ARC Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Release Date: March 18th 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Summary

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission. Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

First thoughts after I finished this book? Finally! This book was dragging for so long I was losing my patience with it.

Alice and Harvey have been friends since they were children but going to high school they drifted apart with different social statuses, not really talking to each other until Alice is diagnosed with leukaemia. For a year and a half, Harvey has been there by her side during the good and the bad days falling more and more in love with her as her life clock begins to run out. But Alice goes into remission; becoming the miracle patient who will live. Now that she gets to live her, relationship with Harvey ends.

See this annoys me! The fact that she could only love Harvey while she was dying and knew she wouldn’t be with him forever. How stupid is that? I get the fact that she might be scared of commitment but that doesn’t mean you have to break his poor heart after he finds out the love of his life, the only girl he has ever loved will live but doesn’t want to be with him. Ugh. Not only this but Alice is a complete bitch to everyone but yet she gets this amazing guy to fall for her, and she does get what’s coming to her. 

“I knew how to die. It was the living that scared me.”

I loved how the book was arranged. The “Now” and “Then”. Alice was completely different while she was going through chemo and was dying. Later on she turned into a shallow girl who decided she was too good for Harvey and didn’t want him anymore which I guess was how she was before her diagnosis. I guess it was good to see both sides of her but I was hoping this book was going to be about how she realises she gets a second chance at life and decides to change her life around and become a better person.

“That girl in the case was dead. And that girl in the case was me”

I think I liked Alice about 10 percent of the book and that was at the very start and while she was taking her revenge on her ex-boyfriend Luke and the girl he was cheating with. Harvey is a sweet naïve guy and I couldn’t decide whether or not I liked him. At times he was the sweetest guy that was caring for a girl that was slowly dying and at other times he was a total fool for letting her walk all over him!

This book wasn’t anything I expected. I was hoping this would make me cry, or laugh or even feel something but there was nothing. This book was below ordinary. It was annoying. Even the very end annoyed me. I hate cliff hangers!

All quotes have been taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change

ARC Review: Me After You by Mindy Hayes

Me After You by Mindy Hayes
Release Date: November 18th, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

Widowed at twenty-five, Sawyer Hartwell has no choice but to return to her hometown. Broke and alone, the intention was to heal and find herself again, but how can she heal in a place filled with so much sorrow and memories she yearns to forget?

Dean Preston has regretted leaving Willowhaven since the day he rode off on his motorcycle six years ago, destroying the only love he had ever known. Returning too late, he's found small comfort in a new life with Lily, but with Sawyer back he's not sure of anything anymore.

The time has come for Sawyer and Dean to face the past, to learn from their mistakes. The road to healing is paved with old wounds, each one threatening to tear them down completely. Carrying their own scars close to their hearts, they must both confront what's gone before or lose their second chance.

The measure of who we are is what we survive. Who we become is up to us.

I actually came across this book not so long ago and fell in love with the cover. I immediately checked it out and felt like I had hit the jack pot because this book had a second chance romance and I am a sucker for those.  

This book may not be the best thing I’ve ever read but it definitely did not disappoint. In fact I was very happy with the book and it wasn’t even because of the romance.

I don’t usually like reading books that involve the death of a spouse because it always seems as though there isn’t enough mourning. I realize that everyone deserves a second chance at love but does that mean you forget about the person who you were married to? Or say stuff like ‘I didn’t love him as much as I loved you’? Whenever that happens, I just get extremely annoyed.

The author really did a good job with that though. I don’t think I can describe how happy it made me that the main character’s life did not revolve around finding love but it also involved healing after the death of a loved one.

Oh she was attracted to Dean alright, they had history together but the fact that he was back in her life didn’t mean she was ready to move on with him.

What I also loved about her was the fact she didn’t compare her love with Dean to her love for Grayson. She may not have loved Grayson the same way she loved Dean but that didn’t change the fact that he had been there for her and she had loved him. The author didn’t try to push Grayson out of the way. His ghost was always looming in the back, even in her HEA, she just made his death easier to deal with for the main character.

Dean wasn’t the best love interest out there. I wanted the two to get their HEA but I was more in love with Grayson than I ever could be with Dean. I did like him as a character though. Some people may think the fact that he continued helping Josh out was a stupid thing to do but I actually liked that. He was willing to give his friend a chance until he went too far. He realized when that happened. He didn’t blind himself to that. The point is that he didn’t just give up on his friend even when things seemed hopeless, no matter what anyone said, whether it was Sawyer, Lily or Adrian, he wouldn’t take shit about his friend.

 I wasn’t the biggest fan of the actual romance either. There was some regret but the choices both characters made weren’t the best. The relationship of the secondary characters was a lot more enjoyable for me (that’s a new thing for me).  I think the problem was that Sawyer could act like a Mary Sue from time to time. She needed to be stronger for a change instead of having everyone rescue her all the time. I understand she is dealing with grief but still.

The fact that Dean actually dated Sawyer’s best friend really annoyed me. If he had really loved Sawyer he wouldn’t have done that to her. I suppose his reasons weren’t as bad as they come seeing that Lily was actually there for him when no one else was but it still annoyed me. I don’t know if we’re meant to like Lily or not but I certainly did not like her. For starters, she broke the bro code (strike one) and she chose a relationship over her best friends. Strike two. Out.

The writing could have been better as well. Some of the sentences were just awkward but it didn’t bother me too much.

In the end this book was enjoyable. The author made me hope for the ‘right’ things. It wasn’t about the happy ending but the journey towards one. It was an engaging tale of loss, second chances, regret and love. I definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a light read.

ARC Review: The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

Title: The Perfect Match
Author: Kristan Higgins
Series: Blue Heron #2
Release Date: October 29th, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Buy: Amazon | BookDepository

Goodreads 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—and make her ex jealous in the process. 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 didn’t go into this expecting to have as much fun as I did because honestly, I was NOT in the mood for chic lit. Which also explains why I was so much more critical with this then I would have been otherwise.

This was definitely not my favorite book by Kristan though, even if I look past all my other issues, I honestly think she could have done better. Or maybe the whole idea just didn’t work for me, even though it kind of reminded me of The Proposal, which I loved.

The first couple of pages were extremely painful. I was banging my head on the wall and trying not to give up on the book completely but it did get better as Honor matured and stopped acting like a doormat.

Honor is at that stage in life where her biological clock is ticking pretty damn fast and if she doesn’t have a baby soon the chances of her ever having one will decrease. So she decides to propose to Brogan, who has been her friend forever, and they have had an on-off sexual relationship throughout the years. He declines using some baseball glove metaphor and she is heartbroken. She takes her broken heart to her bff Dana, who in turn breaks the Bro Code and sleeps with Brogan. If you have a friend like her you don’t need enemies. And Brogan, the asshole is so SHALLOW! If your friend just asked you to marry her, you do not call her a couple of weeks later to announce you’ll be marrying her best friend. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? At least Honor decided not to act like a doormat this time around and actually threw wine at Dana’s face, except that Dana slapped her and she stood there with her jaw hanging.

She does get better from there though, and in the end her biggest 'fault' was that she decided to forgive Brogan. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness.

Back to her character, Honor has plenty of ‘self-image’ issues. She doesn’t think highly of herself and hasn’t ever really been in a real relationship, which may or may not be due to the fact that she was hopelessly in love with her friend for a big chunk of her life. She has always been the tough birdie of the family but really, she’s got plenty of her own issues. She isn’t really an open person either so it’s usually pretty hard for her to communicate with anyone other than her friend Dana, who turns out to be a huge bitch. But Honor’s character undergoes a lot of development throughout the book and she comes out a pretty likable character.

Tom was a pretty interesting character as well, he is a college professor for *scratches head* mechanical engineering? Yeah that was it, mechanical engineering so he’s got brains, as well as brawns. A combination that would usually have me swooning but it just didn’t work this time around. I liked him as a character but I never really fell in love with him.

Tom also comes off a cliché to me. He says mate way too often, I am pretty sure that even British people don’t say it all the time (I’ll even ask Paulina to confirm that!) and I am pretty sure British people don’t say Cheerio, unless they are acting like a British cliché.

His ex-wife was a messed up woman who never really got over her ex. Even when they were engaged she had an on-off relationship with her ex. She ends up dying of course, which makes it a lot harder for him to maintain his relationship with his step-son, who he really loves. They share a bumpy relationship. They used to be close but now Charlie is closed off, he doesn’t talk much and doesn’t understand why Tom tries so hard.

Charlie was a pretty annoying kid. In fact now that I think of it, most of my run ins with kids in books lately haven’t been all that great. I cannot even remember the last time I actually read a book with a kid I liked. For starters Charlie seemed pretty naïve for a 14 year old. I realize that he has been through a lot but shouldn’t that make him more mature? He just seems so sheltered in someways. I’d realize if he was angry at the world for what happened to him and that actually realized that his father was a douchebag but he doesn’t, he is an angry teenager who thinks his father still wants him even though it’s been 4 years. Maybe I am overestimating the intelligence of a 14 year old  seeing that I was kind of mature for one so I shouldn't be comparing him to the 14 year old me. 

The romance between Tom and Honor was slow to develop and kind of fun to watch. They had tons of awkward scenes but other fun ones as well. Which is to be expected because after all, this is Kristan Higgins!

The family remains one of my favorite things about the series, they are so FUN! Although I was pretty bothered by how the author chose to portray Faith and Levi in this book. It almost made me question why I loved them so much in The Best Man and had to re-read some parts of the book to remind myself. It was pretty annoying to see them so love sick because even though they were in love in The Best Man, they were a pretty fun couple. This time around they just made me gag. Of course Pru and Carl still remain my favorite couple. What I wouldn’t give to read their story. They are like the ideal couple. I am also happy to say that I totally saw what happened with Mrs. J and the dad coming! It didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would either so I am pretty happy about that.

This book was a fast read and it contains the usual Kristan Higgins elements. It was fun, had some self-discovery, family and a happy ending, not much more you can ask for from a chic lit.

Even though I am not usually one for series based on families/small towns, I am still going to go on with this one because

1. This is Kristan Higgins
2. The next book will have a second chance romance ‘nuff said.

If you’re a Kristan Higgins fan like moi you’ll love this if you’re not and looking for a chic lit you’ll love this so just pick it up!

ARC Review: What Once Was Perfect by Zoe York

Title: What Once Was Perfect
Author: Zoe York
Release Date: July 1st, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

Heading home always stirs up mixed emotions for Laney Calhoun. Twelve years ago she left for graduate school, broken-hearted. She's found professional success, but positive personal relationships have proved elusive. Running into her ex-boyfriend fans flames she thought long extinguished, renews her interest in love. Not with Kyle, of course. Never again. But as sparks fly and items of clothing disappear, she scrambles to lock down her heart.

I am happy to announce that I am officially out of my reading slump.

After finishing Leap of Faith, I was somewhat vary about reading this book because I really did not want to go back to the dark place, so  I started this book with a heavy dose of skepticism and a tiny fledgling of hope.

I was not disappointed. There were a lot of things that could have gone wrong with this book but the author pulled through. While there were some things that didn’t work for me, I was rather happy with the outcome.

Like their relationship. It could have gone so absolutely wrong. I mean they broke up 12 years ago and the last time they saw each other was 2 years ago at her father’s funeral. Think about the amount of angst that could have ensued or the fictional amount of time they could have spent avoiding each other?

Thankfully they acted like the adults they were and even though things were slightly awkward they actually sat down to talk about it. And let me just say this because I personally believe it’s a big deal, it was the chic (Laney) who took initiative NOT THE GUY! Do you know how big of a deal this is? You know what’s even bigger a deal? They actually talked through what went wrong the first time around (kind of) and came to peace with the actual break up (it’s about time anyway, 12 years is a long long time). We also had someone take the blame, while I usually hate it when one person takes the blame for a relationship gone south, I must agree that Kyle really did make it a whole lot worse.

They don’t exactly agree to give it another shot but they decide to enjoy their short time together. They realize that they have grown up and matured since the last time they were together so while the chances of them having a real relationship are next to impossible the live in different countries), they can still enjoy the time they do have.

The relationship was the strong point of the book for me, the characters, not so much. I liked them but they could have been a whole lot better.

Laney had me vary right off the bat. She hasn’t been in a real relationship since her breakup and doesn’t believe in love. The only real relationship she had had was with Kyle, which was over 12 years ago when she was still young and somewhat naïve. That tells me that she never matured emotionally which is rather important in a character isn’t it? How do I like a character that defines all relationships by a failed one? If Kyle really had been the center of her universe she should have stayed instead of going off to Harvard right?

Kyle was still better than Laney because at least he attempted other relationships. What I didn’t like about him (this contradicts what I said earlier when I was talking about their relationship but I am trying to separate the relationship and the characters here because it makes more sense to me) was the fact that he took all the blame. He spent years blaming Laney for the break up (which was obviously the wrong thing to do) and then he suddenly decides that it was his fault? He also goes as far as taking blame for Laney’s ruined idea about love/relationships. NO! It’s not your fault! She should be smart enough to realize otherwise, because, I am quoting what she said here,

“Not that young. Too young to make it work, maybe, but not too young to know what it was”

If she realizes that and has made peace with it, so should you dammit!

I am not going to dwell into the actual cause of the breakup because it would be wrong for me to judge these characters on their past mistakes when they have obviously grown since then and realized what went wrong.

All in all this was a pretty fun read. It was light and had good romance. You cannot ask for much more. 

ARC Review: Delectable by Adrianne Lee

Title: Delectable
Author: Adrianne Lee
Series: Big Sky Pie #1
Release Date: September 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Forever
Buy: Amazon | BookDepository

Goodreads Summary

On her way out of town, Callee McCoy only wants to say a fond farewell to her beloved mother-in-law. But Molly soon persuades Callee to stay and lend a hand at the new shop, even if it means heating up the kitchen with her soon-to-be ex. As Callee and Quint rediscover their recipe for love, they realize that some couples are so sinfully good together that one delectable taste is never enough . . .
Montana real estate agent Quint McCoy will tell you that the most important thing is location, location, location. It's a lesson he learns all too well when he goes incommunicado for a four-week fishing trip to Alaska. While he's away, his mother Molly turns his office into the pie shop she has always dreamed of, Big Sky Pie. But that's not the only surprise in store for him.

This book was. Yeah see I don’t know what to say so instead of attempting to write a review for this I am going to go with the flow and write an interview instead.

Before I do so you’ll probably want a brief introduction so you don’t go blind faced into this.

So basically there is a dude and this dude’s father dies and then he feels guilty because he didn’t go fishing with his dad and so he lashes out at his wife and becomes so pissed that he tells her he wants a divorce. He then flies to Alaska and spends a month fishing. When he comes back he realizes he was a doofus except he really cannot do anything. When he gets to his office it turns out his mom is making that into a pie shop and has stolen his assistant. His ex comes back to return the ring and then his mom gets a heart attack. Now the two must take care of the pie shop.

*cue music*

*stumbles onto the set*   

Me: HELLO WORLD! My name is Rashika and welcome to my talk show where I interview people who don’t really exist.

Quint & Callee: Are you drunk?

Me: Nooooooooooooooo of course not       

*whispers to the audience* pstttt I am, I had to get drunk so that I could talk to these two without losing my mind

Quint & Callee: We heard that

Me: Heard what??

Ohh never mind that guys. Tell me about yourselves, how did you meet?

*looks at the audience and gags*

*turns around to see the two making googly eyes at each other*

Quint: You tell the story

Callee: No you tell the story

Me: OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Quint shut up, Callee answer the question.

Callee: So like I was going to go to cooking school but then my evil grandma got sick and we had to sell the house to pay the bills and guess who was the realtor? Quint! So like he looked at me with that engaging heart-stopping grin of his and I was a total goner. It was love at first sight.

*both at the same time*

Quint: So that’s what you were doing

Me: If the grin was heart-stopping then why were you not taken to a hospital??

OH QUINT STOP INTERRUPTING ME! You’ll get your turn.

Callee: Yeah honey that was what I was doing but I was too scared to tell you because what if you made fun of me you know? And to answer your question no, of course I wouldn’t need to go to the hospital, Quint could resuscitate me with his kisses.

Quint: Of course sweetheart, I wouldn’t let you die on me.

Me: I certainly would. So wait let me get this Callee, you think you two had a good relationship yet you were scared out of your mind to tell Quint that you wanted to be a chef?

Quint: It’s not like that. See even I was afraid to tell her that I loved baking pies and was actually good at that. It’s not really manly and if anyone found out they would make fun of me.

Me: But that’s so cool!

Callee: Yeah he didn’t tell me about the pies until like after we had separated but it totally turned me on to watch him make them. I mean his super strong hands rolling out the pie crust? *swoon*

Me: *blinks* You guys had serious communication issues. It’s a wonder your relationship lasted as long as it did.

Callee: Who cares about everything else, we had passion, the kind you cannot find anywhere else. 

Me: So you’re saying sex is the best way to solve your problems?

Callee: Of course dummy!

Me: No wonder you acted like horny teens throughout the whole book.

Callee: HEY!

Me: Says the girl who thinks kisses will bring her back to life

Callee: Well I live in a world where women in their 20’s wear crocs so anything can happen.

Quint: Oh sweetheart don’t talk like that about yourself, you look so sexy in them. They just turn me on.

Me: Quint shut up. Anywho you make a good point Calle. Now you can talk Quint since it’s your turn. Now care to explain why you acted the way you did when your father died?

Quint: It was the grief. I didn’t want my father to be gone I loved him so much. I know I was a jerk, I mean she has always felt unwanted and I made her feel that way again. I am just so stupid.

Me: I’ll agree with that but wait why does Callee feel unwanted?

Callee: My grandma was evil. My mom died when I was 7 and then I was sent to live with my evil grandma who was too conservative and drilled it into me that I was not to become a ho. Plus I didn’t really feel unwanted I was just sad that he didn’t realize I had lost a dad too, I mean his father always treated me like his real born daughter. I had never had a father figure in my life so he was like a father to me. 

Me: So technically you married your brother?

Callee: *starts crying* Don’t mock me like that, Quint’s family accepted me and loved me. They were the first real family I had had. They saved me.

Me: hokay. So basically the two of you are a bunch of clichés?

Quint & Callee: Nooooo we’re not.

Callee: Just because I am broken and didn’t know true love until Quint doesn’t make me a cliché.

Quint: Just because I am super hot for no real reason doesn’t make me a cliché.

Me: Whatever you say guys. Hey Callee I do have to say that I was glad you came to your senses and realized you didn’t deserve to be treated like shit even though you cried too much.

Callee: Noooo that was a bad decision. I love him so much, I’ll die without him.

Me:  *face palm* I cannot take this shit anymore. GET OUT OF HERE YOU DUMBASSES

Quint & Callee: But??? What about our pie shop?

Me: I SAID GET OUT. I cannot take your shit anymore even though I am drunk!

Quint & Callee: Fine! See if we give you any of our awesome pie.

*they walk away*

Me: Thanks guys for joining me bah bahhh and maybe next time I’ll be sober

*curtains close*

Anyways this book does have some funny moments and isn’t as horrible as I make it sound but it just wasn’t what I expected it to be. The characters didn't really act their age and had serious issues. There wasn't much of a plot either.

Review: A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith

Title: A Place to Call Home 
Author: Deborah Smith

Release Date: May 4th, 1998

Publisher: Bantam

Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

Twenty years ago, Claire Maloney was the willful, pampered, tomboyish daughter of the town's most respected family, but that didn't stop her from befriending Roan Sullivan, a fierce, motherless boy who lived in a rusted-out trailer amid junked cars. No one in Dunderry, Georgia--least of all Claire's family--could understand the bond between these two mavericks. But Roan and Claire belonged together...until the dark afternoon when violence and terror overtook them, and Roan disappeared from Claire's life. Now, two decades later, Claire is adrift, and the Maloneys are still hoping the past can be buried under the rich Southern soil. But Roan Sullivan is about to walk back into their lives....By turns tender and sexy and heartbreaking and exuberant, A Place to Call Home is an enthralling journey between two hearts--and a deliciously original novel from one of the most imaginative and appealing new voices in Southern fiction.

THIS IS A RANT

I read this book on a hunch really (I am not even sure if that's the right way to put it) and honestly it just didn't pan out. I just wanted a little light/fun romance to balance out the other 4 books I was reading at the moment. 

So there are two parts to the book, the first part-the past and the second-the present. The past was perfect. I really thought I was on to something and that I had made a good choice when I decided to read the book. The portrayal of this young innocent child in love was beautiful. I wasn't skeptic at all (which is somewhat of a surprise). Deborah really pulled her character off. I mean even the part when she first finds out about sex (I had to mention it). Yes I really loved her reaction because it reminded me of mine so I connected with this young child. What amazes me even more is how the author portrayed Roanie's feelings for Claire. Because they had a 5 years age gap (this mattered because she was 9 and he 14... you get my point don't you?), had Roanie felt anything sexual towards Claire, that would have been completely wrong in my book. The author takes a different spin on his feelings, they aren't brotherly but they aren't sexual either  they have a hint of romantic but really she was the one person who saw beyond everything else and to him instead of all the other B.S.. so she meant the world to him, he would have done anything for her. 

After a while though the past just seemed too long to me, I wanted to get to the present and see their reunion and how things worked out. Well umm Ugh? Yeah that was my reaction to the present part of the book. It was extremely disappointing. After everything she had built up in the past, how she played the whole thing was just a big fat disappointment. 

For starters I didn't even like Roanie until near the end. He gave me the willies. Now I don't care what anyone else says but what he was doing was stalking. He knew everything about her, he had his people and inside contacts find things out. He once even went as far as to be parked outside her dorm and watch her. If that isn't stalking I don't know what the hell is. It was just extremely disturbing. Don't try to justify what he did with his feelings. A lot of creepy stalkers will think they love the person they are stalking so you cannot really make it sound any better, at least not to me. It is just not romantic. Hell if he loved her so much he might have contacted her at least once in the past 20 years. Aside from his stalker tendencies (for which he really should get checked) I hated how immature Roanie was acting. He was flaunting his money around and went as far as to try to buy Claire (at least that's what it seemed like to me). He never even tried to understand why Claire was so vary of the whole thing and fighting him! Where did the Roanie I grew to love from the past go??

(spoilers start here)

Let is move on to the ungrateful bastard, Matthew. WOW. I cannot believe how easily he turned on the man who had raised him. I really cannot. So Josh tells him that he has been looking for him for the past 20 years and he just falls for that? What about the time when the same guy denied his existence and was ashamed of him? Huh? I just. I just. UGH! 

And now the biggest bastard of all, Josh. I absolutely hated how Deborah played Josh. First the surprise that he was actually the father and then the fact that the author tried to tell us that he wasn't all that bad and had been looking for his lost son and was worried about him? Someone shoot him in the head for me pretty please? Never mind that he denied the existence of his child and let him stay in those horrible conditions for the first few years of his life. He also ignored his legitimate child because of this. The poor girl thought her father hated her for the first 10 years of her fucking life. Oh lets not forget he took advantage of an underage girl. Someone who treats a woman like that isn't worthy of any respect and don't you dare give me the Vietnam excuse. Look at Grandpa Joe if you need any reason as to why I won't accept that bullshit. 

I am just disappointed. At least I have Castle and The Dream Thieves to cheer me up. 

Pushing the Limits

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: July 24, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

SO WRONG FOR EACH OTHER…AND YET SO RIGHT.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smokinghot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I actually gave it a 5 right after reading it but then I read On the Jellicoe road right after.

I know its silly to compare the two books but you cannot help it. You will compare the book you just read to the book you read before it.

When I read this book I was so surprised by how it made me feel but when I read On the Jellicoe Road.. well I don’t even have words to say how I felt.

So I felt that if I am so much more impressed by On the Jellicoe Road then I am by Pushing the Limits how can the two of them have the same rating?
Anyways back to the book.

I was an emotional mess after reading this book and that rarely happens with me. No this book isn’t necessarily sad or anything but it gets to you. The power of what Noah feels for his little brothers or how much Echo loved her brother is so much that it overwhelms you.

Their romance has an insta-love type feel to it but I overlooked it because there is so MUCH going on besides that. Both the characters are dealing with many issues.

Noah wants to gain custody of his brothers who he was separated from when his parents died. I think it’s Noah’s story that really breaks me. It’s his pain and how much he misses his parents. He was only in 9th grade when they died and to him it seems like he should take care of his brothers. He promised his little brothers he wouldn’t let them separate yet that’s what happened. Noah NEEDS someone to be the adult but there is no one there for him. He never got the chance to be a silly kid. He had to grow up way too fast. Despite all this it took me a while to warm up to him, his character seemed a bit cliched. But there was this scene where he almost cried when his little brother called him his hero, that was it for me. I fell in love with Noah right there.

Our other character is Echo. The rich girl with daddy issues (okay that makes her sound pathetic but she isn’t). Her mother tried to kill her, so we can call Echo screwed. I sympathize with Echo but she isn’t the best female lead ever, she makes bad decisions.

This book isn’t close to perfect but I really do think it was amazing, hence the 4 and not the 5.

This book was definitely worth my time although I won’t read the sequel because it isn’t about Echo and Noah. I hate it when authors expect us to become attached to certain characters and don’t write the sequels about them. I miss the characters from the previous book too much and cannot enjoy the characters in the sequel.

Paradise by Judith McNaught

Title: Paradise
Author: Judith McNaught
Series: Second Opportunities #1
Release Date: July 29th 2003
Publisher: Pocket Books
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

Meredith Bancroft, a serenley beautiful blonde, and Matthew Farrell, an intense, magnetic tycoon, are both haunted by their once-in-a-lifetime love...betrayed in a conflict of heartache and pain. When the Bancroft family empire is threatened by a hostile takeover attempt, Meredith is forced to turn to Matt. As tensions build between them, leaving them both uncertain, restless...and falling in love again...

I didn't even notice how long this book was, it kind of just flew by. I've had my eye on it for a while so it's a relief to finally read it but I'll say this, I may have expected a tid bid more.

Matt and Meredith are great main characters and one cannot help loving them both but sometimes Meredith pissed me off. She should have given him a chance instead of dragging it out. I mean I understand why she did it, to have to go through what she did at the age of 18, it would make anyone vary yet it doesn't mean it didn't annoy me that she wouldn't give Matt a chance.

Matt is really sweet. I mean I really thought there was no way I'd like him but the author definitely redeems him. The thing that bugged me about him was how he was so set on revenge, I mean yes his pride was hurt but Meredith wasn't nearly as vengeful as he was. He was basically trying to destroy her.. which isn't really nice (yes I realize I sound like a 8 year old). 

The secondary characters... yeah.
Parker... I have no idea why people love him. He has no redeeming qualities. Also if he was in love with Meredith how did he get over her so quickly.

Lisa. I DESPISE HER. She is horrible. I didn't like her when she was 14 and I still don't like her. She is a snob, no she isn't even rich, she comes from a middle class family but she is a snob. I don't understand how she can do that to her friend. It's ridiculous. She is also extremely selfish. I think my hatred for her is probably irrational because no one seems to dislike her as much as I do but I cannot seem to help it.

Meredith's father however was an interesting character. A lot of people despised him but I cannot bring myself to do that. It's obvious that he loves Meredith but the way he expresses this love is really awful. What I see in Phillip is a man who ruined his own life. He ruined his own chance at happiness because of his own fears.

What I would have definitely liked to see more of was Meredith's relationship with Joel. Oh and some more scenes with Caroline. Yes it is obvious that her father is redeemed in the end but I wish that would have been explored because I would have liked to see how that affected things. 

The romance was...I don't actually know. It's weird because there was so much drama that it kind of just overpowered the romance.

This book is not meant for everybody because it can be boring and there can be too much angst but if you're up for it, give it a shot. Mean while I need to read something else.... to cover up for this one. 

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: May 11, 2011
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

Everyone’s sorry. But no one can explain why. 
Harper Scott’s older sister, June, took her own life a week before high school graduation, leaving Harper devastated. So when her divorcing parents decide to split up June’s ashes, Harper steals the urn and takes off cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going–California. 

Enter Jake Tolan, a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession…and an unknown connection to June. When he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what Harper needs. Except…Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn her life upside down–again.

I am not big on tragedy novels. It’s probably because they don’t always work out. They either become too unrealistic, or somehow the author forces the romance so it sucks the sadness of the book away. There needs to be a balance, where everything isn’t depressing but you get how the person is dealing with it. It’s there. The main character isn’t just forgetting the loved one and is making out with someone else. It doesn’t work that way. Most people are broken by stuff like this. I may have wanted Harper to scream at her dad at some point because he sucks. I think I even understand why June did what she did and it’s okay. The author kind of knits these things together, you see how much Harper loves June despite how she is always rude. I also like how Harper becomes a bit more open. It isn’t that all of a sudden she feels like pouring her feelings out. Or that she readily trusts Jake and thinks well hey he is hot, he knew her so he is going to understand. No. It’s a gradual process and I love her for it. I like how Harper deals with things. Yeah she has issues and she isn’t close to perfect but I like how even during the trip she doesn’t forget June while having fun.

I am glad I read this novel. I really am because it’s so different from other one’s I’ve read (not that that’s a lot.)

I keep on comparing this with In Honor and I see what went wrong with In Honor, that Harrington here managed to perfect. I think it’s all the relationships. You see how her friendship with her best friend works out. How she absolutely loves her best friend despite how different they are and how her best friend loves her as well.

I love how her relationship with Jake is an gradual process. And how after discovering what he was hiding she doesn’t JUST forgive him. He made a mistake, mistakes cannot be easily forgotten. So when she DOES forgive him it doesn’t mean she isn’t angry it just means that she doesn’t want to not talk to him anymore. I love how realistic their relationship is.

I probably will read Speechless at some point and I really hope it’s as good as Saving June.