Fantasy In Death by J.D. Robb | This Case Made Me Sad

Fantasy In Death by J.D. Robb

In Death #30
Date Read: Feb 4 to 10, 2018

First Published: 2010

Hardcover

Adult, mystery

Rating:

Re-Readability:

Bart Minnock, founder of the computer gaming giant U-Play, is found in his locked private playroom, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. Despite his violent end, Eve can’t find anyone—girlfriend and business partners included—who seemed to have a problem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire.
Of course gaming, like any business, has its fierce rivalries and dirty tricks—as Eve’s husband, Roarke, one of U-Play’s competitors, knows well. But Minnock was not naïve, and he knew how to fight back in the real world as well as the virtual one.
Eve and her team are about to enter the next level of police work, in a world where fantasy is the ultimate seduction—and the price of defeat is death...

So, I suppose it's no surprise to anyone that I love this series, considering this is the 30th book in the series. Granted, I haven't read all the previous ones, but I have read... what, twenty? Clearly; I'm a fan.

But some mysteries hit me harder than others, and this is one of those cases.

I know exactly what caused my fierce reaction; the theme of friendship. You see, I am a very loyal friend, and I have friends who I would die for... and I know they would die for me. Dramatic, maybe, but also fundamentally true.

The friendship in this book reminded me of that. The friends reacted so strongly to Bart's death that I prayed none of them did it. I wanted Eve to be wrong, just this once. For the killer to be someone unrelated; not one of these friends that Bart loved, and trusted, and cherished. Not one of these friends that appeared so ravaged by his death.

Their pain broke my heart, but the notion that one of them actually did it crushed the pieces into dust.

So... yeah. FANTASY IN DEATH was such a hard, painful read for me. It made my stomach churn and my anxiety level rise. It took me longer to read because I was honestly scared to read who'd done it.

The only pleasant part of this novel was Eve, Roarke, and the wonderful supporting cast. I have no idea how Robb does it, but these people are still as compelling 30 books later as they were in the first one. And they are "people", not just characters on paper. They are as real as you and me. The only difference is that they are fictional. I know that sounds contrary but just.. just think about it. You know what I mean.

Anyways, how come this series hasn't been adapted for a tv series yet?? Some of the longest running shows are detective shows with romance undertones like Castle, The Mentalist, and Bones--this would be perfect for that.

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram | An Old Favorite

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Jamie Baker #1

First Published: 2010

Kindle / Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

You're having a rough week. Life is taking its toll on you. All you want to do is sit and relax, laugh a little, feel warm inside again. Maybe immerse yourself in someone else's life for a short while. Someone else's relationship. God knows you need a good ship to board on this empty pier.

You pick up Being Jamie Baker. And it's everything you've wanted it to be.

I've read this YA fantasy romance three times so far, each time in one sitting. I have forced my cousins to read it and fall in love with it as well. I have recommended it to anyone and everyone who would listen, and some who won't. Because I seriously adore this book. I dare you to read it and tell me you weren't grinning so widely your jaw hurt throughout it. DARE YOU.

So, spoiler alert - you need to get this book. NOW. I'm saying this for your own good.

The best thing about this book is that it makes you desperately wish these characters were real people that you could meet in real life and have real conversations with. And really, isn't that one of the best things a book can do to you?

First, you've got the titular Jamie. Her snark and sarcasm are her main choice of weapon... if you don't consider all the superpowers. Oh, this girl. I love how human she felt to me. I loved how she made me laugh and smile. I loved how she sometimes made the wrong choices or did things I strongly disagreed with. I love how she grew throughout the book. I love HER, okay?

But I am in love with Ryan Miller and their relationship. Like, sometimes you want the book boyfriend all for yourself. And sometimes... sometimes you know you can never compare to their true love, would never fit him as well as she does, and that's okay. That's okay because you're a little bit in love with the both of them, and you love seeing the stars in their eyes when they look at each other and the way they move around and with each other as if they're the other's anchor and sun.

Still, let it be noted that Ryan Miller is at the top of my book boyfriend list, even years later. I fangirl over this guy, okay? it's this bad. Or this good. Depends on who you ask. He is the perfect blend of adorable sweetness, with a shot of cockiness and a dash of condescension. In the best possible ways, I assure you. This guy knows what--and who--he wants. He is not afraid to tell Jamie how she feels and he wills it to become reality just from the sheer, unwavering sureness he presents. And he never gives up. Never. You might as well admit defeat before he starts because this mountain is not budging!

And as you've probably guessed, I adored their romance. It's the kind of romance that makes you sigh, and you don't know if it's because it just fills you with satisfaction or because you want a relationship like that for yourself and goddammit why can't you have this one little thing??

Okay, got sidetracked. Anyways, Ryan and Jamie bring out the best in each other. And the chemistry between them is, shall we say, electrifying. Both figuratively and literally.

And yes, this book is not perfect. The reason Jamie got her superpowers is not quite satisfying. The villain is okay-ish and his plot is so-so. Neither of those things mattered a lick to me, since if you haven't figured yet, Ryan & Jamie gave me life and that's what I was here for, but I feel it's necessary to mention anyway.

So... this book was perfect. For me. 

Shut Up and Kiss Me by Christie Craig | Book Review

Shut Up and Kiss Me by Christie Craig

First Published: 2010

Kindle

Adult, Romance
Rating:

Re-Readability:

Welcome to Precious, Texas, where fistfights serve as dinner theater and fire ants rain from the sky. The locals are very friendly, if a bit eccentric. No pictures please, or you may find yourself a guest of the county morgue.
Photojournalist Shala Winters already had her hands full bringing tourism to this backward, podunk town, but her job just got tougher. Pictures can say a thousand words, and one of Shala's is screaming bloody murder. Now she has to entrust a macho, infuriating lawman with her life -- but she'll never trust him with her heart.
Trusted or not, Sky Gomez isn't about to let a killer get his hands on Shala's Nikon -- or any of her more comely assets, for that matter. Her mouth might move faster than a Piney Woods roadrunner, but all he can think about is how good it must taste...and how she'll never escape true love.

Sometimes, you get a book on Kindle because it's free, and you're not sure if you're going to like it--the cover is bland, or you've never heard of the author before--but you still read it. And end up really, really enjoying it. Shut Up and Kiss Me is one of those reads for me.

Now, the summary on GR is really misleading. Shut Up and Kiss Me doesn't follow one couple, but three. So I'm gonna recap that for a second.

The first story is Shala and Sky's. Shala is a photographer who comes to Precious, Texas to help boost tourism in an effort to save the town. But not everyone wants her there, and Sky, as the chief of police, agrees to look out for her just in case. Which is good, because someone would stop at nothing to get Shala's camera... Could she have, somewhere, at some point, inadvertently took a photo of something she shouldn't have?...

As far as main couples go I really liked these two. I found Shala to be easy to relate to; she was smart but cute, funny but (when she wants to be) flirty, and easily flustered but emotionally hardened by her difficult past. She fits really well with Sky, despite the rocky beginning, since he is a natural protector, strong in body and mind, but also vulnerable. And like her, he has a rough past that he rises above.  

And of course, they were also HOT together (side note: I'm curious where the steamy parts would rank if I read this now, as a far more... ahem... seasoned... romance reader...).

The second story is Redfoot's, Sky's adoptive father, who has a relationship with his neighbor. Only she wants them to keep it a secret. Tension builds and the question becomes not should they come out to their families, but can they even remain together?... 

I did love Redfoot. He was a lot of fun to read of, while simultaneously dishing some elderly wisdom to everyone else. And his story was quite unique since old people don't get love stories often, which is a shame really. Life and love don't end at 40, nor do physical needs just... disappear completely.

And the third story is that of Maria, Sky's adoptive sister. Maria is dating Matt, but she suspects he might be cheating on her. It's just her luck that amidst this inner turmoil returns Jose, her adoptive brother, and past flame. Maria has things she has to tell both men if she ever wants to move on with her life and relationships. But can she bring herself to do it?...

Maria's storyline wasn't my favorite by a long shot. She didn't really leave much of an impression on me, for better or worse. She was just... there. Ditto on Jose and Matt, who each received the personality depth of a log. Jose was comic relief. Matt was the sweet boyfriend. This is where their traits end, really. I feel like Craig could've done a lot more with these people, if I were honest. As it stands, I kind of feel like you could cut the whole thing and the novel wouldn't be worse off. 

Craigs seems to specialize mostly in slapstick, and while I am not the biggest fan of that type of humor, other parts of the story covered for it; there were a lot of genuinely funny moments that required no manhood to be bitten by fire ants, a lot of cute, enough steam, and even some heart-wrenching moments, all wrapped up on witty dialogue and character chemistry.

Although, I will definitely admit that the whole hitman subplot was subpar. It was loosely used to bring Shala and Sky together and then barely utilized, with the few bits surrounding it lacking in action and excitement.

My other big critique is that the ending of the novel kind of promises a continuation, yet it doesn't appear like we're ever going to get one. At this point, I probably won't read it even if it came out (it's been five years and I can barely remember this one), but still... sucks for everyone who loves this novel.

To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory | Rant Review

To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

Dulcie O'Neil #1

First Published: 2010

Kindle

Adult, Urban Fantasy
Rating:

Re-Readability:

The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch.
Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim.
Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.

You know those books that make you scratch your head at all the reviews and high ratings they have and wonder if you've read the same book? Perhaps someone trolled you and gave you a fake copy? Because there is no way all these people love this book if they read the same version you did? Yeah... this is one of those books.

When I got this book I was extremely excited - I had seen how highly rated Mallory's books came, and I was on an urban fantasy kind of kick so she was definitely on my authors-to-read list. And I was doubly excited to have the opportunity to read one of her books for free on kindle. I distinctively remember the squeal I let out, even now, five years later.

Unfortunately, all those fuzzy feelings died a quick death. May they rest in peace.

I simply couldn't stand the writing. I wish I could tell you what it was about it that gave me such a visceral reaction; the kind of response that makes you wince and grit your teeth and hope the torture would be over soon. Rare is the book that makes me feel this way, so in its own way, this read was very special to me.

Not to mention, this book had a lot of repetitions. That's a particular pet peeve of mine. And you know how sometimes when you're in a group and someone laughs at his own joke and everyone just stares at him because it wasn't all that funny and he says "get it? get it?". Well... that's how I felt about all the parts in this book that were obviously meant to make me laugh. They didn't.

Maybe if the characters were compelling the story would've been saved for me, but they simply weren't. I didn't like Dulcie's character at all. She is frankly quite the slut. I'm definitely okay with characters sleeping around when they're not in a relationship and women being secure in their sexuality, but I draw the line at leading several men on. At the same time. It just grates on my nerves. You can do all those things without hurting others in the process.

I mean, the book literally ends with several loose ends--and at least three guys--open and unanswered, with Dulcie having two upcoming dates (with two different guys) and receiving a cute present from a third. (On a completely unrelated note - Knight is an incredibly stupid name for a character, and should be reserved to comic books if at all...)

And the bad guy was so obvious I simply had to sigh when he was revealed. I kind of had some hope Mallory will pull the rug from under my feet or something and at least give me a good twist or two. But nope.

During the entire time I was reading this book, the question "why the heck am I reading this book?" kept popping into my mind, flashing in colorful, glaring lights, demanding some sort of answer from me. Since I had none, I didn't give it any. If it was Present Me who was reading this novel, I would have DNFed it at around 20% if I were nice, but Past Me was a little more particular about dropping books, so she used all the willpower she had to finish it as quickly as she could so she could move on to greener pastures...

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean | Book Review

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Love by Numbers #1

First Published: 2010

Paperback & Kindle

Adult, Historical Romance
Rating:

Re-Readability:

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.
Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.
But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.
If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love.

When I re-read Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake at the beginning of 2017, I thought I'll just take my old review of this novel, clean it up a little and compare my original thoughts to this re-read and viola, I'll have a ready post. Kind of like instant noodles.

So imagine my absolute surprise (and a bit of horror) to discover I had never reviewed this novel. Impossible! I thought to myself. How could I have never reviewed THE novel that made me fall madly in love with historical? There had to be a mistake. Only there wasn't one. Cue face palm and desk bang.

I will attempt to write a satisfactory review for this wonderful novel, that managed to tug at my every heartstring without seeming to be anything special at all at first glance.

The thing, or rather person, who alleviated this novel to me and made it one of the measuring scales for all other heroines after it is the main character, Callie Hartwell. Callie is me. She is the girl who reads a lot and isn't terribly beautiful and fantasizes about the day someone will think her beautiful. Someone will think her special. Someone will notice the woman she is and how much she has to offer. I felt her insecurity and her fear in me, like they were my own emotions

But unlike me, once she realizes that by all accounts, she is never going to get that--that she is far too old (in Victorian area times) and far too "boring" for anyone... well, she might as well have some fun. Do all the things she never let herself do. Be daring and brave... so that if no one else can call her interesting--she will always know that she is.

Callie Hartwell decides to become a doer. To say fuck you to all of the rules that have gotten her diddly squat and do something exciting.

And this is where Callie Hartwell stole my heart. Because she makes me think that if she can do it, all wrapped up in a society that doesn't think a woman can do anything, then so can I. I can be brave. I can be daring. I can do anything I've always dreamed of.

I cannot even begin to explain how powerful of a feeling this character gives me.

When I first read about her, I was a coward, connected to Callie by what might be. Today, I'm a lot more outspoken and unafraid, and a part of me things this is because of the seed of courage Callie installed in me. That voice in your head saying yes you can. If that's not something incredible to say about any novel, I don't know what is. 

Now, after I prattled on and on about Callie, a bit about her choice in men. And what a yummy choice it is. Gabriel is that rake we love to read of so much - the one who is the most eligible bachelor of the ton, but also the one most rumored about. But there is more to Gabriel than that - he appreciates family above all, his bond to his twin is irrevocable, he is a responsible marquess if nothing else, and he has a dry sense of humor. My favorite kind.

Now, Gabriel must act at least somewhat reputable, bringing a bastard sister into the sharp folds of the ton, and who better teach her the ways than the one female he knows who doesn't have a blemish to her name; Callie.

So what if they met when she came to ask him for a kiss, in his bedroom, in the depth of the night. So what if he can't seem to stop thinking about her. So what if she thrills and scares him all at the same time. So what... 

Their romance is scorching hot, people. You will need to fan yourself, repeatedly. You will also scream at them to do it already because god darn it, they are making you uncomfortable with all this sexual tension!

And can I also get a hallelujah for this couple talking to each other, and not letting any stupid misunderstandings come between them for more than a day? I mean, seriously, some book couples make it seem like "communication" is a crude word!!!

If I haven't made myself clear with this gashing (and highly personal) review... go read this novel if you like historical romances, or romances in general. I mean do it now. Go on... scoot!

(BTW - I literally read this two months ago and writing this review made me desperately want to pick up this novel again like, right now. What is my life.)

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer | Book Review

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Last Survivors #3

First Published: 2010

Kindle

Young Adult, Dystopia

Rating: 
Re-Readability: 

It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.
The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits the town of Howell, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever.

First and foremost, let me say this - The World We Live In is not a bad novel by any stretch of imagination. But out of the four books in the Last Survivors saga, it's the one for which I have the most complaints. Mostly because it started so good.

Right from the get go, I loved being back in Miranda's mind. It felt like - yes, this is what I was missing in the last book. The thing that makes Miranda so attractive as a character to me is that, while she lives in a post-apocalyptic universe that forced her to grow up too fast... she's still a teenager - she still throws tantrums, she still gets angry for stupid reasons, she still feels jealous and irrational and all those things that come with being a teen. That is so real and captivating to me, because this is a character that started out in a normal world, and you can't un-learn or un-know all these things.

So it was off to a fantastic start, especially since the meeting and the beginning interactions between Miranda and Alex (and Julie) were pleasantly satisfying. I enjoyed the antagonistic relationship that developed between the two, especially because I honestly find the two of them to be such different people with Alex not being the easiest person to fall in love with, so it couldn't possibly have gotten down any other way.

Not to mention, Alex seems intent on making the worst impression possible in this novel. He's highhanded, stubborn, righteous and borderline jerk-ish. Especially now when we don't get any insight into his mind to soften his manner, and Alex is a pretty introverted.

So, yeah. Off to a wonderful start, with all the new characters joining the Evans household being interesting in their own right. So where did things go wrong? Simple - the INSTA LOVE.

Yes, this needed caps lock. God dammit, why did it have to rear it's ugly head in these novels?! And not one case of it... but two? Jeez. I ended up shipping Peter and Laura (Miranda's mother and her boyfriend) in book one ten times more than I ever did Alex and Miranda or Syl and Matt because it was far more based and made more sense than these two relationships ever did!

I understand searching companionship and comfort in such desperate times that you would be attracted to anyone who might give you that and not waste time about it. I get it. In fact, if any novel world could pull off insta love, it would be this one... except it didn't.

These people had no chemistry whatsoever. It was so perplexing to find them together and attracted to one another. That's never a good response to a book couple. But then there is also the element of them claiming they know each other better than anyone... when they really, really don't. I don't mind you starting to date. I could deal with the abrupt and unfathomable change from hating each other to eating each other's faces, for the reasons I mentioned before. But don't pretend you know each other. Don't tell me you're in love, because kissing does not equal love. Not when you failed to show me that in any other scene.

I wanted to ship this couple so very much. I've waited for their romance since I learned books one and two intersect in this way. We don't always get what we want.

And then... the ending happened. It kind of felt like Pfeffer suddenly remembered this was a post-apocalyptic, unstable, unfair world, and some bad shit had to go down and people had to die. So she went through all the natural disasters to find one she hadn't used and sicced it on our characters.

Now to clarify... I don't resent this happening. I'm okay with the meaningless deaths because the whole point of this novel, judging by the title, is "the world we live in". And... that's the kind of world they live in. It just kind of came out of nowhere, giving me whiplash. And I kind of, sort of, resent who she chose to kill. I don't want any of them dead, but a few are crueler than the other... and she sure chose the cruelest one.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan | Book Review

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Heroes of Olympus #1
First Published: 2010
Paperback & Kindle
Young Adult, Mythology
Rating:

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper. His best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids”, as Leo puts it. What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea — except that everything seems very wrong.
Piper has a secret. Her father, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?
Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

You might be a bit surprised I'm only reading this now. In actuality, this was a re-read because I've finally decided to commit myself to the whole series but I can't remember all that went down in the first couple of books.

I feel kind of sad I don't have a review for the original read because it's a bit harder to compare the two experiences, but The Lost Hero fared a lot better than my re-read of the Percy Jackson series, which took months on months to happen.

The first thing I noticed, which may have gotten past me the first time around, was how smart it was of Riordan to start this series with these heroes. The first time I remember wanting the comfort of my beloved characters; Annabeth, Percy, Grover... But that's precisely why Riordan had to start the series this way. He had to first disconnect it from the Percy Jackson series, and second... make us want the next book (PERCY) like an addict needs his next fix.

What I really enjoyed in this re-read is noticing all the puns, all the play-on-words, all the little hints Riordan throws around all the time. It was discovering a new layer to the story. It was in a whole other level than PJ, I'll tell you that.

So what is the Lost Hero about? The worst enemies of the gods are stirring. And as usual, the gods need their children to do their dirty work. Which is how Jason finds himself in a school bus without any memories, with Piper and Leo who claim they're his best friends.

Jason, Piper and Leo must go on a quest to return Jason's memories, save a father and a goddess. This is the beginning of the Prophecy coming into fruition, and the enemies they're about to face are many and versatile. They will need to use all the weapons in their arsenal - beauty, brains and a whole lot of winging it - to succeed.

So how are these new heroes compared to the OGs?

I love love love Leo. He's honestly one of my favorite characters in this whole universe. He's quirky, funny, and so so lovable. The only thing I can't figure out is how many godly creations are going to tell the guys Leo is super important before everyone figure out that LEO IS NOT JUST A SIDEKICK DUMB-ASSES!

Piper is pretty cool. I adore the name because of Charmed (best tv show eva! haha) and Piper is a good character by the power of character growth alone (and other elements). She grows up a lot throughout the gang's short journey, finding a sense of confidence and comfort in herself that she lacked at first.

Then we have Jason. Jason to me is the Captain America of this series. This is not a good thing, as it took me about four movies to finally like Cap as a character, and Civil War for me to actually love him. To me, Jason is a little too perfect, which makes him boring. It wasn't until Cap was put in a test of his morals and loyalties divided that he became interesting. Jason, at this point, is just not interesting to me.

The gods and the monsters we encounter throughout the novel are top notch, as always. Riordan still manages to breathe fresh air into the mythology, with twists and turns and gods awful descriptions that you can wrinkle your nose at.

All in all, a really strong opening to a series.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa | DNF Review

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #2

First Published: 2010

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

DNF at 50%

This was such a painful review to write, you guys. I was almost 100% sure I would love this book because I really enjoyed  the first and then to have this happen... I even held a candle of hope that I'll return to finish this novel when I first wrote this review.

Alas, it was not in the stars.

I WAS BORED OUT OF MY MIND

The one thing I would've never expected in a million years of this books was to be so hella boring. Especially after the last book. Maybe it's me, because even running away from a dragon didn't manage to awaken any excitement in me.

I felt like reading my grocery list would've been more stimulating. Don't ask me why I felt this way when no one else seems to. I just did. I had to force every sentence I read, to try hold down my attention to the book one minute at a time to no avail.

I have no idea what happened. It's far easier for me to pin down what went wrong on the characters front.

I COULDN'T STAND MEGHAN. 

Where is the girl I met in The Iron King and when does she come back? Meghan was a brave, kind, clever girl. Now's she's whiny, annoying and stupid? Maybe she's a changeling? 'Cause that would've been one heck of a twist. But something tells me this is too much to hope for.

I want the girl who held her own in an unfamiliar world. The girl who fooled and outsmarted fairies and trolls. The girl who beat Machina. Not this pathetic excuse of her.

Especially not one exhibiting such a fierce case of THE BELLA SYNDROME

SPOILER ALERT! 

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa | Book Review

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #1

First Published: 2010

Library Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny--one she could never have imagined...
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school...or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth--that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face...and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Well. You can just look on my (many) GR status updates about The Iron King to see it definitely had an effect on me - I kept having things to say about it.

click here to read the rest :3

In all honesty, I wonder if this wasn't because the Iron King was my first buddy-read more than anything else. Because The Iron King was a good book, but it didn't blow my mind... And I desperately tried to hide that.

When I started this book, I pretty much knew nothing about it. The last time I read the synopsis was eons before and I was just a little too lazy to read it again or something. So I didn't know what to expect, yet I was surprised by what I got. Does that make sense?

The world of The Iron King strongly resembles that of Wicked Lovely, with its faeries, courts and michief. In my original review, I stated that I would pick this one over Wicked Lovely. That was a lie. What I actually meant was that this book would appeal more to young adults and ya lovers because of it's adventures and quirky characters. It's the book I would give my bookworm niece to read.

But on a personal level, I probably love Wicked Lovely a lot more.

Our main character is Meghan Chase, and can I just say I was very impressed by her? She shows remarkable cleverness despite the unknown world and rules she falls into, she is brave and loyal and she is such a caretaker. I just wish she'd stop promising deals without a second thought to what it may cause.

Puck/Robin is Meghan's bff. I had really mixed feelings towards him. At first glance, I loved him. But after he showed his true form and started being so harsh and mocking toward Meghan who literally knows nothing of his world instead of explaining things to her, I wanted to slap his face off.

Then there is Ash, a handsome Winter Prince. And... that's it, really. I know everyone is like *fangirl screaming voice* Aaaaaaaaaaaaashhhhhhhhhhhh *normal voice* but I don't see the appeal. He was too all over the place - one minute cold, then sweet, then bored, then caring, with barely a warning in between. Decide who you are, then come back to talk to me, mm'kay?

And because I wasn't really feeling it with Ash, I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance. Mostly because it appeared really abruptly. Where is the falling-in-love sense? Where are all the little sweet moment that make up that process? I didn't see them.

I will admit to liking the two of them together after, though. Their first kiss had me tingly all over, so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and hope they will swipe me off the feet in the next book. Oh, and here's to hoping that foreboding sense of a love-triangle will not come to fruition, or at the very least not be heavy on it.

My favorite character is not a human or a fairy though. No, my favorite character is a cat. A wickedly cool one at that. Grimalkin is the Cheshire cat of this universe and I dig it.

And finally.. Ethan. God, the adorableness! I love children in books, and Ethan is just such a cute one. Fingers crossed he is a part of the next book!

Heist Society by Ally Carter | Book Review

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society #1
First Published: 2010
Library Paperback
Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating:

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.
Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

For a while, I've been meaning to read a Carter book. She just seemed like one of those must-read authors to me, you know? Between her Gallagher Girls series and Heist Society, Heist Society caught my attention. I just liked the idea of a young thief better than a school for spies (too much like Spy Kids, for me). I'm not entirely sure I made the right choice.

Because while I enjoyed the idea of this story, I was far from thrilled with the execution.

Heist Society begins at a prestigious school - and the expulsion of one student. Her name is Katarina Bishop, but everybody besides her great Uncle Eddie call her Kat -- including her best friend (and possibly more) Hale and their crew; the brothers, Simon and Gabrielle.

Throughout the entire read, I kept wondering who the hell are these people? All these characters appear one moment, disappear the second, return the next - but we never learn about them. They are so underdeveloped, we know practically nothing about them or their pasts, why they do what they do, nothing! We very occasionally see unexplained glimpses, little references to things we don't know.

The characters are very flat, in that way, and as I never felt like I knew them - I never invested in them either. All we know about them is what's happening to them right now, making them just two dimensional--if not one dimensional--decorations. 

The trickiest part in regards to this book is the writing. I liked certain aspects of it, and hated others.

I liked: - how Carter went from the present to the past or the future for a second, giving extra information and sometimes even outright telling us what to pay attention to. To me, it was an element that kept me reading and interested.

-How Carter kept dropping bombs out of nowhere, withholding information until a certain point. It kept the read interesting because you knew Kat found something - but you have to read on to find out what.

-How the pov switched between the various characters while in operation, so we could see all the position and roles. It flowed perfectly and made the whole thing a lot more interesting.

I didn't like: - how Carter jumped placed. One moment we're in England, the next Paris, the third New York, and it's all too fast, too abrupt and without explanation. You never once saw the travel, instead you were teleported in space with no concept of time or culture to it. In fact, if Carter hadn't written the location's name each time I would've never known we were someplace else.

- The counting clock, making me feel like I was dropped in the middle of a 24 episode or something.

-How even the action wasn't exciting, to me.

It wasn't the fun read it was supposed to be, you know? 

Switched by Amanda Hocking (Part 1 - Spoiler Free) | Book Review

Switched  by Amanda Hocking

Trylle #1
First Published: 2010
Paperback
Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.
Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.
Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

Switched is a book I'd rather forget I've ever read, and there aren't many books I'd say that about. It was so bad that to this day I can rant about it as if I've just read it yesterday, and I've been too afraid to pick up another Hocking book since. 

I got this book because of the cover. I was struck with how beautiful it was, saw the summery was up my alley and my friends liked it, so it became an instant buy. But yeah, mostly cause it's supper beautiful. #Shallow

Tay-Tay knows her stuff...

Despite this fact, I had really high hopes, for all the above reasons. The last thing I thought would happen would be the intense hatred I felt toward this book. But why did I hate it? The short version: Insta love, annoying heroine, a love interest with a multiple personality disorder, and an obsessive "romance". Gah. 

And now, into the long version (what, did you think I was going to leave it at that? pffft).

First of all, Hocking's trolls are hella disappointing. Trolls are not the everyday literature heroes, and I was excited for that. But guess what? they are the farthest thing away from the big, ugly, menacing boulders of rock we're accustomed to. In fact, they just look like supermodel humans! So, not that different from everyday literary creatures...

Speaking of Trolls - Wendy is one. She's our main character, and under different circumstances (i.e were she an interesting, compelling MC), I could've ignored the aforementioned point. But no. While she started out alright, she completely lost me when she started obsessing over Finn. And I mean, really obsessing. Her only redeeming quality was how she managed to make me laugh occasionally.

Speaking of the devil... it's not often that I outright dislike a main male character. But I really did with this one, even when he was "playing nice". And frankly, he mostly wasn't. Mostly, he was a class A jerk, or he was distant. At the end, I never got what Wendy saw in the dude.

But I'll be honest, I liked almost all the supporting characters. If this trilogy was about them, I'll probably be gulping it up. Like, Tove or Rhys's stories will be fan. Or even Matt's!

Now we're moving to the REAL THING. I'm putting here the general gist of things, but if you want to see a play by play, detailed rant of the whole "romance" thing, come back to PART TWO tomorrow. 

Now, okay. Oh. My. Fucking. Tripping. God. WHY?

The romance in this book made me want to kill myself. Scratch that, kill Wendy. I just wanted it to end already! It was so insta love I can't even! 

This was one of the worst--if not the wrost--cases of insta love I've ever read of, and I couldn't find one good reason for them to fall in love! It takes her exactly four days to decided she's fallen in love with Finn, in which they barely interact. (Go to part 2 for more on this).

The "love" in this story, if you can really call it that, completely overshadowed and overpowered the plot, to the point where I felt there wasn't much of the latter. Thankfully, it eased up a bit after 100 pages, otherwise this would have been a DNF for sure.

Side note: I did enjoy their first kiss. Maybe it was because some plot has finally been dished out and diluted the romance a bit, but I'm not complaining. About this, anyways lol

Another thing I'm not complaining about is the ending, because I kind of liked it. I truly believe that if this story took a different turn (i.e: erasing the god-awful romance and focusing on the actual story), I would've liked it. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

P.S - someone, please tell me, do people really say "foxy" nowadays? Is this still a thing??

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPOILERY THOUGHTS ON THE ROMANCE! 

Something About You by Julie James | Book Review

Something About You by Julie James

FBI/US Attorney #1
First Published: 2010
Library Paperback
Adult, Contemporary
Rating:

Fate has thrown two sworn enemies...
Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends with a death. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and for nearly ruining his career.
Into each other's arms...
Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it's no joke; the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension.

I've been a fan of James's ever since I read Just the Sexist Man Alive. You can say she had me at "shit happens". So, I was ever so thrilled to get my hands on the first of her sexy FBI/US Attorney series. But did I get what I wanted coming into this book?

Why, yes. Yes I did. 

It's the kind of love story that had me thinking about it even when I wasn't reading. That had me coming with possible scenes when I had to do something else. That had me excited to find out what will happen next, and when will they finally confess for god's sake!?

All that would not have happened if I didn't just adore the characters. 

Jack is a sexy assed, brooding FBI agents, and Cameron is a strong, steel nerved US attorney.

"At least in Nebraska a man could brood in peace."

Together, they were just so entertaining. They had this half-flirt half-tease relationship from page one, with hilarious, flowing and believable dialogues. Which is undoubtly why no one believed they really hated one another and found their so called animosity amusing.

The "no one" is consisted of Wilkins and Collin, two characters I absolutely loved, and even Amy who said one of my favorite lines in the book, a line I feel represents the whole feel of this novel:

"I changed my mind, Cam. If this was all a big setup and he's coming over to strip for me, I think I can handle it."

Julie James is brilliant in making her characters real and colorful, and she definitely made me want an FBI agent all of my own. 

The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage | Book Review

The Stillburrow Crush by Linda Kage

N/A
First Published: 2010
Library Paperback
Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating:

Sixteen year old, Carrie Paxton, isn't the most popular girl in her small town of Stillburrow. But that's never concerned her before. Her life revolves around her writing, and she loves her job as the student editor of the school paper.
But when she gets assigned to interview the football team's beloved quarterback, she takes one look into Luke Carter's blue eyes and is a goner. Suddenly, she doesn't like her lowly rank so much. Then her dreamy, popular crush surprises her when he starts to act as if he likes her in return. But there's no way Luke Carter could possibly.

So, deciding to read this book didn't come easy. It was back when I'd just started reading contemporary books, and while it did sound like something I might like based on the other contemporaries I tried, the rating on GR wasn't that high, and some of the reviews I had read (and one particular spoiler that was totally out of context) made me hesitant.

But eventually, I decided to give it a shot. And good thing I did, because I really enjoyed this book!

"You have a crush on me?"
"No," I replied regally. "I just said I didn't."
"But you did before?" I had him completely baffled. "I thought I heard your brother say you had Rick Getty's picture all over your wall." I cringed. Just how much had he heard in the store? Oh well, I'd worry about that later.
"That was last year," I said. "You're the hot topic this year."
"Me?" I didn't think he was trying to be vain and draw compliments out of me, because the poor boy honestly sounded confused.
I loved it.

The book, quite surprisingly, opens up with the promise of a death. We find ourselves in the middle of a funeral, but we have no idea whose and what does it have to do with the story. Carrie, our main character and the voice of the story, starts recalling just how we got there.

The plot itself is pretty "standard" - girl at the bottom of the social pyramid meets the boy ruling said pyramid and can't help falling for his charms - and vice versa. What made the book interesting were the characters, starting with Carrie herself. 

Carrie is kind of hard to pin down, mostly because I had a love-hate relationship with her. She was kind of mean sometimes, and she had a tendency to overreact, but she was also very honest and sassy. And I love sassy. And I totally approve of how she dealt with loving Luke, even if in real life I'll probably never be able to be like her and just tell the guy I like that I do like that. 

Speaking of the love interest... he was very sweet. He wasn't the mean, bad boy jock stereotype at all. I loved how he worked to change Carrie's judgmental view of the rich people in town. Did he make some mistakes along the way? sure. But that just made him so much more real and believable. Really, I don't understand how you can dislike this guy. 

As for the two of them together? Once they started (sort of) going out, it was so extremely sweet! Luke is someone who can ground Carrie, while Carrie is someone to inspire and encourage Luke. They just... fit. And the ending on these two... I APPROVE. 

What I don't approve of is all the heartache Marty went through *sniff*. Okay, okay, I don't actually disapprove of it, this is just my broken heart speaking...

Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas | Book Review

Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas

The Hathaways #5

First Published: 2010

Kindle Bundle

Adult, Historical Romance

Rating:

She harbors a secret yearning.
As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted... and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man—just to avoid spinsterhood?

He is a world-weary cynic.
Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul—and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep... and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love—and a passion that can't be denied.

If I am completely honest - and I always thrive to be - I was surprised by how much I liked this novel. Beatrix has always been my second favorite Hathaway sibling (right after Leo) so I knew I had nothing to worry on that front, but we had very little build up toward her story in the other novels, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

What I got? Captain Christopher Phelan. I loved this guy. He returns from war a changed man, a man who no longer fits into the rule he used to occupy before, and he doesn't know what to do about it. Atop this feeling of isolation, he suffers from PTSD, which of course was a term that didn't exist at the time period of this book. So, he fears he's half mad.

The only thing keeping him going? Pru, the girl who wrote him all those honest letters while he was employed. But of course, Pru didn't write them, but Beatrix. Wonderfully free spirited, outdoorsy, compassionate and intelligent Beatrix Hathaway. 

Animals and humans alike are attracted to the unique way she looks at the world. And both cannot help but be soothed by her, which Phelan desperately needs.

The romance between them is very sweet. Beatrix is completely sure of herself and her love to Phelan. She doesn't let anything stand in the way of her showing him affection, of convincing him to take her on. To take himself on. 

And the way Phelan dotted on her was nothing short of delightful. He never spared an opportunity to show her how much he loved her once he realized who she was. Was never afraid to tell her that he did. Was never afraid to let the whole world know about it, too. 

I'm going to take myself to the corner to swoon in peace, thank you very much.

But this wonderful novel was filled with a bittersweet feeling - because I am not nearly ready to say goodbye to the Hathaways! I have binge this entire series in a week. I have become attached to this family, like they were close friends of mine. I have rejoiced in their victories and felt sorrow at their losses.

I don't want this to be the end!

Please, Kleypas, write more novels featuring this peculiar family. I will settle for stories with them as supporting characters only, anything you'd like, but give me something. I am not okay! 

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas | Book Review

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas

The Hathaways #4

First Published: 2010

Kindle Bundle

Adult, Historical Romance

Rating:

He is everything she wants to avoid...
For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters—a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges' older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response—and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.
She is not at all what she seems...
Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine's respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever—unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires...

This book was nothing short of delightful from beginning to end. Definitely my favorite Hathaway story so far, it was everything I hoped for and more!

This story has been building up since the very first book, when we met Leo Hathaway and found a broken man who loved so fiercely he didn't know how to let go. We watched him in his lowest point, we watched him rise above it, and we watch him close his heart to the idea of love from fear afterwards.

In the following installments, we met Catherine Marks. Innovative governess, steady companion and loyal friend to the Hathaway sisters. And Leo and she hit it off immediately... by wanting to cut each other's throats out. Yes, yes, it was one of those insta hate moments, which meant we immediately knew they were meant to be.

I don't know about you, but I love relationships that start with bickering and arguing. Especially when these turn into gentle, flirtatious teasing. And guess what happens in this book? It turns into gentle, flirtatious teasing!

Seriously, their relationship? The absolute best. Because they never truly hated each other. Okay, Cat convinced herself she did, but Leo has always been fascinated by Marks. His teasing of her is so precious, especially because it's obvious as hell it's done with so much affection.

Cat takes a while longer to realize this, but not too long. If you don't consider the long two books we had prior to this one, I mean.

But while I loved Cat - and I did, she's such a sweetheart and I hate that she's been around such people in her childhood, and her love toward the Hathaways is life - Leo stole this show, big time. I have loved Leo since book one, and finally as a hero he proves I was not only right to love him, but that he is such an amazing guy.

Really. Once he kisses Marks, he's gone. And for the most part, despite his fears, he's really okay with that. So okay with that, that he will seduce Marks until she agrees to marry him and god help them all. 

I cannot explain to you all how I've waited for this novel (even though I binge read all of them) and how thrilled I am that it lived up to every single expectation I had.

Also, that epilogue? Life.