REVIEW: Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark

(Summary from Goodreads). Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

I actually couldn't really get into this book. At first I liked it… but after a while I didn't want to finish it. Abram and Juliette were interesting. They had an interesting back story that I wanted to know more about, but as the story goes on it was a little dragged out. Like they were just friends. I'm okay with stories like that where they start out as just friends, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere. I really wanted to like the story. I got a about 1/4th of the way through this book and had to stop. It was just a really different story with a distinct writing style.

It was not my favorite read. Like many reviews on Goodreads say, it's different. The writing, story, and characters are very different from others that you will meet.

I was really drawn to the cover though. It is really pretty and interesting. I will try to read this story again another time.

Other people might love this book, but it just wasn't for me.

Three out of five stars.

REVIEW: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

(Summary from Goodreads). After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

I'm torn on this book. I want to say I didn't like it… because it was just hard to get through. The writing was really good and I loved the characters, but it was not my favorite book to read. I wanted it because I've heard really good things about it. I liked the idea and story though. It got confusing when the POV would change. I am going to read the rest of the series because I really liked the plot and characters… but it just isn't the type of book I normally read. 

The blurb on the front says it's for fans of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones…and I completely agree with that. It has the royal system of Game of Thrones and the "fight to the finish" of The Hunger Games (if that makes sense?). Haha. 

Even though it wasn't my favorite book to read, I give it four out of five stars. The writing was really good and the characters were great. 

REVIEW: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

(Summary from Goodreads). Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warning, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, they're sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey’s arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few "dates", it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game.

What's a girl to do when what she wants is totally different from what she needs? How do you figure out the person you're meant to be with if you're still figuring out the person you're meant to be?

This is a really fun book to read. It is easy and predictable, but it is very enjoyable! I love books like this one. I love books that have to do with finding yourself. I like that they used The Art of War as a strategy guide. I never liked Jason… even from the first page. He was just not doing it for me. I also didn't like Kendall… she was just too much.

I honestly want to know what else happens with Bianca! It seemed like there was something off with their friendship. Lainey was very focused on herself throughout the whole book.

I loved Micah! He was just so cute and sweet to Lainey. He was such a great guy and I liked him from the beginning. I want to read more about Lainey and Micah!

I loved everything about this story. It was a fun read and I recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary books.

Five out of five stars. 

REVEIW: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

(Summary from Goodreads). Hardships and heartache brought them together… now it will tear them apart.

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

I don't know how I felt about this book. I definitely liked it better than Slammed. I was able to put out of my head the teacher-student relationship. A LOT happened in this book. It wasn't too overwhelming. I liked how it was told in Will's point of view. It was different. I think that this series contains my favorite of Hoover's characters. 

I really want to know what else happens with the ex girlfriend and ex best friend… just because I'm curious. Also what else happens with school? Haha. 

I butterflying love Kiersten, Caulder, and Kel's friendship. Kiersten is just one of my favorite characters in general. Her and her mom are an interesting bunch. 

Again I didn't like this series as much as her other books. I really liked Someday Maybe and Hopeless. 

4 stars out of 5.  

Events Coming Up in 2015 (SoCal Area)

These are the events that I'm most excited for in 2015. More events to come as I plan for them. I have a hard time planning to go to events with my work schedule. It honestly depends on what day it is on and the time. I would LOVE to go to more events this year. These are the ones that I'm most excited for. Festival of Books is my favorite event to go to. You get to meet so many authors in a relaxed environment.


February-

• Gayle Forman (WITH Margaret Stohl & Deanna Kizis) signing for I Was Here at Vroman's Books at 7PM.

April-

• WonderCon April 3-5th (at Anaheim Convention Center).  
• YallWest April 11th (at Santa Monica Public High School) and April 12th (at Santa Monica Main Library). The line-up of authors is HERE
• LA Times Festival of Books (at USC) April 18th and 18th. Line-up coming at a later date. ;) 

July-

• Comic Con 2015 on July 8 (preview night), 9-12th. 

REVIEW: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

(Summary from Goodreads). Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

This book is unlike anything I've read before. It is such a different story and I loved every minute of it. There was a big plot twist that I can't talk about because it will give the story away… also if I recommend anything, it will give it away… but there's this book by Jodi Picoult that has a similar storyline…

This story though was amazing. The writing was beautiful and heartbreaking. I honestly wish I could read a book for the first time over and over again. It was a very sad book, but really good. I love Hoover's writing style. Each book of hers is so different.

I loved the characters and development of this story. I couldn't put it down! I've been reading for HOURS and I just had to finish. 

The only thing I didn't like is the use of the pet name "baby." I just used too often. 

Five out of five stars.

REVIEW: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

(Summary from Goodnreads). When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly. 

This book was so sad, but so good. I really liked the story and the characters. It has to be one of my favorites of Hoover's books.

The whole story with Miles was just so heartbreaking to read.

Anybody who likes her other books should read this one. Also, if you like Katie McGarry's books, you'll like Colleen Hoover's books.

Five out of five stars.

REVIEW: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

(Summary from Goodreads). Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

I honestly did not like this book. It wasn't that the writing was horrible. The whole plot was just awkward and cringe-worthy. I'm not a fan of books like this one. I love this author's other books though. The beginning was okay. Towards the middle of the book I just had to take a break. It was hard to get through… the end was bearable. I laughed at some of the parts at the end. It was a fun read, but just… not my cup of tea. I usually love contemporary romance YA books… this was just not something I would reread. I prefer this author's other books (like Maybe Someday).

Three stars out of five.

REVIEW: Between Now and Never by Laura Johnston

(Summary from Goodreads). Buh boom, buh boom. 

My heart thrusts with a force that takes me by surprise. Telling me something I don’t understand. A splitting pain, a longing to slip back under. They tell me I was in a hit-and-run, but I can’t remember what happened that night. All I know is that I woke up with pictures in my pocket, a card from one of those photo booths in the mall. And I’m in the pictures. Cody Rush. Me and…

Julianna.

Her brother was there that night, and my dad, the FBI agent, was the one who put her mom behind bars. What’s the connection? And why won’t Julianna talk to me now? Somehow, she holds the key to it all, and getting close–real close—to her for the answers I need will be no hardship at all…
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

I really liked this story. It was exactly what I liked to read. I liked how fast paced and interesting the storyline was. It was a very different story than typical contemporary romance books. I would love to know what else happens to the characters in the story! 

Anybody who likes Katie McGarry's books will like this story. It is a great read that is a quick read and easy to follow. 

Four out of five stars.

REVIEW: Tear You Apart by Sarah Cross

(Summary from Goodreads). An edgy fairy tale retelling of "Snow White" set in the world of Kill Me Softly for fans of Once Upon a Time and Grimm.

Faced with a possible loophole to her "Snow White" curse, Viv goes underground, literally, to find the prince who's fated to rescue her. But is life safe in the Underworld worth the price of sacrficing the love that might kill her?

I received a free copy for an honest review.

I thought I would like this book more than I did. I am not a big fan of fairy tale retellings. I have tried to get into them a lot in the past, but I am not a big fan of them.

At first I really liked the story, but after a while I got bored with it. It was a classic Snow White retelling. There were parts that were interesting. I liked the beginning, but I started to lose focus and there were a lot of characters to remember. I honestly wished I liked this book more than I did.

The writing was really good and I liked the storyline, but it is not my cup of tea. I would recommend this book to friends who are fans of fairy tales.

I would really recommend it to people who like books like Splintered by AG Howard.

Three out of five stars.

REVIEW: The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

(Summary from Goodreads). “Ori’s dead because of what happened out behind the theater, in the tunnel made out of trees. She’s dead because she got sent to that place upstate, locked up with those monsters. And she got sent there because of me.”

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other.
I received a copy of this book for free for an honest review.

I loved this story so much. It was very interesting how it was told from two girls perspectives, but was about three girls. It was a very dark and suspenseful book that a lot of people will enjoy. I loved how metaphorical and haunting the story was, but really interesting and addicting to read. I would love to read more from this author in the future. Her writing is so seamless and different. Suma created three separate girls, Ori, Amber, and Violet. You WANT to hate Ori and Amber (because they're in prison), but then you learn more about their story.

This is not a fast read. It is very dark and depressing. I really liked the story because of how twisted and confusing it was. It was confusing in the way that a beautifully written poem is. There are a lot of twists and it took me a while to understand it all. At the end of the story I felt so bad for Ori and heartbroken for Amber. Violet was an interesting character. I wanted to like her, but I also didn't. It is a great story about guilt and innocence. I would recommend this book to anybody… but especially if you liked We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. :)

The one thing I would have preferred was if it was available to be sent to kindle instead of having to read it on the computer.

Five out of five stars.

REVIEW: One of the Guys by Lisa Aldin

(Summary from Goodreads). Tomboy to the core, Toni Valentine understands guys. She'll take horror movies, monster hunts and burping contests over manicures. So Toni is horrified when she's sent to the Winston Academy for Girls, where she has to wear a skirt and learn to be a lady while the guys move on without her.

Then Toni meets Emma Elizabeth, a girl at school with boy troubles, and she volunteers one of her friends as a pretend date. Word spreads of Toni’s connections with boys, and she discovers that her new wealthy female classmates will pay big money for fake dates. Looking for a way to connect her old best friends with her new life at school, Toni and Emma start up Toni Valentine’s Rent-A-Gent Service. 

But the business meets a scandal when Toni falls for one of her friends--the same guy who happens to be the most sought-after date. With everything she's built on the line, Toni has to decide if she wants to save the business and her old life, or let go of being one of the guys for a chance at love.
I received this book for free for an honest review.

This book was very interesting to read. I love books like this and it did not disappoint. It was a fun read. I quickly grew to love all the characters (and there were a lot of them…). I feel like some parts of it were thrown into the story and not addressed (ex. the party… did anything happen? The parents didn't find out?). There was a lot that happened in the story that was thrown in there. I really wanted to know more about the dad, the mom, and Brian.

I knew from the beginning that Toni and Emma would get in trouble for their "service," but it was a very fun idea. I loved Micah and Toni.. They were so adorable. I really want to know more about their story. I really want to read another story about each of the boys and Emma.

Overall, this book is a fun read.  It wasn't my favorite contemporary romance book, but it wasn't terrible. It was a really cute book (I want my own Micah).

I gave it four out of five stars.

REVIEW: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

(Summary from Goodreads). The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
 
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
 
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
 
This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.
Guys. Guys… this story is worth reading. It is so heartbreaking and amazing. It is a roller coaster of emotions and events. I honestly could not put it down. Everyone needs to read this story.

A girl, Violet, recently lost her sister in a car accident. Violet lived, while her sister passed away. She meets an unconventional boy named Theodore. He is a drifter/wanderer. He is obsessed with the idea of death.

While I was reading the book I noticed something was off. I just couldn't place my finger on it. I wanted so much for Theodore and Violet to have a happy ending, but I just knew that it would not be happening. It is so sad to read a story in the mind of someone who has bipolar disorder, depression, etc. Whatever he had… because it was undiagnosed. There were so many things that happened in his life that caused him to be so different. There are so many emotions running through me at this very moment. I just can't. This book is amazing. I wasn't one to be OBSESSED with The Fault in Our Stars. I am obsessed with this book though. Niven wrote an amazing story and it deserves everything (and more).

Everyone, go pick up this book at the bookstore… like yesterday. :)

Five out of five stars.

REVIEW: Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost by Iain Reading

(Summary from Goodreads). Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost is the exciting second installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This second book in the series continues the adventures of Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot who has decided to follow in the footsteps of her hero Amelia Earhart and make an epic flight around the entire world. After flying across North America Kitty's journey takes her down south to Florida where she plans to get a bit of rest and relaxation before continuing on with the rest of her long and grueling flight. As Kitty explores the strange and magical water world of the Florida Keys her knack for getting herself into precarious situations sweeps her headlong into the adventure of a lifetime involving mysterious lights, ancient shipwrecks, razor-toothed barracudas and even a sighting of the great Ernest Hemingway himself. This exhilarating story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept across the landscape and history of the Florida Keys all the way from Key West to the strange and remarkable world of Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas.

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost is a perfect book to fire the imaginations of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn about and experience as much of our amazing world as they can - just like Kitty Hawk herself.
I received this book for free for an honest review

This was a really good book and an easy read. It is so much fun to follow Kitty's adventures as a young pilot around the world. It is a book for all ages, but would probably interest middle grades the best. I really loved the format of the book and the pictures that were also included in it. This series incorporates travel, history, and adventure all in one. It was a really fun read and I highly recommend it to other readers. I had never heard of the series before this. The storytelling is really fun and new. It is a different kind of story that many people will enjoy.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Upcoming Releases That I'm Excited For! (January-February 2015)

JANUARY:

1. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Jan 6th)
2. We Were Here by Gayle Forman (Jan 27th)
3. All Fall Down by Ally Carter (Jan 20th)

FEBRUARY:

1. Invaded by Melissa Landers (Feb 3rd)
2. The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead (Feb 6th)
3. The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson (Feb 10th)