Review: Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever by L.V. Lewis

Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever

Author: L.V. Lewis
Publishing Date: Oct 31, 2012
Publisher: Jungle Fever Press
Genre: Erotica, Romance
Summary:  Keisha Beale, a street-wise Chicago south-sider two years out of DePaul University, is a quarter million dollars in start-up capital away from realizing her dream of owning a recording studio/record store. She takes the place of her more business-savvy partner in a meeting with Tristan White himself, the venture capitalist they've targeted to fund their business.

A bi-racial--African American and Brazilian--woman with a troubled past, Keisha has been so focused on her business pursuits that her love life has been non-existent. Tristan White is the devastatingly handsome, 32-year old CEO of White Enterprises, the firm he build using only the inheritance his mother left him to prove to his father he had the mette to do it alone. He comes from a long line of wealth, and he lives the life of a"one-percenter" on Chicago's Gold Coast. Tristan is accustomed to controlling every aspect of his life given into a world of white privilege.

50 Shades To The 2nd Power...

When Keisha and Tristan's worlds collide, sparks fly, and a fever is ignited in them both that they have never experienced before, it turns out that they each have secrets, but together, in the unorthodox arrangement Tristan proposes, they discover passions they never knew they had.


Review:
I had never read 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James but I knew that this book is sort of a parody/spoof to that book, but then again it is not, but I can guess, from the way that this book is written, what 50 Shades of Grey would've been about. I had read so many mixed reviews (mostly) from E.L. James that...I never bothered to read it due to over-popularity of that book.

I can guess both stories are about forbidden love. But in this book, the thing that stands out are the interracial romance between Keisha and Tristan, their class differences, and their business negotiation that they have for one another. Adding to that, Tristan introduces Keisha into a world of BDSM.

I really enjoyed this book, it gave me giggles and laugh out loud moments especially from Keisha's conscious figures that she calls her Fairy Hoochie Mama and her Triple G (Ghetto Good Girl) provide some comedic relief to what Keisha does- good or bad.

I cant really compare 50 Shades of Grey to 50 Shades of Jungle Fever because I had not read E.L. James's novels, but what I can say that Keisha and Tristan has some good chemistry, though how they met was pretty...fast and briefly erotic.

I can say that Keisha, being a bi-racial woman (black and Brazilian heritage), she wasn't whiny, pathetic or helpless, or fall-over-heels for Tristan, and she didn't back down. She kept her ground and spoke her mind when needed.... until she's around Tristan in their BDSM scenes over his house. Of course, both characters have either pasts and issues, but that doesn't overwhelm the story.

It had taken me a while to finish this book, but so glad that I did. I am thinking (maybe) into reading the second book in this series.

Conclusion: Those who love 50 Shades of Grey, humor, sexiness, and whole bunch of laugh out loud moemnts, this book is for you. The next book, Exit Strategy continues Keisha's and Tristan's story.
For those who had been frustrated with 50 Shades of Grey, or want something similar with characters with humor, chemistry, and wanting to be fanning yourself from those hot moments that are into this story, you should really try it.
L.V. Lewis is a good writer and for her novel, especially of a spoof of E.L. Jame's 50 Shades Series, did a pretty good job of doing so.

So, 50 Shades of Jungle Fever deserves a 4.5/5 for me.

Review: Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

Publishing Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Genre: New Adult
Summary:  Nova Reed used to have derams-of-becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best as she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next... until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life- but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, and what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life... but then beautiful Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide; does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

Review Note: This is an approved ARC by NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review:

Review:

At first, I had thought I had never read any of Jessica Sorensen's novels, but then I remembered The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden.
From reading the blurb of this book and the first and second chapter in Nova and Quinton's perspectives, I thought it was just another one of those eye-rolling girl-meets-boy or boy-meets-girl-who-are-both-broken-by-their-deep-dark-traumatic-past -and-can't-seem-to-move-on-with-themselves kind of book.
And in a way, it's really like that, and again, it's not.

How do you move on in your life when the one you love decides to leave you?

Nova Reed can't seem to live. She's living, but then again, she can't seem to move forward, for last year, her best friend and boyfriend, Landon, took his life. No warning, no reason. The only words he had said was left in a video and on the wall. She feels she will never feel or be the same again. Certain things- too much to handle, things that hit close that reminds her of Landon, brings back fresh, hurtful memories of her time with him. She doesn't know why Landon left her.Being home in the summer from college brings back memories. The memories are all around her no matter how far they are buried. All she keeps wondering is why? And if there was anything she could have done to prevented it. 

Quinton Carter can't get over the guilt and self-loathing he has for killing his ex-girlfriend and his cousin in a car crash that he was responsible for. As a reminder, he tattooed their names on his arm. Sometimes he wished that he was dead instead of them. He feels as if he doesn't deserve anything; happiness, living, love- anything. He knows that he shouldn't deserve to live. He does only one thing to cope. To get by. To take his mind off of the things, to take away everything he was done. He gets high. Loses himself. And when he does this, things are a little bit more bearable to handle.

  Together Nova and Quinton find each other, trying to figure out who each other is, what their stories are, but all the while, from time to time, shutting each other out; not wanting one to get too close to each other and ask deep questions that hurts to much to remember. They build this relationship with each other, and it always turns out to be friendship. But friendship doesn't last forever, does it? The more they spend time with each other, the more they want to know about each other, want to be with each other. Quinton feels that he can't. He uses girls when in his high, numb state and when this happens around Nova, he sometimes pushes her away.  But somehow, he knows, he knows that there's something different about Nova. And he can't seem to stop... being around her. He doesn't want to feel anything when he's with or around her, he doesn't deserve to feel and do the things that he does, and yet, he can't seem to stop himself.

Nova and Quinton's relationship (first as friends, then... somehow grows a little bit more) isn't healthy. They are both broken and damaged, and instead of trying to help each other, they dive deeper in out of control with drugs and their guilt about their pasts and... eventually Nova realizes she doesn't want to do this: she doens't want to do drugs, like getting high. She wants to get better, she wants to do something better with herself. She.. wants to move on, to forgive and forget everything though she knows it'll take time. And that's exactly what she does... and leaving Quinton and his broken, damaged, numb self behind... only for a moment.

Breaking Nova ends with a cliffhanger. It's not a bad one, but it means there will be a sequel that I am interested in reading for when it comes out.

The only thing that made my heart wrench was in the end when Nova went back to see Quinton, but figures out what he hasn't changed- that's he is doing the same thing since she left. And she wants to try to make him better...



Conclusion:

I will say, in the beginning, I didn't like the book, that I took a few days from reading this book because I felt it wasn't anything new. Just two characters running and moping over their loss loved ones in death, can't move on, find each other and lose control. Drugs. Alcohol. I'm sure you get the idea. And in a way, I still think that's how Breaking Nova is, but somehow, I know there is something more hidden within that I'm just missing?
But overall, I am willing to read the second book for Breaking Nova when it releases. Would I recommend this book? Yes, especially if you're a fan of Jessica Sorensen's books, Breaking Nova is another great book to give a try. 

Review: Plague by Lisa Hinsley

Publishing Date: December 9, 2013
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Publisher: Pocket Star
Summary:In this enthralling debut thriller in the vein of Contagion,  a young couple struggles to save their plague-stricken son as they desperately fight back against a tyrannical government.

A new strain of the bubonic plague is diagnosed in London. Before it can be contained it spreads through the population, faster and deadlier than anyone could have imagined. Three weeks is all it takes for decimate the country.

Johnny and Liz are devastated when their young son, Nathan, starts to show symptoms, but Liz phones the authorities anyway, and a few hours later, the army arrives and boards up their house.

Now Nathan is dying and there is nothing they can do to help him. Hours pass like weeks as their little boy grows weaker and weaker. All Liz want is for them to die with some dignity, but the authorities refuse to help. Then their Internet and phones stop working. Cut off from the world and stuck inside their house, the family tries its best to cope- but there is nothing they can do to stop the lethal epidemic.

Review Note: This book was approved by NetGalley as an ARC exchanged for an honest review.

Review:
Plague  is no zombie book. It reminds me of the novel Hot Zone  and other films and movies that deals with some sort of strain, disease, or virus.
History repeats itself once again. The Bubonic Plague finds itself in modern day London. It's faster and deadlier and spreads through London population like wildfire.

No one knows where this plague has come from. All we know is that it's deadly and no one is safe.

Johnny and Liv, with their four year old son, Nathan lives London while the Plague is going on. Devastated that Nathan is sick, he shows and has the symptoms of the Plague.

With a sick son, Johnny and Liv will do anything they can to help their sick son so Liv phones the authorities for help, but only ends up having their house boarded up-- which signifies to everyone that they have been quarantined. But since that happened, things go down hill from there.

There will be no spoilers but I will discuss the important things that I found terrifyingly interesting while reading this book!

Johnny and Liv and Nathan are trapped in their own home with no way to get out. Because if they do, the watcher that's looking over their house has orders to shoot them down if they tried.

With only medicine and limited amount of food, Johnny and Liv try to make the best of everything they have and can to help Nathan, but to soon come to the conclusion that he doesn't have long to live.

The thing that gets to me is the various symptoms an infected/sick/ill person has to go through when they caught the Plague. And Lisa Hinsley doesn't leave and sugar-coat things about the body when it comes to this.

The first thing you will have are swellings on your neck, under your arms and in between your legs. These will grow and grow until maybe into the size of a baseball. Then they'll start to change colors of blue, black, and purple. Soon, it will get hard to breathe until you're left wheezing.

Next, if I can remember, will be that you will start to vomit.

Have terrible diarrhea...

...you'll start to be in extreme pain that it hurts to even be touched. You can feel the pain everywhere. The pain will be too unbearable that you'll start screaming.


...Soon, it doesn't stop because then you'll start to suffer from fevers, rashes, seizures, and delirium...

Imagine if this happened. Today. In our era, with our advanced technology and medicine-- it'd be too late to have a vaccine or have a "cure" because by that time, half of the world's population (if it was international), would be dead.  There would be chaos. Quarantines. Military personnel. Death.

If you're quarantined, or someone who is also in your home with the sickness, you wont be able to leave your house no matter what happens.

The plague will continue on until everyone is dead and there is nothing left, or until the plague dies out because there will be no more hosts.

Soon, internet will be cut of. Telephones. Eventually electricity and gas will be shut off. Because this is exactly happens in Plague-- at least some of it.

Liv is the only one alone taking care of her family when her son and eventually Johnny gets sick. Soon, Liv believes after a few episodes of vomiting that she too is getting sick and eventually will share the same fate as her son and husband.

Things that happen within this book can actually happen in real life, and I give Lisa Hinsley praise for that. Everything has a realistic feel to it.

The only question  I have about this book was: where did this plague come from? How it began? Has the plague itself died down before springing back up again unexpectedly? It appears from the ending that the book that there should be a sequel. I hope there is a sequel because there are many things left unsaid.

Plague is about survival. Surviving in this hell that you're body is taking until you can't take no more- you want everything to end because it's too horrific and painful and terrifying and you want nothing but for it to stop. But it doesn't.  For those who already hadn't been sick, like Liv, will they eventually catch the sickness and come to a terrible fate like everyone else or will they become a special survivor?

Conclusion:
I enjoyed Plague. Lisa Hinsley does a great job at creating, well, re-creating a real-life disease and transporting it into our modern day world. Things that goes on in this book can actually happen in real life.
Like I mentioned before, Plague reminds me of so many books and films that deals with this type of phenomenon that you start to wonder, if at any given time, what will happen when it really does happen? Would we be prepared enough for it? But no one will ever know.

Plague  is suspenseful, sort-of-gross, but an intriguing book. If you're into the disease/virus/strain- kind of book then Plague is the right book for you.

4.8/5- Plague gets from me.  I will definetly be looking out for more future books from her.

Review: Crashing Into You by B.D.Rowe

Author: B.D. Rowe
Publication Date: October 8, 2013
Purchased: Requested from NetGalley
Genre:  New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Book Description:
Bookish college sophomore Sydney Baker wants Evan Taylor with every ounce of her being. The hottest stud on campus. Evan is six foot four, ripped, stacked with muscles. He's even easy to talk to.

There's just one problem: he's her roommate Melanie's boyfriend.

But when Melanie tragically dies after a night of wild partying, Sydney and Evan turn to each other in a time of intense grief. And it doesn't take long for their close friendship to blossom into something more.

Unfortunately for Sydney, secrets from the past soon put her relationship with Evan to the test. Especially when  sexy blonde freshman makes her way into Evan's life, and tries to rip away everything Sydney holds close to her hear.

Reviewer's Note:  This approved book will be exchanged for an honest review.

Review:
I requested this book from NetGalley. I had to request this book because the book description (and cover- which reminds me of The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden) interested me.
From the first to second chapter, I can already find myself eye-rolling. Here's an example from one of the paragraphs:
"But I changed my routine this semester because it allowed me to spend more time with him. Tall, sexy, and sadly unattainable, he was the one I craved. He was the one I wanted to be mine. Evan Taylor, my roomate's boyfriend."- Sydeny Baker.
Eye-roller there.  It's already clear that the protagonist from the start that she wanted him. She will do anything to be with Evan Taylor. She had even said "I know you're dating my roommate, but would you care to make out?" in one of her internal monologues.

With me continuing on further into this book, I came to the conclusion that: I don't really much care for much of the characters than I wanted to. I wanted to like the characters, I really do...but it feels as if there is something missing. They just feel flat and plain to me. Nothing exciting or suprising with these characters that appears to me. I don't feel much of a connection to them as I thought I would have.

What's missing in Crashing Into You  was maybe having Evan's point of view of things like many other NA books have so we can have both sides of the story- knowing what they are thinking at that moment. If this book had it, I believe it would be a lot more enjoyable than just having it in Sydeny's perspective.


Conclusion:
Overall, Crashing Into You   has a lot of potential. It really does. Just a few things needs more tweaking such as character development, the situation theme of drinking and driving could have been handled more  much maturely than it was presented.  I enjoyed B.D. Rowe's writing, Crashing Into You was well-written but it could have been a bit better. I think this book book more highschool than college-themed. There maybe a promise of a second due to the end of this book in a questioning cliff-hanger kind of way.
Would I read the second book it if ever does plan on coming out? Hmm, maybe.
But this book really wasn't all that I expected. It's a quick, easy read.

But would I recommend this book? Of course, while it's my opinion, I'm sure there are many other people who would LOVE this book more than I did.

Crashing Into You   would be a 3.5/5 for me. Hopefully B.D. Rowe's stories are much more developed in the future.

Upcoming Reviews and Books Releases

These are the E-books that I have been approved of as ARCs from NetGalley.

Crashing Into You by B.D. Rowe

Publisher: B.D. Rowe
Publishing Date: Nov 5, 2013
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Summary Bookish college sophomore Sydney Baker wants Evan Taylor with everything ounce of her being. The hottest stud on campus. Evan is si foot four, ripped, stacked with muscles. He's even easy to talk to.

There's just one problem: he's her roommate Melanie's boyfriend.

But when Melanie tragically dies after a night of wild partying, Sydney and Evan turn to each other in a time of intense grief. And it doesn't take long for their close friendship to blossom into something more.

Unfortunately for Sydney, secrets from the past soon put her relationship with Evan to the test. Especially when  sexy blonde freshman makes her way into Evan's life, and tries to rip away everything Sydney holds close to her hear.




Discovery (Electi) by Brina Courtney

Publishing Date: Oct 15, 2013
Publisher:  Laurlis Press
Summary:
Discoveries can be dangerous. Discoveries can be deadly.

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

....until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

Now a guy, looking remarkable like her missing boyfriend, has arriaved  in Salem along with a mysterious stranger, who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.




Intent to Kill by Ryshia Kennie

Publishing Date: Oct 18, 2013
Publisher: Beyond the Pages Publishing
Genre: Mystery/ & Thrillers, Romance
Summary:
 A ruthless band of smugglers will stop of at nothing to strip Cambodia of its priceless artifacts, even if it means using and killing female tourists. Journalist Claire Linton knows she's on to the story of a lifetime. But for Claire, it's personal too: long before her "Uncle Jack" came to the U.S., he was held captive int he nightmarish killing fields of Cambodia, and Claire senses there might be a connection between that long-ago bloody history and the dark crimes plaguing the country today.

Simon Trent is a burnt-out interpol agent who quit the service and was forced to disappear after his last case turned fatal. But with the resurgence in smuggling and all signs pointing to the man who once escaped his grasp, he comes out of hiding to finish the job that's haunted him for years. What he doesn't see coming is Claire, the beatifiuk and headstrong reporter who may be a threat to his case- and to his heart.

As Claire and Simon reluctantly join forces to unravel a mystery that reaches deep into her family history an dmay be his only chance at redemption, they must fight to stay one step ahead of a brutal killer and one step away from the dangerous feelings building between them.



Plague by Lisa Hinsley

Publishing Date: December 9, 2013
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Publisher: Pocket Star
Summary:In this enthralling debut thriller in the vein of Contagion,  a young couple struggles to save their plague-stricken son as they desperately fight back against a tyrannical government.

A new strain of the bubonic plague is diagnosed in London. Before it can be contained it spreads through the population, faster and deadlier than anyone could have imagined. Three weeks is all it takes for decimate the country.

Johnny and Liz are devastated when their young son, Nathan, starts to show symptoms, but Liz phones the authorities anyway, and a few hours later, the army arrives and boards up their house.

Now Nathan is dying and there is nothing they can do to help him. Hours pass like weeks as their little boy grows weaker and weaker. All Liz want is for them to die with some dignity, but the authorities refuse to help. Then their Internet and phones stop working. Cut off from the world and stuck inside their house, the family tries its best to cope- but there is nothing they can do to stop the lethal epidemic.



Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen

Publishing Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Genre: New Adult
Summary:  Nova Reed used to have derams-of-becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best as she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next... until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life- but he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, and what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life... but then beautiful Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide; does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?


Fifty Shades of Jungle Fever  (The Ghetto Girl Romance of Quadrilogy, Book 1) by L.V. Lewis

Publishing Date: Oct 31, 2012
Publisher: Jungle Fever Press
Genre: Erotica, Romance
Summary:  Keisha Beale, a street-wise Chicago south-sider two years out of DePaul University, is a quarter million dollars in start-up capital away from realizing her dream of owning a recording studio/record store. She takes the place of her more business-savvy partner in a meeting with Tristan White himself, the venture capitalist they've targeted to fund their business.

A bi-racial--African American and Brazilian--woman with a troubled past, Keisha has been so focused on her business pursuits that her love life has been non-existent. Tristan White is the devastatingly handsome, 32-year old CEO of White Enterprises, the firm he build using only the inheritance his mother left him to prove to his father he had the mette to do it alone. He comes from a long line of wealth, and he lives the life of a"one-percenter" on Chicago's Gold Coast. Tristan is accustomed to controlling every aspect of his life given into a world of white privilege.

50 Shades To The 2nd Power...

When Keisha and Tristan's worlds collide, sparks fly, and a fever is ignited in them both that they have never experienced before, it turns out that they each have secrets, but together, in the unorthodox arrangement Tristan proposes, they discover passions they never knew they had.




Becoming Clissine  (Bastia, Book 1) by Anastasia Vitsky

Publisher:  Lazy Day Publishing
Publishing Date: Oct 22, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Sci-fi & Fantasy
Summary: 

What if heterosexuality were a crime?

Bethrothed at birth to the daughter of the most prominent Houses in the totalitarian theocracy of Bastia, soon-to-be-college-graduate Clissa isn't sure whether she is ready to undergo the Mar. Once she becomes the Nur, or the submissive partner, to her bethrothed she will have to submit all major decisions to her life to the beautiful Helaine, whom she has met once. She must marry a woman, according to the decrees of Bastian law.

Caught between a desire to "get along" and the growing awareness he iis "het" and is attracted to Clissa, her childhood friend, Destral, kisses her one day as they study in their college library. Shocked at the feeling the kiss awakens, Clissa begins to question everything she has been taught. Did Basti, their deity, condemn relationships between a man and a woman? Will her growing feelings for Destral cost her everything her parents have worked hard to give her?

After a mad attempt to subvert Bastian authority, Clissa is assigned to new parents for "reeducation" in the doctrine of Bastia. Her new parents are given one mandate, bring her back to rightness with Basti.

Clissa, list in a system threatened by her very identity, must make her choice. Will Bastian authority break her, or will she find a way to break free? Can true love overcome a harsh regime?


The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Publishing Date: Mar 1 2014
Genre: Romance, Teen/YA
Summary:  All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is hte perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

Giveaway Blitz: Discovery by Brina Courtney

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

 ...until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

Now a guy, looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend, has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger, who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.

Purchase on Amazon

About Brina Courtney

Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She’s spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.

Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park
By: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publishing Release Date: Feb 26, 2013
Purchased: Amazon Kindle
Purchase price: 8.89$

Summary (from Amazon):

So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we’re 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet?
Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I’m not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

Review:

In 1989, Eleanor is a new girl in a new school. And, knowing new students, like Eleanor, is the students fresh target. She's big, awkward, and wears weird clothes. "Not just new- but big and awkward. With crazy hair, bright red on top of curly. And she was dressed like...like she wanted people to look at her. Or maybe like she didn't get what a mess she was. She had a plaid shirt, a man's shirt with half a dozen weird necklaces hanging around her neck and  scarves around her wrists. She reminded Park of a scarecrow or one of those trouble dolls his mom kept on her dresser. Like something that wouldn't survive the wild..."
Eleanor is immediately taunted by students because of her weight and weirdness on the bus and in school. Could her life get any worse?

Yes, actually. It can. Eleanor lives with her little siblings and they all share the same room. Living with an abusive, alcoholic step-dad, and her submissive mother, Eleanor sometimes she can disappear or go away and never look back. Her family doesn't have some basic necessities that other households have-shampoo and toothbrushes(?), but we do know that their bathroom doesn't have a door and therefore a sheet is their bathroom door. Sad.
Despite this, Park somewhat reluctantly, is the only person to share his seat with her. And from there on, Eleanor and Park's relationship kicks off. And it's a struggling, sweet one.


My Thoughts

What I like:
I adore Eleanor and Park's relationship with each other. It made me giggle when Eleanor giggled (literally) and mad whenever she was- due to the frequent teasing/bullying and inappropriate things that would happen to her. I also liked how strong she is- against the students who makes fun of her. She holds her head up high and try not to let those things get to her. I also like how strong she is for her siblings.

What I didn't like:
The only thing that I didn't like about Eleanor & Park  was the ending.
It was a sad but also sweet ending. And, I'll admit,I did tear up a little and stared at my kindle for the longest while the words "it's over?!" repeatedly swam around in my head. It was that serious.

Eleanor's step dad. He's abusive, alcoholic, and he seems (to me) to pick on Eleanor more than anyone else even though once in a while he'll turn on to the mother. But once it's revealed what he's done, I simply had no thoughts or words.

Sometimes I thought Eleanor cried too much and was a baby at some things, but I got over that and knew it was just part of her personality as a character.

Conclusion:

Eleanor and Park will make you reminiscence about your love life (if you were born in the 80's early 90s), and I bet some of the music that is mentioned in the book is actually real life bands that you listened to (I recognized one!). It's a sweet, adorable book filled with sweet, heart pounding joy between to the two characters, despite their race and physical appearances.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes! Yes, I would.
Eleanor & Park  gets a 4.5/5

Book mailbox # 13

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Golden by Jessi Kirby
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

I'm much excited to read Beautiful Disaster and the sequel since there's so much hype about this New Adult book that...finally i decided to give it a try.
Its the same with Hopeless and decided to give that a try.
I just finished The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden and that book was amazing.

So...! Expect a review though it might come slow due to everyday life.

News and Upcoming Purchases

It's been a while since I posted a review or anything on here. No, I didn't disappear. In fact, I have been busy. You know; school, work, and projects to be completed, and graduation coming up. So, that's my only exucse I have for not posting anything up here.

As of right now, I am reading on my Kindle:

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
By: Jessica Sorenson

By:
So, in the future, I will be making these upcoming purchases of these books:

Golden

By: Jessi Kirby
Release Date: May 4, 2013
Summary (from Amazon):
Love, tragedy, and mystery converge in this compelling novel from “an author to watch” (Booklist).

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

The 5th Wave

By:  Rick Yancey
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Summary (from Amazon):
The Passage meets Ender's Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.


Beautiful Disaster

By: Jamie McGuire
Release Date: August 14, 2012
Summary: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from 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 wants—and needs—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.

Walking Disaster

By: Jamie McGuire
Release Date: April 2, 2012
Summary (from Amazon)
Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster.

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

Review: The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raff

The Symptoms of my Insanity
Author:  Mindy Raff
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, Peguin
Hardcover: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary YA
Summary (from Amazon):

It's kind of crazy how you can pay so much attention to yourself and still not see a thing.

Izzy is a hypochondriac with enormous boobs that won't stop growing, a mother with a rare disease who's hiding something, a best friend who appears to have undergone a personality transplant, and a date with an out-of-her-league athlete who just spilled Gatorade all over her. Yes, Izzy Skymen has a hectic life. But what Izzy doesn't realize is that these are only minor symptoms of life's insanity. When she discovers that the people she trusts most are withholding from her the biggest secrets, things are about to get epic -- or is it epidemic?

Purchase Here: The Symptoms of My Insanity 


Review:
Sometimes I always fall for a book based on it's cover. And I know it's not just me. I'm sure every avid reader does it, too. First it's the cover. Next is the blurb. Then it's the blurb. And for The Symptoms of My Insanity is funny, and that's the main reason why I got this book (and also including the title and blurb/summary). But this book was somewhat humorous, and some issues I had with this book that I couldn't really get over.

The best things about this book is that Mindy Raff does awkward, funny moments that teens can surely connect to such as trying to get a new bra fitted by unknown people and their hands groping and squeezing and measuring your upper chest; the discomfort of your body, and getting your hair stuck in someone's glasses, or extending an awkward moment between people.

This book felt half-serious and half-funny but couldn't decide which one to be. The book that Mindy tried to attempt to speak out about follows the seriousness of cancer, sexual harassment, and friendship  while trying to add some humor to the darker subjects it....doesn't work as well as I thought it would.

For example, Izzy's hypochondria: because of her mother's super dark secret- cancer - Izzy spends time researching and ends up becoming addicted to an online diagnosis website. There she becomes paranoid that every little sneeze, sniffle or stomachache means ultimate disaster. A problem with that is that after it's been put on the spotlight from Izzy's friends and family, there is no mention of it ever in the story. It's just suddenly gone. Poof. Without warning. Having sudden realization of a problem doesn't automatically make it go away.

Izzy's Mom. I think I should feels sorry for Izzy's mom because of her illness, but...I really don't. I simply can't sympothize for the mother especially when she's constantly looking down at Izzy and destroying her self-esteem. Izzy's self-consciousness about her body comes from her mother who continues to pick at everything. Like this, Izzy's mom uses the Yiddish word of nafka which means the term of a "loose woman" and sometimes Izzy's mom will make that comment to her daughter because either her clothes are too loose and baggy and gets frustrated and mean if she wears clothes that are too tight. But when Izzy finally tells her mom straight about this bullying her mom has been pushing on her, it felt a little forced and rushed and not all much resolved, sne it only did happen only a few pages before the actually story ended.

The one that was upsetting  and shouldn't really have been included was the sexual harassment. Izzy ends up in a good-turned-bad position fairly quickly with a boy that she liked, named Blake, against her will. It was known that they have harassed two other girls, her friends, and Izzy doesn't nothing to report him about what he did.  But instead, she just ignores him and eventually a viral photo of her gets around which gains the name BoobGirl...and now Izzy wants it to stop. So, with her doing nothing about it, Blake is trying to come around Izzy to apologize to her explaining to her that he didn't mean it, and that he didn't want to do what he did and only because it was a bet/prank, and that he's sorry, blah blah. I almost for bad for Blake. Almost. But, I would give Izzy some props for finally confessing but that didn't end well....

The friendship between Izzy and Jenna wasn't really handled well. Jenna and Izzy are best friends, but it appeared that they didn't really care for each other at all. Jenna decides to blow off Izzy because of what happened in the summer. Izzy had a good reason so I couldn't really blame her. Though once Izzy realizes what Jenna issues were, she doesn't really supports Jenna.


Conclusion:
I promise that this review may sound like a rant, but it's not.  Despite these issues in the book, there are good things about it, too. I do hope that Raff continue to make more books. The humor is done well, but could have been a bit more and for the dark subjects could have shown a little bit more promise. TSoMI does try to do too much and ends up not quite that satisfying as I thought it would be. Though I didn't particularly like the book, I am open to reading some of her other future books.

Rating 3.9/5

Book Mailbox #12

The Symptoms of my Insanity
By: Mindy Raf
Summary:
Its kind of crazy how you can pay so much attention to yourself and still not see a thing.
Izzy us a hypochondriac with enormous boobs that won't stop growing, a nither with a rare disease who's hiding something, a best friend who appears to have undergone a personality transplant, and a date with an out-of-her league athlete who just spilled Gatorade all her over. Yes. Izzy Skymen has a hetic life. But what Izzy doesn't realize is that these are only minor symptoms of life's insanity. When she discovers that the people she trusts most are withholding from her the biggest secrets, things are about to get epic- or is it epidemic?
A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and one hilarious, unforgettable heroine.

Review: Beautiful Decay by Sylvia Lewis

Author: Sylvia Lewis
Release date: April 9 2013
Publisher: Running Press Teens
Genre: YA Paranormal Contemp Romance
Softcover: 303 pages
Summary (from book)

A Budding Touch of Flower....

Things have a way of falling apart around Ellie Miller. Literally. With a touch that rots, she keeps everyone at a distance- for others' safety as much as her own comfort.

When newcomer Nate MacPherson makes it his mission to get close to Ellie, she does her best to steer close. But as Nate reveals an unusual ability of his own, Ellie recognizes a kindred spirit who could accept her for who she is.... if she let's him.

As family secrets unravel, Ellie will have to discover the beauty within her reach in order to save the ones she loves.

Review:

Beautiful Decay is an amazing book. Ellie has an usual gift; everything she touches will eventually rot and turn to mold. Because of this, she has to wear gloves and has to change them frequently, especially when it starts to grow in the gloves.
Ellie's mom is afraid of her daughter. Whatever Ellie touches she will scrub and bleach clean it down-- her OCD. And her father--her father is never home.

Highschool is hell for Ellie, the students and teachers knows of Ellie's "condition" and tries to avoid her at all costs but in the distance will call her "Typhoid Mary".

Ellie's only friend is her online, Long Distant Best Friend, Mackenzie.

Nate MacPhereson is a new student and is immediately into Ellie and he knows about her "condition". How? Well, its because he can do something shockingly similar to her own.He tries to get close to Ellie but all she does is push him away, but in the end will start to fall for him. Like any other student, Nate has his own big and bad secrets.

When secrets are revealed about Nate, followed by an accident, Ellie and Mackenzie will try their best to save Nate and defeat the danger that follows.

What I like
*Cover:  it's abstract and unique from other YA covers. The cover shows a tree and flowers with brown/yellow/and green colors all around. It gives off an earthy feel and it connects well to the story

*The unique powers of Ellie and Nate:  in the novel, Nate tells Ellie of what her powers could possible be. That she is a Vivomancer. Which is the power in which someone can manipulate life and then Nate is a necromancer; a person that can manipulate death. Their powers work well together in the story. Forces that work together but are complete opposite. Though, Ellie and Nate's power together are sort of similar to Juliette's in Shatter Me by Tahreh Mafi but in so many ways different.

*Mackenzie:  Ellie's only friend in the novel and they met online. Of course, Mackenzie is that friend who is supportive, funny, smart and overall a good friend even if she is 3-something states away. Oh, just you readers wait for some great surprises about her. :)
  

*Nate's Mom:  she's a zombie. I'm serious. And no, she's not the ugly Walking Dead kind of zombie. Let's put it this way: she's a zombie with a conscious mind. Okay, its not as bad as it sounds. But, she's not a bad zombie! Don't believe me? Okay. But trust me, she's not as bad--that's only if she's super hungry and ate all the bloody raw meat. Nate's mom acts human despite her gray skin, crave for bloody meat...and is dead. But she's like a normal mother in many ways. She still cares for her son and even Ellie. You'll see.

What I didn't like:
* The instant-love/connection between Nate and Ellie. But of course, it happens.

* Ellie's mom: she's a bleach-cleaning OCD maniac. She avoids any kind of contact and conversation with Ellie but anytime she does, Mom seems as if she wants to run away from Ellie with every sinking second she speaks to her daughter. Its good that Ellie's mom is present in her life, but she's so distant and afraid of her daughter because of her ability. Hey mom, instead of being afraid of your daughter and being distant, why not try being there for your daughter and try as if you care??

*Ellie's Dad:  he's just never home. That's all.

*Ellie's teachers/schoolmates: its the same with Ellie's mom. They're all afraid of Ellie because of her ability. Well...I guess Ellie has a good reason to stay away from people and vice versa because if someone has a..."condition" that could get us sick and turn everything to rotting mold...I would want to stay away too...especially if its harmful. But thank you Mackenzie for being there for Ellie! And Nate!

What I wondered/thought/was confused about:
* Grandma:  Ellie's mom has told Ellie to never answer the phone if her Grandmother called. Why?

Improvements:
* I wanted Ellie to use her ability again Amber-- the popular, blond-haired blah-blah-think-she's-so-important-and-better-than-everyone-girl. Yep. But she never did. Ellie just scared the poop out of Amber. Good. Wait...was that her name?

Conclusion:
Beautiful Decay is an amazing, compelling, wonderfully written book. Ellie is a reliable, sometimes whiny (sometimes) but strong and likeable girl. Sylvia Lewis did an amazing job just for a debut novel and with the open-ending at the end of the novel, I do hope there is a sequel. It seem as if there should be!

4.6/5 Score for Beautiful Decay

Book Mailbox #11

Today, I received in the mail 4 new books!
Beautiful Decay by Sylvia Lewis
The Collector by Victoria Scott
Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
Real by Katy Evans

Book Mailbox #10

purchased: A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison

I am so so so sooooo late on reading these books. i should start at the beginning of the series. right?  i know i should. but i ordered this book from a bookstore today after school.
i love adult urban fantasy. my favorite UF author is Jeaniene Frost who is the author of the Night Huntress Series. Shes amazing..as well as her books. you should check her out. though. if youre still into the vampires- definietly check her out. she doesnt disappoint. :)

Book Mailbox #9

For Review:

White Lines by Jennifer Banash
Release Date: April 4th, 2013
Summary (from book):

Club Kid Royalty seventeen year old Cat is living ever teenager's dream: guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest club in New York City. The night with its crazy, frenetic  high-inducing energy- the music, the people and those seductive white lines that can ease all the pain- is when Cat truly lives.

The daytime is something else entirely. Having spent years suffering her mother's emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone; she shrinks from human touch and even the words "I love you" send her into a tailspin. Until someone comes along who makes her want to finally live her life instead of run from it.

Bot poignant and raw, White Lines is a gripping and powerful not-to-be missed coming-of-age tale.

Cover Reveal: Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe

Of Silver and Beasts (A Goddess Wars Novel)

by Trisha Wolfe

Release Date: June 1, 2013
Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy
Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound
Cover Designed by: Steven Novak

Summary from Goodreads:

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena. 

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

***Excerpt***

I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed me past the surface. But then, I have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone. “Caben…” I start, but still can’t find the right words. He lowers his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top. “You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.” A hollow pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost, broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up with my racing heart. When he sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm. “Caben, I didn’t mean—” “It’s fine, Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.” “No, I’ve said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile, if not more so. He releases a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots. “I honestly don’t think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into the water and sighs. Glancing at the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him, so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him. “Here,” he says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “I can remove my own—” “Have you never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them. But try to relax.” “Is that the rumor in Perinya?” “What?” I bite my lip, suddenly regretting my blurt. “Nothing. Never mind.” From the corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying not to. “Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well, there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s neck just for making an advance.” My mouth drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.” “All right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal. Don’t be offended.” “Unattainable?” I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after being rejected.” His eyes widen. “No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words, his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.” I nod, many times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to the men of Perinya.” Caben lets out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower, “while I stick mine in my mouth.” Unexpectedly, I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it to your face?”

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

Review: Imposter (Slide #2) by Jill Hathaway

Imposter (Slide #2)

Author: Jill Hathaway
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Purchased: Amazon
Hardcover: 261 pages
Summary:

The story of Vee Bell continues int his thrilling follow-up to Jill Hathaway's SLIDE.

Vee's gift (or curse) of "sliding"- slipping into the mind of another person and experiencing life briefly, through his or her eyes- has been somewhat under control since she unwilling witnessed the horrific deaths of her classmates six months ago.

But just as things are getting back to normal- and her relationship with her best friend- Rollins- is heating up--Vee has a bizarre experience: She loses consciousness and finds herself in a deserted area, at the edge of a cliff, staring down at a lifeless body of the boy who had taken advantage of her last year.

As Vee finds herself in  stranger and stranger situations with no memory of getting there, she begins to suspect that someone else she knows has the ability to slide.

And this "slide" is using Vee to exact revenge. 


Review:
Imposter is the sequel to Jill Hathaway's Slide. Before I get into this story, here is what Slide, Jill Hathway's debut novel is about from it's summary (from Amazon):

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister's friend Sophie didn't kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn't actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else's mind and experiences the world through that person's eyes. She's slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed "friend" when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie's slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can't bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting distant lately, especially now that she's been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

Now, Vee's relationship with Rollins is moving forward. Samantha, Vee's ex-best friend is ignoring her, but to add more to her plate, a woman who they haven't heard from in twenty years, who resembles their dead mother so closely, is back.

Whew!

A lot of things goes on within this book, and a few questions I have been wanted to know have been answered.
The whole time I was reading this book, my heart was pounding!
It was that suspenseful.

I love the relationship between Vee and Rollins-- so adorable, especially when Vee starts to get jealous when she thinks Rollins is spending more time with this girl named Anna who is prettier than Vee, and believing that he's starting to like Anna which in  result would ruin their relationship. Though most of the time, I was a bit frustrated with Vee because of her constant whining and moody swings.

I must say as soon as Lydia (Mattie and Vee's aunt) came into the scene, I had just as bad vibes as Vee did.
Whenever Vee ends up in these weird places-for she realize that someone else has the ability to Slide- I kept going back to Lydia. She was suspicious enough- that I just wanted to scream in frustration. I kept thinking that Lydia was the whole reason everything that has happened.

Boy, was I wrong. 

So, like a mentioned before: there is a situation that someone else has the ability to Slide- and they're taking control of Vee.  And it all revolves around Scott "Scotch", the popular football player who had somewhat taken advantage of Vee during Homecoming  (in the Slide book), and that's one of the reasons why Samantha is angry at Vee. Vee confronts Samantha and they are back to best friends again. Oh, and they- along with letting in on the plan with Vee's little sister- in a way to get Scotch back. And of course, it goes wrong.

I was glad that Jill Hathway wrote this book because I believe that this book is better than the previous one. Imposter has a better plotline and more suspense.
Though,  this story isn't a love triangle (it may seem like it, but it is), but it's mostly a contemporary novel with a slight paranormal, mystery/thriller twist thrown into it and it does pretty well. 


Conclusion:
Imposter was a very good book for a sequel. Some sequels arent as that good as it's debut, but I will have to say that this book is the one (unless you're not a fan of sequels...)
It was better than I thought I expected it to be. I read it pretty quickly and it held my attention as soon as I opened it.
It is known that there will be no more Slide books, confirmed here:

Jill Hathway's Blog Tour

Sad that it is, I would love to read more about Sliding and the other people who can perform this ability.
So, overall, Imposter (Slide #2) was a very good read. I would really recommend this book ONLY if you have read the first book because with this book, you would have been confused if you had picked it up without understanding what was going on.

Book Mailbox #8!

Imposter (Slide #2) by Jill Hathaway

Summary (from Amazon):

The story of Vee Bell continues in this thrilling follow-up to Jill Hathaway's slide.

Vee's gift (or curse) of "sliding"—slipping into the mind of another person and experiencing life, briefly, through his or her eyes—has been somewhat under control since she unwillingly witnessed the horrific deaths of her classmates six months ago.

But just as things are getting back to normal—and her relationship with her best friend, Rollins, is heating up—Vee has a bizarre experience: She loses consciousness and finds herself in a deserted area, at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the lifeless body of the boy who had taken advantage of her last year.

As Vee finds herself in stranger and stranger situations with no memory of getting there, she begins to suspect that someone else she knows has the ability to slide.

And this "slider" is using Vee to exact revenge.

Review: Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices #3)

Author: Cassandra Clare
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Hardcover: 577 pages
Summary:

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Review:
This is the final, final installment of the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. And far by the best I have read in this series.

Though, within the hardcover's cover, there is the family tree of the Carstairs, Herondales, and Lightwoods, though it is advised NOT to look at it (unless you want to be spoiled!) for it shows the love triangle and how it's resolved. Though, I admit, I did look at it and I didn't understand it until AFTER I finished the book.
Though the family tree is only available to the Hardcover's Collector's Edition.

Reading Clockwork Princess was.... phenomenal  I was both glad that we get to know more about Tessa and her heritage, but the strain between her love for Jem and Will. But it's also sad because it's the last book of the Infernal Devices and we wont see any more any of the characters (or what's left of them) unless you would re-read the whole trilogy.


Clare has done an amazing job for the final installment of the Infernal Devices, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and read it. And I'm so glad that I did. Of course, there are sad moments, happy moments, WTF moments, amazing and romantic moments, but most of all, shocking I-can't-believe-this-happened!!! moments.

Some say (from other reviews that I have read) that they had cried while reading this book. Me, I didn't so much as cry, but I felt the tears coming and my heart broke and swelled, but the waterworks didn't flow.
But Clockwork Princess is a great emotional journey.

This book has everything- adventure, love, heartbreak, romance, drama, suspense, a bit of humor bits, danger, tension, etc.

The love triangle between Tessa, Will and Jem are....heartbreaking. It's hard to figure out who Tessa is going to be with--even though she is engaged to Jem. Despite that, Tessa and Will still have feelings for each other even though Tessa is devoted to Jem. So. Much. Heartbreak! Especially what happens to Jem....and Will. Oh Jem. Poor Well. Heartbroken Tessa. Mostly it revolves around Jem and Tessa in this book.

Throughout the book, there are some past references to Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince in Clockwork Princess. Also, there are moments where the characters would reflect on their past in the previous two books that makes you go "Oh yeah, I remember that!" because then, everything comes together by the end of the book.

Everything from the unsolved answers from Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince is resolved in Clockwork Princess. And I'm glad for that.


When I finished Clockwork Princess, I held the book in my hands and stared at the cover and the thing that came out of my mouth was "That's it?!" "I want more!" "This can't end like this!!!"

I loved this book, and it's too hard to put into words of what else goes on in this book because I DO NOT want to spoil it for readers who have not read it, or who is going to read it!
But I will say this: When you find out what Tessa is, you'll go "Oh my god, what?!" and it's the same with happens with Jem twice because you could never thought of it happening.




Conclusion:
Dear Clockwork Princess,
Must you really have to end?
I don't want you to and so does the other wonderful readers.
You will be missed: Tessa, Will, Jem, Charolette, Sophia, Magnus, Henry, Cecily, Gideon, the Silent Brothers, everyone.
Sadly, there will be no more stories of these wonderful characters, but at least Clare is working on the final book of the Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire, but then...she is working on a new series The Dark Artifices and The Codex Chronicles in the future.
With everything happening in the story till the very end, Clockwork Princess is the best work I have read in her series.

5/5 for Clockwork Princess

Book Mailbox #7!

I know its been a week since I've posted: but! Look what came in today!
Clockwork Princess! #3 of the Infernal Devices by Cassandra. Clare! Its the book we all been waiting for!
Yes, and what is behind the cover of the Infernal Devices of Clockwork Princess is the Shadowhunters Family Tree of the Herondales, Lightwoods, and Carstairs! Exciting!

Review: Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Let the Sky Fall

Author: Shannon Messenger
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Pulse
Hardcover: 404 pages
Summary
Broken by their pasts. Divided by their futures. Bound by love.
Vane Weston should have died in the category five tornado that killed his parents. Instead,  he woke up in a pile of rubble with no memories of his past- except one: a beautiful, dark haired girl standing in the winds. She's swept through his dreams ever since, and he clings to the hope that she is real.
Audra is real, but she isn't human. She's a slyph, an air elemental who can walk on the wind, translate its alluring songs, even twist it into a weapon. She's also a guardian- Vanes guardian- and has sworn an oath to protect him at all costs.
When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra has just days to help Vane unlock his memories. And as the storm winds gather, Audra and Vane start to realize that the greatest danger might not be the warriors coming to destroy them, but the forbidden romance growing between them.


Review:
The only thing that drew me to this book was the gorgeous cover and of course, it reminds me of Adele's Skyfall (try listening to this song while reading this book-but only if you're good at multi-tasking). The cover itself is amazingly beautiful and breathtaking with the main characters, Audra and Vane, being surrounded by the orange-brown wind/sand. I'm glad to have read this book as well as to have it.
The plot in this book is unique. I have never read or heard of a book like this one. Its about Windwalkers. People who have the ability to control the wind, call it by their windsong, be apart of the wind, attack people with it. But there are only 4 groups of winds: Notherlies, Easterlies, Southeries, and Westerlies. They have a weapon called a windslicer-- its just a bunch of awesome, right?
Anyway, the book centers around Vane and Audra. The book provides both points of view,  in 1st person, one each chapter. Though it would have been better if the book was just in Vane's voice. I like Vane. He's sweet, funny, and kind. He had a hard life- well...its difficult. Every girl he dates, something bad happens. He lives with his adoptive parents. His real parents died when he was younger. But worst of all, he lost his childhood memories.
Then Audra. I thought she was an ok character. I think most of the time she tried too hard not to find Vane attractive, then she always pushes him away. But she is strong and likable.I only like her pet Gavin. But she too, like Vane, have some family issues and problems.
A thing that I disliked about this book was Audra's I'm-your-protector-so-I-cant-fall-for-or-have-any-sort-of attraction-towards-you-even-though-deep-down-i-do.
I'm not gonna spoil and say more about the book. You'll have to read the rest yourself to find out. There's a lot of action and romance. But its that kind of story where the romance doesn't overwhelm the story and takes over--which is a totally good thing.


Conclusion:
You should definetly read Let the Sky Fall as soon as possible. Seriously. You won't regret it. I sure didn't. It has everything- action, humor, romance, awesome fight scenes and oh- awesome powers! I really never read a book like this one before. Like, buy the book now! And everytime...listen to Skyfall by Adele.
Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger deserves a 4.8/5.