Review: Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout aka J. Lynn

Title: Frigid
Author: J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Published: July 15th 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

Ohhhkay. Let me get this straight: I KNOW there are people out there who absolutely loved this book and I am sorry for what I am about to say. It's solely my opinion, it doesn't have to match yours. I am glad that you were able to enjoy something by Jennifer since she is a kick-a author. For me, unfortunately, this was the weakest I have read by Jennifer. Let me tell you why.

“How much snow are they calling for?” “Somewhere between a lot and holy fuck.” 

The story. Sydney has been in love with her best friend Kyler forever. Kyler is by any means a man-whore with no dignity. He is cocky and doesn't realize that Sydney wants him more than a friend. They go up to the mountains to spend a weekend skiing with their friends just like every year, however, this year is going to be different. There's a huge snow storm and only these two end up in this frigid house with their past mistakes haunting them and it seems like someone else is out to get them as well.

My thoughts. Maybe if there would have been more Kyler's point of view, I would have understood him more, but no. I just found him to be a jerk who had redeemable qualities, but he didn't redeem his behaviour to me by any means. He was like an imperfect Daemon Black 2.0. He was constantly with other girls, but god forbid that Syd gets a guy. He went bonkers and got out of his way to keep her away from any potential love interest. Look, I like Jen's writing, I do, but all of her books and characters are starting to melt together for me to the point where I don't separate Seth, Daemon and Kyler from each other and the same goes for Katy, Avery and Sydney. There are more examples, but they're all basically the same. Seth may not ever get the girl, but the rest of the ones I brought up: a nerdy, cute, avarage girl getting it on with a cocky, charismatic, hot guy. You see a trend here? Because I do.

I thought the plot sounded interesting and enjoyable, but it turned out to be poorly executed. In my eyes only, of course. I know that Jen's capable of so much more and this was just.. blahhh. I found Sydney to be so annoying. She needed saving every step of the way. She spent time laying on the ground or getting hurt other ways and getting hit or falling more than I could count. She is the definition of a clutz. Also, she just kept pining and whining and going on and on and on about Kyler. I grew tired of that by the 5th chapter if not sooner. Kyler was just all-out annoying for me. 'nuff said. And let's not even start about the whole 'someone is out to get us murdered' storyline. What. In. The. World. I guessed who was behind it as soon as they started talking about it. I mean, come on! Really? Really? *rolls eyes* Oh, and the first half of the books was spent on building up anticipation and when it finally happened, it was sex for at least 4 chapters straight. That was too much, I'm telling you. I just skipped that part after reading the first sex chapter. Wayyyy too much!

The best part of the novel was the tree climbing scene. I wish that their best friends would have been more in the picture. Right now I can't remember their names. Was the guy Trevor? I may be wrong. Anyhow, if you've read this one, you know who I'm talking about. I thoroughly enjoyed their relationship and I wish there would have been more scenes including them, them starting a relationship storyline etc. I also enjoyed that the MCs weren't damaged. That's refreshing.

I hope I didn't offend anyone with this rant, but I just couldn't hold it in me. I didn't enjoy this one. It isn't the worst book I've read, but it was the worst by Jen that I've read. She didn't wow me this time even though I was ready to be blown away. I can totally see what people like in this book, but I'm getting tiresome of the same guys and girls playing the main role and in my eyes, the story wasn't that well executed. I'm not giving up on Jen with this book. She's still a rockstar author and I'm looking forward to reading something else by her.

A question to the big circle: don't you think this would have worked better as a Christmas/winter read as opposed to being published in mid July *__*

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Meet the author

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Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Published: May 19th 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | The Book Depository

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Before I start with this review, my apologies in advance for most likely the longest review I've ever written. The book is the size of a beast and I have so many feeeeeellllzzz that I just need to get them out there.

When I finished the first four books in The Mortal Instruments series, I wanted to read something else by Cassie and since the first two in The Infernal Devices were out, I gave them a try. I didn’t immediately love the characters since let’s face it, I had become to love the ones in TMI and I read TID right after. However, now that I think about it, I was way too harsh with my Clockwork Angel review and when I really think about it, TID series is maybe even better in my eyes.

“A very magnanimous statement, Gideon,” said Magnus.
“I’m Gabriel.”
Magnus waved a hand. “All Lightwoods look the same to me.” 

We pick up shortly after where Clockwork Prince ended. Everything is such a mess. Tessa getting ready for her wedding, one of the guys being upset about it and trying not to show it to the rest of the world. Oh boy, did that pain kill me in every single scene. The Magister is gathering his forces to attack and Charlotte’s position as the head of London’s institute is in jeopardy thanks to the very ambitious, jealous and conniving consul Wayland. I felt so darn bad for Charlotte – she has worked her butt off to protect the Shadowhunters and her loved ones and everything might be ripped away by that awful consul who’s threatened by a woman. What a jackass.

Cassie takes no time to jump into action as the Lightwoods have a problem they need help to solve. Here are a few questions that came to mind while I was reading Clockwork Princess: why haven’t I noticed how amazing Gabriel Lightwood is? Why wasn’t I initially excited about the fact that Cecily came to the institute? Why did Cassie make me feel ALL of that with this plot of surprising revelations and complex relationships? It was a brutal ugly crying in some of the scenes, but sadness wasn’t the only emotion brought out in me as Will and Magnus made me laugh out loud on several occasions and excitement ran in my blood with every page turn. The quote above portrays perfectly why these two make such great friends.

The characters in this story are multi-dimensional and very enjoyable. I came to love every single one of them in my own way. I was surprised how much questions were answered, however, I agree with some of the readers that a few of them were a little too vague. Did I mention that I became to love Cecily and Gabriel? Ohhhhh, man! LOVE THESE TWO SO HARD. It was pretty incredulous though how everyone found their soul-mates. Among the people in Institute, nevertheless. Awkward, but understandable. Also, I’m not complaining since most of these were my OTP-s.

This review is already too darn long, but the ending deserves a paragraph on its own, so bare with me, alright? I have mixed feelings about this one. I loved it and at the same time I hated it. I’m more than sure that most of the fandom is satisfied with this solution and in some ways, I am too. However, I feel like it was too easy. Maybe City of Heavenly Fire will explain to us how the impossible turned out to be possible, but it feels a little icky for me. I loved both of the guys and let’s face it, when every single person in a love triangle loves the other two more than life itself, it’s bound to be tough. The epilogue… It didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth if you know what I mean. I am happy, I’m truly happy, but do I understand? No, I don’t. Not on all levels. I understand why Cassie wrote it that way though, but I still dont give thumbs up to this solution.

To sum up one of the longest reviews I have ever written, this book is a beast in the best way possible. It comes at you with all these emotions and makes you feel ALL the feels there is to feel. I loved almost every single part of it and I truly recommend you to read these books. All I need now is to get the first two in hardcovers so I can put myself through heart ache again and again. I’m a masochist like that, lol. In all honesty, I adored this book and it was a great way to end a series. *fingers crossed it won’t be continued (and ruined)*

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Review: Elite by Rachel Van Dyken

Title: Elite (Eagle Elite #1)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Published: April 14th 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
*A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review*

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .
The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect. Their rules are simple. 1. Do not touch The Elect. 2. Do not look at The Elect. 3. Do not speak to The Elect. No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late.

I'm not a huge fan of surprises unless they're good so I think you get why I didn't have a lovely, friendly, adorable relationship with this book. It wasn't at all what I expected and I am sorry if some of you enjoyed this book, what comes next is solely my opinion and we're all different. Whatever floats your boat, dude! This pretty, unfortunately, did nothing for me.

When I met Nixon I had no idea what life had in store for me. In my wildest dreams, I could have never imagined this.

The story. So we have this weird, weird school where all the influential kids attend and Tracey, being a cow-loving farm girl (seriously, she loved her cows more than herself) with a scolarship, wasn't an insider. She was an outsider intruding in and it did not suit well for the Elite. The four guys, along with Nixon--Tracey's love interest--run the school and organize everything: lunch schedules, give elevator passes, choose who's at the top of the food chain in the school etc. They are the Elect. They also bully people both physically and emotionally. Also, Nixon owns the school and if a teacher sees bullying, they don't even blink an eye. 'Hello Mr. Nixon' is all they say, smile and walk away.

My thoughts. Ok, so here's the thing. I'm not going to lie, I'm tired of the same old formula where the main characters have dark pasts and they need this other half who completes them and gives a meaning to their lives and helps one surpass one's past etc. Does it happen in life? I believe so, but it's getting tiresome. Mad props for Rachel for trying to pull off something different. However, sadly this isn't the only aspect I'm looking for in books, I need more. The whole plot was just plain confusing. The first half of it on my part was spent on thoughts like 'wtf is going on' and 'stand the eff up for yourself' and the latter half was where the first part was explained, but it wasn't enough of an explanation for me.

The MC.. Where do I even start with her? She was a clutz who didn't stand up for herself. When she tried, she got to starr in this huge bullying scheme where she was drugged, labeled as a slut, didn't get to eat, got thrown with eggs and sugar water etc. Oh, and she cried about every single thing. In public, by the way. I don't get why she didn't leave the school. You're bullied that heavily in college. The whole time she had a crush on the guy who ran the school and was the head of the Elect who bullied her. He was bullying her to supposedly protect her and as it turned out later on, he had every reason to protect her. Does it make his actions okay? Most definitely not! Even though when the whole twist came in to the picture, it turned out that Nixon loves this girl, but I mean.. wtf? Look, the premise was truly intriguing and awesome, the way it was delivered lacked believability.

The saddest thing is that I actually want to read the sequel because I want to know what happens next regarding the ending. How messed up is that? I am not, in fact, a fan of spoilery reviews, but sometimes they pay off so I hope that there will be spoiler-ish reviews on Goodreads so I can read them and find out what happens without actually purchasing the book. I hate writing these negative reviews and I understand what could appeal to readers in Elite, but as much as it pains me to say this, I wasn't happy while reading this and I think there are better books out there by this author to be discovered beforehand.

Oh, just a little note here at the end: the teaser for the second book introduces a lovely love triangle of Nixon, Tracey and Nixon's best friend. Are. You. Kidding. Me. I think you get my frustration..

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Meet the author

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Sizzling Summer Giveaway and Excerpt by A. W. Exley

Today I have the pleasure to give you the chance to win awesome prizes, but also an excerpt of Nefereti's Heart by A. W. Exley. I have been very curious about acient Egyptian culture and mythology etc and I can't wait to read this book myself, it sounds  really good. I hope you enjoy the excerpt and be sure to participate in this amazeballs giveaway! Good luck, lovelies!

Title: Neferetiti's Heart
Author: A. W. Exely
Published: February 14th 2013
Add it: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Books A Million

Nefertiti’s Heart By A. W.Exley Cara Devon has always suffered curiosity and impetuousness, but tangling with a serial killer might cure that. Permanently.
London, 1861. Impoverished noble Cara has a simple mission after the strange death of her father - sell off his damned collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan goes awry when aristocratic beauties start dying of broken hearts, an eight inch long brass key hammered through their chests. A killer hunts amongst the nobility, searching for a regal beauty and an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality.
Her Majesty’s Enforcers are in pursuit of the murderer and they see a connection between the gruesome deaths and Cara. So does she, somewhere in London her father hid Nefertiti’s Heart, a fist sized diamond with strange mechanical workings. Adding further complication to her life, notorious crime lord, Viscount Nathaniel Lyons is relentless in his desire to lay his hands on Cara and the priceless artifact. If only she could figure out his motive.
 Self-preservation fuels Cara's search for the gem. In a society where everyone wears a mask to hide their true intent, she needs to figure out who to trust, before she makes a fatal mistake.

 Excerpt from Chapter 4

Picking up the corner of her skirts, she stepped into the carriage and took the bench seat facing backward. The Villainous Viscount, known in society as Nathaniel Trent, Viscount Lyons, occupied the opposite side.
Cara guessed him to be approaching thirty, young for his position in the underworld, but he had spent ten years ruthlessly climbing to the top. He was reputed to be the head underworld figure in London and beyond. His family had no fortune to match their titles, so he set about acquiring one. With a formidable head for business, he established an airship cargo company. It generated a healthy income stream on its own, plus had the added benefit of providing an excellent front for his illegal activities, and extended his reach far beyond London. He simultaneously repulsed and attracted society. He was titled, rich, bad to know, and deadly to cross.
And he's handsome. 
He was tall, his legs taking up an inordinate amount of room in the plush carriage. Her eyes ran up over highly polished, black boots and muscular thighs. Heading farther north, she took in his powerful torso in a formfitting, grey frock coat. He wore his black hair short and his sideburns narrow and long, emphasising his strong face and square jaw. A shiver ran down her spine as she met his steel-blue gaze.
"You shot my men."
At least he got straight to the point, no inane social niceties. She would never have to worry about inviting him over for tea, crumpets, and chitchat.
"They were trespassing in my house and tried to rob me." She undid the buttons on her jacket. The interior of the carriage constricted around her; the heat from his dominating presence caused the temperature to rise.
"I've killed men for doing less." His tone was well modulated, with no change in inflection nor any hint of anger; they could have been discussing the weather.
"So have I." She held his gaze. She could play his pissing contest all day if he wanted. He wasn't getting his hands on her father's notebook. Lord Devon sold her into slavery and nearly beat her to death when she escaped. Her father owed her a large debt, and with his notebook secure, she intended to collect a small portion of her due. She was going to enjoy breaking up his valuable collection of antiquities as much as she enjoyed smashing his stupid, precious clock.
"Keep your men out of my house, unless you want to lose them permanently." She shifted on the seat. Her jacket fell open to reveal the shoulder holster with the gun nestled close to her chest. A custom Smith and Wesson with a carved ivory handle, the delicacy of the bone co-ordinated with the cream silk lining of her jacket. She made her threat without blinking. Let him discover she was no blushing English rose. She had thorns.

Meet the author

Anita is a writer living in rural New Zealand, surrounded by horses and homicidal chickens. Being a bona fide corset wearing, sidesaddle riding freak, probably explains her fascination for historical novels :) She loves to blend steampunk adventures with an Egyptian twist, and turn up the heat. 

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Review: OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu

Title: OCD Love Story
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Published: July 23rd 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
*An ARC was provided in excange for an honest review*

In this raw and relatable romance, Bea learns that some things just can’t be controlled.

When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again.

But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic... and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed.

Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down...and she might end up breaking her own heart.

In addition to it being one of my most anticipated books of 2013, it was my first request on Edelweiss and I got approved. Whohoo!! (Thank you, Simon Pulse.) I was super stoked to get my hand dirty so to speak and dive into the unknown since I have heard of OCD and I know the basics, but not the details and to be inside someone's head who has obsessive compulsive disorder was a truly intirguing idea.

I can't trap the words before they come out. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I suffer from some sort of Tourette's-autism hybrid, but Dr. Pat insists I can control the impulse to say whatever pops into my head. That it's, like, a defensive mechanism, not a biological imperative. Therapists think everyone is a defence mechanism. Just me thinking that in my head, right now, is a defence mechanism. (page 30 of the arc.)

The story. Bea is our main character and she attends this dance between two schools and suddenly the power goes out. She hears a guy having a panic attack and goes to help him since she's familiar with the case. They kind of bond through that experience and Bea does something a little reckless. A little later on in the novel they meet in group therapy and it turnes out that Beck isn't that normal either. Bea has serious issues, which she doesn't realize at first. She has OCD and this is her story.

My thoughts. I liked Bea as a character. She's such a conflict for me as a peronality since I could not decide if I really loved her or was completely disturbed by her. I think it was a little bit of both. Her thoughts were all over the place to the point where these tiny little details meant  everything to her and she really did suffer under these compulsions that Dr. Pat--her therapist--talked about in their group sessions. At first I didn't realize that the other kids who attended these group therapy sessions had just as strong if not stronger compulsions themselves, but as the novel progressed, we got to see different sides of obsessive compulsion disorder and it was kind of an eye-opening experience for me.

I really enjoyed the love story between Beck and Bea. While Bea is more under the compulsion of people and dreaming, Beck is a guy who is obsessed with the number 8. For instance, there was this one part where he needed to take a shower, he wanted to pull it off with 8 minutes, but didn't make it, so 88 minutes it was. He is a gym-a-holic and an obsessive hand washer. These two shouldn't really work, but they do. The attraction between the two is there from page one as you can imagine.

It wasn't only about the romance though. OCD Love Story was also a book that shows us how this disease affects family relationships, friendships, one's life in general and even strangers. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book. It wasn't a light read by any means, it gives you this disturbed feeling throughout the entire book and that's okay because it is meant to portray the hard parts of a person suffering from OCD. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, no. I think these people are interesting and if they want, they can take on any task they set themselves up for and this novel portrays it beautifully.

The final verdict is that I adored this book even if being in Bea's head was at times awkward and really disturbing. She was also a fun character to spend time with and she cracked me up quite a bit. I have never read anything like this and I enjoyed that it was written from first person point of view since it gave us an intimate relationship with Bea and we saw firsthand how OCD affects a person and the people surrounding one. I definitely recommend this book to all of you who are the tiniest bit interested. Even if you end up disliking it, it's a book you will most certainly not forget.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Meet the author

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Birthday Celebration: Brazen Has a Surprise for You

I am very excited to announce that Entangled's sexy Brazen imprint is celebrating its birthday and turns one. What a year it has been for its authors and books. We know this imprint for its bold, sexy and spicy characters. This week will be filled with giveaways, sales and everything awesome. Today I'll give you guys information on what Brazen has to offer you throughout this week:)

Bazen Books, who brought us Wrong Bed Right Guy, Officer Off Limits, Seducing Cinderella, and Tempting the Player - to name just a few - is turning 1 this month, and they’re celebrating in a big way. They’ve got a ton of great things going on this week, including Twitter parties, FB events, and even a huge sale! Full deets below:

Giveaway

Epic Giveaways - Don’t miss the Brazen Bash on Thursday, July 25th from 7 to 10 pm EST where you can comment to win a $50 prize pack, $75 prize pack, or $125 prize pack. Prize packs will be a combination of Gift cards from Amazon/B&N, Adam & Eve, and Sephora! You can find out more details on the Brazen Facebook page.

Social media

Q&A’s with NYT bestselling authors - Twitter Chat with Laura Kaye @laurakayeauthor Tuesday, July 23rd from 9 to 10 pm EST. Twitter Chat with Katee Robert @katee_robert Wednesday, July 24th from 6 to 7 pm PST. They’ll be using the hashtag #BrazenBash so you can easily join in the conversation. 

Photo contest - Be sure to check out Brazen’s Tumblr page to share your favourite pictures of swoon-worthy men that remind you of the heroes in Brazen books! Either post your picture to your own tumblr using the tag “brazenbash” Or you can submit your photo directly to the Brazen tumblr page. Make sure to tweet your tumblr posts as well using #BrazenBash

SALE ALERT!!!

Surprise 99 cent sale! - They’ve dropped the price of 8 of their top-selling titles for 1 week only - and it happened already yesterday. The sale will run from July 21st to 28th. So be sure to keep your eyes peeled! Tell your mom, your sisters, your co-workers! 

Seducing Cinderella by Gina Maxwell | Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert | Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey | Private Practice by Samanthe Beck | Tempting the Best Man by Jennifer Armentrout | One Night with a Hero by Laura Kaye | No Flowers Required by Cari Quinn | Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson 

I hope you guys have a lot of fun! Brazen imprint is such a fun way to spend you summer with spicy reads and I hope you'll participate in some of these events. Happy birthday, Brazen Books!

Book Haul #22

Haven't done one in a while again. I think it's been a month if not more. I haven't received any paperbacks throughout this time other than The Sea of Tranquility--love that book--which I loaned to my mom and she took it to her vacation with her so I can't show it to you this week. The rest of the paperbacks/hard covers I've received before, but haven't showcased yet. If you've read any of these, let me know and I'll push them up on my tbr list. Be sure to leave me your links so I can visit all of you lovelies back:)

Physical copies

Sweet Peril (Sweet Evil #2) by Wendy Higgins

Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare (read, review will be up soon)

E-books

OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu (arc, currently reading)

Elite by Rachel van Dyken (review copy, already read)

The Lies We Tell by Elizabeth Dunk (arc, already read)

I also received a little bit of swag throughout that time. A huge thanks to Jennifer Jacopelli for these gorgeous bookmarks. Moreover, the always wonderful Trisha Wolfe, who is just one of the best human beings, sent me signed bookmarks which she designed herself, by the way, and a very lovely letter. Thanks so so so much you guys! *hugs*

A HUGE thanks to Edelweiss, Netgalley, Simon Pulse, Forever, Harlequin Australia, Jennifer Jacopelli and Trisha Wolfe.

What did you get this week? Leave your links below and I'll check out your goodies :)

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Mod Podge Bookshelf and Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Review: Wrong Kind of Love by Amanda Heath

Title: Wrong Kind of Love (Young Love #3)
Author: Amanda Heath
Published: June 27th 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The first time I ever saw Caden Harper I’m pretty sure I fell in love. All that golden hair and pale blue eyes. He was mysterious and covered in paint. I found it endearing and wanted nothing more than to find out all his secrets. I gave that man things I would never give anyone else. He blew it though. Which I shouldn’t be surprised considering he is a womanizer.
So I moved on, well kind of. Jaden Harper wasn’t what I expected. I found myself drawn to him almost as much as his brother. Maybe it’s the fact they are twins or maybe it was the fact I wanted to live on the wrong side for once in my life.
Now I’ve found myself dug deep in this game. There's no end in sight and I wonder when all the lies I have told will come back to haunt me. Neither man should know the things I’ve gone through. Neither should trust me. I’m not who I say I am. My past is full of things I won’t ever share.
But where will that lead me when Caden wants nothing more than to consume me? He won’t wake up to see he has the wrong kind of love.
My Name is Grace Breadfield and this is my story.

Goodreads has this question when you post a review 'What did you think'. What did I think indeed... Hmh.. Ok, I liked the beginning and I was rooting for Caden all the way and of course since it's from his and Grace's POV we know that they'll end up together, there's no other option. However, I was so annoyed by Grace that I wanted to sucker punch her at times. She was almost as annoying as Ms. Anastasia Steele. Never in my wildest dreams did I think someone would come close to annoy me as much as Mrs. Christian Grey did. Ugh.. I liked the main idea and Caden was ok, but overall it was meh for me.

I won't bore you with what happened because you aren't reading this to find out about sex with Jaden. You're reading this to find out what happens between Caden and me. Well before you think this is the end, just keep reading. I promise you that you won't be disappointed. 

The whole time Caden and Grace were back-and-forth. When I was little, my Grandma had this comparison to situations like this: a bird sits on a roof covered in tar and his feathered tail gets stuck in the tar. When it pulled its tail free, its nose got stuck. When it finally got its nose free, again, its tail got stuck. And so it went and the bird didn't manage to get free from the tar. At the age of 4 it was funny, now not so much. It's the perfect analogy to describe Caden and Grace's relationship. We desperately want them to be together and when one of them wants a relationship, the other manages to find an excuse why it should not happen. They go around circles the ENTIRE, excuse my French, fucking book. Oh and did I mention that Grace is dating Caden's twin brother? *face palm*

It was just frustrating and the characters were plain annoying. They got angry for no reason, fought like a married couple, hated and loved each other, longed, lusted, had sex, forgave too easily and throughout the entire time they weren't in a relationship and I seriously fought the urge to slap them. I read a book with a similar plot (Every Which Way by Calia Read) and had a more pleasant experience with it. Plus, there was no cheating involved. Guess which one I liked better.. Also, read the quote above. I was disappointed and that paragraph was enough to leave me that way. I'm sorry, but this character had no self-respect whatsoever.

The ending was cute, yes. There were a few things I liked about this book, but they were definitely out-shadowed by the whole 'too much drama made out of nothing' thing, plus, yeah, let's face it, the characters are just as annoying as having a high fever during summer. I'm going with a 1.5 rating thanks to the few things I liked and the main thanks for that goes to Caden who was probably one of the few characters I liked and his relationship with Declan (her sister's boyfriend and one of the MCs in the first book) was awesome and enjoyable.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Meet the author

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Cover Reveal: Unafraid by Melody Grace

I read the first book in this series when it came out this spring and it was pretty well written, I must admit. I liked the emotions Unbroken brought out in me and let's face it! Re-connection stories are some of my favorites:) It's very suitable for the summer season, too. It's light, fast-paced and perfect for a day in beach. I'm happy to show you the cover of the second book in this series Unafraid. I hope you like it.

Title: Unafraid (Beachwood Bay #2)

Author: Melody Grace

Published: August 25th

Add it: Goodreads

"The first time I saw her, I knew this girl was wilder than any stallion I’d ever trained. She was headstrong, wounded, passionate and free. And I had to have her…"

Brittany Ray doesn’t care about her bad reputation. Growing up in a sleepy beach town with a junkie mom and a runaway dad, Brit’s learned the hard way that the people you love will only let you down. It’s no use hoping for love or happiness. Some dreams aren’t meant for girls like her.

Hunter Covington is one of those dreams.

Gorgeous, charming Hunter is damn near perfect—and it’s killing him. Son of Charleston royalty, he’s been trapped in a gilded cage since the day he was born. Now he’s breaking free. He’s quit law school to restore his grandpa’s old horse ranch, trying to soothe the demons in his soul. But Beachwood Bay is full of old ghosts, like the mysterious girl who spent an unforgettable night with him—and then slipped away before dawn. Brit.

Everything about her screams danger, but Hunter doesn’t care: he’s never felt a connection so deep. And try as she may, Brit can’t resist the desire consuming her —or the safety she finds in Hunter’s arms.

A reckless passion. An undeniable bond. Scarred by their pasts, Brit and Hunter fight to heal old wounds. But will dark secrets tear apart their new beginning? And when love is the biggest risk of all, can they find the courage to face the future unafraid? 

I like the cover. It's not maybe as perfect as Unbroken was, but it's definitely suitable with the theme that this series has. Also, it takes place near water so water and the lighthouse behind the couple is perfect. By the way, doesn't the girl remind you a little og Sophia Bush? Maybe I'm imagining it. The guy looks a little like James Lafferty which brings me all kinds of awkward thoughts about Brooke and Nathan. Oh, well.. Now I want to watch One Tree Hill again. *sigh* Anyhow, what do you guys think of the cover? ;) Have you read the first book? Did you like it? Would you pick this companion novel up?

Meet Melody

Melody Grace is the USA Today bestselling author of UNBROKEN and UNTOUCHED. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach-lover, she spent years with her nose in a book before deciding it was time to write them for herself. She loves bad boys, good books, and pistachio-flavored ice-cream.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Trailer Reveal: Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout aka J. Lynn

I haven't seen it yet (it's private as I'm writing this post), but I'm sure it'll be wonderful. I can't wait to see this pretty. I have seen superb reveiws for this book and I'm more than sure Jennifer will deliver it to us with the level of heat, swoon and smexy as always. She's creat at creating those, isn't she? So, I'm happy to share this trailer for Frigid, Jennifer's new book. Hope you like it:)

Title: Frigid
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: June 15th 2013
Add it: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn’t anything new. They’d been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the ‘man’ in man-whore. He’s never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn’t want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she’s perfect and she’s everything. But the feelings he has for her, he’s always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they’re stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor’easter, there’s nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

You guys, I'm so excited to read this! What do you think? Will you read it? Did you enjoy the trailer? 

Meet Jennifer

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Title: Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)
Author: Colleen Hoover
Published: February 25th 2012
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart.

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

This review contains no spoilers for the series. You're free to read without fear of spoiling all the amazingness that is Colleen Hoover's Slammed series :-)

My true love story (lol) with Ms. Colleen Hoover started with this very same book. It is one of the most magnificent, brilliant, gorgeous, sob-my-eyes-and-heart-out books that I have ever come across. What else is there to say? Nothing. However, this isn’t much of a review if I just leave it at that so I’ll count down all the little things I adored in this book even when reading it the 4th time. That’s right. So here we go!

“If I were a carpenter, I would build you a window to my soul. But I would leave that window shut and locked, so that every time you tried to look through it all you would see is your own reflection. You would see that my soul is a reflection of you.”

Whereas the first book was from Layken’s point of view, this time we will see things through Will’s eyes. We get some of his thoughts on what happened in Slammed, but mostly it’s a new story following the events of what happened in Slammed. Point of Retreat has given me more tears than any other book I’ve read before. It’s filled with immensely powerful emotional scenes – especially the hospital ones.

With this novel I truly realized how much Lake, Will and the rest of the co has had to grow up throughout the past year. I wouldn’t wish that much hurt and heartache to anyone. The amount of loved ones these kids have lost has marked and scarred them forever, but they still live on while loving, caring, supporting each other. So what did I love so much about this one? I’ll tell you what: slams, characters, story, growth, fights, laughs, sucks and sweets – absolutely everything. There wasn’t a thing I didn’t love.

With all that said, Point of Retreat is without doubt one of the best contemporaries I have ever read. This series is just so original and unique and I am in love with its characters, story and meaning. Every single line in this book is quotable and butterfyling perfect! I have said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again: if you haven’t read this series, please pick it up and give it a chance. It may very well happen that it’ll rock your world (multiple times) as it did mine.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars with a badge of brilliance on top of that

Meet the author

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Cover Reveal: See Me by Wendy Higgins

Have you read the amazingness that is Sweet Evil? I have and let me tell you, that series is by far one of the most original and best out there! I'm glad to announce, even though most of you probably know this news already, that Wendy is publishing a new book. It's awesome that she asked fans to help her with writing (critique) and also gave us a little sneak peek by telling us what the story is/isn't about. You can view that post here. Today is all about Wendy and See Me. I'm happy to share this gorgeous cover with you. Eeek!

Title: See Me
Auhtor: Wendy Higgins
Published: October 1st 2013
Genre: YA Romance and Magical Realism with a dash of Fantasy
**Story will be available in ebook from Amazon, B&N, and Kobo for $3.99, and paperback will be for sale through Amazon and Createspace for $10.99. It will not be available for preorder. This book is being self-published by the author and her agent.

The blurb

While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she could have imagined.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

Add to goodreads.

Tadaaaaa!!! I'm sure Kai wouldn't mind if I borrowed a very smexy pronouncation of the word love from him, so here goes: I LUV THIS COVAAAHHHH!! It's so pretty. The girl is cute, the cover is alluring and I like the colours. Also, it doesn't give you the hint of a fairy book, but at the same time it does. Doesn't green remind you of fairies? It does to me. I want this book so bad! I'll read everything Wendy writes and this will be no exception. What do you think of the cover and the blurb? Are you excited? :)

Meet Wendy

Wendy Higgins is the author of Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril from HarperTeen. She lives in the Washington D.C. area with her husband, daughter, son, and puppy Rue.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Every Which Way by Calia Read

Title: Every Which Way (Sloan Brothers #1)
Author: Calia Read
Published: November 13th 2012
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

Severine Blake has seen far too many friends taken down in the crossfires of dating. She devises a precise course of action to protect her heart. The plan is working very well...until she meets Thayer and Macsen.
When the Sloan brothers come into her life, nothing is the same.
Thayer is self-possessed, arrogant and used to getting what he wants. Being near him leaves Severine unsteady and shaken. He makes her question everything.
Macsen contradicts his brother in every way. His calm personality captivates her. Severine is drawn to him instantly.
But Severine quickly discovers that when you want something, that want can turn wicked. Giving in is not always easy, especially when your heart refuses to give up the fight.
What little illusion of love Severine has is soon destroyed. Every option is broken, and the protection she has built around her heart instantly crumbles.
There's just no right way with the Sloan brothers.

I find it great to discover new authors and Calia Read definitely delivered it for me with this book. I had it on my tbr shelf for quite some time and finally decided to pick it up a few months ago. It was practically a one day read for me and I quite enjoyed this thrilling ride of chemistry and seduction.

“She sketched this moment into her mind, because nothing could be so perfect. Nothing could stay right, and last.”

The story. We have Severine as our MC and while being in a café with her friend, she meets two brothers. Two very hot brothers at that. Thayer and Macsen are every girl’s dream and she picks both of their interest. One she likes, the other just infuriates her. One likes her, the other not so much. However, there’s just something about that other guy that Severine can’t put her finger on. Something that enflames her and as the masks come off, she has to make a decision – set herself free with the true owner of her heart or continue to pretend in this relationship that’s bound to end up as a shipwreck.

My thoughts. I was so team Thayer, you have no idea! That guy was hot and hidden behind all that hotness was actually a genuine heart, a good brain and on top of that, he was also a great basketball player. A full package! I liked Macsen, but I didn’t found him to have that much chemistry with Severine so team Thayer it was. Even though I was frustrated with Severine at times, I was glad that she didn’t cheat even though she was tempted when she wasn’t happy in her relationship with one of the (half-)brothers. Plus it helps that the two men weren't on great terms with their brotherly relationship.

I’m pumped up for the next book to see what happens with everyone and oh, my favorite character aside from Thayer was probably Chris. Hahahaha! He just cracked me up. This book was good and I enjoyed the butterflies-in-my-stomach and swoon-worthy moments by my guy – Thayer – and I also can’t wait for that Thayer’s POV which takes place in the future. Yay! I would have liked Severine to stand up for herself before and end the relationship with the one she didn't choose, but the tension between her and the brother she chose at the end was so delicious, that I often overlooked it. Also, I liked that these people actually studied. College isn't all parties--you have to pass in your classes you know. Lol. They even had study groups which was awesome.

Every Which Way didn’t make me cry so I can’t give that extra point for that, but I had fun with it even though Severine was somewhat of a nutjob for me at times. I’d recommend it to all New Adult lovers out there and it’s perfect for the summer season. I’m excited for the companion novel and what’s next to come for these characters since most of them sneaked their way into my heart and I’m sure they all have more stories to be told.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Meet the author

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Excerpt and Giveaway: Rush by Eve Silver

Title: Rush (The Game #1)
Author: Eve Silver
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen
Add it: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Kobo

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Excerpt

There’s a flash of light, blindingly bright. Colored haloes obscure my vision. They dance and flicker and then disappear, leaving only a rectangle of light boxed in by the dark doorframe.

I see then that the door’s gone and in front of me are people. No…they aren’t people. They have limbs, hair, faces, but they aren’t human. After the first glance, they don’t look even remotely human. They’re pure, painful white, so bright they throw off a glare. They look like they’ve been dipped in glass, smooth and polished, but fluid. And their eyes…they’re a silvery color, like the mercury in the antique thermometer that my mom used to have at the side of the front porch.

When I was ten, I knocked that thermometer off with my wooden kendo sword, shattering the glass. The little blobs of mercury went all over the porch. I was a kid. I didn’t know better. I touched them, prodding the little balls until they joined the bigger blob. My mom swooped down on me and snatched me away, telling me it was poison. It could kill me.

I stare at the things in front of me: the Drau. I can’t look away.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember Jackson talking about Medusa.

Don’t look at their eyes.
Their mercury eyes.
They’re poison.
They will kill me.

Talk about intense, right?! I have seen mixed reviews for this book, but I will say that it makes me all the more intrigued. I want to see which category I fall into when I'm done with Rush and the premise sounds awesome so yes, colour me intrigued! 

Also, check out this book trailer that's done pretty well, in my opinion. It's tough to choose between a teaser trailer or like a movie trailer with actors for a book, but I think in this case it justifies itself and the teaser looks cool.

About the Author

Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.

Webpage | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

Giveaway

A signed copy of Rush. US/Can only.

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Review: Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Title: Addicted to You (Addicted #1)
Author: Krista and Becca Ritchie
Published: June 13th 2013
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.
Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.
But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again.
Now the only person who can truly help her can barely help himself.
**This is a New Adult book recommended for readers 18 and up**

Before I’m going to start talking about my emotions regarding one of the most intriguing New Adult books I have ever read, I’ll tell you that the authors of this book are two of the sweetest girls and even though I adore them, I’ll be very professional and not let my personal feelings get in the way of reviewing this pretty.

As I pick up my ripped gray tee, tattered and practically in shreds, the foggy image of last night clears. I stepped through the treshold of his room and literally tore my clothes off like the raging Hulk. Was that even sexy? I cringe. Must have been sexy enough to sleep with me. (pg 2 of the e-arc)

The story. Lily is a sex addict who craves for kinky more than an avarage male. Seriously! She’s got problems. Have you ever met a girl who watches porn in class? No? Well, now you have. She lives in an apartment with her childhood friend Loren who is her pretend-boyfriend when they’re with their families. Why, you ask? Because Lo has got an addiction as well and this, ladies and gents, is a pact they’ve made in order to hide their addictions. The thing is though that they’re not only dishonest with their families, but with themselves as well.

My emotions. I would have never guessed that one day I’d read a book about a sex addict, especially about one who is the same age as me. I felt for Lily because addictions are cruel. There’s no running when you have one, there’s only fighting back. I guess that’s what bothered me the most about her relationship with Lo. I loved Lo when we first met him and boy was he smexy and cute. However, it’s no secret that Lily has feelings for him and vice versa. The more the story progressed, the better their relationship got in the romantic sense, but their friendship, for me, collapsed.

Lily’s addiction is almost harmless if she’s safe, but Lo’s affects his mental health, nerves, liver – his organism and that can’t be reduced. That’s the reason I felt like Lily should have put her craving in the background and helped Lo sooner. I hate how mean he became and how he didn’t give a rat’s butt about anything other than the liquor in the cabins. It’s tough to fight your urges though so at the same time I understand why it took so long for Lily to realize he really did need help. I can only hope it's not too late.

On other topics, I loved the chemistry between these two. I liked that it was only from Lily’s POV since the dual point of view would have grown tiresome. I also adored Connor Cobalt – hahahaha! Seriously, he and his cat, he and his ego – everything was brilliant about him, LOL. I am glad Lily and Lo found themselves not alone in this mess and managed to gain friends. I cannot wait to read what’s next to come. 

All in all, it was a very strong debut and I am sure we will hear lots of great things from Krista and Becca. The fact that they decided to publish this book as their debut and write about such important topics in addition to sex addiction and put their own twist to it requires courage and these two have it plenty. Plus it doesn't hurt that it was spiced with my kind of humour. Totally not your typical New Adult book! Also, great thing is that the novella and sequel -- both following the ending of this one -- aren't that far away:) Read on, lovelies!

Btw, listen to Christina Aguilera’s Your Body which I believe is the perfect soundtrack to this book if you listen to the words ;-)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Meet the authors

Website | Review Blog | Twitter (Krista) | 

Goodreads (Krista) | Twitter (Becca) | Goodreads (Becca)

Summer Lovin' Read-a-thon 2013 Wrap-Up

Hey, lovelies! I hope you all had a great weekend. It's so very sunny outside and unfortunately I got a sunburn. Meh.. It's not all that bad though, I've had worse. I guess that's what I get for laying out in the sun all day even if I use sun cream. The wheather has been superb though--not a cloud in a sky and it totally goes with the theme of this read-a-thon. I had so much fun and I'm looking forward to participating in even more read-a-thons since the first one was a success on my part. I didn't end up reading that much from the list I created for myself, but I read quite a bit nevertheless. You want to know what I read? I'll give you the complete list of day by day and a few thoughts on the books I read.

Day 1: Started Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. Read to page 117.
Day 2: Started Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown--15% in. Continuing Born at Midnight.
Day 3: Read to 20% of Thousand Words and read to page 220 on Bron at Midnight.
Day 4: Read to around page 300 of Born at Mifnight
Day 5: Read to 50% of Thousand Words
Day 6: Finished Thousand Words. Read two additional novels: Wrong Kind of Love by Amanda Heath and Elite by Rachel Van Dyken.
Day 7: Finished Born at Midnight and started (and will hopefully finish) Breach by K.I. Lynn.

So I ended up reading..

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
I ended up liking it a lot. The MC was pretty well-written and even though her constant kissing thoughts regarding the two guys who drooled over her bothered me a bit, I still think Kylie was a decent character. I liked the friendships and the few twists and turns that took me by surprise. I also enjoyed the world-building which was quite different from the usual supernatural world I have come across so far. I think this one will get a decent four stars.

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown
Another great story for me. It was my first ever Jennifer Brown's book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had no idea sexting would be that big of an issue and Ashleigh's story touched me in a way I didn't expect. I will definitely read more by Ms. Brown. As I gathered from that little interview with her at the end of the book, she writes issue books that are different and really make you think and these kinda books suit me well. Also, her writing is good so yes, definitely an author I'll explore more when I have time.

Wrong Kind of Love by Amanda Heath
Ok, so I read the first book and skimmed parts of it, that's why I haven't marked it as read on Goodreads. I did like the best friend of the MC and the MC's twin brothers though so I knew I wanted to read their book someday. I was rooting for Caden all the way and of course since it's from his and Grace's POV we know that they'll end up together, there's no other option. However, I was so annoyed by Grace that I wanted to sucker punch her at times. She was almost as annoying as Ms. Anastasia Steele. Ugh.. I liked the main idea and Caden was ok, but overall it was meh for me.

Elite by Rachel Van Dyken
This read-a-thon is all about firsts for me as I see. I didn't plan on reading it, but I ended up doing so since I was intrigued. I heard it was about a secret society among our ordinary one and I knew it was a book I wanted to pick up. Ok, so the beginning was a bit awkward. It got better, but again, the MC just ruined it for me. Every time someone said something that wasn't like.. didn't make sense immediately, she asked them if they were high. Wtf? So when I'm in a mood to be silly and say silly things and laugh about them I'm immediately tripping and so is everybody else? I think she was just too dumb. Sorry. The secret society thing was different though and it ended up being a first of that kind (I don't want to give away the society's um.. essence.) so I want to know more and I'll pick up the sequel even if the main character is a tad annoying.

and I'm currently reading Breach by K.I. Lynn as we speak. It's pretty good, but very very VERY steamy. Kinda reminds me of The Crossfire series by Sylvia Day. I know both of the MCs have secrets and I want to know what they are. I can tell that it's not just all adult fiction with the very graphic steamy scenes, but there's a story beneath all that. I hope it'll come out soon though since I don't think I can handle all that steaminess anymore. I need a real story not just an erotic story, you know..

AAAANNDDD that's it for me this week. I'll go and try to finish Breach now and I hope you guys had indeed a great weekend and please stop by to see my review for one of the most intriguing books I have ever read. It'll be up tomorrow and on Tuesday I'll have a giveaway for US/Can peeps so a lot of stuff to look forward to next week:)