Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

Friday, November 21, 2014 - , , , , No comments

Girl On a Wire:

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Version: eBook
Author: Gwenda Bond

 GoodReads Summary:
A ballerina, twirling on a wire high above the crowd. Horses, prancing like salsa dancers. Trapeze artists, flying like somersaulting falcons. And magic crackling through the air. Welcome to the Cirque American!

Sixteen-year-old Jules Maroni’s dream is to follow in her father’s footsteps as a high-wire walker. When her family is offered a prestigious role in the new Cirque American, it seems that Jules and the Amazing Maronis will finally get the spotlight they deserve. But the presence of the Flying Garcias may derail her plans. For decades, the two rival families have avoided each other as sworn enemies.
Jules ignores the drama and focuses on the wire, skyrocketing to fame as the girl in a red tutu who dances across the wire at death-defying heights. But when she discovers a peacock feather—an infamous object of bad luck—planted on her costume, Jules nearly loses her footing. She has no choice but to seek help from the unlikeliest of people: Remy Garcia, son of the Garcia clan matriarch and the best trapeze artist in the Cirque.
As more mysterious talismans believed to possess unlucky magic appear, Jules and Remy unite to find the culprit. And if they don’t figure out what’s going on soon, Jules may be the first Maroni to do the unthinkable: fall. 


 Review:
This story is truly a modern day Romeo and Juliet retelling at its finest. This becomes even more apparent when you learn the true names of Remy and Jules later on in the book. Also strikingly similar to Shakespeare's cast of Montagues and Capulets, the Maronis and Garcias both possess a history of hating each other. However, the reason behind this hated remains a mystery for most of the book. Although you're given bits a pieces from different family members, you won't get the full story until it's forced out of the Grandmother, who is completely awesome by the way. The way Gwenda told the story not only kept me interested, but completely hooked me, so that I couldn't put the book down. 

 The setting of the story is forever changing, since the Maronis and Garcias are members of a traveling circus. How awesome is that? Honestly, this story is packed with a ton of circus lore and it was SO GREAT! Without going into too much detail, Jules makes a decision to better her family's financial situation, but at a cost of forcing them to cooperate with the Garcia's. Now as if that fact alone wasn't enough, just as in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the attraction between Remy Garcia and Jules Maroni is almost palpable. They fall in love and struggle to keep it a secret. This becomes increasingly more difficult as a mystery killer attempts to throw Jules, who is a tightrope walker, off her balance. What's so unique is that the mystery murder uses "mystical" possessions that date back to when the feud of family originally began. Now, it's left for the reader to decided if these objects are inherently magical or if it's the superstitions that give them strength. As for the mystery killer, can you figure out who it is before the story ends? I couldn't. 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

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Faking Normal

Rating: 3 Stars
Author: Courtney C. Stevens
Version: Hardcover

GoodReads:
An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.

Review:
I enjoyed reading Faking Normal, but I was very, very frustrated with the main character, Alexi. Throughout the whole of the book she was constantly berating herself for not saying “NO” when she was statutorily raped. Yet, throughout the whole of the book "Lex" is constantly refusing to stop any sort of contact or situation that her mind tells her to. So, what you have is a girl who’s mutalating herself for keeping silent and regretting her past decisions, while also continuing to make those same decisions in the present. Maybe this is what people who’ve gone through a situation like Lex’s experience, but as a reader I was extremely frustrated. 

A large part of Lex’s struggle is that she cannot determine why she’s so passive and lacks voice. This mystery is a good 2/3’s portion of the book and the underlying reasons are extremely week in my opinion. For instance, she’s plagued by a memory of seeing a naked boy, who was at the time the same age as she was… ~6 years old. I’m sorry, but children see each other naked when they’re little, they are innocently indifferent, and it’s not something that should haunt her for 10+ years. There were just so many instances in the book that made me want to turn against the victim and I had to almost constantly remind myself not to do so. 


All in all, the book sends out a very good message to those applicable, which is to find your voice, don’t blame yourself, and speak up. Yet, the build up and foundation of the story is extremely weak and very predictable at times. However, the author’s letter, as well as her video on Amazon, clearly express how passionate she is about getting her message out. For that, she’s earned my respect. 

Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday, June 23, 2014 - , , , No comments

Eleanor and Park:

Rating: 5 Stars
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Version: Hardcover

 GoodReads:
Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.


Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

 Review:

 I absolutely loved this book - as I do with all of Rainbow Rowells’s works! 

If you’ve ever changed schools or been to high school in general, then you’ll be able to relate to Eleanor. She’s just transferred schools and is met with a less than welcoming environment to say the least. Things aren’t better at home either, because her stepdad makes life a living hell and he’s the financial backbone of the household. Eleanor shares a small room with her siblings, who cling to each other for support, especially when hearing their “parents” fight. 

This book bothered me, simply because I could relate to Eleanor. I also had a step parent who made my life a living hell. However, that’s all in the past. Yet, like then, I can’t understand why Eleanor’s mom couldn’t escape her situation or why she CHOSE to allow situations to happen. It’s really hard to say what I mean without giving away spoilers, but Eleanor’s mom allowed Richie (the stepdad), to treat her like trash. She even forced Eleanor and her children in the car when Richie was driving drunk. There are plenty of other instances that are up for discussion, but I’ll stop here. 

The ending of this book was a huge WOW factor. I caught a little bit of foreshadowing when Maisie and Richie were watching TV together, but I honestly didn’t connect that to Eleanor’s situation. Another part of the ending I really enjoyed was seeing Eleanor’s ‘enemies’ helping her in her time of need, it was truly heart touching. 

I realized I haven’t said a word about Park yet. For Eleanor, Park seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel or the sole thing keeping her alive. Without Park, Eleanor would be in hell 24/7 and the little bits of time they can schedule together: bus rides home, “Tina’s” house, etc… are why she keeps preserving through. It was nice being able to see how their relationship grew and changed from each’s perspective, Rainbow Rowell is just fantastic at doing this.  As for Park, I disliked him at first, but he slowly grew on me. HIs family on the other hand, I still don’t particularly like his dad, but his mom was awesome. 


Let me know what you think of Eleanor and Park when you read it, because you’re definitely going to, right? Of course you are :D. 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - , , , , , , No comments

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble



Rating: 5 Stars
Version: eBook
Author: H.P. Mallory

 Summary:
Life isn't bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn't have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend.
Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she's a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost's demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life!

Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.

 Review:
I read this book in December of 2013 and yes it’s been 2 months, but this book definitely deserves a mention and I regret putting it off.  For starters, I received this book from Pixel of Ink for free and was EXTREMELY surprised by how much I loved reading it. At the time, I had just finished reading the first two books of the All Souls Trilogy (A discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night), both of which I have yet to review, and noted several similarities. For instance, you have a witch/vampire attraction, a witch who was unaware of her potential, and a full out species war that resides on the protagonist choices. However, Mallory and Harnkess’s books have enough differences to not feel like you’re rereading the same material with a different twist.

If I had to decide on which work I liked best, I would probably choose Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, because Jolie (the main character) isn’t afraid to use her powers and is a bit more aggressive than Diana Bishop (the All Souls protagonist). Also, this book seemed to progress at a much faster pace, with less time spent wondering “when is this chapter going to be over with?” Another thing, which is unrelated to the content the book, but is something that I loved, is the cover art. The cover art appeals to my sense of Halloween and what a book about a witch should look like. It is so much more attractive than any of the All Souls dust jackets - The reason I say dust jackets is because, the hardcover editions of the All Souls trilogy are black with gold/orange star decorations, which are amazing.

As for the story, It was fast paced, action packed, and contained an ideal amount of romance. As I’ve said before, I’m not one for stories that rely heavily on romance, so it was nice to be able to read without cringing. 


I didn’t intend to mention the All Souls trilogy so much in this review, but because the concepts were similar, I find it hard not to compare them. As I said before, the concepts are unique in and of themselves and are easily distinguishable. Please give this book a chance and read it, because you won’t be disappointed. 

Sunday, July 28, 2013

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Sanctify

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Version: Ebook
Author: Colee Firman

Short Summary (GR):
The Overseer’s Stone is destroyed and all of the Scattered Akori are back. That’s exactly what Addy wanted. The part she didn’t bargain for was being swept away, landing in a fascinating world just under the surface of her own. 
The search for a way back to Tremain proves to be a monumental task, with a roadblock at every turn. Unimaginable secrets from the past unravel, leaving Addy wondering if there’s anyone she can really trust. 
Will mistakes from Eva and Andrew’s past be the end of them all? Old enemies resurface, forcing Addy and Tanner to make impossible decisions that will change everything. 
Bonds are broken and new connections are forged in Sanctify—book two of the Unbinding Fate Series.

 Review:
Author Colee Firman has supplied readers with a very compelling continuation to the Unbinding Fate series entitled Sanctify. The story continues from the cliffhanger ending of book one with Addy, Tanner, Jax, and Julz having landed in Greystone - a home away from home. The continuation of the story was very fluent and no time was wasted rehashing events from book one; a turn off to some readers. Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed book two much more so than book one. One reason is because both Addy and Tanner have powers now and they aren't afraid to use them. Their inherited powers are rivaled with the legendary Eva and Andrew, from which their abilities descend. As with book one there is a lot of romance, which was to be expected. Yet, instead of letting it dissuade me from the storyline, I found that it greatly enhanced it. I thoroughly enjoyed the action, mystery, and suspense Sanctify offered, partially the reason why I was able to overlook the romance. Don't misunderstand me, the romance in the Unbinding Fate series is no less than that of any other book, I just cringe when a story centers around romance. Hence, why I stay away from that genre of books. 
As a side note, I figured Addy would end up with Tanner and it definitely makes sense why she was attracted to Gage. Addy's life was a complete mess with her Grandfather dying, her best friends turning against her, and the Estate being attacked (I probably left a few others out). So, it's not unreasonable to see that she turned to Gage, her childhood friend, for support and reassurance. The fact that he scattered after trying to heal her simply added to the fuel. It was a catalyst as Tanner says. 
The only reason I don't give Sanctify 5 stars is because it took me along time to get into it. It took me a week to get to 50%. However, after breaking through some imaginary barrier, I ended up finishing the next day. 
Sanctify ends with another cliffhanger and it has me yearning to continue on to Book 3, Chasing Darkness. 

Read this book!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - , , No comments

Dissever

Rating: 3 Stars
Version: Ebook
Author: Colee Firman

I came across this book via Pixel of Ink while it was on special.

Short Summary:
The story centers around a teenage girl named Addison Sanders who lives at her grandfathers estate. Addison is very well traveled, since the estate is teleported to new locations often - usually cold, isolated, and never the same place twice. However, Addison finds herself faced with a situation that violates previous precident. The new location is on the beach near a busy tourist town and is also a repeat of a prior location. Addison and her grandfather share the estate with the Akori, an immortal population of human-like people. They are overseen by Addison's grandfather, known as the Overseer. The Overseer has control over the Overseer's stone, which was created by two of the oldest known Akori. Since the stone's creation, much controversy has arisen and many seek to destroy it. Things become complicated when a human named Tanner becomes aware of the estate, which is usually shielded from human eyes. Her grandfather dies and while Addy attempts to claim the Overseer's stone, symbols appear on her neck. These symbols would kill the the average human, but instead it sets her off on an adventure full of mystery, flirtation, and deception.

Review:
Overall I enjoyed this story. It was a little slow towards the beginning, but picked up at around 55-60%. One thing that irked me was the time it took to uncover information surrounding the Akori and their powers; the estate, and the stone. However, by the end of the book all my questions were answered.  Also, I am not too fond of stories containing a lot of romance, which was abundant with Addison's character. But, if you enjoy fantasy and romance then this is your story. The book also needed a little more editing. There were a few grammatical errors I picked up on, but nothing major. Hey, my grammar isn't perfect either. I really enjoyed the concept of the the Akori and the estate because it was both unique and interesting.



This is book one of the Unbinding Fate series and I am in the process of reading book two: Sanctify.  I have recommend this book to others seeking a good read in fantasy and would definitely recommend it to anyone reading this review.

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