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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

8 Heart Review: Be With Me by J. Lynn

Be With Me (Wait for You #2)
Jennifer L. Armentrout writing as J. Lynn
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Page Count: 384
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B: college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not...

Review

What I had said to Jase needed to be said. If we were going to attempt to at least be friends or social with each other, the kissing and all the other stuff had to stop, because while it might feel oh-so-right when it was happening, it wasn't when it was all said and done. Yes, he was physically attracted to me. Yes, he cared for me. Yes, I wanted him... But whatever he felt for me, it wasn't enough to overcome any of the misgivings he had or the invisible line he'd drawn between us.
Knowing all this didn't change the fact that it cut deeply.

Teresa Hamilton has only ever surmounted to one thing in her life: dancing. A recent knee injury risks not only her dance scholarship, but also the only passion she's ever known, the only future she's ever planned. But Tess, whom we first were introduced to as Cam Hamilton's resilient little sister in J. Lynn's Wait for You, is a big girl, which means she's going to do what she's always done: pick up the pieces of her life and carry on. This doesn't only mean, college; it also means taking the leap of faith by being honest with her feelings for Jase, who swears the two of them would never work.

The problem isn't that Jase is her brother's best friend—after all, it's Tess Jase is afraid of, not Cam; it's that Jase, despite his clear attraction to her, is unwilling to drag her down into anything serious. He has a dark past that never surfaces in his cool, calm nature, but Tess can just tell he has a story to tell, but reluctantly won't. And she'll be damned if he keeps leading her on, but avoiding confrontation.

When an impending problem, outside of Tess's control and radar, grows bigger and eventually implodes in a devastating turn of events, Tess learns that the things holding her back—pride, schoolwork, fear of rejection, fear of never dancing again—are the last things in the world that she should be worrying about, and that Jase, regardless of his quiet torment, is a good man who just needs to sort himself out.

The physicality of Tess and Jase's relationship is scorching hot, and their explosive encounters are interspersed with frustrating periods where Jase completely cuts off contact, or attempts to collect himself. His suave exterior shatters to pieces in her presence, but he can't afford to fall for her because he has too much baggage, too much going on in his life that she wouldn't understand. I absolutely hated how bipolar Jase was with his mixed signals; it really made me feel bad for Teresa. She is a bit of an emotional and hypersensitive character, but I totally understand why: Jase is infuriating! Teresa had every right to be naggy and needy when Jase treated her that way.

I still fell in love with Jase, though, which is a complex feeling in itself. He's such a well-developed character, who isn't composed solely of a few cardinal personality traits like Cam was in Wait for You; he actually has depth to him, intrigue. He's a stoic hero—the charmingly self-possessed mature type—who's only uncharacteristically affectionate with Tess. I actually liked him much better than Cam; he's less two-dimensional and has more to him than just good looks.

Tess is much more likable than Avery too, although in this book's perspective, Avery is viewed as the gorgeous, altruistic good girl—the one who was able to tame Cam. It's not that I don't like this slant on her, but I just wish it would have been better portrayed in Wait for You. At times, Tess is annoyingly naïve, but that has a lot to do with her young age and inexperience, as well as the tough times she's been through, namely her abusive boyfriend from high school. I love how this pivot point of Wait for You is explored much more in Be With Me. The recurring characters, including Cam, Avery, Brittany, plus a few new likable secondary characters, were a pleasant surprise, as well.

The quality of the writing and the procession of the story are both noticeably better and much more compelling in Be With Me than in Wait for You, a tribute to the fact that this book was written under a Harper Collins contract (whereas the first book was initially self-published, then picked up to be reprinted due to its popularity). I'm not saying Armentrout couldn't have written this alone (obviously, she started out self-publishing and was wildly successful with that), but a good editor really does make a difference.

There still are some unbelievable cheesy moments in this book, but not as much as in Wait for You, so overall I enjoyed it much more. Not as many clichés and "coincidences", that's for sure; Be With Me actually had good plot elements, a level of unpredictability and uncertainty, and characters that I actually loved getting to know.

Pros

Liked this sequel much better than the first book // Teresa is a humble, relatable, cute character—love her personality! // Jase will make your knees go weak // Chemistry is super hot! // Tess and Jase are a perfect couple // The roadblock of emotional unavailability is really well portrayed // Quirky, upbeat tone of voice that I love // Deals with grave issues maturely

Cons

Relationship seems very cheesy and a bit abrupt at times // Jase's mixed signals made me want to slap him in the face! // Story is great, but writing style is a bit amateur... however, it's still a huge improvement from Wait for You

Love

A lopsided grin appeared as he reached in and gently maneuvered me so that my legs dangled out of the Jeep. Our eyes met as he slipped an arm under my knees and the other around my back. "Hold on."

My heart did a backflip. A perfect one. "You do not need to carry me."

"I know," he replied. "Now hold on."

Verdict

"It's complicated." In an emotionally turbulent and heart-wrenching sequel to the ever-popular Wait for You, Teresa and Jase muster up the mutual courage to love, and learn to find a home in each other along the way. Fans of the first book will go wild with Jase, the seemingly smooth-sailing, unreservedly charming new bad boy on the block—one with distress seared into his soul, but wouldn't ever dare to show it—except to the one girl who brings him to his knees. J. Lynn brings us a novel about baggage, the uncertainty of the future, and the inescapability of the past, that I personally liked much better than the first book in the series. Be With Me is a captivating sequel about strength, resilience, and belonging to and giving yourself to someone wholly

Thursday, November 28, 2013

7 Heart Review: Foreplay by Sophie Jordan

Foreplay (Ivy Chronicles #1)
Sophie Jordan
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Page Count: 320
Release Date: November 5th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow Books (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs.

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real...

Review

Pepper—perpetually dubbed a "nice girl"—knows exactly what she wants. She wants a place to call home, a stable marriage, two-point-five children, and a white picket fence. Intelligent, kind, and newly single Hunter, whom she's loved from afar ever since her adolescence, can provide all these things—if she can even get him to notice her. But that's the thing with nice girls... they typically go unnoticed, especially the plain-Jane wallflower V-I-R-G-I-N-S like her. To get Hunter to fall for her, she needs a game plan: she needs to tease out her inner bombshell. But in order to do that, she'll need experience, and at her level of desperation, she'll look anywhere to get it.

Pepper's search for a purely physical relationship, particularly with her lack of experience and sexual maturity, in order to achieve the idealistically domestic life she's always wanted, creates a complicated jumble of a romance story—a not-quite love triangle, with a few fatefully belated realizations tangled in. This is an entertaining twist on the typical We Agreed to be Fuck Buddies But Ended Up Falling In Love and the Honey, It Was You All Along! plots, but you can't really expect it to knock anyone's socks off.

The biggest thing that contributed to my enjoyment of this novel was the emotional depth within both Pepper and Reece. I'm not talking about the troubled pasts trope here, because I really felt it wasn't necessary to the development of the book, but rather, the reluctance and self-control both characters are forced to demonstrate when thrown into their sticky situation. Reece's mysterious, bad-boy-with-exceptional-morals vibe will make you want to probe him and get to know him, and Pepper's insistence on having Hunter while simultaneously falling for Reece, is a painful and conflicting issue.

Jordan's characters are intricate and very lifelike—that, I can't complain about—but Pepper as a whole, I had a problem with. As kind-hearted and easy to sympathize with as she is, for her age and circumstance, she seems like a loser—and not the adorable, klutzy kind of loser either, but a complete and utter square. I know that makes me sound like a turbobitch, but her lack of social awareness (about everything and anything, not just with sex!) and very not-cute naïveté are so exasperating. She's a genuine, determined person, I'll give her that, but she's the kind of girl who doesn't understand sarcasm and innuendos, or is deluded enough to actually believe that one guy will give her everything she's ever wanted but never had (happiness, a perfect family, a large house, etc.). AND she's foolish enough to refuse Reece, who's right there in front of her practically ripping his heart open for her to use, because she's so fixated on this dream she's had. I accepted her as the narrator, but really had trouble liking or even relating to her.

Reece, as with most NA heroes, is absolutely delicious—the kind of guy girls lose their heads over. Despite the fact that he seems perfect (has icy blue eyes and a flawless body; is a soccer-player-turned-bartender, as well as sex god), what readers learn of him beneath the surface is what will really made me swoon. Tall, dark, and troubled fans, you will go wild with this bad boy—such a catch!

Pros

REECE! Holy fuck // Pepper's initial mortification with Reece is hilarious // All the characters are well written; I'm intrigued by Pepper's friends because they seem so two-dimensional, but I'm sure they each have their own stories (possible future books in the series??) // Great writing that flows smoothly and steadily // Easy, mindless read // Pepper and Reece make an unexpectedly good pair // Contemporary college setting

Cons

Predictable // Unimaginative storyline: "Average girl and super hunk fall in love in an initially no-strings-attached relationship"—doesn't this scream contemporary romance? // Pepper is a consistent narrator, but an aggravating character // Hunter didn't seem that great to begin with; Pepper's "love" for him is unconvincing

Verdict

While the familiar synopsis of Sophie Jordan's debut contemporary romance didn't get my hopes up for a completely exceptional or mind-blowing read to begin with, I couldn't help but be charmed by her effortless, intriguing execution of the overrated plot. The cast of lively characters, steamy chemistry, and entertaining, endearingly awkward relationship that only comes with the college experience—or rather, college inexperience—make Foreplay a breezy, party-like new adult novel, but Pepper's encounters with intimacy of an unwarranted connection, as well as release from repression to confront true desires, both add depth and complexity. I wouldn't call this an urgent must-read, but it's definitely a promising start to an exciting new university-set romance series

Friday, November 22, 2013

9 Heart Review: Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams

Forgiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #1)
Molly McAdams
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Page Count: 359
Release Date: October 29th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow & Company (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A matter of secrets...
Undercover cop Logan "Kash" Ryan can't afford a distraction like his new neighbor Rachel Masters, even if she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. To catch a serial killer, he needs to stay focused, yet all he can think about is the feisty, long-legged coed whose guarded nature intrigues him.

A matter of lies...
Deceived and hurt before, Rachel would rather be a single, crazy cat lady than trust another guy, especially a gorgeous, tattooed bad boy with a Harley, like Kash. But when his liquid-steel eyes meet hers, it takes all of Rachel's will-power to stop herself from exploring his hot body with her own.

A matter of love...
As much as they try to keep it platonic, the friction between them sparks an irresistible heat that soon consumes them. Can Kash keep Rachel's heart and her life safe even as he risks his own? Will she be able to forgive his lies... or will she run when she discovers the dangerous truth?

Review

People say that being in love is amazing.
They lie. It's freaking terrifying.

An undercover assignment is the last place Kash Ryan should expect to pick up girls, but one look at Rachel Masters has him sighing to himself, "aw, fuck that."

Yes, Forgiving Lies does revolve around a severe case of insta-love—no one believed the "only friends, just attracted to each other" thing anyway—but I enjoyed it immensely regardless.

21-year-old Rachel has been reserved and reclusive ever since the tragic death of her parents, so she doesn't plan on letting anyone in anytime soon... especially after she was hurt by someone she once thought she could trust. Upon meeting Kash, she's rather bitchy and stiff—I disliked her immediately, but when I realized that side of her was just a personal front she was putting up to protect herself, I softened up to her. As Kash, too, begins to comprehend Rachel's defense mechanisms, and finds a way to penetrate them, her actual personality is revealed: smart, saucy, and at her tenderest moments, extremely genuine and sweet. I loved her, and wish I had a BFF like her!

Forgiving Lies alternates between Kash's and Rachel's points of view so readers get to see what's going on in each character's head, as well at what each character is holding back from the other. This makes miscommunications frustrating, but simultaneously, the sexual tension even more delightful. It's clear the two were never meant to be just friends, but the relationship will be strained until both of them fully admit it.

I really appreciate the witty, thoughtful romance in this book. The playful banter will have you smiling and longing for such a fun, yet extremely deep—extremely accomplished—relationship like theirs. Kash is the harmony to Rachel's melody; they are cute and SO amusing together—there were times I'd laugh out loud and times my heart would flutter in my chest from their interactions.

The other characters are lovable, even if a little two-dimensional. We definitely have supporting character archetypes here, like Candi, the super beautiful, super supportive female best friend; Mason, the macho but huggable male best friend (I call this the "Emmett Cullen" trope); the slimy villain, etc. etc. Yeah, it triggered an eye-roll here and there, but it's not something I couldn't get over.

Alongside this adorable relationship, however, is a dangerous reality that even Kash, a police officer who's pretty much seen it all, isn't prepared to face—a harsh, ugly truth that may not only jeopardize his career, but also his life... as well as that of the woman he loves. I can't go on without giving too much away, but this suspense factor is definitely an adrenaline rush, and on top of that, McAdams throws the curveball of an unexpected ending that will keep you on your toes for the next book.

The accuracy and depth of the emotional bond between Rachel and Kash touched me on so many levels. The way Rachel wrenches open her heart and reveals her painful past is distressing, and the way Kash recuperates by promising to love her out of her misery, is ever so beautiful. It's lovey-dovey, yes, but the emotions here are so REAL—it's difficult not to sympathize with them.

Now let me try to get my feelings out about Kash... I saved this discussion for last because I'm really conflicted about him. On one hand, holy mother of god, he is the PERFECT man and I want to have his babies (you had to see this coming), but on the other, he's a bit too demanding and overbearing. I know he's supposed to be the powerful alpha hero with a soft spot, but at times, he seems a little (a lot) clingy... not cool.

He's extremely hot though, and is a really caring, sweet "bad boy," although he's not really bad at all. This annoys me a bit because strong, tough alpha males typically don't get whipped as soon as they meet a girl, no matter how phenomenal she is. And even if they do, they act more on their feelings and less on instinct... but hey, it's a fictional romance novel. We readers can dream, right?

Pros

Emotionally sound // Deep personal issues portrayed // Lovable characters // Rachel and Kash were made to be ♥ // Smoldering, swoon-worthy romance // Entertaining flirting // Disturbing suspense plot... this is not just a light NA read // Takes place in my hometown, Austin! And at my favorite school ever (other than my own, of course), UT!

Cons

Very unrealistic (the way characters act, the way chance plays out, etc.) // Superficial, trite cast of characters... they're likable, but flatly depicted

Verdict

Dreamily romantic and heart-pumpingly eventful, Forgiving Lies is the new adult version of Jumpstreet 21 with just as much suspense and twice the sass. The chemistry and clever dialogue between Kash and Rachel are amusing; they add lightness to the novel, but the deep-rooted, honest emotions are what will make you fall in love. The only reason I'm docking a heart (half a star) is because Kash is overly gooey sometimes... the way he so blatantly declares his love for Rachel seems unnatural, but otherwise this first installment of Molly McAdams's new series is a cute, feel-good contemporary romance that's (mostly) relatable in its emotional reluctance and simultaneously terrifyingly grim at its core. Don't be fooled by the fanciful romance and the bold, self-reliant protagonists; this is a somber, serious story about broken hearts and overcoming fears, about betrayals, vulnerabilities, and the slow collapse of emotional shields... and because of its grounded, weightier issues, I'm a huge fan. I foresee a review for book 2 in the future

Thursday, November 14, 2013

10 Heart Review: Finding It by Cora Carmack

Finding It (Losing It #3)
Cora Carmack

Page Count: 307
Release Date: October 15th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life... or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

Review

"You scare me," I said.
His brow furrowed, and his mouth opened, but no words came out. He took a breath and then very slowly said, "You have nothing to be scared of. I won't... I wouldn't. I'll help you get to bed, and then I'll leave, get another room."
He thought I didn't trust him... that he might do something.
"Not that. I don't think that."
"Then why do I scare you?"
"Because I don't want you to see."
There was a small part of me that knew I should shut my mouth, that I was saying things I shouldn't, but that part of me felt like it was on the other side of a cement wall. It was too far away and too hard to understand.
"See what?"
He shouldered open a door and I answered simply, "Me."

So THIS is what the buzz for Cora Carmack's books is all about. Finding It is the third book in the Losing It series but it reads fine (more than fine!) as a standalone novel. The previous books are completely unrelated stories that just revolve around Kelsey's friends.

Simply and shortly put: I. loved. this. book.

Now onto my long, possibly incoherent, and certainly unrestrained review. You've been warned.

Even the glamor of traveling through Europe alone and her daddy's limitless credit cards can't get Kelsey Summers out of her post-graduation slump. All the parties, the booze, the hot boys... they're distractions, but they're meaningless to her because she doesn't know what's wrong in her life. She's extremely privileged—blessed, even, with her Barbie-doll looks, theatre degree, and friends back home who love her—but she's unhappy, and what makes her unhappier is she doesn't know why. The bottomless, passionless pit she falls into can't be all there is to life, can it?

Then she meets the piercing eyes of a handsome stranger in a bar, and her world is turned upside-down. Life may not have been pretty before, but it also wasn't scary until ex-soldier Jackson Hunt came around... scary because for the first time in her life, she's met someone who ignites something inside of her—someone who makes her want to bare the parts of herself that she thought she had long buried and thrown away.

Someone who threatens to love her even after discovering her secrets.

Carmack's gift for crafting the most flawed—and thus beautiful—of characters, is stunning. HUNT asdfasl;dflkasf I can't even begin to tell you how hard I fell for him. He is intricate in all of his worries and insecurities and mistakes, and the way I feel about him constantly alternates between I-love-him-so-much-he-is-perfection and fuck-fuck-fucj-why-is-he-fictional?!?! He's that kind of character. Kelsey is fun and flirty, and although she's a bit reckless and a bit irresponsible, she's mischievous, cunning, and absolutely divine; I loved her. She isn't a perfect narrator, but she's complex: a golden girl with an exquisite depth and charm to her that make her so real. She's always been the confident girl, the pretty girl, the one that was never afraid to be bold or brash or independent, but that might just be a role she's always played—a bit too well. And when Hunt slowly, agonizingly breaks through her thick skin only to reach an overwhelming, brilliant fire, he discovers this tendency to slip on the playful party-girl mask to cover up her worst of secrets and most worrisome of fears.

Both scarred and both searching, Kelsey and Hunt set off together in Europe without so much as a proper introduction, but that's what adventure is—it's taking risks—and that's what love is: it's putting your heart out there. Hunt's battle with self-control and Kelsey's battle with self-acceptance align just so they both recognize the hollows that need to be filled within one another. Their pursuit of a stormy, emotionally draining, but completely worthwhile relationship is invigorating, and it entails a flittering hope that maybe, just maybe, they might be able to teach each other to feel once again.

Kelsey and Hunt's voyage is both gorgeously scenic of Europe, and sweepingly romantic, which expertly demonstrate the magic of travel and the necessity of companionship. As walls begin to break down and an initially strained relationship softens, the pure tension—both emotional and sexual—will make your heart flip and tumble and dance and sing.

The romance in Finding It is really something else. It's so hard to find such a realistic—such an ugly but still glimmering—relationship in new adult fiction: complex, soul-searingly deep, and painful at its lows, but absolutely dazzling at its highs. Carmack skillfully demonstrates the sharp, unexpected pain of letting someone into your heart after it's been tightly sealed shut, as well as the hopelessness—the emptiness—the young-and-in-love experience when uncontrollable yearnings approach a startling revelation.

Carmack's writing is pitch-perfect, as well—another thing I adore! Kelsey is snarky and coy in her narration, but at her most vulnerable points, she doesn't hold back from being perceptive, piercing, and very, very tender. It is tremendously difficult not to sympathize with her—not to fall in love with her, yourself.

The stimulating conversations, the lust-driven passion and explosive chemistry, and the turbulent drama will have you aching—aching for a love that has strayed or a personal passion that's been forgotten. When two lost souls—that aren't entirely sure of what exactly they're looking for—take the leap and promise to search alongside each other, there's nothing they can guarantee... just that they might end up finding it together.

Pros

Everything... seriously // Distinct, beautifully human, vividly drawn characters // Smoldering romantic tension and chemistry // Fluid plot and heart-wrenching curveball // Hilarious // Light, charming tone, but still gets deep and insightful where it matters // Hunt... oh lord ♥

Cons

I may or may not have lost a couple nights of sleep to stay up and keep reading this... but that happens with the best kinds of novels, no?

Love

Before there had been attraction and maybe friendship. And those things were there still, but had morphed into something more. The attraction was stronger and tinged with the darkness that only comes when you can't have what you want.

Verdict

Intoxicating, exhilarating, and cathartic in its probing, intimate revelations, this last book in the Losing It series hits it out of the park. Cora Carmack is now an auto-buy author for me. (I just bought books #1, #1.5, and #2, but that still won't be able enough!) We have two deeply flawed, deeply fragile characters who recognize a rare longing in each other; we have haunting pasts and bleak futures that teach us to live in the now; and we have an intensely burning, intensely complicated love story that will steal your breath away... Yup, it's been decided: Finding It is an exemplary new adult romance that all books of the genre should aim to even come close to be. Perfect. Just perfect

Monday, October 14, 2013

8 Heart Review: The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot

The Bride Wore Size 12 (Heather Wells Mysteries #5)
Meg Cabot

Page Count: 400
Release Date: September 24th 2013
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Heather Wells is used to having her cake and eating it too, but this time her cake just might be cooked. Her wedding cake, that is.

With her upcoming nuptials to PI Cooper Cartwright only weeks away, Heather's already stressed. And when a pretty junior turns up dead, Heather's sure things can't get worse—until every student in the dorm where she works is a possible suspect, and Heather's long-lost mother shows up.

Heather has no time for a tearful mother and bride reunion. She has a wedding to pull off and a murder to solve. Instead of wedding bells, she might be hearing wedding bullets, but she's determined to bring the bad guys to justice if it's the last thing she does... and this time, it just might be.

Review

I grew up on Meg Cabot's books. The Princess Diaries, All-American Girl, Avalon High, The Mediator... these are the novels that shaped my love for the young adult genre, which was why I jumped on the chance to review the newest book in her most popular adult fiction series. The Heather Wells Mysteries have been around for quite a while, but in this most recent installment, the quirky, lovable heroine is back, and she's getting married—but that doesn't mean things will be calming down for her. In fact, it's just the opposite; when a student in her residence hall turns up dead even before classes start at New York College, she'll have to use her resources—and her wits—to get to the bottom of the fishy business going on in Fischer Hall—and save her wedding.

The Bride Wore Size 12 is true to Cabot's hilarious, pitch-perfect style. Impossible to put down and funny to the core, it's fabulously misleading and unpredictable until that one moment when the truth will click and everything rushes together. While it will have you at the edge of your seat and your heart pounding erratically throughout, I consider it a triumphant flourish of a feel-good novel—because just reading it will definitely make you a happier person.

Heather is a delightful narrator—both likable and genuine! I love how she's hard-working, clumsy (there's a little bit of each of us in her personality!), but still super sharp. What I admire so much is how, even though she never strays far from her beliefs and herself, she still has vulnerabilities and tenderness that make her so human. Empowered by the people who love and care for her at her side—as well as the thought of finally marrying the man of her dreams—she is able to plow through any problem that's headed her way, including the unfortunate incident among the students and an unpleasant reminder of her past.

I was also extremely impressed by how true-to-life the university backdrop of the novel was, as Cabot's fictional settings tend to be. It's SO realistic, and I can vouch for this with certainty because there are exact parallels with my own college; Meg Cabot definitely outdid herself with creating a "typical" college campus. I did feel like some of the mystery scenarios aren't as realistic, such as how easily Heather is able to get information from security and the police, but those are little logistics. For a mystery novel with less gravity than most, however, that wasn't too big an issue.

Although this book is the 5th in the series, it makes a phenomenal standalone novel. I had no problem following, even without having read the previous books. However, now my curiosity is piqued to actually try them—that's how much I loved this one!

Pros

Heather is such a likable heroine // Cooper is dreamy // College is realistically described // Breezily hysterical // Very effortless readability // Every single character is vivid and so well portrayed, even the villains and minor characters! // Cute contemporary tone // Murder mystery is actually well plotted and suspenseful

Cons

Not as much romance as I would have liked, but I'm guessing the previous novels have more of Heather and Cooper! // Slightly unrealistic depiction of a murder case

Love

"How about y'all take a seat now, and let's get right to business," Muffy says ... we all do as she suggested and take a seat, with the exception of Special Agent Lancaster, who declares he'd prefer to stand. I suppose if he sat down, the stick up his butt would lodge so deeply into his brain that he would instantly expire, and then we'd have another corpse on our hands, so it's just as well.

Verdict

The latest pickle Heather Wells gets herself into perfectly demonstrates the magic of Meg Cabot; the story the acclaimed author creates is addicting, suspenseful but still light-hearted, and one of those books you just hate to put down. The snarky yet compassionate, tongue-in-cheek yet sincere, and entertaining yet straightforward tone dictates a college-set murder investigation in this contemporary cozy mystery. If you're looking for a new adult novel with substance and style—as well as a good laugh—don't miss out on The Bride Wore Size 12 and the entire series

Monday, September 30, 2013

7 Heart Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Wait for You (Wait for You #1)
J. Lynn

Page Count: 384
Release Date: September 3rd 2013 (new paperback edition)
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via tour publicist, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Some things are worth waiting for...

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing...

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet...

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for...

Review

I wasn't sure that I could've gone further. Well, especially now I didn't think so. Cam would eventually move on and I would have an absolutely obliterated heart. Not broken, but completely destroyed, because Cam... he was falling-in-love-with material. And I couldn't let that happen.

With thousands of 5-star reviews all over Goodreads and Amazons and an overhyped fandom, Wait for You was one of new adult novels I was most looking forward to trying. While I did enjoy the book, I don't think—and this might put me on a blacklist with diehard Jennifer Armentrout fans—that it was all that mind-blowing. There is nothing surprising, nothing thrilling, and nothing intricate about this story, but it was, regardless, fun to follow.

Wait for You begins with a collision: the literal, head-on collision of two of the most overused archetypes in NA: the gorgeous-eyed reformed bad boy, Cam Hamilton, and the shy, painfully average new girl in town, Avery Morgansten. This "chance encounter"—as well as the revelation that the two happen to have their next class together, are randomly assigned as lab partners, and are neighbors, for Christ's sake—embodies their entire relationship throughout the novel; it's cheesy, it's contrived, and it's frequently the victim of (un)amused eye-rolling.

Cam is an absolute dreamboat, but he's too much of a fantasy guy. He's easy to fall in love with, so I loved his humor and swooned over the way he treats Avery, but he's too good to be true, with perfect looks, a perfect family, perfect friends, an unrealistically considerate respect for a woman's body and virtue, etc., which made everything about him hard to believe.

Our narrator Avery is genuine, and likable for the naïve wide-eyed virgin-type, but honestly just doesn't have a fun personality. Humor is often lost on her, she's jumpy as hell, and she's awfully bipolar (i.e. pushes Cam away then throws a fit when he stays away), so I overall found her frustrating. I feel like Lynn intentionally created a huge mess of a character, so I will acknowledge these flaws as character-building, but if Avery was a real-life person, she'd be that weird girl at school who never laughs at jokes, is unnaturally reclusive, and locks herself in her apartment every night to avoid socializing... which she actually does.

Retreating from the rather poorly portrayed main characters, the plot itself is nothing note-worthy. Wait for You has another typical, haunting-past-catches-up-to-present storyline that's all of predictable and starkly unoriginal. I feel like Avery's and Cam's "deep, dark pasts" are supposed to compel and shock—and the issues themselves, are definitely grave and shouldn't be taken lightly—but the way they are revealed is just too simple and straightforward; I wasn't profoundly touched by any of it. But because there are such heavy matters covered, the emotional timbre is poignant; Avery is a sensitive narrator, and all her angsts and desires are easy to relate with.

I fully appreciate the coming-of-age transition, as it's less about Avery's search for identity, and more about Avery reshaping her identity after it's been stripped away. The message of self-empowerment is incredibly potent, although rather two-dimensional—just like the romance. Cam and Avery's sentimental romance can get a little ridiculous at times, but the physical aspect of it hot, and definitely one of the best aspects of the book. It is pretty sexually explicit, but I'm kind of a glutton for that kind of thing.

J. Lynn may not be tremendously skilled with the pen (in fact, her writing is rather elementary and unsophisticated), but she certainly is gifted in transporting readers into a fantasy world, an ideal world where painful pasts can be a topic of intrigue and the hottest boy on campus falls for the troubled, awfully mediocre small-town girl. While Wait for You is a far cry from being a favorite of mine, I enjoyed it the way I admittedly enjoyed Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey: for its ease of style and mindlessness, as well as the saturated fantasy it offers, the overindulgent "perfect" romance.

Pros

Cam needs to exist in real life // Effortless read that moves quickly // Smokin' hot sex // Draws you into an expanse of emotions // A feel-good story, perfect for a quick escape

Cons

Cam doesn't exist in real life // Plot lacks originality and complexity // Ridiculously idealized relationship // Everything, from the plot, to the characters, to the romance, is cheesy to the max // Style did not blow me away // Avery is indecisive and sometimes really, really stupid—made her a frustrating narrator // Both main and secondary characters are distressingly shallow

Love

"Fuck, Avery. You think I don't want you? ... Don't ever doubt that I want you. That is not what this is about ... But not like this—never like this. You're drunk, Avery, and when we get together—because we will get together—you're going to be fully aware of everything that I do to you."

It took a few moments, but what he said finally sunk in through the liquor haze and confusion and made sense.

Closing my eyes, I turned my head to the side, feeling the way his skin slid alongside mine. "You're a good guy, Cam."

"No, I'm not." He exhaled deeply and his breath was warm against my cheek. "I'm only good with you."

Verdict

J. Lynn draws readers in to a contemporary college setting in West Virginia where two unlikely lovers—each with a dark secret—together, uncover the power in themselves to rekindle the passions they once thought they'd completely lost. Avery and Cam's tense romance is both stormy and starry-eyed, and although I found it to be unrealistic and clichéd, it is a part of a fast-moving, absorbing account that reminds you of what it means to love. Wait for You is a different kind of coming-of-age novel about resilience, taking chances even after being broken, and refusing to let your past define and limit you. It isn't by any means a masterpiece, but I liked it enough to want to try its sequel

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Love Resolution by Press Release and Giveaway!

Brought to you by A Tale of Many Reviews Book Blog Tours...

Love Resolution (Black Cat Records #3) by Michelle Mankin

Love Resolution hit shelves April 16th and it's my pleasure to feature a special giveaway as part of the AToMR book tour. Read on for the chance to enter!

To forgive or not to forgive...

There’s a storm brewing at Black Cat Records and lead singer Marcus Anthony and guitarist Avery Jones are at the center of it.

Brutal Strength is leaving Vancouver and heading out on a big stadium tour with the reprobate rockers from Tempest as their opening act.

Avery is forced to deal with a troubling figure from her past while being pursued by Tempest’s tatted bad boy, Bryan ‘Bullet’ Jackson.

Meanwhile, Marcus must battle his own internal demons as well as this rival for Avery’s affection.

Can Avery and Marcus keep their fairy tale happily ever after together when the prevailing winds of the real world are against them?

Buy the book at: Amazon

Click "Read more" to access a fantastic giveaway JUST for Books à la Mode readers!

How I Wrote a Successful Query for The Charge by Sharon Bayliss + Giveaway

My Successful Query Journey

Querying my novel almost drove me insane. A slight exaggeration perhaps, but I think there should be some additions to the DSM for query-related disorders. Perhaps "Acute query psychosis" or "E-mail refreshing compulsion disorder," and of course, "Rejectaphobia."

I suffered from all of these disorders and have almost 50 drafts of my query saved on my computer... and that's just the drafts I saved. I really hated the whole process. But through all that trial and tribulation, I did rise victorious. I finally wrote a query that got me a full request from a publishing house.

Here is the unaltered query for The Charge that got me a full request and ultimately a publishing contract:

- - - - - - - - -

Dear Curiosity Quills Editor,

Eighteen-year-old Warren King has been protecting his brother, Isaac, from bullies ever since Isaac decided to wear a top hat to the third grade. So when Isaac is kidnapped, Warren heads out to bust some faces. But Warren didn’t expect the bully to be the King of the Texas Empire. Warren’s mother confesses that Warren and his brother are some of the last members of the Texas royal family. The new King is hunting down his relatives before the true heir decides to say, “Hey man, you’re in my seat.”

Warren must save his brother and avoid capture himself armed with nothing more than a fifteen year old Camry and MapQuest directions to Texas. He gets help from a spirited Texan named Lena who is first girl that ever made him want to do things like iron creases in his pants. She’s ready to help him take on the King, but since she’s an anti-monarchy activist dating the son of the President of the United States, he’s not sure if she’s going to kiss him or shoot him. Gone are the days when choosing a major was a big deal. Now he must embark into a West that stayed wild and choose to be King, follow a King, or die before he can retire his fake ID.

The Charge is an 80,000 word New Adult science fiction adventure set on an alternate timeline where a dictator took over the Republic of Texas in 1836 and built his own empire in the West. It can stand alone, but I have outlined it to be the first book in a five part series.

Sincerely,
Sharon Bayliss

Thank you so much for sharing this exclusive look at your query, Sharon! I'm so happy for you; your determination truly paid off!

Click "Read more" to find out more about the book, read the first chapter, and enter a giveaway JUST for Books à la Mode readers...

Romance Tips from an Unqualified Expert by Nadia Simonenko and Giveaway!

The third week of the spectacular Insatiable Reads Book Tour is coming to a close, and I've a very special guest visiting Books à la Mode to end things with a bang. First-time author Nadia Simonenko is on tour with her new adult contemporary, Lost, and will be sharing with us her valuable insight on romance today... she is a romance author, after all!

Before we get started, here's a little bit about the book:

Sometimes you need someone else to help you find your way.

When Maria was fifteen, her life was torn apart by a horrible tragedy that she has kept secret for seven years. She withdrew from her friends and family, changed her personality to hide her invisible scars, and let the pain slowly devour her. Now, in her final semester of college, she still struggles against paralyzing fear just trying to speak up in class, and the terror and helplessness linger on in her nightmares.

Across campus, Owen sees his scars in the mirror every morning while he gets ready for class. They remind him of the broken home he left behind, the father he hates and fears, and the little sister he couldn’t protect. Now, in his final semester of college, he is scared that he may have to return to the hell he called home after staying away for almost five years.

When Owen becomes a teaching assistant for one of Maria’s classes, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. As the two learn each other’s secrets and grow closer, they realize that although they may be lost, they're not alone anymore.

Click "read more" to find out what her best romance advice is... and to enter a HUGE giveaway, organized exclusively for Books à la Mode readers!

Advice for First-Time Authors by Liza O'Connor and Giveaway!

Brought to you by...

Saving Casey
Liza O'Connor

Having been diagnosed with cancer, Cass Goldman decides to opt out of any futile medical care and end her life. While she has some thoughts on afterlife, she never expects to reincarnate into the body of a seventeen-year-old girl named Casey Davidson.

When she awakens in a hospital, Cass discovers two disturbing facts: One, she is now inside the body of a troubled teenager, and two, the former owner of this body committed suicide, but only Cass knows that. Everyone else believes Casey has survived, but suffered a complete memory loss. Cass has two choices: to take on Casey’s life and turn it around, or to confess the truth about her reincarnation and end up in a mental asylum. Given this second chance at life, Cass decides to take on the future life of Casey—the frightening ghoul-faced teen with short, black, spiky hair.

Every person around Cass has an ulterior motive and discovering the truth of Old Casey’s life is more complicated than the “new math” she is forced to learn in school. In addition, Cass has to contend with raging teenage hormones and the prior crimes of Old Casey, which she might not remember, but everyone else certainly does. However, her biggest frustration concerns her feelings for her father’s rugged security specialist who sees her only as a teenager and doesn’t want to explore the mutual attraction between them.

Will her second chance at life prove to be worth the struggles she has to overcome?

Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway: Sweetest Taboo by Eva Márquez

AToMr Blog Tours presents...

Sweetest Taboo by Eva Márquez

Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart.

This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was: a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense—and sometimes reckless—fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship.

Join Isabel as she makes her way through this dark love story, hiding from teachers, lying to her parents, and defying the authorities to make a life with the man she loves. Watch as she discovers the wonders of love and romance, and the terrible betrayal of jealous friends. And cry with her when she learns the hard truth about life and the people in her world.

Sweetest Taboo is inspired by the true and tragic stories of students who fall in love with their teachers, and live with the hard truths of forbidden romances. In a world full of after-school specials on sexual predators, this touching book seeks a different path, casting both student and teacher in a gentle light, and showing that true love may lie at the base of even the most illicit romance.