Category Archives: Book Review
Mini Book Reviews: Tomorrow Is Today and Beasts and BFFs
Tomorrow Is Today (Tempest #0.5) by Julie Cross
Rating: 5 stars
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, throws lots of parties, is interested in a girl he can’t have, and oh yeah, he can travel back through time.But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
Tomorrow is Today is such a fun look into the world of Tempest. Tempest is a book that I absolutely loved, so this prequel look was just great. I was sad when it ended, as I had gotten so caught back up into Jackson, Holly, and Adam’s world. After finishing, I basically wanted to go pick up Tempest and reread it once again. This was a nice tide over for me until next year when book 2 is out, and I can dive back into Jackson’s story.
Beasts and BFFs (13 to Life #0.5) by Shannon Delany
Rating: 3.5 stars
A Bonus 13 to Life Prequel Story.
Meet Jessie Gillmansen as she realizes that things might not be what they seem in the town of Junction.
This series is a lot of fun, and Beasts and BFFs was no exception. It was a really short snippet into Jess’s life before the werewolves came into her life, and I really enjoyed reading it. I was sad to see it end, as the world Shannon Delany has crafted is so easy to get caught up in. Plus, I just ADORE that cover!
(If you loved Tempest or the 13 To Life series and want these novellas, they are free novellas! I linked in the titles to Amazon if you are interested)
Making Waves by Nicole Leigh Shepherd Book Review
Making Waves (Pretty Tough #5)
Nicole Leigh Shepherd
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: April 26, 2012
Pages: 246
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars
It’s summer break for the girls at Beachwood Academy and that means sun, surf, and sensational escapades at the Beachwood Country Club. Abby, a rising sophomore, is so excited to have gotten a last-minute gig as a lifeguard, especially because jobs are usually reserved for club members.
Abby desperately wants to win the annual lifeguarding competition, and with it a college scholarship. But when she arrives for her first day on the job, she finds herself face-to-face with some serious club member attitude. And there’s an even bigger surprise waiting for her: the gorge senior boy she’s been pining over ever since they met at a swimming competition earlier this year.
Can Abby break through the rules, regs, and mean girls to be the first-ever non-club member to win the summertime lifeguarding competition and maybe even the boy of her dreams?
I just love the Pretty Tough series. Books with girls who play sports are always some of my favorite sort of reads, and Making Waves delivers an awesome read with some serious drama, lifeguarding, and friendship fun.
It was really fun to get to know Abby in this one. I just love the characters in this series, and in Making Waves, quite a few new characters pop up. All the characters always have such a great story to tell. I just loved Brody. He was such a great guy.
Making Waves holds a plot that was a ton of fun to read. Right away I was swept up into Abby’s world. While there is a romance in this one, there also is focus on friendship as well, which is always lovely. I wanted there to be a bit more drama at the end. There was a really great build up of the plot throughout the whole book, but I felt like everything was a bit too simplistic.
A must read for anyone who loves a good contemporary. Making Waves by Nicole Leigh Shepherd was a fast paced, all around fun kind of read. I look forward for the next installment in this series, as I just love it so much. It’s a perfect blend of the beach, drama, romance, and some good old friendships.
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze Book Review
The Last Princess
Galaxy Craze
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Pages: 304
Challenges: 2012 Debut Author Challenge
Rating: 4.5 stars
Happily ever after is a thing of the past.
A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.
When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.
Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope—and to love—once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become… The Last Princess.
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze was one awesome read! It was one of those books that I knew within the first 10 pages that I was going to love it. I read straight through this one, devouring every page.
I loved the plot – it was constant action and a lot of intrigue. The plot doesn’t let up for a moment, so it was a really fast paced read. My one complaint about The Last Princess is that some of the pacing felt a bit off. The first half of the novel was very nicely paced, but a ton happened in the second half and it seemed like it should have been a bit more spread out.
The world Galaxy Craze has created in The Last Princess is eerie and frankly, downright scary at parts. I just loved it. It was so easy to get caught up in the characters world, and with that, be very swept into the plot.
The characters in The Last Princess were a really strong set. I really liked Wesley – I wished he had had a bit bigger of a role, as he was wonderful. Eliza was a really strong heroine, I really liked her as well. I do wish the character motivations had been explored a bit more in-depthly, as what they did made sense and worked but you never really knew why.
The ending was very clever. I cannot wait to see what follows it with the rest of Eliza’s story in the sequel. The characters in this book each had such a unique tale to tale – I would especially love to know Portia or Westley’s history. I really just loved this one a ton.
I would definitely recommend The Last Princess to everyone! It’s a very cool dystopian in the sense you never really have an idea of what year you are in. I loved the plot and the characters were great – a must read!
Endure by Carrie Jones Blog Tour
Endure (Need #4)
Carrie Jones
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Pages: 272
Rating: 4.5 stars
It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.
Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .
Since the day I finished Entice, I have been dying to know how Carrie Jones would wrap up this series that I have come to love. Endure was nothing like I was expecting and was the perfect ending to the series!
Endure has landed itself the spot of my second favorite book in the series. Need is still my favorite, but Endure comes in a very close second. The stakes are high in Endure and Carrie Jones has pulled out all the stops. The plot was completely unpredictably and I was on the edge of my seat for basically the whole book. The opening pages of Endure had me a bit worried that it would be very angsty but that was not the case at all.
I love how easily Carrie Jones weaves in different mythologies into this series – it is just fascinating to see how they will be incorporated and how things will pan out. Carrie Jones always adds a little extra narrative to the chapter beginnings, and in Endure, it is little news snippets or police reports. I just love those short and sweet start to all the chapters.
One of the awesome things about this series is its focus on great bonds of friendship and that is really highlighted in Endure. Zara has some of the best friends anyone can wish for, and I love all the scenes that are her and her friends sitting around planning.
The characters really just make this series – they all are so great. I just love both Issie and Cassidy- they are both such wonderful characters. Zara has really grown as a character throughout the series, but she makes the most growth through Endure.
Endure by Carrie Jones was a really great read. I was a bit nervous to see how the story would end, especially since Entice was not my favorite book of the series. Everything is tied up, there’s a ton of action, and all the characters I loved from the previous books in the series were back in action.
The Rock of Ivanore by Laurisa White Reyes Book Review
The Rock of Ivanore
Laurisa White Reyes
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Release Date: May 15, 2012
Pages: 356
Challenges: 2012 Debut Author Challenge, 2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge
Rating: 3 stars
The annual Great Quest is about to be announced in Quendel, a task that will determine the future of Marcus and the other boys from the village who are coming of age. The wizard Zyll commands them to find the Rock of Ivanore, but he doesn’t tell them what the Rock is exactly or where it can be found. Marcus must reach deep within himself to develop new powers of magic and find the strength to survive the wild lands and fierce enemies he encounters as he searches for the illusive Rock. If he succeeds, he will live a life of honor; if he fails, he will live a life of menial labor in shame. With more twists and turns than a labyrinth, and a story in which nothing is at it seems, this tale of deception and discovery keeps readers in suspense until the end.
The Rock of Ivanore by Laurisa White Reyes was a cute coming of age fantasy. It had a charming cast of characters and a rather simplistic plot.
The beginning was a bit confusing to me – there were two points of view, but the way the other was integrated was a bit confusing. I didn’t feel like the voices were different enough, and it was very jarring because I was confused as to who this other random person was. The story did come together, and then the story made a lot more sense.
The plot is a ton of fun – the happy go lucky, questish type. There were a lot of instances where I felt things were too simple. Everything seemed to simply fall into the characters paths, and given the nature of their quest, that seemed a bit unrealistic. I did like how there was an element of mystery that followed the entire plot – you weren’t ever completely sure where the plot would take you next.
The characters were a ton of fun. Xerxes was a hoot. I loved his snarky comments he threw in everywhere they went. Jayson was another favorite character of mine – I loved that you never could quite figure him out. I really liked Bryn’s transformation of character throughout the book. A lot of the more minor characters are what made the book for me, like Vos was in such a small part of the book but he was awesome!
Fans of middle grade fantasy will definitely enjoy this one. I had a little trouble getting into it, but once I did the pages just flew by. I wasn’t completely content with the plot, but for me, the characters forgave that.
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker Book Review
Unbreak My Heart
Melissa Walker
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Pages: 240
Challenges: Completely Contemp Challenge
Rating: 5 stars
Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.
Since I finished Small Town Sinners, I have been waiting for another Melissa Walker book. And with Unbreak My Heart, Melissa Walker delivers the perfect summer story that was just way too cute.
Clem was such an easy main character to connect with, as a lot of things about her just reminded me of things in my life. James is pretty much the most adorable guy ever – seriously, where can I find one like that? I loved how spunky and fun Olive was – she was so funny!
The plot was so heartbreaking and touching at the same time. I loved the alternating chapters – they both had so much story to tell and I couldn’t wait to read more to find out exact what had happened to Clem. Clem and Jame’s story was so easy to fall in love with, and it was so lighthearted and nice, despite the happenings that are kind of haunting both of them this summer.
I was so sad to see this one end – I wish it had went on a little longer. This was just the perfect book to read on a nice summer day, and definitely made me want to go boating again!
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker was an awesome read. I love her writing, her characters, and the stories she shares with readers. Unbreak My Heart is a book you will be sad to miss! Melissa Walker is just a master of contemporary, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
Worth the Risk by Robin Bielman Book Review
Worth the Risk
Robin Bielman
Publisher: Entangled Publishing: Ever After
Release Date: April 25, 2012
Pages: 92
Rating: 4.5 stars
Their love was ancient history…until their paths crossed again.
Samantha Bennett put Dean Malloy out of her mind five years ago, when he broke her heart after a summer fling. But now he’s back in her life, and ready to steal a heritage protection contract that could make or break her career–if he doesn’t steal her heart first. Samantha’s vowed to hate him, but it’s more than anger heating the competition between them.
With sparks flying across the conference table and sizzling in every touch, Dean proposes a weekend liaison. Anything to have Sam again; anything to get her out of his system. But the unresolved feelings between them complicate both their personal and professional lives, and one wild weekend could turn into a disaster that would destroy the one job that means more to Samantha than anything. For a shot at love…is it worth the risk?
Worth the Risk by Robin Bielman was such an adorable read! I simply devoured this one and I just fell in love with both the story and the characters.
Dean and Samantha had such chemistry, and Robin Bielman builds this up right away. The sparks were definitely flying between the two of them. The other elements of the plot beyond just Dean and Samantha’s relationship were great as well.
I just didn’t want this one to end. Robin Bielman stole my heart on page one with this one, and it was just so much fun to read! The characters just made this one that much better – all of them were awesome.
For someone who wants a fun, adorable romance, this is the one for you! I read nearly straight through this one, only stopping to go to class, and even then I was reading through it. A must read for fans of contemporary romance.
From the Back of My Shelf (15): Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie Book Review
From the Back of My Shelf is a bi-monthly event, that happens on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month where you pull a book from the back of your shelf (with a 2010 release or prior) and review it. It’s a way to read some of those books that have been gathering dust while new books came out. Feel free to join in and participate, and link your reviews up in the Mr Linky below. Check out more in my intro post here here.
Manhunting
Jennifer Crusie
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: October 19, 2007
Pages: 328
Rating: 4.5 stars
Kate Svenson may be a dynamite businesswoman—but after three failed engagements, she’s decided she’s hopeless at romance. What she needs is a Business Plan to help her find Mr. Right. The Cabins resort is ripe with eligible bachelors, all rich and ambitious—just her type. But they’re dropping like flies, and after fishing Kate’s latest reject out of the swimming pool Jake Templeton is convinced that Kate is nothing but trouble. Especially for him. A man who’s sworn off ambition and a woman hanging from the top of the corporate ladder don’t have much in common. But in that unpredictable territory known as the heart, anything can happen…
I asked April from Good Books and Good Wine for some contemporary romance recommendations, as I was out of what I had and I knew she read quite a few. She responded back with JENNIFER CRUSIE. I wanted to read something right then, so I looked at what books were available for checkout as an ebook from the library at the moment. There were about 5 Jennifer Crusie ones available, and April recommended I start with Manhunting, and boy am I happy she recommended it, as it was awesome!
Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie was about the most adorable thing ever. I read straight through this one and fell in love with the characters and the story they had to tell. This was the perfect contemporary romance that I was looking for.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one when I was starting. I wasn’t sure about Kate, but she really grew on me as a character, and by a few chapters in I was completely sold. There were so many aw moments and everything that happened was just great. All the scenes out on the boat or in the lake, along with the scenes at Nancy’s bar was definitely my favorites.
Jake and Kate were so adorable and I loved the chemistry between then. The tension between them builds and builds until its about to burst. All the characters were just great. I loved Will, Mark, Penny, Nancy, the whole crew. I wasn’t expecting to love Penny as a character as much as I did – she definitely grew on me. Nancy was a hoot and just an all around awesome lady!
This is a must read for fans of a good contemporary romance. It was sweet, cute, and all around awesome. I definitely will be checking out more from Jennifer Crusie in the future!
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth Book Review
Struck
Jennifer Bosworth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Pages: 373
Challenges: 2012 Debut Author Challenge
Rating: 3.5 stars
Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth was an interesting read. Here’s the thing about this one – everything about it was super cool, it was just extremely slow. It wasn’t til almost page 200 that I thought things picked up and got really intense. In her unique and enticing debut, Jennifer Bosworth delivers a suspenseful story filled with intrigue and action.
Cult books are always so fascinating, and Jennifer Bosworth does this so well. The Prophet and his Followers are almost a bit scary at points of the book. That along with the whole idea with the lightening and the “Spark” was just so neat! It was just so alluring.
Struck was a fascinating read once I really got into it. I did like the first half of the book, but it was so slow that I felt like this took away from some aspects of the plot. But all is forgiven when that last part of the book hit, as Jennifer Bosworth doesn’t hold back. It was so intense and I could not put it down at all. There were several twists that I did not see coming at all, and it was awesome!
The characters were an interesting mix – Jeremy and Mia were awesome. I loved both of them, especially when they were together. Militiaman Brent was pretty cool as well, even though he only played a very small role in the book. Katrina kind of grated on my nerves, as did Parker. They both were just kind of obnoxious.
The ending was awesome. I loved how nicely everything was tied up, and the last page was seriously about the most adorable thing ever.
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth is a book you will have to stick with to get through the slower beginning. But it is definitely worth it! Overall this was a promising debut from Jennifer Bosworth and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Underworld by Meg Cabot Book Review
Underworld (Abandon #2)
Meg Cabot
Publisher: Point
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Pages: 336
Challenges: 2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge
Rating: 5 stars
Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.
But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.
And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.
After reading Abandon, I simply could not wait to read Underworld. I am happy to share that Underworld was basically everything I was looking for in a sequel. It was enticing, quick paced, and one heck of a read. I cannot wait for Awaken, book 3, after the awesome that was Underworld.
Quite literally, by about page 3 I was completely sucked in and didn’t put Underworld down until I had finished. Meg Cabot has taken the myth of Persephone and Hades and modernized and changed it, which makes this series so much fun to read. Everything is new and exciting, since I never know what changes Meg Cabot is going to have made. The plot is always intense, and the scenes between Pierce and John are just adorable. I love the banter between them.
I love John. He is such a complex character and has such charm – I can’t help but to love him. Readers learn so much more about his character and background in Underworld, which was neat. Pierce really grows as a character in Underworld, which made me like her even more. She is just such a great main character. In Underworld, a lot of new characters are introduced, and I really loved them all. They all brought something different to the story.
The ending was an absolute killer! The wait for Awaken is going to be intense indeed. The way Meg Cabot has built the story, Awaken is going to just blow the tops off of both Abandon and Underworld, which I am super excited about. Is it next year yet?
This series is one of my favorites. I just love how Meg Cabot has really made the myth her own and went with it. It is so wonderful, and I could just reread it over and over. Underworld by Meg Cabot is a book you will be sad to have missed.
And Underworld‘s cover is just as gorgeous as Abandon‘s – these are some of my all time favorite covers!
