Author Archives: Kristin

Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

30 January, 2017 2:51 am , 6 Comments ,

Leaving Paradise
(Leaving Paradise #1)
by Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: April 8, 2007
Genre: Young Adult
Rating:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as “criminal” and “freak.” Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

 

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Posted in: YA Contemporary, YA Romance, Young Adult , Tagged: ,

Review: Lion’s Share by Rachel Vincent

27 January, 2017 9:29 am , 5 Comments ,

Lion’s Share
(Wildcats #1)
by Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: Feb. 23, 2015
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:

Abby Wade has a dangerous secret.

Two months ago, she disobeyed an order, but instead of kicking her out of the Pride, Jace offered her a job. Since then, she’s been battling a completely inappropriate crush on the young, hot Alpha. But when accepting his job offer seems like the only way to keep her skeletons safely in their closet, Abby doesn’t hesitate.

Jace Hammond has a big problem.

A rogue is slaughtering humans in his territory, and he must eliminate the threat before the entire shifter species is exposed. There could not be a worse time for Abby to accept a job he only offered as a boost to her confidence. Abby is smart, beautiful, and resilient—more than enough to distract any man from the mission. Unfortunately, she may just be the worst enforcer ever to hold the title.

As they hunt the killer, Abby’s secret becomes a threat to Jace’s authority and to her own life. But the real danger is the grip she has on his twice-shy heart.

 

 

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Posted in: Paranormal Romance , Tagged:

I Love Twilight!

25 January, 2017 2:05 am , 14 Comments ,

 

 

 

I am a fan of Twilight!

… there, I said it. You may be wondering why I’m randomly shouting about my love of Twilight on the blog. You see, I’m sick of this stigma the series has. I used to be afraid to say that I enjoyed the books because so many people look down on it. At one of my book club meetings, somehow the discussion came up about them and I had to point out that I actually LIKED the books. They will always hold a special place in my heart because they are actually what got me into reading. I hated having books crammed down my throat in school. So much, that I hated reading and didn’t read anything more than a grocery store magazine… for years! Then after many people badgered me about reading this new phenomenon taking over, I gave in and decided to give it a try. I devoured the series within a week. Which then sparked my interest into reading, which ultimately led me to start blogging about books.

 
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Posted in: Ramblings , Tagged:

Review: Soundless by Richelle Mead

23 January, 2017 2:05 am , 6 Comments ,

Soundless
by Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: Nov. 10, 2015
Genre: Fantasy Young Adult
Rating:

In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.

One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…

And unlocks a power that will save her people.

 

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Posted in: YA Fantasy , Tagged: ,

Review: Properly Groomed by Boone Brux

20 January, 2017 2:16 am , 3 Comments ,

Properly Groomed
(Wedding Favors #3)
by: Boone Brux
Publisher: Entangled
Publication Date: Jan. 9, 2017
Genre: Romance
Rating:

When Joya Bennett wakes up after her brother’s wedding, half-naked and lying next to her lifelong crush, she’s mortified. OMG, did she try to jump his bones? Worse, did she succeed? Intending to lay low and housesit for her brother until the embarrassment fades, she sneaks away before he wakes up.

What she didn’t plan on is having company.

Lincoln Fisher doesn’t do relationships, but if he did, his friend’s little sister would be the one to tie him down. Good thing Joya had one too many drinks during the reception or he’d have crossed a line. Her brother would kill him if he found out all the places Linc wanted to kiss the sexy, auburn-haired beauty.

And now they’re stuck in the same house. For two weeks.

She’s off-limits. And he needs to keep it that way, even if the heat building between them is hot enough to blow off the roof…

 

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged: ,

Review: Roman Crazy Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

18 January, 2017 2:14 am , 5 Comments ,

Roman Crazy
By: Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: Sept. 13, 2016
Genre: Romance
Rating:

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

 

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged: , ,

Review: Hard Hitter by Sarina Bowen

16 January, 2017 8:02 am , 4 Comments ,

Hard Hitter
(Brooklyn Bruisers #2)
by Sarina Bowen
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: Jan. 3, 2017
Genre: Romance
Rating:

He’s a fighter in the rink, but he’s about to learn that playing nice can help you score…

As team captain and enforcer, Patrick O’Doul puts the bruise in the Brooklyn Bruisers. But after years of hard hits, O’Doul is feeling the burn, both physically and mentally. He conceals his pain from his coach and trainers, but when his chronic hip injury becomes too obvious to ignore, they send him for sessions with the team’s massage therapist.

After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, Ari Bettini is in need of peace of mind. For now, she’s decided to focus on her work: rehabilitating the Bruisers’ MVP. O’Doul is easy on the eyes, but his reaction to her touch is ice cold. Ari is determined to help O’Doul heal, but as the tension between them turns red hot, they both learn that a little TLC does the body good…

 

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Posted in: Romance , Tagged: ,

Review: Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

13 January, 2017 2:19 am , 3 Comments ,

Holding Up the Universe
by Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: Oct. 4, 2016
Genre: YA
Rating:

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed “America’s Fattest Teen.” But no one’s taken the time to look past her weight to get to know who she really is. Following her mom’s death, she’s been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby’s ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for every possibility life has to offer. In that moment, I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin, too. Yes, he’s got swagger, but he’s also mastered the impossible art of giving people what they want, of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a newly acquired secret: he can’t recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He’s the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can’t understand what’s going on with the inner workings of his brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don’t get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game—which lands them in group counseling and community service—Libby and Jack are both pissed, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.

 

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Posted in: YA Contemporary , Tagged: ,

Sneak Peek Wednesday: My Highland Rebel by Amanda Forester [Giveaway]

11 January, 2017 2:31 am , 3 Comments ,

My Highland Rebel
(Highland Trouble #2)
by Amanda Forester
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: Jan. 3, 2017
Genre: Historical Romance

A conquering hero
Cormac Maclean would rather read than rampage, but his fearsome warlord father demands that he prove himself in war. Cormac chooses what he thinks is an easy target, only to encounter a fiery Highland lass leading a doomed rebellion and swearing revenge on him.

Meets an unconquerable heroine
Jyne Cambell is not about to give up her castle without a fight, even though her forces are far outnumbered. She’s proud, hot-blooded and hot-tempered, and Cormac falls for her hard.

It’s going to take all of Cormac’s ingenuity to get Jyne to surrender gracefully-both to his sword and to his heart…

 

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Posted in: Excerpt, historical romance , Tagged: ,

Review: Lucian Divine by Renee Carlino

9 January, 2017 2:38 am , 3 Comments ,

Lucian Divine
by Renee Carlino
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: Jan. 9, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating:

“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey’s life is at a standstill. She’s in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene in San Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out her days in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It’s absurd, but sometimes Evey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day.

And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he’s a guardian angel, been on the job for two thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he’s brilliant, witty, and warm—and bad—he’s brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as —-. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s got problems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, going against the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. But sometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God.

Yes, God as in God.

 

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Posted in: Paranormal Romance , Tagged: