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 

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. 

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.

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.

Burn Out by Kristi Helvig

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Kristi Helvig
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Series: Burn Out
Book: 1
Release Date: April 8th 2014
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 29, 2014

Synopsis
A futuristic blend of Beth Revis's Across the Universe and Lenore Appelhans's Level 2, Burn Out will satisfy the growing desire for science fiction with a thrilling story of survival, intrigue, and adventure.

Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth's final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns "red giant," but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.

Holed up in an underground shelter, Tora is alone--her brilliant scientist father murdered, her mother and sister burned to death. She dreams of living on a planet with oceans, plants, and animals. Unfortunately, the oceans dried out ages ago, the only plants are giant cacti with deadly spines, and her pet, Trigger, is a gun--one of the bio-energetic weapons her father created for the government before his conscience kicked in.

When family friend, Markus, arrives with mercenaries to take the weapons by force, Tora's fury turns to fear when government ships descend in an attempt to kill them all. She forges an unlikely alliance with Markus and his rag-tag group of raiders, including a smart but quiet soldier named James. Tora must quickly figure out who she can trust, as she must choose between saving herself by giving up the guns or honoring her father's request to save humanity from the most lethal weapons in existence.

My Thoughts
More like a 4.5 to me...

One of the most thrilling and unpredictable post-apocalyptic fictions I have ever read. Each scene was so crazy good that it was hard to put down once I started reading this astoundingly well-written book. It was full of suspense and actions I don't know where to start with. A must read for any science fiction fans out there, especially those who love post-apocalyptic fictions.

I was completely in love with the characters because they were complicated. Tora was so feisty that even she was in the toughest situation, she still didn't give in. The other characters, such as Markus, James, Britta and Kale were also such great character, even some of them were so evil I wanted to strangle them.

The plots were creative, well-written and fast-paced. I was amazed by the way the story was told which was so full of surprises and awe-inspiring scenes. The transition from one scene to the next was very nicely executed that it didn't cause me any boredom.

How the book was ending made me want to read the next installment right away. It is hard to predict what will happen next and that makes the wait even harder.

All in all, this is one great book that should not be missed by any science fiction fans or just anyone who wants to read something refreshing and filled with loads of actions and suspense. Kristi Helvig is a debut author that I will keep an eye out for. 

A Husband's Regret by Natasha Anders

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Natasha Anders
Genre: Adult | Contemporary
Series: Unwanted
Book: 2
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 26, 2014

Synopsis
Tall and thin, twenty-eight-year-old Bronwyn Palmer has become positively gaunt, a ghost of her former self. That self was—and still is—the wife of a rich, handsome executive with an ocean-view house and his own security staff.

It was in that house, two years ago, that Bryce Palmer learned Bronwyn was pregnant with their first child. But Bryce’s rage over his impending fatherhood touched off a chain reaction of emotional and physical traumas that wounded them both. For Bronwyn, it meant fleeing the perfect marriage to start over with nothing but a precocious daughter named Kayla to care for. For Bryce, it meant a tortuous two years spent blaming his wife for deserting him, and living with the pain of not knowing his child. Now a chance encounter has brought Bronwyn back into Bryce’s life, both bearing scars...and neither knowing the whole truth of that fateful night that drove them apart.

My Thoughts
A companion book in Unwanted series, so it can be read a standalone. However, I really do recommend The Unwanted Wife to anyone who loves groveling heroes. Anyway, Theresa from the first installment appears in a few scenes, so reading book 1 might help you grasping the story even better.

First off, when it comes to groveling, begging for forgiveness, very few authors are able to pull it off and make the heroes who have once been such a complete jerks redeem themselves. And Natasha Anders is one of those few. After I finished The Unwanted Wife last week, I was completely in love with her writing and couldn't wait to read the next one. I'm glad I was given this chance to read this book before the release date. It was simply amazing.

One thing I love about this book (and book 1) was that there was no obscene language. So many other adult books, even some young adult books, it isn't a surprise to find obscenity, such as f-words. This book on the other hand, while there were some intimate scenes, obscenity was kept to the limit.

As for the story, in a nutshell it was very well-thought-out. It was heartbreaking and so romantic. Both Bryce and Bronwyn were quite a pair. The book started out with anger, misunderstanding and devastation with two people who loved each other, but couldn't find a way to work everything out. While it might not sound very original, it was an emotional ride.

If you are like me, enjoying reading second chance romance and love groveling heroes, I believe you will enjoy this book.

The Perfect Game by J. Sterling

Authors: J. Sterling
Series: The Perfect Game
Book: 1

Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: October 11th 2012
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 

Synopsis

He's a game she never intended to play.
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.

The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind... like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.

They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.

Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...

Review

I chose to read this book when I heard it was somehow similar to Beautiful Disaster since they both had bad tempered main characters and everything. I generally don't mind bad [fictional] boys. They are hot and since I enjoyed  Beautiful Disaster so much, I was so excited to start this book. Boy, never have I ever been so disappointed! Everything about this book was just wrong.

Let's start with Cassie, the main female character. She kept mentioning how her life had been screwed by her father not keeping his promises. Please! Parents lie sometimes, nothing is out of ordinary. Deal with it. I didn't understand how just her father never kept his end of the deal messed her up so badly. Dramatic much?

Now about Jack Carter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What should I say? I didn't find his bad temper hot at all. I admit I like reading about possessive/bad tempered boys, but Jack was more irritable than he was hot. I really hated the way he treated women (other than his "Kitten"). Even those women were so annoying. he should not have said those things to them:
"Oh, so you're not a stripper, you're a whore?" ~  Jack said this to Cassie when he met her the first time. Very charming, right?
"... I'll find someone to teach you a little respect." ~ Jack said to Andrea when she tried to ask him to go to a part with her. So what now? Threatening a woman?
"I'm sure you were always a slut..." ~ Jack said to Chrystle after their night together. It takes two to do what they had done.

I did not feel the romance. Jack started pursuing Cassie like crazy after only met her once and it was like 5 minutes. It was a bit too fast. It was too desperate and I felt like the author just wanted to get it over with. The night they slept together for the first time was not how I had imaging it would be. First Cassie said she was not ready. And of course, Jack said it was ok, he would wait, blah, blah. Then he said he loved her and guess what? Cassie was ready. It took around 5 minutes and 3 words for Cassie to be ready. That was convenient.

How the author kept mention the same things over and over again was just so exhausting. I lost count how many time Cassie rolled her eyes. It drove me over the edge. And the F-bomb. Is it so necessary that almost every YA and NA book now have the f-words? I am not a writer (obviously), but I don't think a good book depends on how many F-bombs it has.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I reached in and pulled it out. Text from Melissa. My f*cking savior...

I am glad that some people enjoy their time reading this book. Maybe it is just not a book for me, so I am not going to say I had a good time reading this book.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Authors: Gena Showalter

Series: White Rabbit Chronicles

Book: 1

Format: 404

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal

Published Date: September 25 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Synopsis

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

Review

For some reasons, even I have read hundreds of books already, this book is the third book I have read about zombies. Well, maybe it is not that hard to imagine since I cannot stand zombies - movies or books. They are just too gross!

However, I really liked this book and would recommend it to everyone who just likes me - cannot stand zombies. Maybe it was because this book did not overly descriptive when it came to zombies. The first zombies book I read was so gross that I could not eat anything that day. I guess this one is mild enough for everyone to enjoy. But if you are a huge fan of brain-eating scenes, you might be a bit disappointed.

The cover was what drew my attention in the first place. Oh. Em. Gee!!!! What a cover! It was so beautiful that I had to read the book. To be frank, I was a bit nervous since I have read another version of Alice in Zombieland written Nickolas Cook and I didn't like it even one bit. It was so gruesome and the illustrations were so scary. I didn't finish that book, though. I could not go pass chapter 4.

Back to Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter. What I really liked about it was the characters. Ali was fierce and not at all clumsy. I really like it when the female characters can stand up for themselves and kick some a**. Cole, male leading character, was also fascinating (and scorching hot!). The grandparents were so funny and I loved them dearly, which made me a bit sad at how the book ended. And how could I forget Kat? She was hilarious! I would love to hang out with her.

Another excellent quality of the book is the wording. It is getting pretty difficult to find a decent young adult books that do not contain swear words. I was really happy reading this one and found that the author did not use even a single cuss word. When I was reading it and realized that Cole being a bad, bad boy he was, I thought, here we go again. Cole would drop F-bombs like crazy. But no, not even one and I really appreciated that.

Because of Low

Authors: Abbi Glines
Series: Sea Breeze
Book: 2
Format: Kindle
Genre: New Adult
Published Date: October 6th 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Synopsis

Playboy Cage owns the apartment, and he hosts a revolving door of people, in and out, at all times. Most of them are long-legged hot girls who are never there more than a night or two. When Cage’s new roommate, Marcus, enters the picture, he’s just looking to nurse a broken heart. But there’s one particular semi-frequent regular who catches his eye.

Willow—“Low”—is the one Cage wants to marry. But the two of them are night and day, and Marcus can’t see how Low puts up with all of Cage’s womanizing. What she really needs is a real man....like good-looking and sensible Marcus. But that’s going to get real complicated and real messy—real fast.

Review

I am glad I have decided to continue this series even I did not like the first book much. It turned out the sequel was so much better and I enjoyed very single minute I spent reading it. This book reminded me a lot of The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window and From Ashes. They do have a lot in common.

I admit that the book was a bit predictable. Full of cliches if you ask me. A boy met a beautiful girl and a girl saw a handsome boy. BAM!!! Love at first sight. I am not a big fan of insta-love, but it doesn't mean I can enjoy reading one every one and then. Besides that, when Willow met Jefferson for the first time, I could see how the story went.
 
One thing that made me love this book was the characters. They were all so likeable. I loved that each of them had different personalities which made the book even more fascinating. Willow, aka Low, was such a nice, forgiving girl. She didn't hold grudge even she should have and I liked her for that.

Reading this book was a fun and exciting experience. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. One of the best things about reading a series later than everyone else is I don't have to wait for months for another book.

Breathe

Authors: Abbi Glines
Series: Sea Breeze
Book: 1
Format: Kindle
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Published Date: May 17th 2011
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Rating: ❤❤❤

Synopsis
Sadie White's summer job isn't going to be on the beach life-guarding or working at rental booths like most kids her age. With her single mother's increasing pregnancy and refusal to work, Sadie has to take over her mother's job as a domestic servant for one of the wealthy summer families on a nearby island.

When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie hadn't spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house she might have been normal enough to be excited about working for a rock star.

Even though Sadie isn't impressed by Jax's fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax but he fights his attraction. Relationships never work in his world and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. By the end of the summer, Jax discovers he can't breathe without Sadie.

Review
I wish I could say I liked the book more than this because I really love Ms. Glines's books. Her The Vincent Boys series is very fascinating (I still need to read book 2, though.)

This book started out pretty interesting and I did enjoy flying through the pages. Then it felt a bit too sugary sweet and unrealistic to me. I don't want to sound impolite, but Sadie was just so annoying as h*ll. I knew she was supposed to get hurt when Jax ended their short-life romance, but seriously, she should have gotten a grip. Not eating or going out was just too pathetic.

Moreover, why did every guy (yes, every one of them) have to fall for her? Yes, I know she was sweet, pretty and naive (seriously?), but does it have to be every one of them? I cannot remember how many times I asked myself, "Him too?". 

Let's move on to her mother, the character that bugged me even more than Sadie. A grown a** woman who had a 17-year-old daughter should not have acted like that. Got knocked up, walking around in her underwear, whining about everything and her daughter had to buy condoms for her. Are you for real? Here is what pushed me over the edge:

Jessica slept all night, and if I tried to wake her, she burst into tears. When she cried, Sam cried, so I just left her alone.

For those of you who haven't read it yet, Jessica was Sadie's mother and Sam was the newly born baby boy. This was the scene after Jessica gave birth to baby Sam. I assumed Jessica was at least in her late 30 and the fact that she cried when her daughter wanted her to take care of the baby was unbelievable.

Anyway, I am still  going to read book 2, just to find out what else is going to happen.

Point of Retreat

Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed
Book: 2
Pages: 300
Genre: Contemporary
Published Date: February 25 2012
Publisher: Colleen Hoover
Rating: ❤❤

Synopsis
Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart.

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’ 

Review
As much as I loved the first book, Slammed, I have to be honest and say that this book, Point of Retreat, is a disappointment comparing to the first book, which I loved so much. I was so thrilled when I started reading. Who would not? This one was even told from Will's point of view!

This book continued telling the lives of these young lovers after Lake's mother passed away. It was a one-year-later kind of book. I hope it makes sense. Anyway, since this book was told from Will's POV, I began to see Lake for her true self - an immature, annoying girl. There were so many times that I wanted to straggle her for being so irritable.

Let's start with the time Will and Lake had a misunderstanding. She started acting weird. For a 19-year-old girl who was supposed to be the legal guardian of her brother, Lake behaved like a 5year old. Sneaking in to Will's house to get the stars her mother had left her (we'll get to that later), and shoved them in her shirt when she was caught. Please! That was so cheesy.

Another one was after she was discharged from the hospital, part of her hair had been cut/shaved in order for the doctors to do their job saving her freaking life. And she cried for that? Really? That was supposed to be one of the "romantic" part of the book, I presumed, when Will, being a nice, but silly man that he was, cut a part of his hair also to make her feel better. That was so stupid if you ask me. If I were Will, I would have said, "Oh, grow up!"

As for the stars left by Lake's mother for both Will and Lake to turn to when their lives were getting too tough, I found that was so unrealistic whatsoever. It gave advice just like the mother was still alive. Like she saw what was happening.Oh, please! That was too good to be true.

I cannot tell you how many books I have read that adapt similar plot where the girlfriend caught her boyfriend being with another girl, and misunderstood that for cheating. Once I read and found out the author also added Will's ex-girlfriend, Vaughn, it was kind of predictable how the story would go.

I am sure many people will disagree with me. But this is how I felt about the book. I really respect the author for her hard-work. However, Lake was too butterflying annoying!!!

Slammed

Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed
Book: 1
Pages: 314
Genre: Contemporary
Published Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Colleen Hoover
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Synopsis
Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.
Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.
Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Favorite Quote
"...I wanted to hold onto it forever. I wanted to let her know that she wasn't alone. Whatever burden it was that she was carrying around, I wanted to carry it for her." ~ Slammed

Review
First of, let's give Ms. Colleen Hoover a big round of applause for her amazing work.

I meant to read this book long ago, but hesitated because people told me there were poems in the book. Just so you know, I am not a big fan of poems. Then a few people in Goodreads said I had to read it and read it quick. So since I had nothing to lose, I read the book. And two words... Will Cooper! If you have not read this book, go find a copy now. I read it in one sitting, so you may need a comfortable chair.

Let's start with the poems. I normally yawn when it comes to poem. But boys, this book changes my perspective on poems. The poems in the book were so beautiful that they brought tears to my eyes. They cut me open, took out my heart and stomped on it, and yet I begged for more. Well, metaphorically speaking. You get the idea! My favorite one, beside Lake, is the first poem in the book, Blue Sweater.

 Besides the tear-jerking poems, I loved Layken, aka Lake, and Will. They were a perfect couple. Will was so dreamy. Good-looking, smart, responsible and gentle. He was a complete package. They fell for each other since the first time they set eyes on one another, but their relationship was deeper than physical attraction. I do not mind insta-love, even sometimes I can't help rolling my eyes. However, this book made it romantic and, well, just perfect.

Again, if you have not read it yet, you should read it, like right now! This is a must-read.

Monument 14

Author: Emmy Laybourne
Series: Monument 14
Book: 1
Pages: 294
Genre: Dystopia
Published Date: June 5th 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Synopsis
Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart

Review
I read this one with a friend on Goodreads. Normally I would not go for this type of book. I am glad I did since I am absolutely, positively and completely in love with this book.

What I really loved about this book is the concept. The idea of being trapped is not that new, but being trapped with kids to take care of in a superstore during a disastrous period is just very intriguing. I loved all characters in this book. Yes, all fourteen of them. Each has their own uniqueness that made the book even more interesting. You can find almost any type of personality from this group of young people.

The wording is also amazing. It was not overly descriptive that made you yawn and rolled your eyes. The flow of the story was so good that it made me unable to put the book down. Literally! I read and ate dinner simultaneously. Each chapter ended just causing more curiosity and I just had to read on to find out what happened next.

Moreover, who would have guessed that this book could be humorous also? I found some scenes ridiculously funny. I know it should not be since the idea of kids being trap while the world is going crazy, murderously crazy outside should not be something to laugh about. But, it was! Well, at least some parts of the book. I guess the author tried to lighten up the mood since some characters were only 5 or 8 years old.

The ending itself was so good. Yes, it was a cliffhanger. But which book for what series is not? I cannot wait to read the second book in this terrific series.

Stealing Parker

Author: Miranda Kenneally
Series: Hundred Oaks
Book: 2Pages: 245 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published Date: October 1st 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Synopsis
After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.

Some Main Characters
Parker Shelton: a high school senior who used to be on the school softball team, but quit after her parents got divorced.
Drew: Parker's best friend and a baseball player for their high school.
Brian Hoffman: a 23-year-old baseball coach.
Corndog: also known as Will, Drew's friend and teammate. He is a bright school who always competes with Parker to be the valedictorian.
Ryan: Parker's druggie older brother.
Laura: Parker's former best friend.

Favorite Quote
Sometimes you gotta do what's right for you and forget about everybody else. All that matters is what you want. What you need. ~ chapter 13

Review
Since I finished Ms. Miranda Kenneally's previous book, Catching Jordan, I have come to love her writing and I was so excited to be able to read her next book. I am glad to say that this book is also fantastic.

Starting out, this novel revolves around a high school senior, Parker Shelton. Parker's life has changed drastically after her mother, who finally comes out of the closet, left Parker to start a new life with her girlfriend. Because of this, Parker has been picked on by her softball teammate that she might be a lesbian just like her mother. It is tough time for Parker, but luckily she has Drew by her side to support her. Since softball reminds her so much of her mother, Parker decides to quit the team and she starts paying more attention on how she looks. In order to prove that she does like boys, not girls, Parker starts hooking up with several different boys. Until she meets a new assistant coach, Brian Hoffman. He is charming, friendly and completely gorgeous. Parker is hooked! The problem is he is six years older...

What I really like about this book is that it teaches you the important of friendship. When Parker is being bullied, Drew always stays by her side supporting her, which makes it easier for Parker to cope. Besides, it shows us that as long as we are happy with our choices, we do not have to worry about what other people think. Parker's mother is through with living a lie. She comes out and changes her life. I admire that. Unlike her mother, Parker's father puts all his attention on what others have to say about him. He even breaks up with his new girlfriend just because people from his church say it is not the right thing for him to do.

This book focuses a lot on religion. How Parker and her family always go to church every Sunday is not that difficult to relate to even I am not that very religious. What surprised me was that  the people at their church are so judgmental and their behavior toward Parker and her family after the mother comes out  is so not Christian-like. Parents tell their kids to stop associating with Parker. People talk sh*t behind others' back. It is ridiculous that they consider themselves Christians and what they do is completely opposite.

Nevertheless, this book reminds me too much of Catching Jordan. Probably it is because the author seemed to follow the same pattern which has made the book a bit predictable. However, this book is still very enjoyable in its own way. The characters are well-thought-out and likeable. And have I mentioned that Jordan and her man appeared in this book also? Well, it was kind of like a cameo, but yes, they were in this book as well. If you enjoyed Catching Jordan, I am sure you'll love this one as well.

Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally
Series: Hundred Oaks
Book: 1
Pages: 281
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published Date: December 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Synopsis:
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Characters:
Jordan Woods: a seventeen-year-old high school senior. She is in the football team, as a quarterback and a captain.
Sam Henry: Jordan's best friend and teammate. He is the wide receiver in the football team.
Tyler Green: aka "Ty". He is a new student moving from Texas. He is also playing as a quarterback.
JJ: Jordan's friend and teammate.
Carter: Jordan's friend and teammate.
Mike Woods: Jordan's big brother who is also a football player, but in collegiate level.
Donovan Woods: Jordan's father, an NFL player. He disagrees with Jordan's choice to be a football player.
Mrs. Woods: Jordan's mother, who is very supportive to Jordan.
Jake Reynolds: Mike's best friend.
Vanessa: Ty's younger sister.
Kristen Markum: a cheerleader.
Carrie Myer: a cheerleader and Henry's ex.
Lacey: a cheerleader.
Marie: a cheerleader. She and Henry "date" each other.
Coach Miller: Jordan's coach.
Coach Thompson: the coach of Alabama team

Review:
This book is a must-read! I love this book so much and cannot wait to read another of Ms. Kenneally's work. This one of books is simply fantastic. It's clean, precise, funny, romantic, and straight-to-the-point. I strongly recommend this one to the bookish who are like me... hopeless romantic!

First thing that attracted me about this book is the cover. Duh... like always! I love browsing through books and select the ones that have the best covers of the bunch. This one won... hands down! Just one look at the cover and I was like, have to read it.

The inside of the book is not a disappointment either. Each page is just as good as the last one. I love how the author added in a lot of humor. The wording is easy to understand and straight forward, and that's the most important part of any books. Sometimes, I find myself having fun reading a book, but it is just too abstract, messy and too much detail, which is kinda like a turnoff to me.

Here comes spoiler! If you have not read the book yet, I recommend not to read what comes ahead.

Frankly speaking, I was secretly wishing for Jordan to fall for Henry since the beginning. Who doesn't want to fall in love with your best friend? Someone who knows you and loves you for your true self. When she thinks she loves Ty, I was a bit disappointed since I was looking forward to read about Jordan and Henry's road to romance. Hard to judge Jordan when Ty is hot like hell and Henry is not making any move, but pushing her to date Ty. It is a selfless love! And I'm completely falling in love with Henry for that. When Jordan realizes that the one Henry loves is her... I was like, told ya! It is just sweet, very sweet.

I wish there were many other books out there like this one.