Switching to a New Blog

As of April 27, 2014, new reviews will not be posted on this blog. I've switched to a new one. Check it out if you are interested.

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The Sweetest Reads

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Thanks!

Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Steve Brezenoff
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary 
Release Date: May 27th 2014 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 23th, 2014

Synopsis

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

My Thoughts

Just so you know, it doesn't take a gamer to enjoy to this book, even the whole book itself revolves around role playing in various forms. I for one is not a gamer, but now the idea of playing Dungeons and Dragons seems very appealing.

Frankly speaking, at first I really, really, loved this book. It was so much different from most books I have read. I've always loved reading about characters with flaws and both Lesh and Lana were imperfect, yet perfect all the same. I loved their senses of humor. However, Lesh's obsession with Lana was a tad bit too disturbing for me. So character-wise, this book was not too shabby.

What really bugged was the storyline. About the first 60% or so, it was kind of wonderful getting to know the characters and all. However, it dawned on me that nothing much actually happened. It was so dragging, so slow and there was so much detail that I still don't think important. And that took the love that I initially had for this book away.

Overall, it was a cute story.

Thanks Balzer + Bray for the eGalley.

Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols

ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Jennifer Echols
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Series: Superlatives
Book: 1
Release Date: May 20th 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 19th, 2014


Synopsis
Tia and Will’s lives get flipped upside down when they’re voted Yearbook’s Biggest Flirts in this sassy novel from the author of Endless Summer and The One That I Want.

Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.

As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

My Thoughts
Sad to say, I've had a few hit and miss with Jennifer Echols books. And this is definitely a miss.

Sometimes it's hard to enjoy a book, even the writing is nice when you want to do some harm on the main character. That was what happened to me when I was reading this book. I really, really, didn't like Tia. I couldn't stand her from the very beginning. Me and her kind of character are not meant to be together. Yes, she had a good sense of humor, but seriously, she was such a floozy and so rude.

Not to sound like a prude or anything and I absolutely have read books more graphic than this, but come on! It was supposed to be a young adult book. The fact that Tia and Will getting freaky, even not all the way, just maybe an hour after they had met made me cringe. She was only what, 17, and she had a f*ck buddy?!? Like are you kidding me? Maybe I'm old school, still I wasn't comfortable with the way Tia character portrayed. And my initial impression of this book was sweet and fluffy teenage romance. Wrong was an understatement.

Will and Tia's relationship didn't make the book any better. It was fast, weird and I'm not sure it was even possible.They went on from a random hookup, to Will asked (and was shot down) Tia on a real date, to them flirting (way too much) while Will was dating another girl, to Tia kinda, sorta, maybe wanted to date Will (something so foreign to her because she was more comfortable having wild monkey sex with random guys and her beloved friend with benefits) and so on and so forth. It was a hot mess.

Some people might find this book more than interesting and enjoyable. I'm not one of those people.

Thanks Simon Pulse for the eGalley 

Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss
 

Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: July 8th 2014 
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 18th, 2014

Synopsis
Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-way Street and Sometimes It Happens.

It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.

Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.

Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.

Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…

My Thoughts
The story starts with Harper gets her heart broken and then it goes back to the beginning, showing us how it comes to this point. It is told from both Penn's and Harper's point of view.

I have read a few of books written by Lauren Barnholdt and I absolutely loved each one of them. Likewise, I enjoyed reading this one greatly.

Relationship between Harper and Penn moved a little too fast in my opinion. Well, it wasn't like an inst love or anything, still it progressed too quickly. It was a complicated relationship, and the fact that Penn was hot and cold time and time again didn't help either. I liked Harper and Penn characters, though. Harper was sweet, witty, but a tad pushy. Penn was charming, to say the least.

As for the storyline, I think it had a nice flow and very compelling. Due to how the book started, I was curious to find out what had happened that made them arrived this point. Some scenes did raise a few questions, though, as I still don't believe how that made sense. Nevertheless, it was a cute teenage love story.

Overall, it was such a sweet and romantic book. I enjoyed reading it a lot.

Thanks Simon Pulse for the eGalley. 

Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata

ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Cynthia Kadohata 
Genre: Middle Grade | Contemporary
Release Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 17th, 2014

Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Jaden, an emotionally damaged adopted boy fascinated by electricity, feels a connection to a small, weak toddler with special needs in Kazakhstan, where Jaden's family is trying to adopt a "normal" baby.

My Thoughts
I adored this book. It was my first time reading a book written by Cynthia Kadohata and I was blown away by how magnificent her writing was. I was sucked in from page one and couldn't put it down. For lack of a better word, this book was amazing.

I was in love with the characters as well as the well-written storyline. Jaden was such a great, but sort of also a troubled kid. He had been through a lot at a very young age which messed him up. Penni and Steve, Jaden's adoptive parents, were wonderful characters too. I loved Penni for being so sweet and caring. The other characters were just as delightful, especially the adorable Dimash.

As for the storyline, I enjoyed the flow and the transition from one scene to the next. The wording made reading this book a fun and emotional experience. The ending made me cry because it was so beautiful.

All in all, this was a very pleasant book. I think anyone would find this book as enjoyable as I did.
 

The Body in the Woods by April Henry

ARC provided by the Publisher via NetGalley

  
Author: April Henry
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Series: Point Last Seen
Book: 1
Release Date: June 17th 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 15th, 2014 

Synopsis
In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series is full of riveting suspense, putting readers in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations.

My Thoughts
This book was a really well-written mystery told from multiple point of view. The fact that each main characters - Nick, Ruby and Alexis - were such different in term of personalities and frame of mind made reading this a fun experience for me.

The storyline held my attention since the beginning of the book. Maybe it was because I've always enjoyed reading books about serial killers and guessing the murderers. It was sad to say, though, that this book was a tad predicable because not only I got to read from the 3 aforementioned main characters, but also from the killer. Not that I didn't like that about this book, it just made easy to spot the killer.

One point that I am not sure I liked was the irrelevant details that made this book a little dragging. It was nice to understand what happened around the main characters, still I think it was too overly descriptive.

Overall, it was a wonder murder mystery with well-developed characters and astonishing plots. 

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Author: Marie Rutkoski
Genre: Young Adult | Historical
Series: The Winner's Trilogy
Book: 1
Release Date: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 11th, 2014

Synopsis
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

My Thoughts
I chose to read this book mainly because of the irresistible cover. Gosh, it was so gorgeous. Besides, based on the blurb, it did sound tempting.

I enjoyed this book a lot at the beginning, albeit the slow pace. It was indeed very interesting and different from other books I have read. I loved the characters, sadly, later on they seemed a bit off to me. I didn't enjoy the second half of the book as I did the first half. Frankly, the pace did get a lot better. Things moved faster and there were a lot of actions and some really messed up events happened. For some reasons, I didn't find those things interesting enough. Maybe it was because of the boring writing. I think the flow made it hard to focus on the story. It was not the kind of writing I'd enjoy.

Overall, the characters and the storyline were very interesting. I had problem with the writing itself, though. It was dragging and rather choppy. 

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

ARC provided by the Publisher via NetGalley

Author: Dana Reinhardt
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: May 27th 2014  
Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 10th, 2014

Synopsis
Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

My Thoughts
At one point when I was reading this book, I thought it was going to be one of those books that would blow my mind. Not that the book was not interesting or anything, but the slow, dragging pace really got on my nerves.

The writing which was done very nicely, actually. And that was one of the reasons for me to read and finish this book. It was full of questions that needed answers and I just couldn't put it down until I knew what the heck was going on. I guess the slow pace was because of this book was too overly descriptive. Nell went on and on before getting to the point. I liked her character, but the girl sounded insane at times.

Now on to the characters. I loved that Nell and Layla were not ones of those one-dimensional characters. At the beginning of the book, I was touched by how much Nell loved her big sister. Later, her love became a little too creepy. Though, I liked that she tried to protect her sister and all that.

The ending was not too bad, but I wasn't satisfied being left in the unknown. A bit on what was going to happen afterward would have been more than appreciated. 

The Heiresses by Sara Shepard

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Adult | Mystery
Series: The Heiresses
Book: 1
Release Date: May 20th 2014
Publisher: Harper
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 9th, 2014

Synopsis
The series follows one of the most prestigious and wealthy families on the Upper East Side who have built their entire fortune on the business of diamonds.

Due to a clause the grandfather placed in his will, only his granddaughters are set to inherit his massive fortune…these are the heiresses. After the death of their cousin, the remaining heiresses try to figure out if the family curse is real or not, and if not, who killed their cousin, and more importantly, which one of them is next on the hit list?

My Thoughts
In a nutshell, this book was more like an adult version of Pretty Little Liars, only the mystery wasn't dragged out as it was in PLL.

After have read more than 20 books from Sara Shepard, it wasn't that difficult to identify the trend and guess where this book was going. However, for some reasons, I found this book very entertaining.

The story was told in third person multiple point of view on the lives of the rich and famous Saybrook family. To be honest, it was extremely hard to follow the story at first as there were so many characters being thrown in almost all at once. Later on, though, it got better when the book started to focus on those who played significant roles in the story.

To me, Sara Shepard books have always been addictive. Likewise, I loved the character developments and the storyline of this book. There were 5 heiresses, Corrine, Aster, Poppy, Rowan and Natasha. Getting to know their personalities and mistakes they had made were what I liked about this book. So far, Aster is my favorite.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. How they came to the conclusion who the killer was and how each dirty secret was revealed were well-done. Even it did share a lot of resemblance with Pretty Little Liars, this book was still very unpredictable and amazing in its own way.

Overall, it was a wonderful read for me. I just hope it isn't going to be a big series as Pretty Little Liars. 

The Swap by Megan Shull

ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Megan Shull
Genre: Middle Grade | Fantasy
Release Date: August 26th 2014  
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 6th, 2014

Synopsis
“YOU BE ME...AND I'LL BE YOU.”

ELLIE spent the summer before seventh grade getting dropped by her best friend since forever. JACK spent it training in “The Cage” with his tough-as-nails brothers and hard-to-please dad. By the time middle school starts, they’re both ready for a change. And just as Jack’s thinking girls have it so easy, Ellie’s wishing she could be anyone but herself.

Then, BAM! They swap lives—and bodies!

Now Jack’s fending off mean girls at sleepover parties while Ellie’s reigning as the Prince of Thatcher Middle School. As their crazy weekend races on—and their feelings for each other grow—Ellie and Jack begin to realize that maybe the best way to learn how to be yourself is to spend a little time being someone else.

My Thoughts
This was a delightful middle grade book. To be honest, it was more like a tween version of a movie entitled "It's a Boy Girl Thing", still I did have a good time reading it. The book was humorous, emotional and heartwarming.

The characters were adorable. I loved both Ellie and Jack. How they dealt with the messed up situation they were in was surprising. The other characters were well-developed as well. However, at times they didn't talk and behave their age.

The storyline was intriguing and made me want to keep on reading. It was nicely written with enough detail to build up the anticipation.

One thing that bugged me about this book was the dialogues which were kind of weird. The wording in most of the conversations didn't them sound natural, and there were quite a lot of repetitive words.

Overall, it was a wonder book about friendship and family.

Bad For You by Abbi Glines

Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Series: Sea Breeze
Book: 7
Release Date: April 1st, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 4th, 2014

Synopsis
Innocence was never meant for the addictive…

Addiction was something Krit Corbin accepted as part of his nature a long time ago. He decided to embrace it and flip his finger at the rules. Women had always been the number one thing on his list of addictions. He couldn’t get enough. Being the lead singer in a rock band had only made access to his favorite addiction that much easier.

Being alone was the only thing Blythe Denton understood. The small town minister’s family that raised her hadn’t accepted her as their own. The minister’s wife had always made sure Blythe understood just how unworthy she was of love. When Blythe is sent away to college and given a chance to finally be free of living as an unwanted burden, she looks forward to having peace in her life. Being alone isn’t something that bothers her. She escapes reality in the stories she writes.

However, the ridiculously sexy tattooed guy who keeps throwing parties in the apartment above hers is driving her crazy. For starters, he doesn’t treat her like she would expect a guy with a different woman always hanging on his arm to treat someone as uninteresting as her. She looks nothing like the gorgeous women she sees parading in and out of his apartment, but for some strange reason he keeps showing up at her door.

During a party at his apartment, Krit’s new neighbor comes to the door with her long brown hair pulled up in a messy knot and a pair of glasses perched on her cute little nose. She wants him to turn down the music, but he convinces her to stay.

Krit Corbin may have just found his biggest addiction yet. And Blythe Denton realizes too late that she’s finally been claimed. 

My Thoughts
This is a companion book in Sea Breeze series that can be read a standalone, but some characters from previous books do appear in this one also.

First off, I didn't like the cover. I didn't mind the white background much even it seemed a bit lack of creativity and all, but those tattoos really looked weird and downright ridiculous.

I hate to say that I wasn't impressed with this one.Thus far, I have love/hate relationship with this series. I liked most of them enough to continue the series, but man, I need something more than just another new adult books where secrets, abuses and crazy exes. It was entertaining all right, still it felt like I was rereading one of her books, just with different characters. The twist added near the end of the book was a joke, just to create more drama.

The characters were not interesting either. Blythe was so pathetic and very annoying. I was sick and tired for the mentioning of her "innocence" and her being "Perfect". I mean the girl was 19 for eff's sake, not a 5 year-old that needed to be told she was a perfect little girl all the time. And Krit used to be okay for me, back in book 6, I liked him a lot. However, in this one, he just didn't make much sense to me. I liked his protective side, but pushing another guy who just happened to walk near his girl was not cool.

Anyway, it was not that bad if you haven't read a lot of new adult books before, but if you have, you will find that this is anything but original. Some plots were kinda interesting, hence the 3-star rating. I hope book 8 which is scheduled to released this summer is a lot better than this one.

Blur by Steven James

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Steven James
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Series: Blur Trilogy
Book: 1
Release Date: May 27th, 2014
Publisher: Skyscape
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 4th, 2014

Synopsis
The isolated town of Beldon, Wisconsin, is shocked when a high school freshman’s body is found in Lake Algonquin. Just like everyone in the community, sixteen-year-old Daniel Byers believes that Emily Jackson’s death was accidental. But at her funeral, when he has a terrifying vision of her, his world begins to rip apart at the seams.

Convinced that Emily’s appearance was more than just a mere hallucination, Daniel begins to look carefully into her death, even as he increasingly loses the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality.

What’s real? What’s not? Where does reality end and madness begin?

As Daniel struggles to find the truth, his world begins to crumble around him as he slips further and further into his own private blurred reality.

My Thoughts
Written in third person, this book was told from Daniel's point of view. As a high school quarterback, he lives a pretty normal life until he attends a funeral of a 14-year-old girl.

It was a great blend of fantasy, horror and suspense. There were scenes where things got real spooky that freaked me out quite a bit and I loved it. I also liked that this book wasn't too big on romance and the suspense was absolutely spot on. It was impossible to guess who the killer was.

This book had amazing wording. It made the whole murder thing feel so much more interesting with the great word choice and the nice flow of the writing. It was a little slow in the middle, but things moved faster later on. The ending was unpredictable and wrapped up really well. I loved all the twists and turns.

Besides wonderful wording and plots, the character development was equally astonishing. I liked every character and felt connected with Daniel who was the main character.

In short, this book was a delightful read with some frightening scenes. It is suitable for those who enjoy a good murder mystery book.

All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

Author: Julie Berry
Genre: Young Adult | Historical
Release Date: September 26th 2013 
Publisher:  Viking Juvenile
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: November 13th, 2013

Synopsis
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Thoughts
I don't normally read historical fiction, but if there are more books as good as this one, I'm sure going to read more of this genre.

This book is hauntingly beautiful, and I love everything about it, even the parts that wrecked my heart.

The story was so captivating that I couldn't think of anything else, but this book - how Judith's life was going be, who had done that to her and why. Just several pages in, I wept like a baby. My heart ached for her and what she had to go through. Being shunned and discriminated against even when she herself was a victim was just so cruel beyond words could describe.

This is one of the books that I will find time to reread. Because once is not enough.

(Some) Favorite Quotes
"You are the sun in my world, and how can I endure to watch you set into another woman's arms?"

"If you'd let me, I'd kiss away your fear, and let you rest yourself upon me, and I, I would die beside you and count my self lucky."

"If you were mine I'd comfort you; if you were mine you'd need no comfort."

Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker

Author: K.A. Tucker
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Series: Ten Tiny Breathes
Book: 3
Release Date: November 4th, 2013
Publisher: Atria Book
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: November 24th, 2013

Synopsis
When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

My Thoughts
This book is so much different from the previous two in the best possible way. The best in the series by far. Don't get me wrong, I really loved Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie, but Four Seconds to Lose blew me away. This book was incredibly addictive and it was impossible not to love Cain. This guy stole me heart.

Like other NA books, this one also focuses on secrets. Usually it annoys me when NA books kinda ALWAYS revolve around secretive characters, abusive parents... Well, if you read NA, you know what I mean. However this book not only didn't annoy me, but I ended up loving everything about it. Well, almost everything. Charlie's real name (view spoiler) and I found it hard to believe.

Anyway, this is a great series, if you haven't read book 1 yet, you should. And for those who have read book 1 and 2, but are still not sure whether to read this one or not, READ IT NOW.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Book: 3
Release Date: February 4th, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: February 8th, 2014

Synopsis
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

My Thoughts
This series is only getting better! And if you haven't started reading this series yet, you are missing out on something so amazing. This is one of the must-read series.

I loved book 2, Scarlet, and at that time I really wanted to know more about Thorne. Because I seriously loved his character (and Wolf, too). And I was so thrilled when I found out there would be more of Thorne in Cress. The wait was torturous.

The reason I loved this book was not only because of Thorne, but a thousand other reasons. Just the name of the character, Cress, was very intriguing. I loved the wordplay since "Rapunzel" literally means a type of plant, and so does "Cress".

Compared to its predecessors, Cress was probably the most emotional one. The twist was well-executed, but I did wish it hadn't been that heartbreaking. Now all I have to do is waiting just one more year until Winter is scheduled to be released. JUST. ONE. MORE. YEAR. 

Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Young Adult | Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental
Book: 4
Release Date: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: February 4th, 2014

Synopsis 
EARTH. FIRE. AIR. WATER.

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.

And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.

SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.

My Thoughts
This has been one of my most favorite fantasy series of all time. I'm glad I took a chance and started Storm back in last November. What so great about starting this series later than others is that I didn't have to wait for months to read the sequels. But waiting to read this one was torture, but it was worth the wait because I LOVED every page, every word and every character. Nick has always been my favorite and it was such a thrill reading about him.

Isn't it great that this series keeps you on your toes the whole way through? You just can't decide who's right and who's wrong because the good guys aren't always good and the same goes to those who supposed to be the bad ones.

Left Drowning by Jessica Park

Author: Jessica Park
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Release Date:  July 16th 2013
Publisher:  Skyscape
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: January 27, 2014

Synopsis 
What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe?

Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

My Thoughts
Another great book by Jessica Park. This book shared some similarities with Flat-Out Love, which I also loved dearly, yet they were so very different.

This book touched even tougher topic than I had expected, but there were some very hilarious scenes as well, even they weren't that many. It was a story about abuse and regrets. These seem to be the most popular themes for new adult books at the moment, but trust me this one has set the bar for the others.

There were some VERY erotic scenes. But I still liked the book and after those steamy moments, the story became even more emotional, which kinda made up for that.

Best of March 2014

I think it might be fun to wrap up what I have read each month, so I guess I'll start with March. I had read 36 books last month - that includes some novellas. Some of them were new adult books, but most were young
adult books as I was a little fed up with new adult books being about nothing but secrets, secrets and some more secrets. I don't normally rate a book 5 stars, so you'll see A LOT of 4-star books being listed below.

So here are my favorite of the month:

I really enjoyed reading this book. Well, I'm not a big fan of time traveling, but this one really changed my idea of this genre. This book was very fun (and also heartbreaking) to read with its engaging dialogues, well-developed characters, beautifully written storyline and unpredictable plots. Moreover, the romance was really sweet without being over the top.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 5th, 2014



I haven't read many post apocalyptic fictions (mostly I read contemporary), but this book was really good.  I found it enjoyable, yet very sickening at times. It was brutal and dark, especially around the last 10 chapters. It did capture my full attention even at some points it got a little too intense for my liking.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 8th, 2014



Well, it wasn't very original for sure. Lack of originality aside, it was a very sweet romance, especially the ending, which was so sickeningly sweet! And I loved it!

Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 8th, 2014




It was a lot better than its predecessor Maybe This Time. I liked the characters and the plots way more than when I read book 1. The romance was so much sweet too which made it a fun read.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 11th, 2014

 After I finished this book, I had a little problem with the rating. I wasn't sure whether I should rate it 2 stars or 4 stars. It was so difficult to decide as I both loved it and hated it almost equally. Then I went with 4 stars because of the emotional stuff going on in the book and the ending which was well-executed.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 14th, 2014


One of the most romantic and most emotional books I have ever read. EVER! I loved it so much. I just couldn't put it down even it made me cry buckets. I was hesitated at first since it sounded so depressing, but I'm so glad I chose to read anyway.
The pace was so nice and the story sucked me in so completely from the very beginning.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 17th, 2014

 Another great book about second chance romance. It was extremely emotional and I wept like a baby some many times to count. The problem I had with this book is the cover which was so ugly and didn't look professional at all.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 17th, 2014

Because Colleen Hoover wrote it. Duh! It was such an amazing book. Again, this author made me cry and I loved every second of it. A must read by any book lovers because I can't think of any reason why not. If you have a chance to read it, don't forget to listen to the songs as well. Boy, it took my reading experience to a whole new level with those songs playing along.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 18th, 2014

A great young adult book about really abuse. It was frustrating more I can describe, but I guess that what made this book interesting. It was a little slow for me as well, but last few chapters were so freaking good. The novella, The Blue Haired Boy, was just as wonderful.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 23rd, 2014



This is a second installment in Unwanted series. I received an ARC from the publisher and I was so happy because I really loved The Unwanted Wife. While it couldn't be compared to its predecessor, this book was just as emotional. I enjoyed it a lot that I finished it in one sitting.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 26th, 2014

 One of the best GLBT books I have ever read. Great plots, amazing characters, witty wording. I also received an ARC of this book from the publisher. In fact I got it since February and I'm still angry with myself that I chose not to read it right away. It was that good.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 28th, 2014

 Another ARC I should have read sooner. It was a very-written book about Tora who stuck on earth alone after most of the people died while the rest were evacuated to another planet. It was fast-paced and full of suspense.
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 29th, 2014

The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer

ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Release Date: May 13rd 2014 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 2, 2014

Synopsis

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.

But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.

So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.

As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

My Thoughts
I loved Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer, and since this one was written by the same author, I was really excited. She didn't disappoint as The Secrets of Lily Graves was such an intriguing book.

First off, I have to say the title didn't seem to fit the book. The book was amazing all right, but I'm not sure if I had missed anything or there wasn't anything about Lily's secrets. Well, she was observant and knew a lot about people around her, but those were other people's secrets, not hers. Anyway, it wasn't big of a deal.

It started out a little slow, but still pretty nice and not at all boring. The pace did pick up close to the end of the book when finally the murderer was reveal. The twists were great and surprising, but I did, however, know already who killed Erin.

The characters, on the other hand, were well-developed. I loved that each of them had certain personality that differentiated them from the others. It made the book more realistic that way. I loved Matt, Lily and Auntie Boo the most among all the characters. Sara was also a great character.

Overall, I think this book was a real nice young adult suspense. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a nicely-written book with interesting characters and plots that keep you guessing.