Review: Bright Side

Bright Side by Kim Holden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Background story: I've never heard of this book or this author. I went to an author event in Chicago, November 2015 and the fans of this author/book was astronomical! I mean, they had t-shirts, backpacks, and TATTOOS!!! of this book. I was instantly intrigued, but the fans wouldn't tell me what it was about. Just that I had to read it.

When we got to the author's booth, we told her about this and Kim Holden was so touched. She wanted to give US a hug! That was amazing to me, seeing a big time author being touched by hearing about her book from two people who have never heard of her before this event. I got home from that weekend, went onto Amazon, and bought the kindle book without blinking an eye, because I needed to know why this book was so amazing.

I am so glad I did.

Book thoughts: Knowing that this book changed readers lives, touched them in a way that nothing else could, I had high expectations going into this novel. So the beginning was a bit slow for me, but I trucked along and slowly found myself in awe with Kate.

Kate is a fantastic, brilliant, loving, kind-hearted, fantastic character - no scratch that - person!

You read about people who are put on this earth to motivate and encourage others to be the best person they can be. These people say nothing can stop anyone from doing what they want or need to do. In fact, I know a person like this in my life - for real - and I'm so blessed to have her in my life every day. And Kate is also this person.

She is always helping people around her. Kate gets annoyed with her roommate? Sure, she's human. Her roommate is in a situation that she can't comprehend or know how to fix? Kate is there to help her through this crisis, no questions asked, no criticisms thrown at her roommate, her annoyance is now officially gone.

I mean, she is the best thing out there. She is pushing, no SHOVING people to do what they need to do. She is there to help everyone in their time of need and to be the person that will listen to others's problems and help them find a solution that betters the other person.

A lot of reviews gush about Keller and Gus. Yes, they are hot men who go alpha over Kate and love her with both of their hearts. But Kate is the best thing about this book by far. Kate makes me want to be a better person. Kate is the star of this book and I would love this book if Keller and Gus never existed.

Because Kate has been through shit and back and she has the best attitude about life I've ever seen. I want to be Kate. I want to be the person that inspires others to achieve their goals and become a better person by just meeting Kate for a few minutes.

This book had me sobbing by the end of the novel. The fans at the author event were completely, 100% correct when they said this is the must gut-wrenching, life changing book they have read. I completely called the twist in the book and mentally prepared myself for how it would end. That did nothing because this book ripped me to pieces and slowly put me back together.

I am so glad that I read this novel. That I own this novel. And I'm so, so grateful that I waited forever in line to meet Kim Holden - even before I read her novel of amazingness - because I now know what this woman is capable of and can say that I saw her humbleness and got to hug her and see her so grateful for complete strangers. It doesn't surprise me that Kate is like Kim - I would guess that she based Kate off of herself and that makes me warm inside just thinking about another real life Kate out in the world.

I'm not going to talk about any of the other characters (though Stella ripped me apart from the moment I met her to the last scene she was in the novel). This review is completely, 100% about Kate, because without Kate, none of these other characters would have been half the person they ended up being without Kate.

So if you want a gushy review about the men, go find another review. Because I'm totally crushing on Kate and Kate alone :)

Such a great book. I definitely recommend it to everyone I know, plus the bazillions of people I don't know.

Pick this up. You are brave. Do epic.

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Review: Forget Me Not: Charity Anthology Supporting Alzheimers and Brain Health

Forget Me Not: Charity Anthology Supporting Alzheimers and Brain Health by Tammy Falkner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I initially got this book because it's by Tammy Falkner and I love her stuff. Then I found out the money I spent on it goes for a great cause, which I was totally game for. In fact, this was available on NetGalley, but I didn't even try to request it because I wanted to help this charity.

So I'm going to break this down into each story with the star value that I would give them individually. I don't know if they average out to 4 stars total, but I really liked this compilation of books and have decided 4 stars is a great star value to give :)

Always April by Tammy Falkner 5 stars
This was a great novel. Falkner once again took something that happens in every day life and makes the reader see it in a different life. April needed to get forgiveness for her past sins with Matt, especially when she seems Kenneth in a whole new light. But Matt didn't have to give her forgiveness because she needed to give it to herself. I loved the tattoo that she got with her new story of her love-ever-after. Of course I loved it - Tammy Falkner wrote it :)

Rattled by Jane Charles 4.5 stars
This story was about foster care - Kelsey and Alex both went through the system and have different viewpoints on a subject matter that Kelsey decided to do when they were in college. Now, years later, Kelsey wants a tattoo of it and is stuck with Alex to create what she needs to help her through the process. And Alex needs to get over his personal issues in order to help Kelsey and understand where she is coming from in her choices. Really enjoyed this and how each character realized their mistakes but also saw the light from each other's background.

Inked by Andris Bean 2 stars
Honor is trying to get a spot at Reed's Tattoo Shop, but when her client walks in, she wants nothing to do with Police Officer Brent who arrested her wrongly. But she needs to figure out exactly how the night went for both parties to understand the mistake, and also find a creative way to make Brent's tattoo. Not as good as the other stories - short - didn't really think the tattoo she created was that creative or unique. Abrupt ending.

Burned by L.J. Charles 4 stars
This was a unique story that I think could have great potential to continue on. Fred/Andrew walks in and needs a tattoo of his late wife's necklace. He was an undercover agent and needed to keep his story on the down low since people were still looking for him from past missions. Sadie, the tattoo artist, was one of the people Fred/Andrew helped on a mission and knew more of his story than he realized. Very intriguing - really enjoyed it.

Coldwater Blues by Lexi Eddings 2 stars
This was very odd. Michael is homeless, gets dragged out of a line he thinks is for a homeless shelter only to realize it's to get a tattoo at Reed's Tattoo Shop. Jadis is his tattoo artist and she is very stilted, tense, and "helps" Michael but really I think it was just a weird situation from start to finish. This was short, no romance, not really a story. I did like the story about Michael's grandmother, but that was about it.

Lakewood Confidential by Caren Crane 3 stars
Sam (or better known as Lakewood) wants a tattoo and wants Tondra to do it because she can keep a secret. Because the hip-hop artist has a story to tell about his past that is not know to the public eye and would ruin his image to his fans. And by the end of the story, Tondra realizes that the key to happiness doesn't mean she has to give up everything. Cute novel. If I read more of the series it might make more sense, but it was enough for a short story.

The Knot by Jerrica Knight Catania 3 stars
Madison wanted a tattoo of a necklace her mother gave her that was stolen in foster care. She meets Ethan and Evie, rich kids from a wealthy family and assumes the worst about them. There was an instant connection between the two characters - Madison and Ethan - and I loved Madison sticking to herself and not letting anyone take care of her. I also was excited to read this because the author's name is Jerrica - the only author with a version of my name who is very popular. While this was just a 3 star, I won't let that deter me from reading more of her novels!

Hold Me Tight by Ava Stone 4 stars
Molly and Seth bump into each other in New York, even though they grew up with each other in Coralville, IA. Both are in college pursuing their dreams, but Molly needs to get a tattoo that will remind her of her brother, who just died in the war. Seth decides to get a tattoo as well, but really he wants a second chance with Molly, no matter what the obstacles may bring. This was a really cute story that had some meat into the short story and I think it could continue into a series :)

Skin Deep by Marquita Valentine 5 stars
Maddox is working at Reed's Tattoo Shop, but gets wrangled into the contest of other aspiring tattoo artists and needs to do a tattoo for a client. What he doesn't realize was that Cadence needed him to do the tattoo, and to bring him back home where their familes are in Scotland. But Maddox is dealing with guilt over an accident and needs to face his demons. Cadence is by far my favorite character. She has spunk and class and she is going after what she wants. And I loved the ending of this novel. I may have to see if more is written about these characters :)

The Test of Time by Diane Franks 5 stars
AnnMarie comes into the tattoo shop and talks about her life with her husband, Ken, who know has Alzheimer's Disease. Reading about their life together is so inspiring knowing that people will go to the ends of the earth for the one they love. And Ken did that for AnnMarie. She when he is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, AnnMarie decides she needs to figure out a way to help Ken find his way back to her. This was the sweetest story and I loved how the tattoo worked for AnnMarie. I also love Friday in this story - it's so Friday!

This was a great compilation of stories that were uplifting and talk about diseases that people go through everyday. So glad I bought it to help the cause and look forward to more by Tammy Falkner :)

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Review: November 9

November 9 by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not surprised one bit that I loved this novel. Colleen Hoover has jumped her way to one of my favorite authors and I am now always looking forward to reading her upcoming novels when they are finally released.

This was such a great book. The chapters are one 1 day of the year for 6 years: November 9th. We don't get any chapters about the other 364 days of the year, just this day and what happens between the characters on this day.

Ben and Fallon have a very complicated relationship...err...friendship? It's hard to say since they literally only meet one day of the year for Ben's book he is writing - and other reasons of course.

Fallon is one tough chick. She went through a horrible ordeal that she remembers every day when she looks in the mirror. But she didn't become a badass chick until she met Ben. In just one day, he made her feel confident and strong and like she can defeat anything if she has the chance.

And that is why I love Ben. Even with the horrible thing that happened in the past, even with the connection between the two characters, he does right by Fallon and makes her realize that she is just as beautiful and smart and confident as any woman in the world. He puts her back together again. Just by telling the truth about what he thinks when he is around her.

Ben has no filter and says what he means. He may have a crappy personal life, but when it comes to Fallon he knows just the right thing to say to make her do better in her life.

Well, for the first couple of days anyway. Then miscommunication, lack of information, and the past start to complicate how things go between Ben and Fallon.

And sure, a lot of people might be upset at how juvenile the characters acted when certain information was figured out, but you have to remember... They met a total of 6 days... in 6 years... Not a lot of time to get to know each other without having a blow up every now and then. And going a whole year without seeing each other and stewing on an angry topic is a bit much, but what else were they to do? That was their thing.

So yes, this is a very complicated book, but it is so good. It's not my all time favorite book (that is still "Maybe Someday") but it is right at the top of my favorite Colleen Hoover books. Can't wait for more!

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Review: Carry On

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally got my hands on this book! I re-read "Fangirl" before this. I know, I know, they are different stories, but it was an excuse to read my favorite book by Rainbow Rowell and I also wanted to see what Cath's perspective of Simon Snow and his crew were all about again.

So when I started this book, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. There are different books in here, and Book One is by far the worst. Rowell is trying to cram 7 previous years of Simon's life at Watford into one novel, which isn't the best idea to be honest. And all I kept thinking about was "HARRY POTTER!!!!!" No, seriously, I was about done with this book. But I wanted to reach page 200 to really give it a fair shot.

I'm so glad I did too, because the second Book Two started and Baz showed up, things got IMMENSELY better! It was almost like a whole new story.

So I definitely recommend you try to get to the second book and if you still don't like it, then you can give up.

I liked the story line and thought it was a typical but unique take on the "Chosen One". Yeah, that didn't make much sense, but once you read how it ended you will figure out what that sentence means.

"Fangirl" is still my favorite, but I now understand why Rowell had to write about Simon and his crew because it was such a compelling story to read about. Can't wait to see what else this author has up her sleeve!

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Review: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just re-read this because I finally have my hands on "Carry On". I know I didn't have to re-read it since it is technically not related or will give me anything new before reading this other novel. But...this is also an amazing novel so I was okay with reading it again :D

If any of my friends haven't read it, I highly recommend it! Loved it for the second time!


My 1st review from Sept. 15, 2013:
I'm making my way through Rainbow Rowell's novels and I LOVED this one! Adored it! I'm not sure why I loved it more than the first one I read (Eleanor and Park) but I did and I am still reeling from the amazing story (stories?) that Rowell created.

First, everything I thought was very realistic. Going to college changes people and Cath learned that when Wren decided she wanted to go off on her own and meet new people, so she wouldn't be rooming with her twin sister.

Then, the roommate debacle. Reagan is an upper classman and doesn't have time for a newbie freshman roommate, so Cath was always in her room by herself.

Also, even though I'm a reader and not a writer, I felt like I connected well with Cath when she was fanfiction writing her stories. She was attached to her characters and the situations she placed them in - kinda like the same way I get attached to the characters I read and think that I'm secretly their best friends.

I also adored Levi. He was hilarious, sweet, and even though he talked about everything and anything, he was sincere and always wanting to be around Cath when Reagan was around.

So, yes, I LOVED this book. I can now see why all of my friends are fans of Rowell's. I will be reading her third (but debut novel) next to see if this is my favorite novel overall!

So read this! Now!

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Review: The Murder of an Angel

The Murder of an Angel by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This series could have had so much potential and could have gone in a number of directions. I was hoping for a bit more suspense and twists in this novel before the big reveal of who the culprit was. I was actually very impressed with some of the different scenarios I came up with in my head. Maybe I should have co-wrote this... haha.

Anywho, this was a solid 3 star series for me. I wanted more for some reason. I think because I'm a fan of Patterson's Maximum Ride series and that definitely has a lot of suspense and twists and action. And this does too. Just not as good as his other series.

This specific novel felt a bit rushed the entire time. I was like Patterson and Paetro decided they were done after 4 books, but had to find a compelling story to wrap up, all within 275 pages because they didn't want to write anymore. At least with the 2nd and 3rd novel we had a lot of meat to ingest before the book was over.

I enjoyed the fact that Tandy was over James (sorry spoiler alert....oops..) But seriously, she was so much better than him and he was a coward and a swarmy jerk. I know Tandy will move on to better after this small bump.

So yeah, this series kept you entertained. It had it's ups and downs, but I'm glad I got around to reading it. I am glad I waited to read the whole series at once rather than waiting forever to find the ending, cause I'm pretty sure I would have been majorly disappointed with this final book if I had.

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Review: The Paris Mysteries

The Paris Mysteries by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I actually would have rated this book more stars if I didn't get so annoyed and frustrated with Tandy about her relationship with James at the beginning of this book. I wanted to slap her.

But besides that factor, I actually really liked this story line. I would even say that this was by far the best in the series.

I would suggest to readers coming into to this book that it would be best to start with the first books and work your way through them. Each book has their own story, but there is enough information from the previous books to confuse readers if they haven't read the first two.

So there are a lot of twists and turns in this novel. A lot of, "what?"s and "how?"s that happen, keeping the readers guessing with each turn. I'm excited to get into the fourth and final book to see how things are going to end for the Angel family!

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Review: The Private School Murders

The Private School Murders by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After reading the first book in this series, I was very intrigued to see what Tandy would get into next. And this wasn't just about Private School Murders. Oh, no. This book had Tandy tangling with multiple cases:

1. Private school murders - all females who got shot in public areas
2. Very dangerous, very rare, very deadly snakes and spiders and other scary creatures were being found in Tandy's apartment complex
3. Matthew Angel, older brother of the Angels, was in custody for potentially killing his girlfriend and unborn baby
4. Tandy's love, who was ripped out her arms and deleted from her memory, is possibly out there somewhere trying to get a hold Tandy after months of not talking to each other.

So yeah, this poor 16-year-old girl has a lot of crap going on in her life. And she's now being introduced to having feelings, so sometimes she's a wreck and starts to cry, which she finds frustrating since she doesn't have time for emotional break downs.

I really do like Tandy. She is spunky and smart and she never gives up. And I love that she can connect clues together for cases that NYPD didn't figure out. She really is the person to go to with an open case for a chance to get the case closed with the right information.

I'm really excited to see what is next in store for Tandy Angel and her family - especially in a new setting!

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Review: Confessions of a Murder Suspect

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've been wanting to read this since it first came out, but I waited until the 4th and final book was released before caving in so I don't have to wait forever for the next book in the series.

I've only read one other series by James Patterson - the Maximum Ride series - and I feel as if this isn't quite up to MR. Max and friends had a lot more adventure whereas here, the Angel family were trying to find clues, leading a less than adventurous time through this book.

But I sincerely love Tandy - Tandoori - and her family. They are not your typical family. In fact, when her parents are murdered, the truth about the family comes out, including the natural pills her parents made her take were actually helping Tandy be a bit smarter than she might have been without those pills.

Tandy was deemed the "smartest" of the group of her siblings. I don't think I quite agree though because each sibling had their own unique talents that made them smarter than the other. But because Tandy thought she was the smartest, she figured she would have to be the one to figure out who murdered her parents.

I loved getting to know this insanely crazy family. I especially love the youngest, Hugo. He is ten, and he is ferocious. He is the craziest out of all of the them and he laughs in the face of danger. But he also a kid growing up and just now learning about adventure after his parents were murdered, so it's to be expected maybe. Though Hugo is by far the craziest 10 year old that I would NEVER want to babysit! Never...

Harry, Tandy's twin brother, was a bit of a cry baby for me... He was so emotional and easy to tip over the edge... I guess he balanced Tandy's unemotional state, but geez, boy, grow up and get some tougher skin.

And we didn't really get to know Matthew, the eldest Angel sibling, since he's in his 20's and playing in the NFL so he's got his own life. From what we did see, Matt was very angry and loses his lid very easily.

So yeah, I loved the mystery part. I was sitting here guessing who was the evil murderer right along with Tandy, though I do have to admit I got warmer than Tandy did. She was all over the page blaming everyone she knows. While my guess wasn't right, it was a lot closer than I thought it would be.

I like being surprised by how a mystery gets solved, so I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I am glad that the murder was solved at the end, because I'm thinking of doing this book for book club and didn't want to leave the participants hanging in suspense over how it ended.

Going to read the other novels and see if I like them more/less/same than this book!

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Review: Broken Resolutions

Broken Resolutions by Olivia Dade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read. As a librarian,

1. having that kind of party after hours would be a difficult feat to accomplish - and a bit awkward I would think

and

2. I would most certainly never do what they did in the library! Do you know how dirty a library is?? Yuck.

But this is a romance and fiction, so of course nobody thinks about things like that. ...except a librarian I suppose.

Interesting novel. Naughty novel. Short and to the point. Penny was an odd librarian, shy in a crowd but demanding one-on-one. Not sure if I would like working with her, but then again I just saw one side of her and it wasn't the librarian side...

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Review: Origin Exposed

Origin Exposed by Jen Crane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great book! I loved how different it is, yet very similar to other dragon books I've read in the past. This book got down in the nitty gritty about Stella's past and she had to make a lot of tough decisions, which didn't leave her with very great options by the end of this book.

Stella just wants to be loved. Sure, her mom gave her all the love she could when she was younger, but having other family members love is definitely different than a mother's love. Also, her mother was a little zoned out and weird when she was little, so the love Stella did get was a bit...spaced out. So I can definitely see her dilemma when it comes to all of the new relatives she's just found out she has and she wants to get to know all of them.

Stella is a bit too trustworthing, but I think she is starting to guard her heart a bit more now that it's been scorned a few times since she found out about her abilities. I do have to say, with the love triangle thing that was from the previous book? I like where things are leading at the end of this book. I'm not giving it away if she is with Rowan Gresham or Ewan or another character. You will have to read it for yourself to figure it out. But I'm very, very pleased :)

The only thing I'm angry about is that the next book is not available!! I need the next book!! This is why I hate reading series books when the series isn't complete...

Oh well, I'll just have to wait. I will definitely be recommending this series to all of my friends! Love it!

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Review: Rare Form

Rare Form by Jen Crane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Dragons man. I don't know what it is about them, but I absolutely love stories about dragons. And this one was pretty amazing! I loved the fact that Stella had no idea what was going on and that she fought tooth and nail to figure out all of the missing pieces in her life.

I really hate her mother. She is such a coward and I just wanted to slap her for leaving Stella in the place she was in - which was nowhere since she had no information. She's her mother for heaven's sake! She's supposed to take care of her baby girl no matter what the problem is. Noooo, she decided she is going to care for herself and only herself... Stupid woman.

I loved the tense relationship between Stella and Rowan Gresham. You could tell they were attracted to each other and both of them definitely tried to steer clear of that particular action, but to no avail.

And the intense scenes Stella had with Ewan is not to be ignored either. I'm not sure how far that will go because of certain situations, but it's nice to read about when they happen :)

This does end on a cliffhanger, and the second book is available, so naturally I went and one clicked it and am about to devour it like I devoured this novel. So glad I got this free eARC and as loved the book and can't wait to read more!

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Review: Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I seriously enjoyed this novel. I loved Celeste's stories. They were bittersweet and I definitely got a few tears in my eyes, but it was so nice to see her change so much from the beginning of the selection to the end.

Reading "The Maid" was a great addition to see Lucy's story and how she felt about the whole situation that was happening.

"After the One" was adorable, of course, and just made me want to read all three novels again!

"Where are they now?" was an awesome addition to the collection! Being able to see the other girls from the Elite group made this the whole circle, showing that they were able to eventually move on from their broken hearts and do something good with their lives.

My reviews for the other pieces of this companion can be found on their own pages here on goodreads if you are curious about my reaction to them:

The Queen: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Prince: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Guard: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Favorite: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Such a great addition! Glad I finally got a chance to read it, though I'm sad it's now really over... Just means I'll have to re-read the books, right?

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Review: The Favorite

The Favorite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marlee really was the favorite, not just in the palace and to the world, but also to America. So reading her story was very sweet and emotional. Reading about what happened to her in public was gut wrenching. I mean, the dedicated readers have read it through two other viewpoints, but having read Marlee's own viewpoint is very heart wrenching.

But her love for Carter is never ending and I love that so much. Being able to see Maxon and America through her eyes was also very touching, and it definitely showed the reader that there was a connection between the two way before either realized, since Marlee was able to see it from afar.

Even though this bounced around from events, it was still sweet and easy to follow if the reader has read all of the novels like a dedicated fan :)

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Review: The Queen

The Queen by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very good novel. This shows a different side not only to the queen, but also the king. Being able to see them from the very beginning was a great experience because it showed them as kids, learning new things about each other.

While I don't necessarily like the king, I can see how he came to be the way he is because of his parents. Being in that environment is toxic and traps a lot of people with that attitude. Thank goodness Amberly has her own personality and counters Clarkson's personality.

I really liked this story. Definitely clears up questions that were brought about the King and Queen.

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Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I typed in Google, "Funny YA novel", this novel was instantly the most popular one on every list. So I checked it out and read it.

...And I didn't find it funny... Maybe I'm weird? Maybe I'm abnormal? Maybe I have a brain fungus. But this just seemed a bit odd and over the top. The main character, Greg, tried to much I felt like. He was always stating the same things over and over again to make sure that the reader would remember statements that he made, which I found to be a little annoying after awhile.

I really did not like Earl. I think the book would have been better without him. The only time I liked Earl was when he gave his "speech" during the Plan E for the Rachel movie and told Rachel how he felt about her situation. That was the most real Earl was in this novel and I felt like that was the real Earl, not the one that he shows to everyone and always has to be the "tough" guy who talks about disgusting topics and curses every other word.

I am not a prude either. I know boys talk about gross things, but I don't have any brothers, I'm not dating, I don't have any close cousins who are guys. I've never really had to deal with guys on a regular basis and perhaps they do talk like this when they hangout with each other. But I've not been introduced to this side of society so I was a bit disgusted with their conversations rather than humored. And maybe that is my problem - I'm too serious for this book? Don't think like teenager boys?

I loved how Rachel was able to throw Greg for a loop. He even said, he always made other people talk about themselves, but when he was with Rachel he needed to fill the silence and found himself being the talker in their friendship. And Rachel tried to be completely honest with Greg about everything. For some reason she thought he was really funny (I would have shooed Greg away with a broomstick if I ever met him) and honestly wanted his company.

I think Greg really needed a friendship like the one he had with Rachel. His only other friend is Earl and that is just not healthy, not one bit. But with Rachel he really tried in the end and he was brought up with some great thoughts that he needed to think about and work his way through.

So this was an okay novel. Definitely not my favorite. I will never re-read it again. But it does make readers ponder about life and friendships and choices.

I chose this book for a book club discussion, so it will be very interesting to see what people think about it since I had such a negative/blah reaction to it.

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Review: One King's Way

One King's Way by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute story. I liked how we got to see the original characters but it was mainly about Craig and Rain and their relationship.

I loved Rain. She is so feisty and such an independent woman. And she was very forthcoming on what she was looking for in a life-long relationship. And she is so loyal. She is everything that woman should inspire to be if they want to be.

And I loved Craig's reaction to Rain. He didn't know what hit him when she walked through the doors of the bar and he was always on his toes after that. The fact that he was the one to suggest something more than a hook-up really showed how much Craig grew as an adult so quickly after meeting Rain.

Loved this novel. This wasn't set after the 6th book, but rather the 1st, 2nd ish books because Joss and Braden were just starting to date.

Fans of "On Dublin Street" series will enjoy this last hurrah of the series! Thank you Samantha Young for this novella!! :)

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Review: Winter's Wonder

Winter's Wonder by Allie Boniface
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a cute novel! I'm not a fan of snow, the whole cold aspect of the snow storm that all of the characters wanted didn't appeal to me, but I love animals and I love that Becca is so entranced with them! She is so selfless and always drops everything to help them when they are in need.

And Zane. He didn't know what hit him when he met Becca for the first time. And I loved how he didn't recognize her when she wasn't in her work get-up. The attraction between them was instant and I loved it.

I also loved how Zane had to fight his way to see Becca - go out of his way to "bump" into her - and that it wasn't like the bored housewives who were trying to flirt their way into his bed.

So yes, this was a very cute novel that I think a lot of romance readers will enjoy this story!

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Review: Damaged Goods

Damaged Goods by J.C. Hannigan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The premises of this book is very intriguing. Girl loves boy. Boy is evasive. Boy and girl start to date. Boy is still evasive...

I can take the whole "you are better than me, this isn't going to work" relationship for awhile, but jeez, Grayson is one ball of bi-polarness. I mean, I get that you have a rough life and everything is going crappy for you, but seriously, you have a great girl who is so obviously in love with you and he just throws it around like it's nothing. People with his attitude don't get a girl like Everly every day and Grayson definitely is not appreciating his luck.

And Everly...Dear god woman, have some self respect! You tried, you really, really did. You gave everything you have to commit to a relationship with the boy you fell in love with in 7th grade, but some things are just too much. Being dragged around by Grayson is not only embarrassing, but it's making Everly a lesser person, always wondering what she did wrong and doubting herself as a good girlfriend.

This book has a cliffhanger ending... I hate cliffhangers... And honestly, I will have to seriously consider reading the next book... Because both characters really aggravated me at one point or another during this book. And don't even get me started on Lindsey and her crappy friendship to her so-called-friends...

But on the other side, I really want to know how Grayson mans up and gets Everly, because I'm pretty sure she is done trying to be with him after his farewell speech. Which I applaud her for that!

I also want to see what happens with the band and whatnot.

So yes, I was a bit frustrated by this novel, but I liked this novel. I liked when Grayson and Everly were together, and hated the committment issues. But I very much want to see what the ending will bring. But now I just have to wait until spring 2016... grrr.

I think this will be a hit or miss for readers. I'm in the middle. I am glad that I got an eARC copy though! Thank you for the chance to read this free copy! Will definitely keep in mind for the sequel!

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Review: Chapter 16 of Half-Blood(Covenant#1) : Aiden POV

Chapter 16 of Half-Blood(Covenant#1) : Aiden POV by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/102773723-cov...

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Review: Bonus Aiden and Alex scene

Bonus Aiden and Alex scene by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/102774399-cov...

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Review: Deleted Alex and Aiden scene from Pure

Deleted Alex and Aiden scene from Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/102774200-cov...

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Review: Aiden and Alex Christmas special

Aiden and Alex Christmas special by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/102773894-cov...

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Review: Zoo scene-Aiden POV:Pure

Zoo scene-Aiden POV:Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/102773214-cov...

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Review: The Brew

The Brew by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

http://www.scribd.com/doc/111557745/T...

Love!

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Review: One and Only

One and Only by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

https://www.wattpad.com/story/5332410...

Ahh! I loved this! Seeing Deacon and Luke meet was ... definitely how I pictured it going down. Deacon with his sarcastic mouth and cocky attitude and Luke trying to play it cool but really, unwillingly impressed with Deacon's boldness.

Yes, this was a great short, short piece that will satisify the Deacon/Luke fans' cravings (well, for about 3 seconds and then they are going to want more, but oh well).

Thanks JLA for this little addition to the Covenant world!

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Review: Holding Her Hand

Holding Her Hand by Tammy Falkner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't belive it when I got a notification that a Tammy Falkner book was released and I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT!! So of course, while kicking myself, I ran to Amazon and one-clicked that sucker to get downloaded to my kindle ASAP.

Because I knew I would love it, just like all of her other books in the Reed Brothers series.

Have you read her books? No? WHY NOT!!!! These are not just New Adult novels. These have real life events that occur to people all over the country. That is why this is one of my all time favorite series and author.

At the end of this book, Lark talks about a very dark time she went through when she was 15. Instead of hiding from her past like she has been, she confronted what happened and that it wasn't something to be ashamed of, which she had been feeling for years. She finally knew that she was okay to feel how she was feeling and that there is a way to get help for what she went through. And she publicly announced it to the world. As a huge figure in the music industry, she can make a huge impact and difference in society, helping everyone who follows the media or even her music.

And this is why I love Falkner's stories. They have a real impact about very sticky situations and it's brought up in a way that can really make a difference in someone's life. I just want to make everyone read these books because of this importance, but also because I absolutely love the characters and how they crack me up.

It's slowly getting close to the end of the road for these characters, which will break my heart, but I own all of the books so I can most certainly come back and visit these pesky characters :)

Seriously, buy this book. Buy this series. I think it is one of the most influential series I've ever read - one that can really make a difference. All of the books have warmed my heart and I can only hope that there are people like the Reeds and the Zeroes in real life trying to make the same difference in people's lives.

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Review: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this for book club - otherwise I probably would have never picked this book up. For the most part I enjoyed it. It was written in the 1960s so the writing is not the same as what I'm used to reading. And there was a ton of rambling that occurred in the novel, which I started to skim over because otherwise I would lose interest in the story for all of the rambling.

This novel changes narration, sometimes without warning. It was nice to see what Jim and Will and Charles were all thinking, since they had different thoughts on the circus that rolled into town.

There is a lot to think about with this novel. About the purpose of a circus. About time and age. About perspectives and how a town full of people react to kids telling the truth, whether it's preposterous or not.

It's not only about two 13 year old boys, but about a 54 year old man feeling his age, about a stranger lightening rod man who gets caught in the act, about a schoolteacher who gets fooled by a boy. It's about the characters in the circus and what their roles are.

Even though I struggled a little bit with the writing style, this is a great book that will definitely make me reconsider going to a circus - especially late at night.

And it was a bit creepier, maybe, because I read the majority of the novel on Halloween, making the creep factor a bit higher than if I read it in February or March!

This is a very interesting, contemplative novel that I will steer clear of next Halloween!

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