Book Review: Rebel Belle - Rachel Hawkins

Ok, so Haper, the main character, in the beginning, was the teeniest bit annoying with all her needing to be perfect and staying busy. But getting more into the story, I totally understood her need to be that way. And there were some things that happened that I didn't see coming, so that was cool. 

I really find myself digging these paranormal YA stories more and more with each one that I read. I read Rachel Hawkins' other series, Hex Hall, and thought that was great too. And with the way this book ended, I'm saying bring on the next one! 

The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because, while it would make a totally awesome movie or TV series, there were some parts that felt a little over done to me. Other than that, loved it.

From the GoodReads website, "Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more."

Book Review: The Cure for the Common Breakup - Beth Kendrick

Another hit out of the ballpark for Beth Kendrick. Her books just keep getting better and better. I'm at the point where one per year doesn't suffice. :)

Black Dog Bay sounds like such an awesome place, if there isn't a town in America that's like this, there should be. I want to go there and I'm not even going through a breakup. And Beth did an excellent job of making you hate some of the characters in the beginning, but by the end of the book, showed you a different side to them that made you end up liking them. 

Beth asked people on her Facebook page the other day, if she were to write a sequel starring another character from Black Dog Bay, who would we like to see in the starring role? I had about three different ideas and am hoping that she DOES write a sequel. There's so much she could do with it. 

Can't wait for her next book, whether it's another Black Dog Bay book, or something else.

From the GoodReads website: "Welcome to Black Dog Bay, a tiny seaside town in Delaware known as "the best place in America to bounce back from your breakup." Home to Better Off Bed-and-Breakfast, the Eat Your Heart Out bakery, and the Whinery bar, Black Dog Bay offers a haven for the suddenly single.

Flight attendant Summer Benson lives by two rules: Don’t stay with the same man for too long and never stay in one place. She’s about to break rule number one by considering accepting her boyfriend’s proposal—then disaster strikes and her world is shattered in an instant.

Summer heads to Black Dog Bay, where the locals welcome her. Even Hattie Huntington, the town’s oldest, richest, and meanest resident, likes her enough to give her a job. Then there’s Dutch Jansen, the rugged, stoic mayor, who’s the opposite of her type. She probably shouldn't be kissing him. She definitely shouldn't be falling in love.

After a lifetime of globe-trotting, Summer has finally found a home. But Hattie has old scores to settle and a hidden agenda for her newest employee. Summer finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Leave Black Dog Bay behind forever, or stay with the ones she loves and cost them everything..."

Book Review: Attachments - Rainbow Rowell

I liked this story, it's really cute, and it's a great combination of story and email exchange. Lincoln, Beth and Jennifer are such great characters, I felt like they are people that I could associate with in real life. They kept me wanting to come back to the book every time I had to put it down.

It's amazing that Lincoln turned out to be the great guy that he is because his mother and sister are definitely something else! LOL

But on the whole, yes, this was a good book, and I recommend it.

From the GoodReads website, ""Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?"

Book Review: Double Click - Lisa Becker

Loved this one just as I loved the first one, and dare I hope that there may be a third book? Please say yes. 

I love reading epistolary books, for some reason, it makes them more fun to read. 

I'm so happy with the way things progressed in each of the characters' lives and I would love to know what happens next. I also love reading about the things that happened to Renee when she was younger, it cracks me up. She seems to have the worst luck sometimes.

From the GoodReads website: "Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends."

Book Review: Insurgent - Veronica Roth

Ok, MUCH better than the first book. Really kept my interest all the way through and the ending succeeded in making me want to start the third one right away. Now, I'm actually excited to watch the first movie when it's released to DVD. 

I can't say that I'm surprised that the second book is better than the first. There was A LOT of build up for A LOT of characters. I can't decide if one would be able to skip the first book and jump right in with this one or not. I kind of want to say no, you do have to get through the first one just because of all the back story needed to understand why some people feel the way they do, and why some of the things happen the way they do. I'm looking forward to the third book to really understand what's going on beyond the wall.

From the GoodReads website: "One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second installment of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature."

Book Review: Does This Boyfriend Make My Butt Look Big? - Jenna McCarthy

Meh, it was an ok story. I was irritated with the MC and her inability in the beginning to get away from the jerk guy that she was trying to hold on to. Not a big fan of novellas because the characters end up being shallow, and you can't really get into the story. It's over before you know it.

From the GoodReads website: "Abby Douglas grew up with a distant dad and a desperate hot mess of a mom. Now she’s got a thing for bad boys, a weakness for fad diets, and ironically, a job as an advice columnist. When she accidentally cheats on her supposed boyfriend with a mysterious older man, Abby’s already confusing world gets turned upside down. As she struggles to find her footing, Abby discovers that sometimes a lost cat, a furious friend, and a bag of Doritos can change everything." 

Book Review: Breaking Free - Abby Sher

Huge eye-opener into the world of sex trafficking. We've all heard about it, but I wonder how many, like myself, were unaware of how big of an issue it actually is, and all over the world too. The three women who shared their personal stories in this book are amazing and full of strength. I admire them for never giving up.

From the GoodReads website: "Somaly Mam was born in the forests of Cambodia in the early 1970’s and sold into sexual slavery by her “grandfather” before she was even twelve years old.

Maria Suarez came to America from Mexico when she was fifteen with her family. She went on a job interview to be a maid. When she got inside, her “interviewer” locked the door and told her he owned her body from that moment on.

Minh Dang was born in San Jose, California. Her house was always neat and there were bright rose bushes in her front yard. Nobody knew that behind closed doors her parents were raping and abusing her from the time she was three years old. Soon they started selling her body to neighbors as well.

These three women could easily have been voiceless victims, lost to the horrors of their own histories. Instead, they not only fought their way out of sexual slavery, they have each become leading advocates and activists in the anti-trafficking movement.

Somaly Mam began her work simply, by supplying condoms and soap to the enslaved girls. Soon she was taking girls into her own home and helping them learn a trade. Eventually, a foundation was born where young women, rescued from the sex trade, could begin new lives for themselves. Maria is a counselor for abused women in California and speaks all over the globe about her experiences and empowering women to speak out for their rights. She is also busy starting the Maria Suarez Foundation, dedicated to Prevention, Rescue and Restoration of survivors. Minh is getting her Master’s in social work and has worked as executive director of Don’t Sell Bodies with actress Jada Pinkett Smith. Minh writes and speaks internationally about what it’s like to be a survivor and on learning how to love fearlessly for the first time.

Breaking Free: True Stories of Girls Who Escaped Slavery, by award-winning author Abby Sher, recounts these women’s incredible journeys from sex slave to survivor to savior— but it doesn’t stop there. The book delves even deeper into the horrors of human trafficking, an issue at the forefront of global outreach and activism.

With help from Somaly, Maria, Minh, and many other survivors and counselors, Sher tells the riveting story of what it means to be liberated from sexual trafficking and find the trust and conviction to help educate new survivors.

Remarkable, timely, and incredibly inspiring, Breaking Free, will strike a chord with all young readers as it recounts the stories of these courageous young women who, instead of running from their pasts, choose to help those still caught in the system. It sends the powerful message that, even in the most tragic circumstances, the unwavering hope and compassion of the human spirit can and will shine through.

The book has already been hailed by activists and educators as a powerful tool for the classroom and beyond. Breaking Free Teacher’s Guides are available for educators to incorporate the book into their lesson plans and include questions and exercises aligned to the Common Core."

Book Review: Ember Island - Kimberley Freeman

Easily the best book I've read so far this year. This very well could be my gateway book into historical fiction, a genre I never had any interest in before. I love how the story alternated between the present and the late 1800's. But it wasn't just that, it was the way the story from the past and the story from the present tied together. This was definitely a book that I wanted to keep turning the page to find out what happens next and very reluctantly had to put down more often than I'd like since I haven't had a whole lot of time to read lately. I didn't want the story to be over either, but I feel that the author stopped at a great place to let me draw my own conclusions as to how Tilly and Nina's lives went on beyond the last page. 

Definitely adding the rest of Kimberley Freeman's novels to my to read list!

This is one of those, if it's not on your list, get it on there, and if it is, put it at the top type of books.

From the GoodReads website: "1890: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather's health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.

2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer's block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.
Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart."

Book Review: Pretenders - Lisi Harrison

Bring on the next in the series!! I want to know what happens next!

This was a great book! I love Epistolary books. I loved how this book showed each character as themselves and as the person they were trying to portray to their peers that they were (not sure if that made any sense, but I wasn't sure how else to write it). There are so many facets of teenage life represented, and some of it I can relate to as I remember having a crush on someone that didn't know I existed. :)

It's a fun story, that doesn't have an ending yet, and I'm glad for that. Anxiously awaiting the sequel! One of those books where you get to the last page and you're like, "What?! NO!!"

From the GoodReads Website: "Three girls, two guys, five secret journals.

The five most popular students at Noble High have secrets to hide; secrets they wrote down in their journals. Now one of their own exposes the private entries...

I am leaking these because I'm tired and I know you are too. The success bar is too high and pretending has become the only way to reach it. Instagrams are filtered, Facebook profiles are embellished, photos are shopped, reality TV is scripted, body parts get upgraded like software, and even professional athletes are cheating. The things we believe in aren't real.


We are pretenders."

Book Review: He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Guys - Lisa Winning & Carrie Henderson McDermott

Meh. Maybe if I were single, I might've put more stock into the information presented in this book. There were a few things that I clicked with, things that were similar to some of my own dating/relationship experiences that shed some light on the guy's behavior. And it would've been nice to know that then, and saved myself some mental anguish, but oh well, what's in the past is in the past. 

On the other hand, if you are single and slightly neurotic, this book may help you figure out some guys' digital behavior. Keep in mind I said, "digital," because we all know that guys can say and do things in person that can confuse the hell out of us as well. 

The book reads kind of like a magazine article, which is no surprise as one of the authors is a former Glamour employee. Each author, along with three different guys weigh in on each subject. The guys' points-of-view can be helpful, but at the same time, if you're not a twenty-something, maybe not so helpful. Some of the advice is very specific to this age group and to women that do not have kids. I understand they're just generalizing, but it seems like it was just the stereotype they were giving advice to. Maybe they could've branched out a bit to include different situations - single mothers, women taking care of family members, etc., etc. 

From the GoodReads website: "The He's Just Not That Into You for the iPhone generation: frank, funny, and refreshingly helpful guide to dating in the age of social media from the creators of the wildly popular blog HeTexted.com.

As Glamour magazine writes, "There are two types of women in the world: 1) Women who've gotten a vague or confusing text message from their crush and analyzed how to respond for hours with their girlfriends (But what does this mean?); and 2) Liars." Today, where everyone is plugged into social media 24/7, lines are blurred and a ton of new confusion exists about whether or not a guy is into you. As any woman who's recently been on a date knows, no one leaves home without his or her phone, and it is literally on the table or in use at some point on every date. So how can women use social media and texting to their advantage and suss out his true feelings?He Texted is here to clear up any mysteries about texting, friending, following, liking, LOLing, and poking that have become commonplace in the smartphone era.

Founders of HeTexted.com Lisa Winning and Carrie Henderson McDermott and their stable of "Bros" go through the most common and confusing romantic cyber situations using actual text exchanges. Offering concrete advice, they'll explain what's really going on in each scenario on a practical and emotional level, lay down a verdict about the guy's intentions, and establish clear-cut rules for any present and future conduct. Hilarious and helpful in equal measure, this is the book that everyone who texts, Tweets, or uses Facebook should own.

My Fair Godmother - Janette Rallison

This is one of those books that put a smile on my face when it ended. I love fairy tale stories, they satisfy the kid in me. And this was a cute rendition on the whole Fairy Godmother thing. Only Savannah's is just a Fair Godmother since she didn't do very well in Fairy Godmother school. Basically, Savannah ends up in a couple different fairy tales and once she gets back home, she thinks it's over. Only to find that it isn't.

Very entertaining, a fun, quick read great for the beach or a vacation, or whenever you want to read something to escape day-to-day life. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next one.

From the GoodReads website: "After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrysanthemum Everstar: Savannah's gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Despite a few wish-granting mishaps, Savannah's fairy-tale ending might not be as far off as she imagined."

Book Review: Divergent - Veronica Roth

Ok, I had wanted to read this for some time and never got around to it. Since I heard about the movie being made, it slowly eeked up to the top of my To Read list. And finally, now that the movie is out, and with the help of a coupon to use Audible for three months for $0.95, I was able to read, er, listen to it.

From the GoodReads website: "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves.... or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series - dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance."
This is actually more of a 3 1/2 stars (out of 5) rating for me. I liked it, but I didn't love it. The first 60% was just so slow. I understand there's a need for character and plot development, and knowing that this is a series is the only thing that kept me going on it. It's a good thing I listened to the audiobook because if I was reading it, I probably would've stopped. 

As I've said before, I love YA Dystopian reads, and I'm sure I'll love the second book more than the first one. I was actually considering not seeing the movie until it got down to the last quarter of the book. 

Going back to my character development comment, there are a lot of main and secondary characters that you're introduced to in this book, and they all play an important role in the story at some point. 

One thing that I'm wondering about is that it sounds like it takes place in what used to be Chicago. And so far, that's the only area that has been mentioned in the book. What about the rest of the world? Are these the only people left at this time? Does every city operate with these five factions? Was that explained at some point and I missed it? 

In any case, I am set to see the movie and ready to read the next book.

Book Review: The Here and Now - Ann Brashares

This is another gem from Net Galley. :)

From the GoodReads website: "An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year."

I am totally in love with the YA Dystopia genre! I haven't read a book yet that I haven't liked and this is one more to add to that list. 

Prenna and Ethan are great characters, I loved the twists in the plot that made me say, "Oh!" out loud. Reading about things that happen (and are always a possibility) in the not so distant future was super interesting. It made me think about how old I will be at that time and what life could be like if these things actually happened. 

Well written story, well written characters. I had not yet read anything by Ann Brashares so I wasn't sure what to expect. Though I had seen the Traveling Pants movies and thought they were good, so I figured it had to be good. Didn't count on it being excellent. I am not a fan of science, I find it pretty boring, this book made me want to actually Google some of the concepts that were discussed. 

A definite add to your to read list, you don't want to miss out on this one.

Book Review: Happily Ever After - Elizabeth Maxwell

I was contacted by the publisher directly to ask if I was interested in receiving a copy of this book in return for a review. Again, free? Absolutely! I have one other book from the same publisher that I hope to read soon, and I also hope that I hear from them again!

From the GoodReads website: "In this witty, sexy tale, an erotic novelist meets the fictional hero of her most recent book in real life, and must decide whether she wants to get him back between the pages—or between her sheets.At forty-six, Sadie Fuller’s life isn’t exactly romantic. A divorced, overweight, somewhat sexually frustrated mother of an eleven-year-old, she lives in the suburbs, shops the big box stores, makes small talk with her small-minded neighbors, and generally leads a quiet life. But while her daughter is at school, or when Sadie is up late at night, she writes erotic fiction under the name KT Briggs. 

Then, during a routine shopping trip, Sadie runs into someone familiar…too familiar, in fact. She encounters an incredibly handsome man exactlylike the one in her imagination—and her latest novel. Is Aidan Hathaway really one of her characters? And if so, what is he doing in Target? As Sadie tries to negotiate this strange new world, her eyes begin to open to romantic possibilities in places she never dreamed of looking... places where Happily Ever After might not be so far-fetched after all."

A book about an author whose characters turn up in reality? Awesome! Not something I've come across before with all the books that I've read. So entertaining, and I would love to read more like this. 

The MCs were well developed and felt like people that I might know, with the exception of the fictional characters that came into reality, of course. The plot was so fun, it made me want to be a part of the story. :)

I loved the characters, even the snoopy next door neighbor. Even though she irritated me, I was able to feel bad for her once Sadie caught her spying on them at Central Park. For a while, I thought Gretta, the housekeeper, was behind Clarissa, but that turned out not to be. And I loved, absolutely loved, that Lily decided to do what was best for her and go her own path. Turns out the story had two strong female leads. :) 

Definitely add this to your to read list, it's perfect for a vacation, a day at the beach, or pretty much any time you want an entertaining read.

Book Review: Chat Love - Justine Faeth

Justine Faeth posted in my online book group asking if anyone wanted a free ecopy of her book in return for an honest review. Free? Of course! And I love being able to give positive feedback to authors. I will definitely look for more from her.

From the GoodReads website: "City girl Lucia is having trouble finding a man. With a few nudges from her friends, she decides to try out Chat Love, an online dating service for New Yorkers. Hilarity ensues with one disastrous date after another…where do these men come from? Mars? Certainly not Manhattan! She finally meets someone from work who is almost perfect, but decides to move on as he’s still seeing other women. She keeps in contact with a man named Jack on the Chat Love site. Could he be the one? What about her love interest at work? Just like the lovable cast of characters from Sex and the City, Lucia is Carrie, a stylish woman who has found her “Mr. Big” but can’t seem to get him to commit. Danni is Samantha, who loves to have fun and is wild and promiscuous. Autumn is Charlotte, desperate to meet the right man and settle down. Skyler is Miranda, level-headed and quick to offer advice. Will these ladies ever find love? Will Lucia find her man? Chat Love will give you something to talk about!"

If you've ever met someone from the internet, you should enjoy this story. Having been on a few of the dating websites in the past, and I actually had some luck as I met my boyfriend on one, I loved the story, internet dating is becoming more and more common and I love reading about all the good and bad dates that come from it. 

Even though I could tell where the story was going, and figured out a few of the couples that ended up pairing up before they did, I still enjoyed reading how they got there. It's a fun, quick read with a lot of laughs and some romance that we all love. 

Definitely add to your to read list!

Book Review: Don't Even Think About It - Sarah Mlynowski

This book, I was fortunate enough to receive an Advanced Reader ECopy through Net Galley, as she is one of my favorite authors.

From the GoodReads webiste: "Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening."
I'm a sucker for YA, especially when it involves some sort of paranormal element. The whole telepathy thing is not something I've encountered in any of the YA books that I've read so far so I thought it was awesome, and it made me way more aware of the thoughts that go through my head every day. I can only imagine the pros and cons of having telepathy, and most of those were pointed out in this story. Not only was I more aware of my thoughts, but it made me start to think about what may be in other peoples' heads as I'm talking to them. LOL!

It would've been cool to get a little more background on how some of the flu shot batches got botched, but that info isn't all that integral to the story - it'd just be for the nerd in me. :) I can almost see a second book out of this. Not entirely sure from what angle, but I think it would be possible. 

Add this to the list of Sarah Mlynowksi books that I have really enjoyed (which has been every single one I've read, lol)! It's good for a quick beach vacation read, or a stay-cation read.

Book Review: Must Love Dogs - Claire Cook

Normally, I try to read the book before I watch the movie because we all know the books are better, right? So wait, thinking about it....maybe I shouldn't do that since Hollywood takes its liberties....maybe it is actually better to see the movie, THEN read the book? Yes? No? Your thoughts?

From the GoodReads website: "Ready to put her divorce behind her, Sarah Hurlihy is not sure where she's headed, or if she'll survive the journey. It takes a few wrong men--and some tangles with a St. Bernard--before Sarah appreciates the riotous ride she's on. Now a major motion picture starring Diane Lane ("Under the Tuscan Sun")."

Anyway, I saw the movie YEARS ago and I liked it. Recently, I decided to read (or attempt to) all the books on a top 100 chick lit book list that I found, and a similar one with the top 100 authors. This book killed two birds with one stone and I'm so glad I came across the list because I was able to add another author to my list of want-to-read-more-from-them.

I liked it. I liked Sarah's character, even if she was confused most of the time. I had already watched the movie before reading the book, but it was so long ago, that I don't really remember it. My favorite character is probably Sarah's dad, he's such a lovable cad! And the rest of the characters just felt like real people, people that I might know. They were very well written. I look forward to reading the sequel.

Book Review: Unenchanted - Chanda Hahn

What a superfun read! Love the new take on Grimm's Fairytales. And I'm a sucker for fairy tales, so if there's a new spin on it, I'm reading it.

From the GoodReads website: "Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim.
To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end."
Can't wait to read the rest in the series and see how far she gets with the tales, and the rest of the crazy characters she's bound to meet. This is probably going to be one of those series that I'm not going to want to end.

Book Review: The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal - Laurie Notaro

I've read a few of her non-fiction and fiction books and liked them better. This one....I don't know, there were parts that made me laugh out loud, one part that made me cry, and quite a few where I was ready for the chapter to end quicker than it did. I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I did some of the others. Another one of those, it-feels-almost-like-a-chore-to-read-it-books. 

From the GoodReads website: "Laurie Notaro has an uncanny ability to attract insanity–and leave readers doubled over with laughter. In The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death, she experiences the popular phenomenon of laser hair removal (because at least one of her chins should be stubble-free); bemoans the scourge of the Open Mouth Coughers on America’s airplanes; welcomes the newest ex-con (yay, a sex offender!) to her neighborhood; and watches, against her own better judgment, every Discovery Health Channel special on parasites and tapeworms that has ever aired–resulting in an overwhelming fear that a worm the size of a python will soon come a-knocking on her back door."

Book Review: Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

This is the case of constantly hearing about an author and finally getting around to reading one of their books.

From the GoodReads website: "Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

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

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

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."
Love it, love it, love it. That's what I thought while reading this book. Then when I was done, "WOW!" This is another book that should be moved to the top of your To Read list. 

The life that Eleanor had to live, the things she had to deal with not only at school, but at home....I don't think I've read a book from that perspective before. Yes, I've read books where a kid gets made fun of at school, and from their perspective. But to throw in the kinds of experiences she had at home....just, wow. I loved her character, and I loved Park's character. And I seriously wanted to be able to throttle Eleanor's mother - stupid, stupid woman. 

But again, you seriously need to read this soon if it's on your To Read list, and if it's not, get it on there! :)

Can't wait to read more of her books!