Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren | Book Review

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!  I HOPE YOU ALL GET TO SEE SOME FIREWORKS THIS WEEK!

Reading Group: 18+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: Everyone knows that all’s fair in love and war. But these two will learn that sabotage is a dish best served naked.

The first standalone romance by New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard) is a sexy, compulsively readable romantic comedy that dives headlong into the thrill and doubt of modern love.

Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.

But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?

Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love/hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending, or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, hilarious story of romance in the modern world.

Cover: This cover is very Christina Lauren in that it has the black and white drawing of the couple.  However, the fact that both Carter and Evie are on the cover is new because usually, it's just the male character.  But I think this is done on purpose because a big theme in this book is equality between men and women in the workplace. 

My Review:  I want to start out this review by giving some advice to anyone who hasn't read it yet: If you are expecting a "classic" Christina Lauren novel where if/when you talk about it with someone you say 'And then they had sex' multiple times, you're going to be surprised because that's not what this book is.  Carter and Evie do not have sex as often as the other characters in Lauren's adult novels, but it's not disappointing.  This story is laugh out loud funny in multiple different spots from various characters.  Its central theme is inequality in the workplace and how Carter and Evie's boss is sexist and how both characters deal with it.  Evie reacts by silently resenting her boss and discussing his antics with her female friends who work with her.  Carter is in a unique situation though because, being a man, he's positively affected by the treatment, but because he loves Evie it makes it hard for him to watch how she's treated.  He eventually stands up for her and makes a life altering choice.  Just when Carter and Evie start their relationship they suddenly find themselves fighting against each other for their dream job and neither fight clean.  This novel is not a typical Christina Lauren book when it comes to intimate relationships, but the way it's written with its love, hate, sabotage, fraud, and humor is the same writing style as the Beautiful Series or Wild Seasons, and if you loved those books you'd love this one too.

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The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas | Book Review

Reading Group: M for Mature 

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. The ex-SAS sniper was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again The job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet the lesser of two evils seems to be protecting the heiress, whose life is threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings.  

He thinks he knows her type: beautiful and spoiled, with her father's bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But he soon discovers the real Camille--warm, compassionate, determined to be independent and happy after struggling with past mistakes. Now, his duty to protect her turns into something deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.  

For fans of Maya Banks, THE PROTECTOR delivers the all-consuming romance and devastating alpha hero that make a Jodi Ellen Malpas novel an irresistible, passionate read.

Cover: I love the cover of this book because it's the scene what Jake carries Camille out of the club after she gets attacked by her ex-boyfriend.  This scene is the turning point in their relationship because when they get back to Camille's apartment they finally give in to their feelings.  It's also the picture that ends up in magazines and they use it to help figure out who's following Camille.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book.  It was similar to what Christina Lauren would write, but different at the same time.  By the end of the book, Jake and Camille are completely in love with each other, but it didn't start out that way.  Jake was hired to protect Camille and both of them had preconceived opinions about the other.  But eventually the realize that the other person isn't exactly what they thought and they're able to form a romantic relationship.  However, Camille is still being threatened by someone who is trying to punish her father and Jake is suffering from PTSD and a secret that he doesn't want to deal with.  I really don't want to give too much away but the story is full of love, lies, and blackmail which makes it hard to put down.  Honestly, I don't know how realistic this story might be, but when has that ever stopped me from loving a book?  It was an easy read with a few different plot twists that had me hooked and staying up to finish it.  So if you're into a romance novel with some action strung throughout it I would definitely recommend this book to you.  

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What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick | Book Review

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: The eagerly anticipated follow-up to My Life Next Door is a magnetic, push-me-pull-me summer romance for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han.

17-year-old Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners to her island's summer population. Gwen dreams of getting off the island, and a summer job working for one of the elderly residents might just be her ticket to the good life. But what will it mean for Gwen's now life? Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to come to terms with what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—and figure out what really is.

Cover: The cover of this book has Gwen and Cass standing in the water.  Water is really big in this story because they live on an island, Cass and Gwen's cousin are both competing for swim team captain during the story, and Cass helps teach Gwen's brother to swim.  However, water is also a sign of rebirth, which is what happens with Cass and Gwen's relationship.

My Review: Huntley Fitzpatrick reminds me of Sarah Dessen in the way she writes her books because they're all fun, summer books.  I really enjoyed My Life Next Door, so I was excited to read this book, and it was as great as I expected it to be.  Year round island living involves everyone knowing everyone else's business.  Mix in high school and what you ate for breakfast might as well be front page news for how fast people learn things about you.  Gwen was humiliated by Cass the summer before this story starts, resulting in her hating everything he stood for.  But now he's everywhere she is and it's impossible not to form some sort of relationship.  Over time Gwen can't deny that Cass is a good guy.  Especially when he's the only one who can help her little brother learn to swim.  Or when he's so loyal to his best friend he's willing to keep a secret he knows will upset Gwen.  Plus, it's impossible for him to lie to her, so he's easy to trust.  And as Gwen's family life continues to grow crazier, Cass is the good crazy she can escape into.  This book is all about second chances and discovering that when things are meant to be, they'll happen even if some obstacles have to be overcome first.  

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Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker | Book Review

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: After a terrible car accident destroys her life as she knew it, twenty-year-old Kacey escapes to Florida, where she encounters an irresistible man determined to capture her wounded heart.

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them. 

Four years ago, Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D. 

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes and deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable, and Trent is desperate to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both their worlds.

Cover: The cover of this novel shows Kacey underwater wearing a white dress.  The whole thing screams innocence and rebirth, it's very baptismal.  Kacey moves to Miami to have a fresh start in life, so I think the cover is fitting.

My Review: A lot of this book is about Kacey finding her place after leaving behind such a traumatic past and moving to Miami.  She makes friends, gets a job, and falls in love.  However that all comes crashing down when she learns that her boyfriend, Trent, is actually the same person who owned the car that crashed into her father's and started a downward spiral in Kacey's life.
Trent handed over his car keys one night to a friend that said he was fine to drive.  That friend wasn't okay to drive and crashed the car killing himself, a friend, and Kacey's parents, boyfriend, and best friend.  Trent and Kacey survived the accident and Trent thought that if he could make it up to Kacey, his guilt would ease.  However, finding out the boy your dating has actually been stalking you for four years definitely changes some aspects of your relationship.  
There were traits about Trent that hinted he was involved in the crash.  He moved in at the same time she did, which he landlord points out is odd for him to get two new residents that quickly; he doesn't drink alcohol, and he drives a motorcycle, not a car, which makes it impossible for him to be the one in charge of car keys if he ever did go out with friends and he could never get stuck in a motorcycle if he were to crash it the way Kacey remembers being trapped in her car.  And looking at the situation from his point of view I can understand it.  He thinks if he reaches out to the only other survivor he can apologize and they can get on with their lives.  However, she wants nothing to do with him so he tries to figure out another way, hence how the stalking came to be.  I don't think his initial intention was to fall in love with her, that was just what happened when they got to know each other.
I know I gave away a giant spoiler from this book, but there is a lot more to it than one giant lie.  Kacey has to rebuild a life for herself and just when she thinks she's in the clear the lie is revealed and she has to start all over again.  The book covers her emotional state and how she tries to fix it herself and what happens when she can't.  The ending is also adorable, but I'll leave that for you guys to discover on your own.

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Confess by Colleen Hoover | Book Review

Reading Group: 17 years old+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

At age twenty-one, Auburn Reed has already lost everything important to her. In her fight to rebuild her shattered life, she has her goals in sight and there is no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry. 

For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping a major secret from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

To save their relationship, all Owen needs to do is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.

Cover: This cover is similar to the other Colleen Hoover that I've read where there is actually an image within the text.  On this book, the images could quite possibly be Auburn, but there are also paint splatters that remind you of Owen and the confessions he paints.  I think it ties the two together in a way that shows that they both have confessions that they hide.

My Review: I decided to read this book because Snooki and JWoww mentioned the Go90 series about it in one of their YouTube Videos (I became slightly obsessed with them towards the end of school).  I thought it was really cool that there was a short series based on the book and I really wanted to watch it, but I figured it was only fair to read the book first.  So I bought it with the gift card I was given at Christmas, and it did not disappoint.    
First of all the idea of painting people's confessions is so unique and I absolutely loved it.  I also appreciated when Owen said he didn't like to put a face to the confession because it messed with his mental image of it.  I totally got that because I do the same thing when I read, and I think a lot of you do too.  We all visualize what a person looks like or what an apartment looks like, and then you see the movie, and you're all 'I definitely would have been a better set director.'
Both characters have internal battles about what they want to do vs. what they feel they need to do.  Owen takes the blame for his dad because he still feels guilty about a car crash that was beyond his control.  Auburn dates her son's uncle to try to get custody of her son back.  It's a crazy mess, but it all works out somehow, and I loved it.  Fate wants the two of them to be together, and there's a twist at the end which connects the two characters to prove this that I found fascinating, but I don't want to give it away because I think you should all go read this book!  However, it's hard for them to think of a future with each other when they're struggling to correct wrongs they each made in their pasts.  I'm sure you can guess as to whether or not they end up together, but it's how they get there and what they have to do that makes this book significant and one I was happy I read.
Like I said there is a series version of this book on Go90, which is a free website.  There were changes made to the series like the location and the time frame, but I still enjoyed it.  I liked that it was a series because it allowed the story to be told in more detail where a movie would have to cut certain scenes.  It was the same concept in 13 Reasons Why on Netflix.  If you enjoyed the book, you should check it out, even though it's ironic in a way because of the scene where Owen says he likes to come up with his own idea of things.

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The Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate | Book Review

Reading Group: High School+

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: In Seven Ways We Lie, a chance encounter tangles the lives of seven high school students, each resisting the allure of one of the seven deadly sins, and each telling their story from their seven distinct points of view.
 
The juniors at Paloma High School all have their secrets, whether it’s the thespian who hides her trust issues onstage, the closeted pansexual who only cares about his drug-dealing profits, or the neurotic genius who’s planted the seed of a school scandal. But it’s Juniper Kipling who has the furthest to fall. No one would argue that Juniper—obedient daughter, salutatorian, natural beauty, and loyal friend—is anything but perfect. Everyone knows she’s a saint, not a sinner; but when love is involved, who is Juniper to resist temptation? When she begins to crave more and more of the one person she can’t have, her charmed life starts to unravel.
 
Then rumors of a student–teacher affair hit the fan. After Juniper accidentally exposes her secret at a party, her fate falls into the hands of the other six sinners, bringing them into one another’s orbits. All seven are guilty of something. Together, they could save one another from their temptations—or be ruined by them.
 
Riley Redgate’s twisty YA debut effortlessly weaves humor, heartbreak, and redemption into a drama that fans of Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins will adore.

Cover: I really like this cover.  I think there is something almost comical about the fact that it's "Hello, my name is..." stickers with the seven deadly sins.  Very seldom does someone come straight out and say they're sinned or done something wrong, but that's what these stickers do.  They introduce you.  I like it because everyone has succumbed to all of the seven deadly sins at some point in their lives.

My Review: I found this book to be very real, and I'm entirely sure why because nothing like this happened in my high school, but I just feel like it could.  The story follows seven different people going through Junior Year in their own way.  There are lies and secrets and jealousy and rumors, which definitely happens in high school (and beyond).  Olivia made a reputation for herself that she doesn't deny but also questions the double standard of, Kat is trying to isolate herself from everyone around her, Matt is more than he appears to be, Claire can't stop comparing herself to her friends, Juniper seems to have everything figured out but still gets herself into sticky situations, Lucas is scared to tell the truth about himself, and Valentine is struggling to figure out exactly who he is.  I liked that the book was told from all of their points of view and not one character figuring this all out about them because some things stay between different characters as they form bonds with each other.  All of these kids just want to be recognized for who they are and try to live a life that makes them happy even with outside circumstances that aren't.  Junior year is tough because it's the year everything starts to matter for college, and you're at an age where you're basically an adult.  It's a crazy year, and it's definitely easier to playoff struggles at home or within yourself than have them add to the stress.  But it gets to be too much and reactions differ from person to person:  Matt & Olivia and Lucas & Valentine have each other, Juniper drinks, Kat quits her passion, and Claire does hurtful things to the people around her.  This book did a great job of showing how everyone reacts differently to situations.      
There were two things about the story that I didn't really like.  One was that Claire never admits that Lucas was right and she compares herself to others.  I think by the end she knows she needs to stop comparing and judging, and she has that moment of guilt when she realizes Lucas knows it was her who started the rumors about him and a teacher, but she never outright admits he was right and I wish she did.  Second, I personally don't think a school would give as much information about the student-teacher affair as they did.  Maybe they would hold the assembly at the beginning of the story, but I'm not 100% convinced, and I really don't think they would announce over the loudspeaker what teacher it was and that he turned himself in.  I feel like that's such bad attention on the school that they would try to keep it under wraps.        

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26 Kisses by Anna Michels | Book Review

Reading Group: 16-years-old+

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Synopses: Kasie West meets Morgan Matson in this hilarious and heartwarming debut about a girl’s summer mission to get over her ex-boyfriend by kissing her way through the alphabet.

Getting dumped by her boyfriend is not how Veda planned on starting her summer. When Mark makes it clear that it’s over between them, Veda is heartbroken and humiliated—but, more importantly, she’s inspired. So she sets out on the love quest of a lifetime: use the summer to forget about Mark, to move on, and move up. All she has to do is kiss twenty-six boys with twenty-six different names—one for each letter of the alphabet.

From the top of the Ferris wheel at her hometown carnival to the sandy dunes of Lake Michigan, Veda takes every opportunity she can to add kisses (and boys) to her list, and soon the break-up doesn’t sting quite as much. But just when Veda thinks she has the whole kissing thing figured out, she meets someone who turns her world upside down.

Cover: I think this cover is really cute.  It's 26 kisses; lipstick kisses with a letter designated to each one.  It's clever and tells what the book is about in a simple way.

My Review:  I really enjoyed this book, and it was a quick read for me.  Being dumped the way Mark dumped Veda was definitely a shock, and it seems the best way to get over being shocked is to shock everyone else around you.  So Veda goes from the girl who only ever kissed one boy for two years to the girl who kissed 26 boys in one summer.  Of course, this came with some fallout when her little brother started hearing rumors about her and when those rumors were blown out of proportion (but what rumor isn't?).  And I know people may have been upset when Killian came around, and Veda wouldn't go out with him because she wanted to finish the challenge.  I mean come on, why kiss a bunch of randos once and be called a slut when you can kiss one boy all the time?  The challenge/dare/bet whatever you want to call it started as a way for her to get over Mark and it worked.  When Killian was in the picture Veda was over Mark and ready for a new boy.  But I get why she wanted to finish it.  She needed the accomplishment of it, even if it meant being called awful things behind her back and getting weird facebook messages.  I think we've all been in situations that we really want to quit, maybe even tell ourselves we're going to, but never do.  I know I've done this in school (nerd alert!).  I took AP Stats my junior year of high school and even from the summer work I knew I was going to hate it.  I could have dropped it, added a study hall to my class schedule, and been perfectly happy, but I didn't.  I stuck with it and hated every second of it, but when it was over, I was really proud of myself.  Now, I know, those are two different situations, but I really don't think they're all that different.  At the end of it all, I got out of taking a math class in college and Veda ended up with Killian anyway.  Because I think he understood too.  Even though he hated everything about the challenge, he let Veda finish it, even helped her, because he knew that was how he was going to get what he wanted.  The challenge worked for more than just getting over an ex.  It helped Veda step out of her comfort zone, finally deal with the Seth situation, and realize exactly what she wanted in her life.  I think we could all learn something from Veda's summer.    

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