Month: August 2014 (Page 36 of 43)

BOOK REVIEW – Shine Not Burn (Shine Not Burn #1) by Elle Casey

August 13, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Shine Not Burn (Shine Not Burn #1)
by Elle Casey
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Andie Marks, known as “Party Girl” in her college days, is now a whip-smart lawyer on the fast track to success. Determined to move on from a bad break-up, she joins her girlfriends for a wild bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas, promising to let her hair down just this once.

Vegas is a blur of cocktails and blackjack, and in the middle of it all she meets Mack, a real-life cowboy with a winning hand and an irresistible body. They get lucky in the casino and luckier back at the hotel, a hot night of passion that was definitely not part of Andie’s life plan.

By dawn Mack is gone and all she has to remember their one-night romance is a hangover and a pile of casino chips. Or so she thinks…

Review:

Holy hot cowboys, I love this book! I laughed A LOT, Mack is sooo sexy, Andie is a hysterical drunk, the chemistry between the two of them is HOT and the story reads as though you are watching a movie. I can’t believe I even thought for a second that I didn’t want to read Shine Not Burn. Back when this was first released I wasn’t a huge fan of romance books. But since I enjoyed some of the author’s other books I thought that I’d give it a shot. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the buildup, the struggles, the tension, the banter, anything and everything that will make me swoon but I only enjoyed that in paranormal, dystopian or fantasy books. I had never read a romance book that I was addicted to, that I couldn’t put down and that I would think about long after I finished the book. Shine Not Burn made me realize that I do love romance books but I just wasn’t reading my type of romance books. I’m so happy I gave this book a try for so many reasons!

Screw second thoughts, screw ex-boyfriends who break up by text message, and screw complications. All I wanted was one night of reckless abandon so I could get all this craziness out of my system and go home with a clean slate, ready to kick ass, take names, and get on with my life.

Andie is a lawyer who is her own worst enemy. She is obsessed with her “life plan” that she created when she was in a horrible situation as a child. It helped her get out and make something of herself. Unfortunately, she still lives and breathes it, even though it forces her to stay with loser boyfriends and not have as much time for her friends or anything that would make her truly happy. Andie has to be convinced to go to Las Vegas for her friend’s bachelorette party and the start of this journey is where the fun begins!

His beauty combined with his slow-talking cowboy sexiness had completely robbed me of any intelligence. The drinks probably weren’t helping.

In Vegas Andie drinks and drinks and drinks and then she runs into Mack. Their interactions made me all giddy and smiley and I kept laughing so hard I cried. Andie is a ridiculously clueless drunk and she reminds me so much of a family member that is sooo smart but when it comes to street smarts welllll heaven help her because she wasn’t gifted in that area! Her internal monologues and what pops out of her mouth is hilarious. I loved her voice, I loved her sassiness and I loved how utterly silly she was. BUT my feelings weren’t all sunshine and rainbows when it came to Andie. The girl was frustrating with clinging onto her annoying life plan. I wanted to shake some common sense into her again and again and tell her to throw that sucker out the window! Luckily, she had so many endearing qualities that I couldn’t help but like her even when she was being an idiot.

I really liked this cowboy. Mack. But I didn’t know a single thing about him other than the fact that he doesn’t wear any underwear and he’s got a big cock-a-doodle doo that he definitely knows how to use. Yee haw.

And Mack….ohh jeez louise that man was hot! He had this ability to say anything and make a smile appear on my face. I loved his loyalty and I loved that he knew exactly what he wanted in life and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. I loved that he was just a good, honest guy which kinda shocks me because usually my favorite type of BBF is jerky-butthead-turned-loving-while-constantly-being-intoxicating. Nonetheless, I completely fell head over heels for Mack. Andie and Mack together? Wow, they were this crazy ball of raw sexual tension, one-way witty banter lol, and reading about their journey made me so, so, so very happy.

He sounded so sincere, it made my heart skip a beat. How could a guy that good in bed and this gorgeous be so nice? Doesn’t it defy the very laws of Nature? Maybe he was an evolutionary mutant.

I love a book that can make me laugh again and again. I love a book that makes me giddy and constantly smile. And Shine Not Burn definitely made me laugh and be all giddy and smiley. I’m so happy that I read this book a year ago and that it changed my mind in regards to romance novels. I can’t wait to read the sequel for Ian’s story!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Shine Not Burn #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	MacKenzie Fire #2 Reviews: Jen

AMAZON SALE: Be With Me (Wait For You, #2)

August 13, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Be With Me (Wait For You, #2) by J. Lynn is currently on sale at Amazon for $.99

Synopsis:

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

BOOK REVIEW – Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

August 13, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Allegiant (Divergent #3)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Review:

This book broke my heart into a million pieces. I have never sobbed so hard or for so long while reading a book. I guess that’s because I’ve never read a book that can be so true to life. In real life happy endings don’t always exist and life is not always fair. We see this every day in our lives yet we rarely see this in books. And truthfully, I did love this book. I loved this book all the way until the end. The end is NOT what I wanted and I was so upset that I wanted to rate this book a 1 star. BUT when I thought it through, I still loved Allegiant and I realized that the rating should be based on EVERY part of the book, not just the ending. And again I found myself lost in the action, I fell in love with the dialogue, there were so many characters that I loved and loved to hate and I was enraptured with how the story progressed. I was so lost in this book that I was ignorant to think the ending could be what really happens. Looking back, I can see that Allegiant flows perfectly with how the two previous books progressed and it sticks with the theme Veronica Roth has created and doesn’t deviate from it. That in itself I highly value. Ultimately, I will read whatever Veronica Roth writes in the future BUT I will go into the books being realistic and knowing that I may need a huge box of tissues.

Tris: I fell in love with him. But I don’t just stay with him by default as if there’s no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me.

This book starts off exactly where Insurgent left off. Tris and Christina are locked in a cell since Evelyn sees them as traitors and she and the factionless are now in charge of Chicago. Everyone, including Tris, is still reeling from Edith Prior’s revelation about what lies outside of the fence and that being Divergent is more important than they ever could have thought. When Tris and Christina are released as traitors they learn that there is a group, called the Allegiant, and they are allied with the original purpose of the city – sending people outside the city to help and living in factions. Upon hearing of this, Tris becomes resonate in her plans that she has to escape the city. She HAS to know what is out there. And again, from here I became completely absorbed in their world. Between the action, the knowledge we gain, how the relationships blossom and wither apart and the way the story progresses, Allegiant is addicting!

Tris: He is stronger than anyone I know, and warmer than anyone else realizes; he is a secret that I have kept, and will keep, for the rest of my life.

This time we get to alternate between being in Tris’ and Tobias’ head. I loved being able to listen in to both of their thoughts and see the situations from both of their points of view. I loved being able to see the logical process of why Tris wanted to do certain things and then how Tobias viewed what Tris did and how he reacted to it. It made me feel as though I knew them both inside and out and I felt that much closer to them. I finally understand what makes them tick and why they both do the things they do. Sometimes they can be neurotic but in the end their love for each other is beautiful.

Tobias: I feel like what I have become is halfway between my mother and father, violent and impulsive and desperate and afraid. I feel like I have lost control of what I have become.

I was so happy to see that Tris seems to have more of a grasp on who she is. Her compassion, her strength and her ability to analyze situations amazed me and even though she still struggled I felt as though she was confident with who she was and the choices she makes throughout the book. Tris is back to someone that I would want to stand behind in times of great unrest and danger. Tobias is a little bit different……since we get to see inside Tobias’ brain we finally get to see how much he struggles in this book. It reminds me of how Tris struggled in Insurgent. He is desperately trying not to become who is parents are and he is also struggling with trying to figure out what is really right and wrong. Even though I wanted to yell at him a few times he is still sexy as ever. His love and loyalty for Tris is a force to reckon with and I think that’s what makes me love him the most.

There are so many ways to be brave in this world.
Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else.
Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.
But sometimes it doesn’t.
Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.
That is the sort of bravery I must have now.

I LOVED the huge revelation of what was outside the city. I was so excited to find out that it went along with what I thought from the beginning when Tris sees that the gates on the city’s fence lock from the outside and not the inside. Overall, I love this series. Did I wish it ended differently….uhh yeah! But in the real world and Divergent you don’t always get what you want. And sometimes that can be ok and other times you just have to the make the best of things and think of all of the wonderful moments you got to experience while going through this journey.

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

BOOK REVIEW – Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

August 12, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Insurgent (Divergent #2)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful.

Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Review:

This book was potent, but in an exceptional way. I got to run through the gamut of emotions again, I laughed, I cried and I got the ever loving crap scared out of me time and time again. I swear Veronica Roth made my heart stop a few times! And the ending? I am shocked, and I have no clue where in the world this series is going to go from here! I love being overwhelmed in a good way – so much action, tension, old faces, and an overabundance of emotions still had me asking for more in the end. And all of these things thrown together make a highly addictive book that is impossible to put down.

Both of us watch the purification happen, and I wonder if he is thinking what I am; that it would be nice if life worked this way, stripping the dirt from our lives and sending us out into the world clean. But some dirt is destined to linger.

The book starts off exactly where Divergent ended; with Tris, Tobias, Marcus, Peter and Caleb riding the train to seek refuge and regroup at Amity. From there I can’t say much more other than Marcus dangles something in front of Tris which could force her to lose Tobias forever, Tris finds out who her true friends are and who leaves her up a creek without a paddle (I was definitely shocked on both fronts!), and we get to see inside Amity, Candor and Eurodite which only helps us become more intertwined and engrossed in Tris’ world.

He still believes that I am strong. Strong enough that I don’t need his sympathy. I used to think he was right, but now I am not sure.

Tris was so strong in the first book but now she is drowning in her sorrows. From losing her mother, father and being forced to kill Will she is PAST her breaking point. She feels so weak. It doesn’t help that she doesn’t tell Tobias that she killed Will. That secret is slowly tearing them apart from one another and it has become a poison in her system that is slowly eating her away. While their whole world is crumbling around them I was broken hearted to see that instead of finding strength in one another they started to crumble also. But in those times of desperation I kept hoping that eventually she would shove the weak Tris down into the ground and stand up and be the selfless, brave, smart girl we all fell in love with in Divergent.

“Nothing else is all right.” His whisper tickles my cheek. “But we are.”

Tobias isn’t this mysterious man anymore. We know his faults, weakness and we come to learn the full extent of what love means to Tobias. His love for Tris is absolutely beautiful. And one of the hardest things to watch was what Tobias WOULD do and WOULDN’T do out of love for Tris. Both are heart-wrenching and cry inducing but in the end you love Tobias more for it. Even though this book was so heavy for me I loved that in the beginning we get to see a completely different side of Tobias. He banters a lot with Tris and oh my goodness that was smile inducing. They are hilarious and I’m thankful the book started off on such a light foot. There is a scene where Tris is a little “out of it” and the conversation she has with Tobias is most definitely giggle worthy.View Spoiler »

I can’t tell him I need him. I can’t need him, period – or really, we can’t need each other, because who knows how long either of us will last in this war.

The only fault I can find in Veronica Roth’s books is that she has this unnerving knack for being able to kill anyone off. It is disturbing and absolutely frightening because none of your favorites are safe. I understand that their world isn’t safe, well unless you go hang out with the ever so cheerful Amity but what would be the fun in that? Anyways, that is my only gripe and I am absolutely terrified of who will be on her radar to kill in the third book!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

BOOK REVIEW – Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

August 12, 2014 / Jen / 0 Comments

Divergent (Divergent #1)
by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
This first book in Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy is the novel the inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet. This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers.

Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series, Divergent and its sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant, are the gripping story of a dystopian world transformed by courage, self-sacrifice, and love. Fans of the Divergent movie will find the book packed with just as much emotional depth and exhilarating action as the film, all told in beautiful, rich language.

One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

Review:

This book will forever have a place in my heart. Tris’ courage, Four’s mysterious sexy self and the spellbinding storyline are making me kick myself that I didn’t read this sooner. I became enraptured in Tris’ world and every time I had to put this book down I couldn’t get it out of my head. It contained all my favorite things and I think I felt every emotion under the sun. I laughed, I got butterflies in my stomach, I held my breath, I had sweaty palms, and I cried. I cried not only because I felt Tris’ sadness and pain but also because I was so over the moon happy. I don’t think I’ve ever cried because I was happy while reading a book. Can you tell? I LOVED Divergent.

Abnegation is what I am. It is what I am when I’m not thinking about what I’m doing. It is what I am when I am put to the test. It is what I am even when I appear to be brave. Am I in the wrong faction?

This storyline makes you forget that the world exists around you. The city is Chicago and the all of the people have been divided into five factions. It’s such an interesting concept because depending upon what you believe caused chaos in the world is what faction you belong to. Amity blames aggression, Erudite blames ignorance, Candor blames duplicity, Abnegation blames selfishness and Dauntless blames cowardice. Tris belongs to Abnegation but since she just turned 16 she will now undergo a mental stimulation test which in turn tells her which faction she should belong to. When Tris undergoes her test her results come back as inconclusive. She is shocked to find out that she is now something dangerous, she is Divergent. Not only that but she is now faced with the tough decision of whether she should stay in her faction or permanently move to two other factions that she could very well be suited towards. And from here is where I start to become VERY attached to the book. I loved the way the story progressed, I loved how my questions kept getting answered and I loved how Tris grows throughout all of her trials and tribulations.

It will be difficult to break the habits of thinking Abnegation instilled in me, like tugging a single thread from a complex work of embroidery. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else.

Honestly, I didn’t connect with Tris in the first few chapter. She seemed so meek and timid and that turned me off. The fact that she was trying to comply with such a foreign selfless lifestyle rubbed me the wrong way. I definitely was clueless in the beginning because I missed to see the good in her. The good of what her faction believed in and how that would help mold her into the person she would become throughout the book. And I came to love that person she slowly emerged into! As each chapter progressed THAT Tris was slowly merging into a NEW Tris and the combination of those two personalities was BEAUTIFUL. She was still selfless but she started to become someone more sure of herself, someone not afraid to show her stubbornness, someone not afraid to stick up for others and someone who asked questions when no one else was. She struggled with the decision of what was right and what was wrong but at some point it just all clicked for her. She became someone I admired and while I didn’t agree with every choice she made along the way she became a force to be reckoned with. The trials and tribulations she had to endure were at times suffocating and the lack of choices had me screaming at the unfairness of life, but then again even though this is my least favorite saying EVER, who ever said life was fair.

Suddenly he presses a hand to my stomach. His fingers are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches one side of my rib cage, his fingertips still touch the other side. My heart pounds so hard my chest hurts, and I stare at him, wide-eyed.

Four was, sigh, he was everything I love – tough demeanor, calculating mind, capability to be authoritative and lead, a secretive past and an ability to completely melt someone into a puddle. He had an innate way to keep me constantly intrigued and constantly asking for more. While I didn’t always understand his actions and even if he was seeming to act like the biggest jerk on the face of the planet, I knew that I could trust his reasoning behind each action and all would be forgiven. He also had this wonderful way of putting people in their place. There were a few times when he verbally slammed one of the people I hated into the ground and you couldn’t knock the smirk off of my face! And going back to the melting someone into a puddle, well, this is kind of silly but there is this one scene that had me smiling SO huge that I swear I fell asleep with a smile on my face!View Spoiler »

“People tend to overestimate my character,” I say quietly. “They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can’t possibly be cruel. But they’re wrong.”

But truly, I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, the unknowns, and everything in between about this book. I know people either love or hate this series and I’m desperately hoping I won’t be in the latter group because this book has definitely become one of my favorites!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Divergent #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Insurgent #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Allegiant #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Four: A Divergent Collection #0.1 - 0.4 *Four's Story*

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

BOOK REVIEW – Shine Not Burn (Shine Not Burn #1) by Elle Casey

Synopsis:

Review:

Screw second thoughts, screw ex-boyfriends who break up by text message, and screw complications. All I wanted was one night of reckless abandon so I could get all this craziness out of my system and go home with a clean slate, ready to kick ass, take names, and get on with my life.

His beauty combined with his slow-talking cowboy sexiness had completely robbed me of any intelligence. The drinks probably weren’t helping.

I really liked this cowboy. Mack. But I didn’t know a single thing about him other than the fact that he doesn’t wear any underwear and he’s got a big cock-a-doodle doo that he definitely knows how to use. Yee haw.

He sounded so sincere, it made my heart skip a beat. How could a guy that good in bed and this gorgeous be so nice? Doesn’t it defy the very laws of Nature? Maybe he was an evolutionary mutant.

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AMAZON SALE: Be With Me (Wait For You, #2)

Synopsis:

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BOOK REVIEW – Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

Synopsis:

Review:

Tris: He is stronger than anyone I know, and warmer than anyone else realizes; he is a secret that I have kept, and will keep, for the rest of my life.

Tobias: I feel like what I have become is halfway between my mother and father, violent and impulsive and desperate and afraid. I feel like I have lost control of what I have become.

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BOOK REVIEW – Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Synopsis:

Review:

Both of us watch the purification happen, and I wonder if he is thinking what I am; that it would be nice if life worked this way, stripping the dirt from our lives and sending us out into the world clean. But some dirt is destined to linger.

He still believes that I am strong. Strong enough that I don’t need his sympathy. I used to think he was right, but now I am not sure.

“Nothing else is all right.” His whisper tickles my cheek. “But we are.”

I can’t tell him I need him. I can’t need him, period – or really, we can’t need each other, because who knows how long either of us will last in this war.

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BOOK REVIEW – Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Synopsis:

Review:

Abnegation is what I am. It is what I am when I’m not thinking about what I’m doing. It is what I am when I am put to the test. It is what I am even when I appear to be brave. Am I in the wrong faction?

It will be difficult to break the habits of thinking Abnegation instilled in me, like tugging a single thread from a complex work of embroidery. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else.

Suddenly he presses a hand to my stomach. His fingers are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches one side of my rib cage, his fingertips still touch the other side. My heart pounds so hard my chest hurts, and I stare at him, wide-eyed.

“People tend to overestimate my character,” I say quietly. “They think that because I’m small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can’t possibly be cruel. But they’re wrong.”

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