Young Adult July Reads Book Review: The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Photos via Goodreads.

Book Review:
Book Title: The Fault in our Stars

Book Author: John Green

Rave and Rant: I read this book after my father lost his battle to cancer, and it gave me a beautiful insight into a land where cancer is not viewed as the villain and rather as a fact of life. This book is not your typical love story! It followed sarcastic teenagers who live with cancer, and does not mainly focus on the cancer, it follows their life. It is a beautifully written book and John Green brings his excellent wits in this novel. I’d suggest it to anyone, but remember to have a tissue box nearby once you’ve finished the first half of the book! This book deals with strong emotional themes. Five stars!

Potential Issues: This book does make cancer seem a little romanticized. When I look back on reading it, at the time it was the type of book I definitely needed. I was hurting and I needed a book that didn’t make cancer seem like this horrible villain in my story. This book might not be for everyone, but it helped me at the time. Is cancer scary? Yes. It is life ending, horrible, and ruins lives? Yes. But can this book help heal? Yes.

This book will make you cry – it’s definitely sad, but at the same time it gives you  a different insight into cancer. Yes, there is a romance story in it, but these characters will give you some form of hope. There are beautiful quotes throughout the novel that show you cancer from a very different perspective. Readers must keep in mind this book was written after John Green lost a friend to cancer as well, so this book could have helped him heal.

Final Thoughts: This book is a YA novel – that means it is not going to be 100% realistic. This novel has it’s ups and down in many ways. The characters don’t seem to talk like teenagers would (but the novel was written by an adult). I found Hazel (the main character) to be quite average (other than her amazing quotes), but sometimes you don’t want the perfect Mary Jane as your main character. Gus is kind and a jerk, all wrapped up in one package. He’s not your perfect male lead, which is why I like him. Yes he has his issues, but at the same time he is romanticized for the audience this book is aimed towards. There’s a villain who has his reasons for being evil, but they don’t entirely make up for his behaviour. Overall, I enjoyed this book because it was there when I needed it to be – it’s a good book to read to heal after losing someone to cancer because it gives you a very soft and sweet look compared to the horrors a cancer story typically is.

Five out of five stars. I enjoyed this novel.

Book Review: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

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Book Review
Book Title: The Kiss of Deception
Book Author: Mary E. Pearson

Introduction: Indigo sent me this entire series after I won a Twitter contest. I’ve been trying to read it for quite a while but life has been busy. Finally I was able to sit down one Sunday afternoon and binge read it!

Book Review:

Synopsis: Princess Lia decides to run away from her potential marriage, and runs off with her friend Pauline. She meets Rafe and Kaden, and some mischief and adventure pursues on.

This novel follows your typical dystopia/YA novel trope storyline, but is quite beautifully written. As the title suggests, there is deception involved in this book, and some kisses of course (would it even be a YA without some teen angst and romance?!).

I enjoyed this novel, but it was not my favourite. I really had to force myself through the novel. Yes, Mary E. Pearson is absolutely fabulous as writing (every page was so beautiful) but it just wasn’t fast enough for my likes. There were so many terms and languages that flew over my head and made me super bored, but I had to finish this book. I desperately want to finish this series, because I’ve heard amazing reviews about it everywhere.

Our lead female is quite strong, she has her moments but is a quality female lead. I was impressed with the building of all the characters, but Lia was by far my fave. Rafe is so kind hearted and Kaden (our prince) is also quite charming. Pauline seems realistic, Berdi is pretty awesome, and overall I found all the characters to be on point. They were all written and built over time, which is a nice change compared to some YA novels.

This book does slow down quite a bit – so readers beware. The first quarter of the book is fast and incredible, but then the pace slows down as if gravity is trying to pull it back from its super high speed chase of it’s readers. If you love fast paced stories, this might not be the book for you. If you’re okay with the speed changing and just want a super awesome, well developed, fantasy novel – then this is for you!

What I got out of this novel, and what I think readers should take out of it:
The world building is absolutely fantastic! The scenes and descriptions will take you to a whole new world and will have you hooked.
This book has a big focus on love/relationships/babies and all those fancy tropes you get in YA, so be prepared for silly romance, boy obsessed girls, and lots of day dreaming about kisses.
The story takes a while to build up, it picks up speed quickly, then plummets into a cliffhanger.
If you get into this book, it will pull at your heart strings – be warned.
This book is probably rated PG-13, but is a fine book for any pre-teen or teen readers.

Overall, three stars. It was hard to continue reading this knowing there were other fast paced books on my shelf, but I do want to finish this series! It’s worth the read if you like a good fantasy novel and some fantastical descriptions.

Great job Mary. E Pearson!

Book Review: The Cartographer by Tamsen Parker

 

If you’re looking for heat this summer don’t bother going outside, Tamsen Parker’s The Cartographer brings all the heat and so much more!

This book infuriates me. Why, you might ask? Because it’s the last (Yes! The last!!) book in the compass series. It’s such a wonderful arching storyline over these six books and it’s all done! The fantastic part that doesn’t infuriate me, is how beautiful this story was tied together.

I really appreciated this book being in Reyes’s point of view. Watching our other characters grow with Reyes in the background was wonderful, but having him tie this story together and finished it made it so much better. I wouldn’t have wanted any different!!

This book is a sexy ride – M/M, hard R if you catch my drift – with Allie being our protagonists love interest. He is an interesting character – definitely not Cris or India. I really enjoyed his character, but I would have seen him being more stubborn than he actually was. It was a nice change not having him stubborn, but if there’s anything “wrong” with this story, that would be my only negative point.

In this book you will find lots of kink and sexy times, but you will also finds lots of heart wrenching back story. What’s nice about these novels is it’s not just an erotic read without any thought behind it. Tamsen has been getting better and better with her writing abilities with each book she writes. Not only has she increased the sexiness of these books, the characters, back stories and plots have grown with her. It’s so wonderful watching her grow with each book and seeing the characters grow along with her.

You could definitely read this book as a standalone, but I would definitely suggest reading the rest of the books. This book won’t cause any confusion to those who don’t know India/Cris – you might not understand a few references here and there. But, it doesn’t take away from the story in any way. Also, readers who haven’t gone through the first five books might find they don’t connect to Reyes as much as they should. He’s a very lovable character, so reading the other books will make you appreciate him so much more than what’s just introduced in this story.

Tamsen’s writing style is very easy to read – she doesn’t use difficult language, but doesn’t make it so simple either. Her sentences and words flow smoothly and don’t seem choppy like some BDSM novels I have read in the past.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think this is a great addition to any kinky readers library and is a must read!! If you want some sexiness in your life, pick up some Tamsen Parker books. She’s becoming such a fantastic author and is growing so much, it’s almost foolish to not pick up her books if you want some super sexy romance in your life!!

Five out of five stars.

Quick Book Review: Gone (Dream Catcher #3) by Lisa McMann

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** spoiler alert ** I initially loved this series, but when I got to this book I found myself severely bored with everything going on. I love Janie and Cabe, but most of the novel I had no clue what was going on and I didn’t understand why things happened and the background to why they happened.

Janie learning about her father was a wonderful plot twist, but she barely interacts with him or anything involving his life. It felt as if he was just thrown in for a plot twist and not used to the full potential.

There was no action, adventure or romance in this novel that made me feel like I should continue reading the book. Overall, it felt like a cheap final book in the series. I had high hopes for the book finale, and I was sadly let down.

I did love the first two books in the series and I hope Lisa continues to write books as good as the first two. This book was a let down for me.

I especially did not understand Janie getting handed an envelope near the end. I have so many questions about this book that were left unanswered, and without another book in the series, it’s very disappointing.

Lost Wolf by Stacy Claflin – Book Review

Book Review
Book Title: Lost Wolf
Author: Stacy Claflin

Introduction: This book was a requested book review. Everything I say is honest – I have no obligation to make this a fluffy/nice review. I was given this book in return for an honest review.

Review:

Lost Wolf is the first novel in the Curse of the Moon series. It’s a fantasy, paranormal, romance-esque book.

Victoria is off at college – which I can definitely relate to. As someone who went to both University and College, I can relate to the major change. Of course, Victoria has a very different change in mind than your typical college student… She can’t remember anything – no memories, no family, nothing, na da! And for some reason, Jaguars are everywhere – in name, in physical form, and it’s just plain strange!

But what happens when someone recognizes her? Was there a kidnapping? Missing people? A death? So many questions, so many mysteries.

Starting off with this book, chapter 1 has me interested. It seems like a Young Adult-esque, kind of goofy, fun feel. I really enjoy the banter and female lead. Coming from someone who needs a fast, great start – this book has it at the beginning. After only reading the first chapter, this is definitely off to a great start.

This novel slowly reveals information to you. While I find it personally a not fitting part of the book, some readers may appreciate this. In my YA/Romance/Fantasy-esque books, I like the information up front if it’s not a mystery novel. But this novel does have a splash of mystery, so it can fit. It’s not a mark against this book, but some readers may not appreciate this aspect.

It moves at a slow pace – which for readers like me can be a major issue. I really like a fast moving story. Slow stories can be interesting, but personally it didn’t hit all the tempo notes for me. I love fast moving stories!

The voice and tone of this novel is not your typical writing voice. I liked this different writing style as someone who likes to write in this very tone. After reading other reviews, I find that this voice is what makes this book stand out. With all the fantasy/paranormal/romance books out there, having this tone made the book a little step up compared to all the other typical/mediocre novels out there.

That being said – this story has so much potential for a series. The plot itself is incredible, there are so many places this story can go! On top of that, as a reader I felt drawn towards these characters. I’m invested and I want to know more. Mixing all of that in with the lore, the backstory and fantastic voice this book has – I’m invested.

Overall, yes this story was slow. For me, that would have been a deal breaker if this story wasn’t so intriguing. Were there general issues with the plot or side comments? Yes, but there always are in all books these days. If you can look past the small, silly issues and you don’t typically get hung up on small plot holes/issues then this book will be great for you!

Four out of five stars.

LOVE SONG by KG Fletcher – Blog Tour & Excerpt!

Today is our stop on the blog tour for Love Song by KG Fletcher! Check out our stop and grab your

copy today!

Love Song Synopsis:

Her heart searched for a melody. Will the love song she finally hears be loud enough to drown out the screaming memories of her past?

Back-up singer Casey lived the old anthem, “work hard, play harder.” When she meets handsome sub-drummer, Sam Wildner on a gig, their attraction is immediate. The two musicians forge ahead in a dizzy rhythm of passion and music, both impressed by each other’s harmonious abilities. When Sam learns of Casey’s family trauma involving her sister’s abusive ex-boyfriend, he commits to being there for her and her young niece who is caught in the middle.

The melody of their love song rings loudly in Casey’s ears as she and Sam navigate the precarious fast lane of jealousy, murder and rock ‘n roll.

 

Authors Bio:

KG Fletcher is the author of the romantic suspense novel, Love Song released in April, 2017 and Unexpected released in December, 2016. She is an active member of RWA and the Georgia Romance Writers Association. She was a singer/songwriter in Nashville, TN and a recipient of the “Airplay International Award” for “Best New Artist” showcasing original songs at The Bluebird Café. She earned her BFA in theater at Valdosta State College and has traveled the world professionally as a singer/actress. She currently gets to play rock star as a backup singer in the National Tour, “Remember When Rock Was Young – a Tribute to Elton John.” (www.almosteltonjohn.com)

KG lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Ladd and their three gorgeous sons. She is a hopeless romantic continuing her work on her original cabaret act called, “The Novel Romantic – an unexpected evening of sweet & spicy love” to help promote her romance novels.

 

Rafflecopter:

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Buy Links:

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-song-25

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XFVWQR2

 

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Thank you again for taking part in the Blog Tour of Love Song. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Excerpt:

Casey stared at her reflection in the hotel bathroom in disbelief. Her false eyelashes from the show the night before clung haphazardly to her eyelids, looking more like insects than lashes. She pulled them off quickly, shaking her head in disgust. She covered her face in makeup remover and started to clean off the heavy show makeup just as her phone pinged with a text message. Sitting on the toilet lid, she woozily looking at the screen.

“I won…” It was a message from Sam that included a smiley face emoji.

She immediately texted back. “How did I get to my room? OMG, I’m mortified!”

Her phone rang. She hesitated before answering, not sure if she was ready to hear about her after-hours escapades. She was disgusted with herself for letting her drinking get away from her—again. She usually only drank beer and had no idea why she’d started drinking the hard stuff in front of her friends. Perhaps she was trying to feel relaxed around Sam, whom she was genuinely attracted to. And then, of course, he started egging her on in their little impromptu drinking contest. Why did she play along? What had gotten into her?

“Hello?” Her voice was raspy and she realized she was dying of thirst, the very thought of gin making her gag.

“Hey you. How ya feeling darlin’’?” She could tell that Sam was smiling on the other end.

“Ummm. How do you think I’m feeling?”

He laughed.

“Was I a complete idiot? Did I embarrass you in any way?” She suddenly felt nauseous thinking about all the drunken scenarios that could have happened in her vulnerable state. If her overprotective sister knew what she had done, she’d be livid.

“No. You were a very good girl. A little drunk and quiet, but very good. Rocky and I helped you back to your room. I hope you don’t mind that I had to look through your little purse to get out your room key.”

“Oh…. yes, that’s okay. That’s fine.” She fingered the soiled washcloth in her hand, not sure what to say.

“I have your jacket. You left it in my room—”

“I was in your room?” She started to panic.

MORE THAN A FEELING by Erika Kelly – Excerpt!!

From the award-winning author of TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT comes the final full-length standalone contemporary romance in Erika Kelly’s red-hot Rock Star Romance series, MORE THAN A FEELING. A steamy and emotional story about a loner rocker finding his perfect duet, MORE THAN A FEELING finds the perfect pitch and will leave you with more than a song in your heart! Grab your copy of MORE THAN A FEELING today!

 

 

About MORE THAN A FEELING:

From the award-winning author of TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT comes the final story in her red-hot Rock Star Romance series, about a loner rocker finding his perfect duet.

When Cooper Hood left Snowberry, Montana ten years ago, he swore he’d never go back to the town that painted him with the same brush as his addict mother. But right in the middle of his band’s national tour he gets a call to come home: his mom’s got a whopper of a secret to reveal.

Daisy Charbonneau’s in trouble. The talent she hired for her resort’s annual Huckleberry Festival just bailed on her, and she’s desperate to find a replacement act. Luck turns her way when she discovers her high school crush is back in town—and he happens to be a rock star.

As they work together, a crush deepens into so much more, but who falls in love in two weeks?

Especially when Cooper’s never coming back to town, and Daisy’s never going to leave it.

 

Order MORE THAN A FEELING Today!

iBooks ** Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

 

EXCERPT:

Your Excerpt for your post is below and IS included in your HTML document.

Daisy’s fingers trailed across his shoulders as she breezed past him. Her warm vanilla and honey scent swirled in her wake, and he felt like that boy all over again who’d lived in a state of hyperawareness around her. The boy who’d noticed the way her dark hair pooled onto the desk as she’d hunch forward to write, her fingers curled around a pencil. The way the tendons in her neck strained when she’d hit and held a high note. Her burst of laughter in the music room had made him stop whatever he’d been doing just to witness her joy.

He’d hoarded all those images, those sacred moments, to pull out and comfort him as he lay alone in the dark woods, waiting for his home to be safe enough to go back inside.

She would never know it, but she’d been his saving grace.

Taking her seat across from him, she set two little pots on the table. Her vivid blue eyes sparkled in the candlelight.  “Try this.” She held a spoon out to him.

Letting her feed him was just too damn intimate, so he took it from her and fed himself. Creamy dark chocolate filled his senses. “Mousse?” Although it was denser, the chocolate more velvety. Richer. “It’s good.”

“It’s a Pot de Crème.” She scooped another mound for herself. Turning the spoon upside down, she brought it to her mouth, closing her eyes when her tongue touched the chocolate. She moaned, and her tongue swept across her bottom lip.

Desire surged through him, and he couldn’t help wondering if she’d look like that in bed. If she’d go all slack and dreamy-eyed when he sucked a nipple into his mouth.

His blood rose at the image of Daisy naked beneath him, back arching, her hands digging into his hair, holding him to her as if she never wanted him to go away.

She opened her eyes and licked the damn spoon. “I had my mom make it just for you.” The silky fabric of her shirt draped over her breasts, accentuating their round fullness. Desire pulsed through him.

Jesus, would you stop already?

“Let’s try this one.” She slid the edge of her fork into the cake, a cream-covered strawberry sliding out. “It’s my favorite.” The Montana sapphire studs glittered in her ears, and her lush mouth curved into a smile. His dick went hard.

He accepted the fork, but even when the cake and cream hit his tongue he couldn’t taste a thing. Because the only thing in his mind, heart, and body was the primal, urgent need to taste her.

All that teenage longing came roaring back. He wanted her more than ever. And not because she was beautiful and had a body his hands were dying to explore, but because every single cell in his body reacted to her. Wanted her. Yearned for her.

And this was why he’d never come back to Snowberry. He didn’t want to yearn for the things he couldn’t have. Didn’t want to wait for his mother to give him a crumb of her attention. Didn’t want to be around these people who’d only ever looked at him with disgust.

“What do you think? Delicious?” Daisy’s voice yanked him out of the negativity.

And he was damn glad. Because his past didn’t matter anymore. He was a man now. He’d made his way in the world. And he had a chance to be that man around Daisy. His gaze on her mouth, he said, “Hell, yes.”

And don’t miss the first three standalone titles in The Rock Star Romance Series!

YOU REALLY GOT ME

I WANT YOU TO WANT ME

TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT

 

 

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About Erika Kelly:

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

 

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