Review Of: The Force Of Gravity

"I blast the stereo in a vain attempt to drown out my thoughts. I don’t want to be thinking about him and analyzing every detail of first period. It makes me feel like a young, foolish girl, and I’m embarrassed that I can’t control the way my body reacts every time his eyes meet mine."

In a quiet town in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, everything in life is seemingly perfect for eighteen-year-old Kaley Kennedy. She has loving parents, loyal friends, and is dating the hottest boy in school. With only a few months left of her senior year, she’s looking forward to an epic summer before heading off to Los Angeles for college.

Without warning, a gorgeous new math teacher interrupts Kaley’s predictable little world, challenging who she is. Suddenly, parties, dates, and Friday nights with her friends seem empty and unfulfilling as she finds herself obsessing over his every move. Desperate for something more, but determined to ignore her fierce attraction, every single relationship in her life begins to crumble by forces beyond her control. Struggling to transition from adolescence to adulthood, Kaley must choose between playing it safe or risking more than just her heart. . . 

At about the 50% mark I was standing on the edge trying to decide if I really wanted to finish this book or not.  I really thought I wouldn't but by some miracle I was able to push through and make it to the finish line.

I have no problem reading teacher/student relationship but the way TFOG is written made it really hard to trudge through.  Really I should say it was the characters that made it hard for me to accept their reality. Our MC Kaley is 18 and Mr. Slate is only 25 so the age gap isn't creepy at all.  Mr. Slate takes over Kaley's math class in March of her senior year so it's not as if they forever till Kaley graduates.  All of those facts combine to make it possible to read TFOG without feeling icky about it. What makes it hard to get through is the fact that Kaley is a very immature 18.  From her fights with her friends and boyfriend (yeah, she has a boyfriend who is very much her age) to the grudges she holds against her parents she shows how young her thought process really is.  There were a couple of instances where I really thought Slate would come to his senses and call her out on her child like tantrums. He didn't. Because he thinks she's amazing baby. *Eye roll*

If her immaturity wasn't enough, they're lust filled relationship definitely sealed the deal.  Remember how I said he took over the class in March? Yeah, from day one Kaley couldn't think or act straight around him, beginning the cringe worthy moments that would stay present for me throughout the whole book.  Which, this is one thing I don't understand.  Why is it these girls can't control themselves in the face of their crush? Pull yourselves together ladies, it is possible to lust after someone without revealing yourself and making yourself look a fool. Lordy.  Kaley isn't the only one to blame though because Mr. Slate falls head over heels for Kaley the moment she walks into class.  From that moment on they are both doomed.  They call it love but it is soo lust.  They know nothing about each other, not even by the end of the book! And the declaration he makes at the end? Ha! Give me a break.  I would give them maybe 6 months in the real world before the whole thing fell apart! And that's being optimistic!

Obviously,  I didn't like the Force of Gravity.  Does that mean you shouldn't try it? No, but don't say I didn't warn you!

Review Of: Anna and the French Kiss

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's waiting for?

Oh Anna. How do I explain my feelings for you?

I really wanted to love Anna and the French Kiss as I've heard nothing but good things about the whole series.  I didn't hate it, but I feel pretty impartial to it.  I think that if the main couple weren't a bunch of cheaters and hypocrites I would have had a better bond with them resulting in me feeling a better connection to the story. 

If I separate the facts from the love story it is very charming, it's also in no way an instant love type of situation which helped with my opinion of the overall book. Anna and St. Clair's relationship builds up over time, from acquaintances to friends to best friends to love.  It was fun and heartfelt watching their relationship bloom, if only they would have waited until St. Clair had ended things with his girlfriend!

There were secondary characters present and while they don't completely fade into the background there isn't a whole lot of interaction between them and Anna.  I believe a few of them will pop up in the next books but I can't say that after Anna I'm left wondering what happens with them.

Overall, Anna and the French Kiss is an enjoyable contemporary romance about a girl making her place in a new world and gaining friendship as well as love along the way.  If you don't hold tight to your morals I'm sure you will enjoy reading Anna's story.

Review Of: The Stars Never Rise

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

Oh, how amazing this book was.  There were so many twists and surprises that I didn't expect, at all, which totally added to my enjoyment The Stars Never Rise.

I've read my fair share of books about angels and I'm no stranger to stories involving demons but this was a whole new take on the whole thing. The writing and pacing was fantastic, the characters unique in their own right and the love aspect....a challenge that I am dying to see play out.

 

I really don't want to say too much for fear of giving away things that I enjoyed being surprised by. For what it's worth, I completely loved the book and can't wait for the next installment!

Sexy Saturday Spotlight: All I Want By J. Daniels

Sexy Saturday Spotlight is a new feature where I shine the spotlight on some of the steamier books I read.  These books are usually rated 18+.

This week the spotlight is shining on All I Want by J. Daniels.

Luke Evans is a heartbreaker.
I didn’t want to give mine to him. Not when he kept me out.
He gave me enough, just enough to make me fall in love with him. I say this to convince myself. But I know the truth.
I would’ve fallen in love with him at a distance.
Handing my heart over to Luke was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I was naive when I wished for more, when I hoped he wanted the same things I did.
I try to hate him. I try to forget him.
But it’s not that easy.
Love is a ruthless bitch, and I’m her latest victim.

Tessa Kelly is a man-eater.
When she sets her sights on you, she doesn’t just consume your heart, she goes for your soul.
What we had was perfect, real, and all I would ever want.
But she destroyed it.
She destroyed us.
I try to hate her. I try to forget her.
But it’s not that easy.
Love is for people who have hope, and I have none.

All I want is the second book in the companion series Alabama Summer.  It technically can be read alone but if you want the background of Mia and Ben you should start with Where I Belong.

One thing I will say about these books is that everyone cusses like a sailor!  I don't know of anyone in real life who uses the word Fuck so frequently in day to day conversations, not to mention pussy and titties.  It's one thing to run across those words during sex scenes but the characters use them freely throughout normal conversations with each other.

All I Want is just as steamy as the Where I Belong but this story belongs to Tessa and Luke.  Luke has a lot of background issues that he wants to keep from Tessa, not because he doesn't love her but because he wants to protect her from it.  Tessa believes he doesn't actually want a future with her causing her to resent him. This all starts the cycle of misunderstanding and heartbreak.

Luke represents the kind of guy every girl wants to take home and fix.  That, along with his stellar skills in the bedroom, combine to make it impossible for Tessa to walk away.  Their so called hatred for each other equates to some steamy angry sex along with sensual make up sex.  For two people who hate each other they have a lot of sex, which I was okay with. I mean, seriously.

I actually preferred Mia and Ben's relationship to Tessa adn Luke, which made me prefer the sex scenes in Where I Belong.  That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy Tessa and Luke, they were still amazing and if I had read them first I probably would have had no problems.  But as it stands Tessa and Luke come in second place.

Review Of: A Court Of Thorns and Roses

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Magnificent. That word sums up my feelings about Sarah J.Maas' latest series.  I tried to get into Throne of Glass but failed, I'm now reconsidering my rash decision on it, in fact I may go out tomorrow and buy the whole damn series.

I'm not the best at reading books about faeries but goodness there are some yummy fae in this book, which btw I'm totally team Tamlin.  I have a feeling that ship will be put to the test in the next book.  I found Feyra to be a solid character who shows growth and potential. Although, I believe I may have reasons to want to throttle her in the next book but she could surprise me.  Also, talk about steamy scenes! There are a few moments between Tamlin and Feyra that are cause for a cold shower, I loved it!  Along with a mysterious anti hero who left me thinking of switching to the dark side. (Sorry Tam! I still love you!)

A Court Of Thorns and Roses starts off slow.  I'm not going to lie, I put it down several times in the first few chapters but once we had a firm grasp on how things work in this magical world the pace starts to pick up.  Towards the end of the book I started to grow concerned that certain events would be stretched out causing the timing to slow way down but turns out I had no reason to worry. Also, there was no pesky cliff hanger.  Readers are left knowing that there is more to come but without the feeling of holding your breath until the next book appears.

I'm pretty excited about this new series. It's an excellent example of how amazing the New Adult genre can be.  It still contains the feel of a YA fantasy but mixes it with some steamy writing targeted for the older audience.  As long as it doesn't turn into a horrible love triangle mess, I see it being amazing.

Review Of: Salt and Blood

“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”

These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.

Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.

As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt.

I was really, really looking forward to Salt and Blood.  Horror plus romance = my favorite thing. 

The first few chapters seemed to be heading in the right direction, but, then the rest of the book happened. Sadly, Salt and Blood left me feeling bored in both the romance and horror departments.  I didn't really feel anything between Dane and Ash, I didn't get goosebumps from the corn, and the ending left me feeling like I had completely wasted my time.  It did pick up towards the last few chapters and I started to feel excited but how things are wrapped up throws all the good parts out the window.  

I obviously liked it enough to finish it, which is saying something, but I figure in a few days most of the details will fade away.  As much as I would like to know how things finally end up, I seriously doubt that I pick up the second book.

Sexy Saturday Spotlight: Where I Belong

Sexy Saturday Spotlight is a new feature I'm going to test out. It's going to be where I put a spotlight on some of the sexier books I read, usually ones that come with a warning for 18+ due to sexual situations.

This week the spotlight is shining on Where I Belong by J. Daniels.

When Mia Corelli returns to Alabama for a summer of fun with her childhood best friend, Tessa, there's only one thing keeping her on edge. One person that she’d do anything to avoid.

Benjamin Kelly. World’s biggest dickhead.

Mia hates him with a fury and has no desire to ever see him again. When she decides to start her summer off with a bang and finally give away her v-card, she unknowingly hands it over to the one guy that excelled at making her life miserable, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

Always get the name of the guy you’re going home with.

Ben can’t get the girl he spent one night with out of his head. When she leaves him the next morning, he thinks he’ll never see her again. Until he sees her lounging by the pool with his sister.

Mia is determined to hate Ben, even though she can’t forget him.

Ben is determined to prove he’s not the same guy he used to be.

What happens when the one person you wish never existed becomes the one person you can’t imagine being without?

Where I Belong is told from the POVs of Mia and Ben, the transition from one to the other is smooth and easy to follow.  The relationship between Mia and Ben is strained due to their history but full of chemistry and delicious tension...which makes it that much more satisfying when they give in to each other.  While there are plenty of steamy scenes there is enough story line to keep the book feeling like a romance novel rather than a book full of just sex.

I did fully enjoy Where I Belong, but there were actions and scenarios that irritated me.  Like how easily Mia forgives Ben.  The dude tormented her as a child, causing her to feel insecure in her skin because she was overweight and had braces.  But as soon as she returns to her hometown, having lost the weight and the braces, Ben has a miraculous turn around and is full of lust for her.  I kind of would like to see how he would have felt about Mia if she had returned without braces but still heavy...would he have felt the same? Granted he has gone through a lot of change himself so it's possible he would have still given her a chance but I kind of doubt it, especially since he's dreading her arrival prior to seeing her.

Where I Belong is the first book of a series of companion books.  I'm hoping to be able to get into the next books but sometimes I have trouble with companion books since I'm stuck on the original couple's story.  Either way I'm sure it will amount to some heated stories.

Review Of: What I Thought Was True

Gwen Castle has never so badly wanted to say good-bye to her island home till now: the summer her Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, takes a job there as the local yard boy. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

I absolutely adored Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door so I was super excited to get my hands on her next book What I Thought Was True.  I had to stop and start the book twice, a year apart, before I could finally force myself to finish it.  I don't know if it was that I didn't like the characters or the story itself but something kept me from falling in love with the book.

Gwen is trying to find herself, she's struggling with the fact that she doesn't have a set plan for the future whereas it seems like her best friend and cousin both have their future's mapped out.  All Gwen knows is that she desperately wants to leave town rather than find herself stuck like her parents and grandparents. At the end of the book, while a lot of things have changed, everyone still seems to know what they're going to do except Gwen.  In fact, Gwen doesn't really make a whole bunch of decisions aside from whether or not she is going to give Cassidy (love interest) a second chance, or really, a first chance.  The entire time she seems hell bent on thinking of Cass as an ass but at the same time pines after him like a love sick puppy.  When we have enough of a flash back memory to piece the whole story together (because to be truthful we as the reader have no idea what is going on for most of the book) it turns out that  Cass really didn't do a whole lot to deserve Gwen's wrath. And the advice from Gwen's dad? Not that fantastic....not even that much of a lead up to it other than the mention in the summary.

Whatever the reason, What I Thought Was True and I just didn't see eye to eye.  Even so I'm not giving up on Fitzpatrick, she has proven that she can write a book that I love, this just wasn't it.

Review Of: Roomies

Graham Malone is my roommate, my personal eye candy, the reason I get up in the morning smiling (that could be from the illicit dreams I have about him too, I suppose. Let's move on.). He's also beautiful to look at, but his heart is where his true beauty lies. Take away the exterior and the interior still shines. 

I love him. I mean, I'm pretty sure I do, having never been in love before. Anyway, it seems legit. 

And now his brother Blake is here, and, well, he's the complete opposite of Graham. Sarcastic, brooding, and totally available. But he's leaving soon, and Graham's the one I want. I shouldn't have to remind myself of this, right? I wouldn't have to if Blake would quit looking at me like I'm something yummy and he's starving.

Here's a toast to roomies; the ones you should never fall in love with. Or something.

Yes, Roomies could be classified as your generic, over done, love triangle contemporary but I can't hold that against it because it was so adorkable (yeah, I just made that up). 

Yes, it drove me insane that Kennedy and Graham could not see what was in front of them but they were so fun to watch/read that I can forgive them their shortcomings.  

Yes, Kennedy"s inner monologue took a couple of chapters for me to wrap my brain around it, in fact it borders on annoying, but she is so full of sass and attitude and sarcasm... I loved it and her.  

So while I don't have a lot to say about Roomies I do believe it's worth a read, especially if you're in the mood for a short and easy to get through story about two people who were made for each other.

Review Of: Something Real

There’s nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart…because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

This book.  This booook.  Seriously, you all NEED this book.

I started Something Real in the afternoon, I didn't put Something Real down until I finished it at 12am that night...  a work night... That's kinda a big deal, considering now that I have kids and never get decent sleep, I don't allow myself to stay up late.

Chloe aka Bonnie, I frigging loved her. She was so real, she was so brave, she deserves a better mother. Which brings me to Beth. I flipping hate Beth.  Repulsive human being.

Luckily, Chloe has carved out a small place for herself in her new town so she has this amazing support system. Not to mention her amazing brother Benny and her hunk of a boy crush Patrick. What I'm trying to say is that the character relationships rocked and filled me with the warm fuzzies and helped combat the stabby feeling I was having towards Beth.

The whole premise of this book is that Chloe's family is the center of this "reality" tv show, Baker's Dozen. People everywhere spend their time watching, reading, and tweeting anything and everything that has to do with the Baker's Dozen. Chloe and her siblings have all grown up in the camera eye, as in from birth.  Much like our very own Jon and Kate Plus 8 phenomenon.  Chloe has grown to hate it and blames it for breaking up her family, rightfully so I believe.  Chloe brings to light a whole lot of reality about how warped our societies obsession with all things reality has become. I feel this quote in particular sums up everything in life right now. Seriously.

Granted, I'm agreeing with this quote as I sit here typing a review that I will eventually make public, after having just shot off an instagram picture about writing said post. Irony.

Something Real is full of witty and sarcastic conversations while touching on some serious issues.  It ends in a way that keeps it grounded and feeling relatable; things don't always wrap up nicely in life. I completely recommend this book to everyone and highly suggest you get to it sooner rather than later.

Review Of: Shadow and Bone

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Recommended For:
People who enjoy fantasy aspects and who are ok with romance being involved.  Shadow and Bone has the same feel as Throne of Glass it just isn't as long.

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I seriously loved this book....I seem to be saying that a lot but what can I say? Shadow and Bone was truly a remarkable story start to finish. 

Leigh Bardugo does an excellent job of painting the scene and immersing her readers into this world of fantasy.  From the characters to the rich Grisha aspect everything seemed completely fleshed out and well composed.

One thing I really kind of enjoyed is the fact that I never knew who to trust or what certain characters intentions were.  It actually left me feeling betrayed at times.. Weird thing to enjoy, I know, but what I'm saying is that I truly ended  up feeling like a part of the story.  Alina's suspicions were my suspicions, her betrayal my betrayal, her loneliness my loneliness.  I love books that can make me feel all the feels with the characters.

Shadow and Bone is just the beginning of Alina and Mal's journey and I can't wait to continue it with Siege and Storm.

Review Of: A Thousand Pieces Of You

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

Recommended For:

People who like their romance with a side of sci-fi and adventure.

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I must admit I didn't start out liking A Thousand Pieces Of You.   In fact, I started it several months ago only to put it back on the shelf.  I'm so glad I gave it another chance, it was well worth it.  

I feel like I should point out the fact that I don't like sci-fi....I mean cut and dry sci-fi.  It bores me. So what bothered others about this book didn't bother me.  Some readers were expecting more sci-fi and scientific explanations.  Whereas I was looking for a romance with a sci-fi feel.  I don't need explanations on how things work, if the author tells me the characters can fly then I believe them and I don't ask why or how.

The whole idea of dimensional travel is unique to me, so much so that I had to remind myself that they weren't just traveling back in forth in time but different realities.  At the same time it was relatively easy to follow along with so I didn't have to spend a whole lot of time thinking about it. 

It is my duty to warn you that there is a love triangle...of sorts...you'll see what I mean. However none of the love is instant, the characters have grown up, in a way, with each other so they have plenty of background to fall on.

While there were plenty of twists and turns that I had no idea were coming there was one fact that I guessed from the beginning and I'm so glad I was right!  Nonetheless it was a nerve wracking journey to the end, and the end was just the beginning!

Review Of: Ember X

**Mature Content Advisory** 

Recommended for readers 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

For nineteen-year-old Ember, life has always been about death. With a simple touch, she can see when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person that knows her secret is her best friend Raven. 

But that changes when she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous and mysterious and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. The silence he instills in her mind and body allows her to feel things she’s never been able to before, so despite her initial reservations, Ember lets Asher into her life and lets herself to get close to him. But the closer they get, the more Ember realizes that Asher is keeping secrets from her.

When unexplained deaths begin to surface in her town, Ember questions why she can’t see Asher's death and what it is he’s hiding from her...

Recommended For:

People who can overlook immaturity and grammatical errors and are much more forgiving than I am.

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So apparently there is a YA version of this book,  as in it's the exact same story and POV but this version has a lot more steam.  Leave it to me to choose the steamy version... 

Well, steamy version or not, I just couldn't get into it.  I've read two other books by Jessica Sorenson and maybe it was my age and reading experience at the time but I thought they were world's better than Ember X.  To me the writing and characters in Ember came across extremely juvenile and petty.  

I had no choice but to chalk this one up as a fail. It had great potential, the idea behind the book really interested me, but it just didn't make it there.