[ARC Review] Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss

Keeping Secrets in Seattle
Brooke Moss
February 18th, 2013
Entangled Publishing
261 pages

Arc provided courtesy of Entangled Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

 Amazon/B&N

Seattle hairstylist Violet Murphy always knew the day would come when her best friend Gabe Parker would want to settle down. She’d secretly wished it would be with her, but now that he’s chosen someone else—the prim, perfect Alicia—he wants Vi to be his best man.

Healing her broken heart isn’t easy, but when Violet meets Landon Harlow, a man who isn’t fazed by her funky style and less-than-delicate attitude, she takes a step in the right direction. Until Gabe’s fiancé’s gorgeous façade begins to crack, and Violet’s disturbing past comes back to haunt her, that is. Vi now finds herself armed with a series of lies that would break Gabe’s heart—and his engagement—if he knew their truth, and a secret from their childhood that could change everything.

With the wedding looming, her relationships unraveling, and the bachelor party of the century to plan, Violet must choose between a fresh start with Landon, or confronting her painful past and risking it all for a chance at a future with Gabe.

   Hi it's Amy back again with even more romancing with Keeping Secrets in Seattle.  In this book the story line is: girl loves best friend but said best friend has just proposed to his girlfriend and now girl thinks it might be too late to ever be with the one man she loves.  Does this plot sound familiar?  Probably because we have all seen it before in chick flicks and romance novels.  I will give this the author her due because even with the same old plot the the story line is executed well because this ended up being a fast paced and enjoyable read.



Underneath what sounds like a flighty story line there is depth.  The heroine, Violet, is hiding a nine year old secret that will shake  everyone she knows to the core.  Meanwhile, there is more than meets the eye to her best friend's fiance and she might be a gold digger just waiting to trade up and it is up to Violet to find out.  Also, Violet must decide if running away easier than fighting for the man she loves.



I liked this story more than I thought I would even though I thought the ending was a bit cheesy the epilogue was a nice touch.  I liked how when all the secrets were revealed and everything came out in the open it felt real how the characters dealt with the fallout.  Gabe and Violet didn't automatically fall right into each other's arms and live happily ever after.  No they needed to time and space to deal with the hurt and then find a way back into each other's arms because a secret like the one Violet is carrying around doesn't just go away and it doesn't heal overnight.  I give this story four laser pistols because it was a quick and easy read filled with depth and emotion and sometimes I just like a good chick lit kind of story.

[Review} Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry
Perfect Chemistry #1
Simone Elkeles
December 23rd, 2008
Walker Books for Young Readers
359 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Hi it's Amy and I just finished Perfect Chemistry and it was out of this world.  I started this book in the audio version in the morning on my way to work and finished it when I got home in the paperback version because I was hooked and just had to know how it all turned out.  I don't think I have finished a book in one day in long time but I loved this retelling of Romeo and Juliet that kind of reminded me of a more real version of West Side Story, where gangsters act like gangsters and don't break into song and dance.

This story is about finding out who you are and breaking the molds.  It's a story about passion and love and fighting for the ones you love.  It is a story that made my heart break in parts and was somehow able to put it all back together.  This book is realistic, romantic and gritty because it does not sugar coat the lives of Brittany and Alex.  Alex is a gangbanger who lives on the poor side of town and Brittany is rich white girl.  They get partnered up in Chemistry class and well the rest is chalked up to chemistry.  I would recommend it older teens because well their chemistry sizzles right off the page and their were some scenes I had to fan myself.

In conclusion, I loved  this book and relationships were very real and had me from page one.  I listened to part of this book and I have to warn readers that the narration is not that great. The male voice was ok but the female was a little grating but it is a good enough story that the narration did not detract from it.  I give this book a solid four laser pistols and will be reading the next book in the series Rules of Attraction.

[Audiobook Review] Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me
Shatter Me #2
Tahereh Mafi
February 5th, 2013
HarperCollins

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

tick

tick

tick

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it's almost

time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

 Hi it's Amy again and this week I guess it was audiobook week because I listened more than I actually read.  I started listening to Unravel Me and got so caught up in the story that I could put it down and had to finish listening.   For me, Unravel Me is like that cheesy teen night time drama that is a guilty pleasure and I am totally addicted to it.  This book is cheesy, melodramatic, and of course has a love triangle.  It is also poetic, beautifully written, and incredibly sexy.  I have not read or listened to a book in long time that has made me feel like I was 17 again and on an emotional roller coaster like Unravel Me did.

This book is like the show Revolution meets Xmen because you have a military government that rules the land with a dictator iron fist and the rebel group fighting them with wits, weapons and supernatural abilities. Unravel Me picks up where Shatter Me left off with Juliette and Adam healed and training with the rebels.  Juliette  loves Adam and has chosen to stay and fight with him.  Then of course drama comes in and cause a rift between Juliette and Adam.  Then Warner's father comes to town and kidnaps some of the rebels and holds them hostage to meet Juliette.  Juliette fights Warner's father and they take Warner back to the rebel compound.

It becomes Juliette job to interrogate Warner the other boy in love with her.  The more she questions Warner and gets to know him the more she questions if he is really evil or if there is more to this boy than meets the eye.

Unravel Me is a heartbreaking and gut wrenching tale of what it really means to be yourself and question what would you do to save the ones you love.  When I read the first book, Shatter Me,  I thought it was just ok but after reading the second book I am hooked on this series and it has become a guilty pleasure because there is just something about having my emotions ran through the ringer.  My heart broke for Juliette and then my heart sored for Juliette and then again it was breaking.  I would recommend this book for older teens because there were also parts that were incredibly hot and I thought I would need to go splash cold water on my face, hehe.

In conclusion I love the poetic writing style that may not be for everyone because it is like reading a diary. The narration was wonderful Kate Simses really makes the listener feel like you are in Juliette's head and makes the story come to life.  In the book there are passages marked out with lines because Juliette dd not like the way sounded so I like the added sound of scratching out in the audiobook. I thought this book was out of this world and therefore I have giving it four laser pistols.

[Audiobook Review]Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet
Lunar Chronicals #2
Marissa Meyer
February 5th, 2013
Feiwel and Friends
452 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

 Hi it's Amy back again and this week I finished listening to Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.  I am going to open this review with one phrase: Shut the front door because this book was amazing.  I have listened to Cinder and thought it was so good and the follow up Scarlet did not disappoint.  The scifi fairy tales continued in Scarlet with a twist on Little Red Hooding Hood.

    Scarlet is hunting for her missing grandmother and with the help a shady street fighter named Wolf she sets out across France in her red hoodie.  Again with all of Marrissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles books there is more to the story than just a retelling of classic fairy tales.  All the cast from Cinder is back and the evil Lunar queen has more tricks her up sleeve to make sure her will is met.  Cinder has escaped from prison and with help of a new character Captain Thorn and his stolen space ship, she is has decided to find the one person who can help her find out more about who she really is because Cinder needs answers.

I will just stop right here because I don't want to give too much of the plot twists away and just talk about what I loved about the book.  In the words of Marissa Meyer herself, these books are a fairy tale meets Firefly meets Star Wars.  This book was filled with action, adventure, mystery, and of course a little romance.  While the mystery is a little predictable and I had already figured out how everything was connected before the characters had figured it out.  I never felt liked the story dragged because there is never a dull moment in Scarlet as Scarlet and Cinder get in out of one scrape after another.  I am sure I am not the first girl to admit this but my favorite new character is the literally swoon worthy Captain Thorn.  I love his brazen attitude and even before I heard Marissa Meyer speak about her inspiration for this character I already knew who he reminded me of: Mal Reynolds from Firefly and Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who.  Captain Thorn's character lightens things up and keeps Cinder from taking herself too seriously.  Isn't that what every flirty, flighty, brazen space captain is supposed to do.

In conclusion, if you are a scifi or fairy tale geek like me then I highly recommend Scarlet and if you decide to listen to it you won't be disappointed because Rebecca Soler did an amazing job again with the voices.  For me in the end I liked Scarlet even better than Cinder and I give Scarlet five laser pistols because it is most definitely a supernova.

 

[Audiobook Review] Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison

Black Magic Sanction
The Hallows #8
Kim Harrison
February 23rd, 2010
Eos
487 pages

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

In New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison's most complex and nuanced adventure yet, bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan fights a deadly battle - mind, body, and soul.

Black Magic Sanction

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter - and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind...until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment - at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.

It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

This week I finished the eighth book in the Hollows series and I think Black Magic Sanction might tie with Fistful of Charms as my favorite book in the series. My only only after the audiobook finished playing was WOW.

Black Magic Sanction has it all: drama, action, tragedy, comedy, romance, and a high stakes caper. In Black Magic Sanction Rachel has been shunned and the Council of Witches is after her to put her in jail and will take all the strength and cunning Rachel has to keep herself out of prison and remove the shunning.

I listen to audiobooks mostly at work and I think I freaked my coworkers out because this book had me on an emotional rollercoaster. One minute I was smiling because something was funny and the next I had to excuse myself to the restroom to dry my eyes because I was crying. I love a good book that can make me cry one moment and have me laughing the next.

I love how in this book there was some more back story on Al and Pirece. I find their chararters intriging but as I have said before I am still holding out for a Trey and Rachel match. I do like how their releationship is maturing into mutal respect and maybe friendship. Being a sucker for a good western I loved the ending of this book.

That is all I am going to say about Black Magic Sanciton except that is a supernova and out of this world installment in an excelent series and I give it five laser pistols. As far as the narration it was stellar as always. I can not stress this enough but read Kim Harrison's Hollows series because you won't be disappointed.

[ARC Review] Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

Dance of Shadows
Dance of Shadows #1
Yelena Black
February 12th, 2013
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
447 pages

ARC courtesy of Bloomsbury Children's Publishing via NetGalley for honest review. Review may contain spoilers.

Amazon/Book Depository/B&N

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . .

Hi it's Amy and I just finished Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black. I don't know where to start on how I felt about this book. I think my first initial thought is, and I say this not to be mean, I am proud of my self that I finished the book and didn't put it down and walk away from it forever.

Let me explain this book is about Vanessa who goes to NYBA, ballet school, not because she wants to dance but because a part of her wants to follow the footsteps of her missing sister. She gets there and starts making friends and falls into a rhythm of dance and school. Her dancing is beautiful and she catches the eye of not one but two cute older boys. She goes on to be cast in the lead of The Firebird the school's big show.

Life is going good for Vanessa but in the back of her mind are thoughts of her  missing sister and the strange dance the instructor Josef has added to the dance. She starts to research the dance and finds out that all the girls who have ever been cast in the role have all disappeared including her sister. She discovers something sinister is going on.  The added dance is actually a ritualistic dance to raise demons from an alternate reality.

 For me this book moved at a snail's pace and it was really hard to care about Vanessa and what was happening to her because I just couldn't connect with her.  The two older boys that like her are Zep the popular boy and Justin who is kind of a loner.  There is one part after she has gone on a few dates with Zep, he disappears for a few days will not answer her texts or phone calls.  After a talk and few kisses she takes him back.  Meanwhile, Justin keeps telling her Zep is no good and to leave the school but she just blows him off as jealous wanna be boyfriend.  I wanted to yell at Vanessa for naivete because it was clear Zep was just using her.

  I don't want to give too much of the ending away but it did have action and was creepy and left it open for the next book.  Dance of Shadows reminded me of a cross between Center Stage and The Craft but it didn't mesh the two perfectly.  In conclusion I give Dance of Shadows three laser pistols because the pacing was slow and at times I had to force myself to keep reading.  For me what moved it up from a two to a three was that the ending was intriguing and I am curious to find out what happens next. I just don't think the next book will be a must read.

[Review] Take it Like a Vamp by Candace Havens

Take it Like a Vamp

Candace Havens
July 21st, 2012
Entangled Publishing
282 pages

Amazon/B&N

Vampire Nick Christos might have been born in the Middle Ages, but those days seem tame compared to the last eight years spent ruling the Supernatural Council. The only respite in his long days of governing is with his sweet neighbor Casey Meyers. Sure, he's forced to take a cold shower after every encounter, but no way will he risk anything more with a human. Not with his blood thirsty ex on the prowl and out to ruin Nick's life. But when said crazy ex shows up at the ball and flies her freak flag high, Nick has more to worry about than keeping his hands off his neighbor. He'll have to stay closer than ever if he hopes to keep her alive, but will she want to leave him forever when she learns the truth?

Hi it's Amy back with more romance.  So I was up late one night this week combing through the online catalog at Entangled Publishing.com.  I came across a book called Take it Like it Vamp.  It is by author Candace Havens who is local, to my neck of the woods, Dallas, Texas.  I like to support local authors so I decided to read the synopsis. I thought this book has everything I am looking for: quick and fun read, takes place where I live, full of romance, and of course had vampires.  After reading Take it Like a Vamp it started out really good but fell out in the end.

Now I love cheesy, cutesy romances of all subgenres but Take it Like a Vamp is too cheesy even for me and I will explain.  So it starts with my favorite kind of heroine: the shy and over weight wallflower looking for that right man to see the strong confident woman she has been hiding away and help bring her to the surface.  Maybe it's because I am a shy plus size girl but I have always had a soft spot for wallflower especially overweight wallflowers.  The beginning of the book does not disappoint.  Nick has the hots for his best friend and needs a date to a party.  So he invites Casey to be his date and since it's a black tie event he pays for her dress and to get dolled up.  Casey feels like Cinderella and they really start to notice they have feelings for each other while dancing at the party.  Just one problem Nick is a vampire and his life is dangerous due to his evil witch ex wife, literally, she is a witch.

As the story continues Nick decides he doesn't want to live with out Casey and has to convince her he is in love with her.  Here is the part that gets on nerves, Casey is insecure about her weight and just can not believe a rich handsome man like Nick would want to be with her.  She can't accept the compliments even though it seems like every man in the book including Nick tells her how beautiful she is.  I mean come on girl gain a little self confidence.  Nick is insecure too though because he feels like once Casey learns the truth about what he is and how dangerous his life is she will not want to be with him anymore.

One night he whisks Casey off to a romantic getaway to tell her the truth because he decides he should if he wants to propose marriage to Casey.  She runs out of the room and goes to take a walk to clear her head.  Nick starts in on the mopey vampire thing.   As I was reading, I was like come on give the girl a break before you start in on the how will I ever live with out her talk.  I mean unless your girlfriend is Bella most women need a minute to come around to the fact that their boyfriend is a vampire and his ex wife is out to kill her.

They decide to get married in the end and his ex makes an appearance on the honeymoon by trying to possess the bride.  Nick holds her hand and cries while Casey tries to fight the possession.  I mean I understand by this point most of the book is already cheesy but it takes the cake on this scene.  Nick whispers how strong she is how she needs to fight the witch.  With a few "Bitch get out of my head" lines and a strong will Casey defeats the witch and pushes her out of her body.  I mean I would have liked a little more there maybe a potion or two.  I get that is where Casey is supposed to start gaining confidence there because she fights the witch all by herself while Nick tells her to fight but I don't it just felt rushed like it could have been better explained in my opinion.

In conclusion I thought this book was like an untied balloon, full of potential but deflates in the end.  I give Take it Like a Vamp three laser pistols because it was a quick and fast read.  The love scenes between Casey and Nick were HOT.  I think I just would have liked it a little more if the fight scenes weren't glossed over and maybe had more action and the hero and heroine would have let go of the insecurities earlier in the book to fight the witch together.  In my honest opinion I felt like I didn't waste my time and it was a decent not great read.



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