Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Awake by Natasha Preston | Book Review

Awake by Natasha Preston


Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Don't miss the latest gripping, high-stakes thriller from Wattpad sensation Natasha Preston, author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Cellar


Of course, the dress was white. This is what I'm supposed to die in, I thought. Not many people knew what their last outfit would be.
I pulled it over my head. It fit me perfectly. It had long, loose fitting sleeves, a modest neckline, and waves of material on the skirt. I hated it.
There were no shoes, and I was afraid I'd have to run through the forest barefoot but there weren't a lot of options. Besides, I'd run barefoot over a bed of nails to get away.
"Scarlett, are you ready?" he called.
I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. Time to fight for my life.
Scarlett Garner doesn't remember anything before the age of four-until a car accident changes everything. She starts to remember pieces of a past that frighten her. A past her parents hid from her...and a secret that could get her killed.

Cover: The cover of this novel is very similar to that of The Cellar with the flower and dark background.  There is also some barbed wire over the flower, as a symbol of keeping it in, or keeping the members of Eternal Light in the commune.

My Review: This book was absolutely riveting.  I knew early on that Noah needed Scarlett for something and that she was going to be sacrificed, but my mind instantly went to the supernatural, like vampires or something.  The fact that it was a cult was astounding to me.  I tend to forget that cults are actually real and not something that used to be or just something for a good TV storyline.  It was absolutely genius.  Also, Noah and Scarlett were just so cute, which is exactly how I felt about Summer and Lewis so I guess I just really like the couples Natasha Preston is able to come up with.  And the fact that Noah was able to turn away from everything he ever knew for her must have been so hard.  We believe what we're taught and although it may be easy for outsiders to think that human sacrifice is horrific and has no effect on our lives, human sacrifice was a very common thing at one point in time across many different cultures.  Coming out of the cult for Noah would be like if someone explained to you one day that two plus three was actually seven.  It would go against everything you've ever been taught and not many people would be willing to have their minds changed like that.  But Noah, like Scarlett's nonbiological parents, was able to take a step back and question everything he ever knew.  And because of that he was able to save Scarlett's life.  This book was super interesting and I would 100% recommend it, but I do think it needs a sequel and I have a fees reasons.  First of all, Noah and Scarlett are super cute and I would love to read more about them.  Second, the ending is set up with the cliffhanger that Scarlett is going to do whatever it takes to find Evelyn, and because she wasn't found by the time of the epilogue I think it needs to happen in a new novel.  Lastly, when Scarlett is waiting to see Noah in the hospital a nurse says that thirty-seven of Eternal Light were found, but there were thirty-eight without Noah and Scarlett which means someone got away and I think it's Finn.  He just seemed to know more than he let on.  Scarlett was wary of him when she was talking to him.  And he never adjusted to living outside of the commune and his brother was the reason the sacrifice got away, the cult was disbanded, and his father was arrested, so if anyone was out for revenge I think Finn would be it.  What do you think?

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx     


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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Nothing More by Anna Todd | Book Review

Nothing More by Anna Todd



Reading Group: Anyone who read the After Series

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Living, Loving, And Growing Up In The Big City
New York's skyscrapers and hectic pace are a far cry from where Landon Gibson grew up, and the transition to New York University has been jarring.  But he's getting the hang of things, found a job that pays (some of) the bills, enjoys school, and only occasionally runs into his ex, Dakota.  You know, the one he chose NYU for . . . before she dumped him.

Luckily, his best friend, Tessa, shares a (terribly small) Brooklyn apartment with him.  And given the ups and downs she's had with her own ex, she's a good listener* when he finds himself in something of a love triangle -- a love knot?  Whatever it is, it's a mess.  An exciting mess.  Maybe even an addicting mess, because beautiful girls.

Being young and finding your way in the world is hard.  Landon's always been a positive person.  But in such a loud, demanding city so far away from home means you only get by with a little help from your friends.  And a good pair of headphones.

Landon's going to be okay . . . but the journey sure will be fun to watch.    

*This is weird to me because Landon doesn't talk to her about it much at all.  He actually chooses to keep her out of it because he knows she's in a weird place with Hardin.

Cover: This cover doesn't really have anything to do with the actual book, but it is very pretty.  And it looks like when someone takes a picture of a light, with the out of focus circles that form, which could maybe represent the lights of New York City.

My Review:  Oh sweet, beautiful Landon, what did you get yourself into?  This new book by Anna Todd follows Landon as he tries to navigate old and new flames . . . who hate each other . . . and are roommates.  Small world we live in.  First off, Nora is definitely who Landon ends up with and Dakota is definitely bagging Aiden.  I think this way because at Landon's wedding in After Ever Happy there's something about the bride's sister, but Dakota doesn't have a sister, so it can't be her and Nora does have a sister.  Also the Dakota and Aiden thing is something I have a hunch about because they know each other and she spun for him at the beginning of the book and there's a moment when Landon notices his hickeys and why would Todd bother putting that in the book if it was nothing.  Landon is so sweet, but he's holding onto the past whenever he's with Dakota.  It's all he thinks about.  How they used to do something and memories from Michigan, but the memories are from five years ago and they're different people and it's time to move on.  Which is something I think is really hard for Landon because he is one who loves someone forever, but I think he needs to realize that the love he has for Dakota is no longer romantic love, but more familial love.  Although it hasn't gotten into a lot of detail yet, it is clear that he and Dakota have been through things that will make them permanently linked, it doesn't mean they need to end up married.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out in Nothing Less.  Plus, how perfect would it be for Landon t end up with a pastry chef when he's mom was also a great baker and Landon is the first to admit that's she's one of his best friends.  I think Nora is exactly who Landon needs to get out of his own head and move past Michigan and Washington.   
Although this is the beginning of a new series and you don't necessarily need to read the After Series to read this book I definitely think that you should.  It just helps to know more about Tessa's situation and how she and Landon got to New York.  This book is definitely a slower pace than those books as well, but Landon is not Hessa in any way so that makes sense, but it kind of a shock to move from those books to this one.    


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Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Beautiful by Christina Lauren | Book Review

Beautiful by Christina Lauren 



Reading Group: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: A FREE-SPIRITED GIRL IN NEED OF A BREAK.
A MAN WEIGHED DOWN BY RESPONSIBILITY.
A ROAD TRIP VACATION WHERE ALL BETS ARE OFF.
OH, AND A LOT OF WINE.

After walking in on her boyfriend shagging another girl in their place, Pippa Bay Cox ditches London for the States to go on a drunken road trip with Ruby Miller and some of her Beautiful friends.

Scaling the career ladder is the default way to deal with heartbreak—and to just deal—for Jensen Bergstrom. Absolutely buried by his drive and workload, he rarely takes time for himself. But when his sister Hanna convinces him to join the gang on a two-week wine tour, he has a rare moment of cutting loose. Of course, it’s only once he’s committed that he realizes the strange girl he met briefly on the plane is coming along, too. She might be too much for him…or he might realize his life has become too small and needs her to make it bigger, crazier.

With this circle of friends there’s always something going on: from Chloe and Sara’s unexpected personality swaps to Will’s new domestic side to Bennett’s text message barrage and George’s own happily-ever-after. In short, their adventures in love, friendship, and hilarity are nothing short of Beautiful.


Cover: The cover of this book is your typical Beautiful Series cover with the man who's image gets cut off at the face.  However, the binding of this book is orange, not black which always reminds me of the Wild Seasons books. 

My Review: You guys all know how much I love Christina Lauren books and this one was no exception.  Jensen and Pippa seem to be polar opposites, but somehow they're able to make it work.  In essence, this is your typical Christen Lauren book: hook up, admit real feelings, break up over something stupid, get back together, live happily ever after.  However, this book does that while incorporating all of the other Beautiful Series cast more than any of the previous books.  Jensen and Pippa are on vacation with some of them, Bennett is at home freaking out because Chloe's being too nice, and Max and Sara are aren't in it too much, but they're talked about and make a few appearances.  This story also takes place in new England and Jensen lives in Boston, which is where I'm from and I always love when books take place in Boston.  The one thing that made me a little sad was that Jensen didn't have a nickname for Pippa.  In all of the other books the boys came up with nicknames for the girls: Chloe was Mills, Sara was Petal, Hannah was Plum, Ruby was Darling/Dove (which I know isn't a specific nickname but it's something), and then in the Wild Seasons Mia was Cherise, Harlow was (Ginger)Snap, Lola was Lola Love/Pet, and London was Logan.  It came to be something I looked forward too, so I was a little disappointed there was no nickname for Pippa, but it doesn't change my opinion of the book.  This story was great with its meddling family, exes, and vacation vs. real life elements that I think a lot of people can relate to.  I loved the epilogues!  I think it was such a nice way to end everyone's stories and I loved that a lot of them were in the point of view of the boys because for some reason that I can't describe I always like reading the male POV better.  I'm sad to see that both the Wild Season and Beautiful Series are over now, but I am very excited to see what Christina Lauren comes up with next!


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Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Twisted by Hannah Jayne | Book Review

Twisted by Hannah Jayne


Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Guilty until proven innocent...


Bex has always been her daddy's little girl. After her mother left, it was just the two of them. Sure he spoiled her with clothes and jewelry, but what father doesn't dote on his daughter?
Except Bex's dad is alleged to be a notorious serial killer. Dubbed "The Wife Collector" by the press, her father disappeared before he could stand trial. And Bex was left to deal with the taunts and rumors. Foster care is her one chance at starting over, starting fresh.
But Bex's old life isn't ready to let her go. When bodies start turning up in her new hometown, the police want to use her as bait to bring her father in for questioning. Is Bex trapping a serial killer or endangering an innocent man?
Cover: The cover of this book shows a standard backyard with someone standing in the shadows.  The person is standing just outside the light and it's hard to tell which way they're facing.  The person could be facing the light, debating whether or not to make themselves known, or they could be facing the shadows, wanting to remain hidden. 

My Review: This was a great book.  Bex wants a normal life, but to have it she basically needs to lie about her entire life before she goes to her foster parents.  Her dad is an alleged serial killer and Bex wants to believe he didn't do it.  She wants to believe he was framed and that someday they can be together again and be a family.  Reading the novel it's pretty clear that Bex is in denial about the fact that her dad murdered multiple women, but I think that goes to show that we know a good version of someone we don't want to believe there's a bad version.  Especially when it's a parent because they're our protectors and they taught us our morals and we're fifty percent of each of them so if one of them is a serial killer is it more likely for their kid to become one too?  Plus, being a product of a killer isn't exactly a brag so Bex doesn't want anyone to know who she is, but the constant worrying of who knows what spikes her anxiety to high levels and she always seems to be paranoid.  I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to friends, but the one thing I wish was in more detail was Zach's character.  He definitely knew more than he let on, and Bex thinks she sees the light of his camera when she and her friends find a body, but his character just kind of disappears.  I wish he was more than a character used to throw the reader off because even though I didn't think he was bad, I thought he could have been more important than he was.  

What creepy books are you reading this October??


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