES, I JUST SAID THAT). My favorite thing about this book is how McVoy sneaks up on you with some original, lyrical turns of phrase you totally aren't expecting. It kind of reminded me of Elizabeth Scott. I also think Char was an interesting character, and I liked reading about her, her friendships, and the whole band element.
(Review originally posted here at Fictionally Inclined.)
I had never heard of Defiance until a few weeks ago, when I ran across a review of it over at Bewitched Bookworms. The synopsis sounded very interesting, and the review made me even more eager to read it! I quickly acquired a copy and absolutely flew through it. There was almost nothing I didn't like about this book. From the sparse yet imaginative world of Baalboden and the surrounding Wasteland, to the writing style, to the alternating points of view so I could see the stories of both protagonists, I enjoyed Defiance immensely.
The two main characters were Rachel and Logan, both of whom were freaking awesome. Rachel was dedicated, loyal, and independent. Not to mention that she could take on three fully-grown guys at once with her super fighting skills, courtesy of her father's rule-defying instruction. Logan could kick your butt, make you swoon, and invent some immensely useful contraption at the same time. Alas, though, your swooning would be for naught, because Logan totally only had eyes for Rachel, even though he fought it for a while. The build-up between these two was spectacular, and the chemistry between them was blatant from page one. Speaking of chemistry, there was sparring! Romantically charged sparring/fighting is totally one of my favorite things ever in books, and Rachel and Logan pulled it off wonderfully.
The world of Defiance was engrossing and very easy to get lost in, and the characters were a very big part of that. It had quite the cast of secondary characters, and many played very important roles. There was the old family friend Oliver, the barbarous Commander, the helpful yet mysterious sibling duo, and several others.
Defiance was not a light read; there were many dark elements to it. Rachel and Logan's journey was anything but easy, with obstacles ranging everywhere from the Commander to the malevolent Cursed One that could set you ablaze almost before you could get a chance to run away. In addition to this, there were many internal struggles both - especially Rachel - had to deal with throughout the course of the story.
I think you would be hard-pressed to not enjoy this book. It had a little bit of something for everyone: strong heroine, brilliant-but-gorgeous hero, heart-pounding romance, adventure, suspense, villains, paranormal/fantasy elements, and a very dystopian setting. Defiance was a winner all the way around, and I can't wait to read the sequel!
*4.5 STARS
(Review originally posted here at Fictionally Inclined.)
Within Reach is one of my favorite books that I've read recently. I absolutely loved pretty much every single thing about it. I recently reviewed another Mayberry book (Her Best Worst Mistake), and I mentioned how I associate Mayberry with amazing friends-to-lovers stories. This book? Exemplified that perfectly, even though there was a whole other level to it.
Angie was the long-time best friend of Billie. Michael was Billie's husband. Angie and Michael were friends, but Billie was the connecting link. They never would have even contemplated each other as anything other than wife's-best-friend and best-friend's-husband. Then Billie died unexpectedly. And everything changed. After Billie's death, the book jumped ahead 10 months. Even after this time period, Michael was still deeply immersed in his half-life of mourning, and his children were suffering from it, as was he. After arriving back from a short trip to New York with fresh perspective, Angie saw how much he was struggling. She told Michael some hard things he needed to hear, and she began helping him out more than she had before. Then circumstances changed again, and Angie began spending significantly more time with both Michael and the two children.
The dynamic between Angie and Michael shifted slowly and never felt unnatural, although they both fought the attraction. The romance was slow-building, intense, beautiful, and breath-taking. Literally. The first time they kissed, I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe for about 30 seconds. Mayberry has this way of writing scenes - particularly kissing/love scenes - that just punch you right in the gut. In a good way. If that makes any sense at all. Obviously, this book was not light on the angst. I didn't cry as much as I anticipated, though, even though it was a very emotional at times.
Perhaps the thing I loved most about this book was how real I felt the relationship was. I habitually read romance. If I'm being honest, probably 98% of the books I read at least have a strong romantic element in them, even if it's not the main plot. I read about fictional relationships on a daily basis. I do occasionally get the feeling that the couple would never actually make it if the book was reality, but it's very rare. However, it's also rare that I get the overwhelming sense that the couple would absolutely make it in the real world. I got that feeling in this book. Michael and Angie had a lot of issues to work out before they could ever really be together - okay, really only one issue, but it was a doozie - but once it was resolved, I was absolutely 100% convinced of their love for each other, their compatibility, and their ability to come together couple and as a family.
Once I picked up Within Reach, I did not want to set it back down again. Ever. It was an emotional - and, let's face it, hormonal, because yowza did this book have some sexual tension going on - roller coaster, but I loved every single second. (Except the part where they watched Bridesmaids with an almost-3-year-old boy. Maybe it's just me, but I found that inappropriate and pointless. Of course, I didn't like that movie at all, so.) But aside from that moment, there was really nothing I disliked about this book. The writing was solid, the children believably portrayed, the relationship believable and moving. If you love a wonderful romance and don't have an aversion to having your heart wrenched a time or two, this is the book for you. Look out for that gorgeous cover (seriously, haters to the left, it's so pretty! And not a mullet in sight!) when it hits the stores August 7.