Blog Tour: |Review| Ties that Bind by Heather Huffman + Giveaway

As part of the Ties that Bind book by Heather Huffman book tour, I have a review for you!! And also a giveaway and a chance to wind the grand giveaway!! This is the Ties That Bind tour schedule, Click here to follow the rest of the tour and giveaways each day!

Title: Ties that Bind 
Author: Heather Huffman 
Published October 1st 2011 by Booktrope 
Genre: Contemporary romance, chick-lit 
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Goodread's summary:

Kate Yager never had a father, and she never minded - until her mom died. Now, acting on the name called out on her mother's deathbed, Kate has moved to San Francisco and gotten herself hired by the man she suspects to be her dad. As if a new job, new apartment, and new parent weren't enough, Kate finds herself head-over-heels in lust with a complete stranger she met at an art show. A stranger who, she later finds out, happens to work in her office.

As her relationships with her friends and father grow stronger, Kate has to confront the decisions of her past to find out whether she can love the man who gave her up, love the man who loves her truly, and even whether she can love herself.

Racquel's thoughts:
If I had known this was chick-lit, I would have stayed away from it but thank goodness I didn't know because I would have missed out on a wonderful story. Now the reason I'm not the biggest fan of chick-lit books is because the romance is usually sometimes present but it's not very important or very developed and that's a problem for me since romance is my favorite. I need romance in my adult books! Ties that Bind however balanced the romance and "chick-lit" (family and friends) elements equally and I'm very satisfied with that.

The argument that the first half of the book is romance can be made and that's is why I gave the book 4 hearts. The second half of the book was not as good to me, as the first half, but I did enjoy the first half to much to care. Gavin, our hero, and Kate were just the perfect pair. The witty banter between them just about killed me from how awesome it is!!

"You don't brush your teeth without scheduling it on your Blackberry, do you? What about showers?"
"I am perfectly capable of tending to personal hygiene without the assistance of my handheld." 

But also, it was sweet seeing how Gavin slowly pulled Kate out of guarded life and helped her overcome a few of her insecurities. He knew just how far he could push her and when to stop and I really liked that. I hate when the heroines say NO! a million times and the hero refuses to listen but Gavin knew which "no" from Kate to question and which one was to be left alone. Like I said, they were the perfect, swoon worthy pair!

Kate's mother just died and she has moved to a new town, new job and new people so seeing her get settled in, open up to new friends (and Gavin ;D) was sweet and I really enjoyed seeing her growth as a character. I do wish that Jason, who was the catalyst of a very important plot point, would have been developed more and I feel that Jack, who is Kate's boss, forgave and forgot old wounds to quickly for my liking and that is why I can't bring myself to rate the book 5 hearts but besides that, Ties that Bind is a really enjoyable read about a women who's life is out of control and how she brought it back to sanity. If you're a fan of contemporary and romance, I highly suggest this book!

Rating: 4 hearts~ just as good as the summary promises to be!

First:

In the thirty-two years Kate Yager had been on this planet, she has never met another person with quite the same shade eyes as hers.

Favorite:

"Well, because either you'll rip him apart in some misguided burst of chivalry that will land you in jail, or you'll be perfectly civil to him and I'll be mad at you for not ripping him apart in some misguided burst of chivalry. There's really no way for you to win that one."

Teaser:

"Yeah, well neither of them are old or insane, and I happen to like those qualities, too."

Now I have a giveaway for you!! THREE winners will get a an e-book copy of Ties That Bind. But also, EVERY SINGLE tour stop is ALSO giving away 3 copies of the e-book so make sure to stop by each blogging participating!! Here is a link to follow the rest of the tour! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
and also, you have a chance to win the grand prize here! This is the same rafflecopter at every stop BUT by following me on this blog, you get a new entry!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

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|Review| Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Title: Breaking Beautiful
Author: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by Walker Childrens
Genre: YA contemporary, abuse, romance
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Goodreads summary:

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Racquel's thoughts:
I seriously applaud Jennifer Shaw Wolf for writing and publishing Breaking Beautiful, especially when the main character was physically (and even mentally) abused by her boyfriend. It's a very hard topic to venture to and she did it justice.

I have a few people close to me that have been beaten by their boyfriends and it's a devastating thing. But who can make judgment or even give accurate advice if you have never been in that situation before? It's so easy to say to an abused individual "Leave him! Stop this terrible relationship! You can do better, you don't deserve this!" but the actual doing and getting out of the relationship is the hard part for abused girls. Imagine trying to admit to yourself that you're even in an abusive relationship, it's humiliating and hard to accept. Especially if your boyfriend is of the hot and cold variety. Loving one moment then beating on you the next but he apologizes and says he'll never do it again. It's easy to fall in that trap and I don't even dare think that Allie, the main character, has a fraction of weakness in her bones. I say this because some people might read this book and say "Why didn't Allie just leave Trip from the beginning?! What a weakling!" but this is obviously coming from a person's limited perspective, like I said, there is a definite bold line between saying something and actually doing it and a person had no credibility in saying that if they have never been in the abused girl's shoes.

Now that I have established that, I would also like to point out that not only does Breaking Beautiful have a realistic main character that deals with traumatic events in a realistic way. It also has a nice murder mystery plot that wasn't predictable and memory loss to keep things interesting and I loved every bit of it. The flashbacks, Allie's gradual remembering and putting pieces of the puzzle together was enjoyable to read and I couldn't think of a better way that it could have been written. I also really adored Blake and Allie's twin brother, Andrew. They were very dynamic and it was easy to love them and get attached to them and if you know me, you know I love when family is present in books so seeing Allie's mom and dad take a role in the book made me die and go happen. Blake and Andrew were both characters I just wanted to hug forever. Especially seeing Blake get shunned by his peers and his family problems broke my heart but I loved how Allie gave him strength at the same time he gave her strength.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 star is because I felt Allie's & Blake's relationship moved too quickly. I loved how we see them gain back their friendship in the beginning but then it took a jump too quickly to something more. Seeing them tread the ground of liking each other while learning to gain each others trust was really fun to read then the case of mild insta-love hit.  But besides that, Breaking Beautiful did not disappoint!

Also fun fact, did you know what the photograph of the cover was taken by Jennifer Shaw Wolf's HUSBAND? how AWESOME! There is a whole blog post about it from Wolf HERE.

Rating: 4 hearts~ a book that tackles and does justice to a hard topic all the while making it enjoyable to read. I couldn't ask for more.

 Book Trailer:

*taken from advance reader's copy, subjected to change*
First:

The clock says 6:45, even though it's really 6:25.

Favorite:

Andrew beams. It's been a long time since he was in trouble. I think he likes it.

Teaser:

"Thanks for being here."

 

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|Review| Amplified by Tara Kelly

Title: Amplified 
Author: Tara Kelly
Published: October 25th 2011 by Henry Holt and Co.
Genre: New adult YA, contemporary, romance, music
Rating:
Goodreads summary:

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it. . .

In this fresh new novel by critically acclaimed author Tara Kelly, Jasmine finds out what happens when her life gets Amplified.

Racquel's thoughts:
Going into Amplified, I didn't have any expectations which was great because who doesn't like picking up random books and then ending up falling in love with it? Amplified definitely had everything I liked in a book! First of all it's a new adult book, meaning the main teenage character is out of high school even if they're just 17, like Jasmine, the main character of Amplified. New adult easily becoming my new favorite genre because while I enjoy plain ol' YA, I'm coming to realize I'm growing out of it and I've been catching myself reading more and more adult contemporaries to satisfy my reading hunger. Though, it saddens me when I'm only a teenage girl myself and I can't even relate books meant for my me and age group. But thank god new adult books have been filling in the gap that some YA books have been leaving.

The realistic high school settings I come across in YA books are very, very few so I don't have to worry about rolling my eyes about how ridiculous an author is portraying high school with new adult books. Also new adult books allow more freedom to the character since usually MC's are their own legal guardian. There is nothing I hate more than when I'm reading a YA book and main characters come an go without a single mention of parents. It's very annoying, I'm sure even fictional characters have parents just like single human being. I give new adult characters way more lenity about that and surprisingly, every single  new adult book I have read has been big on showing the relationship between parent and child. Even if that main character doesn't live with their parents anymore. I know, it shocks me too!! This is the case with Amplified, Jasmine has deferred college and therefore her dad kicked her out but that's not the end of that relationship, throughout the book we get so much impact Jasmine and her dad's rocky relationship has had on her and how moving past those things help her grow.

Which brings me to Jasmine. She is one of the strongest girls I have ever had the pleasure to read about. She might not have any paranormal, super powers. She might not be saying the world from an evil faery attack or a dystopian government but she is a real heroine! Seeing her struggle with life, money and just surviving in the book without asking anyone for help or burdening anyone with her problems frustrated because it made me want to jump in the book and help her myself but she soldier on and made the best of everything! If that's a true heroine quality, I don't what is.

The secondary characters were also great, I loved all the band members even when they were a little moody *coughBRYNcough!* though I felt Felix was a little under developed compared to Veta, Bryn & Sean. Speaking of Sean and the romance, I definitely adored Sean as a character but what's keeping this book from  being a 5 heart read is the simple fact that while the romance was highly enjoyable, it didn't BLOW ME AWAY and made my heart skip beats. Otherwise, everything about Amplified is worth going out for to buy the book!

Rating: 4~ an outstanding, enjoyable new adult novel. I cannot wait for more from Tara Kelly!

 

First:

I said no to my dad this morning.

Favorite:

"Oh my God." I said.

"Oh my God what?" Dad asked.

"Um there's a spider in my bed."

Sean crinkled his eyebrows, his lips twitching.

"So kill it," Dad said.

.....

"Sorry, Dad I--I have to call you back." I snapped the phone shut and sat up, gawking at Sean.

He rolled over, draping his arm over his forehead. "A spider? Really?

Teaser: 

"This from the guy who makes C-side his lowest priority. Who misses at least one practice a week because he'd rather study the sex life of fish."

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|Adult Review| Time Out by Jill Shalvis

Title: Time Out 
Author: Jill Shalvis 
Published February 21st 2012 by Harlequin 
*thanks to publisher for providing me with a review copy*
Genre: Adult contemporary romance, humor
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Goodreads summary:

Sign up for recreational adult programs now! Class: How to Drive Him Crazy
Instructional program for women unexpectedly facing the totally dishy guy from their past. Everyone welcome! NHL coach Mark Diego's plan to spend his off-season volunteering in his hometown goes awry when he learns that not only is he coaching teenage girls, but that the program is coordinated by energetic (and five feet two inches of trouble) coordinator Rainey Saunders, his childhood friend—and the woman he could never stand to see dating any other guy….When their tempers flare, Mark and Rainey discover their fireworks don't just burn angry—they burn very, very hot! But that'll just sweeten the victory. Because Mark always plays to win. And with Rainey, he's planning on playing very dirty, too

Racquel's thoughts:
Jill Shalvis is on the fast track of becoming on of my all time to-die-for favorite authors. I would already give her that title but she has so so so so many books published and I only read three books among what Goodreads says is 118 distinct works by her, so proportionally speaking, I would have to read a few more books by her to say I would sell an eyeball to read one of her books but between you and me, these 3 books I read by Shalvis are enough for me to convince me she's a fantastic writer and worthy of selling a body part for.

Like the previous two books I read by Shalvis, Time Out had the perfect recipe of likeable characters, interesting plot, witty banter and dialogue, enjoyable drama and endless humor. More than I can count I was laughing out loud, highlighting passages on my Kindle because Shalvis just possess the ability to make her readers laugh, a talent you're either born with or not and clearly, Shalvis is blessed with this! Come one, does this not make you want to buy the book right now:

"Trust Me, he's not your type."

"Because he's rich and famous? Because he's tough as hell and cool as ice?"

"Because he's missing  vital organ."

Lena gasped in horror. "He doesn't have a d-"

"A heart! He's missing a heart! Jeez, get your mind out of the gutter."

While Harlequin Blaze books are not short stories by any means, they're still usually single sitting reads and Time Out proves no different. I suggest you read this book when you have free time because once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down! I couldn't get enough of Rainey and Mark, their chemistry was great, it was simply sizzling out of the pages and I loved every second of it, especially since both Mark, Rainey and also the side characters are all beyond entertaining.

The only thing keeping this book from being a 5 heart read is the fact that I think it ended to abruptly, it was definitely a happy, I-have-a-big-grin-on-my-face ending and it resolved things but it didn't go beyond that. An epilogue would have made this book simply perfect but nevertheless it was a satisfying, fun read from Shalvis! I definitely suggest you get this book if your looking for a fun read or your a fan of contemporary books because Time Out does not disappoint!

Rating: 4 hears~ Jill Shalvis is a master at writing, every book I read by her so far is simply wonderful! She's a must buy author!

Quotes taken from ARC, subjected to change.

First:

As always, Rainey's brain was full, too full, but one thought kept rising to the top and wouldn't leave her alone.

Favorite:

Dear mother of god.

Teaser:

"I wouldn't mind him exerting his authority on me."

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|Adult review| One Perfect Night by Rachel Johns

Title: One Perfect Night
Author: Rachel Johns 
Published: December 19th 2011 by Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, romance
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Goodread's summary:

Peppa Grant's fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she's also heard that he's aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company's annual party...but he's also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family's holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron's only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?

Racquel's thought's:
I love Australians authors! They just do not disappoint *knocks on wood* and One Perfect Night proved that. From the beginning, I couldn't put the book down. Peppa was such an entertaining voice and so was Cameron. They were extremely 3D characters and I laughed with them and felt sad when they did, I was rooting for them to just kiss, kiss, kiss! Together they were just unbelievably funny and heartbreaking at the same time. They both had demons they needed to get past and seeing them realize their feelings for each other was definitely an enjoyable journey.

Rachel Johns has a lovely writing style and as always, I absolutely loved the Australian setting, it was like traveling and falling in love all due to a fantastic book. I wasn't bored once with the story because I couldn't get enough of this romance, it really touched me you Peppa and Cameron helped each other in so many ways that they would have never imagined and I think Johns handled the hard situation in an extremely well way.

Overall, this book had it all. A great heroine, a sexy bear of a hero and a love story that will make you smile like an idiot! I definitely look forward to read more of Rachel Johns books.

Rating: 4 hears~ a book that will satisfy a romance lover's thirst!

First:

"Don't look now, but Mr. McSexy just entered the building."

Favorite:

"Sweetheart, if we were sleeping together, there'd be no sides. It'd be a case of who's on top and who's on bottom."

Teaser:

Blast!

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|Review| My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Take
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers #1
Published: August 1st 2009 by Harlequin
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Goodreads summary:

She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

Racquel's thoughts:
My Soul to Take is a book that falls under the category of "WHY DID I NOT READ THIS BOOK ALREADY?!" Well if you know me, you already understand that contemporary and romance are my loves while my relationship with paranormal is a mediocre one but hello Soul Screamers series, this looks to be a start to a beautiful friendship! I absolutely loved how this book wasted no time with nonsense. From the beginning we got the important details and it jumped right into action, that's how the entire book is actually, there are no fillers. Everything is important which makes it a fast paced book that you will finish quickly.

I loved Kaylee, she was relatable girl plus she was a real teen girl!! I could go to school and randomly point at some girl and there's a 50-50 chance that that girl goes through similar things as Kaylee (not the paranormal things, mind you. If somebody could relate to that then we got a problem!). Her best friend relationship with Emma wasn't an annoying one (thank god) and there was no back stabbing involved for once.

Same thing with Nash, he could be a real guy if you push the paranormal things to a side, he had his friends, his past girlfriends, his teammates and his family. I liked how he was involved with sports at school but wasn't an asshole even if there was a present stereotype in the book that the majority of the dancers and jocks are jerks. That annoyed me to no end but I guess since Nash wasn't a jerk, that somewhat made up for it.

I loved the family dynamics in this book! Family plays a big part in every persons life so to see it present here made me really happy. Really my favorite parts were with Kaylee's uncle, dad or Nash's mom. Also, being moi, I have to mention the romance which I will say was lovely! Nash and Kaylee are a perfect duo, I loved seeing them help each other but I also liked how they knew where they stood. When something was too great for them they didn't try to act as superman and fight it, they got their families to help which is a foreign thing in YA books.

The only thing that really didn't sit well with me besides the stereotypes is the reaction characters had upon learning about this whole paranormal world. I wanted more "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" but it didn't annoy me to extremes because I could understand Kaylee's quick acceptance since she's been somewhat dealing with the screaming for a long while now. But in the end, the great characters and fantastic writing made this a super enjoyable read and I just cannot wait to start book two like NOW!

Rating: 4 hearts~ a great paranormal series that makes me hate myself for not reading it sooner!

 First:

"Come on!" Emma whispered from my right, her words floating from her mouth in a thin white cloud.

Favorite:

...he sounded eager to slay the dragon Skepticism, And I was ready to ride into battle with him...

Teaser:

"Does she come with a mute button?"

Check out the Soul Screamers challenge:

Soul Screamer Challenge
20 members If you are participating in the Soul Screamer Challenge and interested in discussing the books along...

View this group on Goodreads »

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|Adult review| Liar's Guide to True Love by Wendy Chen

Title: Liar's Guide to True Love
Author: Wendy Chen
Published: November 28th 2011 by Carina Press
Genre: Adult contemporary, realistic fiction, chicklit, romance
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Goodreads summary:

Wedding planner Cassandra Hanley is in the business of making other people's dreams come true. But for some reason, whenever she meets a potential mate of her own, she finds herself telling little (and not so little) white lies. She's not trying to sabotage her relationships on purpose: as a people pleaser, she just naturally tells men what she thinks they want to hear.
When Cassandra meets Nick, she's determined to be herself this time--until she learns he abhors weddings. So she recasts herself as an advertising exec, and now she's scrambling to cover up the lie...with more lies.
Into the tangled web wanders Cassandra's college sweetheart, Kevin. Kevin, the one man who knows the real Cassandra, and loves her anyway. Could he have been The One all along?
Torn between the past and the present, Cassandra is about to learn that you can't plan the perfect life the way you can plan the perfect wedding.

Racquel's thoughts:
A cute cover, a cute summary and a cuter story. Wendy Chen delivered awesomeness! For myself, I'm not a fan of weddings. I don't think I will ever have wedding even if I get married because I don't like being the center of attention and like a certain character in this book believes, I do not support the ridiculous amount of money that goes into a day that most people won't even appreciate. I will never force anyone against weddings though and with that being said, I loved the portrayal of the wedding business in this book! Wendy Chen made me actually like weddings! All the cake, fabric and flowers talk was terrific.

I was recently in New York City for the first time ever and let me tell you, it won't be my last! I absolutely loved it and it's truly a city that's a world on it's own. So I appreciated the NYC setting here and from my short stay at The City, I would day Chen did a fantastic job portraying it! Along with these factors, a realistic, fun cast and a entertaining story this book was the perfect fun-weekend read! More then once the characters had me laughing out loud and I would have to say, this is one of the more realistic adult contemporaries I have read. Even though I didn't support some of Cass's actions at some parts, I actually liked them! They were realistic, and I'm all for realistic! Also it wasn't just Cass's but all the characters in this book were true their generation.

This is was definitely a pleasant surprise of a book, it left a big grin on my face at the end and I can see myself rereading in the future. I will definitely be picking up Wendy Chen's next book because Lair's Guide To True Love had it all! An enjoyable main character and lovely group of friends, an annoying family that we can't help but love and a story of realistic romance, friendship, embracing one's identity and a hero that's so real and loveable, I wanted to grab him straight out the page! (or screen since I did read this as an e-book)

Rating: 4 hearts~ if you're looking for a book to keep you engrossed and entertained, this one is for you!

First: 

Springtime Sundays are my favorite days.

Favorite:

"Don't worry, we're gonna grab him by the balls and take that bastard for every penny. He's gonna wish he had his dick cut off instead of dipping it where it didn't belong."

Teaser:

"Yeah. Like send him the guy equivalent of a bouquet of flowers."

"And what would that be? A bouquet of panties?"

 Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Carina Press

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|Review| Dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman

Title: Dancergirl
Author: Carol M. Tanzman
Published: November 15th 2011 by Harlequin
Series: WiHi series #1
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Goodreads summary:

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Me, too. But lately it's been happening in my room.
When I'm alone.
A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I'm no longer Alicia Ruffino. I'm dancergirl. And suddenly it's like me against the world—everyone's got opinions.
My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he's acting weird. And some stalker isn't content to just watch anymore.
Ali. Dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you've seen me online, I've trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.  

Racquel's thoughts:

My aunt said a very true thing once. She pointed out how when she watches CSI or any crime show/movie she knows who the bad guy is five minutes into the movie/show. But, the anime/cartoon Detective Conan (which is better known as Case Closed. It was dubbed in Arabic in Saudi Arabia- Detective Conan is the Arabic translation) is unlike the high end movies/TV Shows because Case Closed/Detective Conan keeps you guessing until the last 30 seconds of an episode on who he bad guy is. This is how Dancergirl is.

Dancergirl is about Alicia, or Ali who is on the road of becoming a professional dancer. What started out as Charlie, a peer from school videotaping her dancing (with her knowledge) so he can make story-like videos to put on the internet and get countless hits turns into something scary when Ali starts getting stalked.

I hate dramatic irony in books, it's nothing but annoying but Dancergirl is a real mysterious read that made my head spin in 6 different directions. Every time a new character was introduced I was like THAT'S THE STALKER! I changed my mind a hundred times, I suspected everyone BUT the actual stalker and I didn't find out who it is until it was revealed by the author. I loved that! Usually I can figure out who the bad guy is and predict the plot of books very early into the book but Carol M. Tanzman did a terrific job with making everything remain a true mystery.

I was just vacationing in New York a few weeks ago so I liked the portrayal of Brooklyn- where the book is set, it was done very nicely and it conveyed how the city and borough really is. I also liked the characters, sure some of them did stupid, selfish things but that's how real teenagers in the real world act! Their actions and experiences are similar to what people at my school do and I loved that!

Even though in the case of this book, since the mystery was so engrossing, I didn't care too much about it but I do believe the romance could have been slightly better. Also I loved Luke and I was not pleased with how he was handled at the end, I wanted much more of him! Another thing is after the action went down, things were wrapped up a bit too abruptly but I did enjoy the epilogue  and overall the book was a fantastic read that I could not put down. I'm now eagerly awaiting for the companion novel, Circle of Silence, I hope it's just as thrilling as Dancergirl!

Rating: 4 hearts~ a mystery that was actually mysterious! Unputdownable!

Quotes are directly taken from an ARC copy, they may have been subjected to change.

First: 

You know the feeling you get when you're on the subway."

Favorite: 

Is that sarcasm, along with ketchup, that she's squirting over her hamburger?

Teaser: 

"But I want your autograph, too." Sonya makes a show of searching through her backpack. "I'm sure I have an unused tampon." 

 *thank you Harlequin teen for providing a copy for me to review*

 

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|Review| Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Title: Dearly, Departed
Author: Lia Habel
Published: October 18th 2011 by Del Rey
Series: Gone With the Respiration #1
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Goodreads summary:

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Racquel's thoughts:
Question of the century: could a book set in NEW Victorian times, with GOOD and BAD zombies prove to be a great read? Yes, yes it sure does!

Lia Habel has an imagination that can rivals Spongebob's (that is a compliment FYI!) Her dystopian world is unlike anything I have ever seen/read about before and I knew just from the summary of the book that I would love this world! One thing about me, I feel very strongly about society/civilization/government, I believe that the dystopian worlds authors write about can actually happen any... minute. History proves that every great civilization has collapsed and what makes today's society immune? The idea of society advancing by regressing is not far from realistic, in a state of panic and depression anything is possible and the explanation of how this New Victorian society came to be is highly believable and I didn't question it once.

I also really loved this world. The etiquette, decorum and style of life is beyond fascinating and seeing it combined with advanced technology is a great mix. Onto the paranormal aspects of the book: ZOMBIES! It actually felt more sci-fi then paranormal to me because everything was backed up by science which again, I love because it made everything more believable for the reader.

One thing that bothers me much about paranormal books is if the MC stumbles into an unnatural world and doesn't question it or react properly, Nora (the MC) on the other hand did not magically accept the walking dead only after two paragraphs of finding out about them. She was genuinely shocked to the bone and again, despite the obvious unreal zombies, her reaction realistic! I also liked how Nora didn't immediately become a warrior. She was a girl who albeit knew more about combat and fighting then she should, but she was still raised with decorum drilled in her but upon learning about the zombies she didn't suddenly acquire superman hero skills to defend everyone. Nora knew what was too much for her and when she did, she left matters to the real fighters. Some people might see that as unheroic but I see it as a realistic portrayal of a girl who knows her limits.  I love this about Lia Habel's writing, no matter how crazy the world of Dearly, Departed is, she still made me believe it!

This also proves right with the relationship between Bram (the good undead zombie) and Nora. Oh Bram, Bram, Bram, do they sell zombies at Amazon because I want me a Bram!! I loved the pacing of the romance and I can kiss Habel for avoiding the wrecking mistakes of making the main character along with her guy of interest fall in love from the third chapter. I cannot explain the sweet feeling the blossoming this romance gave me, my heart was fluttering! Lia Habel, once again, well done!

Something I noticed that put a lot of people off is the 5 different 1st person narrating voices. I love alternating POV's especially when its between the love interests but I also did not mind the added 3 other POV's. They gave an added insight that otherwise could have been achieved and while I will admit that sometimes I did get confused on who's narrating, it wasn't a big deal to me.

Rating: 4 hearts~ Lia Habel has made a loyal fan out of me! Her dystopian world is one of a kind and I will eagerly and anxiously await more information on Dearly, Beloved the second novel to Lia Habel's fantastically amazing debut- this is a must read!

First:

 I was buried alive.

Favorite:

"Baldwin put your head on. You're scaring her!"

Teaser:

... I was up way past my bedtime, biologically speaking.

 Check out the UK cover of Dearly, Departed! While I just LOVE love the US cover (so beautiful!) this one is pretty damn awesome too! You can see a gray (bad zombie) in the back and Bram & Nora... SWOON! I love how Bram is wearing his 'sexy suit' ;D (read the book to find out!) and the 'Tall, Dark And... Dead?" at the top. So cool. This looks more like a movie posted though so I still think the US one is better cover for a book.

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|Adult Review| Whisper Falls by Toni Blake

Title: Whisper Falls 
Author: Toni Blake 
Published: December 28th 2010 
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Goodread summary:

Welcome to Destiny, Ohio—where coming home means finding your true heart and maybe even your true love.

Tessa Sheridan came crawling back home to Destiny after her big city interior design career crumbled. Now not only must she struggle to make ends meet, she has to contend with a biker next door and the roar of Harleys shattering the serenity of her cabin in the woods. Worse still, her sexy bad boy neighbor makes her feel breathless and weak—and shy, petite Tessa knows what a major mistake it would be to get involved with someone so…dangerous.

They say that former teen rebel Lucky Romo has a dark, secret past—that he’s trouble with a capital “T.” Still, Tessa feels all tingly when she sees how well he fills out a pair of tight jeans. And when Lucky invites her into his world, she knows the intense heat sparking between them could lead her somewhere wild and wonderful…and, yes, dangerous!

 
Racquel's thoughts:
I think before every romance/contemporary lover dies, they should read one of Toni Blake's books. I read the first three in the Destiny series and I LOVE them. One Reckless Summer (ORS) was great, Sugar Creek was good but I preferred ORS over it but Whisper Falls takes the crown.

Tessa was a great MC, she wasn't a plain jane or overly flashy- the perfect middle. It was great to be reading her story, she was strong, brave and I loved how she was trying new things in her life and improving it. Lucky oh Lucky stole my heart<3 One thing that disappointed me in ORS is that I didn't get enough of our hero, Mick Brody but in Whisper Falls, we have enough Lucky Romo to break out heart that he's not ours. I have to get this out of my chest, I love bad boys. Mr. Cop AKA Mike Romo from Sugar creek was great but I just looooooved Mick from ORS & Lucky for their tattoos, motorcycles, and not being afraid to be on the other side of the law. Again like Tessa, I liked how Lucky wasn't afraid to turn his life around, go after what he wants and he took consequences for his actions. He is pure swoon-worthiness. But I have to add this, I wished there would have been more drama between him and his parents (soap opera lover much?) I understand their quick forgiveness towards him and I guess his brother Mike made up for the arguing and drama but I wouldn't have minded a few tears.

Like with the other two books, I loved the quotes that follow the chapters, the characters and the story. Again, Toni Blake's Destiny series is a must read! I will definitely be picking up book 4, Holly Lane. Also, a note to Toni: I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE if book 6th was Duke's (Lucky's bestfriend) story (since book 5 is Amy's). Really I would die from happiness if we see waaaay more of Duke. He was one of my favorite characters in the book, I was waiting for more scenes with him and I have not had enough of him yet!

Rating: 4 hearts~ another sweet romance from Toni Blake!

First:

"Meow."

Favorite:

"No! Not if it's here, for God's sake! Jesus Christ, women, have you completely lost you mind?"

Teaser:

"Have a peanut butter egg and relax,"

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{Double Review} The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Series: Mara Dyer #1 
Published: September 27th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Goodread's summary:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

Racquel's thoughts:

My lovely Mary @Anxiruim & Celine @Forget Me Not along with Roxy @Keeping Up With Roxy's Books & my co-blogger Emma read Mara Dyer together and it was roller coaster of emotions book for me. I didn't like somethings at parts, but then I enjoyed others. I was laughing one page at something then the next I was laughing at the characters from their sheer ridiculousness.

The creepy first chapter was great but up until the middle point I was really just dragging my self through the book.

I'm judging from my definition of realistic and Noah was not so. It's not that he was really rich, I do know people who live in palace-like-houses and can drop hundreds but he's personality was a turn off. He was always pushing/forcing Mara to do something and this is a wish-washy thing with me. Sure if he didn't push he might not have ended up with Mara but it still annoyed me. If I was Mara, I would have stuck Noah.

Also somehow Noah had the power to do crazy things like getting Mara into restricted area's without consequences and such. He was also a panty-dropper who is harmless. Yeah being a man whore is not cute...Mara you best check for AIDS, girlfriend. 

Then there is Anna. One thing really annoyed me: Anna stole Mara's sketchbook and 'humiliates' Mara with it. A crowd gathers around, the entire school knows about this so called humiliation. Umm no. That just doesn't happen. A crowd will not gather to witness this and it won't be school news. Not everyone will have heard about it in 30 minutes because it's STUPID. 

Students only stop if something like this was going on: 

that's when the cameras break out, the Facebook updates are made & the school cops bring out the handcuffs. (no joke)

  

Another thing I disliked is the reactions to characters to certain events and lack of shock on their part. Some characters should be going insane with questions but no, nothing of that sort happens. I also hope to see more explanations of the paranormal aspect of the story int the next books and less confusion.

I did love Mara's family though. I love it when family is included!! Shows that characters have not in fact been brought to the earth asexually and actually have parents. In a YA novel? who would have ever guessed!! Jamie was also another great character that I wish to see more of.

Some people *cough Mary cough* might not agree but I like how romance plays an important part of the book. Sure I might have had my issues with Noah but I grew to like him, more then once I was grinning like a fool at his banter with Mara. I definitely enjoyed the book more towards the end and it saved it from being a 1 or 2 star read. 

My rating: 2.5 round to 3 hearts~ started out meh but showed potential at the end!

 First:

 My name is not Mara Dyer, but my lawyer told me I had to choose something.

Favorite:

"What did you do, bathe in leopard urine before you left the house this morning?"
"Yes. Leopard urine. Never leave home without."

Teaser:

"Did I just see you litter?"
"I'm driving a hybrid. It cancels out."

Emma's thoughts:

First of all, I have to say I like these let's-read-the-same-book things. It's a great way to discuss books while it's still fresh in our minds, and to hear other people's thoughts, not just voice your own. 

So, now, that is one of the vaguest summary I've ever read. It gives away nothing substantial about the book. Like Racquel said, I could not figure out what genre it was supposed to be. It went from horror to paranormal to romance, and straight back to horror (trust me, this book gave me the creeps. I was scared to look in the bathroom mirror by the time I finished).  

Okay, so apparently Racquel and I have very different opinions on Noah! I absolutely adored him. One, his name is Noah. Two, he has a british accent! And that's only the beginning. He's witty, he's smart, he's got disheveled hair and is totally charming. The banter between Mara and Noah is swoon-worthy! That is definitely one of the most outstanding points of the book. I found myself stopping to highlight many, many lines of the dialogue (especially Noah's) when I burst out in laughter or felt my cheeks hurt from trying to smile too wide. I know my housemates gave me some pretty weird looks while I was reading this (I may have squealed at one point...). Also, to me, Noah's bossiness was cute, because he did it for Mara's good. Moments when he ran to open her door and tied her shoelaces made me giddy inside. Where is chivalry these days?! But I admit, there was one point where I think Noah completely overreacted and it seemed way to unrealistic for him to feel that protective over Mara. It reminded me of those fight-for-dominance werewolf books.. 

And oh, I agree with Racquel about Anna. The incident would've only been big and gossip worthy if Noah hadn't actually covered for Mara, but since he did... it was sort of unrealistic. Even the whole Anna business completely confused me. Can someone please tell me WHAT DID MARA EVEN DO TO DESERVE THIS FROM ANNA?!? Why would Anna even bother with Mara? She's so not worth her time, realistically speaking. She'd probably get more of a kick if she spread her legs for Aiden. 

As a whole, I think the book was written beautifully, even the bone-chilling, seriously disturbing scenes. I applaud Michelle Hodkin for writing such awesome scary hallucinations. I kept dreading something awful would happen, and the tension built up so nicely, I was anxious to read read read and turn the page! 

But what bothered me most was that I had no idea what was going on. It was hard to understand what was happening and why it was happening with not a hint of an explanation whatsoever. I know if I ever got interrupted whilst reading this, I wouldn't hesitate to put it down (for the first half anyways). It got better, and some questions were answered. But overall, I do think that we could've gotten a bit more. I have no doubts I'll be getting my hands on the next book as soon as it comes out, because I'm the type of person who is constantly craving for answers. I ended this book with far too many questions in my head, I can't even keep them straight. There are so many incidents in the book that still need some clarifying, I hope Hodkin herself, doesn't forget. And currently in my delirious state, I've been thinking up outrageous theories that would answer my questions. So yes, this book has been on my mind quite a bit since I've finished (which is a good thing!), but I'm afraid I'll start to finish the story myself and be unhappy with whatever Hodkin has in store for us. Though, as I said, I'm all about answers. I'd love to know what's actually going on here...

Rating: 4 stars~ loved it! But I got confused way too many times... 

3 favourites:

"You're so fucking patronizing."
"You have such a filthy mouth."
"Does it bother you?" I smiled, pleased by the thought.
Noah grinned and shut the door behind me. "Not in the least."

Half-smile: treacherous.
Eyes: blue and infinite.
Hair: a beautiful, beautiful mess. 

"Would you like to hear about Curious George's new adventures?"
I shook my head.
"Are you sure?" Noah asked. "He's been such a naughty monkey."

NB: While I was reading this, I was listening to 'Believe' by Safetysuit on repeat. It's an awesome song, and now is my Mara Dyer theme song :)  

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|Adult Review| The Wanderer by Shawn Kirsten Maravel

The title of the post is marked as an 'Adult Review' which simply means that this is NOT a YA book like most reviews & meme's are. Everything on the blog has been YA so far but since I (Racquel) do read contemporary romance I will start posting my reviews for them here too. Keep in mind 'Adult' does NOT mean erotica! It means that the main characters are older then 20 and mostly likely in their 30's. 

Title: The Wanderer
Author: Shawn Kirsten Maravel
Published: October 26th 2011 by CreateSpace
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Buy book: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads summary:

After getting out of the Army, Landon Bradley packs up his motorcycle and heads North West in hopes of closing up old battle wounds and maybe even settling down. Not accustomed to staying in one spot for too long, he's not certain that he'll ever find a place that he can truly call home.

When he finds himself stranded in a small Wyoming town, Landon meets Maxine Abrams, more affectionately known as Max. Her blunt honesty and humble generosity make him feel closer to home then he ever has before. But when his feelings for her grow too strong, the reality that, like everyone else, he could easily lose her too, Landon feels the ever present urge to leave again. And Landon must decide which call to heed. His heart or the open road.

Racquel's thoughts:
I bet everyone in this world think no one understands them and that despite everything, they're lonely. I think I'm lonely. But Landon Bradley is truly lonely. 100%, completely and fully lonely. If I go missing today someone will call the cops. My family will be worried, if I died people would mourn me (or so I think) I have a couple of friend who might cry but Landon Bradley has no one. No mom or dad or cousin or grandma or friend or coworker or credit card bill collector or anything. If he died, no one would know or care and that's just such a heartbreaking thought. Really I had to stop reading more then once to contemplate this and it was not a fun thought! So many times I wanted to jump into the book and just give Landon a hug an tell him, "It's alright buddy, you might be a fictional character and I might (or might not be...) real but you have me! I love you!"

A pet peeve of mine is when an author writes about something she/he doesn't know about but that is not the case with The Wanderer and Shawn Kirsten Maravel. Her understanding of the army is obviously not just researched based and she has her facts straight. The same goes with the motorcycles, Maravel and her characters understood motorcycles and their parts so well it made me feel like I was a biker junkie!

Me being the romance whore, have to mention the relationship between Max and Landon and that was another aspect Maravel didn't disappoint in. It wasn't love at first page, their were no random love declarations from chapter 3, or any of that stuff that I hate. The romance grew before my eyes and I enjoyed seeing the characters fall in love and it wasn't just the romance that grew, the characters also faced their fears and overcome life obstacles and I love the journey of it! 

I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed! Shawn Maravel has made a fan out of me with this sweet, romantic well done read:D

Rating: 4 hearts~ a must read for romance/contemporary lovers like me!

First:

The Army recruiter‟s station had already been set up at the far end of the campus cafeteria at The University of New Hampshire when Landon Bradley set his tray and books down.

 Favorite:

“Can you stop calling me ma‟am?” 

Teaser: 

“G.I. Joe‟s still got bed head.”

*Thanks to Shawn for providing me with a copy to review♥*

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