Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

I went into this book with really high expectations because of the hype surrounding it but, I was sorely disappointed. This is a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast that falls so far short of the mark it's nearly unrecognizable. I am very disappointed because I wanted to continue with the next book but, I honestly don't think I will subject myself to this world anymore.

I think where it began to fall apart for me was the world building. It's not very well fleshed out in so many ways. There is a magic system that isn't fully explained so it can be confusing. There are political movements being made that are just glossed over so the reader never really understands what is happening or why. The writing style assumes that the reader knows and understands the world without any of it being explained. It's almost as if we are to just accept what is happening with no reasoning behind it.

Then there are the conversations between our main characters Nyx, Ignifex, and Shade. I can only describe it as if you were overhearing parts of a conversation already in progress and not understanding what you are hearing. So much of this book needed to be more descriptive. It also moved at a very slow pace in the beginning and took way too long for the story to pick up and hold my interest. At that point I was not only bored and confused but also frustrated because I wanted to like it. I loved the premise and it had so much potential to be a really intriguing take on the Beauty and the Beast story but, it was not well executed.

Overall, I would suggest saving yourself valuable reading time and picking up something else.

Review: The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian

To be fair, this was actually more of a 3.5 stars for me. When I first saw this on the shelf I walked by it more than once. I kept thinking based on the title and the cover that it was just going to be another cheesy YA contemporary. I finally stopped to picked it up and the premise really grabbed me so I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. This was a thoroughly entertaining story from page one.

Our main character, Keeley, has three main relationships that we watch develop as she deals with the reality that her town is slowly being flooded. Keeley helps her father fight the local officials to keep the town from being condemned. In a government land grab for a lucrative waterfront deal in the next town over, the town of Aberdeen is scheduled to be flooded and turned into a lake to save the deal. At first the residents band together, but as the bad weather continues and more homes are destroyed, the town begins to fall apart.

While this is happening, Keeley discovers that the boy she's been infatuated with for years, Jesse, may be just as taken with her. They both deal with difficult situations with humor and by trying to make everyone around them have a good time. They gravitate toward each other more and more the harsher their reality becomes. They share a similar penchant for destructive behavior and pushing away anything that gets too serious. Keeley will need to decide if this is the kind of relationship that can be sustained without the current bubble of pressure they are living in.

Perhaps her most shocking relationship arc is with her best friend, Morgan. They have been friends since birth and even their mothers have been best friends since they were kids. They seem destined to always be there for each other. The two girls deal with what is happening to their town in completely different ways. Keeley starts acting out and pulling crazy stunts for laughs while Morgan gets serious and pulls closer to another friend. The abrupt change in their relationship catches Keeley off guard and she has to figure out how to grow on her own in order to be the friend Morgan needs.

Then there is Levi, who is Keeley's friend and enemy in equal parts. They couldn't be more opposite. Where Keeley is silly and wild, Levi is straight laced and follows the rules. We see that he obviously has feelings for her pretty early on, but Keeley, who rejects anything serious, tends to be very dismissive of him. She makes fun of him with Jesse, she ditches him all the time, and doesn't appreciate the things he tries to do for her. But, when she needs someone to be there for her, it is always Levi she turns to not Jesse. She will need to figure out what type of relationship she wants before the town is gone for good.

This story kept me captivated from the very beginning. As a reader you are swept up in the chaos right along with the characters. One day everything is fine and then it begins to rain. Within weeks their world is unrecognizable. The destruction of something that feels so permanent and safe makes you realize that any of our lives can change completely in a moment. It is how we deal with these changes that makes us who we are. I really enjoyed the growth that Keeley goes through as she learns who it is she wants to be. There are several points in the story that caught me completely by surprise. It is refreshing when you don't see major plot twists coming. The only thing that could have made this book better for me would have been more character development for the side characters and perhaps an epilogue since many of the major twists happened in the last few pages. Overall, this was a wonderful book that I am so glad I picked up.

Review: Under the Lights by Abbi Glines

This was such a disappointing follow up to Until Friday Night for me. I think that having just lost my father when I read Until Friday Night I may have related to the main characters in that book as they had both lost parents as well. That may be why I was able to overlook so many of the flaws that I found with this follow up. I struggled through three quarters of this book before any part of the story held my interest. I was on the verge of not finishing it more than once. Only the satisfaction of knowing I finished it anyway is making me feel the slightest bit better about the time I feel was wasted on this.

In this unfortunate follow up, we are introduced more thoroughly to Gunner Lawton and Brady Higgins who were friends to West Ashby in Until Friday Night. We discover that the two of them shared a childhood friend who had left six years ago named Willa Ames. At various points in their adolescence both boys had crushes on her, but she left when they were all eleven before anything got awkward. Now she is back and has a dark past she is trying to recover from. Gunner is also dealing with his own twisted family secrets. The two of them understand each other much in the same codependent way West and Maggie understood each other in the first book. It's like the people in this town can only form relationships based on mutual self destructive behavior and shared pain. It's all very unhealthy and disturbing. More disturbing is the way the male characters treat the female characters in these books. The football players all sleep with the same girls and just pass them around without a care for the girls' feelings. They refuse to call any of these girls their girlfriends or form actual relationships with them beyond sex. Then when the girls want more the guys all call them clingy and treat them horribly to make the point that they aren't interested in them for anything other than sex. Girls are called bitches repeatedly for wanting relationships with the guys they sleep with. At least two incidents of rape were mentioned in this book and both women were called liars and bitches for trying to ruin the good names of the men they accused. Neither was believed and both were openly ridiculed. This sends a horrible message to anyone who has ever been a victim. Behavior like this is why rape so often goes unreported and in this book it is just glossed over and made to seem perfectly acceptable for all these guys to act this way. The misogyny was overwhelming.

Another less important issue I had was that the dialogue would sometimes stray away from how the character spoke throughout the rest of the story. The guys all cursed a lot and spoke like southern teenage boys most of the time and then would suddenly say something that sounded entirely too formal and out of place in the rest of the conversation. It happened numerous times throughout and it would seem so out of character it was almost silly. This is a much smaller complaint in the scheme of downplaying rape allegations, but it still bothered me.

Overall this was such a huge letdown for me. I realize now that my view of the previous book may have been tainted by what I had just experienced and that I may have emotionally bonded with the characters because the loss of a parent was so fresh for me. I had so looked forward to this, but now having had time to heal from my own loss, this story was so overwhelmingly bad that I don't even think I will be able to bring myself to read the conclusion to these companion novels. I'm not sure I want to revisit Lawton and it's disturbing trend of unhealthy pain filled relationships and the mistreatment of all the female characters who are not the immediate love interest. I need a shower to wash this one off. I do not recommend wasting your precious reading time on this when there is so much better material out there.

Review: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Let me start by saying how much I loved this. Nicola Yoon has a wonderfully whimsical writing style. It feels real and also fanciful at the same time. You relate to the characters as though they are people you know in real life. The inner monologue of Madeline is funny and sad all at the same time. I adore the emails and IMs of Madeline and Olly. It's a great way of illustrating a very well read girl with wit and charm. Olly is a charismatic character who pulls you in from the beginning with his secret love of math covered under all his black clothes, tragic family and careless front. I like that both of our main characters are smart. They are portrayed as naïve in some ways, but in most ways they are written as very self aware and intelligent which is nice to see in a YA book. I think the best part of the story for me was that they fell in love almost virtually. Most of their interactions were online or through a window. Yet, somehow they were able to see each other better this way.

All that being said, the twist was a little predictable for me. I called it about half way through the book. I could see the subtle hints with Madeline's mother and the backstory of her father and brother. It may have been a little unsurprising, but the writing style and loveable characters more than made up for any shortcomings I found. I actually wish there was a second book so we could see how Madeline and Olly move on with their lives.

Overall, this was a wonderful book that I am so glad I finally read. I wish I hadn't waited so long. Many times there is a lot of hype around books and they don't always live up to it. That is not the case with this book. It was worth every ounce of praise and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something that will make you smile.

Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Stephanie Perkins has done it again. She is my go to contemporary author when I need to smile. I read Anna and Lola quite a while ago, but thanks to the intertwining story lines I was able to get closure on both of their journeys as well. Without any spoilers there was one scene in particular that brought us full circle and brought me to tears. Stephanie has the ability to touch on the insecurities we all have and also has a wonderful talent for teaching a lesson about overcoming the obstacles that can seem overwhelming at the time. By the end of her books you feel like anything is possible.

In the final book in this companion series we are brought back to SOAP in Paris and also to New York, where both Isla and Josh live. We follow their difficult path to happiness and each other after years of pining for one another. We also get cameos from Anna and St. Clair, Lola and Cricket, and even Meredith shows up for the reunion. It's a real full circle experience even if it's been years since you read the other books. You will immediately be transported back and fall in love all over again.

If you haven't read Stephanie's books before, I highly recommend that you do. She has the amazing ability to create quirky, loveable, and flawed characters as well as weave them all together in complex and realistic relationships and friendships that aren't always perfect, but are perfectly messy. It's rare to find a contemporary that leaves you feeling so satisfied, let alone three fantastic books that are sure to leave you with a smile on your face. I, for one, am glad to have completed the journey at last.

Review: Dream On by Kerstin Gier

Since my review of Dream a Little Dream, which is the first book in this trilogy, I have realized that my issue with the sometimes choppy writing may be because this book is translated from German. Some of the finer points may be getting lost in translation? Despite that, I enjoyed this book much more than the first. There are points in the story where I am waiting for something big to happen or where there is the possibility of an epic cliffhanger at the end of a chapter and then...nothing. It never goes to that next level that I feel it could go. The story stays very tame and the next chapter always picks up right where the last stopped. Sometimes it jumps ahead or does a flashback an then back to the present again without letting you know and it can be a little jarring. Overall, my main issue is still the writing style.

The story, however, is a great concept. I love the idea of the dream corridor and the doors. At some points it really delves into the possibilities like dreams within dreams and gets to that deeper level, but then it pulls back again. I also wish that we could explore the possibility of a relationship with Liv and Grayson. There are so many hints throughout that there is an underlying attraction there, but nothing ever happens. It's sprinkled throughout the story, hinting at something there, but then neither of them ever entertains those feelings. Even the Secrecy blog seems to think that there might be something there. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a slow burn and in the end we will finally get to see them realize how they feel or if it's all just a tease.

I am definitely entertained enough with the story to continue with the last book in the series. It's a fun concept and seems to have gone a bit further with this installment than the first book. My hope is that the Kerstin will continue to go deeper and really explore all the possibilities of where this world can go. She also has so many relationship possibilities with this cast of characters and I hope she explores some of that as well. This is my first time reading Kerstin's books and I do enjoy them and would recommend them to someone looking for a quick and easy read. If you're into complicated plotlines and more complex characters then this may not be the one for you. I hold out hopes for the last book.

Review: Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

In this fun story we follow Liv Silver who has just moved to London with her nomadic family. Once she arrives however, she quickly realizes that her mother seems to have plans to finally settle down. Liv and her little sister, Mia, are thrust into an insta-family and move into their mother's boyfriend's house with his teenage children, Grayson and Florence. Liv soon realizes that she is eerily familiar with Grayson and his friends Henry, Arthur, and Jasper, but can't figure out why. They are the golden boys of the school and she soon finds that they are in her dreams, but that they also seem to remember what happened in her dreams. Liv loves a good puzzle so she will stop at nothing to solve the mystery.

I had some problems with the story at points where it seemed to be a bit disjointed. In one scene an object would be in someone's hand and then in the next paragraph they were reaching for the same object that was just in their hand. Some of the dialogue as well sometimes didn't make sense. It could be because they spoke in a very British way, but it seemed like if you took out Liv's inner monologue and just read the words spoken out loud, the conversations seemed a bit incomplete. Don't get me wrong, the story is fun and I am definitely about to pick up the second book as soon as I post this. It may just be that it took me some time to settle into the writing style because I did have fewer issues the further into the book I got. It took me about a hundred pages to really get into the story and stop seeing the little things that didn't necessarily make sense.

Overall I rated this one three stars because the story is fun and I definitely want to see where it goes in the next book, but there were some small issues with the writing. I would say this is worth your time because it is entertaining and a very fast read.

Review: Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Well, I have to say this one surprised me. I did not expect to like it as much as I did. The story follows our main character, Bonnie Baker (aka: Chloe Baker) and her brother Benny, as they attempt to have somewhat normal lives after having been on a reality TV show since birth. After a traumatic event on season thirteen of their show (when they were thirteen years old), the show was cancelled. They have lived out of the spotlight for the last four years and have almost relaxed into semi-normal lives. Suddenly, their lives are once again turned upside down when their mother decides to put the family back on TV without warning.

The storyline very much reminds me of Jon and Kate plus Eight, where the mother is fame crazed and can't live without the cameras, the father never wanted so many kids and eventually cheats and leaves, and the kids all have issues from having every moment of their lives filmed. There are some surprisingly touching scenes throughout that really hit you emotionally. We watch the kids deal with depression, anxiety, over sexualization, homophobia, developmental delay, etc. all in front of the cameras. Luckily, they realize as time goes on that they have true friends outside the chaos of  their home life. They have a future that is whatever they choose to make it and, despite the false bubble they live in, they have found something real after all.

This was a really fast read and it packed an unexpected emotional punch. The anxiety, sadness, and anger were palpable. However, so were the joy, love, and hope. I had this one sitting on my shelf forever and randomly picked it up. I am so glad I finally did. Don't wait like I did. I would recommend this one if you are in the mood for romance, friendship, and the love of family that can never be broken.

Review: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

This was a really quick read (I flew through it in a day). It's a cute contemporary romance that follows high school junior, Julia, on her class trip to London. They are paired up using the buddy system and her buddy coincidentally ends up being the one person who she avoids at all costs, Jason. Jason is the class clown, a big flirt, an attention and adventure seeker. Julia is an introverted book nerd who just wants to follow her highlighted and page flagged guide books. Throughout the story Jason tries to break Julia out of her shell while Julia begins to learn that there may be more to Jason than the image he portrays to everyone.

This book does have a similar feel to Anna and the French Kiss, but also has it's own personality. I would say if you liked one you will like the other. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it if you are in the mood for a cute romance. There were a few uncomfortable things about this book for me though. There are several scenes throughout where Jason is borderline violent toward Julia. For example, he throws her phone at her and nearly hits her in the face, he grabs her and drags her into a pond when she clearly didn't want to go, he angrily walks by her and shoulder bumps her so hard she falls backward, etc. I get that they are supposed to be teenagers, but some of these scenes did bother me. If a young girl were reading this she might think that since he is the main love interest that this behavior is ok or that since she upset a boy he can act like this toward her because surely it shows that he loves her. In one scene they have a fight in a taxi and Julia says something really hurtful to Jason and to quote Julia's reaction in the book "For a quick moment I actually feel a little scared. I instinctively scoot back against the door of the cab." While Jason does not get violent in this moment, her reaction really struck the wrong note with me. Later in the same night they realize everything was one big miscommunication, but there was no reason for him to react to certain situations the way he did so that this would be her reaction to arguing with him.

The overall story was cute and the twist ending did actually catch me off guard and was not what I was expecting. It's always pleasant when a story can still surprise you. The violence is not overt and is often played off as being playful or just dramatic, so this may be individual to me as I read it. I gave this book three stars because it was a fun, quick read, but no higher because of the message I feel it could send and it's lack of true originality.

Review: Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

I want to start by saying this book took a really long time for me to read. I kept trying to get into it but, the first half was extremely slow for me. Also, one of my biggest pet peeves with a book is when there are so many really off the wall names. While I do understand the story is taking place on another planet, in the first few chapters I was completely overwhelmed trying to keep track of the number of characters and the names that were so similar making it so hard to remember who was who. I wish I had a scorecard or had taken notes. I kept having to go back to try to figure out who people were again. Then later in the second half when the story finally started to pick up, some of the names I had finally learned changed. Ori became Orieve and her last name changed. Then we added a mystery twin that wasn't mentioned  previously too. It was just too much confusion where it wasn't necessary in my opinion.

I like that in Sarah J. Maas books we have a list of the names and pronunciations in the back to help keep track and make sure you are saying them correctly. While this book does have a glossary, it didn't list the names. I realize I am going on about this, but it made the book so difficult for me to keep up with that I almost DNF it a couple of times. I am glad I stuck with it though because the second half finally picked up the pace and the few lighthearted and almost comical moments between our main characters became slightly more frequent. Those moments really helped to make the characters more likeable and not so dark and depressing all the time. To see them be able to joke with each other was very nice and I wish a bit more of those moments had been sprinkled throughout the story.

Overall, I would definitely read the second book to find out where the story goes from here because no issues or mysteries were resolved in this installment despite the length. I feel like this book could have been a lot shorter and a lot less complicated. It may be one of those situations where this is all necessary to set up for a much bigger plot, but it felt forced and slow to me. Maybe I am still processing how I feel about this one because on one hand I found it incredibly frustrating and on the other hand I would pick up the second book right now to continue. This one was a mixed bag for me.

I also have read about some of the issues people are finding with this book as far as racial stereotypes, how it deals with chronic pain and the issue of cutting their arms. I am sensitive to those issues and it did occur to me while reading that they may be touchy for some people to read. Again, this one was an odd one for me. I would say if those things do not bother you and you are excellent at keeping up with a large cast of characters all with very difficult to pronounce or remember names, then by all means pick this up. However, if any of those issues are subjects you may be more sensitive to or you want something easy to follow or fast paced, this may not be the book for you.

Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

I just finished this amazing book and my feelings are very raw at the moment. I had never heard of the tragedy of the Wilhelm Gustloff before picking up this book. We have been taught so much of the history of WWII and yet there are still so many untold disasters and it's heartbreaking to think of these people being forgotten. Ruta Sepetys brings the story to life with such a caring and detailed hand that it feels like you are there with the characters actually experiencing the events. It is a real testament of an author's ability when they are able to transcend time and place you right in the midst of the story and break your heart simultaneously.

In this beautiful piece of historical fiction we follow four main characters and rotate reading from each of their points of view. I love that they are all of different nationalities and backgrounds but, due to war are forced together as refugees fighting for their lives. They are all so different and yet have the same will to survive. Florian is a Prussian art thief, Joana is a Lithuanian nurse, Emilia is a pregnant fifteen year old from Poland, and Alfred is a German sailor on the Wilhelm Gustloff. There are several side characters who steal your heart along the way as well like the shoe poet, the wandering boy, and a blind girl named Ingrid, who sees more than those with their sight in tact.

Their tales intertwine and overlap, as do their fates, in such a way that you are emotionally scarred in the most beautiful way by the end. I made it through all the toughest to read parts and the horror of the actual tragedy but, it was the very last chapter when we find out what happened to each of our beloved refugees when the tears came. This is one that will stick with me for a long time to come. If you haven't read this one yet, I highly recommend that you pick it up. You will not regret it.

Review: Illuminated by Erica Orloff

This was a tough one for me. I didn't love it. I also didn't completely hate it. The writing style was nice and the premise had potential. My biggest issue is that the story wasn't more fleshed out. We have our main characters, Callie and August, who are supposed to be on this great hunt for the origins of this extremely rare palimpsest and they make a couple stops to talk to the owners of the book and they get the answer. There was also a supposedly dangerous rare book thief mentioned several times throughout the story, but never made an actual appearance. It seemed pointless to include this if it weren't going to be an actual threat or cause some complication in the story. Instead, we got a too easily solved mystery that all wrapped up in a very short amount of time and was tied up with a pretty little bow.

Another issue was the mind blowing insta-love of August and Callie. They met and that night he expected her to show up in his hammock because he "hinted" that he wanted that by simply pointing out that he had a hammock. Then after a whopping 24 hours he was texting her at 3 am telling her he missed her. By the second day they were professing their feelings and sleeping half naked together while imagining they are being pushed together by the ghosts of Heloise and Abelard. By the third day they were planning on running away together to go to Paris and kiss on top of the Eifel Tower while looking for the story of the book and it's prior owners. It was sweet and I liked the characters together, but the story moved at such a ridiculously rapid pace that it just became a caricature of the love story I think the author was going for. While the tone of the romance was supposed to be epic, it instead played out on the page as rapid and unhealthy infatuation.

Overall, this was a big disappointment. Not because the story was bad or the writing was boring, but simply because there needed to be a lot more to it. If the author had made the mystery harder to solve, included at least one actual stumbling block along the way, and given the characters time to form a real connection this would have been much more enjoyable. I did enjoy her writing style though and may pick up another of her books in the future.

Review: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

This was a quick and fun read. I read it in one sitting and was thoroughly entertained. The main character, Lissa, became a bit annoying at times with her control issues, but the character of Cash was a good balance to her neurosis. It was exactly what I expected from a short contemporary in that it was enjoyable and light with no real weight to it. I do enjoy a heavier story at times, but this was one time where the amusing and light writing style was refreshing and exactly what I was looking for.

In a battle of the sexes is there ever a clear winner? Lissa and all the girlfriends of the jocks are completely over a ten year long rivalry between the school's football team and the soccer team. No one can even remember how it started, but that doesn't stop the boys from hazing each other relentlessly. The boys get so caught up in the fighting that they neglect the girls. After a soccer player was seriously injured during a hazing incident, Lissa felt like it had all gone too far and was determined to end the rivalry once and for all. She gathered the girlfriends of both football and soccer players to organize a sex strike until they stopped fighting. Things were going well until her football star boyfriend betrayed her and a sexy soccer stud complicated things. Will Lissa be able to navigate her own feelings while keeping the strike organized long enough to end the rivalry?

If you are finding yourself in a winter reading rut of a lot of epic fantasy or long series and just need a quick and enjoyable break, this is the book for you. It lacks any slow spots and keeps you turning the pages with it's quirky storyline. I would definitely pick this one up again.

Review: The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

What. A. Ride! This is a non-stop page turner full of plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. I could not put this down and I don't think you will want to either. If you are a fan of sci-fi, political intrigue, romance, and one heck of a good time, I highly recommend this book.

This story takes place in the future when humanity has created humanoid creatures to perform various tasks ranging from house servants to those born to be sacrifices in their religious practices. One such breed are called Diabolics, and their sole purpose to be completely devoted to one individual and protect them at any cost, including sacrificing themselves for their master. Sidonia is the heir to a heretic senator who has angered the Emperor. To punish her father, she has been summoned to court to be held as a hostage in order to keep her father in line. Her loyal Diabolic, Nemesis, is sent in her place to protect her from the Emperor. Nemesis is taught how to act human enough to pass for Sidonia. When she arrives at court she is immediately thrust into a world of political vipers and has to learn much more than she anticipated in order to navigate the waters and not draw suspicion. Along the way, she aligns herself with the Emperor's heir who is known as a madman. Romance blossoms and Nemesis finds herself feeling things she is not genetically supposed to be able to feel. There is a lot of self reflection on her part and internal growth, which is refreshing to read and watch her come into her own. You never know who is really plotting what against anyone because the plot twists are ample. If you like excitement and action, you will love this book.

You will find yourself intrigued, excited, wanting to know where the next twist will take you, and even emotional at some points. The character development as you watch Nemesis grow is incredibly well written. I'm not usually a big fan of sci-fi, but I found myself wanting more space travel and adventures, which definitely says something for the strength of the writing. Overall, I give this one 4 out of 5 stars, with my only critique being that I wanted a bit more of the side characters and stories as well. I would pick this one up today, if you haven't already.

Review: Half Bad by Sally Green

This was an odd one for me because I found myself bored for 90% of this book, but then the ending finally picked up and I enjoyed the conclusion. Despite my apathy, Nathan captured me from the very beginning. You feel for him and want to know what's going to happen to him next. I would give the sound character development four stars, but the plotline and slow pace two stars.

In this story we follow Nathan, who's mother was a White Witch and who's father is a Black Witch. Nathan is called a half-code and is tracked to see what he will become as it is so uncommon for the two to ever mix. He is captured, tortured, and made to live in a cage for years. Despite his abuse, he is still determined to be good. It seems his body and talents are those of a Black Witch like his father, but his heart is good and gentle like that of his mother. He really just wants to be left alone. Not much really happens and what does moves at a glacial pace. I would find myself nodding off while reading, but I kept turning the pages because of Nathan. He was captivating.

Overall, I give this one three stars and that is solely because of Nathan being so well written. If you are coming off an epic fantasy series and need something slow to rest your mind, this is the book for you. You will still be rewarded and invested in Nathan's story, just at a much slower pace. I still plan to continue with this series and have hopes that there will be more action as the story progresses. Fingers crossed!

Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

This was a page turning, keep you guessing, whodunit that I just couldn't get enough of. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between our two man characters, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell. Both are from prestigious families and are wealthy high born aristocrats with an unnatural fascination with the forensic sciences. They meet while apprenticing for Audrey Rose's uncle who is the local forensic examiner for Scotland Yard. During their studies the victims of Jack the Ripper begin to come across their table and they are intrigued by the monster committing such atrocities. We then follow their adventures in trying to figure out who the infamous murderer is before any more women fall prey to his depravity.

Despite the dark subject matter, the witty bickering and flirtation between them keeps it lighthearted and fun, much in the spirit of Holmes and Watson (minus the flirting). Overall, this was a very fun first novel in a series and I very much look forward to the next book and continuing the adventure.

Review: Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

 

 

 

Wow! That was an emotional rollercoaster I was not expecting from the football themed title and cover. I cried so much throughout this beautiful story of first love and unimaginable pain. This was one I could not put down and read in one sitting. I highly recommend this one if you loved Anna and the French Kiss as it also has companion novels coming out that follow different characters in the same world and has crossover so we still get glimpses of our first story.

 

In this story we follow the heartbreaking journey of two broken people who help heal the hurts of the other. Two years ago, Maggie witnessed her father murder her mother and hasn't spoken a word since. Football star, West, is currently losing his beloved father to cancer and hasn't told anyone so he is suffering alone and is drowning in the pain. One night as West begins to self destruct and act out more and more he encounters the new girl, Maggie, as she is forced to attend a football party with her cousin. He sees strength in her eyes as she stands up to him silently while he tries to lash out at her in the middle of his heartbreak. It wasn't the reaction he was expecting and it catches him off guard. One night he finally approaches her and lets his walls down, knowing she won't repeat anything he says since she never speaks. He tells her everything he is going through, but what he never expected was that she would answer back. Maggie sees the pain in West and recognizes it immediately. She understands the pain of losing a parent like no one else possibly could and she wants to help him through it since no one was able to help her through her profound loss. The two of them become closer and closer as they work through Wests pain. In the process, Maggie slowly begins to finally deal with her own pain that she had buried so deep. Somewhere along the way, they developed real feelings beyond friendship or shared pain. But, the emotional connection they formed based on the worst moments of their lives was so strong that they were able to overcome anything together.

 

This was an unexpectedly beautiful and emotionally charged book that caught me completely by surprise. I was looking for a light and fluffy contemporary to start off my reading this year and this was not that at all. However, I was so glad I stumbled upon this book because it was so heartbreakingly and beautifully accurate in it's descriptions of loss and the sometimes overwhelming and all consuming feeling of first love. If you are looking for a fast read that packs a punch, this is the book for you.