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BOOK REVIEW: Yard Sale by Charleigh Rose

March 25, 2019 / Jen / 0 Comments

Yard Sale by Charleigh Rose
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Mollie
I was freshly fired from my job and betrayed by my boyfriend.
It was a new low for me.
A one-night stand with an arrogant stranger was just what I needed.
I didn’t know that he was a famous snowboarder, or that he’d give me the best sex of my life.
I wasn’t ever supposed to see him again.
Fate had other plans.

Cam
I was young and rich with the whole world at my fingertips.
I was in my prime.
A one-night stand with a hot little tourist on the rebound was the perfect way to spend my weekend.
I didn’t know she’d leave in the middle of the night, or that I’d wake up wanting more.
I never thought I’d see her again.
Now she’s back.
She’s been keeping a secret.
One that will change everything.

Review:

Yard Sale was a quick and sexy story about Cam and Molly, who we met in Bad Intentions. I had wondered what their back story was and I’m so happy that we got to hear it! And while this was a novella, it sure didn’t feel like one. There was so much emotion and story packed into the pages that it showed me again why I have fallen so hard for this author. Charleigh Rose creates stories that become entrenched in my heart and I love every minute of it!

“You said I had to let you leave, but, you didn’t say anything about not following you.”
I spin around and pin him with an impassive stare as I walk backwards.
“I can be tricky, too,” he says, wiggling his brows.

Cam aka Camden Hess was a professional snowboarder doing his own thing. One night stands, riding hard and hanging with his buddies was his world. He had never wanted more from a woman than just a night, until he met Mollie Mabey. They met in a bar and I loved the games they played with each other. There was attraction, lust and while Mollie felt it too, she didn’t make it easy for Cam. I loved how she made him work for her!

He’s gorgeous. And intimidating. And, I can only assume, a player. He’s everything I don’t need in a boyfriend, but he’s exactly what I need tonight.

I liked Mollie right away. She had sass and didn’t fall all over Cam, like every other female seemed to do. And when Mollie quoted Cher Horowitz from Clueless, she became an instant favorite of mine. Plus, I adored her family and I knew she was good people since Sutton was her friend. If you haven’t read Bad Intentions, Sutton was one of the friends in that book and she was kick ass, just like Mollie.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice thick and gravelly.
“Do whatever you want with me,” I whisper. And I want him to. I want more of this feeling, and I’ll chase it until the very last drop.

Cam and Mollie ended up having a one night stand and it was hot but also oh so dirty and kinky. After that night, she left. They didn’t think they would ever see each other again, but fate had other plans. That’s all I can say there, but I have to gush about Cam. You’re going to love him! Cam warmed my heart and quickly stole it. He was genuine and fierce. He loved so strongly and he went after what he wanted. And when he was with Mollie, together they made me smile and laugh.

My heart says be ***careful, my head says impossible, but my body…my body is screaming at me to let Cam show it magic again. Because that night with him was* pure magic.**

Yard Sale can easily be read as a standalone, but there were epilogues in the back for the couples in Bad Habit and Bad Intentions. So definitely don’t read that part of the story, if you haven’t read those books first. There were huge spoilers. So of course I recommend this book and I’m so happy I have found another author that goes on my I will buy every single book they ever release list!

Love doesn’t wait until you have your shit together. It just happens. It’s up to you to decide how badly you want it.

PS The shops, the ice arena, the gondola, the lake, oh my gosh she was describing right by where I live. Not only do the descriptions make the scenery leap off the pages, but it makes me so happy reading about places that hold such a special place in my heart.

COVER REVEAL: The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad by Cookie O’Gorman

March 25, 2019 / Jen / 2 Comments

I am SO excited to help reveal the cover for The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad! I absolutely adore Cookie O’Groman’s books and I can’t wait to start reading this one! So check out the full cover below, its gorgeous! And also check out the synopsis, because this book sounds beyond adorable!

The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad
Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: April 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is tired of being a good girl.

Her Career Aptitude Test results say she’s ideally suited for a career in the clergy (aka a nun), and on top of that, she receives yet another rejection. An aspiring dancer/choreographer, Sadie dreams of being featured on Dancer’s Edge—but they say she’s too sweet, needs more life experience. Her BFF, Kyle, and her oldest friend, 79-year-old Betty, agree: Sadie is in desperate need of a life makeover.

But she’ll need a coach.

Sadie doesn’t lie, cheat or steal–heck she doesn’t even curse (part of the reason she hasn’t checked off anything on her “Carpe Diem List”). Sadie doesn’t know the first thing about being bad. But Kyle’s twin brother, Colton, does. And he’s willing to teach Sadie on one condition: she has to do everything he says for the next month.

A dazzling first kiss, two smokin’ hot brothers and a bet that changes everything. In this enemies-to-more YA romance, Sadie learns:

Breaking the rules can be fun—especially when it leads to happily-ever-after.

Add to Goodreads

About Cookie O’Gorman:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE and NINJA GIRL are out now! Her third book, THE UNBELIEVABLE, INCONCEIVABLE, UNFORESEEABLE TRUTH ABOUT ETHAN WILDER, was released April 5, 2018!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

BOOK REVIEW: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

March 22, 2019 / Arielle / 8 Comments

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A big-hearted romantic comedy in which First Son Alex falls in love with Prince Henry of Wales after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends...

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Review:

*These quotes are from an ARC and are subject to change before the publication date*

Alex throws his head back and laughs handsomely, loud and false.
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Hardly enough time,” Henry says.

I’m just going to hit the ground running here by saying that this is now one of my favorite books of all time. I honestly don’t even know how I’m supposed to review this?? Other than to just do my usual fangirl flail and hope I properly can get my feelings across to all of you about this wonderful, beautiful book.

“Prince Henry is a biscuit,” Nora says, “let him sop you up.”
“I’m leaving.”

The first thing you guys need to know to get into the proper mind frame for this book is that it’s based in an America that, instead of having Trump as our 45th president, we have a woman named Ellen Claremont who has two children, Alex and June, who are biracial. What that means is basically this is a dream America that I hope to someday actually live in. ANYWAY. Alex is our local FSOTUS prince charming and is “mortal enemies” with another prince charming across the pond in England, named Henry. SHLKGSEIOGHWOPEBEOPGHSEIOGHEBSIGFSIEG. I don’t know how many of you have seen Umbrella Academy but personally I pictured Alex as the guy who played Diego (David Castañeda). They even have bits of similar personality traits, too. HENRY. Henry. Henry is THE EPITOME of a SMOL cinnamon roll who is too. Good. For. This. Earth. You can even quote me on that. Their relationship together is….so damn good you guys. They start out as “enemies,” become tentative friends, to best friends, to….so so so much.

The song crossfades into another buh-duh dum-dum-dum, dum-duh-dum duh-duh-dum–
“Shut up,” Alex yells, cutting off whatever else Henry was saying, “shut your dumb face this is my shit!” He throws his hands up in the air as Henry stares at him blankly, and around them, people start cheering too, hundreds of shoulders shimmying to the shouty, Lil Jon-flavored nostalgia of “Get Low.”

^^The quote above is from one of my favorite scenes of the book (well basically they are all favorites but…you get it) and leads me to the cast of supporting characters. June, Nora, Pez, LITERALLY EVERYONE is soo good. I love June and Alex’s relationship, and their friendship with Nora, and Henry and Pez ugh. Like I have never been a partier, and especially not now after having a baby but let me tell you, I would go out to the bar for some karaoke and dirty dancing with these idiots ANY TIME. Good lord they know how to have a good time. I just want them all in my real life.

He tilts the phone over towards the driver’s seat. “Say good morning to your strumpet, Henry.”
“Good morning, strumpet,” Henry says, glancing away from the road to wink at the camera.

It’s really hard for me to believe that this is McQuiston’s first book. Her writing was ADDICTING. Her story, dialogue, characters—all of it. I have already put her on an auto-read/buy list because of this book. I don’t even know how to express how happy this book made me. On the first day that I read a huge chunk I literally walked around all day with a huge-ass stupid smile on my face that wouldn’t leave for anything. I finished the book and felt so light. My heart was ten times bigger than it was when I started. I told one of my blog-mates, Cassie, who has also read it, that it’s one of those books where after you’ve read it you just know that your life had been missing out on something and you didn’t even know it until right at that second when you finish. It just has everything. It has great LGBTQIA rep, it has the FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT, it has politics (both American and English), it has people struggling with their identities in a hundred of different ways that the average person can relate to, it has sexy e-mails, it has FAMILY, and it has one of the greatest, sweetest love story I’ve ever read. What more could you ever ask for? Please please PLEASE, I’m down on my knees, begging you to read this book once it comes out. You won’t regret it.

June plucks away at “Annie’s Song,” you fill up my senses like a night in a forest, and the breeze keeps moving to meet the highest branches of the trees, and the water keeps rising to meet the bulkheads, and Henry leans down to meet Alex’s mouth, and Alex is. Well, Alex is so in love he could die.

HUGE thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review! ♥

BOOK REVIEW: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

March 21, 2019 / Cassie / 6 Comments

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

Thank you to Netgalley, Delacorte and Erin A. Craig for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly can’t believe this book doesn’t come out until August, because all I want to do is shove it in people’s hands and make them feel all the same magical feelings I felt when reading this phenomenal novel.

It honestly had everything I love in a book: Castles. Royalty. Strong family ties. Unique but not overly complicated world. Strong female lead. Swoon-worthy romance. Creepy atmosphere. Supernatural entities. Heart stopping peril. A book cover to die for.

Once there were twelve of us: the Thaumas Dozen. Now we stood in a small line, my seven sisters and I, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a ring of truth to the grim speculations.

From the very opening scene, which was a funeral for one of the Thaumas Dozen sisters, I was immediately taken into this world, where (originally) twelve sisters, their father and their stepmother live in Highmoor, a grand castle near the ocean and rule over the land, but always in touch with the sea.

Unfortunately for Annaleigh, after her mother passes some years ago, her older sisters keep dying in mysterious and unfortunate ways until she is suddenly the second in line to take over the throne after her father’s passing. While several of the deaths could be attributed to accidents or suicide, Annaleigh is certain her most recent sister’s passing has something more sinister beneath it and is determined to figure out what is happening to her family. It is on one of her sleuthing missions does she meet the wonderful Cassius, who Annaleigh comes to befriend and trust.

I couldn’t help but smile, remembering their confrontation at the ball. “You sound jealous!”
“Hardly. And do you know why?” I shook my head. “Because I’m the one whispering in the corner with the prettiest girl in the room.”

Even with a blossoming romance to contend with, Annaleigh is determined to figure out what is causing members of her family to die. And here is where it starts to get creepy: one Annaleigh’s younger sisters starts drawing incredibly disturbing images she shouldn’t know anything about, Annaleigh experiences vivid dreams/moments that she can’t figure out if they are real or not, and all manner of spooky things are occurring around the house. Plus, more death.

I shook my head, as if warding off a buzzing mosquito.
None of this is real, it persisted. No one else sees it because it’s not really here to see. You’ve gone mad, my girl.
No. that wasn’t it. That wasn’t possible.
I wasn’t mad.
There had to be another explanation.
Does there?

The story continues to climb and build until everything comes crashing together at the end. And let me tell you, what an ending it was. Some things I had kind of guessed relatively close, while others I didn’t see coming at all. So many different plot points were so expertly tied up that I felt exhausted when I finally finished the last page. So much happens at the end and I just want to talk about it. I have so many feelings! I need to reread it, honestly, because I’m sure I missed things as I raced to see who made it out alive.

I loved Annaleigh’s dedication to her family, even when it meant putting others’ feelings ahead of hers, but at the end of the day, she had the ultimate say in what what would make her happy. Her relationship with her sisters was complicated, but full of love, and the same can be said of her relationship with her father. I adored Cassius and the wonderful aspects of Annaleigh he highlighted. His arc was super interesting and only added to the awesome world building of the story.

I’m honestly surprised this is the author’s first published novel, as it was so well done. I truly do not have enough good words to say about it and am already looking forward to reading it again, probably closer to the fall when the atmosphere will perfectly lend itself.

In case it wasn’t clear, I adored this book and almost all that it entailed. I will say, there are two scenes that involve an animal (a turtle). They aren’t the worst I’ve ever read, but they are disturbing, albeit short. As this is a major trigger for me, I feel it’s only fair to give others notice as well. So just be warned, but it’s easy to skip. I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did!

“All my years of imagining you,” he murmured, leaving a trail of kisses across my face, “and you are so much more than I ever could have dreamed of…”

This book will be released on August 6, 2019.

BOOK REVIEW: Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer

March 20, 2019 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.

Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.

When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship...

This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?

**ARC sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I won’t lie to you guys-I begged for this book. It wasn’t classy. It wasn’t dignified. And it was honestly a bit pathetic-but IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT. This book? It’s gold. I loved every minute of it.

I was sitting in Tennessee, on vacation, and legitimately had zero time to read. My daughter has always been a peculiar sleeper, and the circumstances of our vacation led to my husband and I’s sanity to be tested. She’s turning two this month-don’t make me cry-and really only began sleeping in her own crib every night in October. It was a miracle-I never have questioned it, and I refuse to look back. But, that being said, we have finally gotten used to sleeping alone again, and it’s glorious, to be honest. What’s not glorious? Sharing a bed with your now used-to-her-own-bed toddler.

To say we got no sleep? Yeah. VASTLY downplayed. SO, seeing as I got a beautiful physical ARC (I took three physical ARCs, don’t know WHAT I was thinking) I was SOL when it came to speed reading at night as I’ve come accustomed to again. But, luckily, my saint of a husband offered to help her nap every day, and I got to read for two hours or so every day off and on, pending my family’s interruptions (there were aplenty)(and let’s be clear-he only offered this because it was MY family and who doesn’t need a break from in-laws lol he’s no saint. I lie).

That being said-I picked this book up and DEVOURED IT in less than three days. Quite a feat, if you ask me, what with all the interruptions and no time to read! But that’s the power of a Kemmerer book-you know you’re in for a morally gray and addicting ride.

I fell so hard for Rob, because how can you not fall for one of this woman’s main leading men? She creates the most tortured and lonely souls I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and I love what she did with his character. I literally had to question every motive, every move, every play-yet never wholly disagreed with what he did. That’s a true author-to make you wonder whether something is right or wrong, yet never telling you if it is or isn’t. In all honesty, he was wrong. Every time. But then you would hear his reasoning, see it through his eyes. Live it like he did-and I found myself saying [almost every time] I’d have done that. But that’s the ambiguity of it-It’s for you to decide, and she didn’t make it easy. Each character in this story has a difficult decision to face every day, and I loved reading about these confused and lost souls.

Rob’s father screwed everyone in town over that invested with him, making Rob seem guilty by association since he interned there. Either way, he’s now a social pariah when he used to be the most popular guy in school (it sounds familiar, but it’s done oh so well!). And his home life? It’s terribly sad and without a doubt broke my heart every time he was home or talked/thought about it. Then we have Maegan. ‘Typical overachiever’ and now an outcast besides her best friend. Caught in a scandal and compromising other students in the process, she is deemed lowest of the low, just after one simple mistake when, before, she was simply dubbed a goody-two shoes.

One mistake can change your whole life, the way you’re viewed, and can influence each new decision you have to make, and we get to see what the aftermath is like for both someone who made a one-time mistake that marred their chances of getting into ANY college when they were a shoe-in before, and someone who didn’t do anything wrong, nor know anything about it, yet pays the steady cost of betrayal every day, both at school and, more devastatingly, in his own home.

I always love the star-crossed lover books where a popular guy is paired with an unpopular girl, or vice versa, on a project, so this was right up my alley. Except, here, we have two totally different social groups coming together…but they’re both now outcasts, and I loved the twist on that trope I love so much. And, even more than that, I love that Kemmerer could explore trust among two ‘wrongdoers’, along with betrayal, friendship, attraction-and standing up for what you believe to be right. I loved it. It’s all so convoluted and twisty and turny in the sense that Maegan doesn’t know what to think about Rob, whether he was involved or not, and where his morality is questioned as he finds himself turning into a modern day Robin Hood.

The family relationships and friendships were handled well, in my opinion, and I even thought it was well rounded out…I’m never tough on these situations, though. So long as there is a conflict, characters fighting-both together and separately-to figure out a solution, a resolution to said conflict, and a general mending and moving forward of severed relationships in result to the conflict, I’m happy. And I don’t need the dwelling on it, either, which is where people get mad. They want to hear more, see more, expect more…but it’s YA and relationships are messy-especially with family-people are just too harsh. But to each their own.

There was even a HUGE trigger issue in this book, for me, and it was handled as well and as authentically as I think it could be-that being said, I was satisfied. (view spoiler), thus, a trigger. Literally my only complaint but not really complaint? I wanted a LITTLE more in the epilogue. More HFN than HEA, but I loved it all the same.

So, once again Kemmerer proves why I love her so dearly and makes me a loyal slave and follower. Don’t even question when this comes out if I’ll have it on my shelf-it’s already preordered. And you should do so, too.

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