Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Pivot Point
Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #1
Publication date: February 12th 2013 byHarperTeen
Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads - Amazon

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 Awe·some: adj. this book.

Addie has the ability to see the future. Well, sort of. The only future she can see is herself's, and only when presented with a choice. She has the ability to Search and see both outcomes of it, making her pretty good at avoiding any potential disasters or mistakes in her life.

Things change when her parents tell her they're getting a divorce, and suddenly she's faced with the choice of who she wants to live with - with her mom in the Compound and the only place she ever knew as home, or with her dad on the Outside with the "Norms", people who didn't have any special abilities. So when her best friend Laila tells her to do a Search to find out which path is best for her, Addie can't see why not. But as she comes back from her Search she's faced with a difficult choice - none of the futures she saw were particularly good ones.

Each chapter of the book tells you a story from one reality's perspective. One in which Addie still lives at home and is the quarterback's girlfriend and the other where she's adjusting to life outside of the Compound and meets Trevor, a cute boy with amazing artistic skills and a bad shoulder.

I have to give congrats to the author for this, because it was a pretty neat and interesting way to organize a book, and it kept me hook until the end. The plot itself, with all the time tricking and whatnot, was really well written and I could always tell what was happening and how it related to things on the other reality.

It was a really fun and original read, and I'll just sit here and wait until the sequel comes out!

Waiting On Wednesday (2): Reckless by S.C. Stephens

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Reckless

S.C. Stephens

Series: Thoughtless #3

Publication date: March 5th 2013 by Gallery Books

Goodreads - Amazon

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other survive the constant pressures of superstardom?

The friendships they've formed, the new family they've found, and the history they've forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band's exploding popularity.

A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together.

Fame comes with a price-but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

I can just tell by the blurb that this book is going to break my heart into a million pieces.

But I can't wait for it!

Review: Collide by Gail McHugh

Collide
Gail McHugh
Series: Collide #1
Publication date:
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Goodreads - Amazon

A missed first encounter…

Colliding with a second chance…

On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.

While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.

Until she meets Gavin Blake—a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over. 

This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.

No.

That could honestly be my entire review of this book. Just a big, fat, no.

I have absolutely no idea how this book go so many positive reviews. No. Idea.

The writing itself wasn't bad, if you don't count how the author sometimes went from Emily's point of view to Gavin's in the space of two chapters. It didn't take me a long time to finish this, and I didn't feel like I was slowly dragging my feet while reading it, but aside from that, there were just so many things wrong with it, oh my god.

The main character, Emily, was so incredibly oblivious to everything around her that I just wanted to slap her in the face. She was also pretty inconsistent and had no backbone at all, with one minute being mad at her boyfriend, Dillon, and on the other just throwing caution to the wind and forgiving him for whatever it was he did that time. It made me angry to read about Emily going to change just because Dillon told her to, or saying she was sorry when he was the one in the wrong. She needed to stand up for herself, and she didn't do that once throughout the entire book.

Dillon was a complete and utter douchebag. There was no more to him than that. The author gave us no reason as to why he was the way he was with Emily, why the sudden change of being the sweet boyfriend Emily thought he was when they were in a long distance relationship, or why he was so determinate to date her and marry her. It was like she just wrote him for the sake of him being a possessive and controlling bastard and stand between the two people she wanted to be together, Emily and Gavin.

As for Gavin, his behavior was stalker-ish. I found it unbelievable that he falls in love with Emily the second after he sees her. That doesn't happen. And the fact that he used that excuse, of him not being able to stop thinking about her, to chase her around everywhere was not okay.

And for the most NOT OKAY part of it all... goes under the cut because of spoilers and upsetting subjects.

[Trigger Warning: Rape]

Teaser Tuesdays (2): Collide by Gail McHugh

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Goodreads
Amazon

"No matter what age, race, or economic status we hold, death touches us all at one time or another." Kindle Edition, page 121

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays

is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

My musing is...

Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

Goodreads
Amazon

Right now I'm reading Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway. 

I actually bought it because Amazon recommended it to me, and thank you for that.  

After finding out the story is about a woman, Freda, falling in love with a drag queen, Nicholas, I was sold. I absolutely love the entire aspect of creating a different persona and performing, and the fact that the main female character embraces all of that and doesn't even bat an eye to seeing the guy she's interested in strutting around in seven inch heels is awesome.

I've read about five chapters so far, and I'm really enjoying the story. I can't wait to see what's in store for Freda and Nicholas!

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder
Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
Publication date: January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

ALL THE AWARDS!!

All of them.

Seriously, who thought a book about Robot Cinderella would be so good?

This is probably the best fairy tale retelling I have ever read. Ever. And I'm extremely angry at myself for not having read this before now, because this is brilliant.

Cinder is a cyborg who works as a mechanic to support her (evil) stepmother and two stepsisters. It's while she's at her booth in the market place one day that she meets the Prince, Kai, who comes looking for her due to her amazing skills at mechanics and asks her to fix his droid. As if meeting the Prince wasn't enough excitement for a day, one of the bakers there shows signs of having letumosis, a plague that has been terrorizing the world.

It's no surprise that after all of that happens, Cinder's life turns upside down.

One of Cinder's stepsisters, the one she actually loves, catches the plague while helping her scavenge the junkyard. Prince Kai shows some interest in her, but he has no idea she's a cyborg. And Cinder, after her stepmother lives up to everyone's expectations of being evil, finds out that her past is even more mysterious and tragic than she first thought.

I'm still a little bit in awe of how freaking amazing Cinder is. Even thought the story is a new take on Cinderella and you can probably figure out most of the key plot points, it is, hands down, one of the most original and amazingly written books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. In just a few chapters I could already tell it would turn out to be one of my favorite books, and I'm hoping the second installment of the series, Scarlet, will be just as good, if not better, than Cinder.

Review: Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered
Jennifer Rush
Series: Altered #1
Publication date: January 1st 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them. 

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

Altered is one hell of a roller coaster ride.

There are four boys living in the lab below Anna's house. Sam, Nick, Trev, and Cas are genetically altered to be the perfect soldiers - smarter, stronger, and faster than the average guy -, and they're all being held, monitored, and treated by Anna's dad as part of a project founded by the Branch. Anna doesn't know why they're there, what the government plans to do with them, or whatever happened to the boys before they got to her house without any memory of who they were.

When the Branch decides to terminate the project, the boys are presented with an opportunity to escape the confines of the lab and go in search of answers about themselves and what lead them to become what they are now. What they don't plan for is Anna being forced to come with them, after their attempt to free themselves doesn't go as well as they hoped. And as they look for clues about the mess they're in, Anna and the boys discover that some things aren't what they seem, and that they're more connected to each other than they all originally thought.

The idea of genetically altered eighteen-year-old boys, who age at a much slower pace than normal human beings, being held up in a lab underground and monitored by a Doctor and his daughter is so different from what's out there that I was instantly attracted to this book. The plot twists during the story are all well thought-out and written, the characters endearing, and it all comes together in what is an incredibly fun and interesting read!

Review: There is No Light in Darkness by Claire Contreras

There is No Light in Darkness
Claire Contreras
Series: Darkness #1
Publication date: January 10th 2013 by Claire Contreras
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves. 

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?

Blake has been looking for answers her entire life. About what really happened to her parents the night she witnessed their death, who was the man who took her away from her house, what happened to the little boy she used to play with... But every time any evidence comes to light, it only serves to confuse her more.

One of the foster boys who lived with her, Cole, finds himself is in the same situation as Blake. He doesn't remember much of his life before he was left at Maggie's doorstep, and as he tries to unravel his past they both discover that maybe their lives are way more connected than they originally thought.

So much happens in this book that I don't even know where to begin.

The general plot is actually really interesting and original, and I immediately got sucked into the story. The entire mystery over what happened to Blake and Cole and how you start figuring it all out little by little as you read it was great, even though sometimes it felt like too much was happening at once.

Also, Blake and Cole's relationship was just a little bit silly to me. How he acted possessive and controlling towards her, and how Blake just accepted it as something normal and pushed it aside was not something I enjoyed while reading this. I couldn't bring myself to like him all that much and hope for them to be together.

And it all ended with a cliffie! Now I'll have to read the sequel to find out what happens to Blake, and if the reason why her parents died will be revealed.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Jennifer E. Smith
Publication date: January 2nd 2012 by Poppy/Litte Brown
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

I... I don't even know?

Because this book is perfect?

And I loved it?

And I read it all in about three hours because I couldn't possibly set it down?

Hadley and Oliver meet at the airport after Hadley misses her flight for her dad's wedding. Oliver is British, handsome, and happens to be on the same flight as her to London. He's also pretty good at distracting her from her claustrophobia, making her laugh, and stealing whiskey from distracted flight attendants.

The entire story goes by during a period of 24 hours where Hadley spends the entire plane ride talking to Oliver, gets to where she's supposed to be, meets her new stepmother for the first time, and tries to mend her relationship with her father. The way the plot flows is absolutely amazing, involving you with what Hadley is going through and keeping you wondering if she'll ever see Oliver again.

It's a sweet story about family coming together and the statistical probability of love at first sight, which turns out to be great for everyone!

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter
Megan Shepherd
Series: The Madman's Daughter #1
Publication date: January 29th 2013 by Balzer + Bray
Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

I took a chance reading this book, considering I'm not a big fan of historical fiction or Gothic novels, but I'm kind of glad I did.

The Madman's Daughter started out slowly and a little bit hard to get into, but took a disturbingly turn for the best and it kept going until I was left wide eyed and gaping. It was full of mystery, intrigue, and secrets, but I guess that's what you get when you have a mad doctor stuck in an island and free to do whatever he wishes and experiment!

Juliet was a great character - smart, strong, and a little twisted and crazy when needed - expect for the times when she went along with what her father told her to do. He was the man who abandoned her and her mother in London to go to an island work on his experiments, using the islanders as his subjects. Her not lashing out and confronting him for not caring about what had happened to her after he ran away did not sit well with me.

As for Dr. Moreau, the author was able to portrait his madness brilliantly. Every time I read about the type of things he was doing to the people there, the way he talked about his work like it was some kind of gift to humanity, I got a little bit sick to my stomach - but in a good way! She as able to create some pretty grotesque scenarios that only made reading the story even more enjoyable.

The love triangle is also something worth mentioning, but that's because you can't really tell who Juliet is going to choose: Edward or Montgomery. I wasn't entirely on board with how things played out, because I thought the situation on the island was more important than who would win Juliet's heart, but it was still fun to read about her reacting to both boys. Especially with how things ended.

Overall, it was book that grasped my imagination and left me wanting to know what would happen next.

Waiting on Wednesday (1): Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Clockwork Princess

Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices #3

Publication date: March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderly Books

Goodreads - Amazon

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

EEEK!

I seriously cannot wait for this to come out.

I'm dying to learn what happens to Tessa, Will, and Jem.

Dying.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection
Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Publication date: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen
Rating: 3 stars


Goodreads - Amazon

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I don't really like comparing things, but with this books is just kind of impossible.

We have a The Bachelor/The Hunger Games crossover in our hands.

The world is divided by castes: from royalties, Ones, to those who have nothing, Eights. America is a Five, struggling to get by, but still pretty happy with here she is in live. She has her music, her boyfriend Aspen, a Six, who she's desperately in love with, and she has no desire to sign up for the Selection or be the queen.

That is until Aspen tells her to.

Because being part of the Selection comes with financial compensation, and America can't deny that her family needs the money. That Aspen's family needs the money. And that if they ever plan on getting married, they'll need some savings themselves. So she agrees, not knowing that decision would change her life forever.

The contest part of the book was nice, but then again, I'm a sucker for those kind of things. The entire story just sort of made me feel like I had read it all before, but I still found myself intrigued by some aspects of it. Like what is Marlee's secret is, what's the reason behinds the attacks to the royals, if America will figure out that Aspen treated her horribly...

Maybe that'll prompt me to read the sequel, but I'm not sure.

Teaser Tuesdays (1): The Selection by Kiera Cass

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Goodreads - Amazon

"Enjoy your last night as an average girl. Tomorrow, no matter what, your life will be different forever. And it's old advice, but it's good: Be yourself." page, 55

Musing Mondays (1)

Musing Mondays

is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

My musing is...

Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).

I just got back from London this weekend and brought some books back with me.

I picked up copies of both Easy by Tammara Webber and The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger. I actually had them as ebooks and read them on my Kindle last year, but I just absolutely loved the stories and had to get them on print!

The other two books I bought were Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder and The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass.

I stumbled across Chasing Brooklyn a couple of times this past few months, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it. It wasn't until I read some pretty good review about it that I decided to give it a chance, so I bought the copy while as I away.

The same goes for The Selection. The cover was really pretty, but I didn't know if the story would live up to it. I know, I shouldn't judge books by their cover, but I couldn't help it. The summary also didn't really grasp my attention, but awesome reviews made me decide to give it a change. I'm actually kind of really excited about reading it now.

Review: Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Sins & Needles
Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #1
Publication date: January 25th 2013 by Metal Blonde Books
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads - Amazon

Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents' latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.

I don't even know where to start.

Ellie is a grifter, just like her parents, and after one of her scams goes bad and she's short on money she decides to start her live over and go back to the only place she could call home - her Uncle Jim's house. There will be no more tricks. No more stealing money from people. No more grifting. She's done.

And then she meets one of her old high school friends - her only friend back then, really -, Camden. She's taken aback by how much he changed from the weird freaky kid he was back then to an incredibly attractive young man covered in tattoos, and owner of a successful tattoo parlor in town. Ellie can't pass the opportunity to make easy money, and Camden might just be what she needs to get her life together and get the hell out of that town. So she starts plotting, hoping to use Camden's trust in her to get to his money.

Only things not go as planned when Camden finds out about her plans to scam him and turns the tables on her in on hell of a plot twist. We find out he's not as sweet as we think he is, and he definitely doesn't forget things easily. Especially not Ellie.

This story comes together perfectly, keeping you on edge and guessing the entire time. It was such a refreshing read, with a whole lot different plot from what we're used to finding out there in Contemporary Romance books. The characters interacted and reacted in the most amazing ways to each other, and it all ended with a cliffhanger that left me wanting to punch something!