Review: The Society by Jodie Andrefski

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Society by Jodie Andrefski
Published by Entangled Teen on May 3, 2016
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

What starts as a simple revenge plot turns deadly inside Trinity Academy's gold-plated secret society, and seventeen-year-old Sam Evans must decide if vengeance is worth the price.

Trinity Academy's gold-plated secret society is about to be turned upside down. Seventeen-year-old Sam Evans plots revenge on her ex-bestie, Jessica, who happens to perch at the top of the Society's social ladder--and helped put Sam's dad in jail. Sam may no longer be cool enough to be invited to rush the Society, but she's tech-savvy enough to know how to use it in her plan.

Sam fake taps three "initiates" to do her dirty work, each none the wiser that they're merely puppets in a quest to dethrone Jessica. Convinced Sam is losing it, her best friend Jeremy distances himself, which just fuels Sam's manic personality. But after Sam meets a hot stranger in a coffee shop, she's sure the gods might finally be taking pity on her. Everything seems to be coming together-revenge, romance, respect-until she's confused by her growing attraction to Jeremy and her plotting starts to derail.

Get-backs can be a bitch, and things nosedive when Sam realizes her plan isn't as flawless as she thinks-and if she's not careful she could be joining her dad behind bars. With one girl hospitalized and another student in a coma, Sam is forced to re-examine her motives and decide who and what she's willing to sacrifice in the name of vengeance.

Warning: This review WILL have some minor (or major, depending on how you feel) spoilers, since the book came out two years ago and certain aspects are hard to discuss WITHOUT some spoilers. You’ve been warned.

The Society has been on my TBR for over two years. I don’t know what exactly made me finally pick it up, but I’m glad I did. It was a fast, easy and enjoyable read. Not gonna lie though, I was hoping for a little bit… MORE. The author’s note indicates the whole book was a moral lesson about bullying, which I’m conflicted on… It’s an IMPORTANT lesson, but I kind of just wanted a fun, creepy thriller, à la The Skulls, not a moral lesson.

I’m still torn, re: how I feel about Samantha. In the beginning, I liked her voice and personality, and I didn’t blame her for wanting revenge on the ex-best friend who made her life a living hell. I usually don’t like the “best friends to enemies” trope because plenty of people stop being friends and DON’T torment each other, yet this trope tends to be over-used in YA – like, 80% of the time, the “mean girl” is the main character’s ex-best friend. In the beginning, I was sympathetic toward Sam, who was angry and hurt and confused. As time went on, however, I actually felt sort of bad for Jessica. NOTHING excuses bullying, but for some reason, I wanted her side of the story. I wanted to know WHY she did what she did, and why she turned so completely on Sam. It just felt like there was more to it than we knew. I REALLY wanted more closure with Sam and Jessica, too. We didn’t get that and I really wanted it.

I really liked Sam’s relationship with Jeremy, and how organic it felt. The “best friend to boyfriend” thing didn’t feel forced, and they faced some hardship. The whole Ransom thing, though, was… weird. I understand why Sam pulled away from Jeremy – and why he pulled away from her – but the Ransom thing was just really random and maybe a little unnecessary? I don’t know, I’m still sorting out how I feel about it all.

Throughout the book, I developed some weird theories and none of them panned out, which was a bit of a surprise because I’m usually at least half right. I was positive there would be some huge twist and shock at the end, and there wasn’t. That was a bit of a let-down. I do like how it ended, though – I know that’s probably contradictory, but there it is. I guess a big shocking twist would fit if this HAD just been a fun, creepy thriller. Since it wasn’t that kind of book, the way it ended felt right for the tone of the story.

I’m conflicted on whether to recommend this or not, and who I would even recommend it to. If you like a good old-fashioned revenge story, you’ll probably enjoy this. If you like books about secret societies, I wouldn’t recommend this one, because it was less about the secret society and more about bullying, cliques and (like I said before) revenge.

Review: Lola Carlyle’s 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Jul27

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Lola Carlyle’s 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Lola Carlyle's 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman
Published by Entangled Teen on May 5, 2015
Pages: 304
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend, Sydney, calls to rave about her stay at a posh Malibu rehab and reveals that the love of Lola’s life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, she knows what she has to do.Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola arrives at Sunrise Rehab intent solely on finding Wade, saving him from himself, and—naturally—making him fall in love with her…only to discover she’s actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And talk about her issues with her parents, and with herself. Plus she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive mentor, Adam, who’s determined to thwart her at every turn.

Oh, and Sydney? She’s gone.

Turns out, once her pride, her defenses, and her best friend are stripped away, Lola realizes she’s actually got a lot to overcome…if she can open her heart long enough to let it happen.

When I first learned about this book, I was intrigued by the premise. Though it wasn’t exactly what I expected and there were some moments that annoyed me, this book ended up being a really fun, cute and enlightening read. I really liked the characters, as well as the author’s writing style.

In the beginning, it was really hard to like Lola. She was very Stereotypical Hollywood: rich, a bit snobby/spoiled/entitled. I mean.. she wanted to go to rehab just so she could go on a “spa-like vacation.” And when things didn’t go her way, she got incredibly snippy, sneaky and rebellious. Plus, she was beyond obsessed with Wade Miller in the beginning.

The funniest part is, Lola doesn’t think she needs rehab, yet we as readers discover that she actually needs it desperately, just not for the reason that got her sent there in the first place. Lola din’t really start growing and showing character development until the second half of the book, but once she did, I really liked her.

Adam had his ups and downs. Sometimes, his attitude and the way he treated Lola were awful. But he had his reasons – He was her “mentor,” so he had to try to keep himself distant from her and be professional. But when he relaxed and they had their moments, they were epic and hilarious (their banter and back-and-forth arguments had me laughing out loud)! They weren’t without their issues (both together or individually), but I still shipped the heck out of them!

I really didn’t like Wade. He seemed so fake and full of himself. I had a feeling early on that he was just meant to be that “light bulb” moment for Lola, so she could see how far she had come and what a great guy Adam was in comparison, so I tried not to let it bug me too much. Plus, I shipped Lola and Adam so hard, in my mind, the book could only end with them together or I would have thrown it across the room (Well.. it’s my iPad.. so maybe I would have figuratively thrown it…)

I liked Talia and Jade for the most part. Talia was a bit annoying, with how star-struck she was and how she always seemed to be sucking up to Lola. One of the revelations about her was slightly startling but not incredibly shocking. I’m happy with her small amount of character growth, but I felt bad for her near the end. And Jade was brutal and honest, which could sometimes come off as mean and cruel. But I still liked her and I was heartbroken with where her story ended.

Though it wasn’t without its issues, this book was oddly enjoyable, as well as a fast read. The author is a great writer, the plot was intriguing and, though the characters are Stereotypical Hollywood, they were still likable enough and several of them had great character development, so that softened the dislike a bit. My biggest issue with the book (and it wasn’t even that big a deal) was that, at times, it felt like an over-dramatic soap opera and/or a cheesy romantic comedy. But if you can overlook that, it’s a fun, quick read. Though it deals with some tough topics, it does it in a light-hearted way, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

I would definitely recommend this book and I’m definitely excited to see what the author does next.

Review: Awakening by Shannon Duffy

Apr7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Awakening by Shannon Duffy
Published by Entangled Teen on April 7, 2015
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

A thrilling, futuristic sci-fi novel set in a unique and thought-provoking world, from author Shannon Duffy.

Desiree Six (because she was born on a Friday) believes in everything the Protectorate stands for. She likes the safety and security of having her entire life planned out—her career, her mate, even the date of her death. She doesn't even think to question when Darian, her childhood friend and neighbor, is convicted of murdering his parents. They had seemed like such a loving family. But if he was convicted, then he must have done it.

Then Darian shows up in her room late one night. He has escaped from the Terrorscape—a nightmare machine used to punish all Noncompliants—and needs Desiree's help. What he tells her rocks her world to its core and makes her doubt everything she's ever been told. With this new information, will Desiree and Darian be able to escape the Protectorate before it's too late?

Awakening really took me by surprise. It started out like every other YA Dystopian. But then I realized, at this point, it’s almost impossible to come up with an original Dystopian plot line, so I let it go and just tried to enjoy the book. Boy, was I wrong! While some parts were definitely cliche, the overall plot of Awakening was epic. It took awhile for the story and characters to grow on me, but once they did, I was hooked!

There wasn’t really anything special about Desiree, especially in the beginning. Like all Dystopian heroines, she believes the government is good and all-knowing. She believes their methods and rules are all meant to keep them safe and protect them and she has no desire to step out of line. But slowly, her world starts to unravel and she realizes that the Protectorate has been manipulating and brain-washing everyone the whole time. And, like all good Dystopian heroines, she decides she doesn’t want to do as she’s told and she refuses to go down without a fight. She didn’t have a ton of character growth throughout the novel, but she definitely had some. I liked the way she refused to sit on the side-lines whenever she was told to. Instead, she always pulls her weight when she needs to and she doesn’t complain – much – even when things look grim.

I didn’t like nor dislike Darian. Again, he was pretty much a typical Dystopian hero: He didn’t believe for a second that the Protectorate was trying to help the people and the things he told Desiree were the first step to her realizing that not all was as it seemed. I liked how fierce and protective of Desiree he was. I had trouble shipping them in the beginning, but by the end, they were really starting to grow on me.

I was pretty indifferent to Asher in the beginning, as well. It was really hard to like him after the way he treated Desiree when they were kids. And I expected more to come out of him and Mallory, though maybe something still will if there’s a book two. But the way he stepped it up and did the things he did? That was incredibly brave of him and he definitely earned my respect.

Laken on the other hand.. Ugh. I know she was trying to be a good friend, but I really can’t stand her for the things she did, even if they were unintentional. In the end, she really wasn’t a good friend. I actually hope we see more of her in book two (fingers crossed!!) and that she redeems herself in a major way.

I think, if we’d gotten to know them a bit better, I would have really liked Harper and Sage. They seemed like decent, caring people and like they could have been really great friends for Desiree to have around. I also liked Mr. Williams, and Desiree’s parents, though again, I would have liked to get to know them better.

The idea of the Dreamscape and Terrorscape were absolutely fascinating, if not a bit creepy and shudder-inducing. Of all the things that happened in this book, those definitely made it stand out the most in a sea of YA Dystopian books. The Terrorscape, especially, was incredibly intense and creepy, though one aspect of the Terrorscape totally made me think of The Hunger Games, while the beginning part of the book could best be compared to Matched by Ally Condie. Like, 60% of the book reminded me of Matched. And some parts reminded me of Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

The ending was pretty epic and intense. At first, I thought the book was going to end neatly, like a stand-alone. And it basically did. So if there isn’t a book two, it’s not like it ended on a major cliffhanger. But there was enough of a cliffhanger that I’m really hoping we get a second book so I can see what happens next; it wasn’t until well into the second half of the book that I truly started to like and care for the characters, so now I’m really anxious to see what happens next for them.

Overall, if you’re a fan of YA Dystopians and don’t mind that, at this point, the basic story structure is the same for almost all of them, then I definitely recommend you give Awakening a try. Once you get into the story, it’ll be impossible to put the book down and the few things that make Awakening stand out will REALLY make it stand out! It’s a fun, slightly intense read and, by the end, you’ll appreciate the characters and enjoy the plot.

Review: Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Mar17

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Red by Alyxandra Harvey
Published by Entangled Teen on March 10, 2015
Pages: 198
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Bad girls burn hot…

Red is the color of Kia Alcott's hair.
It's her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.
And it's the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It's an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn't stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

I’m a huge Alyxandra Harvey fan, so when I got an email from Entangled Teen, informing me I could sign up to review her new book, Red, I shrieked and pounced! It sounded so epic, I couldn’t wait to read it! I’ve read all of Harvey’s currently published books (The Drake Chronicles, The Lovegrove Legacy books, Haunting Violet and Stolen Away). And though The Drake Chronicles will always be my most beloved Harvey read, Red definitely comes in at a close second! I loved the plot, the characters, the writing, everything!

I loved Kia right away. She was snarky and sarcastic. I laughed out loud when she made fun of herself and cliches and stereotypes. I loved the way she stood up for herself; she didn’t let anyone push her around and she snapped back when they tried. She also wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty; she resorted to snooping and spying to get the answers she needed. I loved her ability and the way she fought to gain control of it. She was a very realistic, relatable character and I loved her personality and her growth from beginning to end.

I loved being inside Ethan’s head! Usually, it’s the girl who has this epic destiny and the guy is along for the ride. But this time, it was the guy who had dangerous family secrets, with a future his father planned out for him, one he was told he couldn’t run from. Though he accepted that he couldn’t fully escape his destiny, he also fought against it, refusing to do exactly as his father wished. He took what he viewed as sad and barbaric and turned it into a great thing. I’d love to see what happens next with the changes he made!

I totally and completely shipped Kia and Ethan. They were hilarious together and I loved their banter. Ethan had his moments in the beginning where he was really mean and pushed Kia away, but in the end, they worked really well together and complemented each other. Again, I’d love to see what the future holds for them.

My absolute favorite character (outside of Kia and Ethan) was Sloane. I loved her personality, her attitude and the way she embraced Kia as a friend. There were two major twists with Sloane. One twist, I loved! It was so cool and epic and it fit her personality perfectly. The second twist broke my heart and had me screaming at my iPad. But then that ending!!! I definitely didn’t see that coming and I’m very pleased with the way Sloane’s story ended. I’d definitely like to read more and see what happens next!

Another character I loved was Abby. She’s so fierce, kind and protective. I loved the revelations she shared with Kia and I loved the twist at the end with her. Clare and Sara were great characters, as well, though we didn’t see as much of them. And Tobias wasn’t too bad.

I couldn’t stand Justine in the beginning. She was so mean and horrible. I understand why she behaved the way she did, though, and she redeemed herself in the end. Justin always seemed to be in the background. I felt really bad for Colt, though. That was heartbreaking! And, of course, I couldn’t stand Holden, Ethan’s father. I can’t even really explain why, because he was really nice to Kia in the beginning. But I just didn’t trust him at all. I think part of that was because I hated how he treated Ethan and his friends. It was obvious the Cabal had consumed Holden. Plus, he had a little bit of a power trip fueling his actions.

The major twist at the end was epic, but I also figured it out pretty early on, mostly because I’m a huge fan of Charmed and recognized the big bad creature for what it really was. It was heartbreaking to see Ethan come to terms with it, though. But it was very well done and even though I figured it out, I still enjoyed seeing it play out. The other major twist at the end (which I briefly mentioned earlier) shocked and saddened me, but I loved the way it played out, as well.

Like I said, I’ve read all of Alyxandra Harvey’s books. And I must say (Again, despite being a HUGE Drake Chronicles fan), Harvey’s writing in Red was her best yet. It flowed so nicely and I never felt confused or lost. The plot was epic and (at least for me) very original and intriguing. I especially loved all the mythological creatures and supernatural elements! I would REALLY LOVE to see a sequel for this! The ending felt a little rushed and, considering where all the characters left off at the end of Red, I’d love to see what happens next for all of them.

I absolutely, highly recommend this book. If you’re already a fan of Alyxandra Harvey, you’ll love it! And if you haven’t read any of her books, I’d suggest starting with this one or The Drake Chronicles.

Review: Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes

Feb4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes
Published by Entangled Teen on February 3, 2015
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Welcome to SmartMart, where crime pays minimum wage...

Busted. Alexis Dubois just got caught shoplifting a cheap tube of lipstick at the local SmartMart. She doesn’t know what’s worse—disappointing her overbearing beauty-pageant-obsessed mother for the zillionth time…or her punishment. Because Lex is forced to spend her summer working at the store, where the only things stranger than the staff are the customers.

Now Lex is stuck in the bizarro world of big-box retail. Coupon cutters, jerk customers, and learning exactly what a “Code B” really is (ew). And for added awkwardness, her new supervisor is the totally cute—and adorably geeky—Noah Grayson. Trying to balance her out-of-control mother, her pitching position on the softball team, and her secret crush on the school geek makes for one crazy summer. But ultimately, could the worst job in the world be the best thing that ever happened to her?

Paper or Plastic was amazing, adorable and unputdownable! No, seriously, I read it in four hours! And I only put it down once to take care of the dog and do dinner! The characters in this book were all incredible and realistic and they all tugged at my heartstrings. Pair all that with Vivi Barnes’ incredible writing and you’ve got a winner!

I loved Alexis (Lex). She’s pretty, fairly rich and popular. She had some moments where she was a bit oblivious and didn’t realize how fortunate she was compared to others. But she never seemed stuck up or snobby, though she had a few moments where she acted as though she were above it all. I know that’s a bit contradictory, but it’s just how she was. She took her mom’s criticism in stride (for the most part). Her relationship with her sister seemed very typical of siblings (they were fine one moment, fighting another). I loved the relationship she had with her grandmother, though some of those moments were hard to read. I was really pleased with Lex’s character development from beginning to end.

Noah was so swoony and adorable. In the beginning, he was a bit of an ass to Lex and really, really hard on her. For someone who had been horribly misjudged, he was a very judgey person. He definitely had some trust issues going on and he had a hard time opening his heart. I don’t blame him for that, considering the things he was dealing with. But it killed me to see him shutdown just when he should have been opening himself up. I don’t think he had as much character development as Lex, but he definitely made progress.

I completely, 100% shipped Lex and Noah. They were so funny and adorable together, I found myself chuckling throughout their encounters. I think I might have even blushed a few times. In some ways, they were complete opposites, yet they complemented each other perfectly. Even when they fought, I still rooted for them.

Court and Syd were… interesting, to say the least. Court was the slightly bitchy friend and Syd was like the peace-keeper. I definitely liked Syd better, but Court had her moments where she pulled through for Lex. Bryce was a fun character, though his ability to hold a grudge kind of knocked him down a few pegs, in my opinion. He was so mean and bitter and, considering he and Lex were supposed to be such amazing friends, he wasn’t very nice or fair to her.

I loved Bessie! She was such a kind person, yet pretty sassy, considering Lex saw her as a grandmother-type figure. I was scared to death for her at the end, though! Ruthie was an annoying character in the beginning. But the more I got to know her and her story, the more I sympathized with her and felt bad for the hand she was dealt.

I couldn’t stand Lex’s mom in the beginning. Just six pages in and I was ready to slap her. She was so dismissive of Lex and her dreams and aspirations. But she sort of made up for her behavior by the end of the book. Lex’s sister definitely had her brat moments, too. And don’t even get me started on Roxanne… Wow. I wanted to punch her face in on more than one occasion!

And Lex’s grandmother… I can’t. I LOVED her grandmother, but those parts were the hardest for me to read. I teared up a few times. I can’t say much more without spoilers, but I will say I feared for her fate and it was just really tough to read the parts with her.

The ending was… insane and epic and so, so intense. Seriously, my heart was in my throat the whole time. The ending was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book. It kind of reminded me of Magnolia by Kristi Cook!!

Overall, Paper or Plastic was an amazing, heartwarming read! I’m probably a little bit biased because I ADORE Vivi Barnes! But if you love contemporary and you’re looking for a feel-good book that you can’t put down, look no further! I highly recommend this one!!!

Review: My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

Apr23

I received this book for free from Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris
Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #3
Published by Entangled Teen on April 21, 2014
Pages: 250
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the My Not So Super Sweet Life blog tour! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! Rachel is AMAZING and I absolutely loved My Not So Super Sweet Life!! I hope you enjoy my review!

Rachel Harris has done it again! My Not So Super Sweet Life (MNSSSL) was an amazing journey filled with beloved characters and timeless lessons. I’ve loved every book that Harris has written and she will continue to be on my auto-buy list for a long time to come.

Cat has grown so much since My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (MSSSC, book one). In the beginning, she kept her feeling and emotions well guarded. She didn’t trust anyone and didn’t let anyone get too close. She didn’t have many friends because of this and she refused to let herself fall for anyone, for fear she would end up heartbroken. So much of this changed after her trip to the past, but she still had a lot of trust issues. In MNSSSL, she really worked through a huge chunk of those trust issues. I definitely think having Alessandra around helped. She also never forgot the lessons she learned in the past and she constantly tried to remind herself of those lessons. I wasn’t a huge Cat fan in MSSSC but I really grew to love her in MNSSSL.

Lucas… Wow, Lucas… Can I just say I swooned over him and leave it at that? No? You want more details? Okay. Lucas is amazing, kind, sweet, patient, loving and wonderful. Like all of Harris’ swoon-worthy guys, he makes you grin like an idiot and wish fictional boys were real. He knew when to be there for Cat and when to give her space. He was always a gentleman and always seemed to say the right thing. I LOVED LOVED LOVED having his POV in this book. Getting into his mind took this book to a whole new level. I felt like we really got to know him and feel for him and we got to see a whole new side of Cat by seeing her through his eyes.

I still adore Austin to pieces and I’m glad he was in MNSSSL as much as he was. He and Alessandra are amazingly adorable together and I loved how he had Cat’s back and the ways in which he was there for Lucas.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Ransom. Before reading MNSSSL, I saw a lot of friends reading and commenting on how amazing he was – they even asked, begged and pleaded for a book with him. Now that I’ve read it, I can see why!!! And I truly hope he gets his own book, as well!!! I’d love to learn more about him, get inside his head and find out about his past.

I also loved the little bit we got from Reyna’s perspective and I’d absolutely love to see her get her own book, too. She’s a fascinating character. Until now, we’ve only seen her as a Gypsy guide. She’s constantly helping others, but I’d love to see her help herself for once. She deserves a happily ever after and, as a reader, I’d love to go on that journey with her.

There were some really intense, emotional scenes in this book. And I feel like I went through every single emotional upheaval that the characters went through – When they were happy, I was happy; when they were crushed, I was crushed. My heart broke for them at times; yet, at times, my heart soared with joy for them. The ending felt like it went full-circle from the first book, too, which gave closure to everything.

Overall, I adored this book so much; I could go on and on, gushing about it for hours. But I’ll leave you with this: Rachel Harris is amazing. Everything she writes is amazing. All her guys are swoon-worthy and hot. If you haven’t read her books yet, DO IT. What are you waiting for?!?! I promise, you won’t be disappointed!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.

She grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with her grandmother and staying up late sneak reading her mam’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.
She homeschools her two beautiful girls and loves watching reality television with her amazing husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult Fun, Flirty Escapes, and LOVES talking with readers!

Find Rachel Online:

Website | Blog
Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

And finally, we also have a giveaway going on for this blog tour! Up for grabs?
-One handmade sterling silver necklace that retailed over $130. It is an eight petal rose and a replica of the one Lucas gives Cat for Valentine’s Day in the book.
– One rare, signed paperback. US Only.

Please enter by using the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full Tour Schedule:

Week One:
4/21/2014- Jenna Does Books– Review
4/21/2014- Coffee, Books and Me– Interview
4/22/2014- Meredith & Jennifer’s Musing– Review
4/22/2014- Vi3tbabe– Excerpt
4/23/2014- Pandora’s Books– Review
4/23/2014- Stuck In Books– Guest Post
4/24/2014- The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club– Review
4/24/2014- Library of a Book Witch– Excerpt
4/25/2014- Every Free Chance Book Reviews-– Review
4/25/2014- Book Loving Mom– Excerpt

Week Two:
4/28/2014- The Book Belles– Review
4/28/2014- Mercurial Musings– Excerpt
4/29/2014- Mundie Moms– Review
4/29/2014- The Cover Contessa– Guest Post
4/30/2014- Book Angel Booktopia– Review
4/30/2014- Swoony Boys Podcast– Interview
5/1/2014- Bookaholics Anonymous– Review
5/1/2014- TSK TSK What to Read– Excerpt
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Review: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

Apr13

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris
Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #1
Published by Entangled Teen on September 18, 2012
Pages: 260
Format: Paperback
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

I’ve had My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (MSSSC) sitting on my TBR since August 2013 when I was lucky enough to score an eARC of A Tale of Two Centuries (ATOTC), the sequel. I had heard that ATOTC was more of a companion and could be read on its own, so I read ATOTC and then planned on reading MSSSC soon after – Well, it’s not exactly “soon after,” but I DID finally read it and man, oh man – Rachel Harris has done it again! A gorgeous story, amazing characters and a swoon-worthy guy, all set within the breathtaking back-drop of sixteenth century Renaissance Italy.

I loved Cat almost from the beginning. At first, I even thought I liked her more than Alessandra (from ATOTC). In the end, I still like Alessandra more (sorry, Cat!) but Cat was an amazing character. She was strong-willed and defiant, the exact opposite of what a sixteenth century girl should be. But when she’s thrown into the past, she has no choice but to do what she can to fit in and not draw attention to herself. Along the way, she has some lessons to learn.

I loved, loved, loved seeing Alessandra in her own time-period, considering that in ATOTC, we *Spoiler alert* almost exclusively see her in the twenty-first century. She was the same kind-hearted, generous person, if even more modest and demure in MSSSC than she was in ATOTC (since she has yet to come out of her shell). She embraces Cat from the start and even believes and trusts her later on, when Cat confides her in.

Lorenzo!! We met at last, Lorenzo. I can see what everyone was swooning over now! And wow… Let me just say, wow! Rachel Harris sure knows how to write swoon-worthy hotties! Lorenzo, Lucas, Austin, Jason and Cane = all swoon-worthy! However…. Don’t hate me Lorenzo fangirls, but I think I like Lucas better! *Hides from the egg-throwers and mob with pitchforks* HEAR ME OUT! Because I read ATOTC first, I met Lucas first. I fell head over heels for him and I saw how things ended for him and Cat. So though I LOVED Lorenzo, I do like Lucas more and I like Lucas and Cat together more! I just do! *Nods firmly*

I knew who Lucia was almost immediately. I loved, loved Aunt Francesca – she was so kind and loving, something Cat definitely needed. I adored Cirpriano – he was the over-protective big brother where both Alessandra and Cat were concerned.

Now, I think I’ve mentioned this before. But I want to say that Rachel Harris renewed my faith in time-travel stories. Before I read ATOTC (and now MSSSC), I read a HORRIBLE book with time travel. It was pre-blogging, but if I were to rate it as a blogger now, it would probably have been 2 stars, if not lower. After that book, I swore off reading time-travel books because I was just too scared to. Well.. Clearly Rachel Harris fixed that problem! She does such an incredible job, I can’t help but love everything she writes. Her characters are amazing and lovable and her plots are intriguing. I also wasn’t a fan of romance until I started reading her books. So, yeah, that all says a lot!

Overall, once again, Rachel Harris wrote a gorgeous, fun, amazing tale of time travel, love and self-discovery. She is one of my favorite authors – one of my auto-read authors. I highly recommend her books. If you haven’t read them, definitely check them out ASAP! You won’t be disappointed, I promise!

Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Oct30

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes
Published by Entangled Teen on November 5, 2013
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Olivia

He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z

I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.

It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.

Except that she’s not.

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Olivia Twisted was an intriguing and imaginative modern re-telling of Oliver Twist.

In the beginning, Olivia was withdrawn, for obvious reasons. Throughout the novel, though, she grows into a strong character, able to say no and stand up for herself. There aren’t enough strong female heroine’s in YA, so I loved that Olivia was strong, with a mind of her own. There’s no insta-love with Z, which was refreshing. She was attracted to him, yes, but she didn’t fall all over him. The build-up was slow and realistic. Honestly, Olivia and Z felt like the most believable, realistic YA couple I’ve seen in a long time.

I was not a fan of Z in the beginning. He was too cocky, too full of himself. But throughout the novel, he showed signs of the person he was underneath all that. He had moments of vulnerability that softened me to him, made me like him more. He was like Olivia’s Knight in Shining Armor at certain moments, and I loved how protective he was of her.

I was really suspicious of Olivia’s foster parents right from the beginning. But it was nothing like I expected. I was actually pretty caught off guard by what happened with them. On the flip side, a character I really loved was Sam. She was so fun and easy-going with Olivia, yet so hardened around Z. She had a kind of competitive rivalry with him that almost reminded me of sibling rivalry. It was an interesting dynamic. She always seemed kind of young and vulnerable, despite her tough-as-nails exterior.

The ending was very intriguing. Not only was it not what I expected, but it also broke some YA stereotypes. It wasn’t a cliche happily ever after. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t go into further detail. But it was one of my top five favorite endings to a YA novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved Olivia, I loved the relationship that she builds with Z and I love how realistic and non-cliche it was. I loved that it broke some of the YA stereotypes. I would absolutely recommend this book to others!

Review: A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

Aug6

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris
Series: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2
Published by Entangled Teen on August 6, 2013
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

Rachel Harris has written a touching and heartwarming love story with this sequel to My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. It is beautifully written, both vivid and descriptive. Alessandra’s voice feels authentic, making the reader feel as if they truly have time-traveled to the sixteenth century.

Alessandra is everything you can possibly want in a main character. She is a proper young lady who yearns for more, but feels trapped in her own time. She wants “passion, equality and freedom,” all the things women in her time period cannot have. All she has to look forward to is a loveless marriage and a life of propriety and society rules. Until fate intervenes and sends her to the twenty-first century, where her distant cousin, Cat, lives.

There’s definitely an adjustment period for Alessandra. Her exploits in the twenty-first century were hilarious. My favorite moment was when she identified a Hooters as an owl shop. It’s amusing seeing how Alessandra’s sixteenth century mind views the twenty-first century technology, dress and ideals. She’s adorably clueless, and so fascinated by simple things – it makes her seem humble and lovable.

So… Austin. Ahhh, Austin. Normally, male characters as cocky as Austin would turn me off. He’s just so full of himself in the beginning, thinking he’s some kind of bad-boy rebel. But, he’s so adorable while teasing Alessandra and her absolute cluelessness makes it that much funnier. So, despite my reservations, Austin won my heart almost immediately. Alessandra’s outrage over Austin (she call’s him the “embodiment of evil” and likens time with him to the symptoms of an illness) only make you root for Austin even more. He takes the prim and proper lady and turns her into a typical outraged teenager.

The whole time I was reading, I pretty much alternated between laughing hysterically and crying (Sometimes just a few tears, and sometimes lip-trembling sniffles). Honestly, I wish I could go into greater detail here, but I don’t want to accidentally go into spoiler territory. Just trust me and make sure you have tissues by your side at all times!

The other couple to take note of in this book is Cat and Lucas. I know you Cat and Lorenzo fans are probably ready to egg my blog for this, but trust me, you’ll love how it all turns out for Cat!

The ending was absolutely perfect. My heart was in my throat for most of it, and I was pretty much close to tears the whole time, as well. But it was awesome, amazing, and perfect. Overall (if you couldn’t tell from my gushing review), I loved this book so much and I would highly recommend it.

Honestly, before I began reading Rachel Harris’ books, I wasn’t a huge romance fan. It kinda bugged me… It was too mushy and rainbows and kittens for me – I prefer science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, etc. I liked romance that had vampires in it… Does that count at all? Anyway, I won an advanced eBook of Taste the Heat, Harris’ adult romance (published July 8, 2013) from Foreward Lit. Not only is she an amazing and talented writer, but she really pulls you into a world with characters you care about, who feel real and relatable. The romances are always genuine, and the plots are well thought-out. For those reasons, among others, I would recommend Rachel Harris to anyone and everyone – especially to those who want to read romance, but aren’t sure where to start.

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Review: The Society by Jodie Andrefski

Review: Lola Carlyle’s 12-Step Romance by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Review: Awakening by Shannon Duffy

Review: Red by Alyxandra Harvey

Review: Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes

Review: My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

Review: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Review: A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris