{Monthly Recap} September 2018

The end of September all ready? It would seem so.

So what went on?

I relaunched my blog!
Yupp! I finally did it! Didn't see it? Here!

~This Months Releases: ~

Want to see what released this month?
September's Stunners


~Reviews:~

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sara J Maas (series)
Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis
Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Corriell

Giveaways:
Relaunch Giveaway (TODAY IS THE LAST DAY! ENTER NOW!)
Garden of Thorns and Roses Blitz (Finished)
The Iron Flower Blitz (ongoing)

Tours/Blitzes:
A Garden of Thorns and Roses by Amber Mitchell Blitz
The Iron Flower Blitz

Ramblings:
Upcoming Giveaways

And that's it! Tomorrow is a new month--the month of October to be exact!
I have SOOO many awesome things coming this month and I'm excited!
Come back tomorrow for the beginning of all October festivities! :D

Find a post you hadn't seen yet?
What was it? What'd you think!?
Let me know in the comments <3

{Review} Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Wild Cards
Series: Wild Cards #1
Author: Simone Elkeles
Release Date: September 24, 2013
by, Walker Books for Young Readers
Pages: 288

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?{Goodreads}

~Review:
 Holy flipping cow!!!! I can't believe I even got this book! Simone Elkeles is a really well known author thanks to her Perfect Chemistry series. So when I found I had this book in my possession post release I about freaked!! I did a happy jog and everything.

  Now, that being said I still haven't read the Perfect Chemistry series yet but it's another one I have been dying to read! I will get to it soon enough I promise! Now to talk about Wild Cards. I really liked it. It was cute and it was funny! Derek is an absolute dream boat and Ashton is snarky and independent. The banter between these two was delightful. I enjoyed the multiple POVs. It's always nice to know what is going on through each characters head as they start to fall. Ashton was probably the most stubborn about it. I loved it. ;) Ashton is the star kicker...on the boys varsity football team. How great is that!? The last book--and only other book--that I read with a girl on a boys football team was Catching Jordan. I liked that one but I think I liked this one more....sorry Miranda Kennealy! Even though they were similar I liked Elkeles version better because of the family she put together. The boys on the team looked out for Ashton but they also respected her. I also liked how the verbal language was considerably higher in decency. There weren't as many cuss words as there were in Catching Jordan. I don't mind it often because hello! We are teens and this day in age swearing is about as normal as breathing. But there is respect in words. Elkeles gives that respect. Ashton is beyond independent and even more stubborn. She has the will of--of I don't know (running short in comparisons) but she has a lot of will and determination. She doesn't like things being handed to her. She likes to work for her earnings. I love that about her. She has her quirky habits. She plays to win and she wins because she plays....hard.

  Derek is a bad boy. Whoopdey Doo! Isn't it always a bad boy!? Yes. Am I complaining? No. ;) Derek is more of a punk than a bad boy. He is witty and charming and likes to grease pigs and set them loose during graduation ceremonies. Haha ok so he is trouble with a capital T but he is harmless. He isn't the roofing bad boy. He is the prancing bad boy. Ultimately he has a great heart. He fixes up sheds and mows lawn with no ulterior motive. The boy just has a serious mouth and prank problem.

  Put the two together and you got one heck of a couple. Goodness these two were making me laugh! They are both incredibly stubborn. It was like watching those goats with the horns ram each other over and over again. Haha lets just say when the first time a couple meets ends with a pitch fork in a shoe...it's bound to be interesting. It was. I read this book pretty fast. The stuff that both Ashton and Derek had Togo through had my full attention. This isn't a light read. It had more depth. Both characters had struggles they had to deal with. This wasn't a heavy read either. It was a light heavy? I don't know don't ask.

  Simone Elkeles righting is nice. It flows easily. Each words slides into the next and before you know it you have read half the book. She has a nice sense of humor being able to commit to the snarky replies Derek and Ashton throw at each other. Ultimately Derek and Ashton were adorable especially at the end. Oh my goodness that end was adorable!! I can't wait to read the next one! There was only one thing that bothered me about the book. There was some round about incest. It wasn't true incest but it was enough to make me not jump on the TeamDerekandAshton boat. Derek's stepmom is Ashton's sister. So basically Ashton is Derek's aunt-in-law. No blood ties but I don't know I like to stay away from that stuff. Ya just weird to me. There are so many different ways you could come about a couple meeting and I prefer to stay away from instances like this. Eventually I kind of just ignored that little fact as best as I could and enjoyed the story for what it was.

  Wild Cards was an enjoyable read. I loved Simone Elkeles writing style and the story she created. The characters were well developed and the love was adorable. I can't say it was a favorite but it was well worth the read! I would recommend it to all contemporary fans! Like I said before, I haven't read anything else's from Simone Elkeles so I can't compare it to her Perfect Chemistry series. Bottom line: Wild Cards was good..great even! It was fun, funny, and really cute. I really liked it! Give it a try when you got the chance. Borrow it, buy it. However you see fit but I do think it is worth the shot. :)

~Rating:

4 of 5 stars!

*a copy was provided for review purposes*

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{Review} Smashed by Lisa Luedeke

Smashed 
Author: Lisa Luedeke
Release Date: August 21, 2012
by, Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: *a copy was provided by the author for review purposes*
Pages: 336

A field hockey star grapples with addiction in this riveting debut that will appeal to fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. 
Stay out of trouble for one more year, and Katie Martin can leave her small town loneliness behind forever. She is a field hockey star on the fast track to a college scholarship, but her relationship with alcohol has always been a little questionable. Then trouble finds her. Alec is the most popular guy in school, and also the biggest bully—with his sights set firmly on Katie. When Alec turns on the charm, Katie thinks she must have been wrong about him.

Except that she wasn’t. On a rain-soaked, alcohol-drenched night, one impulsive decision leaves Katie indebted to Alec in the worst possible way. This debut novel is a fast-paced and compelling story of addiction, heartbreak, and redemption.{Goodreads}

~Review:
  I've read my fair share of contemporary books with the theme being a broken girl thrown into a mix of lies, broken family, etc. It's easy for these kind of books to merge together, each one becoming a replica and nothing outstanding. I have to say that Lisa did a great job at creating Smashed so that it does not blend in with the background but instead, stands out!

  Upon reading some reviews of this book I was wary to start it. I heard things about way too much foul language, explicit sexual description, etc. I even read this one review where it said just this:

"I am now going to tell you what happens and save yourself the embarrassment of having read something so awful.

Guy attracts alcoholic (pretty, successful, and needy) girl, who is dumb enough to coerce herself into his groping hands.

Alcoholic girl parties with guy for half the book.

Alcoholic girl drives drunk with guy and crashes them into a tree, disfiguring said guy. 

Guy takes the blame for the crash so she will owe him sex. 

Guy stalks girl for half the book.

Guy rapes girl.

Girl has PTSD and then beer is found in guy's school locker. 

THE END.

oh yeah, there was supposed to be something about her dad...? Yeah there was, but it was so irrelevant and stereotypical I have forgotten..."

  Ok, I am not even the author by I'm offended. There was so much more to this book than that!! I don't know but I like the broken stories the best. The ones about the girl with so many problems she is practically drowning in them. Where the girl is so strong that she can pull through from all her problems. I think those protagonists are the strongest ones of all. They have more courage, faith, and strength than the ones fighting the government in resistance, trekking through a forest filled with demons and other scary stuff. Why? Because they hold truth. These could be the stories that help a girl or boy out because they are going through the same things.

   "Dumb enough to coerce herself into his groping hands"!!??? Excuse me!!? It is so far beyond that!! Did you not read any of her thoughts? It wasn't a fact of being dumb it was the fact of being a decent human giving someone a benefit of the doubt. She liked him. She thought he was a nice sweet guy. She didn't expect him to attempt rape! Haven't you ever been in love? It can be frighteningly true when they say "love is blind". No girl wants to be raped. No one wants to think someone they know and care about is capable of it. To be honest. I probably might have thought those thoughts before but then I read Knee Deep by Jolene Perry and it kind of opened my eyes a little more to these things that happen. It gave me a different way of thinking about girls that struggle through alchohol addictions, lying, being raped, staying in abusive relationtships, etc. You would think it'd be so easy to just turn away. I mean you'd have to be stupid to stay in an abusive relationship right? Wrong. It is so much more than that and I feel as if whoever is quick to judge is the stupid one. Now, please take note I am not calling the author of the quoted review stupid. I was just deeply offended by it and felt as if I needed to explain something.

  Now, enough with that rant, on to the book. Please, completely disregard any reviews like that. Read it for yourself and see if you agree or disagree. Take head. Don't read it. Read it. You may do as you please. The problem now a days is we see something, hear something and we are too quick to believe it. Instead of finding the facts out ourselves and thinking "Well, based on all the data I have gathered, what do I think?" and do get all sides of the story. Don't read a good review and think "Oh I am going to love it"...you may as well just hate it! Don't read a bad review and think "Oh, well that's not worth it. Might as not read it ever!"....because you very may just have loved it...found a favorite book of yours. Would you know that? No. Why? Because you took someone else's word way too easy and too much to heart. You didn't find out yourself so you lost the chance of falling in love with a book. Heed this warning. Don't. The choice is up to you.

  Ok, I did it again. I ranted and now I am already six paragraphs in and haven't talked about the book like I am supposed to!! And it is a rather boring and high on emotional ranting...Oops! ;D Where'd the fun go!? So Katie has her problems. One problem leads to the other and it all kind of just starts snowballing leaving her run over at the bottom of the hill by the huge snowball that has been falling and collecting for sometime. I felt so sorry for her. But then, I didn't. If she hadn't gone through all that stuff I don't think she would be nearly as strong as she was by the end of the book. It's hard to see but all the bad that happens to us happen for a reason. A reason we may not be able to understand at the time but a reason none the less. Isn't that a horrific thought? But its true. What doesn't kill us really does make us stronger. 

  Katie's friends were the true hope in most of the book. I loved Stan and I loved Matt and I loved Cassie. They were her backbone. Katie didn't realize it while she was being plowed but they were. No matter what she did she still had their support. It'd be nice to have those right? We can if we associate ourselves with the right people. That was one of Katie's flaws...one of the things that lead her to her ultimate downfall. She associated herself with the wrong crowd, pushed away the right crowd, then let herself be alone....think she was alone. Those who truly love us won't ever leave us alone. 

  Mr. Luedeke created a wonderful, heart wrenching, inspiring tale that absolutely touched my heart. Her writing was soulful, ugly in truth but beautiful in outcome. She really explored what it means to find love in others, and especially yourself. Life isn't easy...this is what Lisa shows us. The brutal honesty Lisa portrays is exactly what I loved about this book. It had its flaws. But don't we all? Nothing is perfect and nothing will be. I just wanted to show this one last paragraph from the previously quoted review:

Conclusion.
Let us look at the most penetrating, deep questions Katie poses to herself:

"Why did I ever do half the things I did?" (P.76)

"What did I really want?" (P.179)

Sadly, she never quite finds out. At least she apologizes for being an idiot on page 316, but she does nothing to change it.
This book perpetuates the YA lit lie that things improve without personal change. Absolutely despicable. Just think about it. We teens are getting the message from the protagonist that it's OK to smoke weed. It's OK to get hammered every chance you get. It's good in fact, because your life will improve while you do all these things! Just look at Katie! Just look at her and her stupid life and stupid choices and the utter lack of ability she has to control her own actions!

Indeed, if you take a look at all, take a good long look.
And don't forget this terrifying read."

  No. She doesn't find out exactly what she wants. Or why she did what she did. Do you? Do you know exactly what you want and why you did the things you do? If you do, damn. Color me jealous. No. Katie DOES change. She is able to have the courage to face her fears, step away from her past and start over. You can't go back and change the past. Sometimes you have to move one and completely start over. If you are constantly looking over your shoulder, you might miss that you are walking to your own death. Haha not once did it encourage the smoking of weed or to get hammered. No. SHIT! You have got to be kidding me. The hell!? Katie's life did NOT improve because of those....they let to her utter demise! She was DESTROYED because of it. She lost EVERYTHING! Have you never made a stupid decision in your life? If not, well then color me jealous TWICE. We learn from our mistakes.

  I am sorry but I found that completely insulting. We are entitled to our own opinions but if those opinions are insulting, rude, ignorant and disrespectful don't even bother opening your damn mouth. Sorry my feathers are completely ruffled. I do encourage you to read this book. I liked it. I found it inspiring and lovely. It was true. It was honest. It was done right. I don't encourage you to go and do what Katie did. I don't encourage you to make every damn mistake possible so you can "learn from it". Yes, some of Katies decision's were stupid. So are some of mine. Again, not encouraged. I encourage us to make the best decisions possible. To do what is best for you. Will you make the wrong choice sometimes? Yes. Will that cause you trouble? Most likely. Negative outcomes occur. But life doesn't come with a warning "Do this and this will destroy you". Humanity has blessed with a conscience. A conscience some people refuse to use...A conscience some choose to embrace. There is humanity, morals, goodness! Whether we choose to use them is our choice. There is no perfection in this imperfect world. Katie did some terrible things but it cost her. It molded her. It scarred her. It transformed her.

~Rating:

4 of 5 stars!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful day!!

~Jaiden

{Review} Pantomime by Laura Lam

Pantomime
Author: Laura Lam
Release Date: February 5, 2012
by, Strange Chemistry
Source: Netgalley
Format: Kindle
Pages: 392

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilization long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.{Goodreads}

~Review:
  Quick note: the cover!!! Love. Love. Love it!! I totally want that mask too..major jelousy right here! The circus tent in the back ground...the everything! Really like this cover! Fits the book like a glove! <3

  More serious matters: Pantomime was a book I was much anticipating. The premise just spoke to me saying "You must need this book Jaiden! MUST!!". So, naturally, I just needed to have it! I was a bit confused at first but I quickly caught on with the different time and POVs. Little did I know though that Micah and Gene were more closely linked than I thought....major shocker when I saw how their paths crossed. Really. There was a few things in the book that had me cautious and wary but all in all this book was fantastic! Also, the only real thing I can complain about this book is the lore and history of the world in the book. I wish the author would have gone into further detail explaining the different towns and history and mythology. I was super confused when it came to that. Maybe I missed something but I literally had no clue what made Byssia people Byssia people and who the Couple was and more. I kinda just had to skim those parts and pretend to know I knew.

  Other than those few hiccups like I said...fantastic! The writing style of Laura Lam was so enticing and wonderful. I felt as if every word had its own magic behind it! The circus was most definitely my favorite part of the book. It was described so wonderfully I felt as if I was there and experiencing the circus through Micah's eyes and truly feeling the awe and magic he felt for it. The imagination ran wild in this book. (even though some of it I didn't understand) Then the time...the era this book was set in was beautiful. I love the time of parasols, extravagant dresses, balls, courting, circus entertainment, etc. And again, Laura did it all perfectly. I felt as if I was truly there smelling the smells, seeing the sights, experiencing the protagonists experiences! Laura used words that described the situation, description, and severity of the subject on hand perfectly. She made me use the dictionary but I didn't find it tiring.

  Pantomime was a work of art! The characters were developed just to my liking. There were tons of side characters but you didn't get confused. At first it takes awhile to get to know everyone but not too long. Then of course those characters you end up loving and then the ones you love to hate! Omg. Drystan....I loved him just so you know ;) I also loved Gene's brother Cyril's best friend..and of course Cyril himself. Cyril was so loyal and understanding. He has a big heart and I would love to have a brother like him. Drystan was adorable and handsome and hilarious..he is a clown! ;D  Then that ending! That ending was the best part of the book. It was fast pace, terrible and emotional. I really hope there is a sequel because you can't just end a book like that. I really enjoyed reading Pantomime. It was unique and beautiful. Magic in its self. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun, mysterious, magical and intriguing read!

~Rating:

4 of 5 stars!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great day!! :)

~Jaiden 

{Blog Tour} Review of Doomed by Tracy Deebs

Doomed
Author: Tracy Deebs
Release Date: January 8, 2013
by, Walker Childrens
Source: *a copy was produced by the tour host for review purposes*
Format: Kindle
Pages: 480

Beat the game. Save the world.



Pandora’s just your average teen, glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends, until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father, her one key to saving the world as we know it. Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans, and romance fans alike.{Goodreads}

~Blog Tour Fun:
    Favorite Quote:

"'I really like you Pandora. I don't want to make a mistake with you.'

Life's full of mistakes ?????. And if you don't kiss me now, when are you going to? We're almost out of time.'

'I won't let us run out of time.'"   

Sorry yo! Had to mask the identity of the speaker..it is a love triangle ;P

And because I really like this one too....

  "There's something inside and I strain to see it. Nearly cry out when I can finally read the word. 'Hope.'......We might very well live long, poductive lives. They won't be the lives we had once planned for ourselves but in this place, at this moment, that doesn't matter."

~Review:

  Holy shit you guys!! This book was fantastically amazing! It totally rocked my socks off. ;D I have to admit that I prefer the old cover but the cover has nothing to do with the pure genius of this book. I had the worst time putting this book down…and at times I had no choice because I was reading it during the last two weeks of school before winter break, which meant I had finals to study for, which meant if I wanted good grades, I was going to have to put the book down and do some work. It. Sucked. I wanted nothing more than to sit down and read the book until every single page was gobbled up and digested. (ermm that didn’t sound as good as I hoped haha).

  What would you do if the world as you knew it came crashing down because of a video game. Yupp! You heard that right. A video game. Its Pandora’s seventeenth birthday and to her surprise she gets an email from her dad. The same dad that hasn’t been around for years. The same dad that has her mom panicked telling Pandora that she is never to speak, email, write, or see her dad…ever. There aren’t even any pictures of Pandora and her father…and she was what, five when he left? So twelve years of no communication from her father and she finally gets some. The email has promises of old letters that were written to her and always returned , never before seen photos of them and an explanation to why he left. Never would have Pandora thought that that email, those pictures would be the worm that starts world domination. Domination that is only going to stop if Pandora plays the game.

  Like I said…Holy. Shit. This book was absolutely mind blowing. It was fast paced and completely captivating. I was hooked from page one. Tracy Deebs wove a perfectly unique, action packed story that is sure to take over the hearts of gamers and readers a like..hell, I think everyone should read it but that’s just me. At the beginning I had a little bit of a rough time trying to distinguish between what was going on in the game (especially the talking) and what was going on in the real world but after a while I had no problem easing in to the switch. When I really got into it (which ended up being every time I opened its pages) I had trouble distinguishing the lines between the book and the real world. Tracy is such an amazing writer where that is just the only way to read her book. Its not too often a book completely captures you like that but Doomed does that too you. I literally felt as if I was there every step of the way through Pandora’s journey. The writing for Doomed is clear and imaginative. Tracy definitely doesn’t hold back. 

  The story is told from Pandora’s point of view being that she is the protagonist but Eli and Theo were equally important. O my goodness. These boys! Theo is so smart. He is always one step ahead. He is quick on his feet and always so calm in the toughest situations. Theo is broody and mysterious. Oh! And he is totally hot.  He isn’t the best with jokes and taking things lightly. A smile from him is a rare occurance. He tends to be more in his own thoughts but when he steps out he totally shines. Then there is Eli. The one who can make light on things. He jokes around is more carefree.The one who can tell a joke or make a face to ease the tension...that is why I love him..so much!!! 

  I honestly have no clue what else to say other than you need to read this...like ASAP. I loved this book with a passion. It is something that makes you reflect and wonder. What would you do? Would you be able to survive? How would you act? How would you feel? It was almost scary. I have nothing else to say..I am leaving this review now. Read. Love. You need this book. You will NOT be sorry you read it and you will thank me later ;D

This review was part of the Doomed Blog Tour at Itching for Books.  

 

~Rating:

 

5 of 5 stars..this book rocked my socks! ;D
 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy New Years!!

Have a great weekend!! 

<3 Jaiden

{Blog Tour} Falling for Summer by Kailin Gow

Falling for Summer
Series: Loving Summer #1.9
Author: Kailin Gow
Release Date: December 12, 2012
by, TheEdge Books
Source: *a review copy was provided for review purposes*
Format: Ebook

Love hits you when you least expect it, grabs you, sucks you in whole, and twists you around until you could hardly breathe. Love hurts like a sucker punch, that’s both glorious and beautiful. Falling for Summer was like that for me, every time. – Nat Donovan

The Donovan Brothers

Two brothers as gorgeous as they are dangerous.

Nat Donovan, the older more responsible brother with the passion of a starving man. Knows what he wants, but knows he can’t have it without giving up everything.

Drew Donovan, the really bad boy, the black sheep, the one who has a devil-may-care attitude, wants what he wants, but knows he would have to go through the ones he loves to have it.

Nat and Drew Donovan has known Summer Jones since they were kids. She had always been the girl next door who was best friends with their little sister Rachel and was cool enough to play with the guys. Now Summer is all grown up, gorgeous, and scorchingly sexy without even knowing it. Responsible older brother Nat, who had always tried to keep their friendship platonic, now can’t stop thinking of her and wanting more. Carefree Drew, who had always had a crush on Summer, but knew Summer’s heart was already taken, can only fall further for her. But no one had anticipated what would happen between the time the Donovan brothers fell for her and now. No one knew how hard they would fall.{Goodreads}

~Review:

  Lets start out by saying I have yet to read Loving Summer. When I got the invite for the Falling for Summer tour I was informed that you did not have to have read Loving Summer in order to understand Falling for Summer. Its true. I wasn’t completely lost when reading it but I have to admit I felt a tad out of the loop. (The author) did a good job filling you in about the past events and the characters involved. I have to say that I still recommend you reading Loving Summer. I think I might have enjoyed this book a hell of a lot better if I had. Now, this does not mean I didn’t enjoy it cus I did. A lot. I just felt as if I was missing that personal connection that is loved when reading a book. It was talking with two people that share too many inside jokes. I was missing those mere details that would provide that tie with the characters and their story. I had questions like what happened last summer!? The most important one of all. Other than that Falling for Summer carried its own story and I enjoyed it. If anything it made me want to read Loving Summer that much more. I have kept my eye on it for a while now but just haven’t found time to just yet. Looks like I will be pushing some books behind for it huh? ;D

  (The author) has a nice writing style. It all kind of just flows and makes you sit back and enjoy the words on the screen (or pages). I will admit that at times I caught grammatical errors but hey, she is an indie author and I find with most indie books there are bound to be mistakes and heck! Even the published books have their mistakes. These mistakes never hindered me from loving this book though. The characters, even though I didn’t have a deeper connection with them due to not reading the first book, grew on me. Summer is a strong, independent girl I came to enjoy. I was kind of surprised when the book had chapters from her point of view. I expected it to just be Nat’s book which obviously added to the surprise of having Drew’s point of view too.

  Now, lets get down to the nitty-gritty shall we? ;) Boys..to be more clear…the Donovan boys! O my! These boys are hot. Seriously. At times I felt as though some of Drew’s sexy dialect was a bit awkward but at others…holy smoking cows!! Ya, he had me drooling. That said, I think my heart belongs to Nat. He is totally hot and completely and entirely sweet. He is strong, courageous and would do anything for Summer. That really really shined through in this book. Again, I have no clue what happened that summer but I know I love Nat Donavon. Let’s see if that changes when I read Loving Summer. (I hardly doubt it but…I do have an act for falling for the “Drew” types).

  All in all I am so glad I got to participate in the Falling for Summer Tour! It was a super cute read and I can’t wait to read more. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of cute beach reads with a horrible (meaning you have two boys that have you doubting the team you are on with every line of theirs) love triangle, some drama, emotion, and a little bit of inspiration. This book was totally worth the read. I feel that if I had read Loving Summer this book would be getting a better rate so based of of that…. 

This review was apart of the SupaGirls Tour....

~Rating:

4 out of 5 stars!!

~Author:

Contact her at: ~Website~Blog~Twitter~Facebook~Goodreads~

Kailin Gow uses her author platform to bring awareness to issues affecting young adult and women. She has appeared on national radio as a regular guest on topics such as body image, self-esteem, dating and sexual relationships, bullying, and more; often brought up in her fiction books for young adults and women. She has won multiple awards from the International Book Awards and the Green Book Festival. Selling over half a million books, Kailin Gow has been a bestselling author of over 100 distinct books which includes the Desire Series, PULSE, Wicked Woods, and the Frost Series. She has been professionally published since 2001. She was one of the first authors for young readers to write books for girls with supernatural elements. Her first book series about extraordinary girls guided by an angel in 2001, was a success, selling thousands of print copies in days, and inspiring girl book clubs around the U.S. In 2003, she came out with more series, including The Fairy Rose Chronicles, about fairies in Feyland. Her books have been recommended by PBS Kids, US Mental Health Association, the PTA, and homeschooling associations in the United States.

Thanks for stopping by!! 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ;D

<3 Jaiden 

{Review} Broken by A.E. Rought

Broken
Author: A.E. Rought
Release Date: January 8, 2013
by, Strange Chemistry
Source: Netgalley
Format: Kindle
Pages: 384

Imagine a modern spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where a young couple’s undying love and the grief of a father pushed beyond sanity could spell the destruction of them all.  

A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry's boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. Now she restlessly wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetery and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.

When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she's intrigued despite herself. He's an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely... familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel, even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel's.

The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there's something very wrong with Alex Franks. And when Emma stumbles across a grotesque and terrifying menagerie of mangled but living animals within the walls of the Franks' estate, creatures she surely knows must have died from their injuries, she knows.{Goodreads}

 ~Review:
  Ok....look at that cover...its gorgeous you guys! I know, I know...I start off like this 9 times out of 10 but hey! You have to give credit when credits are due....and this is due...And it totally has meaning to the story. I love the color scheme and the font and ya the whole thing is just unique and lovely!

  Now, on to the review actually for the book and not the cover. At first I was confused and I blame the synopsis. I hate the synopsis for only one reason. It gives way too much away and then you end up focusing on that one piece of information and it ruins the element of surprise....it ruins the building plot. Wait, I forgot to mention the part I mean? Oh! *slaps forehead* silly me! I mean the very beginning and I quote..."Imagine a modern spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where a young couple’s undying love and the grief of a father pushed beyond sanity could spell the destruction of them all. " I think they should totally delete that part. Mentioning that this book is a modern spin on Frankenstein completely ruins the book and the readers mind/thoughts going into this book.

  For one...when the story actually develops into a rendition of Frankenstein...I already saw it coming. There was no gasping and horror for me. Two...I was so focused on the Frankenstein part that I was pointing out things that related to Frankenstein and I was unable to just sit back and enjoy the developing plot. Ya, so...I hate that part of the synopsis and I wish they would have never put it on there. I wish I could have read this book over again with no knowledge of its relation to Frankenstein.

  Anyways!!! Other than my little rant on the synopsis...this book was good...no. It was better than good. It was great! I loved this book a lot. I was very pleasantly surprised. In fact, I have been "pleasantly surprised" with a lot of books lately. I don't know if it is because I don't read the synopsis right before and so I have forgotten what the book is about or cus I have become more untrustworthy in some ways. I don't know. This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. It chilled me more than I thought it would. I knew it was going to be semi-creepy because of the whole Frankenstein thing but I didn't think it would have this creepy fog hovering over it the entire book. It was like having those gloomy thunderstorm clouds with the lightening cackling every now and then. It gave me goosebumps I will admit. It also had my heart squeezing and flipping.

  If it wasn't for Frankenstein's gloomy storm hovering over the pages then I would have taken it as any other contemporary read. A girl loses her love to a tragic accident and along comes a boy who fixes her heart. Again any other mending-the-broken-heart contemporary book except...this was no ordinary contemporary book. It was so much more. Again this book would have been so much more fun if I hadn't known it was a modern spin on Frankenstein. I would have loved playing the guessing game. It would have added to the mystery, suspense, and creep factor. This book was all sorts of amazing. It totally peaked my interest in gothic novels and movies...the old ones. I want the originals baby! ;)

  Now, let me talk about Alex for a moment shall I? I mean, what kinda fictional-boy-obsessor would I be if I didn't set aside a paragraph to talk about the love interest?? Ok, so Alex is plain out gorgeous you guys! Tall, lean, hazel eyes, dark hair with natural highlights. He has scars and a wicked rumor about his past following him around like a ghost. He is mysterious, bad-boy-repped and a total charmer! And did I mention he was totally and completely smexy!? O my. I fell for Alex hard not only for his looks but his heart and words. Again, total charmer and complete eye candy. The makes of a perfect boy. His past is terrible and his father worse. He would do anything for Emma and looks at her as if she is a dream come true every..single...time. *swoon!*

  This book is very much well written. Rought has one heck of a writing hand. She damn well knows what she is doing, wants to do and how to fulfill that all to us readers. She had me feeling the creep factor, love factor, sick factor, every factor in this book. Haunting, emotional, and beautiful...those are the words that come to mind when thinking of Broken. I really did enjoy this book. Started off a bit slow but it didn't take long to get me hooked! Happy with the way it ended! ^-^ Sad too though... :( Dudes, that ending was crazy! I totally recommend this to anyone who loves gothic novels. Then to those who enjoy romance with the paranormal/gothic twist. SO good! All I got to say! Rought has officially made a fan out of me and I will be looking forward to future books from her! :D

~Rating:

4 of 5 stars!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! :D

<3 Jaiden

{Review} What Kills Me by Wynne Channing

What Kills Me
Author: Wynne Channing
Release Date: June 6, 2012
by, Jet & Jack Press
Source: *a copy was provided by the author for review purposes*
Format: E-book
Pages: 209

The fight for survival begins.  An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.
So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.
How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals? {Goodreads}

~Review:
  For starters...another absolutely stunning cover!! Like seriously...look at that guys!! It has a major gorgeous factor there!! And its story...even more amazing and wonderful!!

  Here is an honest confession for you guys...I am afraid to read vampire books. Yup!! Its true! But...not because the vampires scare me. No, its because I am afraid of the writing, the plot, the story line. I am a fan of the Twilight saga. I really am but...every vampire book is in need to copy them and make as big of a name. They try to hard and they end up being..not so good. So starting this book I was afraid that it might be another vampire flop...Dudes...I had no reason to be worried. This book was so flippin fantastic!! The vampire lore was a mix of different stories I had read from. The story line was unique and the writing was superb! Wynne Channing definitely has a gift. Her writing and her imagination! She is a new favorite author of mine! Plus...a million props to her for defining herself in the world of vampire books. That is exactly what she did with her book..she stands out and proves that not all vampire books have to be a sappy love story...they can be kick ass and still have a love story entwined but one that doesn't take up the entire book.

  This book had me hooked and I couldn't put it down. It was intense and completely entrancing. Zee was one awesome character to stick with. She is smart and witty and totally kick ass...even if she doesn't know it. Zee was just a normal teen seeking a summer adventure in the land of Italy and maybe a little summer romance in a foreign city would be nice right? Ya, so that's when she meets a nice, handsome guy....a guy that leads her to her doom....almost literally. He, after trying to kill her (vampire folks!!) introduces her to the world of vampires. Again, after luring her with his charm...tries to kill her and ends up doing it...unintentionally. What!? Well, he planned sucking her dry but she ended up dying a different way...and then she returns..as a vampire...a vampire wanted by the vampire Monarchy..dead. And that is where are plot takes off!

  This book was intense and crazy! Along the way she meets Noel, Jerome, and Lucas. But things go down and I can't say much more without ruining the entire book for you. Mrs. Channing is also not a amateur when it comes to the fighting scenes....and yes, this book has tons of action packed fighting! Like I said...intense and crazy! The characters were so well written and the story was too making it feel like you are right there with Lucas and Zee the entire time! Lucas!! My goodness!! Lucas!! I loved him from the beginning! Well..to be honest I thought Zee and Jerome were going to be the love interest but..it ended up being Lucas and I am SO SO greatfull!! Lucas has his scars. He doesn't smile often and s often broody and as far as first impressions go...jerk status!! But there is so much more to him. You have to be pretty special for him to go out of his way protecting you. Him and Zee are major pains in the asses....so combine them and...ya, they pair up perfectly! I love how their love was a slow progression. They hated each other...slowly made it to tolerate each other....made friends...then they loved each other...but didn't act on it but when they did...SPARKS!!!! They were awesome together. They learned to have fun and they had their witty banter that just ended up defining them. I love Lucas!! He is definitely up there in my favorite boy crushes!!!! Omg....what happened..their first kiss...so awesome! It was just perfect. They were perfect!!

  This book was perfect!!! I can't even write a nice, semi-sophisticated review for this one! I am too busy fan girling over here!What Kills Me caught me completely off-guard sadly...I should have had full faith in it but I think that is what made it even better for me! The ending was magnificent and has me begging for more! What Kills Me is enticing and full out fantastic! You will fall head-over-heels in love with this book. From the writing, love, kick-ass fighting and characters and the vampire lore this book will knock you out! It has everything a perfect book has! I suggest every single one of you go pick up a copy ASAP! You do NOT want to miss out on this book! Seriously one of the best vampire books I have ever read! It deserves so much more hype and everyone should read it! Please!! Please! Please tell me there is a sequel cus all I want is more!!! I had planned on saying so much more but...starting to write this review...I lost all train of thought to the gushy love I have for it! I say this every time but it is true...I have tried to hold back on the five star hand outs because I wanted the big 5 star award to have more meaning to it...5 stars should only be given if the book is absolutely amazing....an obsession...a book that sinks its claws into your little heart....one that will forever leave footprints....and this book you guys...has everything needed to claim a 5 star ranking so.....

~Rating: 

5 of 5 wonderful stars!!!!!! <3 Buy. it. Now!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Have a great day! :)

~Jaiden

{Review} Hurricane by Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Hurricane (Hurricane #1)
Author: Jenna-Lynne Duncan
Published: August 29, 2011
Source: review e-book copy! MAJOR thanks!
Pages: 208
Publisher: Divertir Publishing LLC

Adriana couldn’t decide what was worse—that Hurricane Katrina was heading for New Orleans, or that she might not survive her kidnapping to see its potential effects. She had trusted Hayden, even fallen for him, and now he and his brother Luke were taking her deeper and deeper into the Bayou. Why had two of her classmates, the mysterious Boudreaux brothers, kidnapped her? Why had Adriana’s dreams started predicting the future? Most importantly, would she make it out of the Bayou alive…

A portion of the sales from 'Hurricane' will be going to the New Orleans Area Habitat Humanity for Humanity. {Goodreads}

Wow you guys! This book was incredible! First off I want to apologize to the author! It has taken me an awful amaount of time to get you review and I apologize greatly! (Also to other authors that are still waiting for the reviews: An explanation, apology, and agreement post will be up soon!)

As for the book.....ya it was amazing! I have slapped myself for putting reading it for so long! It has so much to offer! The beginning intrigues you and makes you wonder what is going to happen! Great prologue! Genius! It has so many mysteries and gets right to the point! Miss Duncan wastes no time and has a way with words that's for sure!

Adriana was a great protagonist. I enjoyed reading everything from her point of view. She isa person I can relate to...except for the paranormal in her life that is. This book was so detailed I believed it to be real some of the times! I literally had to check outside at a couple of times to see if there was a hurricane brewing outside and I live in a dessert! :O Seriously...like no joke! I had to constantly make sure I was brunette (have the blue eyes) and that everything was like it as supposed to be....THAT'S how real it all seemed!

Oh I can't leave out the boys now can I? So I admit! I love these boys! Word of advice for when you read this book....go easy on Luke.....Hayden...Hayden is super cute! Man I can't even say anything without giving it all away! All I'm going to say is...As cute as Hayden is....I LOVE Luke! Always have even from the very beginning...I don't know why I just did and I knew! From the very beginning I knew!! Muahahahahahaha #TeamLuke...enough said! ;p

~~~~~~~*My Rate*~~~~~~~

4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars!!

~~~~~~~*Final Say-So*~~~~~~~

You guys NEED to read this whenever you get the chance! You will not regret it! And a portion of your buy helps go to the New Orleans Area Habitat Humanity for Humanity!! Great right! This book is one I am going to re-read for sure! Even now I keep re-reading my favorite part over and over AND over and OVER AGAIN!!! I just can't get enough! It makes me smile every time I think of.......ya book two needs to come out soon! That ending was way to terrible! ;p

Thanks & many sorrys!!

~Jaiden

{Review} Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly (Unearthly #1)
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publish Date: January 4, 2011
Source: Bought
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 435

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart. {Goodreads}

Unearthly is just what is says above: a moving tale of love and fate. I absolutely adored this book! Most book now-a-days are about self-discovery. What am I? What world do I belong to? What am I capable of? Who are my real parent? Those are the questions the YA book's plot are based around(mostly). But this one...THIS one wasn't. No. This one was about destiny. I love how Clara already knows what she is, a quarter angel. What she isn't sure of: the person in her vision and what it is she is supposed to do.

Now instead of finding out who SHE is we get to see who HE is!! :D And nothing is better than having a plot based around the him! In this case the him is Christian! I LOVE Christian he is sooo cute BUT I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tucker!!! O. M!. G!!!! Tucker!! Man....Tucker is hilarious, sweet and loving. Even though he picks on Clara, he likes her... ALOT!

*sighs* his day fir her b-day!! *sighs, swoons, melts, dies,etc* Ya, I think you get the point! ;)

I really enjoyed Ms. Hand's writing style. It was simple and straight to the point. You understood it because it was easy wording. But at the same time it wasn't elementary easy. Sometimes I feel that authors try to hard to show they are a good writer by putting big fancy words in their story. Sometimes it's understandable. They need the bigger words to state a greater point, I get that! But sometimes it's plain out unnecessary. Normally you are fine with the simpler words and it gets on just fine! Cynthia played both traits (bigger and smaller words) perfectly. When a bigger word was needed it was there. When she knew using a smaller word would work just fine it was there!

Sometimes she would jump from time really quick and you would be a little confused for awhile and have to re-read the last sentence but I came to like it! I also enjoyed how she distinguished her characters. The mom bugged me a little because of how she was so short-answered but that was just part of the book, nothing to do with the writing. I loved each and every character though no-matter what. Although...Angela...Angela seems oddly suspicious but I'll find out more I guess and see if I'm right in the next book.

Oh! and do I even mention the way she crafted the ending? Yes, I shall.....The ending...o my goodness guys! The ENDING!! I was sooo not expecting that!! Thank goodness the second book comes out this week! I need more Tucker and answers! :D

~~~*My Rate*~~~

~~~*Final Say-So*~~~

This book deserves nothing lower than 5-stars in my book! Altogether I really enjoyed this book. It was different and amazing! I loved this side to the angel stories out their. Everything about this book was breathtaking! The story line was beautiful and I loved it all! You ALL need to read it if you haven't already! No joke! It is a must!! I am uber excited for Hallowed!! :D

~~~*Trailer*~~~

~~~*Favorite Quotes*~~~

“Tucker," I say. "I'm so glad you're still here."
I throw myself into his arms. He hugs me tightly.
"I couldn't leave," he says.
"I know."
"I mean, literally. I don't have a ride.”

"'Oh, and Carrots...'

'Yes?'

'If you end up going to prom, save me a dance, okay?' Before I have time to process this request, he drives away." ~Awwwe! (Tucker and Clara)

“Tucker: "But she gave me the perfect gift."
Clara: "What?"
Tucker: "You.” 

  “What do you see in a guy like Christian Prescott?" he asked me that night when he dropped me off from prom. And what he was really saying then, what would have come out loud and clear if I hadn't been so blind was, Why don't you see me"

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed my review! :)

~Jaiden

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