roselaina
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis was a fantastic continuation of the Lucky Harbor series. As the second book, it had a lot of pressure to uphold the standard set by the first, and it absolutely lived up to the challenge. I loved The Sweetest Thing even more than [b:Simply Irresistible 7863423 Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1) Jill Shalvis http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1323268405s/7863423.jpg 11018887]. I was thoroughly intrigued by Tara as a character in the first book, and I could not wait to learn more about her in this book. I very much enjoyed reading her story.I had SO many emotions as I read this book! I was surprised, I was happy, I was sad. I felt my heart wrench with angst and conflict, and I laughed and smiled until my cheeks ached. It was quite the journey. I absolutely loved getting to know Tara better; I really related to Tara most out of all the sisters. Don't know what that says about me, but it's true. I also adored Ford, whom I did not really know until he showed up in this book. I was interested in learning about Tara and Ford's history, which had been hinted at but not confirmed. The way they grew and learned from their past experiences made for a fascinating story. Oh, and there's also Tara's ex-husband to contend with. But I really don't think anyone was fooled by that one for even a second.The small town feel was fantastic! I almost died laughing several times. The “small town gossips” (one in particular) were active on Facebook and Twitter, doing things such as keeping a poll of which guy Tara should pick - Ford or the ex. I also loved the recurrence of Jax and Maddie. They were hilarious with just the right amount of cuteness - enough to know they were still thoroughly in love, but not so much as to sickeningly corny. Have I mentioned how in love with the Lucky Harbor covers I am? They're just so adorable! I love the simplistic, happy brightness of them. Now, for the quotes.❝She gave a brief thought to lying, but she didn't want to be struck dead by lightning – it would ruin her good hair day.❞❝Sweet baby Jesus, that smile should come with a label: WARNING: Prolonged exposure will cause yearning, lust, and stupidity.❞❝I've seen the way you look at him. It's how I look at junk food.❞❝This was going to require a lot of obsessing, and maybe some more chips. Certainly a bottle of wine, and in all likelihood her sisters as well.❞The Sweetest Thing is another winner by Shalvis! I would definitely encourage you to pick it up. And the whole series along with it, really.
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)Oh, Kristan Higgins. She is one of my top favorite contemporary romance authors for a reason ([b:Just One of the Guys 2884065 Just One of the Guys Kristan Higgins http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255729774s/2884065.jpg 2910293], anyone?). This book was thoroughly enjoyable. The narration was fantastic, and while it took a while to keep all of them straight, I appreciated all the secondary characters. I really love how Higgins writes normal characters with original flair. I really get attached to them. I even love her animals! Which is saying something, because I am not an animal person.I loved Posey and could relate to her very easily. It took me a while to warm up to Liam - I honestly didn't get what was so special about him in the beginning. But as we read more about him, I came to realize why Posey loved him. He was such a great guy, and once you actually got to know him, there was no denying that. The book was touching without being overly sappy. I don't know what it is exactly, but Higgins has this way of writing true, pure emotions. Her endings hit me like very few authors' do. I cried at this one because I was just so into the world and the characters; I felt everything they felt, and it made me sad to say goodbye.Oh! And she referenced 90210. The real one. This made me happy. :)And, of course, because it is Kristan Higgins, there were many laugh-out-loud lines. This is one of my favorite things about her books. They are witty and hilarious, usually because they are so true.❝To think she'd put on a lace bra for this. It itched.❞❝He smiled broadly at Posey, and she smiled back, unsure if that was a Want to date me? smile or just a How's your soul these days?❞❝Posey wondered what he'd do if she ripped his shirt open and licked his neck.❞❝Unrequited lust made for crappy conversation.❞❝There should be a law that no one over the age of fourteen could say OMG without a public stoning.❞While it took a bit to get into it, Until There Was You was a great read. It was funny, thoughtful, and touching. I would definitely recommend it!
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)It's been a while since I read this, and I did not take a whole lot of notes. I will do my best to remember, though. Unveiled was a great read. I like fake identity stories when they are well written, and this one was. It was my first Courtney Milan, and I am excited to read more from her. In fact, I am extraordinarily excited to read [b:Unclaimed 10301090 Unclaimed (Turner, #2) Courtney Milan http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1296060606s/10301090.jpg 15203064]. That (well, along with the pretty cover and the amazing quote from [b:Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels 11104723 Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels Sarah Wendell http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328066907s/11104723.jpg 16026891]) was actually why I read this one; it came before the other. I usually don't care in historical “series” where the order doesn't really matter. But I did it this time, anyway. I'm so glad I did! I was thoroughly intrigued by Mark and seriously hoping he got his own book. Then I re-read the summary for Unclaimed and just about died. If Milan pulls it off, it could be absolutely amazing. Cannot wait for it to come in at the library! But back to Unveiled.There were several fantastic, unique aspects to this book. It was very nice to see a heroine who notices and is affected by the hero's looks, but is not overcome by them. I had not realized how refreshing it would be, actually. Margaret was attracted to Ash from the first, but she was still able to keep her wits about her. It made for much better banter, as well.The story had a lot to do with family. Both Ash and Margaret dealt a lot with their loyalty to their respective brothers. This is actually where a lot of the conflict and tension stems from in the book. Oh, I also noted in my notes (ha) that it was funny that I abandoned You Against Me for this, and they wound up having similar premises. However, while I was not feeling You Against Me, Unveiled caught me right away. It had real problems and great chemistry and emotions, but it never got overly sappy. It was a very good read, and I am looking forward to the next one!I will leave you with the awesome quote that caught my attention and made me want to read it:❝”Do you know why my peers want their brides to have pale skin?”“Why?”“They want a woman who is a canvas, white and empty. Standing still, existing for no other purpose than to serve as a mute object onto which they can paint their own hopes and desires. They want their brides veiled. They want a demure, blank space they can fill with whatever they desire. ...Damn their bonnets. Damn their rules.”“What do you want? Why are you doing this to me?”“Miss Lowell, you magnificent creature, I want you to paint your own canvas. I want you to unveil yourself.”❞
This was my first Jill Shalvis. I had heard good things about this series from a fellow romance-loving friend of mine, and I was in the mood for a “small northern town” contemporary romance. Ergo, I thought of this series immediately. It was a good read. The very first scene had me laughing out loud! Cam and Katie had some great banter throughout the book. They also had some insane chemistry and really great almost-moments. And holy cow, can Shalvis write a sex scene! I felt the need for a cold shower a couple times.
I really loved Katie. She was feisty and witty without being obnoxious about it. She had a habit of talking to herself, which was endearing, and she had some real things to work on with herself. I enjoyed reading her journey. Cam was sexy and awesome, but he came with his share of issues that got old fast. The supporting characters were intriguing, and I really enjoyed the subplot. In fact, I was rooting for that couple just as much as I was rooting for Cam and Katie.
Now, for some quotes. Because Shalvis just writes some immensely quotable lines, I will say.
❝Like the newly brave woman she was, she threw the covers over her head and hoped he hadn't seen her.❞
❝You ever have a day that's just a complete waste of mascara?❞
❝”Do you exercise?”
“It's on my to-do list.” At the bottom, but still...❞
❝On the one hand, it sounded like a great adventure. On the other, it sounded like an unusual obituary.❞
This was my first Jill Shalvis. It was an enjoyable read, but in my opinion, it does not showcase her best work. I have since read 3 more by Shalvis, and I'm in the middle of another. All of these have been substantially better than Instant Attraction, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. This is funny because it is exactly what happened with Julia Quinn. I had heard great things about her, so I picked up The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever. I was less than impressed. But then I gave her another shot, and I discovered her brilliance. I think it's good that I am reminded of that now and again. An author might just be okay or good in one book, but their next book might be utterly stupendous. I think I am going to challenge myself to read at least one more book this year by an author of whom I did not have the best first impression.
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)
I really enjoyed this book. Elizabeth Scott is such a fresh, unique voice in YA fiction. I love her writing style, and her characters are always interesting and believably flawed. Bloom was no exception. The chemistry between Lauren and Evan is obvious even from the beginning, and Scott captured that initial infatuation and awareness perfectly.
I usually do not enjoy the whole boyfriend-vs-other-boy internal debate. It's always the “safe” choice vs. the choice the girl actually wants. In this book, however, I actually believed her. Dave seemed perfect and worked very well with her world. He was also a fantastic boyfriend. In addition, Lauren had many actual, credible reasons for trying to stay with him. I really felt for her. Lauren grew up a lot in this book, and I enjoyed reading this coming-of-age story.
There were also several great quotes in Bloom. Here are a few of my favorites:
❝...it was only when we actually got boyfriends that I realized without the acquiring of them to talk about, we had absolutely nothing in common. ❞
I particularly appreciated this quote because I could very much relate to it.
❝I love books. I like that the moment you open one and sink into it you can escape from the world, into a story that's way more interesting than yours will ever be.❞
Basically? ♥ ♥ ♥
❝Just once can't I be the kind of girl who can walk into a room and toss her hair just so?❞
Ah, don't we all wish that once in a while?
❝I try not to act like I've melted into a little pile of goo, but really. He just does things to me. ❞
I just love this quote. It is totally realistic and adorable. I love how Scott writes Lauren's internal monologue.
❝I fold my arms across my chest in what I hope is an I-swear-I-haven't-been-rolling-around-on-the-sofa kind of way.❞
This line made me snort with laughter, so I simply had to include it.
All-in-all, Bloom is a great read. It has relatable characters, a main couple with great chemistry, and is a good coming-of-age story. Very enjoyable, and I will be reading more from Scott in the future.
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be charming. Sometimes, a book has an opening line of such brilliance that you simply know you are in for a treat. While The Juliet Club's was not necessarily brilliant, it was utterly perfect. I always love it when I start a book out on a laugh.
❝Which one of Johnny Burwell's eyebrows do you think is cuter?❞
The Juliet Club
Romeo and Juliet
Much Ado About Nothing
❝Coming to class without a pen and notebook was like showing up in her pajamas. She couldn't imagine it.❞
❝It was amusing to tease serious girls. He liked the way they condemned his every move. It made him feel worldly and depraved.❞
❝Oh, honey, I wouldn't run unless I was being chased by a bear.❞
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)
This morning, I had a tire blowout and had to go to Walmart to get a tire replacement (insert the sound of my wallet weeping in protest). Thankfully, I had Playing Hurt with me in my purse, so I wound up reading the majority of it on a bench in Walmart, waiting for them to finish fixing my car, Fitzwilliam.
Playing Hurt was a great book to be stuck with. I was immediately transported to the beautiful Minnesota summer and immersed in the issues surrounding Chelsea and Clint. Schindler portrayed both characters and their struggles very well; I felt for them both. The entire book was realistic, actually, which was probably my favorite thing about it. Everyone had their own problems and albatrosses, some more difficult to overcome than others. I loved reading about the journeys to overcome these. Of course, I was rooting for Chelsea and Clint the entire time. They had some great chemistry! Also, Chelsea's little brother was the perfect combination of obnoxious, concerned, and funny. I really enjoyed him.
My one turn off in the whole story was that Chelsea seemingly had next to no remorse whatsoever for having feelings for Clint while she still had a boyfriend. She brought Gabe (the boyfriend) up when she was fighting her initial reaction to Clint, but it seemed more like a convenient excuse for the fact that she didn't want to be feeling something that intense, period. The boyfriend factor had nothing to do with it. Once she realized she did have those feelings and they weren't going to go away, Gabe was barely in her thoughts at all. Funnily enough, this bothered me during the reading, but now that I'm thinking about it and trying to voice my thoughts, I'm realizing that I understand her motivations a lot more than I thought I did. To commiserate and to angst about it would only bring her down because she obviously knew what the problem was. Chelsea simply made a conscious decision to ignore the problem and make the best of the situation she had in front of her, dealing with the consequences later. This is not a philosophy I frequently embrace, but I can see the appeal.
The only other thing negative thing I can think of to say is that I dislike the name Clint, so I didn't particularly enjoy that being the hero's name. But that's really more of a personal problem, LOL.
One thing I grew to appreciate throughout the course of the book was Schindler's writing style. It was different, but in a good way. She frequently used the strangest metaphors that seemed incredibly random when you first read them, but then you realized that while they weren't normal, they were usually things the character might actually think. Take this one, for example.
❝Clint grins at me, his smile tearing at the tension in the room the same way two forks pull apart a dense angel food cake.❞
...Um, who would actually say that in her head?
Oh. Someone who had spent a large portion of her life in a bakery. Like Chelsea.
exact
❝Lightning flows through me at his touch. So help me God, lightning.❞
(Review originally posted at Fictionally Inclined.)
3.5 STARSThis is my first time doing a review where I actually took notes – beyond a random word here or there scribbled on a Post It – during the reading! It was quite fun; I think I'll be making a habit of it. I always try making mental notes, but that tends to fail me miserably. But then again, I can't make a note of every single thing that strikes my fancy while reading. I'm going to need to find a sort of balance. I think it should become fairly easy with a little practice, though.Let me preface review off by saying this: I feel like I'm committing YA sacrilege or something, but I don't love Jennifer Echols. I like her books; I really, really do. But try as I might, I just can't love them. All three of her books I've read so far are good, but they consistently fall short of my expectations. This was the case again with The One That I Want. It was cute, and I love how her main characters are always so unique. She has great quotes and a fantastic way of getting inside the characters' heads and really letting us feel their issues. They have all the right elements, but for some reason or another, her books just don't quite do it for me. Regardless, though, The One That I Want was a good read. Let's talk specifics (also: I get to break out some quotes! *dances).
Gemma (the MC). Gemma was an interesting character, though a little dramatic and overly sensitive. But I really felt for her a lot of the time with numerous issues because I had dealt with the exact same thing. The weight loss thing specifically. Gemma lost 48 pounds in the course of her weight loss journey, not all of which is cataloged in the book. I could relate a lot to her with things she discussed regarding her weight loss: her problems, the weirdness of people addressing it, etc. But also there were things like this:
❝The problem with pretending to be extroverted was that once I started, there was no telling what would come out of my mouth.❞
❝”Can I wait with you until your mom comes?”
YES. “You don't have to,” I said.❞
❝It was better that I didn't know too much about Max. The less I knew, the less I needed to forget.❞
❝He looked adorable when he did this, and I wanted to kick myself for thinking so.❞
actually
❝”Don't you want some of my fries, Gemma?” Addison pointed to her plate. “Or the rest of my milkshake? Gosh, I can't finish it all, but I'll bet you could.”❞
❝When you look at her, what you're really seeing is the girl you became friends with in the first place...❞
❝”I don't tell Addison no.”
“Why not?”
Because she's all I have.❞
❝If you don't have a goal, Gemma, you will never reach it.❞
is
won't
idea
Ooh ooh ooh, honey...
(Read this and other reviews at Fictionally Inclined.)
My sister gave me this book to read, and since we usually have pretty similar taste, I trusted her judgment. The premise sounded good enough. Plus, look at the pretty cover! It turns out that I was right to trust her; I enjoyed this book a lot!
Academy 7 was so cute! It was a fast read, but it wasn't super light. It had substance, an interesting premise with good execution, and a decent plot. In fact, if anything, I would have liked to see some things fleshed out more, specifically the ending, which was a little abrupt. Regardless, it was still a pleasurable read. I particularly enjoyed the original world Osterlund had created. I am...strange when it comes to sci-fi. I am not usually a fan unless it is a background for a romance, and even then, I'm picky. But this worked for me. And it was so nice to actually have a story in a different universe that – gasp – wasn't part of a series. Now, don't get me wrong; I love a good series. I also happen to be impatient, though, and I hate waiting in between the books. Plus, I am always worried that I will forget the details and it won't be as great of an experience as reading the books back-to-back. Which is true to some extent, although I have started to get over that. There are just too many things I'm dying to read that are the first in a series; I know I will cave on at least some of them. But I digress.
The main thing I loved about this book was the development of the relationship between the two main characters. Aerin is so hesitant about everything at first, including actually having a friend in Dane. She just broke my heart and made me want to hug her. But the way they naturally develop from strangers (with some animosity on one side) to friends to, eventually, more was so realistic and beautiful. It grew naturally, and the way their feelings were portrayed was perfect.
Oh, and there was sparring! Which always makes me happy.
This was a cute, satisfying read that left me with a smile on my face – the perfect way to spend my Friday morning.
I am...not sure what I thought of Specials. I had a very difficult time rating it. I almost abandoned the book and, thus, the series before I had read even 15 pages. Thankfully, I pushed past that part and realized that this one had an intriguing storyline and redeeming qualities. There were parts that I really liked, most definitely, but there were parts I wasn't crazy about. And the overall effect of the book was that while I was reading it, I was hooked. If I set it down for more than 10 seconds, I pretty much didn't care about picking it up again. I made myself because I knew I would enjoy it once I started, and I did.
First of all, the Cutters. There is no faster way to turn me off of a book, movie, anything, than to mention cutting. That has always been a subject that affects me deeply. The thought quite honestly makes me want to do two things: cry and throw up. Throw up because simply the concept of self-mutilation makes my stomach churn, and cry because it kills me to know that a person is in enough pain that he/she would turn to cutting him/herself as a solution. Therefore, I had a very difficult time with Specials, as the cutting was a big part of the story.
It was good to see Tally overcome that and everything else by herself, without the need of the cure. Of course, we all knew she would because these books have gotten nothing if not predictable. Predictability is another thing that turned me off this book: none of the “twists” came as a shock to me. Not a one. I am usually fairly intuitive about plot twists, a skill honed from hundreds of hours spent reading mysteries and watching CSI in all its varieties. But I am still thrown for a loop on occasion, and, more often, while I'm not necessarily “surprised” by a twist, I didn't find it obvious, either. That's where these books had been, but they lost it in Specials.
I found myself wanting to know more about what happened with the others. We got a basic rundown of what happened with the entire world, what happened with the other Cutters (especially Shay), but there were parts I wish I had actually seen happen. I wanted the details. I felt like they would have been more interesting than the Adventures of Tally.
A few random points:
- Zane. My poor bb. I figured something like this would happen to him, but still. sob
- “Icy” was a great addition to the vocabulary realm and fit the description very well.
- I was a little put off by David's proclamation at the end of the book. I don't care what you say: black eyes and, especially, pointy, triangular, razor-sharp teeth are creepy, yo (not to mention incredibly hazardous for making out). She doesn't just “look like Tally.” I know David is supposed to look past all her imperfections and love her without regard to her appearance and all that, but this was just a little beyond the boundaries of believability for me. And don't get me started on the fact that the nails were apparently only razor-sharp when it was convenient rather than when they would have been annoying/hazardous/disastrous, which would have been a huge chunk of the time. Unless they were retractable or something, which I may have missed, I'll admit.
Now, I don't want my review to come off too negatively. I did enjoy Specials, and it was a good story. However, it did not live up to the last two books. I am not sure what I think of the next one, either. I definitely want to read it, but I hope it doesn't get too preachy about environmentalism. I am all for recycling and the like, but I don't like getting pounded over the head with it. However, I would like to see how the series ends, so I'll read it, regardless. And, of course, die-hard romantic that I am, I want to see Tally and David's story. I did like Tally/Zane better, but I'm definitely not surprised that Tally/David was where it was headed. And I am not opposed to them; they're cute.
Now, onto the last book in this...trilogy? Wish me luck!
(Read this and other reviews at Fictionally Inclined.)
*3.5 STARS
I truly am loving these books! However, it is difficult to review books in a series separately. A lot of what I said about Uglies still applies here. The originality of the world is perfect, and the different vocabulary choices work really well with the characters and atmosphere. Westerfeld portrayed the vapid, confused mind of a Pretty in a way that lets the reader understand it and still connect with the person while simultaneously being frustrated because they see how flawed it really is.
I enjoyed the new people we met in this book. Parts of it were a little darker than before, but the focus wasn't on that too much. Shay has never been my favorite character, and what happened to her, while sad, was not a surprise. I find Tally a unique and likable heroine, and her survival skills never cease to amaze me. As for other characters, I love Zane! He is fascinating and definitely a good addition to the cast of characters. I found Andrew intriguing, and I am hoping he shows up again in the future. I am looking forward to when that storyline gets addressed.
I loved how Westerfeld used the same basic premise of a dream to symbolize everything that was going on in the world around Tally. They were always accurate, and it was a good portrayal of how Tally subconsciously felt about and viewed circumstances without sticking everything into informative dialogue or unnecessary thought processes. As the books are written in third person, not first, too much internal monologue would be out of place. The way they are written works well with the characters and the story.
The end of the book! It left me in chills, and I can't wait to see what happens. I will definitely be reading it soon (probably after I drag myself out of bed and go get some breakfast).
(Read this and other reviews at Fictionally Inclined.)
I have been hearing about the Uglies series for what seems like half of forever. I always thought they sounded appealing, and I even picked the first one up from the library once but returned it unread. However, a couple days ago, I found the first two books at a local thrift store for 99 cents apiece. When I spotted them, I practically tripped over myself making a mad grab for them before anyone else could spot the marvelous deal sitting in front of their very eyes. I'm not entirely sure what prompted this, as there was no one particularly near besides my sister and one woman with whom I had carried on a perfectly pleasant conversation about the Stephanie Plum series moments earlier. Regardless of the motivation, I made a slight fool of myself, but in the end, I got the books. That's what matters, I suppose.
I started the book the morning of December 31st, and I was hooked right away. I became completely engrossed in this fascinatingly original dystopian world. I was intrigued by the premise, and the execution by Westerfeld was fantastic. I never wanted to put this book down. The unusual world, the unique-without-being-absurd names, the terminology that was different from our own yet easily understood, interesting characters, and a compelling plot all existed in this book. These are all things that reflect positively on Westerfeld and his ability to craft a superb dystopian novel. I loved reading about Tally and how she changed throughout the book and how her opinions changed with her. Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that with this world, the characters can refer to all the wasteful and stupid things people did in our time. It references wastefulness and racism and things like that, and because of the setting, it does everything without sounding preachy. It is necessary for the story, and it also makes you stop and think from time to time. Even moreso, it does the same thing for beauty, which is absolutely wonderful. Beauty is all in the beholder; you don't have to be flawless to be beautiful.
I also liked the end of the book. It left you longing to know more and ready to break out the next book, but it didn't make you want to throw it across the room in frustration/anger/impatience (like, say, Possession). I do respect the cliff-hanger as a literary device, but I think it is overused and, often, unnecessary. This book, while it did leave off at a strategic plot point, let you know what was about to happen. And if you were intrigued enough by the whole story, you would definitely want to read the second one. At least, that is how it struck me. I appreciated it and liked it a lot.
I felt that the romance was a little quick to develop, but it didn't take away from the story. In fact, is was really necessary to keep the pacing of the book. I just tend to notice these things, as I'm one of those people who can't get enough of the build-up and development of relationships. It's my favorite part; nine times out of ten, I infinitely prefer it to the actual “relationshippy” part of a relationship. But I digress. I am waiting to see what happens to these two and have yet to commit to them as the ship I actually support for the series.
The originality of the storyline and the stance it takes on real beauty are probably my favorite things about this book. I am enjoying it a lot so far, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series! I got the third and fourth from the library, so I am all set. I can only hope that the rest of them are as good. I guess I'll see...
(Read this and other reviews at Fictionally Inclined.)
*3.5 STARS
Lisle and Olivia first appear as children in Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase, which I recently read and thoroughly enjoyed. When I discovered that these two had their own book, I obviously needed to read it immediately. Which I did, through car rides, bad concerts (well, only one concert, really), and numerous distractions, courtesy of my much beloved little sister. How did I like the book? Well, it didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it didn't disappoint, either. I really liked it.
First of all, I would like to talk about the characters. While you do not by any means have to read Lord Perfect first, I would recommend it. I loved getting a look at their personalities there because it made me appreciate them in this book so much more. They stayed true to the personalities established in the first book, while still developing over the decade that passed between the two. Olivia was such an original, quirky, and lovable character. I have seen such characters attempted before, but she is the only one that actually seemed natural and genuine, as if she were a person I could have run into at the supermarket rather than a figment of an author's imagination. As for Lisle, he was slightly less original, I suppose, but no less wonderful. I always adore the logical hero, and Lisle was, nearly to a fault. But it worked for him. It was endearing, really, and it balanced with Olivia's wild and impulsive personality perfectly. Oh, and a review of this book would not be complete without mentioning their chaperons. The two older women were bawdy and inappropriate and altogether hilarious; I always laughed when there was a scene with them.
I adored how the romance between Lisle and Olivia built and developed. It was a very natural progression for them. Their struggles were original and more fitting for their situation than the typical denial-of-feelings method. It is actually rather difficult to describe without giving it away, so I will simply say that the obstacles to their relationship were realistic and fit them well.
As for the story, I am always a fan of road trips (and the Regency equivalent), so I enjoyed that segment. Once they actually arrived at the castle, I expected not to care as much about the story, honestly. I am not a huge fan of “haunted castle” storylines. This one was well done, however, especially since the castle was not actually haunted. You actually get sections from the mischief-makers' POV, so there is never any question as to whether the culprits are human or ghost. Speaking of these scenes, there were a few too many for my taste, but they were not terribly long or unnecessary, which can easily happen when including a crime-centric plot thread.
My one real complaint is that that it seemed there was going to be a romance blooming between two of the secondary characters. There was foreshadowing and even a scene from the viewpoint of one of the two detailing an interaction between them. But...that was it. The story left off with no mention of anything related to them. Perhaps Chase is planning on writing them their own novel(la)? If so, I would certainly read it. They had such promise!
While this was not my favorite Chase (well, obviously, as it would take a truly outstanding read to surpass Lord of Scoundrels), I did enjoy it very much. I laughed several times, and Chase's writing style always makes for a great read. She never fails to amaze me with the freshness of her style.
Read this and other reviews at Fictionally Inclined!
*4.5 STARS
Holy cow. This book. This book. It was one of the most powerful, intense stories I've read in a long time. I finished it twenty minutes ago, and I still have swollen eyes and a throbbing head from crying. I am going to try my best to explain this book, though it is going to be challenging.
I did not go into this book expecting sunshine and rainbows, obviously. You can tell from the cover and the summary that it's not going to be a happy story. And it wasn't. This book was far from an “easy” read. Everything about it was difficult. Maya and Lochan were basically raising their three little siblings on their own, despite still being in school themselves. The way the tedium and stress weighed them down and how the whole situation was dealt with is just heartwrenchingly realistic. The story is told in alternating POV - one chapter is from Maya's perspective, the next from Lochan's, etc. Lochan's chapters were particularly difficult to read because of all the issues he had. Then you have the nature of their relationship itself. I did not find this quite as repelling as many others might - just as a warning, if you couldn't tell from the summary, it is blatant incest - because I'm just weird that way, I guess. (Just as a disclaimer, lest you think I'm some sort of incest-crazy freak, I do not actually support incest as a practice in real life, despite my liking of a few fictional incestuous pairings.). But the codependence, the seriously twisted factors behind the relationship, the intensity between the two, everything was nearly overwhelming. Thinking back, I cannot believe I read it in one sitting; it seems like the kind of thing that would need to be spaced out if only to give yourself some time to breathe in between. Yet I could not put the book down (well, metaphorically, since I was reading it on ebook).
Suzuma's work is absolutely stunning. First of all, she did a marvelous job with the storyline. She presented the relationship and characters in a nearly hauntingly realistic way. She addressed the issues behind the taboo and illegality of the practice of incestuous relationships. One of the things I found most impressive of all was simply the writing itself. A lot of times with alternating POVs, I've found that while the voice changes, the writing does not tend to. Yet with her, you could feel whose head you were in. In the voice, the word choice, the length of the sentences and paragraphs. The way she crafted the evolving relationship was perfect, from the acutal happenings to the reactions and realizations of both Maya and Lochan. The scenes when things are first coming to a head between them gave me goosebumps, even made me tear up because I was so conflicted, right along with them. The writing was consistently good, but every once in a while, there would just a line that was so powerful. For instance, this one:
❝I mean, at the end of the day, what the hell does it matter who I end up with if it can't be you?❞
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I actually read this book on December 7-8, so it is not as fresh in my mind as I would like. I wanted to write a review, but I never got around to it until now. However, I spent nearly an hour and a half discussing it with my friend Sarah (name changed for anonymity) as I drove her to the airport to fly home for Christmas break. Obviously, I should have plenty to say about it.
First, I have to mention that I was incredibly excited for this book. You have no idea how much. During my pre-teen years, one of my favorite books was What's the Opposite of a Best Friend by A. Bates; I probably read it ten times, at least. It is, essentially, the middle school equivalent of what this book appeared to be. Girl quarterback, new boy with quarterback skills equal to hers moves to town, they fall for each other. When I read the summary for Catching Jordan, I absolutely flipped out, for lack of a better term. I counted down the days until it came out. I was scared that it wouldn't live up to my expectations, and I tried to talk myself down. It didn't work. Then came the day when I finally got it, right in the middle of finals week. I made myself get a decent night's sleep the night I read the first half of it, otherwise I would have read it in one sitting. As it was, it took three sittings over the course of two days. Anyway, now that you have the background, we can get to the actual review.
Catching Jordan was not what I expected. I won't say it was better, per se, but I absolutely loved the end result. I was annoyed by the blurb, though. It very much misleads you into thinking this is going to be a straightfoward romance between Jordan and Ty. But lo, and behold, that is not the case! It is actually a triangle between Jordan, Ty, and Jordan's best friend Henry (light spoiler, I guess, since it is not in the blurb). Once that was revealed, I honestly was not sure which of them Jordan was going to wind up with. I won't spoil it for you, but I will just say that I, personally, was very happy with her end choice (as was my friend Sarah). As for the other aspects of the book, I am a huge football fan, so I loved the atmosphere. Most of the characters were interesting, and I was very invested in the relationship outcomes, both for the main characters and the various secondary characters.
Speaking of secondary characters, there are a lot of them in this book. It is difficult to keep them all straight at the beginning, but once you finally get it all figured out, it works well. I really think it was necessary to make the book believable. I really loved the personalities of Jordan's main football friends. Jordan's family also plays a large part in the book, and I particularly loved her brother. I think he should get his own book in the future. Doubtful, yes, but one can always hope.
Jordan's family dynamic was odd. Her father was the parent who actually seemed fairly constant, even though he does not appear so because you see him through Jordan's eyes. You see her interpretation of his behavior. As she changes, she sees different motivations for his actions, and though at first it appears that he is changing, it is really only her. Jordan's mother, while I did like her for always being supportive of Jordan, was not a very steady character. She had occasional, random behaviors that simply made no sense.
At first, I was not all that crazy about Jordan as a character. Eventually, though, I grew to appreciate most of her flaws. It is easy to read books and judge and yell at the protagonist, “You're such an idiot!” But then you think about it, and you realize that you do things like that all the time. Most of the time, your own biases and perceptions and hopes get in the way of seeing things with 100% clarity and context given to readers. When I think about it that way, I am really able to understand and empathize a lot more with Jordan than I immediately thought.
[Thoughts on the triangle/the boys. Huge spoilers ahead.] I really liked Ty at first. I mean, he was a hot, sweet new kid with a Texas accent. Hello, yes, please. As the time went on, though, I grew less and less crazy about him. His incessant need to know exactly where Jordan was, put alongside his possessiveness, was a huge turn-off, as that is, to me, a frantically waving red flag going "FUTURE ABUSER. GET OUT NOW." I was able to excuse it when it was extreme the first couple of times, given the circumstances of his parents' car wreck and his explanation of it. But along with that, I simply did not like his character that much once you got to know him. Yeah, he'd had a tough time of it. But he just wasn't my favorite, and he obviously should not have wound up with Jordan. They didn't fit. As for Henry, I really loved him for the first half of the book. He was an idiot for the last third or so, but I could forgive him for it. He and Jordan worked really well together, and I'm glad they wound up together. Friends-turned-lovers for the win! ♥[/end of spoilers]
You do have to suspend reality a bit when you read this book, I will say. While I do think that it is feasible (not to mention awesome) for a girl to be a quarterback in high school so long as there are no rules prohibiting it, the likelihood of a college, especially one with a good football team, actually agreeing to have a female quarterback is, unfortunately, extremely unlikely-to-the-point-of-impossible in our current society. This bias was obviously addressed in the book, but it is still a stretch. It did not bother me, personally. I enjoyed the idea that it was actually possible. But I thought it was worth mentioning because it was something Sarah and I discussed at length.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was probably closer to 3.5 star material, but because of my attachment to the storyline, it was 4 stars for me. I would recommend it for fans of YA, especially if you like tomboy heroines and/or football.
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*4.5 STARS
(Oh, this is going to be difficult to get out in any sort of fashion similar to coherence, but I will try.)
I know what you are thinking. Average summary. Average cover. Less than average title. BUT DO NOT LET THAT DISSUADE YOU.
THIS BOOK. It has been quite a while since I read a book that grabbed me in this fashion. In fact, I think the last one that did was Anna and the French Kiss back in August, which was the preceding book that was linked to this one very loosely. I adored Anna, and I really wanted to do a review but never got around to actually doing it.
Let's take a quick break and talk about Anna for just a moment. I was afraid it would not live up to the hype, but it did. It was awesome. There was a little too much drama for my taste toward the end; the author relied on a common Big Misunderstanding trope I think she totally could have avoided. Regardless, I loved the book. It made me laugh and tear up; I could not put it down. The story was good, I really liked Anna, and St. Clair (The Boy) was absolutely wonderful. He really made the book.
Back to Lola now. My love for Anna set up confusing expectations for Lola. I wanted Lola to live up to the high standard set by Anna. However, with the Can't Stand the Heat to On the Steamy Side fall in quality and enjoyability (How is enjoyability not a real word? It should be.) fresh in my mind, I was hesitant about this.
I needn't have worried. Lola did not meet the expectations set by Anna; it surpassed them.
I really do not know if I can explain what it was about this book that made me enjoy it so much because I am not sure I understand it myself. It just possessed that quality. If a book has ever had that effect on you, you know what I mean. I was just so drawn in. And when a book has that element, it makes so much more of an impact; everything I feel about it tends to be more intense because I had such an intense connection with it. LOL, THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS. But seriously. Anyone who has run into that before, try to explain it to me in better words, and I will use that in the future. Anyway, as for Lola, I connected to the characters, I was involved in the storyline, and I never wanted the book to be pried from my hands. I read it in 3 sittings: I read the first chapter on the way down to the Interpreters Conference, read about 30 more pages in the break before the first session, and then that night, Sarah (name changed for anonymity's sake) and I went out on our little private deck overlooking the lake to read. I intended to maybe read half the book or so? Three hundred pages later, at almost 1 in the morning, wide awake, long abandoned by Sarah, I came back into the room (attempting – and probably failing – to quell my flailish grin) after finishing the book and just sitting there for a couple minutes, letting it resonate.
This paragraph has slight spoilers in it, so skip if you're so inclined. But I loved that for once, Lola was not oblivious to Cricket's feelings. Almost from the beginning of his return, it was clear as day. And she knows it, to an extent. I like that the struggle in this book was different from most books. Perkins did not need that crutch of “Oh, I like him so much, but I can't say anything because I don't know how he feels, and what if I look like an idiot...etc.” She could easily have dropped some of his later indications of feelings and used that – in fact, I expected it, because that is probably what a lesser author would have done. And I feel like the book was stronger because she didn't; it stayed truer to the characters the way it was.
ST. CLAIR AND ANNA. I don't want to ruin anything for you from this book or the last, but at least know that we meet them again. And it makes me super happy because I kind of adore them. St. Clair in particular. Ahem.
I loved (loved, loved, loved) that Alexander Graham Bell (Cricket's namesake) was not represented as this super awesome, amazing man like he always seems to be. The guy was messed up. He was all about Eugenics, particularly relating to the deaf community, and he was not the first to invent the telephone. Look it up. But I digress. Again.
Lola. She was a unique character, and I enjoyed reading about her. I very rarely have anything to say about The Girl in books unless she is particularly annoying or really significant to me/really awesome (which is rare). Neither was the case with Lola, although she was closer to the awesome side on the spectrum, if that matters.
Lola's outfits. I loved how Perkins did this. With the crazy outfits that Lola wore, it could have been easy to go over the top with descriptions and get boring. She didn't. I like how the costumes worked into Lola's character, as well.
Cricket. He was so freaking awesome. I loved all his little traits, his intelligence, the way he treated Lola, everything. I also like how he was really tall, which was a fun change from St. Clair in Anna, who was a self-proclaimed shorty.
Lola's dads. They were great! Andy was definitely my favorite, though; it certainly didn't hurt that he owned his own pie business, LOL. But really, I just loved his character. Lola's birth mother was also an interesting character. I did not think I would like her at all toward the beginning, but she grew on me.
As for the negatives? There were not many. I did not really like Max (Lola's boyfriend at the beginning of the story), but it wasn't to the point where it seemed like Lola was just with him for the story. There was, of course, a bit of unnecessary drama here and there, and Lola cried a little too much for my taste. But, really? This is YA. There's going to be drama. And a lot of 17-year-old girls cry. And neither of those things were to the extreme that they bothered me. They were simply the only things I could come up with that were particularly negative.
This book left me grinning like crazy. I even teared up a little bit during parts. I can't wait for the next book! It is supposed to be the last set in this...verse, for lack of a better word, because it does not really seem to be a series. This makes me sad because I would have liked to see Calliope get her own book. I was really interested in learning more about her. And you never know – the brat in one book can make a pretty darn good heroine in the next (see Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Both good. I personally think Darcy's book >>> Rachel's book, though I know most people do not agree with me.)
Now, for probably my favorite part: Perkins is the QUEEN of YA build-up (and I do not say this lightly – see Sarah Dessen, particularly The Truth About Forever, which itself is better, but it is also my favorite YA book). It is probably why I enjoy her books so much. She is really quite wonderful overall. Depending on how her third book goes, she might find herself up with Dessen and Deb Caletti, who are pretty much the reigning queens of YA, as far as I'm concerned.
If you enjoy YA at all (and even if you don't, really), I would highly recommend this book.
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I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I went into it without high hopes, as the YA I had just finished reading, with similar subject matter (Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti), had been a tremendous letdown. However, I would not even begin to compare the two now that I've read them.
It caught me at the end of the very first paragraph with this quote:
❝She held her head as if she were the period at the end of her own sentence.❞
There is a side mini-romance with Scarlet and a boy named Jesse, which is adorable, and I loved them. I'm a sucker for romance, so I was happy it was there, but honestly, the book was good enough, I would have enjoyed it without the side story. Although aspects of it did prove a catalyst of sorts, so I suppose it was necessary.
Wild Roses
Did it make you...
Laugh?
Cry?
Think?
*4.5 STARS
(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)
Although I had read Smooth Talking Stranger twice before, I decided to re-read it again for this review. It had been too long, I had never taken notes on it, and I did not want to produce a half-hearted review. This is one of my all-time favorite series! And I have the honor of reviewing the last one, after Racquel and Alexa reviewed the first two. Best decision ever! I picked it up, only to devour it in a few hours, in one sitting (minus a quick break to fix my lunch).
When I read Smooth Talking Stranger for the first time, I was all prepared for it to be my least favorite of the bunch. Random baby? Worst cover of the three by far? Yeah, there was no way it was living up to Sugar Daddy or Blue Eyed Devil, both of which were out-of-this-world amazing. Little did I know. I should have known better than to underestimate Lisa Kleypas.
My love for this book runs deep. Although I could probably ramble for three or four times the length or my “average” review, I will try to contain myself (but if you'd like to discuss further, feel free to comment! I will definitely be up for it).
Ella was a great heroine! I loved that she had self-worth and ideals, and she stuck to them. At the same time, she was willing to compromise on some things when she realized she was wrong or believed them for the wrong reason. She was practical, logical, and responsible, but she had issues with developing true intimacy, due to growing up with her mother's behavior and endless string of boyfriends. Thus, she was both the best and worst person to find motherhood suddenly thrust upon her.
But Ella dealt with it in a way that was impressive and believable. She learned that it's not the end of the world accept help or to open up to someone. Her storyline with Luke runs a very close second to her relationship with Jack as my favorite thing about this book. Luke was adorable, and I loved watching the bond between them grow.
I fell head over heels for Jack Travis. When I think of the Travis series in the context of Book Boyfriends, Hardy Cates tends to be the first one that comes to my mind. But I always forget how much I love Jack (and Gage, too, albeit to a slightly lesser extent). Jack was a business man and a playboy, entirely Alpha. Ella did not want to like him because he made her uncomfortable, and was the kind of man she usually could not stand. But he was kind, funny, and amazingly sexy, and as she got to know that, their relationship began to turn. Jack and Ella's chemistry was unbelievable, and they played off each other perfectly. Each of them was what the other never knew they needed.
Smooth Talking Stranger is more than a romance. It is a story about commitment, family, motherhood, relationships, responsibility, and love of every kind. Also, the end makes me sob happy tears every time. It is so good. I highly recommend this one.
Quick note before you go out, buy this book, and read it. Although it could definitely be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first two books in the series before reading this one. You will enjoy it so much more!
DNF @ page 140.
Dude won't take no for an answer, and if I could reach through the book and punch him, I would. Story-wise, I'm equally bored but already dreading the Drama setup. Cute dogs were all this one had going for it, alas.
DNF at page ~140.
sigh I have no one but myself to blame. If I'd only read the cover copy instead of auto-buying, I would've known what to expect. But I didn't. I went in blind, and it was going so well up until the DNF point. I enjoyed the characters individually, and their repartee was excellent. I always have a soft spot for relationships that have epistolary elements. BUT then it all came crumbling down.
Funny, how the hero stealing every bit of the heroine's agency - WITH HER BEST FRIEND'S PERMISSION - can do that.
Marked as Put Aside Temporarily, since I might decide to come back to it when I'm in the right frame of mind and a particularly forgiving mood.
I will probably give this one another shot in the future. I just started it at the wrong time and wasn't really in the mood for it.
DNF at a little after 10%. Normally I wouldn't even bother to review anything I dropped that quickly, but the writing alone made me think the author is a judgmental jackass who needs to 1) talk to a teenage girl before he tries to write one, and 2) hire a better editor. (Listening to My Chemical Romance on an iPod in 2018? Sure, okay, lmao. Forgot your phone charger? Who cares when you don't have signal? Turn off your damn phone. Randomly explaining the translation of the name of the rest stop with no narrative explanation as to why? Um...??)
All the characters were annoying, especially Darby, and I knew who the ~bad guy~ was going to be from "Who's Bing Crosby?"
I'm annoyed that I wasted half an hour on this, but given the other reviews mentioning how gory it got later on, I'm grateful I at least got out before that.
Ah, romance. When the hero stealth attack kisses the heroine out of nowhere, “taking from her before she had the wherewithal to refuse” and then has the audacity to refuse to take the blame for his actions.
So I removed myself from the book on her account.
This was only 50 pages in, and I was already not completely sold. I will endure a lot for a fake engagement trope, but the characters were ridiculous, and the plot was flimsy. Then this happened, and I was quite frankly happy to set it aside.