Author: Chelsea (Page 54 of 111)

BOOK REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

July 2, 2015 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

“I could try to guess your preferences.”

“My preferences in a kiss?”
I nodded, our faces still very close together.
“My preference is simple-you.”

I can’t say these aren’t clichéd. I can’t say they haven’t been done before. I can’t say there are bad boys and perilistic moments. And I certainly can’t say they are perfect. But what I can say? They may have clichéd moments, but they are written impeccably well. They may have been done before, but never as adorably. There may not be bad boys, but there are guys who would do anything to make you happy. Guys who, for all intents and purposes, aren’t only out for themselves. They are the heroes we deserve in real life, the boys we should strive to be with-And they always keep a permanent smile on my face. And instead of perilous parts, there are heart-wrenching and angsty moments-moments that break your heart and make you want to reach in the book and shake the main characters. And perfection….isn’t that speculative?

[Fill-In Bradley] pointed at the olives I had picked off my pizza. “What’s going on there?”
“I’m not an olive fan.”
“There were other options without olives.”
“I like the flavor the olives leave on the pizza. I just don’t like the texture of the olive itself.”

I swear to God, that’s me (for most vegetably things)-I love this reference^^^^^^^!

Oh man. I just….I am so tired. I have had a bad couple weeks (yes there have been happy moments, like Cedar Point) and the only thing that I really have been looking forward to are these happy little books that make your heart beat faster than should be humanly possible and the [good] boys I have been falling for in my binge-read-for-happiness. So, when I finally decided to read this one and give it a try, it was just what I needed.

My dad folded his hands on the table. “Chin up. There are other fish in the sea. It’s a big ocean. Sometimes we need to catch and release a few before we find the keeper. Just keep swimming.”
“I don’t think that last one applies here.”
“I was on a water roll. I just went with it.”

This story centers around Gia. She has a boyfriend named Bradley and her [horribly annoying] friends don’t really believe her. He is a UCLA college student and they have never met him. But, at Prom, she is determined to show him off to her friends-it’s finally going to happen…they have to believe her now, right? Yeah, things rarely go according to plan, do they?

He glanced over my shoulder, toward where my friends were still sitting. “Nice friends you got there.”
“They’re mostly nice. Jules is just constantly trying to oust me.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. I think she thinks I’m the alpha of our pack and that there is only room for one without resorting to cannibalism.”
“I’m going to take your weird wolf analogy and assume you mean that she wants to be the leader of your group.”

Bradley dumps her in the school parking lot, leaving her dateless and, well, looking like a liar. So, when she sees an adorable boy sitting in the parking lot (reading, mind you), she asks him to fill his place so it won’t look like she was lying-Yes, I see the irony here-and she can prove her horrid frienemy wrong.

He was still looking at me like I was crazy. I felt crazy. “You want me to pretend to be Captain America?” He pointed toward the street.
I was confused at first but then realized that’s what he was calling Bradley, whose build was on the beefy side. “They’ve never met him so they have no idea what he looks like. Besides you’re…” I gestured toward him without finishing the sentence. I tried to think of a different superhero to compare him to but nothing came to mind. I wasn’t well versed in superheroes. Were there some who were on the thinner side? Spiderman? That didn’t seem like a compliment.

Again, LOVE superhero movies, so I was giggling like a moron lol^^

Let’s just say things don’t go perfectly. But for those few blissful moments of triumph, she gets to see Fill-In Bradley for the good person he is. I mean, what guy would run home and put on a suit and actually come back for a random stranger? A nice one, I tell you. As they dance and talk a little, his lingering stares and smoldering looks start to get into her head. Long after the charade is over, she sits at home wondering what his name really is, why he took her to the dance, what he’s doing…and then she realizes he might have gotten into her head more than she even realized.

“This is Gia, by the way, Mom.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners?” She extended her hand to me. “I’m Olivia. I’m sorry for stealing this boy away but I need his gorgeous face. I mean, tell me that face doesn’t inspire creativity.”
Both [Fill-In Bradley] and Bec rolled their eyes.
“She says that every time she pulls us in here and then she creates things like that.” He pointed to a painting of a half-insect, half-zebra face splitting open to reveal a blooming flower. “My face did not inspire that.”

I absolutely adored Fill-In Bradley. He was adorable with his messy, hardly manageable (brown) hair and piercing blue eyes. And he was always worried about Gia-her feelings, her friends, how things were going for her. I know it sounds cliché (okay, we covered this, yes?) but he would pretty much do anything for her…even though they had just met. And it was just so….okay, shut up shut up….adorable. I just…sigh…I just loved him.

“I will save you from yourself, then. You cannot get the Rocky Road. Anything else…except vanilla because that’s so boring. Who would even think of getting that? I don’t even know why they stock it.”
I smiled.
“It’s actually the most popular ice cream flavor,” Blake said while adding a scoop of strawberry to a cup.
“Well, I feel validated now. I should’ve gotten vanilla.” >.<

I’m not saying this is the most creative book ever, I’m just saying that it was a good book that had lots of fun, sweet, and happy moments. I am not in the business of passing up absolutely gorgeous book covers with irresistible writing and a wonderful plot…I’m just not. So I will likely continue to devour these types of books (by this and other Chelsea-approved happy-go-lucky authors) and not feel a damn bit guilty about it. If you need to smile, if you want a break from the shittiness that is life sometimes, then I suggest you pick this story up. The Distance Between Us is still my favorite Kasie West book (XANDER!) but this one is my second (FILL IN BRADLEY!) favorite. So…yeah…just read them, ‘kay?

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Omg guys. These books are like damn fairy-tales….every time.

I do, in fact, want my HEA.

Review to come.

BOOK REVIEW: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

June 29, 2015 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

It’s chilly and unnaturally quiet-if Abby weren’t with me, I would have to drown out the silence with music. It feels like we’re the last survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Wonder Woman and a gay dementor. It doesn’t bode well for the survival of the species.

So…this is new. A little ~~birdie~~ Alien told me that I just haaaddddd to read this. So I did. I asked her what I should read over my weekend getaway and this was her response. No, it wasn’t particularly what I would have chosen for myself, and no-I don’t think I’ll read a ton like this because…okay, I’ll get to that later. But, my point is, this book was just what I needed.

I take a sip of my beer, and it’s-I mean, it’s just astonishingly disgusting. I don’t think I was expecting it to taste like ice cream, but holy fucking hell. People lie and get fake IDs and sneak into bars, and for this? I honestly think I’d rather make out with Bieber. The dog. Or Justin.
Anyway, it really makes you wonder about the hype surrounding sex.

Every once in a while we just need a book to, I don’t know, reset everything. Reset your mood, reset your genre, reset your view of life-whatever you need reset, really. So, yeah, this is completely out of my comfort zone, but it was just so damn cute that I hardly cared. This book was a complete breath of fresh air because, and I’m speaking extremely candidly here, I had literally zero expectations. Zilch. Nada. None. So, to say I was impressed and surprised would be an understatement.

“That’s seriously bullshit,” says Mila. “You need to just talk to him.” And then she sees me standing there listening and shoots me the stink-eye.
So here’s the thing: Simon means ‘the one who hears’ and Spier means ‘the one who watches.’ Which means I was basically destined to be nosy.

Now, let’s not mistake my being honest for being biased or cruel-I like what I like and other people like what they like and that’s awesome-really, it is. And it’s even harder reading about something that isn’t….what you…I don’t know…picture? It’s just hard for me to fathom this. And I’m okay with that-I loved literally every minute of this story, obviously, if you can’t tell by my rating. I actually was at a 5 for most of the story, if you can believe it, which I can’t. I read this on the way home from Cedar Point (Yeah, see, I loved it so much that I read in the mother effin’ car!! I have NEVER done this. Ever. So, see? Much enjoyment) But the minute it’s revealed who the guy is (I knew it, by the way-so cute), things took that turn I’m uncomfortable with. You know what I’m saying…kissing and the like. And that’s my fault! So, literally I loved this, I just couldn’t ‘get into’ those scenes at the end. Only negative-literally.

But now that I said my only dislike, let’s get to everything I loved, which was almost everything. What I said above doesn’t mean I didn’t adore the end-it was perfection. Everything leading up to that moment made it all the more special and I couldn’t help but to smile like a goon. And the fact that it was YA really helped, too, if I’m honest. It’s my favorite genre, and especially for this it was really toned down.

“Okay, well, I’m taking over your bathroom now. Time for the transformation.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “I’ll transform in here.”
Nora looks up from her book. “Simon. Eww.”
“It’s a dementor robe over my clothes. I think you’ll survive.”
“What’s a dementor?”
I mean, I can’t even.

Simon was just such an amazing character. I mean, everything he said made me smile so big it was on the deranged side, and the minute our road trip home started, I fell into my impenetrable personal bubble. I think I rode home with three other people…was I supposed to be talking to them? Whoops. Guess I’m an antisocial ass-Nose in a book and no regrets. My point? I wanted Simon to be my friend. He was so funny and witty and and his inner thoughts absolutely slayed me. I highlighted so much of his inner thoughts that I am going to have a difficult time picking out quotes. He thinks just like me…..but it’s actually funny when he thinks it.

“Are you guys going to rehearsal today?”
“Oh, it’s optional now?” I ask. And then I do this thing I picked up from Leah, where you kind of cut your eyes to the side and narrow them. It’s more subtle than rolling your eyes. Much more effective.

And then the friendships. Omg I just loved Abby, especially. I loved the friendship, the shoulder to lean on, the ear to spill all secrets to…all his friends just surrounded him with such love, adoration, and loyalty that it made my heart burst. Simon goes through a difficult period, guys, all because of an instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s cruel. It’s not right…but the support system that rallies behind him? That possibly warmed my heart the most.

“Mom,” I say.
She tips her palms up.
“Come on. Please.” Already, Nora’s opening up the car door.
“I’m open to negotiating,” she says.
“For what?”
“One night of parole in exchange for ten minutes of access to your Facebook.”
Jesus Christ.
“Five,” I say. “Supervised.”

So, yeah. I loved this. And I think it’s kind of an ‘everybody’ book. It’s unoffensive and makes you laugh, and it’s so different from anything you’ve ever read. Blue is his secret guy, and they email back and forth through the whole story so you never know who it is, but you continually guess. Your heart breaks for Simon, for his inner turmoil and need to meet Blue. The way he reaches out to him…I just adored it. So, I don’t quite know who to rec this to, but I know that people could love it. I was in the right mood and it made my spirits soar-maybe it will yours, too.

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Aw shucks, guys…..this was just way too cute:

Yeah. It was like a Disney movie montage. Adorbs. (Yeah I went there)

Review to come ♥

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda?? How about:

Anna vs. Chelsea’s Peril Agenda

Surriously. She’s killing me with the begging and unrefined ~~puppy dog~~ kitty cat eyes.

BOOK REVIEW: Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

June 26, 2015 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Who is Andrew Winston Winters? No one really knows. Least of all himself. He is part Win, a lonely teenager exiled to a remote boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts the whole world out, no matter the cost, because his darkest fear is of himself ...of the wolfish predator within. But he's also part Drew, the angry boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who, one fateful summer, was part of something so terrible it came close to destroying him. A deftly woven, elegant, unnerving psychological thriller about a boy at war with himself. Charm and Strange is a masterful exploration of one of the greatest taboos.

Wow. This is going to be a hard one to talk about. I mean, how do you explain a book that’s shrouded in mystery? We don’t know what’s real, what’s imagined, what happened…we are completely in the dark until all the pieces slowly start to fit together. Indeed this is a journey that I don’t see everyone loving, but, for me, it was absolute perfection.

There are wants and needs in this world, I think. There are hopes and guarantees. There are the things that are true and the things we need to believe in. And I’ve seen enough in my life to know I don’t believe in much.

Win’s story is utterly devastating. Whether it’s his past or his present-it doesn’t matter-his life is a sad one. We get glimpses of his past as a ten year old child, always craving positive affirmation from those surrounding him. We can already see he is somewhat tainted in the way he sees the world, which, again, is tragic, and we know something isn’t right. And I’m not just talking about the creatures…..

What is there to say when what’s inside of me is unspeakable?

More and more we begin to see his flinching responses and urges to glare and defend, but we aren’t sure why. And no, this isn’t spoilery or giving too much up-we see in the first two chapters that something, whether it’s easy to figure out or not (thanks a lot Goodreads users, for real), I had quite an easy time seeing what was coming. That’s not to say I knew everything, but I guessed the main issue at hand, as I’m sure many of you will, too. But, and I couldn’t say this any more perfectly than my wonderful blog buddy, Anna, did-It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen spoilers galore, Win’s journey stands on it’s own. From the moment you pick up this story, you know it’s going to be special-You just can’t figure out why.

I don’t want to die and I don’t think I can live.

Win was a character that I will likely not forget for a long time. I can’t explain the essence of Win without possibly spoiling the plot, but I can say that, without a doubt, I fell in love with him. His voice was one of a kind. His struggles, his loneliness, his self-deprecation….It was painful. And the whole time I felt his pain along with him. His stomach issues, his longing to belong as a child slowly slipping away as he becomes a teenager no longer wishing to fit in, but to push everyone away. I mean, it’s just so difficult to read…yet you just can’t stop.

How can the same God that created all this beauty have created me?

Like many books lately I am a tad disappointed in my lack of time to read. Reading in twenty minute intervals with my eyes barely staying open hardly bodes well for a shorter story and, like usual, it effected the flow of the story. This has been happening more frequently than I can handle and it’s starting to really aggravate me. I get that life happens, but come on….this was just a short little book and good lord it annoyed me how little I could get done at once. All I can say is that, while the beginning 50% was disjointed for me (as it’s supposed to be as to keep the reader on their toes, but I was even more disjointed with lack of time (See the bigger dilemma here?)), I got to finish the last 50% in one bug chunk and it made all the difference.

From what I can tell, morality is a word. Nothing more. There’re the things people do when others are watching and the things we do when they aren’t.

So, you know, I stand by what I’ve said. This story is wonderful and weird and it lets you go places rarely seen in such a light, but it is certainly not for everyone-not by a long shot. I think that, while this author is clever and unique, she isn’t ever going to be a favorite of mine. I loved this story-I did-but something about her writing makes me side-eye her frequently. And I really do think I’d have rated this 5 if I’d have had the time to enjoy it. But after the monstrosity that is Delicate Monsters and now this one, I think it’s safe to say she isn’t easy to relate to (book wise). Anywho, that being said and slung to the side, I’d love for everyone to give this one a try. Win’s story is unforgettable-you just have to open your mind.

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Awwww look how cute the cover issssss….

Said no one ever.

Anna you know me so welllll >.<

BOOK REVIEW: Crushed (Soul Eaters #2) by Eliza Crewe

June 25, 2015 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Crushed (Soul Eaters #2)
by Eliza Crewe
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Meda Melange has officially hung up her monstrous mantle and planted her feet firmly on the holy and righteous path of a Crusader-in-training. Or, at least, she’s willing to give it a shot. It helps that the Crusaders are the only thing standing between her and the demon hordes who want her dead.

The problem is, the only people less convinced than Meda of her new-found role as Good Girl are the very Crusaders she’s trying to join. So when a devilishly handsome half-demon boy offers escape, how’s a girl supposed to say “no?”

After all, everyone knows a good girl’s greatest weakness is a bad boy.

“It’s illegal, you know,” he murmurs. “Stealing.”
I clear my throat. “Stealing?”
“My heart. I could have you arrested.”

Holy Shit. Holy freakin’ (SEVERELY HOLDING IN STRONG CURSING) cow. This book. This. Fucking (whoops, I tried). Book. I liked book one, okay? I really did. Meda is a bona fide badass and the story (felt) unique and original. Now, to be fair, I don’t really read many demon books. I don’t. Really. So to say it’s original? I might be off base here. But, to me, everything about it was a breath of fresh air. The plot, the characters, the voice. Just altogether a great book, if you ask me. But nothing, I really mean nothing, could have prepared me for how much I loved this second installment.

We’ll face each other in battle, and when that day comes, we will do our utmost to reduce the other to bloody pieces. And we will do it unapologetically.
We know what we are.

Epic. Gripping. Harsh. As. Fuck. Oh, heyo, did I mention that my insides are literally ripped to shreds? No, you say? Well…yeah. They might be a heaping pile of mush at the moment. And I can’t quite decide whether they are a good ‘oooooh, how about that amazing Chelsea peril right there??? That was some good shit!’ or a ‘Noooo. Nononononononononono this can’t be, this can’t beeee’ kind of thing. There are one of two ways my heart can be crushed (tee-hee) and while one is still painful (3), the other is unbearable (2).

Options:

View Spoiler » What does everyone think??? I HAVE NO IDEA! And what did that final line of the book mean and who was it referring to?!

And wah wah wah, call the wah-mbulance. I know I knooooow, I focus on romance waaaaay too much, but I don’t care!!!! I don’t give a heaping pile of Ellie’s dog poo! To me, while the story was more than enough to stand on its own, romance only adds to the story.

I laugh. “How exactly do you see this…” I wave between the two of us, unable to come up with a descriptor.
“Beautiful friendship?” he supplies with a devilish grin.
“…going?” I finish, ignoring him. “Us being mortal enemies and all.”
“I prefer the term ‘star-crossed lovers.'”

And we all know I’m a sucker for bad boys with dark hair and dark eyes and long eyelashes and…Hmm. You didn’t know? Lol. Well you do now. And I wants to tells ya….oh boy oh boy was he bad. Now, this is speculative, he was more of a quiet, doing it behind the scenes guy. But it doesn’t make it any less of a certainty-The sky is blue. The grass is green. Armand isn’t a sweet or reformed demon. Duh. But I loved him, guys. I luhhh-huuhhh-huuuuuvveeeeddddd himmmmmmmm *whiney voice*.

Every time I saw his name I got giddy, excited, breathless. He and Meda-together-made this story something I craved when I couldn’t be near it. I literally ached for it. It was this deep, visceral longing. A lot of it had to do with Meda’s voice-she’s hilarious. But add a sexy boy to an already badass story? Meda+Armand+more snark+great story+ sexy sexy sexy=happy happy happy Chelsea. It’s simple MATH, really ;).

“That’s what I get for playing with fire, he grumbles, rubbing his head. It can’t hurt too badly-his head is far too hard.
“And here I always thought I was the one playing with fire. You being the bad boy.”
“Nope,” he says, dropping down beside me. “The one playing with fire is the one most likely to get burned.”
“Ah, well, that settles it. You were only bumped not burned.”
A pause. “Maybe today.”

This second story, to me, was a favorite because we got past all the introductory stuff, for the most part. Jo and Chi and Meda are besties and Meda is a beacon who hangs with the demon hunting crusaders. 90% of the crusaders don’t want her to be at the camp, seeing as she eats souls and all… but Jo and Chi are always at her side and on her side (though it’s not always clear), and would do anything to keep her there/save her-especially Jo. I adored their friendship. I know I tout about the romance blah blah but another layer to this intricate story was the friendship. For real. It was so beautiful to see two total opposites (and old enemies, really) become so close and to see what has became of their unlikely friendship and what’s still to come. I loved it. Not only did it add to the book, it was another key component to making it irresistible.

What a thing, to have your best friend also be your worst enemy.

So, yeah, I could fangirl all day but eh, I think I made my point. I enjoyed this one immensely, and the only thing I can say is that I must love torture. I must love pain. Because my heart? It’s pretty well ripped to shreds, due to recent developments and what’s most likely to come. And, before anyone asks, YES I figured things out and YES I guessed. I won’t elaborate. It changes nothing, ya hear? Nada. So back off on that front, anyone who has anything to say about it. lol. I’m thinking people need to read this. Stat. It’s pretty epic….and I can’t wait to see what happens (maybe…maybe-I might possibly die a slow and painful death, too…who knows? *shrugs).

BOOK REVIEW: Cracked (Soul Eaters #1) by Eliza Crewe

June 23, 2015 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Cracked (Soul Eater #1)
by Eliza Crewe
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Meet Meda. She eats people.

Well, technically, she eats their soul. But she totally promises to only go for people who deserve it. She’s special. It’s not her fault she enjoys it. She can’t help being a bad guy. Besides, what else can she do? Her mother was killed and it’s not like there are any other “soul-eaters” around to show her how to be different. That is, until the three men in suits show up.

They can do what she can do. They’re like her. Meda might finally have a chance to figure out what she is. The problem? They kind of want to kill her. Before they get the chance Meda is rescued by crusaders, members of an elite group dedicated to wiping out Meda’s kind. This is her chance! Play along with the “good guys” and she’ll finally figure out what, exactly, her ‘kind’ is.

Be careful what you wish for. Playing capture the flag with her mortal enemies, babysitting a teenage boy with a hero complex, and trying to keep one step ahead of a too-clever girl are bad enough. But the Hunger is gaining on her.

The more she learns, the worse it gets. And when Meda uncovers a shocking secret about her mother, her past, and her destiny… she may finally give into it.

Sometimes bad things need to be reminded they’re not the only ones who can bite.

Fun, witty, and surprisingly deep and heartfelt, this story was a page-turner from beginning to end. Meda was a character that will be impossible to forget-if not because of her devious habits, then because of her snarky and hilarious humor. A fun cast of characters makes this book easy to devour and there’s no character you don’t have strong feelings for.

Like any fatherless child, I’ve wondered about the man responsible for the glory that is me. Needless to say, it’s disappointing to learn he’s the kind who’d probably eat his young.

More than once I found myself tearing up and fighting back tears-this story wasn’t without it’s tragedies, despite the hilarious undertones. I was, admittedly, a little shocked that my heart strings were starting to fray by the end of this story….from the beginning I knew that this was going to be deeper than I thought, but not once did I believe it would bring tears to my eyes. The mocking narrative took away from the harshness of what Meda really does, but it’s not so easily forgotten when surrounded with her brethren.

They claim revenge is a dish best served cold, but I’ve found it to be equally delicious hot-not unlike fried chicken.

Dark, gritty, and fast-paced, I found this one hard to put down. Not often does a romance not including the main character (yet) pull me in, but I was addicted to Jo and Chi’s story. So cute and a little desperate, we get all the action and a slab of romance on the side. I can’t wait to see where Meda and Armand’s story goes (what? I’m ALL about the romance, sorry lol) in the next story. He seems to be a dark little soul…Come to mama.

Oh, and did I mention the peril was through the roof near the end?? Points to Crewe! I LOVED that.

*Sorry-my review reflects my mood-dark and dry….I don’t normally flub or write such short/drab stuff, but I just can’t write right now. I had lots of funny quotes and quite a bit to say but…Oh well.*

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

Jen	Chelsea
Arielle	Cassie

BOOK REVIEW: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Synopsis:

“I could try to guess your preferences.”

“My preferences in a kiss?” I nodded, our faces still very close together. “My preference is simple-you.”

[Fill-In Bradley] pointed at the olives I had picked off my pizza. “What’s going on there?” “I’m not an olive fan.” “There were other options without olives.” “I like the flavor the olives leave on the pizza. I just don’t like the texture of the olive itself.”

My dad folded his hands on the table. “Chin up. There are other fish in the sea. It’s a big ocean. Sometimes we need to catch and release a few before we find the keeper. Just keep swimming.” “I don’t think that last one applies here.” “I was on a water roll. I just went with it.”

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BOOK REVIEW: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Synopsis:

It’s chilly and unnaturally quiet-if Abby weren’t with me, I would have to drown out the silence with music. It feels like we’re the last survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Wonder Woman and a gay dementor. It doesn’t bode well for the survival of the species.

“Are you guys going to rehearsal today?” “Oh, it’s optional now?” I ask. And then I do this thing I picked up from Leah, where you kind of cut your eyes to the side and narrow them. It’s more subtle than rolling your eyes. Much more effective.

“Mom,” I say. She tips her palms up. “Come on. Please.” Already, Nora’s opening up the car door. “I’m open to negotiating,” she says. “For what?” “One night of parole in exchange for ten minutes of access to your Facebook.” Jesus Christ. “Five,” I say. “Supervised.”

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BOOK REVIEW: Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

Synopsis:

There are wants and needs in this world, I think. There are hopes and guarantees. There are the things that are true and the things we need to believe in. And I’ve seen enough in my life to know I don’t believe in much.

What is there to say when what’s inside of me is unspeakable?

I don’t want to die and I don’t think I can live.

How can the same God that created all this beauty have created me?

From what I can tell, morality is a word. Nothing more. There’re the things people do when others are watching and the things we do when they aren’t.

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BOOK REVIEW: Crushed (Soul Eaters #2) by Eliza Crewe

Synopsis:

“It’s illegal, you know,” he murmurs. “Stealing.” I clear my throat. “Stealing?” “My heart. I could have you arrested.”

We’ll face each other in battle, and when that day comes, we will do our utmost to reduce the other to bloody pieces. And we will do it unapologetically. We know what we are.

What a thing, to have your best friend also be your worst enemy.

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BOOK REVIEW: Cracked (Soul Eaters #1) by Eliza Crewe

Synopsis:

Sometimes bad things need to be reminded they’re not the only ones who can bite.

Like any fatherless child, I’ve wondered about the man responsible for the glory that is me. Needless to say, it’s disappointing to learn he’s the kind who’d probably eat his young.

They claim revenge is a dish best served cold, but I’ve found it to be equally delicious hot-not unlike fried chicken.

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“My preferences in a kiss?”
I nodded, our faces still very close together.
“My preference is simple-you.”

[Fill-In Bradley] pointed at the olives I had picked off my pizza. “What’s going on there?”
“I’m not an olive fan.”
“There were other options without olives.”
“I like the flavor the olives leave on the pizza. I just don’t like the texture of the olive itself.”

My dad folded his hands on the table. “Chin up. There are other fish in the sea. It’s a big ocean. Sometimes we need to catch and release a few before we find the keeper. Just keep swimming.”
“I don’t think that last one applies here.”
“I was on a water roll. I just went with it.”

“Are you guys going to rehearsal today?”
“Oh, it’s optional now?” I ask. And then I do this thing I picked up from Leah, where you kind of cut your eyes to the side and narrow them. It’s more subtle than rolling your eyes. Much more effective.

“Mom,” I say.
She tips her palms up.
“Come on. Please.” Already, Nora’s opening up the car door.
“I’m open to negotiating,” she says.
“For what?”
“One night of parole in exchange for ten minutes of access to your Facebook.”
Jesus Christ.
“Five,” I say. “Supervised.”

“It’s illegal, you know,” he murmurs. “Stealing.”
I clear my throat. “Stealing?”
“My heart. I could have you arrested.”

We’ll face each other in battle, and when that day comes, we will do our utmost to reduce the other to bloody pieces. And we will do it unapologetically.
We know what we are.