Expected publication: September 22nd 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books
Synopsis from Goodreads:
In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.
His brother, Oliver—dead.
His sweetheart, Mary—gone.
His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.
Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.
But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.
Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…
This is nothing like what I normally read, but it sounds SO good! I just had to add it to my tbr.
What are you waiting on this week?
PS. I scheduled this post last weekend because I am an awesome Mom and got my daughter tickets to see One Direction in Kansas City last night (Tuesday). And don't think I missed out on any of the fun. I was right there beside my daughter! I'll leave you with one final thing: #LarryIsReal
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Page Count:272
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: eArc received from publisher in exchange for an honest review
This book may be unsuitable for reader's under 17 years of age due to sexual content and/or mature themes.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Positive. With two little lines on a pregnancy test, everything in Lizzy Rollins' ordinary life is about to change forever. And all because of one big mistake in Vegas with Ben Nicholson, the irresistibly sexy bass player for Stage Dive. So what if Ben's the only man she's ever met who can make her feel completely safe, cherished, and out of control with desire at the same time? Lizzy knows the gorgeous rock star isn't looking for anything more permanent than a good time, no matter how much she wishes differently.
Ben knows Lizzy is off limits. Completely and utterly. She's his best friend's little sister now, and no matter how hot the chemistry is between them, no matter how sweet and sexy she is, he's not going to go there. But when Ben is forced to keep the one girl he's always had a weakness for out of trouble in Sin City, he quickly learns that what happens in Vegas, doesn't always stay there. Now he and Lizzie are connected in the deepest way possible... but will it lead to a connection of the heart?
Ben is the least known member of Stage Dive. He's not just an enigma to fans, but to us readers as well. In the first 3 books of this series, almost every time he was in a scene he would get up and leave, so I knew next to nothing about him. I had even forgotten that Martha was his sister! But in this final book in the Stage Dive series, readers are finally given the opportunity to get to know him.
Sadly, I discovered that I didn't really like Ben all that much. He was just barely tolerable, and didn't have much of a personality. He wasn't a relationship kind of guy, and I never felt that he was truly emotionally invested in Lizzy and the baby. That really put the kebosh on me wanting them together as a couple. I also didn't like the way he started throwing money at Lizzy to 'take care' of her because he couldn't be bothered to help her himself.
Lizzy was young, naïve, and way too inexperienced. She really got on my nerves at times. She didn't do much other than travel with the band and wait for Ben to confess his love to her. I might have liked her more if she had been able to think and do for herself.
Who would have ever though that Jimmy, of all people, would be the voice of reason in helping Ben to understand Lizzy? Luckily for me, funny and over the top Mal was back. I liked Mal better in books #1 and #4 than I did his own story. Hmph, go figure. Needless to say, this was my least favorite book in this series. I just wasn't feeling the blah story or the underdeveloped characters.
On a positive note, I enjoyed the character of Vaughan and I'm really looking forward to reading the first book in the spin off series, Dirty (Dive Bar #1).
Out of the 4 books in this series, I still love Lick the most. I was diggin' David from the very first scene, and my love for him never wavered throughout the series. And I know the reason why I loved him so much. It was because he was dedicated to Evelyn and wanted to be in a committed relationship with her no matter what. Even though they got married before their relationship ever really started, he was determined to make things work with her. I really admired and respected that about him, and I think he was the most stand up of all the guys in the band.
A romantic drama set in New York City, where Tyler, a rebellious young man, meets Ally through a twist of fate. Her spirit helps him heal after a family tragedy, though soon the circumstances that brought them together threaten to tear them apart.
The Good:
Robert Pattinson. Mmmmm. Even with his face beat up for the first half, he's nice to look at. Yes, I'm shallow at times. What can I say? Seriously though, I really enjoyed the story. I also really loved Tyler (Robert) with his little sister. He was so darn cute!
The Bad:
The acting isn't all that great. I thought Robert was really good, but the rest of the cast was just okay. Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper were just awful. They were almost bad enough to ruin the movie.
The Ugly Cry:
Have tissues on standby. The last 5 minutes of this movie absolutely gutted me.
If this were a book:
OMG, I would definitely read this! Especially if it was from Tyler's POV. He was so full of angst and emotion. I would love to get to know him better and find out what was going on in that brain of his.
Final Thoughts:
I remember Robert filming this back during the Twilight hoopla. I waited for it to come out on dvd instead of seeing it at the theater. Somehow I had avoided spoilers about the ending, so I was really (really!) surprised. Shocked. Stunned.
Robert turns in an awesome performance, definitely better than in the Twilight movies. I've watched Remember Me several times and it always hits me really hard, but it's definitely worth watching more than once just to experience the emotions.
Publication Date: December 14, 2013
Page Count: 254
Published by: C.P. Writes, LLC
Source: Purchased
**Due to sexual content, language and violence, this book is only suitable for ages 18 and up**
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Two years ago, Gabe Thompson stood in the desert of Afghanistan and watched the love of his life drive away. When his tour of duty ended six months later, she wasn’t waiting. Now Gabe’s ready to go after the one thing his life is missing – the woman he’s never been able to forget.
Twenty-year-old Alexis Garcia rues the day she decided to volunteer for a UN mission to Afghanistan. The sexy, exasperating soldier she met there nearly destroyed her carefully constructed life with the boy next door. She’s spent two years trying to forget Gabe, working to show her parents and her boyfriend that she knows where she belongs.
But when Gabe shows up at Alexis’s door, complete with tattoos, a Harley and enough attitude to start another war, everything she’s tried to conceal could be exposed, starting with her heart.
Concealed was definitely my favorite book in this series. I was looking forward to reading Gabe and Alexis's story and I enjoyed the way it all played out. Gabe was so darn likable that I wanted him to get the girl and his HEA.
This story picks up 2 years after the events in Camouflaged. While in Hawaii with Nick and Lyndsey (in book #1 of this series, Hidden) Gabe finally realized that his love for Alexis wasn't going away, and he decided to man up and go to Texas to get answers from Alexis.
Gabe loved Alexis for years, even though they were apart, and he wasn't afraid to let her and everyone else know how much she meant to him. I loved that he was so open and up front about his feelings. Although at times he does act a bit impulsive and immature in his actions, he knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to go after it. I really felt bad for Gabe because he kept putting his feelings out there for her, and she continuously rejected him and stomped all over his heart.
I tried really hard not to dislike Alexis. The way she blew off Gabe and wouldn't respond to his messages was really harsh. She was pretty heartless and Gabe really took it hard. So when Gabe shows up after 2 years to demand answers from her, I was hoping she had good reasons for causing him such heartache.
Alexis worked really hard at pushing Gabe away, even though deep down she wanted a relationship with him. Her family and friends approve of her long term relationship with Marco, and she's so intent on pleasing her family that she is not willing to take a chance on finding happiness with Gabe. I hated that she was so weak and willing to be unhappy just to please her family.
About halfway through the book, Gabe and Alexis's roles were reversed and Alexis was the one that was being rejected. She realized that she hurt Gabe so much that he might not be willing to give her another chance. I loved that both characters had to fight for what they wanted, and it made me root for them to get together and be happy.
There were some very real issues dealt with in this story, like Gabe finding his own identity and Alexis dealing with family expectations. There was also quite a bit of angst and emotional turmoil, but I loved every second of it!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For the 2 days that I was reading Concealed, this song kept popping up everywhere. I started to think of it as the theme song for the book. I have to include it here in my review because there is a scene in the book that this song reminds me of.
Expected publication: September 15th 2015 by HarperTeen
Synopsis from Goodreads:
When the glass slipper just doesn’t fit…
The tale of Cinderella has been retold countless times. But what you know is not the true story.
Pin has no recollection of who she is or how she got to the Godmother’s fortress. She only knows that she is a Seamstress, working day in and out to make ball gowns fit for fairy tales. But she longs to forsake her backbreaking servitude and dares to escape with the brave young Shoemaker.
Pin isn’t free for long before she’s captured again and forced to live the new life the Godmother chooses for her—a fairy tale story, complete with a charming prince—instead of finding her own happily ever after.
Sarah Prineas’s bold fairy tale retelling is a dark and captivating world where swords are more fitting than slippers, young shoemakers are just as striking as princes, and a heroine is more than ready to rescue herself before the clock strikes midnight.
Ooh, another fairytale retelling. I don't really read fantasy books, they're just not my usual thing, but this one sounds too good to pass up. Please let this be a stand alone, because I tend to lose interest in series.
Expected publication: August 4th 2015 by Simon Pulse
Synopsis from Goodreads:
As vice president of Student Council, Kaye knows the importance of keeping order. Not only in school, but in her personal life. Which is why she and her boyfriend, Aidan, already have their lives mapped out: attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers, and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for that future.
To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…
As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the facade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favorite mistake?
I absolutely loved Sawyer in the first book of this series. He was really toned down and lame in book two. I'm getting ready to start reading this one, so I hope the real Sawyer is back. Bring him on!
Tagline: Ronald is making an investment in his senior year. He's hiring the prettiest cheerleader in school to be his girlfriend.
1987 was a good year. I remember it fondly as the year that I graduated high school (thank god). The 80's overall were great for a variety of reasons, but I really love the movies and the music!
Can't Buy Me Love is a surprisingly watchable movie that has a positive message. It's definitely worth watching more than once, and there's no doubt it will put a smile on your face.
The Good:
Boy goes from geek to chic and back again. Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson were really cute together. Boy gets the girl and an HEA!! And a really young Seth Green.
The Bad:
The big 80's hair and very bad fashion! Is it the spotlight dance? No, it's the African anteater ritual! Very bad dance moves, but SO funny!
If this were a book:
I would definitely read it, mostly because of the 80's setting.
Final Thoughts:
Obviously, I decided to review Can't Buy Me Love after I learned about the passing of Amanda Peterson last week.
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Page Count: 304
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: eArc received from publisher in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.
Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.
She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.
Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.
This would have been such a cute book if the protagonist hadn't been so offensive right from the start. Grace's condescending attitude towards the people and the culture of Korea was too much for me.
Needless to say, I didn't like Grace. She was really shallow and self-centered. I didn't like how she ran away from her problems back home by going to Korea. I mean, who does that??? And I really disliked the way she looked down on Korea and Koreans, and I felt embarrassed for her. I don't know why the author would make Grace such an unlikable character. As for the other characters, I really liked Sophie and her bubbly personality. She was a hoot! I'm not sure Jason was full on swoon worthy, but I liked him well enough.
I also want to add that this book is really ANTI KPop. I thought I would be reading about something I was interested in, but know very little about. This book made me wonder what KPop music is all about, so I would have loved to learn more about it. Instead I got a bunch of people deriding KPop music and it's artists. Even Jason, the KPop 'STAR', doesn't like the music that he makes!
I would have enjoyed this book more than I did if I hadn't disliked Grace so much. That's just the truth! It was very frustrating to read a book that, to me at least, turned out to be the opposite of what I thought it would be.
Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A modern-day Romeo and Juliet story in which a wealthy Southern boy falls in love with an undocumented Mexican girl and together they face perils in their hostile Georgia town.
Evan, a soccer star and the nephew of a conservative Southern Senator, has never wanted for much -- except a functional family. Alma has lived in Georgia since she was two-years-old, excels in school, and has a large, warm Mexican family. Never mind their differences, the two fall in love, and they fall hard. But when ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) begins raids on their town, Alma knows that she needs to tell Evan her secret. There's too much at stake. But how to tell her country-club boyfriend that she’s an undocumented immigrant? That her whole family and most of her friends live in the country without permission. What follows is a beautiful, nuanced, well-paced exploration of the complications of immigration, young love, defying one’s family, and facing a tangled bureaucracy that threatens to completely upend two young lives.
This sounds like it could be an interesting story.
Publication Date: July 23, 2013
Page Count: 222
Published by: C.P. Writes, LLC
Source: Purchased
**Due to sexual content, language and violence, this book is only suitable for ages 18 and up**
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Nick Carlisle comes to Hawaii to hide—from what happened during his service in Afghanistan, from relationships, from his future. Lyndsey Anderson came to Hawaii to hide too—from the man who abused her, from the sacrifices she made, from her dark past. But when Nick meets Lyndsey, Hawaii gets a whole lot hotter, and they find they can’t hide their hearts. As Nick fights to come to terms with what he’s done, Lyndsey struggles to forgive herself for the choices she’s made. But when the dangerous past threatens the beautiful present, can they survive to learn how to love? And who will finally reveal what’s hidden?
I was first introduced to Nick in the free novella Camouflaged (Hiding from Love 0.5). I was instantly intrigued by his back story and I couldn't wait to read Hidden to find out all about him.
I really enjoyed this book. Nick and Lyndsey were very likable characters. Both of them had big secrets and difficult pasts that they were running from. I liked that they started as friends, and then became closer as they spent more time together. It was obvious from the start that they would end up loving each other. But I felt that the story really got interesting when their pasts started getting in the way. I didn't know if they would be able to work things out and stay together, or if they would be torn apart.
Hidden was a quick and easy read with great writing. I really liked the secondary characters. Raoul and Leesa were great friends, and they made the perfect stand in parents not only for Lyndsey, but for Nick too. Nick's best friend, Gabe, was so supportive and really wanted to help Nick and Lyndsey get their HEA.
I love emotional stories, and Hidden did not disappoint. I'm really enjoying this series so far, and I'm looking forward to reading Gabe's story in the next book.
Expected publication: August 18th 2015 by Dial Books
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house
Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.
For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.
Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.
And Alice is caught in the middle.
Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.
I enjoyed the first book in this series, My Life Next Door, and I can't wait to read Tim's story!
