{Blog Tour} Book Review: The Girl from the Well - Rin Chupeco

Title: Girl from the Well

Author: Rin Chupeco
Release Date: August 5th 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley
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You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.

A dead girl walks the streets.

She hunts murderers. Child killers, much like the man who threw her body down a well three hundred years ago.

And when a strange boy bearing stranger tattoos moves into the neighborhood so, she discovers, does something else. And soon both will be drawn into the world of eerie doll rituals and dark Shinto exorcisms that will take them from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Aomori, Japan.

Because the boy has a terrifying secret - one that would just kill to get out.

Three things made this book go straight to my TBR list: first is the perfect, creeptastic cover; second is the fact that the author is a fellow Filipina; and lastly, the title which reminds me of The Ring, AKA my favorite Japanese horror movie. The eerie atmosphere is set right off of page one, and even with the summary, I had little idea of what to expect from this story. It took its unexpected turns that kept me engrossed right until the last page.

On the onset of the book we are introduced to our quite-morally-confused ghost narrator who will later be known as Okiku. She is very much like the well-known Sadako, with the long black hair and creepy preferred haunting position, but instead of releasing a killer video unto humanity, Okiku hunts those who have murdered children to make up for her own death hundreds of years ago. Unfortunately, her avenging nature, although unique, takes the creepies down a notch.

Okiku has always distanced her ghostly emotions from the killers she hunts and even from the lost spirits that she helps, but something about fifteen-year-old Tark draws her to him. But before you think this is another case of  "ooh he looks so shiny and mesmerizing", this is actually "ooh he looks like he's got a demon riding on his back". (Not a spoiler, I swear.) Tark has carried a dark, heavy burden in him his entire life, but not even him knows exactly what it is. Having a deranged mother who's tried to kill him a handful of times certainly doesn't help, either. But when he and his workaholic father move into the same town as his cousin, Callie, the darkness making the boy suffer is no longer unnoticeable, and with unexpected help from Okiku, their journey to help Tark takes them to Japan, the place where it all started.

Although it failed to give me the number of chills I'd expected it to provide, that doesn't mean The Girl from the Well isn't easy to read in one sitting, because that's exactly what I did. It wasn't as scary as I would have liked but nonetheless, I can still recommend it to everyone looking for a different kind of read.

MY FAVORTIE PART is the unconventional and satisfying ending.

RATING:

Book Review: Life in Outer Space - Melissa Keil

Title: Life in Outer Space

Author: Melissa Keil

Release Date: February 1st 2013

Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley
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Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones.

There are a lot of great books out there, but only a few are stand-outs, gems within their genres. Life in Outer Space is one of those rarities. For some reason - well, it's obviously the title - I actually thought this was a sci-fi book, and that's just the first of the many amusing oddities this book has. I have Dianne of Oops! I Read a Book Again to thank for making this one known to me. God knows how it pulled me out of a weeks-long reading slump.

Right from page one, I knew this book would turn out to be something completely different from what I'd thought it would be (sci-fi expectations aside). It's not hard to relate to Sam, the awkward and realistic and a tad bit cynical main character, and his geektastic group of friends who supplies what little color his otherwise dull life has. Victims to the Mean Boys and Girls of their school, they stick together and hide in their own safe haven, counting down the days until they get out of the hellhole that is high school.

I guess some people enter your orbit and get stuck, and there's nothing either of you can do about it. 

At least until Camilla, the nerdy girl who's cute and connected-to-famous-people enough to be inducted into the cool group on her first day at a new school, barges in on their monotonous life. Sam knows they should stay away from her and her attempts at friendship because what would a girl like her want to do with people like them? But that proves hard to do when Camilla invites him to play World of Warcraft and wears her hair a la Princess Leia to school. Slowly but not-so-subtly, Camilla alters his life from existing to truly living.

We watched Dirty Dancing. Mike fell asleep, but I had to admit I kind of liked it, which made me question my own sexuality, raising a whole heap of other questions I chose not to examine.

See, what I loved most about this book was how it dealt with heavy issues in a light way. I kept laughing at the weirdest, most inappropriate parts, earning me weird looks from the people around me. It has the kind of humor that's so brutally honest it's hilarious, and combined with the peculiarities of the characters, Life in Outer Space makes for one adorable, feel-good book that I recommend for anyone looking for something fresh. Oh, and can I just say how much I loved the friendship and romance in this book? Because aww.

MY FAVORITE PART was Sam's karate intervention :))

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review: Played - Liz Fichera

Title: Played (Hooked #2)

Author: Liz Fichera
Release Date: May 27th 2014

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley

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This Game Is Getting All Too Real

He said: I like to keep under the radar and mostly hang out with my friends from the rez. But when I saved Riley Berenger from falling off a mountain, that rich suburban princess decided to try to save me.

She said: If I can help Sam Tracy win the heart of the girl he can't get over, I'll pay him back for helping me. I promised him I would, no matter what it takes.

It's been more than a year since I read Hooked, and so it's been more than a year since I started waiting for Played. In the first book, Fred and Ryan got their happy ending, but no one said happy endings are forever. Not even theirs, especially when Ryan's younger sister Riley decides to get all Lannister-like and pay her debt to Sam, Fred's old friend who she turned down.

Jeez, she looked exactly like her brother, with that same know-it-all, confident face that always got on my last nerve.

Sam dislikes Riley by association, and although she's usually all-around nice, Riley dislikes Sam because she has no idea why he's so grumpy, particularly to her. This kind of relationship between two strangers is often irritatingly childish, but not this time because the history between them, albeit indirect, just feels somewhat personal. Talk about living vicariously through books.

The verbal smackdowns don't last long, however, because there's nothing quite like getting stuck in the woods with torrential rains and a sprained ankle to bring two people together.

"I'm in love with your brother's girlfriend," I blurted.

Now there's a real icebreaker. And when they finally get rescued, Riley makes a promise to Sam to help him win Fred's heart (because Fred/Ryan is bound to end up in flames some time soon, anyway, she thinks). Soon, Riley's running around coordinating Sam's wardrobe and cutting his hair, and Sam, knowing she won't take no for an answer, decides to let her have at it until she finally gets bored and moves on. Except she doesn't get bored and Sam finds himself using body spray even without Riley forcing his hand.

All is fine and amusing at first as Sam undergoes a not-to-hot transformation at the hands of the younger Berenger, but that is until their efforts actually start affecting Fred and Ryan. I really pitied the golden couple because dude, I invested one entire book's worth of emotion until that ship sailed! One must not puncture its hull!

But aside from Riley and Sam's conspiring, they have their own problems to deal with. Riley is a confused girl, desperate for people to see her as more than the good girl and the little sister of The Ryan Berenger. Sam, on the other hand, is struggling to get over Fred and to know why there feels to be a mile-long distance between him and his father even when they're under the same roof. These personal problems bring them closer than their scheming does, and slowly they become friends to more-than-friends. Sam knows he should stay away from Riley who seems to bring nothing but trouble, but when he's with her, his indifferent facade gets tossed out to reveal the true him. Their antics were so adorable, as in grin-and-giggle-at-seven-in-the-morning adorable.

While definitely a lighter story than Hooked, I loved Played just the same, possibly even more. It certainly made me laugh more than I remember the first book doing, and it's just what I needed to read for the past few lazy days. Now, how long do I have to wait for book three?

MY FAVORITE PART is Riley's first visit to Sam's house :3

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Reviews + Giveaway: Camp Boyfriend & Camp Payback - J.K. Rock

Title: Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend #1)

Author: J.K. Rock

Release Date: July 2nd 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley

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The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Camp Boyfriend is one of those books wherein the characters kept me reading even when they irritated me to no end. Wtf moment, I know. But there's something good to be said when I get engrossed in a book enough to feel so much for the characters, right? Right. Of course.

As I type this review I'm in the middle of reading Camp Payback *points below* so I can say that at this point in the series the characters are all quite immature and narrow-minded, hence why I disliked almost all of them. First of all: Lauren. I hated how she strung Matt along for months, even when her feelings for him had changed and she knew she wanted her relationship with Seth, her camp boyfriend, to last for all seasons. It was unfair to Matt and totally ruined the Lauren/Seth relationship for me, which is sad because I loved them in the novella Camp Kiss.

But the root of Lauren's problems was her inability to stand up for herself. Unconsciously, she tried to please everyone - be it her family or her friends - in expense of herself. The combination of unapologetic nerd and sassy cheerleader that she'd become over the past year suffered greatly when she came to summer camp where everyone knew her as just the nerd, and I really pitied her.

Aside from Lauren, the people around her irritated me so much more. Her insensitive mom and sister I could handle, but her camp friends who were her lifelong besties? They turned up their judgmental noses when they found out she'd become pretty and was dating a jock. And they were all so freaking unbelievable! People change the same way Lauren did, but for some reason her friends didn't and they resented her for being different? They only liked the version of her that kept them happy and fit the mold they'd made for her, not the new and real her she'd turned into. God. I just wanted to Lauren to find better friends.

Camp Boyfriend didn't impress me much, but don't get turned off by all the ranting I did because I assure you, a ton of character development happens in this book. If you're patient with characters and are not too particular with your contemporary, then this is the one for you.

MY FAVORITE PART was a certain someone singing a song he wrote himself <3

RATING:

Title: Camp Payback (Camp Boyfriend #2)

Author: J.K Rock

Release Date: April 29th 2014

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley

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Alex has big plans for camp this year, starting with making it the best summer ever. Having fun and breaking some rules will get her the payback she wants against her parents and her ex-boyfriend. Because of his disgusting texts, she's headed to a super strict all-girls school in the fall.

Then she meets Javier and revenge doesn't seem nearly as important as getting to know the troubled loner determined to keep a low profile at camp. But Alex's trouble-magnet personality and Javier's need to stay in the background don't mix nearly as well as their irresistible chemistry.

With her home life eroding under her feet and her last year of summer camp speeding to a close, Alex wants to make her mark on the world and squeeze every bit of fun out of her time with Javier. Too bad her old plans for revenge turn back on her just in time to ruin everything. Will she lose Javier too?

I lowered my expectations for Camp Payback because Camp Boyfriend wasn't as amazing as I'd thought it would be, but that turned out to be absolutely unnecessary because, oh my lord, this book packed the feels and swoon that just entertained me for hours.

While its predecessor was also filled to the brim with drama, this sequel just got it perfectly. And it also helped that I loved the main characters individually and as a couple. Alex, the not-so-rebel whose family saw nothing but her mistakes, is actually a brave and straight-forward girl who only wants to live a real life, not be known as the troubled kid of the family behind the Wholesome Home blog. With all the criticisms she's had to face, it's been ingrained in her mind that she's useless and problematic, and I'd have gone crazy a long time ago if I were her.

Whereas her previous summers at camp were nothing but fun, this time Alex has to face a crazy ex who pushes her so hard on the first day that she just loses it and saunters to a complete stranger... and kisses him. Javier, the new kid at Camp Juniper Point who only wants to keep out of trouble, isn't too thrilled when one of the camp girls walks up and kisses him point blank, but he can't deny the attraction he feels for her, especially when she's like a walking sun to his dark life. I loved how their relationship got off a rocky start and then turned into friendship-slash-romance. A lot of people were against the two of them being together, but that only made me love them more.

A far cry from Camp Boyfriend, this book was so easy and so fun to read. The story was very romantic and full of swoon, what with Javier being a fantastic chef - and humming while he cooks! Camp Payback truly is the perfect summer read and until now I grin whenever I think of Alex and Javier.

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending. Sigh <3

RATING:

About the authors:

J. K. Rock is the pseudonym for YA writing partners - and sisters-in-law - Joanne & Karen Rock. Although they started out sharing an annual shopping trip, they ended up discussing their favorite films and books, joining the same book club and talking about writing... a lot. Their debut novel, Camp Boyfriend, is the first in a three-book series plotted during family pool parties. Their creative partnership is unique in that they enjoy passing a book back and forth, each adding a chapter and fine-tuning the chapter before. Years of friendship has yielded a shared voice and vision for their work that makes writing a pleasure.

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{Blog Tour} Book Review: The Hunt - Stacey Kade

Title: The Hunt (Project Paper Doll #2)

Author: Stacey Kade

Release Date: April 22nd 2014

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley

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Ariane Tucker has finally escaped GTX, the research facility that created her. While on the run, Zane Bradshaw is the only person she can trust. He knows who-and what-she is and still wants to be part of her life.

But accepting Zane's help means putting him in danger.

Dr. Jacobs, head of GTX, is not the only one hunting for Ariane. Two rival corporations have their sights set on taking down their competition. Permanently. To protect Zane and herself, Ariane needs allies. She needs the other hybrids. The hybrids who are way more alien and a lot less human. Can Ariane win them over before they turn on her? Or will she be forced to choose sides, to decide who lives and who dies?

The Hunt is certainly better than the first book in this series. It picks up a few hours after the events of The Rules, and so the action is immediate as Ariane and Zane are on the run from GTX. But they soon realize that it is impossible to run forever; they have to fight back and eliminate the threat once and for all, although with little resources and less allies, that is easier said than done.

I felt like a mouse with my teeth sunk into a suspiciously convenient piece of cheese, waiting only for the sudden rush of air and the crack of a metal bar on my neck.

This book is very aptly titled, and this hunt for Ariane and Zane tests their already-strained relationship. Both have hesitations; Ariane with her fear that Zane would suddenly realize that she's truly a different species who he shouldn't be with, and Zane with his fear that Ariane would leave him for his weakness and vulnerability. Their arguments became too much and bored me at one point because it actually slowed down the pace of the story, especially when once they gave one another space to cool down, they'd each have these long internal monologues that I could have lived without.

Yet it was during these strains that their own strengths shone through. Their situation left them little to work with, but they did their best with what they had and knew when to put aside their misunderstandings and focus on the immediate problem. Ariane is undoubtedly better at all the surveillance and running around undetected because of the training she'd received, and I really felt Zane's helplessness, pitied him even. He was her weak link, but he was in no way useless, and I liked how the author handled this dynamic between them because it was just so realistic. It broke my heart how much they both longed for normalcy and peace yet were so far from it, and the hurdles only kept on coming.

Especially because, in this sequel, they had more than one enemy. Aside from Dr. Jacobs and GTX, now they had to contend with the two other corporations whose products Ariane would have to face during trials. These two entities no doubt wanted to eliminate their enemies, meaning her, and with little knowledge of what happened behind their doors, Ariane and Zane had to fight almost blindly. In fact, they felt like an even bigger problem than GTX, and the suspense was simply unnerving.

A quick read that is chock-full of action, suspense, and emotion, The Hunt didn't disappoint. There is definitely room for improvement, but to be honest, not much of it is needed. I'm not sure if the next book will be the last in this series, but I am certainly looking forward to reading it.

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending. HOLY. SHIZZBALLS.

RATING:

 

Book Review: The Other Way Around - Sashi Kaufman

Title: The Other Way Around

Author: Sashi Kaufman

Release Date: March 1st 2014

Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley

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Andrew has seen a flash of his future. (Dad: unfinished PhD. Mom: unfulfilling career. Their marriage: unsuccessful.) Based on what he's seen, he's uninspired to put a foot on the well-worn path to the adulthood everyone expects of him. There must be another way around.

After a particularly disastrous Thanksgiving (his cousin wets Andrew's bed; his parents were too chicken to tell him his grandmother died), Andrew accidentally (on purpose) runs away and joins the circus. Kind of.

A guy can meet the most interesting people at the Greyhound station at dinnertime on Thanksgiving day. The Freegans are exactly the kinds of friends (living out of an ancient VW camper van, dumpster diving, dressing like clowns and busking for change) who would have Andrew's mom reaching for a third glass of Chardonnay. To Andrew, five teenagers who seem like they've found another way to grow up are a dream come true. But as the VW winds its way across the USA, the future is anything but certain.

The path of least resistance is a long, strange trip.

The Other Way Around started out really well. Andrew's voice grabbed me from page one, even before he ran away from home and made things interesting. I connected to his feeling of being lost and I loved his smarty mouth, but somewhere in the middle of this book when romance got involved, my interest waned.

I guess if I learned anything from the whole incident, besides that girls were completely baffling, it was not to imagine a future for myself that was dependent on anyone's feelings, even my own.

Andrew used to be a good kid, but one day he just found himself so disinterested in his future. He thinks there's no use fulfilling his parents' wishes for him to be a star student and finish college, and so he doesn't even bother trying. He just wants to go through the motions of life without really living it, but it all changes when he runs out of that life and meets the Freegans. His new life is, aside from having to worry about food, carefree, his new friends realistic but indulgent.

Wasn't it your responsiblity to sort all that "who am I" crap out before you had kids? I don't know how they can expect me to have the kind of answers that they don't even have when they've got like twenty-five years on me.

What's obvious was that Andrew's parents' divorce hit him hard. When his parents separated, they forgot that they had a son who needed their attention and love, and despite Andrew's bad grades, they really could've had it worse. I really pitied him because, in Andrew's own words, his parents were really shitty, and it was a relief to see him get away from all that (and give his parents a slight coronary).

"And this is supposed to make me feel better? You're getting a ride home with complete strangers, and I'm supposed to be glad that they're vegetarians?! Where in God's name did you meet this people?"

Everyone knows it's not smart to just drive off with total strangers, but Andrew wasn't going for smart - he was escaping, and the Freegans were the perfect people to do that with. Five teens who each had their own demons, they were straight-edge vegetarians who earned their keep by performing everywhere they could like a traveling circus. Andrew never imagined all the adventures he'd be in for by joining them, and that made for one fun, unpredictable read. I mean, killing chickens and dumpster-diving? Yep. But more than finding himself, Andrew found new friends, even a girlfriend. I didn't like his thing with Emily because it was easy to see that she only wanted him around for the drama and his attention, but he let his crotch do all the thinking, and that's when this book lost me.

Well-written and somewhat nostalgic, The Other Way Around hit home lots of times. I found it quite similar to Firecraker and Looking for Alaska, and fans of roadtrip books will surely love this. And even though the ending wasn't everything I'd hoped for, it was nothing if not realistic.

MY FAVORITE PART is Tim's flatulence =))

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Third Degree - Julie Cross

Title: Third Degree

Author: Julie Cross

Release Date: March 25th 2014

Publisher: Flirt

Age Group: New Adult

Source: NetGalley

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Fans of Monica Murphy and Tammara Webber will savor this novel about coming of age in the heat of the moment from Julie Cross, the internationally bestselling author of the Tempest trilogy.

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Going into Third Degree, I had no idea what to expect because the premise is just so unique. I only knew that I had to read it because Julie Cross, author of the Tempest series which I really love, wrote it and as expected, Julie didn't disappoint.

"You're always observing people, but maybe you're studying the wrong things."

Isabel is the type of character that, if not portrayed well, could be hated so easily, but Julie did a very good job of presenting her character's case that I loved her instead. Isabel's the doctor we all hate, the one who obviously doesn't give a damn about her patients, who's only there to do her job. Her lack of sympathy for what others feel would be infuriating if I were at its receving end but at the same time, it wasn't something I could take against her because she couldn't help but be that way given her personal history. She learned from an early age to distance herself emotionally from everyone to avoid getting hurt, and she never thought it would get in the way of her being a doctor. I really pitied her when she honest-to-God couldn't get along with anyone in her new, trying-to-be-normal life. The struggle was real.

And then in walked Marshall, Isabel's RA. Gorgeous, kind, and understanding, he, on the other hand, is easy to love. Instead of treating Isabel like a nutcase, he agreed to teach her how to interact with other people without driving them away with the smell of her weird, but beneath the happy facade lurked something sad, something that also kept him away from anyone. I was so eager to bring that to light because I wanted to know just what was wrong with him, but when it did... *sadface* Yet that was when Isabel truly shone. With her background, Marshall's issue wasn't enough to drive her away, and seeing them together was truly a delight. They're what each other needs and they knew just how to help with the other's problems.

Sweet, hilarious, and emotional - sometimes all at the same time - Third Degree is a remarkable novel about accepting people for who they are beneath the surface. It was so easy to read this book because it never bored me. If you're looking for a breath of fresh air in the NA genre, then you'll want to pick this up.

MY FAVORITE PARTS were Isabel and Marshall's exchange tutoring sessions <3

RATING:

About the author:
Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and New Adult genres. She’s also a committed (but not talented) long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

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Novella Mini-Reviews: Bitter Sweet Love; Evil Red

Title: Bitter Sweet Love (The Dark Elements #0.5)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: December 1st 2013

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley

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In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series THE DARK ELEMENTS, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.

Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

For two days a book I've been reading put me in a reading slump - it's that boring but I refuse to give up and DNF it - so I decided to read something short but undoubtedly good; imagine my glee when I found this sweet little baby in my Kindle app. It's no secret that I loved White Hot Kiss, but I certainly didn't expect to love this prequel novella just as much.

Dez and Jasmine were not hard to love, both as individuals and as a couple. From best friends to almost-lovers to we-had-zero-contact-for-three-years, they obviously had a ton of history. I understood Jasmine's anger at him because of the way he left without saying a word, especially given the announcement her father had just made. I was wary of Dez at first but when his reason for leaving was revealed... my heart. What he did suddenly became reasonable and nothing but sweet because all that hatred inside him really would have gotten between them. Also, watching Dez trying to win back Jas' heart was just so adorable and entertaining. These two = shipped.

But aside from their heartwarming romance, it was also nice to get an insight into the world of Wardens through the eyes of someone who was, well, a full-blooded Warden. And you have no idea how much I squealed when pre-WHK Layla, Zayne, and Roth - oh, Roth - made an appearance. Can Stone Cold Touch just come out already?

MY FAVORITE PART was Dez and Jas meeting Roth. My bias is showing. Sigh.

RATING:

Title: Evil Red (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #2.6)

Author: Nikki Jefford

Release Date: March 2nd 2014

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ecopy from the author (Thanks, Nikki! <3)

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L.A. is one tough city, especially while sharing a trailer with four thieving sisters.

Valerie’s plans for a better life and Hollywood grandeur are interrupted after a fateful stabbing lands her in Anchorage, Alaska where government agents expect her to play the role of a vampire hunting La Femme Nikita.

The redheaded vixen is back in her own novelette.

If I hadn't grown to like Valerie in Northern Bites, I seriously wouldn't have even bothered to read this, but I did, and now, I think I may even love her? Me, loving the bitchy type? Wow.

Aside from my newfound love for this redhead, Evil Red confirmed another thing for me: that I no longer have an inkling of like for Fane. I can't believe I once found him appealing in Transfusion. Sure, he's the perfect balance of naughty and nice, but something about him turns me off. Pretty sure it's the way he pushes away and then, all of a sudden, pulls in people, particularly girls. I thought it was just Aurora he did that to, but turns out even Valerie received the same treatment from him.

But back to Valerie. Because I have now gotten a glimpse of her history with Fane, her rudeness to Aurora when she first entered the picture has made sense. I really thought Valerie saw Fane as nothing but property, but turns out she actually liked him for real. Not sure how much, but the way he made her feel special, unlike the guys she'd dated before, got to her, and that's removed her from my mental hit list. I really hope to see her again in Bad Blood.

MY FAVORITE PART was Valerie and Fane's date. Is it wrong to be shipping them now? I want Aurora with Dante anyway :3

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: Road to Somewhere - Kelley Lynn & Jenny S. Morris

 Title: Road to Somewhere

Authors: Kelley Lynn & Jenny S. Morris

Release Date: March 11th 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: NetGalley

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New! From Bloomsbury Spark, a sunny heartwarming story of discovery and sisterhood.

A road trip. A singing competition. And super-hot cowboys.

What could be better?

For Charlie, a post-high school road trip isn't just a vacation, it's life changing. While her parents think she's helping a friend move, a chance at fame is the real reason to grab her best friends and drive to L.A. But when her super annoying, uber-responsible, younger sister, Lucy, has to tag along, it isn't quite the summer of fun she imagined.

Add in a detour to her grandparents' ranch in Texas, and between mucking the stalls, down-home cookin’, and drool worthy ranch hands, this could just turn into the best, and most complicated, summer of their lives.

Wow. I don't even know where to begin. Road to Somewhere had me at road trip and cowboys, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. Summer is just starting to show here in my part of the world, and this is a definitely a nice read to accompany that with.

Fresh out of high school, Charlie has nothing to look forward to but the road trip to L.A. with her friends. College isn't looking promising and so she's grabbing on to her last chance of getting away from the disappointment that she's sure she'll bring to her family: a recording contract. But because her parents don't trust her enough, they only agree to let her go if Lucy, her younger sister, comes with her - like she has a choice. 

It was easy to connect with Charlie because I know the feeling of being scared and unsure about college and the future. I wondered what happened to turn her from sweet to rebellious daughter, and it was sad because whatever that was, it also affected her relationship with Lucy who just wanted her big sister back, who Charlie thought had it all together with her good grades when she was in fact very lost and lonely.

Both Charlie and Lucy thought they had nothing in common and that the other was better, driving the two sisters apart. Charlie irritated me at one point because she was so selfish and insensitive, not realizing how left out Lucy feels or how she's driving everyone away because she's so busy chasing after something she thinks is worthwhile. Lucy, on the other hand, was so insecure that she couldn't let anyone in, thinking she does everything wrong and will ultimately drive everyone away. But that's what I loved about these two: they were flawed and they knew it, and then they tried to do something about it.

God, I'm lame. Why am I not picking out one of these guys and seeing if he'll take me for a ride?

Oh, that did not sound good. Mind out of the gutter, Charlie.

Cowboys. Good heavens. I think I need to search for more books with cowboys in them. Anyway, although they weren't the ultimate solution to these girls' troubles, they certainly helped them find their way. Now, I love a standoffish couple because of all the sexual tension and whatnot, but I also love a shy, cute couple. Put them together in a single book? Jesus. I couldn't stop grinning! But it wasn't all kisses and rainbows. I loved how the characters in this book were all realistic about their relationships and knew what they were and weren't capable of.

A funny and heartwarming tale of family and finding one's self, all the sunshine and grass in Road to Somewhere somehow felt therapeutic for someone like me who has to stay at home. It's made me want to grab my friends and go on our own road trip, although I doubt even a single hot cowboy would be involved in ours. If you're looking for a short and sweet summer read that will touch your heart and make you giggle to no end, this one's for you!

MY FAVORITE PART was Lucy finally having the guts to go after what, or, rather, who she wants. :3

RATING:

 

About the authors:
Kelley Lynn was born and raised a Midwestern girl. She’s not afraid to sweat and fills her free time with softball, soccer and volleyball. (Though you probably don’t want her on your volleyball team.) She occasionally makes guest appearances as a female vocalist for area bands. Music plays a large role in her writing process as well as the characters and plot lines within her stories.

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Jenny S. Morris is a YA author who loves all things geek, may have a Kdrama addiction, and prefers the rainy NW to any place she's ever lived. Road to Somewhere is her debut novel.

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