Unrequited by Emma Grey

Unrequited
by Emma Grey
Release Date: 05/26/14
Series: No
Genrre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: Four Trees

Summary from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Kat Hartland loathes Unrequited, the world's biggest boy band. Is she the only girl in Sydney who can't be bothered with perfect-looking Angus Marsden?

Give her 5 Seconds of Summer. Now.

Or maybe the seriously-hot med student who rescued her on a train—and who could be Douglas Booth's twin! Perfect formal partner, much?

But when Kat comes face to face with Angus Marsden himself, things start to get complicated. Very. Throw in a deranged female popstar, final exams, a part in the musical and a mum who just doesn't get it—and where is her best friend?

When did life get so crazy? Kat's just an ordinary schoolgirl.

Isn't she?

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MY THOUGHTS

To start off this review, I feel like I should get this out of the way, the idea for the book is so crazy and unrealistic. I mean lets face it, this would never happen in real life, yet the author manages to completely convince me that it's possible and draw me into the Unrequited world. 

One of the things I enjoyed the most about the book was the fact that you really didn't know who Kat would end up with. Was it going to be the hot med student or would it be the world famous singer? I thought the author did a fantastic job at keeping the reader guessing.

Another aspect of the novel that I loved was the fact that Kat was just a regular student struggling through school. As a current senior in high school trying to balance a million other things I really related to her and thought she was a great example of a normal person (or as normal as you get knowing a superstar). I also liked Kat as a character. She knew who she was and didn't want to change it and conform to other people's ideas. I appreciated how she didn't care what people thought of her and loved her attitude about everything. Kat was a character that really made the book for me.

While the idea for Unrequited isn't new I truly enjoyed all the twists and turns the author employed that made her book really stick out.  I think that the author had several unique ideas that set her book apart from the other girl meets boy band books out there.

For me the book was a fast paced, fun novel that took my mind off school and the work that I was supposed to be doing. I would definitely check out anything else this author writes! 

MY RATING

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Read the first three chapters at: www.unrequited.com.au

Book Trailer:


About the Author
Emma Grey has two teenage girls, a three-year-old boy, a couple of businesses and another teen novel in the pipeline. Her first book, 'Wits' End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum' was published in 2005.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Summer in New York Anthology Review and excerpt

Title: Summer in New York
Authors: Janette Rallison, Heather B. Moore, Luisa Perkins, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Lisa Mangum

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Anthology

Series: None

Rating: Four and a half trees

Going into this anthology I had no idea who any of the authors were which meant that I had absolutely no idea what stories might become one of my favorites. I skipped around a bit depending on the mood I was in, and I have to say that overall I was extremely impressed by all the stories and I definitely am planning to check out some of the other books written by the authors.
This review is going to be broken down into individual sections for each short story. I will be giving each story an individual rating and then an overall rating for the collection as a whole.

Job Hazards by Janette Rallison
Rating: Five trees
The Premise: In USA Today bestselling author Janette Rallison’s delightful novella, JOB HAZARDS, Lydia Robinson is posing as a prostitute. Undercover of course. Lydia’s job as a police officer hasn’t reeled in her prince charming yet. That is, until Harrison Aldridge, old high school flame, pulls up to the corner to rescue the fallen damsel. Lydia can’t exactly give Harrison the truth without blowing her cover, and it takes a series of mishaps and another whole set of misunderstandings before Lydia will even consider letting Harrison back into her life
If there is one story in this entire anthology that is a must read, it would have to be this one. This is the first story in the book and it immediately pulled me in. I love short stories and I know that a lot of people hate them but the fact that they are short, yet still manage to tell an entire story is the reason as to why I love them. With that said, after reading this short story I WANTED MORE! The story was so fun and I loved the main character. I hated coming to the end and realizing that the story was over! (Although I do think the story was told perfectly and any more might have ruined it for me! But still...) I think that this was probably the strongest story in the collection and definitely worth it!

A Taste of Sun by Heather
Rating: Three and a half Trees
The Premise: In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, A TASTE OF SUN, Winona Grant embarks on a summer-long visit to NYC to house-sit for her great-aunt after a nasty break-up with her boyfriend Paul. But when her aunt commissions neighbor Steve Monti to tour Winona around, they strike a deal. Winona has too many deadlines to play tourist, and Steve is looking for a distraction from his looming gallery opening. So Steve goes on the tours by himself, and Winona reports back to her aunt as if she’d gone too. The longer this happens, the more Winona wants to change her mind. Seeing the city with Steve might be the perfect solution to forgetting about Paul.

While I did find this story to be adorable, I also thought it was extremely unrealistic and a bit too insta-lovey for my taste. I felt like the characters barely knew each other and then all of a sudden they were willing to anger Winona's aunt because they rapidly developed feelings for each other? I don't know... It just didn't mesh well with me. The other aspect I found completely unbelievable is a bit of a spoiler. It has to do with Steve's gallery though and I felt like that was all too convenient and perfect.... This one had a lot of potential and while still highly adorable, was a bit lacking for me.

Dulce de Leche by Luisa Perkins

Rating: Three Trees

The Premise: In Luisa Perkins’s sweet romance novella, DULCE DE LECHE, Marisol is desperate for another nanny job after being unfairly fired from her previous position. She has only two more semesters of college, but she’s too proud to ask her wealthy parents for financial help. When her potential new employer, a single father working long hours as an anesthesiologist, decides she’s too young and pretty to hire, she practically begs him for the job. Darius finally agrees, and as he watches her work miracles with his Asperger’s son, he realizes there is much more to Marisol than he first believed

This was definitely my least favorite short story from the collection. I had recently watched the Nanny Diaries and I felt like there were so many parallels between that movie and this story. While it was enjoyable I never really connected to the characters or understood their motivations. I did love the diversity in this short story though and I thought that it was a great aspect.


Take a Chance by Sarah M. Eden
Rating: Four Trees
The Premise: In TAKE A CHANCE, a captivating story by Sarah M. Eden, Miguel Santos has a stopover in New York. When the announcement of delayed flights comes over the PA system, Miguel is looking at spending several hours at the airport. Determined to get comfortable for the long wait, he’s surprised when he spies a familiar face amongst the stranded passengers: Jane Schoonenburg, the last person he expected to see. Three months have passed since he asked Jane to marry him—three months of misery. And now he knows that he must talk to her, if only to find out why she broke his heart
I thought this story was so incredibly adorable! This was one that I found to be realistic and just cute! I loved Miguel and the entire idea was great. I love how the author chose to have everything play out and there were several smaller parts in the story that made it even better than I thought possible. This is an author that is now definitely on my radar and I can't wait to read some of her other stuff!


Firsts and Lasts
Rating: Four Trees
The Premise: Annette Lyon’s entrancing novella, FIRSTS AND LASTS, begins with Dani’s last week in New York. She’s failed in her dreams to catch a break as an actress and is now ready to return home and dust herself off. As she visits the places on her final to-see list, she meets Mark, another New York City transplant with big dreams. Except Mark hasn’t given up on his. As they spend the day together, Dani realizes that even though she hasn’t hit the “big time” she might be living her dream after all. Only problem: she has a one-way ticket back home.

This is a story that I don't really have a lot to say about. I thought it was really good and a great addition to the collection. It's definitely one with the message to never give up and I really liked how the author pointed out that struggling is part of the journey. Overall really enjoyable!

& by Lisa Mangum
Rating: Five Trees
The Premise: In Lisa Mangum’s whimsically titled story: &, Lucy is riding a wave of success at having found a bestselling novel in the slush pile at an exclusive New York publishing house. If only her personal life was storybook perfect as well. Her relationship with Devon is on the rocks, and even though she's been put in charge of the house while her boss is gone on business, Lucy isn't sure she's up to the task. It will take a chance encounter with a handsome wordsmith to help Lucy claim the courage that has always been a part of her heart
Last, but certainly not least is &. (And yes & is the title.... It may have taken me a minute to figure that out..) I think the authors of the collection definitely picked great stories to begin and end the collection. This book was not only fun, but also a story that book lovers will love. The romance was sweet and I loved watching it play out. I also loved watching Lucy figure out who she was and have confidence in herself! A fabulous read!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall this was a fantastic anthology and has become one of my favorites! There were so many cute stories and it truly was the perfect summer read. I found out about so many new authors and I am so excited to to read more of their works! (I've already picked up more Janette Rallison! WOO-HOO!) I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of short stories and adorable romances!

OVERALL RATING

Purchase links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

EXCERPT

Job Hazards

Janette Rallison

Chapter One

Fighting crime wasn’t supposed to involve wearing a leopard-print miniskirt, a silky halter top, and stiletto heels. Not once while Lydia Robinson was in the police academy a year ago had she envisioned that the job would land her on a seedy New York street posing as a hooker. But as Lieutenant Miner had told her a week ago after he called her into his office, “You’re a natural.”

A natural hooker? “Is that supposed to be a compliment?” she asked.

He held up his hands to stop her protest and nodded at the glass window of his office. Outside, two other female officers were talking about a case. Officer Loomis was fifty-two and had more wrinkles than a pile of forgotten laundry. Officer Dustin was seven months pregnant. “I just meant,” Lieutenant Miner said, “that you’re the best one in the department for the sting.”

So now Lydia stood on a dimly lit corner next to a row of bars and strip clubs. She wore so much makeup that she looked like she was part of a Broadway play. Her usually long, brown hair had been curled, teased and poofed. It was magazine-girl, notice-me hair. Half-a-bottle-of-hairspray hair.

Rival Love by Natalie Decker

Title: Rival Love
Author: Natalie Decker
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Series: ? (I think so...)
Rating: Four Trees
THE PREMISE
Skylar Fletcher is a proud Harris Academy Bulldog! She has everything she’s ever wanted: a perfect boyfriend, great friends, and her dream college waiting for her in the fall. But nothing lasts forever. Skylar's world shatters when her mom decides it is time to move and drags Skylar, kicking and screaming, into Bobcat territory.

At Delmont High School, home of the Bobcats, Skylar has no friends and is often bullied. To make matters worse, her home life sucks thanks to all-star quarterback Caleb Morgan, nephew of her mom's live-in boyfriend.

At first Skylar and Caleb want nothing to do with one another. But they soon discover they're not that different after all--and each is harboring a secret attraction to the other. But can a Bulldog and a Bobcat ever really be more than friends? And are Skylar and Caleb willing to risk everything to find out? Rival Love is a debut young adult contemporary romance from Natalie Decker.


MY THOUGHTS
Rival Love is definitely one of those cute books that's a quick, fun read, perfect for when you need something on the fluffier side. 

The book starts out with our main character moving into her new home in the enemies territory.... *DUN, DUN, DUUUUNNNN*

As a teenager I can sympathize with Skylar and the fact that her mom is forcing her to move her SENIOR YEAR! I completely understand Skylar's point of view and why this would be such a traumatic experience for her. I'm pretty sure most people would have that problem. 

On the the hand, I completely didn't understand Skylar's mom. The fact that she moved in with her boyfriend and forced Skylar to switch schools and never understood why this was such a big deal bugged me. I didn't like how oblivious her mom was and it really brought the book down for me. 

The one other negative thing I have to say is the fact that the secondary characters are kind of unrealistic. Skylar loses all of her friends from her old school because they are so mad that she switched to the rival school, like huh?! That was waaaayyyy too extreme. I also thought the  bullying Skylar underwent was over the top. I've never known any school to be so competitive and mean especially when they could be gaining a huge asset to help out their own teams. 

I did really like Skylar's and Caleb's relationship. I love the whole enemies to friends trope and I love how it played out on this book. 

I also thought that the author did a fantastic job with the switching POV. I felt that the voices were recognizable and unique so I didn't feel confused when I was reading. 

I also loved the sports aspect and how Skylar was a swimmer. That was definitely fun to see how it played into the book. 

I did find the ending to be a bit rushed. All of a sudden all of this stuff is going down and it feels kind of like WHAT?! 

I will definitely be checking oh the next book because I am so curious as to what might happen next. 

I would recommend this book to people looking for something light and fun. It was definitely perfect for the mood I was in!
MY RATING:

Natalie Decker is the Author of Rival Love. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn’t her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She’s a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she’s not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she’s off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!

Author Links:
http://adayintothewriter.blogspot.it/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7487891.Natalie_Decker
http://www.twitter.com/NatalieDecker07
https://www.facebook.com/natalie.decker.716




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Mafia Girl: Review

Title: Mafia Girl
Author: Deborah Blumenthal
Genre: YA, Crime, Contemporary, Romance
Series: None
Rating: 2 trees

THE PREMISE
Gia's father is the head of a powerful mob in New York City. Since Gia is the "don's daughter", as she feels the need to consistently remind the reader, she is living the high life. After Gia and her BEST FRIEND Ro get pulled over for speeding, being drunk, and potentially being high, Gia falls in love with the cop. *DUN, DUN, DUN*
Gia also has to deal with everyday matters like running for class president and being featured in Vogue! Yet she juggles it all using her awesome connections and friends.




MY THOUGHTS
I don't know if you can tell from the summary of the book that I wrote, but my thoughts on Mafia Girl are not all that positive.
I picked this up hoping it was going to be a light, fun read, maybe even something that could pull me out of my reading slump. Instead I got a book where I was forced to reread passages in order to understand what the heck was going on. There were several times when Gia was doing something and then BOOM something completely different was happening at a different place and I didn't even realize the setting changed. So then I would go back and reread the passsage two or three times trying to make sense of it all.
For example:

So when he grabs my hand, I follow him into the laundry room.

Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

The door to my room flings open and me dad x-rays me so hard I can practically feel the burn.

Do you see my point? At first s'hes in the laundry room and then BAM it's her bedroom. I was feeling so confused...

Another thing about this book that I hated was Gia 's need to label every single person in the entire school with some type of derogatory term.

...what I'll say to the a**holes at Morgan to get the to vote for me...

Man, I would totally vote for her if she was at my school she doesn't seem stuck up or nasty at all! Gia truly believes that she is better than every single person in her school... BUT then at the same time she hates herself a little bit. She was constantly calling herself a slut and her friends also referred to her as such.... (which confused me even more because she didn't seem the least bit slutty....)

Basically in Gia's perfect the world, EVERYTHING revolves around her. Her friends think she is so amazing! When she first tells them about running for class president the response she gets is is immediate. The tell her how freaking amazing she is and how she will win. Which I mean is cool and everthing, except for the fact that she's a  absolute jerk towards the entire school. How could you possibly win with that kind of reputation?

I would also like to point out that Gia is a stalker. After being puller over by a cop, who she refers to as Officer Hottie, she proceeds to have her friends hack things in order to find out where he lives, where he goes when he's off work, and even his entire back story. Because ya know, that's not creepy at all!!!

When she meets up with him at this bar (after sneaking out of her house) she proceeds to give him her number and tells him that he should call her... (Can we also please note that she went to a bar that was full of cops and managed to use her fake ID to buy beer and wasn't caught...)

It's been one week, sixteen hours, and thirty seven minutes or so since I've last seen Michael. I check my phone every time I inhale to see if he might have broken down and called.

So after he still hasn't called her she finds him again, where she once again completely freaks both him and the reader out.

I wake up at night thinking about you, Michael.

(There is one point where he calls her and they jusr sit there silently and listen to each other breath... How creepy can it get?)

 There were several other places where there were inconsistencies in the writing and with the characters. At one point Gia complains about not having Michael's number where only pages before he had just texted her asking to meet up and she had replied. Gia also kept talking about how Ro was her absolute best friend with Clive at a close second, yet I can barely remember any sections focusing on Ro. It was all about Clive and his terrible life where his parents don't love him. (I also found this hard to believe. I can't believe his parents would just leave him around like that and act as though he was inconsequential... The author tried to make a valid reason for there actions, but it didn't make much sense to me.)

I also completely don't understand how Gia can constantly talk about being a straight A student and then do what she does. I also thought her dream seemed a bit out of place... ***Highlight this next part to see a spoiler*** I don't get why she wants to go to law school. I completely don't see her motivations or why her dad would be so happy about it. I also don't understand how she'll be able to get into law school with her arrest record.... I don't understand her plan....

Mafia Girl had potential, yet I found it to be lacking in so many aspects. The characters were weak and the plot was basically about Gia and Michael's epic romance. There were other events (like Vogue and the school election along the way) but in the big picture it didn't really matter.

I really wish that before picking up the book I had read reviews for it so that I wasn't so surprised. Mafia Girl just wasn't the book for me.

MY RATING:

Chasing Forever Down: Interview with Nikki Godwin

Title: Chasing Forever Down
Author: Nikki Godwin
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Series: Drenaline Surf #1
Blog tour Schedule

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Nikki Godwin about her book, Chasing Forever Down.
Not only is she beyong amazing, the book is too! And I was so happy to get to ask her some of my burning questions!

Below my questions are in black, while her answers are in blue, but first here's a bit about the book!

After seventeen-year-old Haley Sullivan meets a mysterious stranger who plays by his own rules, she's more than determined to learn every trick of the trade from the master himself. But her dream-chasing mentor disappears after that night, and according to the local newspapers, he's been dead for years. Knowing he's very much alive, Haley enlists best friend Linzi to join her on a scavenger-hunt-style road trip that ultimately lands them in the surf town of Crescent Cove, California. Mystery guy is no mystery here, though – he's Colby Taylor, the west coast's biggest professional surfer. 

If Haley wants to talk to the wave rider again, she'll have to get past his four intimidating bodyguards who are highly skilled in the business of sending starstruck fangirls back to where they belong. Haley is up for the challenge if it means chasing her dreams and escaping the perfectly corporate future that's been planned for her. But dealing with these bodyguards isn't exactly what Haley imagined it'd be. Sure, being thrown off a jet ski sucks, but falling in love with one of them might just be worse.

1.) What was it that made you want to write a book about surfing?Honestly, I'd never really read anything about surfing or set in surf towns around surf culture, and I knew it wasn't a big thing in YA books. I wasn't sure how it'd turn out, but I like to be different. I wanted to give it a try, and I fell in love with the sport/culture. Also, living in Mississippi, far away from any ocean or good waves, it really is a personal escape for me.

2.) So… This next question is extremely important. What made you decide to make lime green the color of Drenaline Surf as well as Haley’s favorite color? I've always seen Haley liking bright colors. Orange is my favorite, so I wanted her to have something different. Pink was more fitting for her BFF Linzi. Lime green just felt like a Haley color to me. Plus it's just a great color in general. It feels beachy.

3.) When writing Chasing Forever Down did you already know exactly how it was going to end and who Haley would end up with? Or did you come to it as you wrote it all?
Honestly, in the original outline, this was going to be a romance between Haley & Colby Taylor. Halfway through writing the book, I just wasn't feeling it. I absolutely hate forcing something in a book that doesn't feel natural, so I went back, deleted all romantic elements, revamped what I had written, and re-plotted. I'd always known in the back of my mind that she'd end up with who she ended up with, at least for book 1. ;)

4.) Out of every character in the book, who was your favorite to write? Was there any that stuck out for you? Or any that you would consider giving a spin off novel to?
A.J. Gonzalez was my favorite to write. He's a character who had been in my head for a very long time, and he was just waiting for the right book to work his way into. I was so crazy excited to get to his chapter and introduce him during the writing process. As far as spin offs go, I only have one spin off in my plans as of right now. It's technically a stand-alone NA novel, but it's set in the surf world, so obviously Drenaline Surf is part of it. Plus, the characters from it will be in the final DS book, but readers could read it or skip it - it won't make a difference to the DS plot line, aside from already knowing the characters when they show up.

5.) For the book, did you have to do a lot of research? Or did you have a lot of prior knowledge?

I knew absolutely nothing about surfing when I set out to write this book. I watched some YouTube clips, read up on surf lingo, and read about the history of surf culture. It never really felt like research because it was so fascinating. I didn't start following professional surfing until a few months after CFD was published.

6.) Chasing Forever Down was the first book you published, right? How did that feel? What was it like knowing that people were actually reading your book?
Yes, CFD was my debut, although a lot of people seem to think American Girl on Saturn was. CFD's release was a very different experience because I did zero promo (hence why I'm touring now). I was still learning the basics of formatting and uploading and all the technical stuff, so the book was pretty invisible to the world for a very long time. It was a bit disheartening to go through all that work and see the book just sit there, but after I got my first reader e-mail, I felt like it was worth it. Plus, sales have definitely increased since AGOS's release. I've had a lot of readers tell me they searched my name to see what else was out there and then loved CFD too, if not more.

7.) If you could be one character out of this book, who would it be and why?
Haley - We're a lot alike already. When my mom read CFD, she said that she could see a lot of my personality traits in Haley. I think it's hard not to let some of yourself into a character. BUT she is waaaay braver than me. I could've never pulled off the journey she did, and I definitely wouldn't have been brave enough to stand up to everyone like she did at that age. (And she gets to hang out with awesome people on the beach all the time - who wouldn't want to be her?)

8.) What was your favorite scene to write from Chasing Forever Down? Are there any that have really stuck with you?
My favorite scene is the "jet skiing with A.J." scene. I knew from the outline that this scene would be so much fun, and it definitely was. I love to reread chapter nine just because I love A.J.'s intro. The other scenes that stick with me are 1) the scene where Haley meets Miles and Topher for the first time and Topher pops up on the pool table, and 2) the scene where Haley says goodbye to A.J. and uses the line about The Wizard of Oz. That goodbye scene nearly killed me.

Purchase Links!

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

Blog: http://nikkigodwin.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikGodwin 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikkiGodwinWrites

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Merch Girl Review and Giveaway

Title: Merch Girl
Author: Rebecca Lewis
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Music
Source: I got this book as part of a review tour, which in no way affected my review
Rating: Bison

THE PREMISE

Seventeen-year-old Lacey Kind doesn’t have the guts to talk to cute boys, isn’t a size two, and would rather stay home and listen to music than go to a party. But in the summer before her first year of college, she ends up thousands of miles away from home, in the back of a tour bus, underneath the half-naked body of the hottest teen rock star in the country.

When Lacey and her best friend Trina sneak into a Boston nightclub to see their favorite band, they not only get to watch their rock gods perform for the first time, but score a chance to meet the band too. Lacey’s heart races as she comes face-to-face with her idol, nineteen-year-old lead singer, Logan Shire.

The girls charm their way into being hired to sell merchandise on Lansdowne’s first summer tour. As “merch girls” Lacey and Trina quickly find themselves transported from their ordinary, suburban life to an exhilarating few months on the road. But they soon realize that life on the road isn’t always a smooth ride...

MY THOUGHTS
Merch Girl was one of those books that I easily fell into and could not put down. It's one of those fluffy books that maybe if you have a hard time accepting events that would most likely never happen in real life, then you would probably have a hard time getting through it.
Personally I absolutely loved reading about Lacey and her adventures as she attempted to sell merchandise for her favorite band. I thought Lacey was a great character and watching her navigate her way through the mass amounts of fans and getting the guy she wanted was hilarious!

On a separate note though, I was not a fan of Trina... At all. To me she seemed like a terrible friend and I was so surprised when Lacey kept forgiving her for acting like a complete idiot. I get that maybe Lacey didn't want to just drop her like that, but the fact that Trina repeatedly made such stupid decisions got on my nerves. Maybe this is just me, but having a best friend like that would just annoy the heck out of me.
BUT... The good thing was that I absolutely adored Devin, a girl that Lacey met on the tour who helped her out so much selling the merch. Not only was she a great addition to the characters, I loved her humor and whenever she was there I thought the book was so much better. She was by far my favorite character from the book and I had such a great time reading about her quirks! (I mean come on, she's a fangirl blogger, who is following the band around because she loves them so much. It doesn't get much better than that!) I guess she's also the other reason why I disliked Trina so much. I mean, whenever possible Trina was nasty to her I just wanted to throw my kindle across the room. Devin really helped to make the book for me and I do think that without her I might not have enjoyed it nearly as much.

And now onto the love interest. Logan was adorable. I loved him and Lacey together and

watching their relationship progress was great. He clearly cared about Lacey and I loved that.

I also really liked the little problems that arose throughout the book. Clearly the book was meant to be a romance with some showing of the characters growing up throughout the summer. There was also little events spread throughout the book meant to entertain the reader. I really enjoyed reading about each problem as it came up.

I did think that things wrapped up a bit too easily, but I guess that I've been feeling that happen a lot more recently. So I guess that it's not really a bad thing, just not an amazing aspect of the book.

In all I felt that this book was an enjoyable read. I do believe that Trina should just go fall in the hole and even as I wrote this review and reread some parts with her being completely nasty, I just couldn't stop thinking that. She is definitely not my favorite character and I really don't think she underwent any character growth. I did really like Lacey and Devin, so that more than made up for it. I would definitely recommend this book to those in need a cute, fluffy, light read!

BISON=FOUR STARS

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Rebecca Lewis is the author of the Young Adult novel, Merch Girl, and a lover of all things music! She's been writing stories since middle school and penned her first fanfic about a semi-popular boyband in 1997. Her passion for music and writing brought her to Boston University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the College of Communication. During her college career, she interned for various record labels in Boston and New York City, sold merch for local bands, worked at record stores, and did a whole lot of grassroots marketing. She currently resides in Florida with her husband and puppy.

Blog: http://rebeccajlewis.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rebecca_Writes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Lewis-Author/408824785861600

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RebeccaLewis

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rebeccalauthor

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Series: Stand-alone
Content: Kissing
Rating: Bison

So I went into this book not expecting to like it. I mean really I just wanted a quick light read and this was the Amazon teen deal of the day. So then I was like why not, it's gotten some amazing reviews and I loved the title. Yeah I know a lot of people thought it was too long, but I thought it had a nice ring to it. So I read it and well I REALLY LIKED IT. So I don't believe at love at first sight. Well except for dogs, I can totally love a dog at first sight, but people, UMMMMM, nope, not possible. People are way to complex. So I was a bit skeptical when it was talking about love at first sight, well anyways here's my breakdown.
THE PREMISE
Hadley just missed her flight by FOUR minutes. And she's not too happy about. Well if she thought that maybe she could get out of her father's wedding this way, then that would be great, but she knows everyone will just get more upset. So then she meets Oliver, who goes to Yale and is from Great Britain, which makes everything a bit better. So they talk a lot and then the book sort of takes off from there.
THE PROS
1. I loved the characters. Hadley and Oliver were just awesome and all of the other characters were pretty cool too.
2. Character development. I love how even in the course of 24 hours people can change and develop. Normally I'd see this as a bad thing because how can someone change so dramatically in 24 hours, but this felt realistic.
3. The concept. I love the whole meeting in an airport thing; I mean that's just a great idea.
4. The writing. I loved this authors writing style. Like it is REALLY good!!
THE CONS
1. There was no solid ending. I am a big fan of solid endings, like epilogues, so unless there is another book planned, I WANT AN EPILOGUE!!!I really love epilogues, even if it's like a one paragraph thing.
OVERALL
I really liked this book and it was definitely worth my time and effort to read. I plan to read other books by this author, too.
WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: YES
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: YEP
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: WITHOUT A DOUBT
WOULD I READ OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: YES!!!(She has a book called This is What Happy Looks Like, and it sounds awesome.)

BISON=FOUR STARS

Racing Savannah: A definite surprise (in a good way!)

Title: Racing Savannah
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Genre: Contemporary, YA, Romance, Sports
Series: Hundred Oaks #4 (Can be read as stand-alone as I did)
Rating: Owl

THE PREMISE
They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…
(Summary from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS
To tell you the truth I disliked Kenneally's first in this series, Catching Jordan and I realize I'm one of the odd ones out about this. Most people loved it. So to say I had fears about this book is a bit of an understatement, yet I still picked up because it sounded fantastic.

And fantastic it was. 

Kenneally has crafted a beautiful story about a girl struggling to find her place in the world. She doesn't really have any goals for herself (except to get a job that pays ABOVE minimum wage.) 

Savannah is a character that I can relate to so well. She's not quite sure about how the rest of her life will play out and she doesn't really fit into the world she's in with the gap between the rich and the poor. 

This difference between the rich and the poor was one of the main things I wanted to talk about. People say that that gap is exaggerated that people don't really care about whether your rich or poor. People say that it doesn't matter, but I beg to differ. I think that most of the time people can grow to overlook that gap, but there are times that there are difference in wealth and they effect people's perceptions.  

On a personal note I read this book right at a time when I've been dealing with some.... Let's say way more upper class people from upper class schools who just think they're better than everyone else because... Well... They're upper class. So reading this book I was far more sympathetic to Savannah's dilemma than others might be. (Literally though, I dealt with nasty people all day who wanted to have insanely high prices for this really stupid event that my family has to go to.... No... Just NO!) 

Also... HORSES! I loved the hot wracking aspect of this book! I'm not in any way and avid horse race watcher, but I always like to watch the Triple Crown and I love Secretariat! (Have you seen that movie? It's AMAZING!) Personally I loved reading about Savannah and her story. 

On that note: LOVE THAT COVER! I actually got a physical copy of the book and the cover is gorgeous. It's so simple and yet it fits the book precisely! The colors are phenomenal and it's so eye catching!  

On to the romance. I personally loved it! Jack was super sweet and I loved how he and Savannah were friends first. I also loved how he really pushed her to take control of her life and was always there to support her no matter what was happening between them. He had faith that she could make something of herself and that she could become a jockey. This book definitely had some of the best aspects of YA romance right now. 

The characters in this book were amazing. Vanessa and Rory were both great and added so much extra humor to the books! I absolutely loved Star and his influence on Savannah. (FYI Star is the horse) 

Kenneally managed to paint Savannah's character evolution in the best possible way. She started off extremely close minded but slowly began to accept different ideas. This was one of my favorite parts to see!

One more negative comment about the book was how I found Savannah's dad and his girlfriend so annoying. They just didn't seem to understand her and it made me really mad. Maybe this is just me but more and more recently I've been having major problems with parents in books and this book was just the most recent I've read so I wanted to vent. I don't think this really took away from the book but it sure was annoying! 

In all I am so happy that I gave this book a chance. After my bad experience with Catching Jordan I felt so unsure about whether these books were really for me. I'm so glad this book was able to make me fall in love with Kenneally's writing style and characters and I think I'll be giving more of her books the chance. (In Catching Jordan I think it was the love triangle thing that really annoyed the heck out of me.) Anyhow I would definitely recommend you reading this book!

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: YESSS!!!!!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: YEP!
WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: OF COURSE! (Especially the paperback! Love the colors!)
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: I'll leave it at maybe. It depends on what other topics her books are on! (I believe the next in this series is about a marathon runner! I am so THERE!)

OWL=FIVE STARS

Run for the Roses: Review

Title: Run for the Roses

Author: Rachel Schieffelbein
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Series: None
Rating: Bison= 4 Stars


THE PREMISE

       Abigail Conrad has spent her whole life training for one goal: to win the roses at the Arabian Youth Nationals. She’s given up friends, a social life, and doesn’t have time to even think about guys -- much less date!

    Now that she’s headed off to college in the fall, it’s her last chance to be a Youth National Champion, and she won’t let anything distract her from that dream.
        Except maybe Chase, the older brother of Abigail's biggest rival. He’s charming, funny, and possibly Abigail's biggest problem. How can she focus on riding when her mind keeps wandering to Chase’s green eyes and confident smile?
     With her dream on the line, Abigail had better learn to fight her growing attraction to Chase, or she might end up losing the roses and the guy.

MY THOUGHTS

I have to admit I was super excited to read this novella! I have always loved horses and have always read books that involved horses. And recently I've realized I've been straying away from that. And it's not a bad thing.... I've found so many other fantastic books, but sometimes it's great to go back and read topics that got you interested in reading in the first place! As was the case with this delightful novella. 

Basically it's about a girl who is trying to do the best she can in her horse completion. She's insanely driven and never makes time for anything else. She's also extremely competitive and views everyone else as if they are acting the same way she does. 

The main focus was the romance but it was also about a girl growing up and realizing that free time is just as important as being driven and succeeding in everything you do. (Something I can totally sympathize with. I get so caught up and stressed about school and sometimes I just need to take a step back.)

I could picture the events in this book happening in real life and I love the author's portrayal of what it's like to do what Abigail is doing. 

The romance was seriously cute and overall this was an extremely enjoyable read. And on top of that it was a quick read! 

WOULD I READ THIS BOOK: Yes!

WOULD I BUY THIS BOOK: Yes!

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: to those looking for a cute romance and you don't even have to like horses to enjoy it!

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR: I fully intend to! I can't wait to see what else she comes up with!

 

 

Rachel grew up in a tiny town in Minnesota. She still lives there, with her husband and their four kids. She coaches high school speech and theater, rides Arabian horses, reads as much as she can, and writes stories.

 

***Author Links***
http://rachelmarybean-writingonthewall.blogspot.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044030.Rachel_Schieffelbein
http://www.twitter.com/RMSchieffelbein
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Schieffelbein-author/495759520488755

 

***GIVEAWAY***
1 - $10 iTunes Gift Card & ebook of Run For the Roses (INT)
3 – ebook of Run For the Roses (INT)

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American Girls on Saturn Review

Title: American Girl on Saturn
Author: Nikki Godwin
Genre: YA Contemporary
Series: Saturn #1
Rating: Owl

THE PREMISE

The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

MY THOUGHTS

Before I picked up this book I was feeling kind of desperate. I needed something light and quick and really fun to take my mind off Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. (I mean really that book gives me the creeps!) 

So I scrolled through my kindle shelf and was thinking about all the possibilities. And then the cover caught my eye.

I remembered signing up for the tour because of all the good things people were saying about it.... I was a little bit nervous, but by the end of the first page I was in love. 

I mean come on they were judging the direness of a situation based purely upon the kind of ice cream their dad wanted! That's my kind of family! 

But my love for this book only grew as I read along. 

You see I'm no the kind of person who laughs. I'll smile sure, maybe even let out a little snort, but full out laughter over a book? So not me.

But with this book it was a constant laughter. It was just that funny. 

The characters were great! 

Chloe was the kind of character, that yeah, she was flawed, but she was so amazing to read about! I think her struggles as a teenager are some that many could relate to.... But they may have been a little more extreme then they are in real life.

Milo and Chloe had a really sweet relationship and watching them grow was fantastic!!

Emery was so cute and adorable and just plain old fun! 

I loved reading about the band members too!!!

Overall this is a book that I would recommend to everyone!! 

It was so cute and sweet. And really light!!

I can safely say that so far it is one of my favorite contemporaries of the year!!! 

Purchase links: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

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