The Fake Steph Dot Com

Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) by Janet Evanovich

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Book: Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) by Janet Evanovich

My Summary: Stephanie does a favor for sexy bounty-hunter, Ranger, by planting a bug on her ex-husband, Dickie Orr. But in the process things get physical--crazy not sexy--so when Dickie goes missing, Stephanie is the number one suspect. But it's not just the police looking for Dickie. There is a lot of money involved and Stephanie's long time rival, Joyce B., is prepared to do whatever it takes to find Dickie and the money.

Thoughts: I thought Lean Mean Thirteen was a really enjoyable installment in this series. These books always make me want to eat donuts and there is plenty of junk food in this one. Plus, there are several fires and Stephanie destroys another car... a Crown Vic, which should be practically indestructible. While there are no funerals attended, there are a few excellent scenes with Grandma Mazur. Love her.

Once again the main plot moves away from Stephanie trying to track down a skip. This time, Stephanie is the only person of interest in the disappearance of her ex-husband, so she wants to track him down to prove her innocence. I really enjoyed the conflict between Stephanie and Joyce (Joyce is the woman who slept with Stephanie's husband before they were divorced). They have always hated each other and sometimes their conflicts go so far that it stops being funny, but it felt perfectly balanced in this book.

But most important: Ranger vs. Morelli. I have finally chosen my team. I'm officially Team Ranger, although that is subject to change. Now, I love me some Morelli and he's definitely more of the settling down type than Ranger, but I just don't think he and Stephanie will work long-term. He wants Stephanie to lead a respectable and safe life, but Stephanie doesn't have the sort of personality for housewife. If she did, she wouldn't be the woman Morelli loves. Ranger, on the other hand, doesn't want to get married or be in anything serious. But, honestly, Stephanie's not ready for it either. He gets Stephanie, though. He knows that he won't be able to stop her from doing stupid and dangerous things, so he does what he needs to protect her instead of to prevent her from doing them. I think in time, they may both be at a place where they'll want to settle down, but even if he never gets there, Steph will find someone great. I just no longer believe that that person will be Morelli.

Moments I Loved: Stephanie's time in Ranger's apartment. I love Ranger's apartment. I want to visit Ranger's apartment.

WTF Moments: Exploding taxidermy. Enough said.

Overall: A really fun read in a really fun series. Plus, I was finally able to pick my side on the love triangle.

Lean Mean Thirteen gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Waiting on Wednesday: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week. This week I'm waiting on Dare You To by Katie McGarry.

GoodReads Description: Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....
Why I'm Excited: Pushing the Limits was SO GOOD and had the first chapter of Dare You To at the end. I've been waiting for it since I read those chapters in the e-arc from NetGalley last summer. It's been a long time coming.

Dare You To comes out June 7 from Harlequin Teen.

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Book: Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

Summary (from GoodReads): Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity.Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she's returned home…only to find that it's three years later and she's sixteen-or at least that's what everyone tells her.
What happened to the past three years of her life?
Angie doesn't know.
But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren't locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her "alters." As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?
Liz Coley's alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing - and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

Thoughts: When I picked up this book, I knew I would enjoy it, but I didn't expect it to draw me in as quickly as it did. I could not stop reading. Angie's doctor realizes she has dissociative identity disorder (DID) fairly quickly and much of the book is spent trying to find out what happened during Angie's missing three years as well as to treat her DID. DID usually is a result of childhood trauma and Angie is no exception. So not only are we unraveling the mystery of her missing three years, but trying to figure out what happened to her as a child as well.

The personalities feel like real people, and it was emotional watching Angie interact with them. She wanted to know what happened to her, but at the same time there is a reason that she has DID. She's occasionally flippant about some of the awful things that happened to her while she was abducted, but it felt authentic--those things didn't happen to Angie, they happened to her alts. She knows that it happened to her, but she never experienced it. Her experience feels authentic and I came to care as fiercely about her alts as I did for Angie. It was fascinating to watch them struggle for control and I could Angie's treatment both moving and satisfying.

I also love the personal drama in Angie's life. She's lost three years and a lot has changed in that time. Her family is so happy that she is home, but the situation is complicated. Her father is so filled with guilt over what has happened to her that he can barely look at her and Angie struggles with the fact that her mother is pregnant with a baby that Angie considers a replacement. Then there is Little Wife trying to help Angie out in the love department and that... was not much of a help. Little Wife broke my heart, but there is a nice boy who has a knack for healing broken hearts.

There is one story line that I can't go into the details of, because I want to avoid spoilers, but it just didn't sit well with me (storywise--none of this story is supposed to sit well with the reader). It's set up and I guessed what had happened, but it came together in a way that felt very coincidental. I also didn't feel great about the resolution of it.

Moments I Loved: Any moment with the love interest, who is exactly who Angie (and Little Wife) needed.

WTF Moments: This is a book about a girl who is kidnapped, abused for three years, and survives because of other personalities that manifested to protect her. Still, the initial cause of Angie's dissociaitive identity disorder and the story of the first personality, Tattletale, is what struck me the most.

Overall: A psychological mystery that made me cry and kept me on the edge of my seat.

Pretty Girl-13 gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Sundays In Bed With The Murmurings... and Stacking the Shelves

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:29:00 +0000

Sundays in bed with is hosted by Kate at Midnight Book Girl. This weekend, I got some quality time with my niece and nephew, but not much reading time. Tonight, I'm going to finish strong for Bout of Books. You can see my week's progress here. As soon as I drop the kiddos off to their mom, I'll be home and in bed reading...

I started this when it first came out and took a break. I read a big chunk of it last night and while I do have a few issues that I'm not sure will be resolved, for the most part the book is creepy and scary. I didn't think I'd be able to fall asleep last night and I am so excited to finish it tonight.

Also, if I finish it tonight, that will be number 6 in my review queue. I really need to write reviews.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

For Review:

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Won:
The Archived by Victoria Schwabb (thanks Mauie)

Library:
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon #1 by Naoko Takeuchi
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Bought for Kindle:
The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

I'm actually super excited about all of the books I picked up this week. I'm going to start Gameboard of the Gods tomorrow and then try to devote the week to review books.

Looks From Books: Dare You To by Katie McGarry (Part One)

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:11:00 +0000

Looks from books is a semi-regular feature at The Fake Steph Dot Com where I explore book inspired fashion. For various reasons, it's been a few weeks, but we're back with Ryan from Dare You To by Katie McGarry. I'll be reviewing Dare You To soon and will feature Beth in the next Looks From Books post. Before we get to it, I need to let you know at the top (and bottom) of my posts that I received a free copy of Dare You To from the publisher through Netgalley. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book or my decision to feature it in my Looks From Books feature.

Ryan's style is a mix of preppy and sporty. He's preppy, because he lives in a small town with a social circle run by the church and he is expected to dress a certain way. He's sporty, because he is pretty much obsessed with baseball (even if his parents did create that obsession for him--he truly loves the sport!). Today, I'm sticking with the sporty theme, because that is the style Ryan is most comfortable with.

Ryan - Dare You To by fakesteph on Polyvore

I thought about putting Ryan in khakis because it would have made a nice contrast with the look for Beth that I'm putting together, but decided against it. I realized that only the older men in the story wear khakis (when I searched on my kindle). Although, Ryan probably has a pair somewhere. Other than that, a very simple look. Ryan always wears his Reds ball cap and has a Reds t-shirt for every day of the week (probably every day of the month). The shirt I picked for Ryan says "And this one belongs to the Reds" because Ryan and his father work every day so that Ryan will one day play for his favorite team.

I also put him in athletic sneakers, because I can't imagine him in anything else. As for his varsity jacket, if you want to recreate Ryan's look, you will have to content yourself with this great jacket. It's not a real varsity jacket, but it will prevent you from looking like a creeper or a has-been (unless you are a high school varsity player).

**I received a free copy of Dare Yout To from the publisher through Netgalley for review. This in no way influenced my opinion of the book or my decision to feature it in my Looks From Books series.**

Feel free to comment on the look, the book, or these new FTC guidelines.

David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Audio Performance: David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure

Summary: If you were lucky enough to have caught a performance on David Sedaris's most recent sold-out, 34-city tour, you already know thatDavid Sedaris Live For Your Listening Pleasure is a must-have album! If you didn't hear it live and in person, then you're in for a treat-hilarious brand-new recordings from performances in Denver, New York, Durham, LA, and Atlanta, in one convenient audiobook collection, on sale November 24 for only $17.98.
From the bold feral rabbits of his French backyard to the eating habits of a carnivorous bird Down Under, Live For Your Listening Pleasure takes listeners on a veritable tour of natural wonders, beginning with a fable, "Cat and Baboon," and moving on to the peculiarly American habitat of the "big-box" store.

Thoughts: I picked this audio performance up from the library to hold me over until I get Sedaris's new book, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls. Live For Your Listening Pleasure is exactly the way I like Sedaris: relating his personal stories in front of a live audience. I've listened to him narrate his own book before, so I'm used to his voice. He has a special cadence and rhythm that I don't get through reading alone.

His observations on life are funny and dark. He approaches both himself and the people around him with the honesty most of us dismiss in the name of common courtesy. I've seen the link on twitter a lot this past week, but if you haven't watched it, take a look at Sedaris on The Daily Show (embedded below). The video is him at the top of his game and the humor is exactly what you will find in his writing. (You can also watch a video of Sedaris reading from 50 Shades of Gray. O.o)

Moments I Loved: Sedaris relates a story of being annoyed by how well an acquaintance picks up French. The friend begins speaking to him in French and Sedaris responds in Japanese.

WTF Moments: There are a lot. That is mostly why I like David Sedaris.

Narrators: I've come to really enjoy listening to Sedaris narrate his own stories. I was thrown off by his voice the first time I heard it, but now that I'm used to it, I know what to expect from his narration as much as from his stories. Plus, this CD was recorded in front of a live audience, which made it even more enjoyable.

Overall: A short intro to Sedaris for those who aren't familiar with his work, but also a fun piece for long time fans.

David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Waiting On Wednesday: You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week. This week I'm waiting on You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle.

GoodReads Description: A smart, fresh novel about five teens whose ordinary lives are captured on camera for the whole world to see, from a breakout author who "will be well received by Sarah Dessen fans" (ALA Booklist)

The premise was simple: five kids living their real lives, with a new movie about them every five years. But the six-year-olds who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who are hardly friends. And Justine, whose edgy sense of humor made her the surprise star of the first two films, now feels like a disappointment.

Still, they've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how lonely it is to have fans instead of friends. So when the latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to really see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

With the "detailed writing and smart, realistically cool characters" (SLJ) that earned The Beginning of After critical acclaim and comparisons to Sarah Dessen, You Look Different in Real Life is a sharply observed, wholly engrossing book about the surface-level identities you can see on camera and the truths you can only see in real life.

Why I'm Excited: After college, I moved to LA and I met quite a few child actors (and just actors in general). I'm really interested to see how the book handles the special issues that go along with fame and growing up in the spotlight. Plus, I love contemporary.

You Look Different In Real Life comes out June 4, 2013 from Harper Teen.

Top Ten (Tuesday) Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that combines lists and books. This weeks topic is... Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects. As always, covers link to GoodReads.

Loss...

The Holocaust...

Sexuality...

A book about cancer that doesn't want to be a Cancer Book...

Rape...

I'm super excited to see all of your lists this week!

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Book: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Summary (from GoodReads): 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.

Thoughts: I loved Cinder and even though I had heard great things about the sequel, Scarlet, I was still very nervous to read it. Luckily, Scarlet exceeded my high expectations. Not only are we able to revisit Meyer's vivid and unique world in Scarlet, but we learn a whole lot more about it. I loved reading about what is going on in the different countries on Earth as well as what is going on with the Lunars and Lunar rebels. I *think* in the next book, we'll actually get to visit the moon and I'm already excited. The book also had me at the edge of me seat, taunted me with little bits of information the whole way through, and made me giggle and swoon over characters old and new.

What I was most nervous about was the introduction of Scarlet and all of the other new characters. Each book in the series is or will be loosely based off of a different fairy tale. I was worried about losing Cinder, aka cyborg Cinderella, in a new fairy tale (Little Red Riding Hood). But that never happens. We get plenty of Cinder action, plus a few chapters from Kai's point of view. But there is also Captain Thorne, an American and a thief. He is hilarious and exactly the kind of personality that Cinder needs to be around to stay sane. And Wolf, who is just... he makes my heart happy. As far as love interests go, that kind of story line is one of my favorites. Cinder and Scarlet are both awesome and I can't wait to see the damage these two can cause together.

Moments I Loved: Scarlet and Wolf's train kiss. Man, I loved every scene with Scarlet and Wolf.

WTF Moments: The Lunar attack! The Lunar's have manipulated their soldiers DNA and they fight like animals while looking like humans. Incredibly creepy.

Overall: A sequel that is even better than the first book, with more action and more romance!

Scarlet gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Sundays In Bed With... Paper Valentine and Stacking the Shelves

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sun, 12 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Sundays in bed with is hosted by Kate at Midnight Book Girl. Yesterday, I took the day off blogging, because I spent Friday taking the Praxis II (the licensing test to become a teacher) and I was tired. My first summer class starts this week, but I'm hoping to do a ton of reading before I get overwhelmed with homework. So this week, I'm in bed with way too many books, but there is one that I am definitely planning on finishing this week:

Paper Valentine is the winner's pick for this month's TBR Intervention and I'm starting it today. I love serial killer stories, so I'm really excited.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

For Review:

Dare You To by Katie McGarry, which I have already read and LOVED. Can't wait to review it and I'll be featuring it in my next two Looks From Books posts and a Waiting On Wednesday.

Free for Kindle:

Open Minds (Mindjack #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn

Previously on The Fake Steph Dot Com (in a dramatic voice)
A thankfully slow week, because I need some time to catch up. And in case you missed it this week I posted reviews of The Trouble With Flirting and What Really Happened In Peru. I also posted my top ten books when you need something light and fun, waited on The Book of Broken Hearts, and picked a winner for TBR Intervention (but you can participate in June, which might be a special BEA edition).

Bout of Books: Sign Up

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sun, 12 May 2013 00:42:00 +0000

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I think that this is actually going to fit perfectly with my schedule and I'd really like to get ahead now, before the semester starts. So... I'm participating. My goals are below and I'll be updating this post throughout the readathon.

Goals:

I've started the first few chapters of all these and I want to finish these:

~~Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff (edit: didn't actually start this before the readathon, so whole thing.)~~

~~Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich~~

Warp: The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer

Finding Rachel Davenport by Michael Harling

The Murmurings by Carly Ann West

I want to read two graphic novels:
~~The Walking Dead 6~~

The Amulet of Samarkand

Audiobooks: I want to get through the first part of:

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Marting (Part One)

~~Six Years by Harlan Coben (Part One)~~

Rereads:
Paper Towns by John Green

Monday
Books Read:
Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich - finished - 230 pages
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - started - 15 pages
Mini-challenges: none

Tuesday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 60 pages
This Sorrowful Life (Walking Dead #6) by Robert Kirkland - started and finished - 144 pages
Mini-challenges: none

Wednesday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 15 pages
Six Years by Harlan Coben - started - 2 hours
Mini-challenges: none

Thursday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - continued - 20 pages
Six Years by Harlan Coben - continued - 2 hours, 12 minutes
Mini-challenges: none

Friday
Books Read:
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff - finished - 194 pages
Finding Rachel Davenport - 3%
Six Years by Harlan Coben - continued (finished, part 1) - 36 minutes
A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin - continued - 1 hour (approximately)
Mini-challenges: none

Saturday
Books Read:
Mini-challenges:

Sunday
Books Read:
Mini-challenges:

TBR Intervention: May 2013 Redux

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

TBR Intervention will run on the first Friday of every month in 2013. Since this is the second Friday of the month, I get to announce the winner. Check out last week's post to read the rules and see how things went down.

Last week the choices were:

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (will be a new copy--see rule 3 below!)

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

I used random.org to pick a winner:

Which is...

Tiffany Drew

...who picked Paper Valentine. I'll e-mail you for your address this weekend and put it in the mail as soon as I finish.

What Really Happened In Peru (Magnus Bane Chronicles #1) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Novel: What Really Happened In Peru (Magnus Bane Chronicles #1) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary: Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices know that Magnus Bane is banned from Peru—and now they can find out why. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’s Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.
This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, What Really Happened in Peru, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Thoughts: I knew going in that this would be a short, but I honestly expected there to be a little bit of a story. Instead we get a series of short adventures that Magnus went on in Peru, all finishing with "but that was not why Magnus was banned from Peru." (That is probably more of a paraphrase than a direct quote). For the most part I enjoyed them. Magnus is one of the more colorful characters in Clare's series and I really enjoyed being able to learn more about him. I just wish the short had been a story instead of a series of sketches.

Moments I Loved: The hangover story... that is what I expected most of the story to be like.

WTF Moments: The end. It made the entire short feel like a too-long set up for a punchline that fell flat.

Narrators: The narrator seemed very serious, which didn't feel right to me. Yes, Magnus is a deep character covering all these hidden hurts, but that's just it... they are hidden. He masks his pain with mischief and arrogance. Only the people who know him well are supposed to see through it. So it didn't feel right that the narrator was so... mournful.

Overall: The narrator didn't capture Magnus's mischievous side and the ending left me frustrated instead of laughing. Still, it was fun getting to know a little bit more about one of my favorite characters.

What Really Happened In Peru gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Waiting On Wednesday: The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week. This week I'm waiting on The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler.

GoodReads Description: When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

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.

Why I'm Excited: I loved (LOVED) Twenty Boy Summer. It was exactly the kind of heartbreaking book I wanted and I can't wait to read this new one. Especially because I love stories with sisters, families, and forbidden love interests.

The Book of Broken Hearts comes out May 21, 2013 from Simon Pulse.

Top Ten (Tuesday) Books When You Need Something Light and Fun

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that combines lists and books. This weeks topic is... Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light and Fun.

I picked 12 books, but only 10 authors, so that totally counts. Covers link to GoodReads.

I love happy-making books.

The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Novel: The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik

Summary (from GoodReads): Franny's supposed to be working this summer, not flirting. But you can't blame her when guys like Alex and Harry are around. . . .
Franny Pearson never dreamed she'd be attending the prestigious Mansfield Summer Theater Program. And she's not, exactly. She's working for her aunt, the resident costume designer. But sewing her fingers to the bone does give her an opportunity to spend time with her crush, Alex Braverman. If only he were as taken with the girl hemming his trousers as he is with his new leading lady.
When Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt, shows more than a friendly interest in Franny, she figures it can't hurt to have a little fun. But as their breezy romance grows more complicated, can Franny keep pretending that Harry is just a carefree fling? And why is Alex suddenly giving her those deep, meaningful looks? In this charming tale of mixed messages and romantic near-misses, one thing is clear: Flirting might be more trouble than Franny ever expected.

Thoughts: I didn't expect much of this book, but Kate made me read it, and I am so glad she did. Mostly, it is a romance. And it's a good one. At the beginning of the book I had chosen which guy I wanted Franny to end up with and was already mad, because I was convinced that she would end up with the other guy. Thankfully, LaZebnik is a better writer than I gave her credit for and the romance (with both boys) went exactly the way it needed to, without being cliche or boring. I loved that there were a lot of characters who are usually stereotypes, but were made into real people. LaZebnik challenged both her protagonist and the reader not to judge a person on first impressions, especially with her presentation of the two love interests.

The Trouble With Flirting takes place over a summer of theater camp and it killed me when all the characters went their separate ways at the end. I have no guarantees that the romance will last outside of the camp bubble and I really want it to last! On top of that, I spent the few days after reading this mourning the loss of new friends as if I had spent the summer at theater camp and had just returned home.

Moments I Loved: Makeouts in a grocery store while it rained outside.

WTF Moments: The moment where Franny needs to prove her worth to the love interest so that he'll take her back. In my opinion, this is the hardest kind of plot point to write and it didn't work for me in The Trouble With Flirting. It just made me embarrassed for Franny.

Overall: I miss Harry and wish this one wasn't a standalone.

The Trouble With Flirting gets a FakeSteph rating of...

and a half

I read The Trouble With Flirting on the recommendation of Kate and this review is part of her new meme, Book STD. I loved this book, so Kate lives to recommend books another day.

Sundays In Bed With... and Stacking the Shelves

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sun, 05 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Sundays in bed with is hosted by Kate at Midnight Book Girl. I've been reading this for a few days, but today, I'm in bed with...

Normally, this would be a one day read, but I just haven't had the time. It's so good, though, and I'm hoping to finish tonight!

Things you may have missed this week:
My May TBR Intervention is up: check out the stack and tell me what to read next. I'll pick a random commenter, read their vote, and then pass the book along to them.

I also shared a few tips for attending BEA, reviewed The Mark of Athena and Babe In Boyland, shared the top ten words that make me want to read a book, and got excited for the release of The Lucy Variations.

I acquired a few books this week. Once I started putting this post together, I got a little embarrassed... so I'm not even going to include all of the textbooks I bought.

For review:

Finding Rachel Davenport by Michael Harling (I'm not accepting too many review requests, because school keeps me crazy busy, but this one looks hilarious, so I couldn't resist.)

From the library:

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley
The Walking Dead #6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkland
David Sedaris: Live For Your Listening Pleasure (Audio Recording)

From Audible:

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal!)
What Really Happened in Peru (Magnus Bane Chronicles #1) by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
Six Years by Harlan Coben

Bought for Kindle:

Mila 2.0 Origins: The Fire by Debra Driza (free short)
Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King (I don't usually read non-fiction, but Devil in the Grove sounds amazing, plus in wont the Pulitzer.)

Bought for Nook:

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

What are you reading and what books did you get this week?

Tips for BEA

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sat, 04 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I wrote these tips the Friday after BEA 2012 so that I could remind myself of all the awesome tips I picked up.

1. Comfortable shoes. I know everybody says it, but seriously!!! The walking isn't the problem, the standing in line is. I had some great comfortable flats last year, but my feet still hurt every single night. I'm wearing a new pair of the same shoes I had last year, but I still might buy some insoles. I bought them at Target for 25 dollars and they are cute, comfortable, and even have some support. Plus they come in tons of colors.

2. Bring a suitcase. It cost 3 dollars to check a suitcase and it was completely worth it. I did not fill my suitcase up (I know plenty of people who did) and it was still worth it for me to bring. There was one day that I did not bring a suitcase and carrying around books all day killed my shoulder. It also made navigating an already crowded event that much harder. I used my suitcase to keep my jacket, umbrella, books, anything that I didn't want to carry around all day and then I put everything inside of it to wheel it home. The taxi line is long and the private cars are expensive, so I walked a mile back to my friends apartment every day. The day I didn't have the suitcase... the worst mile of my life.

3. Bring snacks and water. I threw granola bars and almonds in my bag. They were light and perfect for when I started getting hungry and cranky while standing in line. They also helped me make friends in these same lines.

4. EAT. Everyone says that the food at Javits is expensive and it is, but not prohibitively so. If you bring your own snacks and water, then you can buy a sandwich or salad for lunch and keep it under ten dollars a day. You are standing and walking all day, carrying books, chatting, and generally draining yourself of energy. Refueling your body is worth the Javits Center prices and it's going to ensure that you have enjoyable and productive afternoons. If you are a caffeine addict, throw a RedBull in the suitcase that you are going to check. The BEA Starbucks has a huge line and it is not worth going through. (If you need coffee, there was a sandwich stand upstairs that sold some and never had a line.)

5. Work two tote bags. I have a totebag that I use all the time and I used it as a purse at BEA. This is what I kept in it: Altoids, bandaids, snacks, water bottle, sweater, pen, business cards, wallet, extra tote bag, phone. When I got arcs, I pulled out one of my extra tote bag and used it just for books. I emptied the second tote FREQUENTLY. The walkways are crowded and keeping your bags small will help you navigate them.

6. Use your badge holder. You'll want to keep your badge visible so that people can see who you are. But there are there additional uses you should consider for your badge holder.

Tuck your business cards in there--it will give you easy access to your cards so that you don't have to dig through your bag every time you want to hand one out. Replenish your cards while standing in line throughout the day.
Keep your schedule tucked in there--I didn't figure this out until the last day, but it was great because I didn't have to dig through my bag looking for it every time I wanted it.
Finally, if you are getting your books personalized, write how you want your books personalized on a card and stick it in the back of your badge holder. Then, when you go up to a line, just flip your badge so the author can see how to write your name. This cuts down with the number of sticky notes you have to hold on to while waiting in line.

If you've gone to BEA before, is there anything I've missed? And if this is your first year, is there anything you want to know?

TBR Intervention: May 2013

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

TBR Intervention will run on the first Friday of every month in 2013.

Right now my TBR pile is so big that if it collapsed on me, it would take days to find my body. I don’t want to end up on hoarders, so every month, I’m giving you the opportunity to win a book from my stash.

Here’s how it will work:
1. The first Friday of every month, I’ll post a small stack from my TBR (4-5 books). Here are your choices for this month:

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (will be a new copy--see rule 3 below!)

The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan

2. Leave a comment with your vote on what I should read next. You have one week (ENDS on THURSDAY MAY 9, 2013 at 11:59PM ).

3. I'll pick and announce a random commenter on FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013. I then have one week to read the winner’s choice before putting it in the mail for them. If you already have the book, let me know in your comment! I'll read your choice but then pass it on to another commenter who voted for the same book!

Please familiarize yourself with my giveaway policy and here are a few important rules that apply just to TBR Intervention:

1. TBR Intervention will be open internationally to any where The Book Depository ships, because I reserve the right to avoid the customs form and just buy you a new copy.
2. In the case of personalized and signed books or e-books, I will send a new copy (paperback if available) to the winner via Amazon (for US) or The Book Depository (for international). However, if it is an unpersonalized signed copy... that book is up for grabs!
3. If my TBR book is an ARC of a book that has already been released, I will send a new copy to the winner via Amazon (for US) or The Book Depository (for international).

So tell me... what should I read next?

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Book: The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan; narrated by Joshua Swanson

Summary (from GoodReads): Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?
Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.
Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare....

Thoughts: This is the third book in a series I already love, so I'm predisposed to enjoy it. (You can read my reviews of the first book here and the second book here.) If you haven't read the series, here is what you need to know: it's awesome. There is tons of actions, loveable characters who have incredible powers, but still feel like underdogs, and the promise that the world will actually end if the heroes fail. The books are fun and funny. I think the POV characters in this book are my favorite of all of those we have had so far (three repeats, plus we get Annabeth's POV for the first time!).

While reading (well, listening) I thought about how quest books can be boring, but how that never happens in the Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus books and I wanted to talk a little about why I think that is. First, quests can be episodic. You go one place, you beat a bad guy, you go somewhere else and get something that is important for later in your quest, then (finally) you get to the big bad. Because of this, sometimes the action doesn't escalate, but that doesn't happen in The Mark of Athena (or any of Riordan's books). While there are episodes and stages of adventure, each one ends with the heroes worse off than they were before: a new enemy, the loss of something they need for the end of the quest, or questions about their ability to complete the quest. Instead of a feeling of accomplishment for beating each of the lesser bad guys, we get a mounting fear that maybe the next part of the adventure will be the problem our heroes can't solve.

Quest books are also full of characters giving advice and help. These books are no different. The gods show up and give advice and gifts as they see fit. Usually, in quest books, this drives me crazy, but it works in Riordan's books. The gods are petty. They do things for their own benefit and amusement. Because of this, both the heroes and the audience never know if the god is telling the truth or giving good advice. Sometimes they are being manipulative. Sometimes they are bored. Sometimes they are an enemy posing as an ally. But, always, they are prideful and dangerous and never as much help as they could be.

Moments I Loved: When Annabeth and Percy see each other for the first time since being separated. One of my favorite literary couples.

WTF Moments: CAN WE SAY CLIFFHANGER ENDING? (Although, in this case, it might be a pun.)

Narrators: I think a lot of listeners will love the performance by the narrator. Personally, it wasn't for me. Some of the voices I loved, but most of the girl voices weirded me out. Plus, I kept wondering about punctuation while listening... not a good sign.

Overall: A strong third book in a strong series. This is a quest book done right.

The Mark of Athena gets a FakeSteph rating of...

Waiting On Wednesday: The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Waiting On Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine, lets us book hoarding bloggers highlight a book we're excited for each week. This week I'm waiting on The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr.

GoodReads Description: Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

Why I'm Excited: I love Sara Zarr and this one sounds beautiful and inspiring! Plus Jen reviewed this on Monday, so even if I hadn't already been excited, I would be now!

The Lucy Variations comes out May 7 from Little, Brown.

Top Ten (Tuesday) Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Buy/Pick Up A Book

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that combines lists and books. This weeks topic is... Top Ten (Tuesday) Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Buy/Pick Up A Book. Unless otherwise noted, covers link to my review.

Con Artists

Spies

I never reviewed the first Gallagher Girls book, but you can read my review of the latest one here.

A "fresh take"

Forbidden romance

Serial Killers

Demons

Wow... these reviews link to the EARLY EARLY days of my blog.... wow....

Secret Societies

I can't believe I've never reviewed The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, because it's one of my all time faves. Check it out on goodreads.

Magic

Assassins

I'm.... not even sure what all this says about me.

Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Thank you to Jenny for sending this book to me!

Book: Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman

Summary (from GoodReads): When high school junior Natalie-or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper-is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected-especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

Thoughts: I originally wanted to read this because what teenage girl hasn't wanted to attend an all-boys boarding school? For the most part it was cute. There's not too much to say. I liked watching Nat realize that girls aren't the only ones completely baffled by the opposite sex. I adored her roommate, Emilio. There were a few laugh out loud funny moments and it was nice that Nat made friends with boys and learned not to be a total snob.

There was room to explore some of the more interesting issues... it's less than 300 pages and the first 100 could have been told in 40. However, even the things I liked didn't seem to be taken as far as they could have. Emilio makes a comment that Nat as a boy had him questioning his sexuality and I wish that had been more fully explored. Nat and her girlfriends are pretty superficial and annoying for most of the book and Nat's change did not feel earth shattering.

It is a fun story if you can get past the ridiculous premise. And the fact that Nat gets into the boys school because of a 12-year-old genius hacker that her best friend knows.

Moments I Loved: Nat has a crush on her roommate, who thinks she's a boy and sets her up with his sister. Hilarious.

WTF Moments: Any scene involving a bathroom.

Overall: Cute, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to.

Babe In Boyland gets a FakeSteph rating of...

and a half.

Dewey's Readathon Hour 8 Mini Challenge: Book Sentence

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The prize for this mini-challenge has now been awarded, but feel free to make and submit a sentence, just for fun! Congrats to A Literary Mafia and Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree.

HOUR 8:

BOOK SENTENCE

I'm so excited to co-host with Kate. We actually met during Dewey's readathon (the first time I had ever participated) and now we're real life friends who sometimes meet at Panera and are loud and a little obnoxious together.

There will be two winners drawn for this mini-challenge. (Kate and I are sharing one linky from which we will draw two winners total.) This mini-challenge will last three hours. To be qualified to win, you must link up before the end of the mini-challenge (6pm EST or before the beginning of hour 11).

First Prize: $15 Amazon gift certificate OR international: a book of choice up to $15.00 from The Book Depository.

Second Prize: A new copy of Pivot Point by Kassie West (I looooved this one. You can read my review here.) This prize is INTERNATIONAL TO ANYWHERE THE BOOK DEPOSITORY SHIPS.

For this mini-challenge, you need to create a sentence using the titles of books. You must use every word in the title, but you can add punctuation. Take a picture and upload to your blog, goodreads, twitter, tumblr... wherever you are participating! Here are two of my examples from a previous readathon:

Supernaturally entwined, the girl who was on fire shut out the other beautiful darkness.

Souless Troubletwisters hold still the lost hero.

I like creepy sentences.

Link up your blog post, tweet, tumblr, whatever you are using to participate in the Readathon.

Return of the 24 Hour Readathon!

noreply@blogger.com (fakesteph) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:16:00 +0000

Yep, it's that time of year again! I'm so excited to be participating in another 24 hour readathon! After the worst night's sleep ever, I'm starting an hour late... just in time to get ready and go to work! But I'll be listening to an audiobook. I'll be back during Hour 5 and then it will be on. I'm hoping to finish two books and a graphic novel, as well as make a decent dent in a third book and some audio.

Today, I've decided to theme read, just so I don't panic between books. I'm going to read retellings. My pile:
~~The Trouble With Flirting - P and retelling~~
~~Babe in Boy Land - modern Twelfth Night~~
Mark of Athena (audio) - mythology! 9
Scarlet - Little Red Riding Hood
The Amulet of Samarkand (graphic novel) - It's an adaptation of the book, so it totally counts as a retelling!

I plan to update this post throughout the day i order to avoid blowing up my feed.

HOUR ONE
Had terrible dreams, slept through my alarm. Worst start to readathon ever.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Virginia.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Blueberry bagel with cream cheese!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm going to be late for work if I don't stop blogging!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I'm going to let myself go to bed early, because I have to work tomorrow. I'm a little sad about it.

HOUR SIX
I'm home. I have coffee and a delicious cream cheese blueberry bagel. I'm seeing what I missed while I was at work and then I'm diving in to my current read: The Trouble With Flirting. Here are my quick catch ups:

In Hour 4 we were asked to retitle our current read. So, The Trouble With Flirting becomes... Girl works at a theater camp and is told most of the guys are gay, but still ends up in a love triangle. Also, this book is adorable.
I tweeted my self portrait for the hour 5 mini challenge.

Now I'm off to read. I'm going to comment like crazy during my next break.

HOUR EIGHT
I'm still working on my first book, but it's super cute. I'm taking my time and just enjoying it. Highlights so far:

I won a prize during hour 7!
The mini-challenge I'm hosting with Kate went live during hour 8.
The fabulous Sheila posted this HILARIOUS VIDEO:

I'm so excited to see what sentences people come up with for the challenge.

HOUR EIGHTEEN
I'm not sure if it's because I'm tired, but the videos posted on the readathon site the last few hours... hilarious! Wow... I just can't take it.

It's now hour 18 and I've finished two books. I'm going to start one more and then head to bed early. I'm a slow reader, but I feel good about the reading I got done today. I tweeted more than I've blogged and as much as I love the social aspects of this readathon, it's been nice to just sit and read for long stretches of time today. It's been lovely and hopefully next readathon, I'll be available for the full 24 hours.