My Not So Real Life

Review: Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon

2013-05-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia, Mystery

Release Date: April 9th, 2013

Source: NetGalley

Synopsis:

17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
17-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…

All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving.

Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light Sophie, Declan, Anat, and the rest must decide what to do with a second chance at life—if they can survive to claim it.

My Review:

When I first saw this cover and synopsis, I basically thought this was going to be something The Maze Runner-esque, which was a “What the heck?” type book, but it’s executed well, and I ended up enjoying it. However, that’s not the case with this book. What Strangelets is really lacking is what The Maze Runner had: execution. With better execution, this could have been truly fantastic, but unfortunately, this ended up being extremely dull.

One of the things that I did enjoy about this book was the concept. Wile unique is a strong word, simply because by the end, it turns out the concept isn’t as original as perceived in the beginning, the concept did have some creativity behind it. The concept can best be described as… strange. I have to be vague here in fear of spoilers, but this book is most definitely appropriately named, because the strange factor was at its full power in this book. It was so interesting for me to read something so strange, just because I’ve never read a book with such weirdness. It was quite the mind-blower at times, as I tried to wrap my head around the concept and found myself unable to until the very end.

Also, this book has some good unpredictability. Like I said before, the concept is so freaking weird, and because of that, I was left making prediction after prediction as to what this whole concept thing really was. And while I was right about a few minor details, there were so many aspects to this story that I never saw coming, which I enjoyed. I like being wrong (ahem, sometimes).

But alas, that’s where the good ends with this book. My main problem with Strangelets was the fact that we had no idea what was going on until about 3/4 of the way into the book. And while I like my fair share of mystery and intrigue, as it really pushes the story along, there was a point where I simply got irritated. I do enjoy being able to guess what’s happening and be wrong, but when I have absolutely no clue as to what in the world is going on, then that’s where the frustration really sets in. That’s precisely what happened with this book. After a while, the mystery got frustrating, and I almost put this book down countless time because of that.

And while we finally did get some answers, it was all overwhelmingly dumped at the end of the book. Info-dumps are high up on my list of book pet peeves, and this book was chock full of them at the end. While I wanted answers, I didn’t it want it all thrown on me, so quickly that I couldn’t process anything. The dumping made all the newfound answers hard to grasp and understand, which was also extremely irritating.

Also, that ending? *shakes head* Absolutely not how it’s supposed to be done. I felt as if it was like cheating; it was such an easy way out. I thought that the ending could have somewhat redeemed the book, but alas, I saw it as an utter cop-out and a disappointment.

Overall, this book had some potential with all the strangeness and the concept. However, my frustrations with the lack of information, and then the info-dumping, coupled with the terrible ending really made me dislike this book. Strangelets could have been a strange-thriller type bestseller, if it was executed well, but alas, this book was just lackluster.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: Override by Heather Anastasiu

2013-05-07T03:00:00.000-05:00

Override by Heather Anastasiu

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia, Fantasy

Release Date: February 12th, 2013

Source: NetGalley

Synopsis:

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

My Review:

Pretty much spoiler-free for both books (at least, nothing you won't get from reading the synopsis of the first book...)

After enjoying the first book of this series, Glitch, as a fast and furious dystopian read, I didn't really know what to expect with this sequel. But, I'm happy to say that I did end up enjoying this one, even though it made me stay up faaaar too late (I think I really should have learned my lesson by now about starting books past 10 PM...).

One thing I really enjoyed about this sequel was that a lot of the fantasy elements finally got explained. In the previous book, we get tantalizing hints about what Zoe's powers might actually be, but we never get many details. But finally, we get some explanations (and cool examples) of how Zoe's powers really do function, among some other things. It was great to finally learn how everything worked, and it added some more depth to the book, since things now finally made more sense.

Also, can I say addicting? Because oh my goodness, this book is addicting with a capital A. There was a ton of action, which I always love, that kept me glued to the page, refusing to let me go. I read this in one sitting because I couldn't tear myself from the page. Whenever something happened, it was followed with another bam! and I just could. not. stop. reading. The action was flawlessly written. Ms. Anastasiu really does know what she's doing with this stuff.

I can't write this review without mentioning the plot twists. Because while I'm normally pretty good about being able to guess what's going to happen next, I saw nothing coming with this book. It was just surprise after surprise with this book, honestly. I could never see anything coming, and when these plot twists did happen, I was left with my mouth basically hanging open. Everything was just so unpredictable, and I really enjoyed being surprised over and over again.

However, one thing that I found lacking in some areas was character development. Especially with a lot of the secondary characters. There's a whole slew of new characters, but a lot of them just fell flat for me, because they just weren't developed. I felt like they went in to the cliché pot, and could never climb their way out of it. I so desperately wanted to like them, yet without seeing any depth to them, I couldn't bring myself to do so.

And of course, the ending. I was dissatisfied by it, to be honest. There was just so much that happened and then the book just cut off while I was still trying to process it all. Since this book is pretty short anyways, I feel like a little bit of an extended ending really would have made this book shine. But instead, everything pretty much just cuts off, leaving me frazzled and a bit confused.

Overall, this was a gripping book. While lacking in some character development, and with a cliffhanger type ending, it still had a ton of much-needed explanations, action, and awesome plot twists. It was a good sequel, and I'm excited to see how this trilogy ends! I'd recommend this series to anyone looking for a fast and interesting dystopian read.

The S-Word Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway!

2013-05-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for The S-Word! Today for you I have a lovely guest post and a giveaway at the end of this post for a copy of the S-Word. But first, here's some information about the book:

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Genres: Contemporary, Mystery

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 304

Synopsis:

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.

Find the Book:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Now today, I have an awesome guest post that Chelsea has written about motivation:

Back in my teenage days, before I realized that writing was my One True Calling, I fancied myself a pretty decent actor. (Spoiler alert: I’m not.) I signed up for Drama class immediately and started auditioning for every show my high school put on. And hey, I even got cast! I’d show you a picture, but you wouldn’t be able to see me, because I’m way in the back.

Like, wayyyy in the back.

Almost backstage.

Talented, I was not. Still, many years after my dreams of headlining on Broadway went up in smoke, one of the lessons I learned in Drama class stuck with me: everything a character does, from the way she tilts her head to the way she forms her words, is a result of motivation.

Motivation is key.

I started writing “The S-Word” with this in mind. Every word, thought, and action had to be fueled by motivation, or else it didn’t belong in the book. But what happens when a character’s motivation is cloudy, even to the person writing the story? And what motivates a character to take her own life?

Angie’s motivation was easier to understand. She’d just watched her entire class viciously bully her ex-best friend. Now, with Lizzie’s death weighing on her shoulders, she decides to take action against the people who convinced Lizzie life wasn’t worth living. But why didn’t she speak up before Lizzie’s death? What motivated her to remain silent?

Understanding Lizzie’s motivation was trickier. Why, exactly, did she take her own life? Did one instance of bullying affect her more than the others, or was it her peers’ collective effort to make her life miserable that made it impossible to go on?

What was the motivation?

Suddenly I realized I was looking at things backward. Angie didn’t remain silent because she was motivated to be a voiceless bystander. She did it because she was afraid of speaking up in Lizzie’s defense. Afraid of her peers’ reaction, or afraid of being rejected by her ex-best friend—either way, fear destroyed her motivation.

Lizzie, too, was influenced by fear more than motivation. She wasn’t motivated to take her own life. She wanted to live! But day after day of unending torment took its toll, until she feared she’d never see the end of it. Fear of a miserable life destroyed her motivation to keep living.

Three years ago, I sat in front of my computer, ready to hit “send” on the email that would eventually land me representation for “The S-Word.” My fingers hovered over the mouse. All I had to do was click. Still, I hesitated, as that familiar fear wrapped itself around me, whispering: You’re just going to be rejected. Why take the risk?

Sometimes I think about that moment, and how different my life would be if I’d let fear win out over motivation. I wouldn’t be here talking about my book. I wouldn’t have a book to discuss! If I’d let fear dictate the way my life would be, I never would’ve achieved a lifelong dream. Fear is strong, but motivation is stronger, and it takes us places we never could’ve imagined.

You’ll see.

About the (awesome) Author:

Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light.

Website / Twitter

And now, time for a giveaway! (Which is what I now you ALL have been waiting for. ) Seriously, after that gorgeous guest post, I'm pretty much ready to claw my way out to the bookstore this Tuesday! But ahem, anyways, ss per usual, normal giveaway rules apply. Good luck, and happy entering!

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2013-05-04T10:42:00.001-05:00

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Review: The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

2013-04-28T03:00:00.000-05:00

The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis:

Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….

My Review:

It's a bit of a miracle that I managed to finish this book at all. With such an amazing cover, I thought that nothing could possibly wrong. Unfortunately, that clearly wasn't the case with this book. Despite my strongest attempts at trying to enjoy this book, I could not bring myself to like The Murmurings.

I will give this book props for such a unique concept, though. This whole thing with the actual murmurings, and the stuff that goes along with it was so unique (I have to be vague here in order to avoid any spoilers). While it was a tad confusing at times, I still appreciated how original it was and that it totally twisted up my mind at times. It was super creepy, and quite unlike anything that I've read before. The combination of this concept along with the other aspects of the book added a lot of creepiness to the book, which I did enjoy.

However, the problems in this book far outnumber its good qualities. One being the plot. Or rather, lack of much of a plot. While there is some semblance of a plot- with Sophie trying to figure out Nell's story- it wasn't very compelling at all. Most of the time, it felt like the characters were just running around everywhere. Also, so much of this book was draggy and long and drawn-out. It was purely my sheer stubborness that allowed me to finish this book. But I did put it down for weeks without ever picking it up, because everything was so slow and there wasn't any plot to actually move the story along. This seriously made me dislike this book.

Also, there were so, so many times where I think the main character, Sophie, deserved a good slap. Half the time, I just wanted to pull my hair out, and the other half, I wanted to pull her hair out. Sophie basically made the dumbest decisions ever. Not only did she know that these decisions were dumb, other people repeatedly told her they were dumb, yet she still decided to go through with her decisions. There was a point in the story where I wanted to pull my own hair out, and then proceed to pull out everyone else's hair in this book.

The romance was also a turn off for me. It was riddled with cliches. I found it dull, and bordering on insta-love. I just couldn't bring myself to care about it, because I was far too frustrated with the characters to actually be able to enjoy the romance. I also didn't really see where it came from. It just kind of happened, and the two didn't really have anything in common at all, which just made it unrealistic.

So overall, even though The Murmurings did have a great concept, the execution was poorly done. With a lethargic plot, frustrating main character, and dull romance, I couldn't bring myself to enjoy this book, and I have the hair to prove it.

Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia

Release Date: January 8th, 2013

Source: Bought

Synopsis:

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Spoiler-free review for both books!

Now this is how you write a sequel.

Somehow, miraculously, Under the Never Sky wormed its way into my heart when I read it first. I'm not even a big romance person, but I found that book to be just so, so good. I reread it repeatedly just because I craved being back in the world Veronica Rossi had created and to be back with fantastically and utterly realistic written characters. So it's only logical to imagine that I was beyond excited for this sequel. I'm so glad that it lived up to my expectations,though.

One thing that I loved about this book is the character growth. Character growth in general is one of my favorite things to be able to witness in general, and it unfolded subtly and masterfully in Through the Ever Night. Aria has grown even more in this book, accepting the fact that well, she's not accepted everywhere, and she uses this to become even stronger. But in all honestly, it's Perry that we really are able to witness grow. We get to see Perry go through all the hardships of gaining trust, and learn how not everyone sees things his way. We get to see Perry have to grow up and become mature, and not run away from his problems. We get to see Perry learn how to lead. It's such a fantastic change, gradual yet still present, and it made me fall in love with this fictional character even more (in the most non-creepy way possible).

Also, I can't talk about this book without discussing the romance. The romance was probably one of my favorite aspects of UtNS, and it remains the same for TtEN. I love how there was romantic tension without a love triangle. Aria and Perry have the sweetest (and ahem, most swoon-worthy) moments, although they're separated for a majority of the book. As Keertana @ Ivy Book Bindings so eloquently points out in her review, this romance is different from the swoon-worthy romance we get in the first book. I can't say it better. It's different, yet still fantastic in that way that only Rossi can write it. I loved Aria and Perry's developing romance, and although it had its fair share of stumbles and doubts, it was still gorgeous.

However, there were a few slight issues that I had with this book that I must mention. One was the slow pacing. The plot moves along rather slowly, and while yes, there were some big things that happened (hello, plot twists!), the plot in general was pretty slow. I felt as if the plot suffered a bit at the expense of character development. While I didn't have much of a problem most of the time, as I'm utterly obsessed with these characters, there were points where I wished the book would have been more engaging.

Overall, all I really want to do is write Veronica Rossi a long, long letter about my love ~~obsession~~ of this series. I'm so happy that Through the Ever Night didn't disappoint. With fantastic character development, and a lovely romance, I just want to throw a bunch of confetti. However, the slow plot was a bit of a deterrent at times. I can't wait to see how Ms. Rossi manages to wrap up everything in the final book, Into the Still Blue.

Waiting On Wednesday (46)

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: Transparent by Natalie Whipple.

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

Do I really need to say anything? Let me keep it simple: Invisible girl = Awesome book.

This will be released on May 21st, 2013.

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

2013-04-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia, Retelling

Release Date: February 5th, 2013

Source: Bought at Signing

Synopsis:

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Scarlet had to be one of my most anticipated sequels for this year. Cinder was my first NetGalley acceptance (!!), and I fell in love with it, despite having requested it out of the blue. While I really did enjoy this book, there were just a few things that prevented me from falling head over heels in love with it.

One thing is for certain, though: Marissa Meyer knows how to write a retelling. A fantastic retelling at that. Little Red Riding Hood has always had a special place in my heart, ever since I wrote a retelling of it myself in third grade (it was titled Little Blue Riding Hood, and featured a girl with a blue hood and a giant squirrel set in the city. Yes, I know, I was fantastically creative even as a young kid). So I was intrigued by how the author would pull this retelling off (although I was confident that it wouldn't be better than my retelling). The art of writing a retelling so very difficult. But Ms. Meyer most definitely knows what she's doing. She managed to weave the retelling so well in to this story, so that there are definite traces of it present, yet it still deviates from the original story and makes it original. It's the perfect balance.

Also, finally, we got a bit of world-building in this book. This is something that I thought was seriously lacking from the first book of this series. For being set in a dystopian world, there were frustratingly few details about the world itself in the first book. But finally, in Scarlet, we get some of the answers we've been pining so hard for. Subtly, there are some details about Earth in it's current state, and some information about Lunar as well. It was great to finally learn more about this world, and I'm excited to find out even more in the sequel.

I also enjoyed the distinctness of our two main female characters. While both Cinder and Scarlet are fierce girls, they're like this in their own separate ways. Cinder has a stubborn determination and a sweet interior, while Scarlet is a totally kick-butt, no nonsense girl. They're different, yet not complete opposites, and I really liked this. They also weren't perfect and flaws in both of them were present, which of course, I also really enjoyed. It was refreshing to have such well-developed and distinct characters in a literary world filled with Mary Sues.

However, there were a few things that prevented me from falling head over heels in love with this book. The romance in this book was one of these things. While I did like it for the most part, there's no denying that it was indeed insta-love. And while yes, the author did acknowledge this fact, nothing was ever done about it. The romance just simply developed within a week. This was something that just kept nagging me as I read the novel, and I just couldn't get over it. I still think it needed a lot of time to actually develop, not just spur up within such a short amount of time.

Also, the plot was a bit on the slow side at times. It was interesting, and got really addicting by the end, but there were times where I could have easily put down the book and not feel very compelled to pick it up again. It seems strange, especially because there's so much action, but I think it was just because a lot of the action, and the good stuff, was clustered at the end. The beginning of the book, at least half of it, just felt like build-up, and therefore, it wasn't very engaging.

Overall, Scarlet has its shining moments. With a fantastic retelling, some much anticipated world-building, and strong yet unique main characters, this book has so much going for it. It's just the insta-love and the draggy plot at times that annoyed me just a bit. I'd recommend this series to anyone looking for a good retelling with some fantastic twists. Scarlet is still a most definitely strong sequel, and I can't wait to read more by this enchanting author.

(Although, ahem, I still think my retelling is better. My squirrel illustrations totally rocked. And looked like rabid dogs.)

[And yes, I was totally trying to come up with a scarlet pun while writing this review. It just didn't happen.]

Review: Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

2013-04-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia, Paranormal, Mythology

Release Date: February 22nd, 2011

Source: Bought

Synopsis:

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

My Review:

I picked this one up at Half Price Books a while ago, since it seemed interesting and I had seen some good reviews for this series in general. Going in without too many expectations, I was surprised by some of the plot-twists the author incorporated. However, this book was lacking in a lot of elements as well.

I have to be vague, since I don’t want to spoil even the slightest things, but I did love the paranormal aspect that this author managed to weave in so precisely. There were many twists that the author managed to pull with this concept, and I was surprised by each and every one of them. The paranormal aspect is also very creative, and I like how the author really made it her own, giving it such a unique twist. It was surprising and original, which is always a good combination.

Also, Ari was surprisingly kick-butt. I honestly wasn’t expecting anything special with our main character, but I was most definitely surprised with her. She is truly a fierce character, and can actually kick some butt. I liked her toughness and thought it was refreshing from the endless stream of the Bella Swan’s of the literary world these days. There was also something about her that was distinctly… different. I can’t quite put it into words, but I really enjoyed how unique I felt her character was, even though she was just seemingly one of those kick-butt characters. Perhaps it was her weaknesses, which I think made her stronger and a little more fleshed out. Whatever the case, I did enjoy Ari as a character.

However, the romance of this book was just ugh. It was probably this book’s greatest downfall. Riddled with insta-love, I can’t say that I enjoyed much of it. It was filled to the brim with cliches. We’ve got the dark, brooding ‘no good’ guy who (surprise, surprise!) has a good and soft side. Ari and him meet, and boom! Romance. They’re so happy together even though they barely know each other and have only met for, like, a week. Yeah. It wasn’t pretty.

Also, a lot of the writing in this book was just overdone. Over-written may be a better word for it. The author was trying too hard to show something, and it came off sounding seriously cringe worthy. This jarred me out of the story multiple times, really disrupting the flow for me, and irritating me as well.

Also, so many things were overlooked. Some problems were present, but I felt like the author just simply decided to dismiss these pesky little problems that actually should have been a much bigger part of the book. So many things were just too easy to do, and this made the book really unrealistic. Within a dystopia, or a fantasy book like this, there’s only a certain amount of fantasy elements you can pull, but the rest has to be realistic within the realm that the author has created. I felt as if this rule was disregarded sometimes, and the conflicts that should have been much more harder were resolved within only a few pages.

Overall, this book had a ton of potential, with some great plot twists and promising main character. However, the terrible romance, the overdone writing, and the things that were just far too easy, just made this book so meh for me, although it was a quick read. I’d recommend this one to urban fantasy fans looking for something fast to read, and don’t mind a cringe-worthy romance.

Waiting On Wednesday (45)

2013-04-10T03:00:00.000-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

First and foremost: I’m not really a contemporary person. I enjoy sticking to my action-packed, dramatic, dystopian books. But this book sounds utterly amazing, and I can’t resist this book’s gorgeous cover and fantastic synopsis. I’m 99.99% sure that this book will turn out to be uber cute, and uber awesome.

This book will be released on May 21st, 2013.

What are YOU waiting on this week?

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2013-04-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genres: Contemporary

Release Date: April 6th, 2010

Source: Bought

Synopsis:

On a day that started like any other...

Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. Then, in an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating he only decision she has left—the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.

My Review:

This is such a complicated book to review, if I’m being completely honest. If I Stay was my first book I read this year, and I’m just now sitting down to write my review for it. I’ve had such conflicting thoughts about it, and I’ve been wavering between a 3 star and 4 star rating for such a long time. I’m just unsure of what to make of this book. Was it gorgeous? Yes. Was it unique? Yes. Was it something that I fell in love with? No.

Of course, what I must address first is Forman’s writing. While I found that it wasn’t purple prose or anything overly gorgeous, like Laini Taylor’s, I’m floored by it. Mainly because of it’s subtly. Forman really knows her craft, and she’s able to weave something totally unique here. Primarily told in flashbacks, I was astonished at how well this story actually flows. The transitions to the flashbacks were so smooth, which requires some serious skill. There’s also just little tidbits of writing, raw and beautiful, strewn throughout the novel, little gems that made me want to break out the sticky notes, which I almost never do. Forman was able to write so well without being showy about it, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The romance is also fantastic. Seriously. I’m not one for romance unless it’s breathtaking, and this one was. I loved seeing how Mia and Adam’s relationship began, and how it developed. It was also so realistic. There was the awkwardness, the fear, the rawness, and the beauty. Forman really managed to capture the essence of a true relationship, and I loved seeing all the sides of it. It was totally different from the stereotypical ‘nerd girl who doesn’t know she’s pretty gets the uber hot, brooding guy and their relationship goes along without any kinks’ trend seen in countless books today. Mia and Adam felt like true people, in a true relationship, with its problems and all.

However, even with all of that gushing, I still had issues with this book. My biggest one being that when looking at this book, there’s basically no plot. Being such a plot-oriented reader, I felt that this kind of made the story lull at times. Because this book is mainly comprised of flashbacks, I really felt the lack of plot at times. I’m sure I’m the only person that thinks this, but I would have liked more of a plot to pull me along in the story. The book lulled at many points in the story, and I didn’t feel much drive to continue reading besides mild curiosity, since I pretty much knew what was going to happen. I understand that this story is extremely different, but I still longed for a real, centralized plot.

Also, I’m pretty sure this is just me, but I felt slightly detached from this story. This is probably due in part to the fact that this book was mainly made up of flashbacks, and so I had issues connecting with Mia because nothing was physically happening in the now. As things went back and forth, I saw Mia become developed, but she never really grabbed my heart in the way that I hoped that she would. I pitied her for her situation, but I never fully connected to her.

Overall, this was a short, yet poignant book. With gorgeous writing, and a fabulous romance, I thought I would fall heads over heels for this book. However, a lack of a centralized plot and slight detachment prevented me from falling utterly in love. I’d still recommend this one to anyone looking for a deep contemporary.

Stacking the Shelves (12): ALL the Bookish Packages Edition!

2013-04-06T13:25:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Welcome to my Stacking the Shelves post this week. You can find out all about the meme here. Basically, it’s hosted by Tynga over at Tynga Reviews, and it’s a way to share the books you received each week.

Confession: I am an extremely lazy person when it comes to book hauls. Seriously, I can’t even remember the last book haul I shared with you all. But recently, I’ve gotten a ton of awesome bookish packages from a ton of awesome people, so I’d thought I’d haul my lazy butt upstairs, open those packages, and share what I’ve gotten this past month.

As always, book titles are bolded, so you don’t have to read all my commentary, if you don’t wish to see my thoughts about each book. All links go back to Goodreads!

Won/Gifted

Canary by Rachele Alpine (top)- I won a Twitter giveaway hosted by the lovely Rachel Alpine, and so she sent me an ARC of her book! I can’t wait to read it, since this book sounds utterly touching.
Silver by Talia Vance- The lovely Ashley @ Ashley Loves Books was awesome enough to do a quick giveaway on Twitter when she was going to the mailbox, and I won. I’ve had my eyes on this book for such a long time, and now I finally have a copy!
Insomnia by J.R. Johannson- The ah-mazing Kari @ A Good Addiction did a giveaway for this book on her blog. This book sounds utterly creepy and totally up my alley. I mean, this kid hasn’t slept for 4 years. This is the stuff I want to read about!
Auracle by Gina Rosati- Guys, it’s authors like Gina Rosati that give me hope in humanity. Seriously. I was at a Twitter chat where this book was being given away, and I didn’t win, but expressed by utter excitement to read this book. Well, Gina ended up mailing me a copy even though I didn’t win! Seriously, I have so much love for this author, and can’t wait to pick up this gorgeous book.
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans- Another case were some of my faith in humanity was restored. Eileen @ Singing and Dancing in the Rain and I were chatting about this book on Twitter, and was just like, “Hey, do you want a copy of this?”. So, she oh so kindly mailed it to me. Even with some mixed reviews, I’m really excited to see what the author has in store in this book!
Black City by Elizabeth Richards- I was at a Twitter chat, and then I won this book! I’ve read an excerpt from this book, and add that in with this beautiful cover, and I’m confident that I’m going to fall in love with this one.

Swag!

Various swag from some of the authors above- Rachel Alpine, Elizabeth Richards, and especially Gina Rosati now have a special place in my heart for all this seriously awesome swag. I mean, Gina Rosati gave me a legitimate goody bag filled with awesome swag!! I can’t wait to use all of this awesome stuff.

Le Library

(Eh, this picture is pretty bad, sorry! Bad phone, bad.)

Dualed by Elsie Chapman (top)- I pretty much did a happy dance when I saw this in the library. I’ve finished it, and you can check out my review. Unfortunately, it was kind of meh.
Mind Games by Kiersten White- Yes, yes, I am aware of all the negative reviews for this book, but alas, I’m still clinging on to some of the better reviews in hopes that I’ll like this one. It’s short too, so hopefully it’ll be a quick read, since I seriously need to catch up on my GR Challenge (I’m 12 books behind at the moment…).
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (bottom)- I fell in love with this author when I read her debut, Between Shades of Gray. I’ve seen plenty of raving reviews for her sophomore novel, and so I can’t wait to start this one!
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (not pictured)- When I was taking pictures, I knew I was going to forget a book. Alas, this book was downstairs while I was taking pictures and I was too lazy to bring it all the way up the stairs and take another picture. Nonetheless, I’ve been excited for this book for such a long time, and it sounds like an awesome paranormal.

Bought

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen (top)- So I found this lovely book at Half Price Books, and for $4, I couldn’t resist. It seems like an utterly adorable contemporary, which is something I need to read more of anyways. It’ll be a perfect book to read outside, since the weather is warming up (although, I think 80 degrees is a bit more than ‘warm’.)
Requiem by Lauren Oliver- In all honesty, I’m scared to read this book. I’m currently rereading the first two books, but I’m nervous about how this series is going to end. I should be starting this one soon, though, so we’ll see how things end up.
Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton- Another steal at Half Price Books. I’ve been meaning to buy this book for forever, since I bought the first book at a signing. It was pretty good, and now I can’t wait to see how things end up in the final book!

So that’s it for me this week! Tons of new goodies that I can’t wait to devour. And yes, all that linking took forever, in case you were wondering. Let me know what you guys got this week!

1 Year Blogoversary!

2013-04-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, this post is most definitely going to be filled with lots of gifs.

It’s been a year! I feel like I’m being all cliché and what not, because this is what everyone says at their one year blogoversary but seriously: where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday when I sat down and decided to go solo blogging.

I’ve been so fortunate with all the awesome friends I’ve made and all the awesome bloggers I’ve gotten to know, not only all the ah-mazing authors I’ve met or all the new people I’ve been able to talk to on Twitter. Every single comment, every single mention, every single Tweet seriously has made my life.

But of course, I have to give shout-outs to the amazing commenters on my blog, like Keertana, Sam, Jen, Hilda, Giselle, Millie, Jasprit, Rachel, Livvy, and Jenea, just to name a few. You guys make me squeal with joy every time I come home and open up my blog. Then of course, there’s my absolute favorite teen bloggers who are always on Twitter to fangirl with me, like Jen, Erika, Monica, Eileen, and Willa. Twitter would be oh so boring without all of you and your Caps Lock buttons. (I know I missed some people, but muah to you all!)

And then there’s my lovely, loyal followers whom I love with all my heart. Every single one of you, lurker or not, I love to pieces and I would hug you to pieces if it weren’t for this darn computer screen.

Blogging has been such a journey this year. From all the drama to Twitter clashes, there’s no doubt that there hasn’t been some ugly in the blogging world this past year. But there’s also been so much pretty too, with some wonderful, tear-jerking posts,and not to mention so much Twitter love in the blogging community, which I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I’ve had my ups and down, which is inevitable. With high school kicking my butt this year with hours upon hours of homework, it’s not like managing my time has been easy. But I like to think that I’ve started making it work, and will make it work in the future. I love this blogging thing too much to give up on it just because I don’t have time; I’m far too stubborn for that anyways. While there will always be a struggle, there is so much reward involved as well.

I’ve also been able to learn so much from blogging. Managing my time is a biggie, and I’ve also learned how to squish in reading time in every spare moment I have, making them count. But I’ve also learned how to be a professional when needed, yet also be fun and vivacious in others. I’ve learned how to leave the best, most rambly comments ever, and I’ve also learned how much people love my 5 AM, sleep-deprived comments (er, I hope they do?).

Alas, I can’t end this post with a special thank you to Ms. B and Lucy, as always. Ms. B is the one who started my love of reading in the first place, and I’m so grateful I’ve had the opportunity to meet and be taught by such an amazing person. And then there’s Lucy, who was my teen co-blogger and to whom I still send frenzied texts to about books. You both are utterly amazing, and I would be nowhere without you two. <3

So overall, while I wish I had an extravaganza or boxes upon boxes to give you all in thanks for such a wonderful year, the fact is: I don’t. But I do have my extreme gratitude, and I suppose that is just going to have to be enough (for now, obviously ). So once again: thank you so much. To you all. You’ve made everything so worth it for me. And here’s to many, many more years of blogging and sharing my love of books.

(If you made it through this entire post, all I can say is this: )

Review: Dualed by Elsie Chapman

2013-03-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Rating: 2/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia

Release Date: February 26th, 2013

Source: Library

Synopsis:

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

My Review:

I’m sad that I’m writing this review. This book was one of my most highly anticipated debuts this year- most highly anticipated all around actually- and I’m sitting in a pool of disappointment. I wanted to so badly fall in love with this book, but I had too many issues with it, unfortunately. I felt the author trying to go out of the box, and while I do appreciate the attempt, I felt that it fell flat.

But, I must say, I enjoyed the world-building. There’s such a unique concept behind this book with the whole thing with having an Alternate version of you. I like how I definitely have a grip on the world itself though, which is surprising, since most books first in a series leave me fumbling around in a dystopian society. But Chapman provides plenty of details about what’s happened with this world and its attributes. I got a great sense of the world this novel is placed in, which I’m excited about, since most dystopian novels fail to do this.

Also, there are some good, subtler themes running throughout this book. Pushing people away, how to keep going, how to know you’re better. All of these things are present in this novel, along with fighting the will to give up. I liked how these were woven so quietly throughout the novel and how the themes themselves are relatable to anybody, and not necessarily exclusive to the dystopian society.

However, I had a plethora of other issues with this book. My main one being how disconnected I was with West, our main character. I think this is where the crux of my problems lie with this book. I just was never able to get a grip on her. She seemed cold, and although I tried embracing her and her flaws, I was never able to find anything quite likable about her, and was left questioning so many of her pointless decisions. This created a feeling of indifference towards her, which severely decreased my enjoyment level of this story, since I didn’t really care what was happening.

Also, the climax of this book, the only thing that I was really reading for, was extremely dull. Not to mention short. Or rather, anti-climatic. After reading it, I was left with a ‘That’s it?’ mentality, because it was so short. Because almost the entire book is just building up to this one event, I expected confrontations, struggle, drama, and philosophical questions. All of which basically didn’t happen, except for a few tiny things. This left me feeling as if the entire book was just pointless build-up leading to a flat climax. I had been willing to forgive the fact that nothing was really happening for most of the book if the climax would have been awesome, but it wasn’t.

The romance, frankly, confused me. I thought I saw it coming, but the way it was executed was befuddling. There seems to be one point in which it all just turns on, and before that, there was some light tension, but I never quite saw the romantic spark between the two characters. I think this was an attempt to do something different, but it wasn’t executed well enough for me to like it.

Overall, this was a book full of disappointment. Although the world-building and the subtle themes were great, the main character, flat climax and pointless buildup, and the romance just made this book utterly dull. I doubt that I’ll be picking up the sequel. I’d really only recommend this one to people on a special basis, otherwise, I can’t quite say that I’d recommend this one to anyone.

Dear Cassie Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway!

2013-03-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

So I’m thrilled to be a part of the tour for Dear Cassie! I read Lisa Burstein’s debut novel, Pretty Amy, and really enjoyed the grittiness of it. So when I had a chance to be a part of the blog tour for the companion novel, I jumped at it! Today for you I have my review of Dear Cassie, followed by a giveaway at the end.

Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genres: Contemporary

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Source: Publishers for Blog Tour

Synopsis:

What if the last place you should fall in love is the first place that you do?

You’d think getting sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp for a month-long rehabilitation “retreat” and being forced to re-live it in this journal would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.

You’d be wrong.

There’s the reason I was sent to Turning Pines in the first place: I got arrested. On prom night. With my two best friends, who I haven’t talked to since and probably never will again. And then there’s the real reason I was sent here. The thing I can’t talk about with the guy I can’t even think about.

What if the moment you’ve closed yourself off is the moment you start to break open?

But there’s this guy here. Ben. And the more I swear he won’t—he can’t—the deeper under my skin he’s getting. After the thing that happened, I promised I’d never fall for another boy’s lies.

And yet I can’t help but wonder…what if?

My Review:

Like I said above, I was pretty excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book and delve into this one. I knew that there would be some depth, but I was surprised by how much there actually was. This isn’t by any means, an easy book to read. It’s gritty and chock full of emotion. And that’s what makes this book good.

There was so much raw emotion throughout this book. Cassie, with her rough and touch exterior is going through emotional turmoil. Throughout the course of this novel, she has to battle her inner demons and come to peace with all her hard feelings towards her self. This book is a true emotional journey, and we really get to see a side of Cassie that I’d never think was so raw. She was most definitely a flawed character, and I felt myself really liking her by the end of the book. You can’t really help but feel for her.

Along with the emotion and depth of Cassie, there is truly a ton of self-discovery in this book. It’s great to see Cassie finally find herself and such, finally getting over what really brought her to camp. The romance really adds to this self-discovery journey. I enjoyed how it really wasn’t insta-love, and how it slowly built up as Cassie started to trust Ben. It all played so well into the self-discovery.

However, with such a character-driven novel, I felt as if this book did crawl at times. While I did understand that Cassie was going through a lot mentally, there were points where there was actually more plot, especially in the middle of the book. The book started dragging in some parts, and I had to tell myself to keep reading.

Also, there was a lot of internal yelling done in this book. This isn’t quite a bad thing, because I was doing this yelling because I was so attatched to the characters. But I was frustrated at times, especially at Cassie. I wanted her to just get over her issues, but she kept clinging to them. So I was a little frustrated at our MC, but that’s only inevitable with a story like this.

Overall, I really did enjoy this story of self-discover, which was filled with raw emotion. Even though the plot was slow and I was frustrated with Cassie at times, I would still recommend Dear Cassie to those looking for a gritty contemporary read. Filled to the brim with emotion, this is a deep contemporary read that will leave its mark on you.

Find the Book:

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

And for the giveaway! For my US followers, you guys can win a paperback copy of Dear Cassie. For my lovely International followers, an e-copy of Dear Cassie is up for grabs!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

2013-03-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Genres: Dystopia

Release Date: January 29th, 2013

Source: Bought

Synopsis:

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly-anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a breathtaking thriller with high stakes and cinematic action.

My Review:

This is a spoiler free review, for both books!

While I wasn’t the biggest fan ever of Legend, I did see some potential for this sequel, and so I decided to read it. And I am so glad that I did. Prodigy is most definitely better than its predecessor, and Marie Lu can now count me as one of her (many) fans.

The main thing that I bemoaned about Legend was its lack of depth. It was mainly all action, and I felt as if I didn’t really connect to the characters all that much, because the book was so fast-paced. This was remedied quite well in this book. I finally felt as if I could start connecting with Day and June, and even some of the secondary characters. Lu gives us so much depth with our two main characters, and by the end of the book I found myself totally enamored and in love with both of these characters. I felt as if I actually knew them, with their strengths and weaknesses. I fell hard for Day and June, guys. Hard. It was wonderful to finally be able to connect with them so well.

Also, we begin to get a lot of information about the world that Lu has created. We finally get some information about the dystopian world that Day and June live in, like how it was started, some information about other countries, etc. It was great to finally get a good grasp about this, since I was frustrated going in that we didn’t know much of anything. I’m still curious to know more about this world, though, even though I did get a lot of the answers I was looking for.

However, I did have a few minor issues with Prodigy. One has to do with one of my previous favorite characters, Tess. I really fell for her in Legend, and was so disappointed with her character in this book. I felt as if her actions were pretty uncharacteristic. She was really petty. She started grating on my nerves at times too, which seemed so unlike her, especially with her being the way she was in the first book.

Alas, I can’t write this review and not talk about that ending. Can we please talk about how shattered my soul is? I mean, I read this book over a month ago, and there’s still pieces of my heart around the chair I was reading this book in. Seriously, that ending was mean. Yet so beautiful. Marie Lu really showcases her growth as a writer in that gorgeous ending, although she does it in the most painful way possible to her readers.

Overall, I was extremely excited by this sequel. It did not suffer from Middle Book Syndrome, and it was quite the opposite actually, being better than the first book for me. With so much character development (Day and June have officially stolen the last pieces of my shattered heart) and much-needed world-building, I really did fall head over heels for this book, even if I did have some minor issues with it. I’m now dying for the last book in the series, and can’t wait to see how things end.

Review: The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

2013-03-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Source: NetGalley

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli’s dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

My Review:

Before the reviews started coming in for The Nightmare Affair, I was not only ridiculously excited for this book, but I was feeling pretty positive that this was a book I was going to fall in love with. However, after reading a slew of negative reviews, my expectations drastically reduced. Because of this, I was able to actually sit back and enjoy this story. Having said that though, The Nightmare Affair does come with its own set of problems.

The concept of this book is clearly its best aspect. I mean, come on, a legitimate Nightmare? I gobbled up all the details that we got about this supernatural creatures. The idea behind Nightmares was well-crafted and truly original. I really enjoyed reading about the mechanics of being a Nightmare, like how Dusty was able to get into people’s dreams and such. It was refreshing to read something new in the paranormal genre, mixed in with some other, typical supernatural creatures, like fairies, all meshed in a boarding school setting.

The plot of this book is also engaging. We’ve got an interesting mystery set up, with Dusty trying to figure out who the killer is before it’s too late. There were some good red-herrings, and even though I did guess parts of the mystery, the final reveal came as a bit of a surprise to me, which is always a good sign with mysteries. Nonetheless, I was definitely hooked while reading, and I finished this book within a couple of hours. It was an easy read, and the story flowed well.

However, what this book is really lacking is a sense of depth. Even though we get a good idea of Dusty and her faults, the secondary characters (or rather, almost all of the characters besides the MC) weren’t developed enough for my taste. While some had some good personalities, they weren’t very fleshed out, and fell particularly flat for me. With so much potential for great secondary characters- I mean, the MC’s best friend is a siren in rebellion- I was disappointed that we didn’t get the depth I was hoping for.

Also, there’s a number of clichés present throughout The Nightmare Affair. From the love triangle, to the never-present mother, to the cool yet mean ‘It’ girl, this book has its fair share of clichés. Because the concept was so unique, I was kind of hoping for something different with this book. Yet, we’re presented with many clichés, stuff that’s been done over and over again in YA literature. While most didn’t bother me too much, I was hoping for something more original from this book.

Overall, even though the secondary characters were lacking development and there were plenty of clichés in this book, I enjoyed the concept behind The Nightmare Affair. It was a great mystery book to entertain you for a few hours. I’d suggest this one to those looking for something quick to read, with a unique twist.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Waiting On Wednesday (44)

2013-03-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan.

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

Guys, this one is a GOTHIC novel. Must I say more? I’ve always wanted to read a gothic novel before, and with such a gorgeous cover and super interesting synopsis, why would I not want to read this book?!

This book will be released on May 14th, 2013.

Also, since you’re reading this already, be sure to check out my 200 follower giveaway, where you can win a free book! It ends in two days, so make sure you go over and enter now. =)

What are YOU waiting on this week?

DNF Review: The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

2013-03-10T01:00:00.000-06:00

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

Rating: 1/5 Stars [DNF]

Genres: Contemporary

Release Date: January 8th, 2013

Source: Library

Synopsis:

Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their .

My Review:

It truly isn’t often when I end up DNFing a book. I’m one of those people that will trudge through a book even if I’m not really feeling it, because I always hold on to the hope that the ending will prove to be better. However, with The Tragedy Paper, a book that was sitting on my nightstand for over a month, I just couldn’t force myself to read any further than page 250. Unfortunately, everything was just a big mess for me.

Even not being a big contemporary person, I was quite excited for this book before it was released, because the concept sounded pretty neat. A typical love story, sure, but with this concept of a tragedy paper and an albino kid? Sign me up. I was hoping for something kind of like Pushing the Limits, honestly, when I started. But alas, that’s certainly not what we get with this story.

The romance, which started off nice enough, just ended up disappointing me deeply. I had a slight feeling that it would end up being stereotypical, but still held up hope because of the whole albino thing. But, unfortunately, the romance was riddled with clichés. From the love triangle to the secret outings together, it fell flat for me. Not to mention the fact that Tim was utterly obsessed with the love interest, Vanessa. He would give up everything for her, and even talked about how excited he was whenever he even said hi to Vanessa, and how that was the highlight of his days. Um, what? The romance on his side bordered on obsession for me, and it was too creepy for my taste. I understand the want to do the whole unrequited love thing, but I felt as if it was taken too far.

Speaking of Tim, I was extremely disappointed by the lack of character development we got with him, and in fact, with any character. Tim, the MC, revolved around his disorder so, so much. I was initially fascinated by the aspect of the albinism (which I just finished studying in Biology, actually, adding to my interest), and wanted to know how it affected a person in their daily lives. And while I liked the daily struggle Tim had with his disorder, I felt as if that’s all I knew about him. He didn’t have much of a personality, it was just the albinism that defined him. His life revolved around it, and that’s what caused the lack of development, since we didn’t get to really see him as a person. I also never connected with him, besides some beginning traces of sympathy for his albinism situation. Having such a frustrating and dull MC led me to a ton of disinterest in the book.

The writing was also so choppy and jarring. This was the first thing I noticed when I started reading this book, and was the main reason that I DNFed this book in the first place. Even if I was intrigued, albeit, only a little, by the plot (which ended up being exactly as I predicted, after skimming the end) I just couldn’t stand the writing anymore. It was stilted, and I didn’t really feel like it had a YA quality voice to it. Not only that, but there’s two POVs in this book, which came as a shock to me. We have Tim’s story about his romance with Vanessa, and then Duncan’s present day story. The transitions between the two POVs was extremely jarring and poorly executed. I thought that it would be cool to have these POVs side by side, but it just wasn’t written well, and therefore, caused me to get extremely irritated.

Overall, I could go talk about the flaws of The Tragedy Paper for a good, long time. But the romance, main character, and writing were the top reasons that I had to DNF this one. I even skimmed the ending to see if there was any hope, but alas, everything was exactly as I had predicted it would be from the beginning. Even with a great premise and a ton of potential, this book was a train wreck. I honest can’t recommend this one to anyone, and would actually advise to stay far, far away from this book. It hurts my soul to say this, it really does, but a bad book is simply a bad book.

Waiting On Wednesday (43)

2013-03-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: Acid by Emma Pass.

2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID – the most brutal, controlling police force in history – rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed – or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID – and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

That short synopsis packs such a punch, and I’m crossing my fingers that the main character will too. I mean, she’s the only girl at an all-male high-security prison, so she has to be totally kick-butt. While I must admit, I’m not totally digging the cover, the synopsis has me totally enthralled to read this book. I can’t wait to see everything unfold, and especially to meet this main character who seems to be so tough.

This book will be released on April 25th, 2013.

Legacy of the Clockwork Key Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

2013-03-04T03:00:00.000-06:00

I’m thrilled to be a part of the blog tour of The Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey. This lovely blog tour is hosted by Shane @ Itching for Books. Today I have for you a review and a giveaway!

Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Genres: Historical Fiction, Steampunk

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis:

When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.

Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy.

My Review:

With an elusive synopsis and a promise for something different, I was beyond excited to pick up Legacy of the Clockwork Key. And while this book most definitely has some fantastic qualities, it was lacking in some others, which I must admit, was slightly disappointing. Nonetheless, I did end up enjoying this book.

The concept, by far, is the shining aspect of this novel. I’m going to be elusive here on purpose, in fear of spoilers, but the concept is wildly unique. It involved a lot of intricate steampunk elements, which I loved reading about, especially because steampunk is something that I don’t often get to read about. These elements were by far, nothing like I’ve ever read before, and it was so amazing to be able to learn about everything and see how everything fit together. The secret society that Meg stumbles into is also wildly fascinating and filled with so much mystery. It was all quite original, and this was the book’s shining element.

Also, the setting was great to read about as well. I’m typically not much of one for historical books, the whole politic and giggling ladies in fancy schmancy dresses thing normally isn’t me. But this book isn’t like that at all, and in fact, there’s quite a bit of action going on. It was refreshing to read a historical novel that’s not all about glittering balls, yet the setting was still interwoven throughout all the action and intrigue that was going on in the book. It was great for people who are a bit wary of historical novels, like me.

However, nothing else really stood out about this book for me. The romance was a big part of the story for this book- and unfortunately, this wasn’t good at all. Basically, the romance ended up being insta-love. I thought it had some potential when things first started out, but alas, it just ended up being ‘I love you!’ and ‘I would give up everything for you!’ within less than a week. I just can’t stress the fact enough that this does not happen. I just wanted to slap somebody. It was just cliché after cliché with the whole bad guy with the troubled past having no connection whatsoever with the girl, and blah blah blah. It was irritation to the max for me.

I didn’t care much for the main character, either. While I didn’t hate her guts or anything, and I didn’t want to push her off a cliff (which is always a good sign), yet, I didn’t really find any connection with her. She wasn’t memorable either, in fact, I’m having some trouble recalling her name even though I just finished the book. (*scrolls up to synopsis to check name*). Meg was pretty stereotypical, stubborn and not looking out for others. She was just a very meh character for me, and never garnered much of a response from me, unfortunately.

So overall, this book was a bit all over the place for me. It had its definite pros, like the fantastic concept and great setting, but the insta-love and meh main character made me want to slap something. Overall, I would recommend this one to those that are looking for a unique historical novel that are looking for something quick to read, and don’t quite mind insta-love.

About the Author

Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers.

Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with a quartet of fat fish, and two secretive striped ninja-assassin snails.

In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does.

Website | Twitter

Be sure to enter the giveaway below!

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The Look Blog Tour: Interview with Sophia Bennett

2013-03-02T03:00:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to be a part of the blog tour for The Look by Sophia Bennett, which is just being released in the US after being so popular in the UK. I’ve got a great interview to share with you all, but first, here’s some more information about the book itself.

Title: The Look

Author: Sophia Bennet

Release Date: March 1st, 2013 (US)

Genres: YA, Realistic, Contemporary

Publisher: Chicken House

Pages: 336

Synopsis:

Can she be a supermodel and a super-sister? She finds her answer in just one look.

Two sisters, both beautiful in different ways: Fifteen-year-old Ted has got "The Look." That's what the scout for the modeling agency tells her, and she can't believe her luck. But just as Ted's jet-setting off on her new career, Ava is diagnosed with cancer. Can Ted be a supermodel and a super-sister? Or will she have to choose between family and fame? With their worlds turned upside down, the girls have to look past appearances, look deep inside, to figure out what really matters.

Buy the book:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

Now, please welcome the lovely Sophia Bennett to the blog! (My questions + interjections are in bold, and Sophia’s answers are in the regular font).

Hi Sophia! Thanks for allowing me to ask you a few questions. So first, how would you describe your book in one Tweet (140 characters)?

Two sisters, one scary diagnosis, one opportunity of a lifetime. To please her sick sister, how far is model Ted prepared to go?

Why did you decide to talk about modeling? What type of research did you have to do?

I’ve always been fascinated by fashion, especially the craft of making clothes, but not modeling. Nuh uh. Being short and not a model type, it was never an option for me. However, a fan of my first book (Threadsin the UK) asked me if she should consider it as a career. My instinct was to say 'Nooooooo! Be that English teacher!' but it wasn't based on much knowledge - just a few articles in the media. I know that so many girls secretly wonder what it would be like to be a model and I wanted to explore that dream in an honest, objective way. What I didn’t want to do was write a book about a girl who wanted to be a model, and became one, and was rich and famous and happy. How boring would that be? (Clearly, it wasn’t!)

I’d already attended a fashion shoot and some catwalk shows as part of the publicity for Threads (which came out as Sequins Secrets and Silver Linings in the US). That made me worry about how seriously thin all catwalk models are. I know some teenagers are naturally thin, but on a catwalk, every single girl looks almost skeletal. Not good. But I had a friend who’d been a successful model. She had lots of positive memories of her experiences, which we talked about. And I interviewed a girl starting out. I got loads of info and anecdotes from her that made it into the book - and loads more that didn't. She explained how dedicated and disciplined successful models have to be - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Plus, of course, I learned a lot from watching ANTM and BNTM. (Haha, I just had to laugh at that!)

Meanwhile, my online research brought home to me how many people are trying to take advantage of girls who want to get into modeling - both sleazily and financially. (Creepers gotta creep, unfortunately). That made me so angry I changed the plot accordingly! (This is one of the biggest reasons I want to read this book ASAP now). Even if you're successful, it's not all glamorous. I read recently that Kate Upton got frostbite on a shoot in the Antarctic (in a bikini, natch). If you get the chance, is it worth it? One book later, here's my answer. (I think the girl who wrote to me was hoping for a couple of sentences.)

What were your favorite and least favorite moments while writing The Look?

Interesting question! It was a difficult book to write. I mean, how do you write a story that combines something as light as modeling and something as challenging as teenage cancer (oh yeah - it's also about teenage cancer, which Ted's sister is battling), and do justice to them both? The hardest part was the opening chapters. Establishing characters the reader will love and want to root for … it never gets any easier.

The best bit was writing the head shaving scene in the middle, when Ted really steps up to help her sister. It was always central to the plot and I was nervous about writing it, but it took one afternoon, and once it was done, I hardly changed a word. It did that wonderful thing when the writing doesn’t go quite the way you expected. I thought it would be sad, but it turned out quite differently.

Describe your writing process. Are you a planner/panster, do you have a specific place where you write, etc.?

I’m a planner. I’ve written too many 5,000 word beginnings that haven’t really gone anywhere, so now I have the whole plot in my head, and much of it written down, and my characters described in detail before I get started. However, once I get going, things change. So much good writing is all about rewriting. The second or third draft is when the story really comes to life for me.

I tend to do it in my shed at the end of the garden, or in local cafes and libraries, when I need to get out of the house, or in bed. I drop the kids off at school, sit down with my laptop, spend far too much time on the internet, finally get down to it, and I’m just getting really lost in the story when it’s time to stop and make tea for the kids … It makes for a busy day, but I love it.

How was writing this book different from the other books you’ve written, like your Threads series?

It was similar, in that it combines an interest in the fashion world with some more serious themes (in that case child soldiers in Uganda), but whereas my Threads characters are all quite strong from the start, Ted is an unformed sort of a girl, who discovers what’s important to her as she goes along. I grew to love her as I wrote.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what’s some of the music that you listened to while writing The Look?

I do! Not all the time – sometimes silence is best, but sometimes a good tune is just what I need.

I have a playlist for each book, and for The Look it included a lot of Blondie, because Ted has a friend called Daisy who’s into punk and New Wave, and the sound of CBGBs in the 1970s. It was relevant, too, because Ted ends up in New York. I’ve always loved Blondie and I’m a huge Debbie Harry fan. I also had a bit of Talking Heads going on.

For the London scenes, I loved the Pet Shop Boys singing West End Girls, which encapsulated Ted being scouted as a model on Carnaby Street for me, and reminded me of how it felt when I was 16. (Not that I was scouted on Carnaby Street. So not.)

I regularly listen to Zero 7, an acid jazz/dance duo, who’ve written some tracks that I can just play on a loop while I write. I discovered them when I was out shopping one day. They’re perfect for listening to while you’re stoned on a beach in Ibiza (I imagine!). And also when you’re trying to write a book.

Finally, I happened to be playing Janelle Monae’s Tightrope a lot with this one, because I discovered it when I was staying with a writer friend in Dublin. But it’s such an amazing track, and made me want to dance so much, that I could only play it before I got down to work. It was too distracting to actually write to.

(I now have a ton of new music to check out!)

Tell us 3 things that most people don’t know about you.

Once I start eating pistachios, I can’t stop. (I thought I was alone!)

I’ve been kissed (on the cheek) by Anne Bancroft, who played Mrs Robinson in The Graduate.

My favourite words are semi-autobiographical and palimpsest.

What’s the one thing you want readers to be able to take away from your book?

You’re responsible for your life: if you get the chance to stand up for yourself, and what you believe in, take it.

Thanks for having me, Aneeqah! xx

Be sure to check out Sophia’s latest book, The Look, which came out yesterday, and to check her out on her website! You can also see the other stops on the tour HERE as well.

Have you ever read a book about modeling? Do you write? What do you think about eating pistachios?

Waiting On Wednesday (42)

2013-02-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: Taken by Erin Bowman.

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Ever since I first heard about this book- at the time of its cover reveal- I’ve been ridiculously excited for it. I mean, first off, that cover. It’s. So. Pretty. I love all the technique gone into it, and the colors on it are so gorgeous. And the reflection on the bottom is neat as well! But the premise sounds like The Maze Runner (which I adored) thrown in with a bit of Wither. Nevertheless, I’m extremely excited to read this book, and I can only hope that it lives up to my expectations!

This book will be released April 16th, 2013.

200 Follower Giveaway!

2013-02-23T03:00:00.000-06:00

So just a few days ago, I officially hit 200 GFC followers! I basically went like this:

Source

(Minus all the confetti. And the football jersey. Um, you get the point, right?)

Even though I know it’s not all about the followers, and every comment people leave basically makes my day tenfold. But it’s kind of exciting that people care enough to follow this tiny little blog, and it’s even more exciting that a whopping 200 people would. I never expected much to come out of this blog when I started it, so I’m thrilled that people actually like what I’m saying enough to follow me. And I’m so grateful for each follower and even more for each comment.

But alas, that mushy gushy stuff can be saved for my blogoversary post (which is coming up fast, surprisingly!). Now, on to the real giveaway.

I’m shaking it up a bit with this giveaway. Instead of doing just a “you choose whatever book you want” giveaway, which are fantastic, but I’m going to do something a bit different and more creative.

So, here’s the thing: you can choose ONE book that fit into ONE of the categories below. I have given some ideas below, but you don’t have to choose those. As long as the book fits into the category, then you can choose it!

Le Categories

Option #1: A book with TWO words in the title. (THE is a word.)

Some ideas: (Click on the cover to go to the book’s GR page)

Option #2: A book that is number TWO in a series, or is an author’s number TWO (second) published book.

Some suggestions: (All covers lead to GR)

Option #3: A book that is published the second month of the year (number TWO in the year) a.k.a. any book published in FEBUARY of any year.

Some ideas: (Again, all covers link to GR!)

So, those are the options! You get a cookie if you caught on to the reasoning behind those categories (not really, sorry, I like to keep all my cookies to myself).

Now, it’s time to enter! Remember that because this is a follower giveaway, you MUST follow either via GFC, RSS, or email to enter at all.

The Basic Rules

Must be 13 years or older
The book chosen MUST be under $15 on Amazon or Book Depository
The book must be within one of the 3 categories.
The winner CAN be International, as long as the Book Depository ships to you!
Winners must respond within 72 hours, or else a new winner will be chosen.
Please do chose a YA book. I am a YA blog, you know.
I am not responsible for a book not being shipped out if I ordered it or if it gets damaged. Sorry, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.
Most Importantly: Do NOT cheat. If you do, you will be restrained from ever entering any giveaways on this blog again and I will frown upon you deeply. I WILL be checking entries! So don’t try it, people!

With those out of the way, it’s [finally] time for you to enter! I know that was a long post, but please do read it through, especially the rules, if you’ve just skipped down to this part,

And with that, good luck and happy entering! <3

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Waiting On Wednesday (41)

2013-02-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme where you basically share an upcoming book that you’re excited to read. It’s hosted over at Breaking the Spine by Jill.

The book I’m waiting on today is: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Oh, the cuteness! Both the cover and synopsis scream adorable, and that’s really what I’m looking forward to reading. Ms. Smith’s debut novel was the epitome of cute, and I’m so excited to see what this novel brings. I love the idea of an flirty online relationship actually turning to more, and am curious to see these characters’ secrets being unveiled. All I know for sure is that I will enjoy this book.

This book will be released on April 2nd, 2013.