EDENBROOKE: JULIANNE DONALDSON

There were so many reasons for me to NOT like this book. The heroine is smart and funny, but completely clueless to the obvious men in her life, the plot was pretty darn predictable, and the scandal storyline seemed almost like an afterthought. However, I still totally loved it. I don't know why, but I did. Edenbrooke is super cute and swoony, and is a completely 100% clean read. I also had a very hard time putting it down.

BOOK BLURB:

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

Read more about it HERE.

STUCK IN A GOOD BOOK GIVEAWAY: VIRTUOSITY

When I signed up for this hop, I thought it would be super easy to come up with a book to feature. But then I realized I don't like to put down any of my books. So I wanted to choose a read that kept me up late with excitement. I decided to pick Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez, because I remember staying up late to finish it because I really, really, really, really wanted to know what was going to happen. I stay up late reading every night, but not always as late as I stayed up with this one. 

Go HERE for my original review.

One winner will get a hardback copy of this clean, sweet, sassy, suspensful, swoony read!

TIGER LILY: JODI LYNN ANDERSON

This book completely transported me to a magical world, and I loved all of it. I don't even know what possessed me to pick this up. I don't really like fantasy books, and I didn't like Anderson's contemporary romance series Peaches at all. But I liked Tiger Lily right away. The poetic and full words swept me off to an island with a very loveable Tinkerbell as my guide.

BOOK BLURB:

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

I don't generally keep track of quotes, but this book was so darn full of them that I had to make note of at least two:

" 'I'm not myself,' she offered, guilty. 

He smiled. 'You can never say that. You're just a piece of yourself right now that you don't like.' "

And then this one:

"To love someone was not what she had expected. It was like falling from somewhere high up and breaking in half, and only one person having the secret to the puzzle of putting her back together." 

At first this felt like a book that a mother could sit and read to her 8 - 10 year old daugter. But despite the fact that it is a clean read it is probably too dark for most children. The darkness was one of the reasons I loved it though.

Again, this book surprised me in so many ways because I just didn't think I could like it, but I freaking loved it. My cute daughter was fascinated when I told her I was reading a book about Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, and I promised my four year old that I would read it to her one day. Hopefully she will love it too.

 

WHO'S AFRAID OF MR. WOLFE?: HAZEL OSMOND

I really enjoyed this. It was kind of predictable, but then the way it went about it's predictableness (I know that is not word) was a surprise. It is probably not a book you can get at your local library, but it is available on amazon for way cheap.

BOOK BLURB:

Ellie Somerset is a great advertising copywriter going nowhere fast - a boyfriend who is always at work, a tendency to dress like a short-sighted bag lady and a Creative Director who rejects her fresh ideas - they all conspire to keep her just treading water. Even her Great Aunt Edith, a demon at filthy scrabble, has a better social life than she does. All that changes when Jack Wolfe becomes her boss. Whilst everyone else at the agency thinks he's Heathcliff in jeans, Ellie just sees a stalking, scowling Alpha male with a nasty redundancy plan up his sleeve. As Jack makes it his mission to smarten up Ellie's attitude and her appearance, it's time for her to prove herself. But that means getting closer to this very sexy, very wicked man, and as she does Ellie discovers that this particular Heathcliff has an awful lot to hide.

A few steamy scenes and mild language. Overall a light and enjoyable read without being silly. 

Read more about it HERE.

SPEECHLESS: HANNAH HARRINGTON

Last year, I really enjoyed Harrington's debut novel Saving June so I was looking forward to her new book Speechless. First off let me just tell you that the actual physical book is freaking beautiful. I'm not sure why the publisher decided to go with this cover, because it does not stand out online at all. However in person it is stunning and different. I'm glad I read the actual book and not just an ebook with this one. 

Harrington's writing is solid and she is definitely a talented story teller. Both this and Saving June didn't grab me like crazy, but I enjoyed reading them. I thought the story in Speechless was a great addition to current contemporary YA literature. This book explores some timely themes and shows that any moment can change you. 

I liked how Chelsea changes, but is still the same person. It reminded me of how I felt as I came of age in college. I was still me, but I changed and grew. I think most people can relate to a time in there life where they found themselves and Chelsea does that in Speechless.

BOOK BLURB:

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

I don't think I am giving too much away by saying that Chelsea outs a fellow student, who then gets attacked and nearly killed by two neanderthals that Chelsea is "friends" with at school. No matter how you feel about the gay issue I don't think anyone can say they are ok with this kind of violence against a student who says he is gay. I liked how Harrington talks about what happened without making you feel like she has a political agenda.

I did have one huge problem with one part at the end that was just too sugary sweet, feel good and I hated it because it did NOT feel like it went went the rest of the book. ("There's someone here tonight who deserves this title way more than I do"? Ugh!)

Great book overall though and I look forward to the next one by this author. 

Read more about it HERE.

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER: JAMIE McGUIRE

I have been curious about this book for awhile now, back when the cover looked like this:

AHHH! Scary I know! :) The new cover is much improved!

I would read other reviews about this book and I felt like I wanted to read it, but it sounded so scandalous. I just wasn't sure if it would be for me. Can I say quickly right here that there are NOT enough books about girls in college?! Ok, I got that out now for why this book was awesome.

Is it well written? No, not really. Is the romance healthy and sweet and acceptable? No. Does it suck you in like crazy and keep you reading until the wee hours of the night? YES! At least it did for me.

Beautiful Disaster was actually a huge surprise for me. It has some surprising layers and you learn that there is more to the characters than what you think at first. I admit I had pre-judged this book because of reviews I had read, and I was surprised at the depth of this book. But let it be known that the relationship in this book is kind of abusive and nuts. I'm not sure if the author is condoning this kind of dependent, overly passionate relationship or if she is merely telling a story. Either way, I couldn't get enough of Abby and Travis. Before I read this book, I was expecting a story about a sweet girl that meets a bad boy who is bad for her. But actually both characters are kind of edgy and maybe good for each other? I don't know. Can you tell I am conflicted?

BOOK BLURB:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

I may have expected a trashy read that I was going to enjoy as a guilty pleasure, but in the end I liked it a lot more than I expected. It has drinking, smoking, talk of drug use, and it is steamy so be warned.

Read more about it HERE. 

Thanks NetGalley for the read!

DON'T YOU WISH: ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE

This is a book that seems first to fall into the typical silly cute book genre, and it actually started out that way for me. Bet then all of the sudden I was sucked in, and I kind of feel in love with "plain" Annie Nutter. The entire story is endearing and Annie is just so darn loveable. The story held my interest because I really wanted to find out if and how Annie was going to get out of the alternate reality where she found herself.

BOOK BLURB:

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school. 

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilarating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

I was really impressed with how the author took kind of a silly (and frankly not possible) premise and made it sweet, while also maintaining a hold in the real world by using smart scientific ideas to make the Annie's alternate reality possible.

Annie is an innocent character, but there are a few references to sex, drinking, and drugs. 

Read more about this book HERE. 

Thank you NetGalley for the read!

FOREVER MINE IS FREE TODAY

I always like to give my readers a heads up when a popular ebook is FREE. I haven't read this, but it is free right now on Amazon! Go HERE and get it.

MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE: ANNABEL PITCHER

This isn't the kind of book I would typically gravitate to or seek out, but it is a beautifully written story. Sitting here thinking about it, I can't believe how many issues this little book brings alight to the reader, and it is all executed flawlessly.

I've also never read a book entirely devoid of quotation marks. Dialogue is expressed in italics as our narrator (a very smart and funny Jamie), tells us who said what. It was an interesting choice for the author, and it works by adding substance to the strong voice of Jamie.

BOOK BLURB:

Ten-year-old Jamie hasn't cried since it happened. He knows he should have - Jasmine cried, Mum cried, Dad still cries. Roger didn't, but then he is just a cat and didn't know Rose that well, really.

Everyone kept saying it would get better with time, but that's just one of those lies that grown-ups tell in awkward situations. Five years on, it's worse than ever: Dad drinks, Mum's gone and Jamie's left with questions that he must answer for himself.

This is his story, an unflinchingly real yet heart-warming account of a young boy's struggle to make sense of the loss that tore his family apart.

This is a clean read with a little language here and there as heard by a young child. It is extremely sad and anger inducing (that MOM! ugh!), but it is light and hopeful as well.

You can read more about it HERE.