Category: Review (Page 185 of 297)

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

February 9, 2017 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
At seventeen, Norah has accepted that the four walls of her house delineate her life. She knows that fearing everything from inland tsunamis to odd numbers is irrational, but her mind insists the world outside is too big, too dangerous. So she stays safe inside, watching others’ lives through her windows and social media feed.

But when Luke arrives on her doorstep, he doesn’t see a girl defined by medical terms and mental health. Instead, he sees a girl who is funny, smart, and brave. And Norah likes what he sees.

Their friendship turns deeper, but Norah knows Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can walk beneath the open sky. One who is unafraid of kissing. One who isn’t so screwed up. Can she let him go for his own good—or can Norah learn to see herself through Luke’s eyes?

Some books have flare, have that cover and synopsis that draws you in the moment you lay eyes on it. You know you want to read it, you know it’s a genre you are absolutely obsessed with, but it’s also a genre that makes it difficult to gauge what’s going to be good, and what’s going to be a pile of wasted potential. And under those breathtaking covers and beautiful synopses, you expect (and hope) to find a spellbinding novel, the same level of awesomeness the outside of the book promises…but you almost always end up disappointed, because nothing is ever as good as you wish. But I can promise you-this isn’t that book.

A side effect of worrying about everything and everyone; I cry at least once a week over things that shouldn’t concern me.

It may not be for everyone. And, hey, you might even find it repulsive. I can only assure you one thing-this book feels wholly authentic, and I find that to be one of the hardest things to get past these days. Finding an authentic novel that not only shows you a deep, introspective look at a mental illness, but also lets you see that people understand, that people can be kind, that falling in love is a possible thing, no matter the restrictions or stipulations, is so very rare, and it’s just as captivating as any other love story. I find that fantastic and just plain beautiful.

I just want to have proof that I can think straight, that I am more than the girl who believes that odd numbers will cause a catastrophe.

This story felt so unique to me. I know, I know, mental illness books have been handled well before and so have realistic fiction-gasp!-but the depth to this story…it touched me. And, even more than that, the romance was handled so delicately. I never once felt forced into their relationship. I never once felt uncomfortable (well, aside from when Norah felt uncomfortable). And seeing Luke’s journey from clueless, to informed, to understanding, helpful love interest was a true transformation-and, frankly, also realistic.

Perfection is a feeling; you’ll know it if you’ve ever questioned the competency of your penmanship before writing on the first page of a new notebook.

He didn’t understand-not at all. He said he did. He really wanted to…but he didn’t truly understand until it all fell apart, until he saw how horrifying it was for Norah, how terrifying each and every day was for her if things didn’t go just as she needed them to. He didn’t understand-not at all…but he figured it out, for her.

“Do you need some help?”
I’m drenched in shadow, and boots with steel toecaps take three steps onto the porch. Three steps. That’s awkward. He leaves his back leg trailing behind. I wish he would bring it forward and make it four steps even. My eye twitches.

*This did not happen…but they did hang out on the bed and it was so cute so I had to use one of these!*

Look. Nothing goes perfect in this story, and that’s frankly the best part. Life doesn’t come wrapped up neatly in a perfect little bow, and not everyone gets their happily ever after. It takes work. It takes trust. It takes friendship….and it takes a strong support group surrounding you, people who will stand by your side no matter how tough life gets, and I just loved that about this story. I even felt like there was quite a bit of tough love in this story-Norah’s therapist didn’t let her off the hook, ever, and she constantly tried to push her out of her comfort zone.

It’s possible I’ve ingested enough of my own fingers to call myself a cannibal. They’re so chewed I have trouble straightening them. I very much doubt every girl my age does this. This is perhaps bordering more on my unhealthy levels of panic.

Funny, witty, wholly gripping, and with an adorable romance that stole my heart and took my breath away, this story sunk its claws into me from the moment I started it. I saw this book and just knew it was going to be special…and for once? I was right. It’s refreshing to pick up a story and feel not only giddiness, happiness, elation, true love…but also a life altering reality that many people live through every day. To read about something that hinders someone else’s life to the point of almost ruining it, to read about them and the support they receive but also how hard it still is for them. It broke my heart in the best possible way… and patched it back up again.

I hope others will find the same love and enjoyment from this book as I did, but if not, I’ll cherish it all by my lonesome-and I won’t feel the least bit guilty about it.

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BOOK REVIEW – Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

February 8, 2017 / Jen / 8 Comments

Wintersong by S. Jae Jones
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.

But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds―and the mysterious man who rules it―she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

Review:

Oh no, no, no. Wintersong was not the book for me. I unfortunately found myself uninterested, so I easily put the book down quite a few times. Then it took me days to force myself to pick it back up again. Which made me SO sad, because Wintersong was one of my most anticipated releases of 2017. *sigh* So while I have a myriad of reasons why this book and I didn’t work out, here are my top ones:

✮ Labyrinth Let Down:

No tricks. No cheating. No taking away my memories. No playing with time. The Goblin King had broken his promises already.

I loved that movie, and I honestly have no clue how many times I watched it. So when I heard that parts of this book were inspired by Labyrinth, I was excited. Unfortunately, the parts that were reminiscent of the movie Labyrinth, were pale in comparison. The movie was captivating, enchanting and so unique to me. And this book simply fell flat. Whether it was the characters, the Underground, similar moments etc, none of it came alive.

✮ Too Much Music For My Taste:

Despite the anger and rage in its notes, the key was C major. The shape of the first movement was there now, with most of its supporting structure fleshed out. I played it on the klavier to hear it in full, but I could not adequately convey both the main part and the accompaniment with just two hands.

Just so you know, I love music. I’ve played the piano since grade school, and I’m one of those people who loves to play by sheet music or even by sound. And I also have music playing in the background all the time, it’s such a huge part of my life. But there were too many parts of this book that drowned in music. We would hear paragraph after paragraph about composing music, playing music, her brother and music etc etc. It was overwhelming. I wanted to skim those parts, but they made up such a huge portion of the story, so I couldn’t.

✮ Repetitive Words:

So many phrases and words were spoken again and again. It become frustrating and annoying. We heard time and again how she wasn’t beautiful, how she called the Goblin King – mein Herr or Der Erlkönig and even the austere young man, how they would think similar phrases countless times etc. It grew tiresome.

✮ Couldn’t Connect Or Care For The Characters:

His eyes meet mine. It is the austere young man who looks at me with a question in his gaze.

I tried my hardest, but I could never feel their emotions. I wanted to feel their plight, to feel their conflict of emotions, but instead I felt nothing. Like when Leisl’s (aka Elizabeth) struggled to find her sister, I never once felt her shock, sadness, disbelief, anger, or whatever emotions she felt. And the same goes to when we were told that the Goblin King was showing this side and now that side of himself, I didn’t feel any of those emotions radiating off of him. Nothing came across to me the way I hoped it would.

✮ The Romance I Couldn’t See:

“And what did I promise?” I whispered.
The Goblin King chuckled, and the sound rippled through my body.
“A wife, Elisabeth. You promised me a bride.”

The final nail in the coffin for me, was that I never felt their pull to one another. I understood their past and history, but I never saw why one wanted the other. Well beside their common love of music. I wanted to feel their passion, their chemistry, but instead I felt nothing.

“What will happen to you if I win?” I whispered.
A smile crossed his lips, but the corners were downturned, more sad than satisfied. “You know,” he said. “You’re the only one who’s ever asked.”
Then he vanished in a swirl of wind and dead leaves.

So I closed this book devastated. Because I loved the idea that for the first half of the book, we were given a little reminiscence here and there of Labyrinth. But Wintersong just didn’t work for me. I will say that the writing is done beautifully. Her words would flow so eloquently, and I hoped that would be enough to suck me back in, but alas it didn’t work out like that. My opinion seems to be in the minority, so here’s hoping you can fall for this book where I couldn’t.

*ARC kindly provided by A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin’s Griffin via a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review*

BOOK REVIEW+GIVEAWAY-Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake

February 7, 2017 / Chelsea / 15 Comments

Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1)
by Elly Blake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The Frost King will burn.

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Vivid and compelling, Frostblood is the first in an exhilarating series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies . . . but together create a power that could change everything.

*I partnered with Little, Brown to share this giveaway*

Review:

Frostblood is one of those books that you see and you know you just have to read it. If not from the cover alone (umm, hello pretty cover), then by the promising synopsis. I first saw this book back in early winter-it popped up out of nowhere and stole my heart before I even read it. It was a case of love at first sight, and I knew nothing would do until I had this book in my hands.

And, finally, riiiiight before it was about to come out, I got the opportunity from Little, Brown to receive a (again, GORGEOUS) finished copy to enjoy. And enjoy I did. There wasn’t one moment where I wasn’t fully engrossed in this story. From page one on, I was hooked. I honestly am just the easiest person to please with YA fantasy-give me a young tortured male with a heart made of ice (pretty much literally and figuratively), a hate-hate relationship…and I. Am. SOLD.

“She’s not yours to name.”
“She’s mine in spirit now that we’ve had an adventure together. And her name suits her. She’s soft and yellow, like butter.”
He made a disgusted sound. “If we all had names to suit us, you’d be called Thorn in My Backside. Or Plague of the Gods.”
I prickled at his scathing tone. “And you’d be Miserable Blockhead.”
“Is that the best you can do?”
“Give me time. I’m half frozen.”

This book was clearly no exception. The first chapter broke my heart immediately-I mean whyyyyy-making it clear from the start that the author didn’t mind getting her hands dirty. I like that. I like that a LOT, and, even more than that, I respect it immensely.

I’m not above setting a heavy precedent-it gives a book fire, passion, a reason to fight-and I’ve always loved that. Ruby is a Fireblood, a hunted people that can produce, you guessed it, fire, and who are immensely hot to the touch. Hunted by Frostbloods, the rare Firebloods who have not been found (and executed or sent to compete for sure death) yet are forced to hide, to keep themselves scarce.

“You speak as if I’m as heavy as an ox,” I said. “Last week I was a bundle of sticks.”
“You’re still too thin.”
“Perhaps if I gain some weight, you won’t call me a stick anymore.”
“You may hope to one day be a branch.”

Ruby is in hiding with her mother in a village, not able to practice her craft or live freely as she’d hope. One thing leads to another, and Ruby is saved from a certain death after being captured by the Frostblood king’s guard…by none other than Frostblood rebels-the infuriating Arcus being one of them.

I must say, I ADORED Arcus. He was moody, wounded, but loyal to all those around him and Ruby’s biggest ally. Well…eventually…but he was always a driving force in helping her train, in helping her become the best she could be.

“And my touch threatens that somehow?”
“In a way. I brought you here to prepare you for a huge task,” he said, dipping the cloth in the water and touching it to my cheek again. “An enormous weight rests on your shoulders.”
I sighed, irritated at the reminder of what made me truly important. I wanted to mean more to Arcus than a way to melt the throne.
“And now I wonder if I can let you go,” he added quietly.

After seeing who Ruby is, how fiercely she wants to help, he starts to [secretly] fall for her, starts doing everything in his power to change what the rebel group wants from Ruby, to find literally any other way…because their plan leads to nothing but suicide.

I just loved how antagonistic these two were towards each other and how they slowly began to find solace in one another-it was sweet, slow-burning, and the way he wanted to protect her, even when he didn’t like her, melted my [not so] icy little heart. And the fact that the rebel plan included him not leaving her side? Come on. Just…come on, *sighs* I lubbs him. I really do.

“Who else is there?” He asked. “What Fireblood will do this but you?”
“What if I destroy the throne? When it’s all over, are you just going to”-I waved a hand-“disappear into the air like mist?”
“From the time we leave the abbey until you’re safely back again, I’ll protect you with my life.”

So, you know, once again I feel like I’m out on a limb here, by myself, loving a book that’s absolutely wonderful all by myself. I don’t get it!!! What isn’t to like?? Swoony boy. Loyal boy. Fierce boy. Fierce girl. Mortal enemies. Enemies-to-lovers. Perilistic ending. Tons of [male] (male male male-NEED ANY MORE HINTS?) sacrifice. Tons of win. You people are crazy…but that’s okay. This book is wonderful-and I will proudly display this beauty on my shelf forever.

Bonus Content:

You can read the first chapter HERE!

Are you Frostblood or Fireblood? Take the quiz!

Download a GIF version of the cover – watch the blood drip down (look below)!

Giveaway:

Where Flame And Ice Are Mortal Enemies: Pick a side!

One (1) winner will receive:

a copy of Frostblood
branded nail polish duo in shades of fire and frost

url

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

elle blake Elly Blake loves fairy tales, old houses, and owls. After earning a degree in English literature, she held a series of seemingly random jobs, including project manager, customs clerk, graphic designer, and reporter for a local business magazine before finally landing on her current job as a library assistant. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids, and a Siberian Husky mix that definitely shows f=Frostblood tendencies.

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REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake

February 6, 2017 / Jen / 15 Comments

I’m beyond ecstatic to be on this tour because spoiler alert – I LOVED this book! Guardians of Secrets was magical, fun and had my emotions all over the place. So check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake

Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2)
by Brenda Drake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Being a Sentinel isn't all fairytales and secret gardens.

Sure, jumping through books into the world's most beautiful libraries to protect humans from mystical creatures is awesome. No one knows that better than Gia Kearns, but she could do without the part where people are always trying to kill her. Oh, and the fact that Pop and her had to move away from her friends and life as she knew it.

And if that isn't enough, her boyfriend, Arik, is acting strangely. Like, maybe she should be calling him "ex," since he's so into another girl. But she doesn't have time to be mad or even jealous, because someone has to save the world from the upcoming apocalypse, and it looks like that's going to be Gia.

Maybe. If she survives.

Review:

Guardian of Secrets was filled to the brim with magic and fun! This is the second book in the series, and I was easily transported back into their world right from the start. The pages were filled with friendship, laughter, tears, betrayal, love and trust. And I happily found myself addicted, since the characters continually pulled at my emotions. I absolutely loved Guardian of Secrets, and I can’t wait to discover the rest of Brenda Drake’s books!

His face went serious. “Gia…”
“What?”
He stepped closer to me, lifted my chin toward his lips, and kissed me.

The story starts off right where Thief of Lies ended. Gia, Nick and the Sentinels have gone into hiding in the human world. They attend school, and I found myself completely absorbed in the drama that unfolded. On top of school, they were still training, and Gia and Nick were tracking down the remaining Chiave, which are the keys to the Tetrad. I can’t say too much more about the plotline, without huge spoilers, but know that I loved how the storyline evolved.

If someone’s soul could die, mine was withering with each painful step.

Speaking of evolving, I’m happy to say that Gia has grown up and matured. Her immaturity in Thief of Lies bothered me, but I’m so impressed with her now! What I loved about her most still held true, she continued to stand strong, to not back down, and she tried to do what was right again and again. And while she could still be rash and impatient at times, I expected it since many people she loved were in harms way. So Gia rightfully earned my love and respect!

I felt safe with Bastien around. Cared for in a way I hadn’t been before, even with Arik. I might not want to admit it, but I’d felt that way since the day I’d met him.

Arik also earned my love and respect, and well, that just made me want to cry. I know that sounds weird, but he’s not the one I want to ultimately end up with Gia. I wanted to remain ambiguous towards him, so I wouldn’t feel bad if and when he wasn’t chosen. You see there’s a love triangle that is done fabulously in this series! On one side is Arik, a Sentinel like Gia. Their love is forbidden but Gia is a little obsessed with him and vice versa. At the start of this book they’re together, but another girl keeps coming into the picture which made me ecstatic. Because on the other side of the love triangle is Bastien, a Wizard, who Gia was betrothed to as a child.

“…..There’s nothing more attractive than a girl who can decapitate a beast.”
I laughed. “So you like the violent type.”
He quirked a mischievous grin. “There’s nothing better.” – Bastien & Gia

From the first moment Bastien appeared, I fell head over heels in love with him. He knows what he wants in life and will do anything to get it, which is so sexy! Not only was he loving, caring and let Gia have her independence, but what he sacrificed for Gia *clutches heart*. I desperately want to talk about that but won’t because of spoilers. But that event brought about his protective side. And even better than Bastien being protective was his jealous side. So hot, he was so unbelievably hot! So in case it isn’t obvious, I desperately and wholeheartedly love Bastien!

“I have desires, and need a wife.” – Royston

There was a whole list of characters that I loved. Especially Lei, Faith and Dierdre! It was so refreshing seeing strong woman support one another and continually raise each other up! I loved it! But another character stood out loud and clear and his name was Royston. He became a quick favorite! Royston spoke those words in the above quote but here’s the thing, I can’t tell you who or what he is, or even how he fits into the story, but know that I felt guilty for even liking him. Especially since he was so blunt and had no filters at times. But he entertained me, and I hope that some of my guesses pan out for how his story will proceed!

Before he could swing it, I aimed my sword and threw it like a javelin. The blade flew through the air and punctured the upper left side of his back, making a sickening tearing sound as it broke through his flesh.

So Guardian of Secrets was such a huge win for me! I laughed, I fell in love, I sobbed and I closed the book with the hugest smile on my face! I loved that yet again the story continually built, and that we started to see more sides to the huge picture that is unfolding. And while I guessed how a few things would play out, I was happily surprised and even shocked with a few of the twists! So I can’t wait for the final book, because this series continues to get better and better!

*ARC kindly provided by Entangled Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Thief of Lies #1 Review: Jen	Guardian of Secrets #2 Review: Jen	Assassin of Truths #3 Reviews: Jen

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Brenda Drake:

Brenda Drake is a New York Times bestselling author of Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1), Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2), Touching Fate (Fated Series #1), and Cursing Fate (Fated Series #2). She grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. She hosts workshops and contests for writers such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

Website – Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Goodreads

Tour Schedule:

You can check out the rest of the tour here.

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BOOK REVIEW – Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

February 2, 2017 / Jen / 6 Comments

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal--even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life--and he's completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

Review:

Adorkable was filled with laughter, butterfly and smile inducing moments, and I couldn’t get enough of it! The characters quickly found a place in my heart, and the story-line was so cute! It involved the fake boyfriend trope, and it was done in a way that made it feel fresh and fun. So this addicting book easily made its way onto my favorites shelf!

I was so tired of surprises. If I had to meet one more blind date, I would literally go insane.

Just a heads up, nicknames can rub me the wrong way. But these were hilarious! Our heroine is Sally Sue Spitz and her classmates call her Spitz. And her best friend is Lillian Hooker, who Sally calls Hooker. Loved it! So Sally was forever single and Hooker, trying to be the best friend ever, always set Sally up on blind dates. But these weren’t regular blind dates. Or even regular guys it would seem. Each and every interaction Sally had with them had me laughing, groaning or doing both out loud. After a horrible double-double date (you’ll see what I mean lol) gone terribly wrong and a misunderstanding, Sally comes up with the idea that she needs a fake boyfriend. It was the only way to stop Hooker’s attempts. So she begged Becks, her best friend forever who’s been in her life since grade school, to be her fake boyfriend.

Ducking, he placed a lingering kiss on the spot right below my ear. The move made my hand shoot out to grip his jersey. Becks laughed silently, little puffs of air hitting my neck, as I shivered.

Becks. Oh Becks. He was one of my many favorite things about this book. The way Becks looked at Sally, the way he claimed her as his, the way he protected her, his jealousy, oh my gosh even the way he touched her, it all made my heart beat so fast. But here’s the confusing part, I had NO clue what he thought at times. You see, he would say and do these things that would imply that he liked Sally more than just friends, but then again he was just playing a part. And his words would reinforce that idea. So I desperately wanted to get in that sexy head of his and know all of his thoughts. Especially when he suggested that they should start practicing….hello butterflies!

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”
As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

So not only did I adore Becks, but Sally too. I loved how Sally easily sprinkled Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek etc into her daily life. She embraced her geekiness, and I loved how she didn’t second guess herself in that regards. But at the same point, she could be self-conscious. Especially when it came to her feelings towards Becks. You see, while Becks was her BFF, he was also beautiful, smart, a player, a jock and everyone easily loved him. Including Sally. Knowing that Sally wanted to be more than friends with Becks put my heart on the line right with her. I flipped through the pages as fast as possible for both of our stakes!

“Spitz, the guy’s wearing Chinos, and he tried to shake my hand.” She tugged at one end of her bob. “I found him bent over a book bigger than my head in the sci-fi/fantasy section at Barnes and Noble.”
That sounded suspicious. “And what were you doing in Barnes and Noble?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” she laughed. “I was looking for the male version of you.”
I laughed despite myself. – Spitz (Sally) and Hooker

The only slight hiccup I had, was with Hooker. I wanted her to be a better friend at times and to listen to Sally more. But we all have our flaws, and what Hooker thought was best for Sally wasn’t always what was truly the best for her. The rest of the side characters that helped round out this book felt so real to me. Including Ash, Sally’s mom and dad, and Beck’s family. My favorites were Ash, Becks’ fellow soccer teammate and Sally’s fellow classmate and also Clayton, Becks’ oldest brother. I could easily and happily read a book about each of them!

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.
A lot.

So if you’re a fan of cute books that leave you with the hugest smile ever, or if you adore the fake boyfriend trope, then I highly recommend you pick up Adorkable! Now I can’t wait to read future books written by Cookie O’Gorman, since she created characters that were so easy to connect with and love, and of course had a fabulous, addicting story-line too!

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall

Synopsis:

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BOOK REVIEW – Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Synopsis:

Review:

No tricks. No cheating. No taking away my memories. No playing with time. The Goblin King had broken his promises already.

His eyes meet mine. It is the austere young man who looks at me with a question in his gaze.

“And what did I promise?” I whispered. The Goblin King chuckled, and the sound rippled through my body. “A wife, Elisabeth. You promised me a bride.”

“What will happen to you if I win?” I whispered. A smile crossed his lips, but the corners were downturned, more sad than satisfied. “You know,” he said. “You’re the only one who’s ever asked.” Then he vanished in a swirl of wind and dead leaves.

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BOOK REVIEW+GIVEAWAY-Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake

Synopsis:

Review:

“You speak as if I’m as heavy as an ox,” I said. “Last week I was a bundle of sticks.” “You’re still too thin.” “Perhaps if I gain some weight, you won’t call me a stick anymore.” “You may hope to one day be a branch.”

Bonus Content:

Giveaway:

About The Author:

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REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers #2) by Brenda Drake

Synopsis:

Review:

His face went serious. “Gia…” “What?” He stepped closer to me, lifted my chin toward his lips, and kissed me.

If someone’s soul could die, mine was withering with each painful step.

I felt safe with Bastien around. Cared for in a way I hadn’t been before, even with Arik. I might not want to admit it, but I’d felt that way since the day I’d met him.

“…..There’s nothing more attractive than a girl who can decapitate a beast.” I laughed. “So you like the violent type.” He quirked a mischievous grin. “There’s nothing better.” – Bastien & Gia

“I have desires, and need a wife.” – Royston

Before he could swing it, I aimed my sword and threw it like a javelin. The blade flew through the air and punctured the upper left side of his back, making a sickening tearing sound as it broke through his flesh.

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BOOK REVIEW – Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

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I was so tired of surprises. If I had to meet one more blind date, I would literally go insane.

Ducking, he placed a lingering kiss on the spot right below my ear. The move made my hand shoot out to grip his jersey. Becks laughed silently, little puffs of air hitting my neck, as I shivered.

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?” “Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.” As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt. A lot.

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“And what did I promise?” I whispered.
The Goblin King chuckled, and the sound rippled through my body.
“A wife, Elisabeth. You promised me a bride.”

“What will happen to you if I win?” I whispered.
A smile crossed his lips, but the corners were downturned, more sad than satisfied. “You know,” he said. “You’re the only one who’s ever asked.”
Then he vanished in a swirl of wind and dead leaves.

“You speak as if I’m as heavy as an ox,” I said. “Last week I was a bundle of sticks.”
“You’re still too thin.”
“Perhaps if I gain some weight, you won’t call me a stick anymore.”
“You may hope to one day be a branch.”

His face went serious. “Gia…”
“What?”
He stepped closer to me, lifted my chin toward his lips, and kissed me.

“…..There’s nothing more attractive than a girl who can decapitate a beast.”
I laughed. “So you like the violent type.”
He quirked a mischievous grin. “There’s nothing better.” – Bastien & Gia

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”
As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.
A lot.