Saturday, June 8, 2013

Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly

A very hard book to get into. Slow going and boring.
It's the typical get too drunk, wake up married type book but the female character wanted to do it because she wants a baby. The main character, Megan, wants what any woman wants- to find a true love, settle down, and start a family. But is just doesn't seem like it's the cards for her. When she runs into Connor, it's too good to be true. He wants that too- he's rich, handsome and wants a wife who looks good on his arm without all the love stuff. Megan says that fine.
Jump to the morning..and she's wondering what the hell she has done.
Eventually she comes around, they admit they love one another..yada yada...

2.5 out of 5 stars!

Free Kindle book too.

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

As a new mom and someone who is very sensitive, I try not to read about children being abused in any way, shape or form. This book was a free download on my Kindle and of course, I can't pass up free. I didn't really think I would actually read this book because I just wasn't feeling the title. But I've been running out of stuff to read on my Kindle and so I thought, 'Hey, why not.'
This book really scares you into wanting to protect these characters. A douche bag Dad (Kayden's) and a shitty guy who's best friends with your brother (Callie) makes you want to punch someone/something or throw up. It's hard not to hate the Dad and best friend just like it's hard not to want to hug Callie and Kayden. I'm a big fan of cop shows (Law & Order, CSI, NCIS, etc) but this book, this book, really tugs and pulls at your heart strings. It's almost like looking at a car accident- you want to look away but you just can't.
Callie is a small girl who is leaving for college early to get away from her life back home. Her mom is oblivious to things and her brother is a jerk. She's been through a lot of crap in her life- the major focus of this story is her being raped at 12 by her brother's best friend on her birthday. ON HER BIRTHDAY! I mean really?! If these characters were real, that friends would be dead. She starts school and meets Seth who becomes her best friend. It's not hard at all to tell that he's her gay best friend. He's hilarious, protective and has problems of his own. He was beat and left for dead by his high school football team. Callie and Seth help each overcome and live again.
When Kayden starts college on a football scholarship at the same college in the Fall, they run into each other, literally. Kayden's baggage is that he's been beaten from the time he was about 7 yrs old by his Dad and his mother doesn't care because all she wants is her wine. Sad life. He doesn't care about anything and feels dead inside. It's only when he starts to care about Callie that he learns what love is supposed to be like. Their relationship moves really fast. Callie is trusting Kayden like she's never trusted anyone before and she knows it feels right.
When they go home for Thanksgiving that's when everything goes from awesome to horrible. It's during their visit home that Callie reveals to Kayden who raped her. Kayden then beats the ever loving shit out the guy and is arrested. Kayden's dad hits him again and they fight. Kayden's dad ends up stabbing him and then the reader finds out that Kayden is a cutter. He cuts himself to escape the pain. After not hearing from him for a while, Callie borrows her parents car to go over there. She finds him in a pool of blood...and that's how it ends!
Talk about pissing me off. I hate when books leave you hanging. But, Ill be buying the next one so I know what happens to Kayden and what happens with their relationship.

4 out 5 stars! (not 5 because the ending pissed me off)

Worth the WeightThe Worth Series Book 1: The Nice One) by Mara Jacobs

As someone who has struggled with body image and weight issues her whole life, this book really hit home. Lizzie is a smart, successful woman who has recently lost a lot of weight (it's never said how much weight). She's a planner and list maker who knows how to get things done and gets those things done by being 'the nice one'. It's often referred to in the book -her being nice. She comes up with this master plan to "Find, Fuck, and Forget Finn Robbins", an old high school boyfriend. Wanting to test out her new body she does just that. Her friends Alison and Katie are there for her the whole time she is plotting this plan and putting it into motion. They warn her that she's not one to have a relationship without emotion but Lizzie tells them she can do it. How wrong could she be?! In the process of hooking up with Finn she falls in love with his 2 kids from a previous marriage. Annie is in a wheelchair due to a spinal issue from birth and Stevie is a teen with a lot of angst. It's only when Lizzie comes to terms that she has always loved Finn that she realizes her friends were right.
The only thing predictable about this book is that you know once the main character finds herself, has sex, and tells the guy she loves him- something bad is bound to happen. That's exactly what happened. Finn overhears her friends talking about the plan and he storms offf in a rage, chews her out in front of a large crowd and leaves her- again.
Overall, it's a great book. If you're someone who has weight or body issues then this really will hit you in the gut and you'll understand Lizzie's struggles better than someone else.

4 out of 5 stars!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn

This book is one I've read recently and thought, "Oh it's free on Kindle why not try it out for looks." OMG. Who knew that I would LOVE it so much and buy the 2nd one and then find out that the 3rd one isn't even finished, there's no release date and the name is only potential. Argh! I hate when I find a good series and then BAM! nope you can't finish that series you have to wait a year or more for the next book.
So back to the review...
This book starts out slow, like snail slow. It's not until about halfway or so that you realize that this is a story that relates to the Grimm tales. Then and only then, it gets interesting. Mina is a girl who is unlucky or so she thinks. Her whole life she's been uprooted from her mother, Sara, when something happens out of the ordinary. When Mina saves a life, that of her crush and classmate, it's only then that Sara spills the family secret. Their name is not Grime but Grimm and they are cursed to live out each fairy tale in the real world. The fantasy of it all is so awesome. She has a guardian of sorts and a book that helps her 'eat' the bad guys. It's really a great take on the tales and makes you want to pick up the Grimm Fairy Tales and reread or read them for the first time. If you're into fantasy check out this book!

3.5 out of 5 stars!

Written in Stone by Ellery Adams

I think this book really was one that made me question whether or not this series was crazy or brilliant. Adams throws in some witchcraft for good measure in this book. In case you're wondering, BRILLIANT! is what it is. Olivia and her friends from the Bayside Book Writer's Club are in for a treat with one when they have to solve a 'who dun it' when the witch of the Bay turns up dead after she visited her. The oddness of her death spurs Olivia to check into it herself and solve the mystery behind the witch's death. Along with murder, Olivia also has to solve who poisoned two people at the local Food Festival.

A great 4th book in this series! Please go out and buy a copy and read it NOW or see if it's available at your local library.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Last Word by Ellery Adams

Who doesn't get excited when a celebrity comes to town? When best selling author Nick Plumley comes to town the town is a twitter with excitement in hopes to glimpse a sight of him. Who better to have the first chat with Nick then Olivia- the towns wealthiest resident. After a chat with him in her favorite diner (run by her good friend Dixie) Olivia finds out that Nick is here to write his next best seller. They agree for Olivia to come by his place later so she can read what he's got so far. But being who she is, Olivia of course stumbles upon another dead body. That of Nick Plumley! He's been strangled and his place ransacked. Could the thieves/murderer been looking for his book? Have no fear, the Bayside Book Writer's Club is on the hunt!

All of Ellery Adams' books are written wonderfully. She has the perfect amount of suspense, plot thickening, and romance to make you want to read more and not put down the book. This series is highly recommended, not only because the plots are so unique but also because Captain Haviland (the dog and Olivia's constant companion) add something to this story. Haviland is by far the best sidekick I've read about in a mystery series.

5 out of 5 stars!

A Deadly Cliche by Ellery Adams

Olivia is at it again with her Bayside Book Writer's Club! This time it's Olivia who discovers the dead body though on her morning walk of the beach. How horrible would that be to find a dead body on a beach..or anywhere for that matter! She handles it with the grace of anyone and her love interest Rawlings (also the chief of police & a member of the club) comes to her aide and also to investigate. Who is this dead person and why are they buried so crudely? The suspects always one step ahead in their wrongdoing set up the crime scenes to appear as "odd tableaus". With the help of the club can Rawlings find out who dun it? Also, this is FINALLY where Olivia and Rawlings pick up their love interest more. I always love a good murder with a love twist!

4 out 5 stars!

Update and Review of- A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

Wow! It's been forever since I've done anything on my blog here. It's been crazy busy in my life with a new baby and being in my last year of grad school. But now things have settled and I've been a reading machine. Over the next few days I'll post reviews of about 10 books! I know crazy but after a long day reading makes it all better.

Review

A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

I was unsure of how I would feel about the main character Olivia in this series but it turns out she's very lovable and not stuck up like I thought. She's a rich woman who can afford anything and everything but lives a pretty ordinary life without too many splurges. Her constant companion is her dog named, Captain Haviland. In the beginning stages of the story we find that Olivia is a target for gossip because of her wealth, recluseness, and also her best friend is a dog. She stays to herself and often lets the gossip roll off her back. Her good friend owns the local diner she frequents and has a 'spot') <---important to mention this because she spends A LOT of time there and it's mentioned frequently.) She starts to come out of her shell and joins a writing club(Bayside Book Club) for people who are currently writing their own books/novels. The people in the group are characters all their own! The fun begins for the group when people in their town turn up dead with haiku poems being left as clues! Can the club figure them out for the police? Oh yes they can!!
This book was very good and I enjoyed it so much I bought the next 3 in the series. I would definitely try out the first of this mystery series!

5 out of 5 stars!