One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

Goodreads Summary: Pestered by her close New Jersey family, Stephanie Plum offers to catch high-school crush Joe Morelli, cop turned bail jumper, for her cousin Vinnie's company. She questions "working girls" to find the missing girlfriend of vicious prizefighter Benito Ramirez while Joe secretly watches her back. Ranger mentors her and supplies vehicles when hers explode.

Why I Read This Book: I saw the preview for the movie of this one and decided to read the book first. It was a good choice, because the movie wasn't great!

Review: I found this book to be engaging. A lot of stuff happens, which is exciting, and its sometimes predictable, but not always. The book was fast paced, and witty, and had a good story line. It wasn't amazing, but it was good. I read it while on the plane, and didn't get bored. Even though there isn't much else to do on the plane, if I have a non-engaging book I can get bored easily. This was a good read for that.

If you watch Dexter, I was picturing Joe as Joey Quinn from that show. I pictured Stephanie as Hilda from Ugly Betty. I watched the movie afterward and thought Katherine Heigl was ok, but my mental casting was better :)

Rating:

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Goodreads Summary: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Why I Read This Book: I added this to my list forever ago because I liked the way it sounded, and the cover was so pretty. I added it to one of my challenge lists for April, and then one day at the library, it was on the shelf and I checked it out! I love when that happens!

Review: I always assumed I would like this book fine. The plot was different to something I would normally have read, but upon expanding my horizons, I knew that I would probably like this based on the summary. So when I started reading it, and didn't have a clue what was going on, I was a bit disappointed. It took me a long time to get through the first half of this one. BUT, then the light bulb clicks, and you finally understand this odd world, and the book gets FABULOUS. I didn't relate to the main character much, but I loved her. Karou is so interesting, and incredibly artsy (probably the main reason I didn't see any of myself in her, as I am not very artsy). I loved this book, and I think everyone should give it a go. I'm really excited for the second. Give it a chance though, if you don't love it at first. This is the first book in a series, and sometimes they can be a bit slow getting started. This one is sooo worth it though. You will be a bit afraid, sad, delighted, and there is a swoon worthy boy. It's fantastic.

Rating:

Book Reviews: Clockwork Prince, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Dead to the World

Goodreads Summary: In magical Victorian London, orphan Tessa found safety with the Shadowhunters, until traitors betray her to the Magister. He wants to marry her, but so do self-destructive Will and fiercely devoted Jem. Mage Magnus Bane returns to help them. Secrets to her parentage lie with the mist-shrouded Yorkshire Institute's aged manager Alyosius Starkweather.

Why I Read This Book: Another series I have gotten into, and was on 2 of my challenge lists: 2013 Paranormal Challenge, and the 2013 Sequel Challenge.

Review: I like the Infernal Devices more than The Mortal Instruments series, and this book didn't disappoint. I can't wait to see how it all ends with the Clockwork Princess, but I have been putting it off a bit so it won't be over too quickly.

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. 

As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.

And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
Why I Read This Book: This was on my A-Z Book Challenge List.

Review: I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was the perfect amount of creepy mixed with intriguing and fantasy that it sucked me in. The plot was very interesting, with several twists and turns, and a bit of romance too. I brought this in to work and was reading on my lunch break, and everyone said it looked too creepy for them, because of the pictures. But really it wasn't overly, just enough to make it good.

Rating:

Goodreads Summary: In Sookie Stackhouse—a Southern cocktail waitress with a supernatural gift—Harris has a created a heroine like few others, and a series that puts the bite back in vampire fiction. Now the hit series launches into hardcover for Sookie's biggest twist-filled adventure yet.

When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire—but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life.
Why I Read This Book: This book is again, one in a series I am reading. I joined a very specific Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge, and committed to reading 4 of this series, so this was my first for this year, but the 3rd in the series.

Review: This was a good middle-of-the-series book. So far the season of True Blood that matches up to this book has been my favorite, and I read the book after I watched that. It is pretty closely matched up, and I like this book a lot. It's probably my favorite of the books so far as well.

Rating: 

Book Reviews: City of Ashes, P.S. I love You, The Iron Daughter

Goodreads Summary: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
Why I Read This Book: Another series book that I am working through. I think I may have had this on a challenge list this year as well.

Review: I love the shadowhunter world, and this book was no exception. Clary and Jace are getting a bit weird, but whatever. I thought this was a good sequel book. Definitely moved the plot along nicely. Can't wait to get to the next one.

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.

Now in paperback, the endearing novel that captured readers' hearts and introduced a fresh new voice in women's fiction Cecelia Ahern.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!

Why I Read This Book: This book was on my Monthly Key Word Challenge list for February.

Review: I liked this book, but didn't love it. It was good. It tells the sad story of a widow trying to overcome her grief. I can't fully appreciate Holly's story, as thankfully I have never had to go through that. Even though it was sad, it was written in a generally light-hearted way so that it was still enjoyable to read and not miserable.

Rating:

Goodreads Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
Why I Read This Book: This was my March book for the Paranormal Reading Challenge.

Review: This was a pretty good sequel to the first book that I really liked. It had enough in it to keep it interesting and surprising. I was happy with it. Some things happened that I definitely wasn't expecting, and also some good news in it as well, which I don't want to spoil for anyone so I won't say.

Rating: 

Long Over Due Book Reviews

In an effort to do so review catching up, I thought I would do a few posts with some multiple reviews. Also, some of the books I don't have much memory of, so this way my reviews don't have to be much more than a line or two. I'm going to do 3 books per post.

Goodreads Summary: The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire -- that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Why I Read This Book: I put this book on my challenge list for the 2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge because it had been on my TBR list for so long.

Review: I have still only read the first book of this series, but I think it may be one of my favorite vampire books so far. I like teen vamp books, but this one had all the good stuff without being really lame at times too. I read this book about 6 months ago, and honestly can't remember much except that I really enjoyed it. It was a bit confusing at first, but I look forward to getting to the rest of the series.

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon—who held sway over and age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. 

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky—a comet the color of blood and flame—six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers. 

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and wartime. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. 

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors. 

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment—a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.
Why I Read This Book: I started this series last year because Game of Thrones was on my 2012 TBR Challenge list, and I loved it. I knew that I would have to continue this series. I am actually reading Book 3 right now.

Review: This book is full of complex charaters and plots, and sub plots, and sub sub plots, and there is a whole lot going on! It can be a bit confusing at times when non-main characters come out so infrequently, but it is a fantastic series. I loved this book and love this series. I recommend it all the time. The TV show as certainly helped in its popularity, however I haven't started watching (yet).

Rating: 

Goodreads Summary: Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out—orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act—in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. 

Surprising, poignant, and funny, Water for Elephants is that rare novel with a story so engrossing, one is reluctant to put it down; with characters so engaging, they continue to live long after the last page has been turned; with a world built of wonder, a world so real, one starts to breathe its air.
Why I Read This Book: This book was on my 2012 TBR Challenge Reading list, but I had put it off so much that it actually ended up on my 2013 TBR Reading Challenge list as well! Someone from work heard I wanted to read it, and brought me in their copy to borrow, and that was how it got moved up the list.

Review: I really loved this book. I remember when the movie came out and I wanted to see it, but knew I should read the book first. I'm so glad I waited, I read the book and watched the movie a few days after. And the book was SO SO SO much better. I actually did a post about this book comparing it to the movie awhile back (you can see that post here). I loved the story of Jacob it was incredibly engaging and this was a great book.

Rating:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads Summary: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Why I Read This Book: I had set this book as my January read for the 2013 Monthly Key Word Challenge. Plus, it had been on my TBR list for a long time!

Review: I found this book was only just okay for the first 3/4 of it, but after that it really does get a lot better. I think the next one will be really good. I finished this in January and now its near the end of March, so I don't remember it all that well, but I do remember really liking it. I also loved that it was printed in blue ink!

Rating:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Goodreads Summary: Life of Pi is a masterful and utterly original novel that is at once the story of a young castaway who faces immeasurable hardships on the high seas, and a meditation on religion, faith, art and life that is as witty as it is profound. Using the threads of all of our best stories, Yann Martel has woven a glorious spiritual adventure that makes us question what it means to be alive, and to believe.

Growing up in Pondicherry, India, Piscine Molitor Patel - known as Pi - has a rich life. Bookish by nature, young Pi acquires a broad knowledge of not only the great religious texts but of all literature, and has a great curiosity about how the world works. His family runs the local zoo, and he spends many of his days among goats, hippos, swans, and bears, developing his own theories about the nature of animals and how human nature conforms to it. Pi’s family life is quite happy, even though his brother picks on him and his parents aren’t quite sure how to accept his decision to simultaneously embrace and practise three religions - Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

But despite the lush and nurturing variety of Pi’s world, there are broad political changes afoot in India, and when Pi is sixteen, his parents decide that the family needs to escape to a better life. Choosing to move to Canada, they close the zoo, pack their belongings, and board a Japanese cargo ship called the Tsimtsum. Travelling with them are many of their animals, bound for zoos in North America. However, they have only just begun their journey when the ship sinks, taking the dreams of the Patel family down with it. Only Pi survives, cast adrift in a lifeboat with the unlikeliest oftravelling companions: a zebra, an orang-utan, a hyena, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Thus begins Pi Patel’s epic, 227-day voyage across the Pacific, and the powerful story of faith and survival at the heart of Life of Pi. Worn and scared, oscillating between hope and despair, Pi is witness to the playing out of the food chain, quite aware of his new position within it. When only the tiger is left of the seafaring menagerie, Pi realizes that his survival depends on his ability to assert his own will, and sets upon a grand and ordered scheme to keep from being Richard Parker’s next meal.

As Yann Martel has said in one interview, “The theme of this novel can be summarized in three lines. Life is a story. You can choose your story. And a story with an imaginative overlay is the better story.” And for Martel, the greatest imaginative overlay is religion. “God is a shorthand for anything that is beyond the material - any greater pattern of meaning.” In Life of Pi, the question of stories, and of what stories to believe, is front and center from the beginning, when the author tells us how he was led to Pi Patel and to this novel: in an Indian coffee house, a gentleman told him, “I have a story that will make you believe in God.” And as this novel comes to its brilliant conclusion, Pi shows us that the story with the imaginative overlay is also the story that contains the most truth.
Why I Read This Book: I have been meaning to read this book for ages, it was actually on my 2012 TBR Reading Challenge list and I never got to it, so it got put on my 2013 TBR Reading Challenge list as well. I finally picked it up as I knew I was going to want to see the movie coming out.

Review: Whew, what can I say about this book that that lengthy summary doesn't? This was such a fantastic book! It was a bit slow getting through part one, as I was like "what is even going on?!" But when you get to Part Two you just can't put it down! I see what the hype is about with this book, and I can't wait to see the movie!

Rating:

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

My first book of 2013! Yay!!

Goodreads Summary: A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?
Why I Read This Book: I'm not sure its possible at this point for J.K. Rowling to write a book that I won't read, however this was very generously gifted to me, and I read it right away. This wasn't on any of my official reading lists, but as it was published in Sept 2012 it does fit the parameters for the 2013 TBR Reading Challenge.

Review: This was a great book, but it's definitely different than Rowling's Harry Potter series. The book has really good character development, but it doesn't have much action. I think that this type of book isn't for everyone, and some of her fans may feel let down. I was not one of them, I enjoyed the small-town politics story, and the going-ons of everyday people after strange events. Younger Rowling fans shouldn't read this, but her NA and adult will probably like it. Its definitely on my favorites list, as the book does really make you think about things. Without spoiling things, it really is a great read.

Rating:

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary: A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry?
Why I Read This Book: This is my second Dessen book, and I liked the first one, so hey, why not?

Review: I really liked this book. Sarah Dessen is a great contemporary teen writer. One on the best. She is so good at implanting warm fuzzies over young love. I loved the characters in this book, and even though its been awhile since I read this one, I can still recall that I liked it a good bit. Definitely recommend for all contemporary lovers.

Rating:

Under The Dome - Stephen King

Goodreads Summary: On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

Why I Read This Book: Honestly, this was an impulsive Chapters sale table purchase that I just eventually got around to picking up.

Review: It has been awhile since I read this book, so this isn't going to be very detailed (Goodreads says I finished it December 27, 2012!) Anyway, this book had a good, enjoyable story which I liked quite a bit. The story itself was probably 4 stars, but alas it only got 3 because it was way to freakin long!! The amount of unnecessary detail in this book is off putting. I don't know how many times I just stopped reading because it felt like nothing was happening. For an exciting plot, the book really dragged.

Rating: 

Love The One Yor With - Emily Giffin

Goodreads Summary: The New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed,Something Blue, and Baby Proof delivers another captivating novel about women and the choices that define them. This is the story for anyone who has ever wondered: How can I truly love the one I'm with when I can't forget the one who got away?

Ellen and Andy's first year of marriage doesn't just seem perfect, it is perfect. There is no question how deep their devotion is, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other. But one fateful afternoon, Ellen runs into Leo for the first time in eight years. Leo, the one who brought out the worst in her. Leo, the one who left her heartbroken with no explanation. Leo, the one she could never quite forget. When his reappearance ignites long-dormant emotions, Ellen begins to question whether the life she's living is the one she's meant to live. 

Love the One You're With is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life.

Why I Read This Books: Mostly just cleaning up my TBR pile and I had borrowed this one from someone, and thought I should get it returned.

Review: I didn't really love or hate this book. At first it really bothered me, because I just know that I wouldn't make the same choices as Ellen, and I just felt the book was getting worse and worse because I kept hating her more and more. This is the first book by Giffin I had read, so I didn't have any expectations except that I know lots of people who like her. And I must admit, I hated the story, but the saving grace of the book was Giffin as she write so well. It was nice that she didn't feel like she needed to tell me the brand of everything Ellen wore (just her sister in law for some reason...) which was a nice change from most chick lit. As the story progressed I started to understand Ellen more, and came around on her a bit. I think the only reason I didn't hate this book was because Giffin really did make a big difference. If this book had been by a different chick lit author, I don't know if I would have been able to finish it, but I actually ended up liking it.

Rating:

One Day by David Nicholls

Goodreads Summary: I can't actually access the Goodreads Summary, since apparently there is malware on that page and my computer won't let me... weird, but here is a summary I googled:

In 1988, the day after commencement, two college graduates briefly, romantically collide. The girl has pined for the boy for years; the boy is more aware of the girl than he lets on. She’s an earnest, outspoken lefty, he a handsome, apolitical toff who “liked the word ‘bourgeois’ and all that it implied” and “wanted to live life in such a way that if a photograph were taken at random, it would be a cool photograph.” Their chemistry is as inarguable as their differences, but because of the pride, carelessness and misplaced optimism of youth, they let time and distraction separate them. Yet they never lose track of each other. “One Day” checks in on their intersecting lives once a year, every July 15, from 1988 through 2007

Why I Read This Book: Like so many before it, I read the book in order to watch the  movie. I had never heard of it prior to that. Also, a friend of mine rated it well on Goodreads, which is how I think I actually got around to picking it up.

Review: To be honest, I found this book borderline infuriating. Dexter is such a fucking ass, I hated him so much. And I hated Emma a lot of the time too. But, I hated them in a good way, because I cared about both of them. The book sucked me in, and then, the end happened. And it was shocking, and stupid to the point that I hated this book. I will never read anything by David Nicholls again, because the way the end was written, it was so forced, and it just seemed like he wanted a book that people would cry over. It ruined the story. I did enjoy the book up to that point though (if you read the book, you obviously know what I'm talking about, but I don't want to spoil anything).

Rating:

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Goodreads Summary: I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!
 
Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
 
Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.
 
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life
Why I Read This Book: I pretty much read all of Sophie Kinsella's books (or at least buy them, as I still have a few to read!) and I got this one as an ebook. Tragedy stuck while I was reading this though, because I stepped on, and broke, my ereader while I was reading this one! Writing this review reminds me of that awful time :*(

Review: Initially when I started this book, I was like, oh god, another self centered, whiny, panicky, heroine who has trouble remembering anything, and never tells the truth (I'm looking at you, Becky Bloomwood!). I used to like the Shopaholic books a lot, but the last one got on my last nerve. I was a little disappointed. But, as I persevered, I did really start to enjoy the book, the story ended up really growing on me. It is a very cute book, and Kinsella's excellent and adorable writing style sucked me in! I do hope that this is a stand alone book. I loved it just the way it was, and Poppy doesn't need a sequel!

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Thumped by Megan McCafferty

Goodreads Summary: It's been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. Since then, their story has become irresistible to legions of girls: twins separated at birth and living different lives, each due to deliver sets of twins . . . on the same day! In a future where only teens can "bump," or give birth, babies mean money, status, and freedom.

Married to Ram and living in religious Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once loved and believed in. But she can't seem to forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell in love with under the strangest of circumstances.

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything she always wanted: a big, fat contract and a coupling with Jondoe, the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.

Cursed by their own popularity, the girls are obsessively tracked by their millions of fans, who have been eagerly counting down the days to their "Double Double Due Date." Without a doubt, they are two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and there's only one thing they could do that would make them more famous than they already are:

Tell the truth.
Why I Read This Book: I read the first book in this 2 book series, so of course I was going to get this one too! You can find my review for book 1, Bumped, here.

Review: I didn't like this book as much as I had liked Bumped. Bumped wasn't the best book ever or anything, but the concept of the story is really great, and I even liked that the characters in Otherside were kind of superficial and thought it was really creative that McCafferty created a language basically of future teens. What got to me was how unrealistic Harmony and Jondoe were. I found it really annoying, and even the way Melody and Harmony interacted got on my nerves. The saving grace of this book was Zen, he was definitely my favorite character.

The most redeeming quality of the book, was I know that McCafferty's description of how humans would behave if a virus like this did truly exist, seems scarily accurate. I mean, pregging from profit? I can pretty much already picture it. Terrifying.

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A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Goodreads Summary: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. 
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

Why I Read This Book: Initially, I had marked this book as 'To-read' without thinking too much about it. I knew it was popular, and it sounded good, so fine. Then I decided to make it a 2012 TBR Reading Challenge book on the list I officially made for that. I owned the first book, and that was what I had based making that list on. I put it off and put in off in favor of shorter books. Then, I had some friends start raving about the TV show, and I wanted to watch too. But, I said no Jessica, read the books first. So I am. I always figured I would like the book but for some reason I was not overly excited to read it (old-timey fantasy is not one of my 'normal' genres).

Review: Wow, this book was fantastic. It was extremely detailed, and have several different sub plots which helped you get to know the characters better. I am not normally drawn to fantasy books, but I have read a few and liked them all (with the exception of when I tried to read The Hobbit, but I think I was too young for it when I started that). Often I prefer to watch fantasy things that read them. I loved Harry Potter, Narnia, Fablehaven as books and movies, but they were written for a younger audience. I often find with fantasy books for adults that they are SO detailed that I lose interest and find them a bit boring. I did not find this with A Game of Thrones at all, it was exciting pretty much right from the beginning. I think it helped that you didn't really need to keep TOO many characters straight, as is often the case with massive world building novels. Since there was about 8 different POV's the book was told in, you got an indepth look at the 5-6 characters that were closest to them, and I was able to keep most everyone straight.

I don't want to say much about this book, because I don't want to give anyone spoilers, but even if you think this isn't "your kind" of book, I would still give it a try because it is seriously a great read. It's pretty long thought, just under 900 pages, and its only the first of a long series! It goes without saying (but I will say it, because that's kind of how a blog works) I really look forward to A Clash of Kings! (book 2)

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What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary: Who is the real McLean? 

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. 

Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.
Why I Read This Book: Sarah Dessen is an author who I kept meaning to read, but she always got pushed to the bottom of my list. Someone lent this book to me, so it managed to make its way to the top of the pile, and I read it.

Review: I thought this was a great book. Dessen writes about relationships (both romantic, friendship, and parental) with a genuine feel. This book had mostly likable characters, but they had some moments where they had to make some tough decisions which showed all sides of their personalities. Great character development. As for the story itself, it was pretty enjoyable, although I have herad from huge Dessen fans that this wasn't here best story. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and in the future, I won't put off picking up her books like I have been.

The one thing I didn't like about the book is near the end there is some much "metaphorical wisedom". McLean "realizes" so much, and strings all the events from the story into one neat little "life lessons" package, which I thought was a little annoying. As the reader, all the conclusions that Dessen wrote down were things I had already connected, so reading it was kind of redundant.

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The Host - Stephenie Meyer

Goodreads Summary: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.
Why I Read This Book: I don't remember when or where I first heard of this book, but I thought it sounded interesting, so I got it from the library.

Review: I really liked this book. It was exciting, and captivating, and overall a great book. The story is unlike anything I have ever read so far (not to claim there isn't others like it, I just haven't read them) so it was great to read something different to me and really enjoy it. I loved the relationships in the book, and found myself having a lot of the same feelings as many characters. I was conflicted when they were, stressed when they were, and happy/scared/worried/etc when they were to. It was well written, and I thought it was fantastic. I have read the Twilight books as well by Meyer, and although I enjoyed them, this book is so much better. I know that they are filming a movie about this, and I can't wait to see it. I have heard rumors about there being a sequel to this book too, which I'm not sure about my opinion on. I think this book could easily stand on its own, but it is always nice to know what the author decides to do with the characters. Either way, this book is great, I recommend you go read it!

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Fifty Shades Darker - E.L. James

Goodreads Summary: Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades. While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront her anger and envy of the women who came before her and make the most important decision of her life. Erotic, sparkling and suspenseful, Fifty Shades Darker is the irresistibly addictive second part of the Fifty Shades trilogy.

Why I Read This Book: I read book one in this trilogy to see what all the hype was about. I didn't really enjoy it, but I am just the type of person who has a hard time starting a series and never finishing it, especially when it's only a trilogy. If this was 10 books long, I might have to call it quits.

Review: This is not my normal genre of book, but I certainly do think that I would have liked it if 1) it had any semblance of a decent plot 2) it wasn't written so poorly. I felt like James didn't really have any idea where she intended for this book to go, she just sat down and started writing. The book was extremely repetitive, with interactions between Ana and Christian just being sex - conversation - sex - same conversation - sex - lets talk about the exact same thing for a third time - more sex. There wasn't even really any 'exciting' sex in this book, it was just the exact same session over and over. Also, I felt like James would throw in random "big" words every now and again that didn't flow with the rest of the text, she clearly made friends with a thesaurus for this one. Christian's abusiveness and Ana's passive/whining personality really irritate me, I couldn't get through more than two chapters in one sitting without wanting to smash my ereader.

I had been saving writing this review, because when I was reading this I made notes about it, but I feel like I don't have anything much new to say, this book is either loved or hated by the masses, so I will stop here, I just have to say, I'm not looking forward to the next book, but I'm a little curious to see what happens. I will read it, but I think I will put it off for a few months. I have way to many books I'm excited about to start reading one that I'm not.

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Blog Tour Review: Naturally, Charlie by S.L. Scott

Goodreads Summary: Twenty-five year old Charlotte “Charlie” Barrow is caught between her old life and the one she is beginning to build when she crosses paths with a handsome stranger on the subway. Not looking for romance, she closes her heart off to the possibilities of love. With a knack for mishaps, Charlie maintains her sense of humor while befriending the kind stranger who seems to be there at all the right times.

New York freelance writer, Charlie Adams, is forging his own path beyond the expectations of the society circles of his childhood. Rejecting family money, and fast-lane friends, he is snubbed by his family as he follows his own compass to a life more extraordinary. 

Through a coincidence of events, they come to rely on each other for comfort. This is the tale of two Charlies learning to trust again while fighting their fates to create their own destiny.

Why I Read This Book: This book was given to me as part of a book tour led by The Readiacs.

For the full blog tour info, you can go here: Naturally, Charlie Blog Tour
The book will be available November 1st, 2012.

Review: This book tells a fabulously sweet story of two friends, both coincidentally named Charlie, who's relationship progresses into more throughout the book. I really identified with this book, as when I started dating my BF, he had a friend much like the Rachel character in this book. I think that the author wrote in a way that made the book feel very real, like a new relationship sort of does. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but this book is just so sweet and cute, if I could, I would cuddle with it! I don't normally gush cuteness over books, but this one is just so adorable. The banter between the two seems very natural, and is pretty funny at times.Also, any book in NYC already owns a small piece of my heart!

Some things that were a little less than exciting, was that because the POV switches between male and female perspectives, there is often some repetition in events, which was well done in this book, but is kind of annoying overall. And, I felt a little like the ball was dropped on the epilogue. I just wasn't into it.

Overall, this was a great, quick book. If you are into cute, contemporary reads, I definitely recommend you pick this book up!

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