Wicked Sweet by Mar'ce Merrell

Title: Wicked Sweet
Author: Mar'ce Merrell
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Received: From publisher for review

Summary: 
Chantal is a planner, and her summer-before-senior-year plan requires best friend Jillian, resumé updating, and studying for AP classes. Jillian wants something different and is afraid to leave introverted Chantal in the dust. All that changes, though, when popular classmates Parker and Will suspiciously start hanging out with the girls.

Chantal only sees one thing: Jillian ditching her for Parker—a guy who can’t even be trusted! Chantal hatches a new plan, one that will expose Parker and Will for what they truly are, and along the way, get her best friend back with the littlest lie and a lot of mouthwatering cake. After all, what are best friends for? 

Review: 
I picked up this book because of the cover. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover but we all do it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the cover fit the book perfectly.

One thing I didn't know about Wicked Sweet was that it is told in alternate points of view of not only Chantal and Jillian but also, occasionally, Parker and Will. I liked this because it let me understand the boys' motivation and made them slightly more sympathetic characters.

Chantal's pov was my favorite because it seemed to me that she had the most story to tell. It also could have been because I related with her the best. I found Jillian kind of annoying and I didn't understand some of her decisions. Though her situation was very difficult I found her to be floppy but she grew up towards the end which I appreciated.

My favorite part had to have been when Chantal would bake. I am a baker so I could definitely relate, though it kind of made me hungry. I also enjoyed the scheme she came up with, it was fun to see what she would do next.

Overall this was a really cute and fun book filled with lessons of learning about yourself and not only focusing on other people.

52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica Brody

Title: 52 Reasons to Hate my Father

Author: Jessica Brody

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux

Release Date: July 3, 2012
Received From: Publisher in return for a honest review

Summary:

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.
Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.
In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

Review:

52 Reasons to Hate My Father was a really good book. While I was reading it I totally felt like it could be one of the many out of control heiresses that are always on TV. It was really fun to see Lexi’s life change and her finally understand the point of her life.

Watching Lexi navigate her new jobs and learn to have responsibility is really interesting. She has some of the same thoughts that I would have if placed in a similar situation, and she even likes some of the jobs. Though I wish we had gotten to see her in action a little more. I also adored the little transcripts she had to make for Luke regarding her jobs. They were highly entertaining and they were almost my favorite part of the novel. Also Luke added so much to the story and I loved getting to know him.


I also liked getting to know some of her coworkers and i wish we had gotten to see that side of her a little more, but what we got I loved.

 

 

Now Lexi is not just some shallow, spoiled brat. I mean she is but there is also a deeper level to her motivations and psyche. I enjoyed unraveling the motivations behind her behavior along with her. Because ultimately she wants to find out about her father and why he is so distant as well as understand his relationship with her mother.

 

 

So while Jessica Brody has written a fluffy book in 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, she has also written a book that talks about why people shut themselves off when something happens, and the ramifications of those actions.

I enjoyed 52 Reasons to Hate my Father, though I wish there had been more looks into her jobs. I definitely recommend if you want a fluffy, hilarious book with some backbone!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter + Giveaway

SPOILERS FOR THE GODDESS TEST! The Goddess Test Review HERE

Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Received: For Review

Summary: 
KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, SHE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone. 

Review: 
I really enjoyed The Goddess Test. So I was super excited to read Goddess Interrupted, and I have to say it did not disappoint! In fact I even think that I might have liked Goddess Interrupted even more than The Goddess Test, which is a huge deal.

So obviously Aimee Carter does not fall to the dreaded lame second book curse. Though one of the problems I had with the first book was still annoying in Goddess Interrupted. I still wish we had gotten to know Henry more. I know that we learned a little but since he was mostly gone in this book we still don't know him very well. But there is an excerpt at the end from Henry's point of view which gave me a better understanding of who he is.

In Goddess Interrupted we got to meet Persephone, as well as getting to explore the Underworld. I loved learning more about the Underworld and how it worked and I hope we can get even more f that in the next book. Persephone while starting out annoying and vapid, became a sympathetic character and I really like how Aimee Carter was able to do that.

I think Kate starting coming into her own and finding out her place in the Underworld. And then she was slammed with conflict. I was genuinely surprised by the twist at the end and I cannot wait for the next book.

I could not put Goddess Interrupted down. I had to know what was going to happen. I think ti would be a great summer read because its not too long but its full of tension. I definitely recommend that you run and pick this up!

I also have a copy of Goddess Interrupted up for grabs!

Rules:

U.S. and Canada Only

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Fierce Reads comes to Houston!

Today Macmillan's Fierce Reads comes to Houston Texas!

The Fierce Reads tour consists of quite a few amazing authors, and even if you cannot make one of the stops you should totally read all of their amazing books!

The authors participating include:
Anna Banks (Of Poseidon)
Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone)
Jennifer Bosworth (Struck and the Tor.com story “Prophet”)
Emmy Laybourne (Monument 14)

As well as some other authors at select stops. The authors who are going to be at the Houston stop are the ones listed above as well as Ann Aguirre (Enclave).

I will be attending the Houston stop and I cannot wait! If you are going to be there be sure to say hi I would love to meet you.

The rest of the tour stops are as follows starting with the Houston stop!
Wednesday June 13, 7:00 pm: Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX
Fierce Reads Authors
Thursday June 14, 7:00 pm: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL
Fierce Reads Authors
Friday June 15, 6:00pm: Schuler’s Books, Lansing, MI
Fierce Reads Authors
Saturday June 16, 4:00pm: Barnes & Noble, Pensacola, FL
Fierce Reads Authors
Sunday June 17, 4:00pm: Oblong Books & Records, Rhinebeck, NY
Fierce Reads Authors
Monday June 18, 6:00pm: Books of Wonder, New York, NY
Fierce Reads Authors
Thursday June 28, 7:30pm: Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego, CA
Leigh Bardugo for Shadow and Bone

I will do a recap of the tour stop for those of you who cannot go but if you can you should totally go!

 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Received: From publisher for review


Summary:
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Review:
Nothing gets me more excited than picking up a fantasy novel and diving right in. I love completely immersing myself in a whole new world. One that I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams. So I was super excited to read Leigh Bardugo's debut Shadow and Bone.

I'm not going to lie, the very beginning of Shadow and Bone was slow, and slightly confusing. But it wasn't a big deal because after a while it all fell back into place.

The Grisha were very interesting. The whole group was shrouded in mystery, and while we got a taste of what they are like in this book, I cannot wait to find out even more in the next book.

Leigh Bardugo was very good at getting me distracted so I would focus on one thing while a whole new thing was unfolding right under my nose. She was very good at showing instead of telling and I really appreciated that.

The Darkling was very appealing to me. I loved learning more about him and he totally surprised me again and again. I also liked Mal. When he first arrived I felt like he popped out of nowhere but I like the way it was revealed that he was woven into the story. Leigh was very good at making most of the characters vital to the plot rather than just statues in the plot.

Overall I would recommend this book to lovers of fantasy as well as people who are looking to get into fantasy, just beware of the very beginning!

Also here is the beautiful trailer:

Mostly Good Girls

Title: Mostly Good Girls

Author: Leila Sales

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: October 5, 2010

Received From: Borrowed from Friend

Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Violet is doing her best to juggle the academic, social, and extracurricular stresses of junior year at an elite prep school, in this fresh, funny debut novel.

Review: 
 I had heard super great things about Mostly Good Girls but I had never gotten around to reading it, until now.


Mostly good girls is a riot. It is so much fun and you will not want to stop reading until the very last page. Violet and Katie's relationship is so heartfelt and genuine that you can't help falling in love with both of them.


I have a relationship that is very similar to Violet and Katie's relationship at the beginning so I could totally understand the dynamic and I loved their projects.


Another one of the great things about Mostly Good Girls was Violet's sense of humor, I felt that it was similar to my sense of humor and I loved her little jabs and her commentary on life.


I felt that the evolution of Katie and Violet's relationship was very believable. I won't give anything away but I really liked the way it played out.


Overall you need to read this book. Violet and Katie are your key for bundles of laughs, and you won't regret picking it up!

Point of Origin by Amanda Havard + a Giveaway

Title: Point of Origin

Author: Amanda Havard

Publisher: Chafie Press

Release Date: June 12, 2012
Received From: Publicist for blog tour

Summary:  Spoilers for first book!

The winter is upon us. The Survivors are in chaos. The war is coming.
One year ago, Sadie Matthau was living among humans, existing as one of them. But now she wakes each morning in a house in the Survivors’ City, listening to the invocations and insults of her family members as they cope with their new future. A war. Rogue abandoners turned monsters. Sadie and the icy Winters living in their midst, bringing the outside world in.
The Survivors: Point of Origin is Sadie’s quest to save her family. But can she find what she is looking for when she can barely stomach the Winters’ wintry demeanor and finds herself distracted by Cole Hardwick’s warm heart? Will she be able to uncover her family’s history even as the elders’ grip tightens around her throat? In an action packed ride full of magic and misery, terror and triumph, Sadie Matthau seeks the Survivors’ beginning just in time to face her end.

Review:

As I was reading this book the thought that kept coming to my mind was “Amanda Havard is brilliant” because she totally is. She had created a world in the Survivors series that is our own but re-imagined into something so different and vibrant it could totally take place in another world.

I enjoyed Point of Origin even more than The Survivors. I guess because I was already invested in the story and was dying to know what would happen next. I also grew to like certain characters even more in this book, for example, I didn’t really care for Mark in the first book but I adored him in Point of Origin. He really blossomed as a character for me and I liked getting to know him better. I also liked that Cole was in this one even more. I am 100% team Cole.

The mythology of The Survivors Series is so complex and beautifully written. I could legitimately spend hours reading about the mythology and how it all ties together.

Sadie really come into her own in Point of Origin, yeah she is plagued with doubts but we also get to see her grow, not only as a basic character, but as a Survivor.

This series is a must read for lovers of Paranormal and even Fantasy. I could not put it down and cannot wait for the next book!

Make sure to check out my review of The Survivors and then enter this giveaway for a signed copy of both The Survivors and Point of Origin. Then be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour here:  http://amandahavard.com/press/blogtour

Rules:

The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada

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The Survivors by Amanda Havard

Title: The Survivors

Author: Amanda Havard

Publisher: Chafie Press

Release Date: March 29, 2011
Received From: Publicist for blog tour

Summary:

In 1692, when witch trials gripped the community of Salem, Massachusetts, twenty-six children were accused as witches, exiled, and left for dead. Fourteen of them survived.

The Survivors is the first installment of the tantalizing tales of the fourteen ill-fated Survivors and their descendants, who have been content in hiding for over three centuries. Isolated on a Montana mountainside, only Sadie, the rogue daughter, dares to abandon the family’s sacred hiding place. But no matter how far Sadie runs, something always pulls her back.

On a muggy summer night in Tennessee, she witnesses a shocking scene that will change her life forever. It is the first in a sequence of events that will drag her from the human world she’s sought to belong to for over a century and send her back to her Puritanical family and into an uncertain future filled with cunning witches, mysterious nosferatu shape-shifters, dangerous eretica and vieczy vampires, millennia-old mythology, and the search for her own mortality. After all…

HOW DO YOU KILL A SURVIVOR?

The Survivors will steal your heart and invade your mind. Fall into the pages of Sadie’s life, a world so frighteningly similar to your own, you’ll find yourself wanting to go to the Montana mountains to find the Survivors for yourself.

And it is only the beginning.

Review:

I am one of the people who is tired of paranormal books. They are getting old and many have the same elements of the other ones I’ve read. But I am always willing to try another one in the hope that I will find something AMAZING. Well I did. The Survivors is so good. It reminded me why I enjoyed reading paranormal to begin with.

I’m no going to lie. The beginning of the book was on the slow side. But one I was introduced to some other players besides just Sadie I was drawn in and could not wait to find out what would happen next.

Sadie was an interesting narrator. She was smart and I liked finding out what her talents were, through her using them instead of just being told. It’s like they always say show not tell. And Amanda Havard did a great job of that!

Ginny was also one of my favorite characters, she was spunky and I think she was a perfect complement to Sadie. I also adored Cole and I wish he was in it more.

The Survivors themselves were very interesting and I enjoyed finding out more about them, even though we weren’t given much. Hopefully we will get to understand them better, and their background more in the next book.

This book was breathtaking. I could not put it down and was sad when I had to go out because I wanted to know what would happen next. I definitely recommend you pick it up!

Make sure you check out this post for my review of Point of Origin as well as a giveaway!