Undeadly by Michele Vail Book Review – "Not feeding a zombie isn’t like not feeding your cat. He. Will. Eat. You. And your cat. People who forget to pick up a case of Ghoul-AID sometimes don’t live to regret it. Capisce?"

Title: Undeadly by Michele Vail
Author Info: Bio | Website | Twitter
Publication: Nov 20th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

“ So, my… um, friend gave me a diary for my sixteenth birthday because, apparently, it’s a necromancer tradition...

Story Arc: Series, Book 1 Paperback: 272 pages Age Group: MG, Teen, YA

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Excerpt(s): 8% + 46% -------- Purchase --------

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Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill Book Review – “Book Licker!” he says, invoking my least favorite junior-high nickname.

Title: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
Author Info: Bio | Website | Twitter
Publication: Nov 13th 2012 by Random House

“ There are certain things in life that just suck...

Story Arc: Standalone Paperback: 256 pages Age Group: MG, Teen, YA

Genre: Contemp. Romance Excerpt(s): pg 12% -------- Purchase --------

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Sound by Shelley Workinger Book Review (SPF)

Title: Sound
Story Arc: Solid Series
Publication: November 1, 2012 by Shelley Workinger
Hardcover: 218 pages
Genre: Sci-Fi
Age Group: MG, Teen, YA
Source: Blog Tour
Excerpt(s): from pgs 42-43

"Never thought it'd be you," I growled, pushing back against her with all of my strength...

Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Title: A Midsummer's Nightmare
Story Arc: Standalone
Publication: June 5, 2012 by Little Brown
Hardcover: 304 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Realistic Fiction
Age Group: Teen, Young Adult
Content: Sexual References, Heavy Kissing, Profanity, Assault, Underage Drinking
Source: Bought | Quote(s): Yes

Hangovers are a bitch.

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

Another reason to be a Kody Keplinger fan

I relished the opportunity to read A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger since I’m such an enthusiastic fan of Kody’s work. Her books feel young, clever, and sexy and I draw immense pleasure from them, from the themes they incorporate and the gorgeous, sensual love interests who divert the main characters from the cracked and disappointing roads they’ve been walking down. So far, THE DUFF remains my favorite but A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger is DEFINITELY a super close runner-up! I couldn’t quite tell you if it has to do with the similarities the two novels share or how much I ended up LOVING the slowburn sexual tension between Whitley and Nathan, but A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger is not only the perfect summer indulgence and amazing for Kody Keplinger fans, but it’s incredibly written, fun, and entertaining if you enjoy reading about teens who get themselves into some really funky situations and come out having evolved and fallen in love.

And, REALLY, who DOESN'T love that, hmm?

Whitley is not, thankfully, a drunken hoe-bag

Whitley doesn’t drink this way because she’s had it easy peasy. Poor girl leads the epitome of a dysfunctional life with a bitter, resentful, neglectful mother waiting at home, a place which is miles away from a man unclear on the definition of a father, and a brother whose gone off to live his own life and start his own family. Whitley’s loneliness and outcries for attention are blatant and sad and emotional—I think peeps who are children of divorce can especially relate even if the circumstances were different than Whitley’s. I despaired over Whitley’s lack of parental involvement, and raged over how unchecked her life has been going up until this point. Those big sisterly urges I sometimes mention in my reviews threatened to smother me when it came to Whitley. What makes it even more emotionally painful? The fact that Whitley doesn’t whine and demand change but instead keeps it locked up inside, taking it and taking it.

Whitley is certainly not as bad as people would like to believe, overlook, and use to satisfy their own greed for gossip or release. She’s actually a jaded young woman who thinks very little of herself and is willing to settle for a few moments happiness no matter how difficult the consequences when her reality is so miserable and wretched. So she seeks solace with the tequila bottle, and, sometimes, when she’s too plowed for her own good, she unintentionally falls into bed with random boys. However, the one-night stand that sets this ball rolling is quite different from the ones that came before.

Harrison, Nathan, and other parts of the step family

Whitley’s step family is nothing at all like she initially expected upon first glance. Wicked stepmother? That’s out the window. Annoying stepsister? Not the case. Forgettable stepbrother? Not. Even. Close. In fact, Nathan is not only UNFORGETTABLY SMOKIN’, but he’s that one-night stand that Whitley is determined to forget, because, for once, what she remembers doesn’t make her wince in shame or regret, but makes her want more from this boy of contrasts than she’s willing to ask for and take, let alone give back. Which makes for all sorts of electric chemistry and loaded looks and hot little knowing smirks. But, I’ll get to all that later.

Not only has Whitley barred any opportunities for romance from her life—and, truthfully, she’s never received any offers—but she’s refused herself the luxury and complications of simple friendship. Some of you might remember Harrison, Wesley’s only close friend in THE DUFF. Well, Harrison begins branching out, it seems, because he adopts Whitley under his wing, and tugs her along into parties and sleepovers and shopping trips and just regular ol’ hanging out no matter how reluctantly and grumpily Whitley behaves. His tenaciousness makes him so much more lovable, and I downright adored him. He and Nathan, together, are the best cure for Whitley and her wayward ways.

Sparks are SOARING, bro

You guys, I felt tingles I don’t normally feel unless I’m reading REALLY good, thorough YA or sexy adult fiction, and I love that about Kody’s books. THE DUFF is all about the sexytimes but in a way that suits the story and has meaning. Here in A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger there isn’t any actual sex apart from flashbacks of that all-too-good, romantic sex she had with Nathan during their one-night stand, and yet all the heated looks and repressed touches gave me spine-tingling, warming shivers in all sorts of places.

The fact is Nathan’s a down-to-earth, honest-to-goodness nice, great guy. He’s trying to atone for the mistakes back in his wild partying days and making up for the hell he put his mother through throughout high school following the death of his father. He gets angry with Whitley, intervenes, protects, and comforts. He sees the potential Whitley does her best to hide, and unwittingly brings out the good in her. And she makes him work twice as hard to keep leading a clean and honest life. I love that their worst qualities and awful pasts make each other want to be better than what they are, that they inspire each other by understanding their mistakes.

The ending was a little too perfect

All throughout A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger the lack of perfection is what makes the story so relatable. People aren’t always flawless and innocent and good; they make mistakes and do terrible, careless things. And yet, when the ending finally came, it felt a little TOO solves-all, everything’s-just-dandy and I felt like that cheated the book out of it’s ABSOLUTE amazingness.

Romance aside, Whitley’s emotional growth and her evolution into the person I always knew was there but was kept buried for a while, served as a major highlight of the book. Despite my few qualms with the ending of the book, I was just as dazzled by A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger as I’ve been since Kody first released THE DUFF. I adored what this book has to offer, and I believe anyone willing to try a Keplinger book will fall in love with this one as well!

"Christ, that's cold," I gasped.
"Sorry."
My whole body tensed as his palm moved down the back of my arm. The chill started on the surface, but it seemed to move deeper. Invading my entire body.
It only got worse when he rubbed the gel between my shoulder blades and down my back. Nathan's hands were calloused, but not too rough. His skin passing over mine left a strange tingly sensation. Like an ice-cold fire spreading across my back and seeping into my veins. Even my fingers trembled a little, and I clenched my fists together to stop them.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Fine," I murmured, but I was on the edge of convulsing.
Every second Nathan's hands were on me, another moment from graduation night flooded back into my memory. The way his fingertips had pressed into my hips. The way I'd practically thrown him on the bed. The way he'd kissed me more passionately than anyone else ever had. I remembered the half-crazed feeling when he took his time kissing me, touching me, whispering things in my ear.
Most boys take advantage of drunk girls. They make the sex all about them and their own pleasure. But that night with Nathan had been different. It had been slow and sweet. All about me. It had been amazing. (71-72)

Rating: Perfect Bed Partner

A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger is, uh, very stimulating, kindling heat with the fiery attraction between Whitley and Nathan and igniting our sympathies for the main character due to her sad home life. I loved uncovering more about Whitley, learning that there’s a lot more to her than meets the eyes, and I basked in Nathan’s unerring faith in her. The rest of the characters are hilarious and real, and each of them work to intervene in Whitley’s self-damaging choices and treat her better than she’s known. Great for summer, certainly, but also a worthy and sexy addition to Keplinger’s stellar writing career!

OTHER REVIEWS: Dazzling Reads Hobbitsies Steph Su Reads

SIMILAR TITLES: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mylnowski The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Don't forget to enter my US (only) giveaway for both A Midsummer's Nightmare and Shut out when you click here!

Got something specific in mind? Dare I believe I might NOT have covered something you wish to know? If so, let me know down in the comments section. Don't be shy!

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Title: Enclave
Story Arc: Trilogy, Book 1
Publication: April 12, 2011 by Macmillan
Hardcover: 262 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Horror, Zombies, Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Adventure
Age Group: Young Adult
Content: Violence, Sexual Assault, Gore, Kissing
Source: Gifted for Christmas | Quote(s): Yes

I was born during the second holocaust.

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

Zombies are my thing

Zombies, Freaks, Eaters, whatever you want to call them, if they’re undead I dig them. The zombie element of Enclave by Ann Aguirre is ferociously creepy and does incorporate the intended, and expected, anxiety. However, that, surprisingly, was NOT the highlight of the dark world-building Ann has built; the brutal, animalistic, uncompromising atmosphere of the Enclave where the main character, Deuce, resides is what’s especially memorable about Enclave by Ann Aguirre. The sheer grit this girl possesses is bolstered by an apocalyptic mess of bleak and barren wastelands both Topside and below, in which survival is paramount, takes precedence over choice and affection and comfort. Even fear. Because there’s no room to be frightened when there are so many who maintain dependence on the strength of people like Deuce.

The cruel and unbending characteristics of the Enclave itself weeds out the weak to ensure that the strong survive. Some of their practices strike horror into our hearts merely because they are an affront to the humanity that shone within us. The Enclave is run based on a primitive and animalistic dominance and ‘survival of the fittest mentality,’ in which the useless are killed, the greedy and malicious are exiled. But that human element hasn’t completely disappeared either, because these people have room for corruption as well. Public displays of violence and unjust accusations, random framings and murders, banishment into the unknown—all of this to reinforce the rules and to reestablish the deathly consequences of breaking those rules, creating a world more terrifying and grotesque than the ravenous undead. It’s severe and callous, this underground world, where the people below ground scurry like rats across mutinous distances and battle merciless, starving monsters to ensure the survival of the whole.

The darkly atmospheric images perpetuated by the author served as a driving and acute fascination, which outgunned my obsession with zombies and the like, and I was riveted.

Deuce and Fade’s badassery and romance

The oppressive, terrifying world Deuce lives in isn’t the only kickass thing about Enclave by Ann Aguirre. Besides the awesome fact that it’s not only intrinsically immersive, but it’s reasonable, pretty consistent, and adds more depth to the world-building as a whole. However, Deuce and Fade are tantamount to the intriguing world-building in this book. They’re well-trained and uber skilled hunters despite their youth, which is consistent with the things we learn about in Enclave by Ann Aguirre’s world. And they are also super fascinating!

I admire Deuce for obvious reasons, including her Linda Hamilton thing going on—tough fighter and instead of guns she’s got knives and a club to duke it out with the incessant and vicious Freaks outside of the tunnels. However, I wouldn’t say she’s lost touch of her humanity, but, more than anything, has it banked and repressed for the sake of not drawing the suspicious eyes and ears of the Enclave. Her compassions takes second place to duty and respect for the heartless rules she’s abided since she was merely Girl15. She’s worked her way to the top, and has proven repeatedly that she’s not JUST a girl capable of withstanding a lot of pain, but she’s handy to have in a fight against twenty odd frenzied man-eating savages. She’s smart and observant, and I can dig that in a heroine. But, I needed more uncovering of those hardened overlying layers to her personality. I wanted to dig down deeper into the girl as opposed to the warrior. Then, I’ll be able to say I like her too.

Fade, on the other hand, I felt I understood a bit better. Maybe simply because he has a tendency of wearing his emotions more on the surface than he’d like, and that allows me to feel more sympathetic and understanding toward him. He wears so many scars that aren’t solely skin deep. Glimpses into his life helped make him more vulnerable, and that made it easy for me to appreciate the sexy fighter and hunter he is now. When he and Deuce click, it’s after wading through thick globs of suspicion and mutual dislike. After the rumors are dispelled and they’ve been through enough life-threatening situations? It’s mutual admiration and respect that forges the attraction between them, and has them paying closer attention to things deeper than their reputations. They become friends as well as partners, and stick by each other in a way that alludes to a relationship far more in tune and deep and precious than a partnership born of survival.

Irritating love triangles aside, I want more, more, more

Frankly, I would’ve been PERFECTLY happy with reading about Fade and Deuce and their struggles to escape to a more peaceful, less deadened world. I would’ve been fine with hanging back, barely suppressing grins as these two feel each other out a bit more. I didn’t NEED any more characters, and, honestly, I didn’t want any to come and botch everything up. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS. Personally, I could’ve done without the two additions to their tight group, and that would’ve saved me all this stress and anxiety that had nothing to do with potential betrayal and everything to do with the fragile, early stages of the romance.

A LOVE TRIANGLE WAS NOT NECESSARY. Even if it isn’t REALLY a love triangle, it’s still a needless and stressful obstacle between the two main characters that riddles me with fear and anxiety in a way I hadn’t experienced before with the Freak attacks. I loathed that Ann Aguirre left that bit hanging in the balance by the end of her book. Yet, despite it’s openness, I was pleased that it wasn’t a cliffhanger. Enclave by Ann Aguirre can easily stand on it’s own, unless you’re as invested in the romance as I am.

Still, by the end, I was reaching for air, because I didn’t own Outpost. I was crushed. I hate that I’ll have to wait for the sequel, especially when I wasn’t particularly excited about reading this one. Now, I can’t imagine my year without having read Enclave by Ann Aguirre!

"What happened to your last partner?"
Fade smiled. "He wasn't as good as Silk claimed."
"You want to find out" I lifted my brow in a challenge.
The space had cleared of brats, so he shrugged and took position in the center. "Show me what you've got."
It was a clever tactic, but I wasn't that green. The offensive fighter lost the chance to assess his opponent's style. I shook y head at him and curled my fingers. He almost smiled; I saw it start in his eyes, but he focused on the fight.
We circled a few times.
He lashed out with a quick left, followed by a right cross. I blocked one but not the other; kind of him not to use his full strength. Still, the blow rocked me. I used the new angle to sink a fist into his ribs and spin away. He wasn't expecting me to recover so fast, I thought.
Our sparring gathered an audience. I tried to ignore them, as I wanted to make a good showing. I went for his leg but he leaped and I recovered in a clumsy stumble while he pressed forward. When he swept, I didn't slide away in time and he took me down smoothly. I tried to roll out of the lock, but he had me. I glared up at him, but he held me until I tapped.
Fade offered me a hand up. "Not bad. You lasted a couple of minutes.
With a grin, I took it. I refused to make the excuse that my arms were sore. He could see that for himself. "You got lucky today. I'd like a rematch." (16-17)

Rating: Perfect Bed Partner

Although it had everything I crave in a YA dystopian post-apocalyptic, not excluding the paranormal sci-fi-ish twist to it with the Freaks, I still was unsure of how I would approach the book and how satisfied I would come out of it. What I found, however, once I was done, was that I was ridiculously impressed by the enthralling, immersive world-building and invested into the subtle, slow-burn romance between two characters I admire greatly. I am panting for the sequel, Outpost, and you will probably find me shamelessly begging friends on Twitter to lend me their ARCs of the highly anticipated sequel!

OTHER REVIEWS: Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic Small Review Taming the Bookshelf

SIMILAR TITLES: Legend by Marie Lu The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Divergent by Veronica Roth The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Got something specific in mind? Dare I believe I might NOT have covered something you wish to know? If so, let me know down in the comments section. Don't be shy!

Spoiler-Free ARC Review: Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: It’s no secret that I’m in love with the Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey, and if you didn’t know before, now you do. This series makes vampires WAY cooler than they ever were before, and I enjoy Harvey’s original twists on a common paranormal and all the hoopla that comes with her imaginings. After the first book, the series really picks up with the Drake bros turning around and nabbing girlfriends, but in Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey all the younger Drakes are paired up and we’re back to having Solange’s perspective, which inevitably beat down my enjoyment level considerably. What saves this installment? Harvey’s AMAZING writing—simultaneously simple to understand and poetic—and Lucy Hamilton and Nicholas Drake’s perspectives. Tons of crazy happens in Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey so that the wait for the sixth book grates the mind.

hooking (and a fave) first line: "'You tried to eat your boyfriend's face?'"

Bloomsbury • Publicist • Paranormal Romance • 6/19/12 • $12.12

Review: Spectral

my thoughts in a few sentences: You know those generic and super cliché paranormal stories that make it easy to pinpoint the formula? Spectral by Shannon Duffy is exactly that kind of book. It’s a paranormal book with no surprises and total cheesiness, and is responsible for a TON of eye-rolling. Every moment is predictable, the dialogue is pretty tacky, and what the what is up with the characters and their so-called romance? It was such a struggle to get through Spectral by Shannon Duffy, as all I really wanted to do was shut the book up and move on after about a quarter of the way in. I was bored, unimpressed, and, by the end, I got irritated because of all the time lost trying to power through it.

hooking first line: "Living in the witness protection program didn't make me feel so much protected as it made me feel cursed."

Tribute Books • Blog Tour • Paranormal Romance • 4/10/12 • $2.99

Review: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters

my thoughts in a few sentences: I don’t think I’ve laughed quite so much in one sitting! When I first heard about Kelsey in Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin, I totally suspected her voice to be too juvenile for me, and I had decided, despite the book’s appeal, that I had to brace myself because I was probably too cool for her childish antics. Turns out? Kelsey is MUCH COOLER than me. She’s impulsive, sarcastic, and very… world-weary in tone and just generally dramatic. Her thoughts are so legit and relatable, like ironic questions about the mechanics of sex, attitude toward the parental unit, and a driving need to stand out among her peers. She does a lot of stupid shizz and is the epitome of the mood-swinging teenager, but that’s just what makes Kelsey all the more tangible, makes her more than JUST another character.

hooking first line: "Here it is, practically mid-September, and it's still too hot to live."

Putnam/Penguin • Library • Contemporary Romance • 3/1/12 • $13.38

ARC Review: Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe

my thoughts in a few sentences: I have no idea what I expected from Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell. I like contemporary romances well enough, and the summer seems to be the best time to get whisked away by them. But, lately, apart from a very few exceptions, I’ve been reading some superfab ones, and Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell is definitely one of those hits. It’s light, it’s sweet, and definitely hilarious with an adorable, bold, fun-loving main character who seriously makes me want to tattoo her name and BFF on my forearm. But, there’s also this surprising depth to it too. Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell is a wonderful balancing act put together by Coriell, and I had so many smiles planted on my face because of this awesome story!

hooking (and a fave) first line: "I love being a burrito."

Amulet • NetGalley • Contemporary Romance • 5/1/12 • $11.32

ARC Review: While He Was Away

my thoughts in a few sentences: An overall disappointment, While He Was Away by Karen Schreck left me aching for something more after all that wasted pent-up excitement. The story is so… forgettable, though, that the lingering dissatisfaction faded into obscurity and from my memory quickly.

hooking first line: "I won't let the Oklahoma wind whip our words away."

Sourcebooks Fire • NetGalley • Contemporary Romance • 5/1/12 • $8.97

ARC Review: Unbreak My Heart

my thoughts in a few sentences: Sure, Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker is a great addition to our summer reading lists, as it’s all about boating and family, romance, but it’s got so much more going on. This is about harsh consequences for a difficult topic, something we all sneer at and scorn, and about forgiveness, unconditional love, and moving forward no matter how hard. Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker never forgets the minor details, and explores the depth of familial relationships and acceptance of pasts that can’t ever change. I teared up, chuckled, swooned, and basically just gave up on looking cool and settled for hugging my kindle to me. Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker is so sweet and sad, and it makes a statement.

hooking first line: "'Sit on it,' I say."

Bloomsbury/Walker • NetGalley • Contemporary Romance • 5/22/12 • $12.98

Review: The Last Princess

my thoughts in a few sentences: What begins as a strictly heart-pounding, intense, and fast-paced story, The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze suddenly spirals into the disappointing with it’s unbelievable heroine, even more unbelievable romance, with several aspects in between that felt more than a little rushed. Perhaps because of the short length, or because of some other unseen reason entirely, The Last Princess fails to explain Eliza’s transition from dainty princess to vicious, vengeful warrior and rescuer in disguise, and how and why this same girl is so quick to fall into the arms of a soldier partly behind the kidnapping of her only remaining family.

hooking first lines: "The day began as a beautiful and vivid dream."

Poppy/Little Brown • Requested • Post-Apocalyptic • 5/1/12 • $13.47

Review: Silence

my thoughts in a few sentences: I had absolutely no preconceptions toward Silence by Michelle Sagara. I read the brief press release explaining the deal and thought, 'Hey, this is looks creepy fun and IT’S PARANORMAL romance with a beaut of a cover. How can I resist?' Now this may not have been a paranormal romance, but it was still full of paranormal goodness with downright pretty writing—it’s deep and insightful and simple of a kind, and characters, with their loyalty and distinct personalities, that are simply incredible. The relationship between these friends, best or otherwise, is beautiful in its honesty and the loyalty they feel toward the main character wonderful in its intensity.

hooking first lines: "Everything happens at night. The world changes, the shadows grow, there's secrecy and privacy in dark places. "

DAW/Penguin • Unsolicited • Paranormal • 5/1/12 • $13.49

Review: Awkward

my thoughts in a few sentences: Awkward by Marni Bates is a delightful, short little thing that packs a punch that's gone epically wrong. HOLD ON. You’re probably like, was the book really that bad? The answer is NOT ON YOUR LIFE. What I mean by that statement: You ever witness someone TRY to punch someone else, but when it doesn’t work and their fist flops back leaving no marks, bruises, or internal bleeding, you have to laugh hysterically because they look ridiculous and don’t care. Like Kristen Stewart in that one movie where she played that girl in my favorite books-turned-movies, and she hit that guy, her best friend, the one that turns into a freakishly huge dog. Awkward made me laugh hysterically, and while the story is light and frivolous, the characters do leave a mark, but in a place where it’s not visible. HINT: That place beats.

hooking first line: "You probably think you know me... and I understand why."

Kensington • Borrowed • Contemporary Romance • 1/1/12 • $9.95

Review: Shut Out

my thoughts in a few sentences: Somehow Kody Keplinger manages to strike the right balance between light, funny, and cute, and offset it with heavier issues like sex, and all the decisions and pressures the act entails. Keplinger simultaneously tackles the wrongness of being pressured into uncomfortable situations, of girls being accused of and called abominable things because they like sex, and everything in between even while giving us situations to laugh over, to enjoy, and irresistible, adorable boys to ache for. Content from start to finish, Shut Out by Kody Keplinger is another hit that shows off Keplinger’s easygoing writing style, innate humor, and her fabulous skill at staging some of the best Sexy Times in existence.

hooking first line: "There is nothing more humiliating than being topless in the backseat of your boyfriend's car when someone decides to throw in an egg at the windshield."

Rating: Sud-Kissed | Poppy • Bought • Contemporary Romance • 9/5/11 • $13.83

ARC Review: Life Is But a Dream

my thoughts in a few sentences: From the beginning, I had NO IDEA what to expect from Life Is But a Dream. Despite all the good reviews I noticed, this book remained a big mystery until I sat down with it today. Each word James writes is like biting into beautiful and irresistible pastries. A giant lightbulb hides behind James' writing and illuminates every word so that it dazzles our eyes with pictures we can't see but can feel. Within Sabrina's mind lies a world so brilliant, a wonderful palette that contains a rainbow of colors and shapes, and as she creates some of it in her artwork, James masterfully paints something abstract and intangible and alluring with each drop of his colorful words. While the romance escalates quickly, it's FAR from unsatisfying, though it might be a tad unbelievable. However, that's the beauty of Sabrina's story—we're temped to believe in the illogical, the far-fetched, and enjoy what we find in her incredibly imaginative world.

hooking first lines: "Something is wrong with the sky. Thinner and nearly see-through, the sky is like a worn bedsheet tacked loosely over the sun, which blazes brightly on the other side."

Rating: Sud-Kissed | Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends • NetGalley • Contemporary Romance • 3/27/12 • $13.37

Blog Tour: Review: Night Sky

Check it: Night Sky Blog Tour Blog | Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook

my thoughts in a few sentences: What did I expect from Night Sky? A solid, fun, and light contemporary indulgence. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. Night Sky is a creeper. Not as in creepy but as in it creeps up on you and suddenly, you turn around and are taken by surprise when you see what's behind you. This is not a cutesy read. This is a sweet and emotional story about a young man with his heart torn in two over two girls—the one he hasn't gotten over, whom he never dredged up the courage to communicate his feelings to, to be honest with, and the one who takes his breath away and fascinates him at every turn with her confidence and spare traces of vulnerability only revealed to him, who demands honesty and gives it back in spades. Jameson is an attractive narrator right from the start, his vivid emotions capable of hooking us into the story with the barest effort, and his journey away from heartbreak to a more exciting, heartwarming, wondrous true love is as perpetually addictive as the girl he swiftly begins to fall for.

hooking first lines: " I push my way through the masses of dancing couples, out the heavy doors of the school, and stop. "

Rating: Perfect Bed Partner | Tribute Books • Blog Tour • Contemporary Romance • 3/1/12 • $2.99

Review: Torn (#2)

The following review contains NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: Although I wasn't reduced to fangirl gushiness over Switched, Torn rapidly makes up for any lack I felt from its predecessor. The stakes are cranked up to a nearly unbearable volume, all but suffocating our relatable, mistake-making heroine who is doing her best to learn on her feet, hoping to pick up all the right cues and etiquette, not to mention the unyielding mentality of a princess while trying to balance her innate compassion into the equation. Wendy has the power to change things, to make a difference in this world she's only just been introduced to yet has quickly fallen for. It's her world now, and she has people to fight for. Fans of The Princess Diaries and The Iron Fey series combined will enjoy Wendy's tremulous journey into a character and ruler we can all adore.

hooking first line: "When Rhys and I showed up at my "brother" Matt's house at eight in the morning, he was happy... in the sense that he was glad I was alive and hadn't disappeared forever."

Rating: Sud-Kissed | St. Martin's Griffin • Requested • Paranormal Romance • 2/28/12 • $8.49

Review: Babe in Boyland

my thoughts in a few sentences: Have you guys ever watched She's the Man starring Amanda Bynes? Babe in Boyland is just like that. The hilarity and the awkward moments just make this such a fun read! Yes, it takes a bit (okay, A LOT) of suspension of disbelief to buy that a girl like Natalie could ever manage accomplishing something as crazy as infiltrating an all-boys school, even for a week. Still, between getting set-up on a date with a girl to getting socked in her make-believe balls in Gym, Babe in Boyland is so full of this irresistible humor that makes you quake with side-splitting laughter. The unexpected friendships, the swoonworthy crushes, and two bffs that never leave the main character's side all create warm, happy feelings, the pages hemorrhaging pleasurable endorphins or something. Barrels of fun, Babe in Boyland is a light, hilarious read that managed to calm the emotional aftermath of yesterday's dive into Pandemonium.

first few lines: "My name is Natalie Rowan. Everyone knows that. Only a select few, however, know I'm the evil genius behind my nom de plume, Dr. Aphrodite. That might be a pretty hefty title for a seventeen-year-old junior who's not even sure she's officially made it to what my mom refers to as "heavy petting.""

Rating: Sud-Kissed | Dial/Penguin • Borrowed • Contemporary Romance • 2/17/11 • $8.99

ARC Review: Switched

my thoughts in a few sentences: Although I was disappointed by what I found in Switched, given the tremendous hype shrouding it, potential lingers in the cast of characters, the mythology, and the storytelling. With a likable heroine front-and-center and her handsome stoic tracker, Finn, by her side, I picture the story reaching more engaging heights in the long run. However, I couldn't immerse myself in the tedious moments in her new home, lack of interesting interactions, and the touch of romance that follows the same overdone path, in which the leading man must protect the heroine from her own desires, insinuating what's better for her future. More action, less tedium is the order of the day!

hooking first line: " A couple things made that day stand out more than any other: it was my sixth birthday, and my mother was wielding a knife. "

Rating: Guilty Pleasure | St. Martin's Griffin • Gift • Paranormal Romance/Fantasy • 1/3/12 • $7.99