(Review) Merry and Bright by Jill Shalvis

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Title: Merry and Bright
Author: Jill Shalvis
Published: September 24, 2013 (Kensington)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Paperback, borrowed from the library

Summary: Jill Shalvis is back with a collection of three endearing, sexy, and yuletide-filled short stories.

I'm sure it came as a surprise to absolutely no one that I was salivating over this book. Even though I'm not always a fan of short stories - I prefer the more long, drawn out variety - Jill Shalvis can simply do no wrong, and I want to read everything she writes. And what's a Christmas elf to do when one of her favorite authors puts out a Christmas collection?

Read it, of course!

And I did. I sped through this book pretty quickly! The fact that it is broken into three different stories makes it seem to read faster than a normal book of its size. I'm going to go ahead and break it down by story, because the three were completely separate. They had no connection whatsoever, aside from the fact that they all took place around Christmas.

The First Story: "Finding Mr. Right"

This first story sucked me right in. It was about a chemist named Maggie who always went for guys who were exactly like her: intelligent, motivated by work, and not overly romantic. So due to some encouragement by her sister, Maggie decided to go after something different: a night with Mr. Wrong. And who should be there to be her Mr. Wrong but Jacob, the sexy architect she'd crushed on in high school.

This was a really cute story with a surprising bit of mystery/adventure thrown in. In fact, aside from the fact that Maggie was a very different sort of narrator, the whole thing read very much like a Stephanie Plum novel. Entertaining, sexy, and a very quick read, "Finding Mr. Right" was quite the fun way to spend a morning.

The Second Story: "Bah Handsome!"

This second story had a rather interesting premise: B&B owner Hope had taken a loan out from her (very pre-epiphany Scroogeish) step-brother, and his (adorably geeky and yummy) solicitor was there to assess whether or not it appeared she would be able to pay it back on time. And then he got snowed in. One of my favorite tropes!

Unfortunately, this one shared quite a few elements with the first story and thus failed to stand on its own feet. With some stronger editing, I think it could have been really good. But it was a little weak, and reading it right after the first story kind of felt like reading the same thing over again with different names. And quite a bit more snow. It was cute, though.

The Third Story: "Ms. Humbug"

The third story was about Cami, a strictly by-the-rules woman who was annoyed by no one more than Matt: hard-working office playboy - and recently appointed mayor/Cami's boss.

I think this was probably my favorite of the stories. Due to the length of the story, their relationship had to progress rather quickly. But although it did feel a tad rushed, I believed it could happen. Matt and Cami had known and respected each other as fellow hard workers for a while, even if Matt did set Cami's teeth on edge. In a fun trope change-up, though, it wasn't mutual! Matt knew he pressed Cami's buttons, but he had always been intrigued rather than put off by her. They also had some fabulous chemistry, which is hard to create in the space of only 80 or so pages. I could also see how some people might be put off by Cami as a narrator, but I really liked her character and seeing the story from her perspective.

These stories weren't anything ground-breaking, but they were definitely enjoyable! If you're looking for some entertaining holiday reading that doesn't take itself too seriously, this collection is a fabulous choice.

First
For two months, Maggie Bell walked past him every day on her way out of the office, and every day she took in that tall, leanly muscled body, those incredibly well-fitted Levi's hanging low on his hips thanks to his tool belt, and forgot everything else just to take it all in.

---

Favorite
It was the right thing to do, the polite thing to do. Thank-you-for-the-perfect-sex cookies.

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Teaser
He couldn't have been more stunned if he'd just been hit head-on by a moving freight train. He'd just had the best sex of his entire life. On the ground. In the great outdoors. In the wilds of Colorado. In the snow.

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(Review) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: September 10, 2013 (St. Martin's)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Physical ARC as part of a Literary Lushes tour

Summary: Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Now Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

I've taken quite a while to formulate my thoughts about Fangirl. I read Eleanor & Park earlier this year, and while I did enjoy it, I did not fall head over heels for it like 98% of the blogging community.

Fangirl, on the other hand?

This book could have been written for me, y'all. I waited a long time to write this review, because I thought I might be able to be more coherent, more logical, spelling out points A, B, and C as to why this book is awesome.

I gave up. Sort of. I decided to do the logical thing and make a list! But fair warning: it probably won't be coherent, because my love for this book refuses to be contained.

I know this book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. But it was exactly, exactly what I have been wanting from the New Adult genre. I don't want another story about the good girl and the brooding, tattooed boy. Appealing, yes, but that's not what I wanted when I complained for years and years that there were never any books set in college. This was. It was fun, challenging, and unique. I could go on, but I'm going to stop now and let the list do the talking. So, without further ado...

The ABCs of Why Fangirl Rocks, Why I Loved It, and Why You Might Want To Read It
A: Addicting. I couldn't put this book down! I read it in one sitting, and it's not a small book.
B: Baz. Baz was basically the Draco Malfoy of the Simon Snow world. He was the arch enemy of Simon Snow, but you knew there was something going on beneath the surface, too. Cath loved to write him, and I loved to read him.
C: College. For years, I've been longing to read books set in college, and this one nailed it! I especially love that Cath's college had a huge agricultural program that differentiated it from your typical universities. As I attended a school where most people (including my roommate) came for the equestrian programs, I appreciated this.
D: Dad. I really loved reading about Cath's relationship with her dad, even though it was hard at times.
E: Eeeee! This book will make you squeal and basically turn into a giant spaz. Or, at least, that's what it did to me.
F: Fangirliness. If there's one thing I can relate to, it's being a fangirl. I have been deeply involved in various fandoms over the last 10 or so years of my life, and I love it. I really do. It was fun to see this being played out in a book.
G: Growing up. Cath had to learn to grow up in a lot of ways over the course of the book, even though it wasn't easy.
H: "Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy. It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous, thing two people can shoot for."
I: Issues. Cath had issues. Her dad had some sort of manic disorder. Her mom had left (sort of) on September 11 (yes, that one). Cath herself had social anxiety she had to conquer to be successful in her new life at college. These were not small things, and Cath had to figure out a way to work through them.
J: Just Because. You should read it! Because I said so, that's why. (Hey, it works for my mom...)
K: Kissing. There is KISSING in this book. Good kissing.
L: Levi. GAH. I could write paragraphs on Levi. He was so far from your typical gorgeous hero, for so many different reasons. He was a farm boy. He was so happy, always finding something bright to focus on, and Cath had an obsession with his ten thousand smiles. I could go on, but I will stop here. I still have half the alphabet to go!
M: “Months are different in college,” Levi said, “especially freshman year. Too much happens. Every freshman month equals six regular months – they’re like dog months.”
N: NaNoWriMo. Fangirl was Rainbow Rowell's NaNoWriMo project! How awesome is that?
O: Originality. I've never read another book like Fangirl.
P: Perfect. Okay, so Fangirl not quite perfect. But it comes pretty darn close. It's definitely a favorite.
Q: Quotable. I saved so many quotes from this book. I love Rainbow Rowell's writing style, and she had some amazing, funny, and relatable quotes in here.
R: Roommate. Cath's roommate, Reagan, was a really interesting character! I liked getting to know her. Rainbow Rowell showed the difficulties of having a roommate, but the advantages, too.
S: Simon Snow. I know not everyone was a fan of the snippets Simon Snow books and fanfiction, but that was one of my favorite parts! I looked forward to them. More than anything, I quite honestly want Rainbow Rowell to stop all current writing projects and write the Simon Snow books for real. I would totally read them. Plus, they have the best fandom name ever: Snowflakes. How cute and fun is that?
T: Twins. Cath and Wren (Cath. Wren. Get it??) were twins who had been close for a long time, but Wren was always the outgoing one with the stronger personality. They also used to be Simon Snow fangirls together. But in college, Cath and Wren struggled to find that relationship where they could still be close sisters but also have separate identities.
U: "Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and mildly socially retarded, I’m a complete disaster."
V: Variety. If you're looking for something a little different, chances are Fangirl fits the bill. It's not typical YA, NA, or adult romance, but it is sure to appeal to lovers of any of the three.
W: Writing. Cath was a writer. She wrote fanfiction, and she was at college to study writing. And her writing was actually good.
X: X-treme Swoons. Yeah, okay, so I cheated a little. But seriously. SO MUCH SWOONING in this book.
Y: Young. Cath actually seemed young in a lot of ways, even though she was mature in others. And I loved that. College is a time for figuring things out. Most people are still quite young and immature as freshemen, and that's okay.
Z: ZZZs. HA. Just kidding. You totally won't be getting those until you finish this book. Who needs sleep, anyway?

“I’m not really a book person.”
“That might be the most idiotic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

---

There should be a word for a laugh that ends as soon as it starts. A laugh that’s more a syllable of surprise and acknowledgement than it is anything else.

---

Sometimes writing is like running downhill, your fingers jerking behind you on the keyboard the way your legs do when they can’t quite keep up with gravity.
All quotes have been taken from an advance copy and may differ in the final edition.

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(Review) No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean

Title: No Good Duke Goes Unpunished
Author: Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rules of Scoundrels, #3
Published: November 26, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of: absolution.

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows: that he is no killer. It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady—and her past—are more than they seem. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything...and to keep from putting himself on the line for love.

This book basically blew my mind. How many times do you read a book where the hero and heroine fall in love despite the fact that years before, she had drugged him and he had supposedly murdered her?

(No, seriously. If you have any recommendations for books like this, please please let me know in the comments! I want to read more.)

My relationship with Sarah MacLean's books is a little back-and-forth, but she impressed me more than ever with No Good Duke Goes Unpunished. I was excited for Temple's book, because I was so intrigued by him when I read One Good Earl Deserves a Lover a few months ago. And this book did not disappoint! In fact, it was better than I anticipated.

For one, I had not read the blurb for this book. I knew it was Temple's story, and I wanted to read it based on that alone. So I had NO IDEA Mara was the heroine. I started the book at the gym and was just reading along when bam, she revealed her identity. I gasped and ceased all movement immediately. Thankfully, this happened when I was on the stationary bike rather than the treadmill, or that would have been a terrible (though, let's face it, probably amusing) site to behold. I was completely shocked. And perhaps I should not have been, but while I figured Mara would show up later, I did not dream they would fall in love.

But they did. And it was amusing, frustrating, swoon-inducing, breath-taking, heart-breaking and altogether addicting watching them do so.

Both of the main characters were so original and so intriguing! Temple was a duke-turned-fighter who ran a gaming hell with a few other partners. He was termed the Killer Duke, believed to have killed Mara on the eve of her wedding (to Temple's father!), though there was no conclusive proof. And the worst part was that he did not know if they were wrong. Mara had drugged him before disappearing, and Temple had gone on for years, fighting to regain his memories of that night but never succeeding. And then Mara showed up. Mara, who had been running an orphanage for the illegitimate sons of noblemen in the years since her disappearance. Mara, who held the key to Temple's reinstatement to his rightful place as duke, who, more importantly, held the key to what had happened that night years before. Their relationship was complicated, to say the least.

There were so many things to love about Temple and Mara. They had an angst (for good reason), explosive chemistry, a slow burn that wouldn't quit, and brilliant exchanges of dialogue.

“I shall take that as a compliment.”
“It was not meant as one. I was merely pointing out your libidinous ways.”
“Libidinous.”
“Roguish. Rakish. Scallawaginous. Scoundrelly.”
“I’m certain that some of those words are not words.”
“Now you’re angling for a position as governess?”
“If the boys are learning words like scallawaginous, it might not be the worst idea.”
*Quote taken from an advance review copy and may appear different in finished book.

Really, the only negative thing I have to say about this book is that toward the end of the story, Mara's self-sacrificing for Temple went a little too far. She just wouldn't. freaking. stop. I get that she felt guilty and had reasons for her behavior, especially at first. In fact, I admired it at first! Love wasn't presented as this all-consuming selfish thing. But the woman wouldn't let it go. She was attempting to convince herself that Temple was better off without her despite a thousand proofs otherwise. It got old fast and continued way too long. Other than that, though, I cannot think of a thing I disliked about this book.

This story was compelling, enjoyable, and ultimately satisfying. Though she came close with One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Sarah MacLean officially won me over with No Good Duke Goes Unpunished.

First:
He woke with a splitting head and a hard cock.

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Favorite:
What did one say to the man falsely accused of one’s murder?

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Teaser:
It was one thing to drug a man once...but twice did seem overmuch.

*Quotes taken from an advance review copy and may appear different in finished book.

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(Review) The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn

Title: The Sum of All Kisses
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Smythe-Smith Quartet, #3
Published: October 29, 2013 (Avon)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Hugh Prentice has never had patience for dramatic females, and if Lady Sarah Pleinsworth has ever been acquainted with the words shy or retiring, she's long since tossed them out the window. Besides, a reckless duel has left this brilliant mathematician with a ruined leg, and now he could never court a woman like Sarah, much less dream of marrying her.

Sarah has never forgiven Hugh for the duel he fought that nearly destroyed her family. But even if she could find a way to forgive him, it wouldn't matter. She doesn't care that his leg is less than perfect, it's his personality she can't abide. But forced to spend a week in close company they discover that first impressions are not always reliable. And when one kiss leads to two, three, and four, the mathematician may lose count, and the lady may, for the first time, find herself speechless ...

One interesting fact: After reading the previous book in this series, A Night Like This, I mentioned in my notes the fact that I really wanted Hugh and Sarah to have a book together! But upon re-reading these notes a year later, I had no recollection of why I had wanted this, because I did not remember any interaction between the two of them. So I re-read the book. And I was right. Hugh and Sarah had virtually no interaction together at all. They were barely in a scene together. I guess I just thought the idea of their two vastly different personalities coming together was too good to resist.

I was, in fact, correct! Hugh and Sarah's book might just be my favorite of the Smythe-Smith books so far. I started it first thing in the morning and did not eat lunch or even speak a simple greeting to my roommate until I was done.

Hugh and Sarah's story was completely captivating. Hugh was a logical fellow who could do stunning amounts of math in his head. Sarah was a dramatic girl who set Hugh's teeth on edge, and he had the same effect on her. Oh, and there was also the fact that Sarah's cousin had shot Hugh in a duel (long story), leaving him with a permanent and painful limp. But over time, as they were forced together by circumstances, they began to see each other in a different light. Both still had qualities that made them less than perfect, but they acknowledged those flaws in each other and fell in love anyway.

While I do enjoy hate-to-love stories, unfortunately, many of them tend to rely on great sex for being the Magical Key to Falling in Love. And often, I just don't buy it. The Sum of All Kisses was more of a hate-to-friends-to-love story, and I found the development absolutely perfect and believable for Hugh and Sarah.

As another fun point, fans of Eloisa James would be pleasantly surprised to find a couple of her characters making guest appearances. They fit right in with all the wonderful characters from previous Smythe-Smith and Bridgerton books, who all together created an atmosphere that was impossible not to enjoy. Also, points to Julia Quinn for actually writing a romance epilogue I liked! It doesn't happen often.

I fell in love with Julia Quinn a long time ago, and she continues to deliver. Her books might not be full of stunning prose, grand adventures, or massive plot twists, but I don't always need those. When I pick up a Julia Quinn book, I know I am going to get entertainment, interesting characters, and a magnificent love story. The Sum of All Kisses delivered on all these fronts, and I cannot wait for the next installment of the Smythe-Smiths! I'm crossing my fingers for a book about Iris. Guess I'll have to wait and see!

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|Review| Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

Title: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage
Author: Jennifer Ashley 
Series: Highland Pleasures #2

Published July 6th, 2010 by Berkley Sensation

Genre: historical romance
Rating: A

Goodreads summary:

Only one man could match a lady like this—scandal for scandal.

Six years ago, eighteen-year-old Lady Isabella Scranton scandalized all of London by eloping the night of her come-out ball with the notorious rake, Lord Mac Mackenzie. After three turbulent years of marriage, she scandalized London once again—this time by leaving him. 

Now Mac has resurfaced, every bit as charismatic, and with one goal: to seduce Isabella back into his life and his bed even if it means acting like a real gentleman. But when Isabella rises to the challenge of posing nude for Mac's erotic paintings, her pent-up hunger for the decadent rake is exposed as well, and she finds herself unable to resist the smooth strokes of an artist at work.

But someone's been watching them—dangerously close. This ingenious forger with designs on Mac's paintings also sets his sights on Isabella herself. Deciding to become Isabella's protector, Mac vows to never leave her side, whether his independent and proud lady likes it or not.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage is the second book in the Highland Pleasures series and while I loved the first book, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie |my review|, I did not think it could be topped because it's just THAT good, BUT Jennifer Ashley certainly delivered and equally fantastic historical romance!

Here's what's spectacular about Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage: Mac, the hero, loves his estranged wife, Isabella. Isabella loves the husband she left. Mac knows Isabella loves him. Isabella knows Mac loves her. Mac knows that Isabella knows that he knows that she loves him. Isabella knows that Mac knows that he knows she loves him. EVERYONE knows Mac and Isabella love each other so... what's the problem?

In romance books, we get to see the couple fall in love, have great sex, most likely slay some traumatic demons then get married and live happily ever after. What's next? This is Mac and Isabella's story. The Ever After years. Mac and Isabella met then they got married a few hours later because they were that smitten with each other. They have the awesome sex, they get to know each other a little bit, they have fun together and they fall in love. But in Mac's words:

"Passion without love and trust was empty,"

So this is the essence of Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage. Mac and Isabella have the passion and love but they needed to work on the trust part because newsflash: it takes more than love to actually be married to someone and I'm glad that a romance novel actually tackled this. There is no petty excuses or doubts in Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage and thank god for that. I need a break from "he loves me, he loves me not! She loves me, she loves me not!" drama and the "must protect my heart so I'm going to lie about my feelings" blah blah that's in a lot of romance books. Seeing Mac and Isabella come to learn how to manage their love for each other was awesome and I loved every second of this book. Congratulations to Jennifer Ashley for giving us an honest (and hot!) romance tale that breaks quite a few annoying romance "norms". To be honest, I don't know how I'm going to go read other historical romance books by other authors because I'm just obsessed with Jennifer Ashley's storytelling. It's historical romance at its best made better by the fact that Jennifer Ashley stays away from popular romance eye-rolling behavior.

If this book wasn't great enough, it was made even better by the side characters. I'm obsessed with the Mackenzie family. OBSESSED!!! And I don't say that lightly! I literally could read about the Mackenzie clan forever and ever. I was not joking, y'all, I have fallen in love with Jennifer Ashley's storytelling and characters and I don't want to read anything but the Highland Pleasures series. Just give me the Mackenzies. All I want is the Mackenzies written by the amazing Jennifer Ashley.

Fun fact: Mac's name? ROLAND Ferdinand "Mac" Mackenzie! This made me laugh.

Rating: [A] An excellent follow up to the excellent first book in the series, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I'm officially obsessed with this series!

First:

Isabella’s footman rang the bell at the house of Lord Mac Mackenzie on Mount Street, while Isabella waited in the landau, wondering for the dozenth time since she’d set off whether this were wise.

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Favorite:

"What she would see was a cock that had elongated into a rigid pole. She could hang her St. Leger Ladies' Day hat on it... and oh, Lord, why did he just just think of that?" LOLOL!

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Teaser:

"What the devil are you doing her, Mac? And why is Isabella seving you breakfast instead of dropping you down the cistern?" "My house burned down," Mac said from behind his paper.

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(Blog Tour) The Marquess of Cake by Heather Hiestand

Title: The Marquess of Cake
Author: Heather Hiestand
Series: Redcakes, #1
Published: July 4, 2013 (Kensington)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital copy provided by Foreword Literary in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Scotch trifle fit for Queen Victoria, scones with clotted cream…Alys Redcake knows the way to a man’s heart. Yet she is unaware that with each morsel—and flash of ankle—she is seducing the handsome marquess frequenting her father’s tea shop. Unmarried at twenty-six, Alys’s first love is the family business. But thoughts of the gentleman’s touch are driving her to distraction…

With his weakness for sugar, the Marquess of Hatbrook can imagine no more desirable woman than one scented with cake and spice. Mistaking Alys for a mere waitress, he has no doubt she would make a most delicious mistress. And when he finds himself in need of an heir, he plans to make her his convenient bride. Yet as they satisfy their craving for one another, business and pleasure suddenly collide. Will Hatbrook’s passion for sweets—and for Alys—be his heart’s undoing?

There are few things in life I love more than a good historical romance, but baked goods rate right up there alongside those dashing cravat-induced swoons. So it's no surprise that Estelle thought of me when setting up the tour for Marquess of Cake.

I think the most interesting thing about this book might be that the hero, Michael, had hypoglycemia (or something along those lines, at least - I'm no medical professional). And as this was nineteenth century, the treatments were not known. He simply knew ways to self-medicate, including wholesome meals for longer stamina and sweets for a short-time high. But Michael loved sweets, something I could whole-heartedly identify with! Especially as Alys Redcake's sweets sounded divine.

Another thing I enjoyed about Marquess of Cake was that Michael and Alys were not victims of the all-powerful instalove. Although there was an immediate attraction, they first met when Alys waited on Michael's table in her family's bakery. They ran into each other a number of times after that, in various circumstances, some enjoyable, some not. While I would not say they had a slow burn relationship, I got to know the characters well before they truly acted on their attraction. And Alys was a character I truly enjoyed getting to know. She was not interested in marriage, preferring to pursue a career in business and baking. And she was always honest about this, from the very start. This was quite a change!

Surprisingly, there were quite a few more darker themes than I expected, since the title and cover seem to imply a lighter story. And while there was quite a bit of humor, it was balanced with real issues such as medical problems, death, family loyalty, and issues from Alys's past. But not to worry: it's a romance novel, so we still get our HEA!

I did have a few issues with Marquess of Cake. For one, the book seems to have a bit of an identity crisis, both looking and reading like a contemporary. And while this is not exactly bad, it was something that took a little getting used to. The plot did seem a little too contrived at times. The hero also had a couple moments of giant asshattery, which made it difficult for me to root for him.

I will say that I'm excited for the sequel, which comes out in December. It is about a character I was rather intrigued by, though we never really got to know him. I also hope that eventually, there will be a book about Alys's cousin, Lewis, too. He was one of my favorite side characters in Marquess of Cake. As a whole, while Marquess of Cake did have some flaws, it read quickly, and was sweet - in more ways than one, heh - and enjoyable!

Now, don't run off just yet! There is a giveaway! And be sure you check out the next stops on the tour:

November 08: Never Too Fond of Books
November 11: Zemfirka Blogs
November 12: The Reading Addict
November 13: Peace Love Books
November 14: Romantic Historical Lovers

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|Review| The Devil's Tattoo by Nicole R. Taylor

I'm part of The Devil's Tattoo blog tour being hosted by Xpresso Book Tours and I have a review for you guys! I really enjoyed the hell out of this book and definitely recommend it. Check out the other tour stops here. Onto my review!

Title: The Devil's Tattoo
Author: Nicole R. Taylor
Series: Devil's Tattoo #1

Published September 1st, 2013

Genre: Contemporary romance
Rating: B
Buy: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads summary:

The Highway to Hell or the Stairway to Heaven?

Zoe Granger picked up her first guitar the day her heart was smashed into a billion pieces. It was a way to keep her mind off her inevitable downward spiral, but music soon became her escape. She's been burned too many times to tell and is just happy to coast through life, never putting herself out there. That's until her best friend Dee suggests they start a band and suddenly she finds herself not just a part of it, but fronting the whole outfit.

They call themselves The Devil's Tattoo and when they release their debut EP, it rockets to the top of the charts and it's like an overnight fairytale. Contracts, photo shoots, royalties and interviews are heaped onto the shy Zoe and it's like she's finally found her place. Then comes the phone call that changes everything. They've been asked to co-headline a tour with one of the hottest bands of the moment, The Stabs and Zoe will never be the same again.

Will Strickland is one fourth of the hottest indie rock band to ever grace the airwaves. He's the bass player in The Stabs, hot as hell and could have his pick of any girl that flings herself at him. But he's only got eyes for Zoe and she has no idea why he'd bother. She's got one hell of a trust issue and an attitude to boot and Will seems to be the one who wants to tame her, but is he game enough?

The Devil's Tattoo and The Stabs go on the road and it's either going to be a highway to hell or a stairway to heaven. Only time will tell who will come out on top and Zoe's determined to do it without getting her heart broken… again.

I don't do blog tours anymore but The Devil's Tattoo cover really caught my attention and after a rough start with the book, I'm happy to say I was hooked to The Devil's Tattoo after the band was formed!

The book starts with an introduction to the characters Zoe and her best friend Dee (who is a guy, by the way) and what comes next is Zoe running into hottie Will Strickland and being attached to him. The book is told for alternating POVs from Zoe and Will so we find out that Will is attracted to her too. Expect they haven't actually met. What follows is Zoe and Dee creating their own band with two other guys and getting asked to go on tour with Will's band. This is part two and when I really started enjoying the book.

The romance was just great. Will was shy around Zoe and Zoe was shy around Will and that meant they had hilarious and awkward conversations. It took them a while to finally do something about their attraction and when it finally happened, it was sooooo sweet. Now I liked Zoe, but Will stole the show. He respected Zoe and when Zoe needed space? He gave it to her. Plus he was just normal. He wasn't the perfect witty man who always knew what to do and what to say. Sometimes he was awkward and that was cute. Plus the sex was sexy. That was great too. Cute romance that made me smile and hot sex? This romance is winner.

Another thing I really liked about the book is Zoe and Dee's friendship. It was so genuine and I don't find friendships in books real anymore!

"You need to get some."
To his surprise I said, "Yeah. I'm so bloody horny."
"Bloody hell, Zoe! Too much information. My ears, they burn!"
"You started it."
"You continued it."
"They're at it again," Simone laughed as she passed us.

The book is loaded with hilarious dialogue between Zoe and Dee like that but they also had each other's back. It was awesome and I can't wait to read Dee's book, The Fire Walker.

There was angst to the book (what book doesn't have angst nowadays?) but I didn't mind since it wasn't too heavy and well done, plus music plays a big theme in the book which is no surprise because the book is about two different band members. I don't care for music book that much but I didn't mind it at all in The Devil's Tattoo. Overall, this was a well balanced romance: sweet and hot and I do recommend it for people looking to read a romance with an actual romance and also looking for a book that will make them laugh! I'll definitely be checking out the second book.

Rating: [B] A very balanced romance! It surprised me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

First:

"Zoe Granger! I knew I recognised those hot legs of yours."

Favorite:

"You're fucking beautiful," he murmured in my ear and wandered off down the footpath.

Teaser:

"I wanna know you. I've tried so hard. Why won't you let me?"

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(Review) The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

Title: The Perfect Match
Author: Kristan Higgins
Series: Blue Heron, #2
Published: October 29, 2013 (HQN)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise? Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done.

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

I have a theory as to how the idea for The Perfect Match came about. Kristan Higgins magically stumbled onto The Book Barbies, clearly pulled in by the number of times I've referred to her as one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. She went, "Huh, this Sharon seems pretty awesome. Let's have a look at her favorite things! Hm. British heroes? Marriages of convenience? I can do that!" And BOOM, this book was born.

Admittedly, it's not a likely theory. But given the contents of this book, it's certainly possible.

From the opening scene of the book, it was clear that Honor was not your typical heroine. She was in the middle of her annual birthday tradition - getting a pap smear. Honor was practical, logical, and a workaholic at the family wine business. While she was happy with some things in her life, her romantic life was at an unhappy stand-still, as she had been hung up on the same man for years. This was quickly and humiliatingly resolved when Honor mustered up the courage to go after what she wanted, only to be rejected. Thankfully, this allowed her to attempt to move on.

And then came Tom. Tom was a complicated character. At first, I honestly was not sure whether or not I was going to like him. Tom was a bit heavy on the drinking at the beginning of the book, something he blamed on being British. He also wasn't always the nicest guy. But this made him more real to me. I like that he had flaws and wasn't some perfect British specimen of a man. That would be too obvious, too boring. The fact that you had to get past some walls to really see him made him even better.

One of the reasons I fell so hard for this book was Tom's relationship with Charlie, his unofficial stepson. Charlie was even more hostile and defensive and apathetic than your average fourteen-year-old boy, and it would have been so easy for Tom to give up on him. After all, Tom had no official legal or blood ties to the boy - only a relationship forged during Tom's relationship with Charlie's now deceased mother several years before. Aside from Tom, Charlie had no one in his life besides uncaring grandparents, and he completely broke my heart. To see him finally begin to respond to Tom - and Honor as well - was just amazing. And the fact that Tom cared enough to do this was huge. So often, fake finacé or marriage of convenience plots are based off something absurdly far-fetched, not that this diminishes my love for them. But it was so refreshing to have a realistic reason behind the need for this relationship, and more than that, one that I whole-heartedly believed.

Also, once Tom and Honor were living in the same house, I love how Higgins portrayed it. They were so awkward with each other! And for good reason. That would be bloody uncomfortable, I have to say. Sharing a house and an impending marriage with a near-stranger? Definitely not a situation to put you at ease. They had to learn so many things in such a short time.

The Perfect Match was such a charming read! There were many things I enjoyed about it, from the interactions of Honor's family to Tom's hilariously creepy boss at the university. I also have to point out that Higgins had the chance to rely on a very common - and one of my least favorites - trope, toward the end of the story, but she didn't. And that made me love her just a little bit more. Therefore, I am happy to say that Higgins remains one of my favorite contemporary authors, and I await more from her Blue Heron series.

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(Review) Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Title: Wild Cards
Author: Simone Elkeles
Series: Wild Cards, #1
Published: October 1, 2013 (Walker Books for Young Readers)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

I was a bit hesitant going into this one. I love Elkeles from her Perfect Chemistry books, but I was less than impressed with the Leaving Paradise books. So I wasn't sure how I would feel about Wild Cards. Regardless, I knew I needed to read it. I love football books! And this one had a super pretty cover!

I do have a soft spot for female football player books. I blame this on my obsession with one of them while growing up. But they sometimes require a rather large amount of suspension of disbelief. However, having Ashtyn playing kicker instead of quarterback felt more realistic to me. It also emphasized that there is more to a team than the quarterback, something I think is missing in the usual attitude toward high school football, in particular.

I think the most promising thing about Wild Cards - which could be construed as a little spoilery, but it's revealed very quickly - wasn't even mentioned in the summary! It's that Ashtyn and Derek live together, as they are (sort of) step siblings. HELLO, one of my favorite tropes just hiding away without even being mentioned in the synopsis. So much potential for fun and awkward and hot moments. Nothing like secretly admiring your crush over a bowl of mashed potatoes right under the noses of your family. But I digress. There were some great moments that happened because of this situation. Ashtyn and Derek's meeting was hilarious!

Speaking of Derek, I was actually surprised by how much I wound up loving him. I was not sure what I would think of him at the beginning, but he quickly grew on me. He was so great with his little step-brother, Julian! Show me a guy who's great with kids, and my heart is pretty much his.

Unfortunately, Wild Cards did have its share of shortcomings. While it was good, it lacked that magical element that really captivates you. I just didn't really buy into Ashtyn and Derek's relationship. They definitely had their swoony moments, I'll give them that. But for the most part, the development felt forced and unnatural to me, and it was too instalovey. The story had a little too much pointless drama for my taste, and it dragged toward the end.

While Wild Cards didn't become a favorite, it was an enjoyable one-time read. I am curious to see what Elkeles has in store for the rest of the series.

“You need to go for what you want and not hold back. When you figure it out let me know, because I’ll bet my left nut you have a goal but won’t admit to yourself what it is.”

The corner of his mouth twists upward. “You don’t have a left nut, Ashtyn.”

“Yeah, well you’re acting like you don’t have one either.”

---

Because I'm tryin' to push you away when all I want to do is hold you. I know you say you don't want a hero, but damn I'd like to be that guy who'll save you from spiders and whatever and whoever else hurts you.

---

Julian, sometimes girls are like junk food. They look good, and they sure taste good… but you know they're not healthy for you and cause cavities so it's better to just leave 'em alone. Got me?

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|Review| Where The Starts Still Shine by Trish Doller

Title: Where the Stars Still Shine
Author: Trish Doller 
Published September 24th by Bloomsbury USA

Genre: Contemporary YA
Rating: C+

Goodreads summary:

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.
Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

I'll begin my review with this:

Where the Stars Still Shine is a book that went snorkeling but unfortunately, it never actually went diving.

What a cheesy thing to say but that statement sums up my feelings entirely plus snorkeling/diving theme relates to the book! The book always stayed at the surface of all the issues it had but never actually tackled them deeply and that's why I certainly enjoyed WTSSS but I didn't absolutely 1000% love it like everyone else.

This is actually the same way I felt about Something Like Normal. I loved the narrator Travis, I loved the story, I finished it one literal sitting but I when I did finish, I was left feeling bereft. Same with WTSSS. I wanted more. WTSSS was also a one sitting read that I finished in like 4 hours so the book is rather short and that could have been part of the problem. Maybe if it would have been longer, the kidnapping and abuse issues would have been explored further but again, they were just explored at the surface level.

I did like the main character, Callie, and her journey. She drove me insane a lot of times but that's just made me like her more and I truly rooted for her. However, from the beginning of the story, Kat, a distant cousin of Callie's sits down next to her and befriends her. Kat is the caricature, cookie-cut sidekick/bestfriend that a lot of YA books have. She's not actually a character but she's a device that helps the main character grow or come to a realization of some sorts. This is not really a complaint to be honest because I'm so used to these types of characters. As a reader in general, this disappoints me because I want to see actual friendships but in WTSSS, I was just ehhh about it. I've come to expect these types of characters. The only thing that makes Kat worse than the other sidekick characters is that she's a cry baby. Good god. The screws to this girl's tear ducts are loose.

Now, the romance that's not actually a romance. I loved this type of "romance". It wasn't insta-love but insta-lust and Doller really handled it well. Hey, I'm ALL for this type of physical attraction thing because I want to see more diversity in relationships! I don't need a happily ever after! Girls in high school have multiple boyfriends, ya know? And those boyfriends are not always abusive and evil. Some girls have fun with boys and move on. It is time to kick the pure protagonist thing to the curb because it is unfuckinistic (NEW WORD! un-fucking-realistic) AND annoying. How are teen girls who've had boyfriends supposed to feel? No hot guy will sweep them off their feet for a happily ever after because they're easy and actually not that smart? Come on authors, you're better than that! Anyway that's an argument for a whole other day but point is, I'm glad that Doller showed us another side of relationships. Plus I liked the 4 year age difference between Alex and Callie. Because yeah, that happens and it's not wrong.

BUT. I was feeling this relationship between Alex and Callie all way up until Alex helps solve some of Callie's issues and it was whoa boyyyy hold up. I would have like to actually see more dialogue between Alex and Callie before they slay some trauma. It just came out of no where and I felt like it was weird and weak. Which just goes back to my main issue with the book: I did not feel like it was developed enough. WTSSS snorkeled with the issues at surface and never fully dive into the issues.

Ok after all that, it's time to talk about what I liked about WTSSS because I did LIKE THIS BOOK. I enjoyed reading it. I couldn't put it down. It was good book! I just really like the world Doller creates because she gets it right.

The setting was just absolutely and wonderfully fantastic. Doller transformed setting, which in most cases doesn't really matter, into something really significant. The Greek culture was also really wonderful. I loved loved loved loved loved loved reading about it! I just need to visit Tarpon Springs. Or move there (heh. I got my diving license this summer. I could go help hot Alex dive *wink*) I also liked seeing Callie build a relationship with her father, Greg, and her two young brothers. That was beautiful. Plus the ending was really fitting! A lot of people wouldn't be disappointed if they understood  that are different types relationships. Some readers I've become to accustomed to forever after love in YA. That's not good.

Overall, WTSSS is a good book. It really is. If I stop thinking about the book it could have been and look at the book it is, I can understand why so many people absolutely love it. I also do recommend WTSSS to any contemporary fans because it is well written and it is an enjoyable read. Plus I'll be reading the heck out of Doller's next release. However, I did have my issues with the overall development of the book which is why I merely liked it and not loved it.

Rating: [C+] For the book it is, WTSSS is certainly enjoyable but I can't stop thinking about the book it could have been and that would have been a legendary book. I just wanted more but at the end of the day, I truly did enjoy this book.

First:

Yellow light slashes the darkness as Mom sneaks into the apartment again.

Favorite:

The absence of shame is shaped like Alex Kosta and I don't want to let go of this feeling.

Teaser:

"I've been homeless almost my whole life, Kat. A few hours is not a long time."

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(Review) The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Burning Sky
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, #1
Published: September 17, 2013 (Balzer + Bray)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Digital ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone, let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal. But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

I had been excited to read The Burning Sky for quite a while! Both Racquel and I are big fans of Sherry Thomas from her historical romances, and what a genre jump! I couldn't wait to see what Thomas had in store in this completely different type of book.

I had confidence in the fact that Thomas would still provide me with an excellent story, and that is definitely what happened! I was captivated immediately by the mage world and terms. While the details were sparse, especially at first, I appreciated it. There are few things I dislike more than being bogged down in details I can't sort out at the very beginning of a story. This story actually took place in three different worlds, which was certainly a unique element! There was the mage world, the normal world in nineteenth century Eton (a prominent boys' boarding school in England, for those of you who don't read about historical England with any regularity), and a fairytale world courtesy of a fascinating family heirloom Titus possessed. All three of these were distinctly different, and I liked the twist this brought to the story.

In all honesty, I read this book at a time that had the potential to be quite dreadful and detrimental to my enjoyment of the book: just after finishing Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, which was incredible. I was afraid any fantasy would fail miserably by comparison, but I forged ahead nonetheless. I am glad I did so! The Burning Sky was completely different and fully capable of holding its own.

While not perfect, I liked both Iolanthe and Titus as characters. Titus especially was interesting. He had spent his entire life being purposefully deceptive, and he had to adjust to being honest with the one person with whom he needed to be. As for Iolanthe, I love that she was brave and willing to risk herself when needed, but she also hesitated and possessed self-preservation instincts, as well. It added a realistic element to her character, and I felt like she really was a sixteen year old girl.

I think there were many elements Thomas brought over from her background as a historical romance author. She seemed completely at home writing about England. But the biggest factor - and the one that made me incredibly happy - was to see a young adult paranormal/fantasy book where there was NO instalove! Iolanthe and Titus grew together slowly, and as the feelings began developing, I was completely captivated by their relationship. The development was natural and induced lots of smiles and butterfly flutterings on my end.

I was a fan of the ending of this book. Shock of all shocks, it actually wasn't a terrible cliffhanger! But there was still plenty left open, and several elements were still drawing me to want to complete the story. Because while yes, it was a good time to end, you just knew some things were not what they seemed! I was especially interested in one or two of their Eton buddies; there was more there than we could see, I would almost guarantee it. Nonetheless, it was a good stopping point, but I will most definitely be returning to see what else lies ahead for Iolanthe and Titus.

But we will never accomplish anything worthwhile in life if we require the guarantee of success at the onset.

---

There existed something in this world that bound a mage tighter than a blood oath: love. Love was the ultimate chain, the ultimate whip, and the ultimate slave driver.

*All quotes from an advanced review copy and may differ from the finished version.

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(Review) This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Title: This Song Will Save Your Life
Author: Leila Sales
Published: September 17, 2013 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Rating: Stay Up 'til 2 AM
Format: Digital galley provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary: Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

There was pretty much no way I wasn't going to read this book. It has one of my favorite covers of the year by far! Plus, it is about music but not a musician (in the strictest sense of the word), and I am all about that. No, seriously. I can sing, but I can't play an instrument to save my life. I've attempted to play guitar before. It did not end well. Regardless, I went into This Song Will Save Your Life excited but with no real expectations, having heard nothing about it and no previous experience with the author. From the synopsis, I thought it would be a Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe type book where all the misfits get together and form friendships and eat burritos. I didn't wind up getting that, but what I did get was, in my opinion, even better.

I was in almost physical pain for the first segment of the book. When I think social misfits, I usually think quirky and maybe a little odd and a little sad, but there are always other misfits to hang out with. But Elise wasn't simply a misfit; she was an outcast. She wanted people to like her. It wasn't that she wanted to be the head cheerleader and date the quarterback. She just wanted to fit in and have friends, and she tried so hard to make it come true. But somehow, none of her efforts made it better, and many only succeeded in further alienation. The worst thing was, the way people treated her made me sick, but I could completely see it happening. Because people are just that cruel sometimes.

I had always thought that if I just did something extraordinary enough, then people would like me. But that wasn’t true. You will drive away everyone by being extraordinary.

I did not anticipate the story being so dark to start out with, but it was. It was difficult to read, but ultimately worth pushing through for sure. Without it, I don't think the rest of the story would have been quite as powerful. I think it may have been even more powerful for me than some, because I could relate to Elise in a lot of ways, from love of music to striving to be extraordinary, though thankfully, my circumstances never mirrored hers.

At the beginning of the story, Elise didn't have people, but the one thing she did have was music (well, that, and a dark sense of humor that will make you laugh - or at least want to laugh - even at inappropriate times). After stumbling upon the underground warehouse party scene, Elise's love of music, knowledge of it, and aptitude with it enabled her to become an awesome DJ, which opened up a world she never thought possible.

One thing I definitely loved about this book was the unique cast of characters. Pippa, Vicky, and Char were unlike any characters I had read about before. They weren't the perfect friends. They messed up. They were real. And even though I didn't like each of them 100% of the time - and really, Vicky was the only one who even came close - I appreciated that aspect.

But really, this book wasn't about the side characters at all. It wasn't a romance. It wasn't the story of how a bunch of friends grew together and started singing "Kumbaya." It was the story of Elise, of music, of being comfortable with yourself and who you are and not letting other people define you. But at the same time, it wasn't preachy, and it didn't bash you over the head with endless clichés. It was simply a fantastic story with a great message. I was also ridiculously glued to my seat, wondering what would happen next, despite the fact that it was very character- rather than action-driven. And even though I did find a romance to root for - because hello, my name is Sharon, and I'm a romanceaholic - that was not what was pulling me in.

Another thing worth mention is that This Song Will Save Your Life was immensely quotable. It also had a wonderful last line that brought the book around full circle, and it is one of my favorite things ever when authors manage to do that. I tip my hat to Ms. Sales. And not only for this, but for writing such a great book overall. For some reason, I was under the impression that this was a debut, but now that I know it is not, I will be investigating Ms. Sales' backlist posthaste.

Also, for the last point, I have a FUN FACT (which will probably make no sense to you unless you've read the book, but hey, random facts are fun!): On the Greatest Hits album by Blur, the track after "Girls and Boys" (you know, the "girls who are boys who like boys" and so on track that Char played every night) is called "Charmless Man." Something I found to be both interesting and apt.

You think it’s so easy to change yourself. You think it’s so easy, but it’s not.

---

“I know the Smiths,” I snapped, because lord knows you can launch any kind of criticism at me, lord knows I’ve heard it all before, but don’t you dare doubt my musical knowledge.

---

There are some people who want to win at whatever they do, even if the things they do are not the sort of things one wins at. I am one of those people.

---

Some people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don’t know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn’t you. That isn’t you at all.
*All quotes from an advanced review copy and may differ from the finished version.

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|Review| The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

Title: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Highland Pleasures #1

Published April 28th 2009 by Leisure Books

Genre: historical romance
Rating: A

Goodreads summary:

The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family--rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn't be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them--of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz. The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He's also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women. Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama--an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband. And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.

I've had The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie for a while and it was supposed to be the first historical romance I read but I ended up reading Confessions from an Arranged Marriage (which is beyond excellent) first. So I kept telling myself (and Sharon) that I would read Ian Mackenzie next but here I am, 13 months later and I've just read this book and... I'M SO STUPID. Why did I wait this long?! Like I predicted and like a hundred reviews told me, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is an excellent historical romance novel.

Ian is unlike any romance hero because he's autistic and this book is set in 1881. That's not a good combination. Ian was deemed a madman and was even admitted to asylum by his father and submitted to torture to "cure" him.

He touched the tip of his tongue to the bowl, reflecting that it was far better than ten carriages with matched teams.

I loved Ian and his love for Ming bowls. I just loved reading and learning more about him! How he didn't understand jokes or emotions and how he had to be taught to do some things like clap at the end of an opera performance but he never actually learned why people do that. I pretty much fell in love with Ian and could have read about him forever. He's just so smart and interesting and can I just huggle him?

I also loved the heroine, Beth. I really appreciated something Jennifer Ashley did with this book and that is how Beth is widowed but she loved her husband. He wasn't secretly evil or awful but she actually had a healthy, beautiful marriage before she met Ian. I don't see a lot of that in romance. The heroine's past relationships are either nonexistent, abusive or horrifyingly bad so it was nice to have  heroine who got to experience something good in love because sometimes, the world is good to you that way. Beth was also pretty normal. She liked clothes (I'm so fucking tired and DONE with the heroines who are fashion-challenged and how that's a good thing because apprently liking fashion and being girly is a "bad" thing but that's an argument for another day.) and balls which is pretty nice because heroines who are above everything society does and use the excuse of "not fitting in" or something ridiculous like that make me go blahhh.

The romance between these two was so explosive.

“We don't fit in, you and me," he said. "We're both oddities no one knows what to do with. But we fit together." He took her hand, pressed her palm to his, then laced their fingers through each other's. "We fit.” 

Is that quote not just full of swoon? That's how it was between Beth and Ian. A whole lot of sweet swoon because Ian was rather precious ♥ However, Beth didn't shelter him and protect him like his brothers did.

I do not think of him as Lord Ian Mackenzie, aristocratic brother of a duke and well beyond my reach; not as the Mad Mackenzie, an eccentric people stare at and whisper about.
To me, he is simply Ian.

This goes back to the previous quote, how Ian and Beth fit together perfectly because they understood each other. Beth knew how to handle Ian and and Ian behaved in his own, sort of unusual way that worked for beth. It was great. Plus the book was hawt. Talk about the perfect book!

“He pulled her close. "Your being with me makes it stop. It's like the Ming bowls - when I touch them and feel them, everything stops. You are the same. That is why I brought you here, to keep you with me, where you can please make...everything...stop.” 

The MacKenzie clan, Ian's brothers, all made frequent appearances in this book. Hart. Cameron & his son Daniel. Mac and the wife he's separated from, Iseballa. I loved all of them and I'll definitely get my hands on their books soon but I'm trying to pace myself instead of reading the entire series in one week. I also loved Curry who is Ian's valet. I just loved everything about this book, even the mystery plot that played throughout the book and the craziness it brought (an unrelenting inspector, prostitutes, secret bastards, murder, etc.) so if you haven't read The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and you're a fan of historical romance, you need to get this book immediately!

Rating: [A] A new favorite! An epic beginning to a family series that I'm sure is going to rock my socks off.

First:

"I find that a Ming bowl is like woman's breast,"

Favorite:

"Because you have beautiful eyes."

"How do you know? You've not once looked at them."

"I know."

Teaser:

"Why can't ladies ride like men?"
"With a horse between your legs?" Cameron's gold flecked eyes went wide, and he touched his fingers to his mouth like a shocked, elderly maiden. "What kind of woman did you marry, Ian?"

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|Review| Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #3

Published March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderryprince

Genre: historical paranormal YA
Rating: A+

Goodreads summary:

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

What. An. Ending. I mentioned in my mid-year favorites post that Clockwork Princess would definitely be in my end of the year favorites list once I read it and YEAH. This book is definitely a favorite because Cassandra Clare just killed it. 

I pretty much sobbed through the last 100 pages. A lot of books make me tear up but Clockwork Princess? Full out SOBBING and I pretty much never done that before. A trilogy has never ended more perfectly and hundreds of readers can attest to that. Somehow, Clare manages to equip this book with happiness, heartbreak and every emotion between that spectrum. Bittersweet? That's a real thing and it's this book.

In the Infernal Devices, Clare doesn't just make us fall in love with the main characters, Tessa, Will & Jem, but she makes us fall in love with a whole gang. Charlotte, Henry, Gideon, Gabriel, Sophie, Cecily AND Magnus and reading about these characters and getting to know them and following their story has been such a pleasure. I usually lose interest in a book after reading it for two days but I took my sweeeet time while reading Clockwork Princess because I wanted to savor every word of the journey that was coming to an end. I don't want to spoil anything but I will mention that the villain plot came to a pretty great end and the characters personal lives? I'll just say this: UGLY CRYING. I've come a long way from my Clockwork Angel review where I stated how much I hate Will's guts and vowed that nothing will redeem him in my eyes but Clare managed to fully redeem him in Clockwork Prince and by Clockwork Princess? I've come to love him as much as I love Jem and I LOVE Jem. Love love love love love love love him. I'm a Jem girl! I also love Tessa and seeing her kick physical ass in this book? I couldn't be happier.

So this book has the best love triangle that was ever written. Not the best triangle I've read but the best love triangle EVER. Yeah it's that good and that heartwrenching but my favorite thing about this series is Will and Jem's friendship slash parabatai brotherhood which is just so beautiful and so, so, so real. I've never read about two souls who care about each other more than anything in the world and Clare made me believe it. Will and Jem really would do absolutely anything for each other.

“They say you cannot love two people equally at once,” she said. “And perhaps for others that is so. But you and Will—you are not like two ordinary people, two people who might have been jealous of each other, or who would have imagined my love for one of them diminished by my love of the other. You merged your souls when you were both children. I could not have loved Will so much if I had not loved you as well. And I could not love you as I do if I had not loved Will as I did.” 

This quote describes the pair spot-on correctly. Jem and his violin and music and Will and his love for books and their one joined soul just wrecked me and there is a gaping hole in my heart thanks to them (rest assured though, my love for Hardy Cates is still beating strong). Honestly, I'll never be the same after reading this series. That's REALLY dramtic but it's REALLY true.

So I know this isn't a review-review but if you read Clockwork Princess, you'd understand. This is a hard book to review. There are so many emotions and not enough words to convey them plus, I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't read it. If you're one of those people, do yourself a favor and read this series. It's worth the investment and time and overall, it's a beautiful and well written trilogy that I will revisit many, many times because I've come to just love these characters so much. Especially my sweet Jem. This is series you need to read because there is a reason so many people love it. It's this simple: The Infernal Devices series is utterly amazing.

Rating: [A+] An epic end to an epic series!

First:

"I'm afraid," said the little girl sitting on the bed.

Favorite:

“And now I need you to do for me what I cannot do for myself. For you to be my eyes when I do not have them. For you to be my hands when I cannot use my own. For you to be my heart when mine is done beating.” 

Just typing this quote for the review makes me sob. Oh my heart. Oh. My. Heart.

Teaser:

“At last, the wheel comes full circle” 

*I actually started crying while looking for these quotes. Guh. I'm a mess. 

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