Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.54k reviews by:
bookbriefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
I absolutely loved Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh, so when I saw Captive was also by her I knew I had to read it ASAP. I have only read one other book about a girl falling for her captor, and it is a tricky subject for me. It is not something I could initially see myself doing in her situation, so in the past I have been wary of that idea, but I liked the first book I read with this theme. And I have to say Captive was great! I really, really liked it. Brighton Walsh write great characters that lend themselves to excellent romances. Within the first two pages of meeting Madison, I caught myself nodding my head along with her and thought to myself, "yep, been there done that." (note: I am not talking about the mother incident. I am talking about the getting dressed incident.) And just like that, I could identify with Madison. I know that may seem small, but it is the little details and unassuming sentences throughout the story that start to turn into magic with Captive. I just love Brighton Walsh's writing style.
Madison appears on the surface to lead a perfect life. She is super smart, super rich, and basically can have anything that she wants. But she doesn't have many (or any) friends, she is constantly taking care of her alcoholic mother, and her father is MIA all the time. I could feel her loneliness. It was a tangible thing throughout the whole story. And that just about broke my heart. But even though Madison was lonely and sad, she never gave up. This girl had spunk to spare. I loved that even when she was captured she was always paying attention, always looking for when and how she could make her next move. It made me admire the heck out her. And it gained Ghost's admiration too.
Captive is told mostly from Madison's point of view, but Ghost - or Gage- had a fair share of chapters spread throughout. I loved Gage's chapters because the more I got to know him the more I loved him. How can you not when you find out why he took the job? That is as close to a good reason as I could ever dream up. Brighton Walsh did such an excellent job making her characters redeemable. And she made the romance feel so very real. And so wonderful. I think Madison and Gage would have fallen for each other no matter how they met. Brighton Walsh made me a believer in captive/captor romances. Or at the very least, she made me a believer in hers. Brighton Walsh will make you swoon, make you feel, make you fall in love with Gage and Madison in Captive. If you have not read one of her books, you should. Right now.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
I absolutely loved Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh, so when I saw Captive was also by her I knew I had to read it ASAP. I have only read one other book about a girl falling for her captor, and it is a tricky subject for me. It is not something I could initially see myself doing in her situation, so in the past I have been wary of that idea, but I liked the first book I read with this theme. And I have to say Captive was great! I really, really liked it. Brighton Walsh write great characters that lend themselves to excellent romances. Within the first two pages of meeting Madison, I caught myself nodding my head along with her and thought to myself, "yep, been there done that." (note: I am not talking about the mother incident. I am talking about the getting dressed incident.) And just like that, I could identify with Madison. I know that may seem small, but it is the little details and unassuming sentences throughout the story that start to turn into magic with Captive. I just love Brighton Walsh's writing style.
Madison appears on the surface to lead a perfect life. She is super smart, super rich, and basically can have anything that she wants. But she doesn't have many (or any) friends, she is constantly taking care of her alcoholic mother, and her father is MIA all the time. I could feel her loneliness. It was a tangible thing throughout the whole story. And that just about broke my heart. But even though Madison was lonely and sad, she never gave up. This girl had spunk to spare. I loved that even when she was captured she was always paying attention, always looking for when and how she could make her next move. It made me admire the heck out her. And it gained Ghost's admiration too.
Captive is told mostly from Madison's point of view, but Ghost - or Gage- had a fair share of chapters spread throughout. I loved Gage's chapters because the more I got to know him the more I loved him. How can you not when you find out why he took the job? That is as close to a good reason as I could ever dream up. Brighton Walsh did such an excellent job making her characters redeemable. And she made the romance feel so very real. And so wonderful. I think Madison and Gage would have fallen for each other no matter how they met. Brighton Walsh made me a believer in captive/captor romances. Or at the very least, she made me a believer in hers. Brighton Walsh will make you swoon, make you feel, make you fall in love with Gage and Madison in Captive. If you have not read one of her books, you should. Right now.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
Bound is the first in the new adult paranormal romance series of the same name. I really enjoyed Bound. I thought it was a great mixture of atypical romance, lots of paranormal creatures, curses, and magic. Yes, there is a lot going on in this book. AM Hudson kept revealing new layer after new layer as the story went on. I wouldn't really call them twists, but I felt like the plot just kept getting more developed and more complex as the story evolved. It was kind of a neat story telling technique. And I loved that while Bound had a very strong romance element, it was totally unlike any romance I have been reading. Ric and Lora are not like YA and NA couples. Not at all. You will have to read the book to know what I am saying because I don't want to ruin the story. But there is no insta love in this one. Ric and Lora are a series long work in progress kind of romance. And I am really digging that about them. A lot!
After I was done reading Bound, I found out that Lora's parents have a whole series devoted to their story. I had no idea! I don't know how much it will benefit you to read their story first since we never actually met her parents in Bound, but we did see them through phone calls. I kind of liked starting with Bound first before reading her parents series because like Lora, I was kept completely in the dark with what she was and what the mystery surrounding her and her family was. And if I had read the other series first, I might have known too much to fully enjoy Bound. Maybe not, though? I would be curious to see reader's thoughts that read Lora's parents series first.
Bound was a good read. It took a while for the story to initially get going. It wasn't a slow start per say. I thought the book moved at a consistently moderate pace, but I felt like the story took a while to pick up. And there were various minute intricacies of the story that I didn't love, but overall, I thought Bound held my attention enough and was a fun enough read that I will for sure be continuing on in the series. And I really want to give A.M. Hudson's other series a read. I think I will enjoy them. Fans of New Adult paranormals and fans of paranormals that involve a whole host of creatures, the Bound series would be a great match for you.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Bound is the first in the new adult paranormal romance series of the same name. I really enjoyed Bound. I thought it was a great mixture of atypical romance, lots of paranormal creatures, curses, and magic. Yes, there is a lot going on in this book. AM Hudson kept revealing new layer after new layer as the story went on. I wouldn't really call them twists, but I felt like the plot just kept getting more developed and more complex as the story evolved. It was kind of a neat story telling technique. And I loved that while Bound had a very strong romance element, it was totally unlike any romance I have been reading. Ric and Lora are not like YA and NA couples. Not at all. You will have to read the book to know what I am saying because I don't want to ruin the story. But there is no insta love in this one. Ric and Lora are a series long work in progress kind of romance. And I am really digging that about them. A lot!
After I was done reading Bound, I found out that Lora's parents have a whole series devoted to their story. I had no idea! I don't know how much it will benefit you to read their story first since we never actually met her parents in Bound, but we did see them through phone calls. I kind of liked starting with Bound first before reading her parents series because like Lora, I was kept completely in the dark with what she was and what the mystery surrounding her and her family was. And if I had read the other series first, I might have known too much to fully enjoy Bound. Maybe not, though? I would be curious to see reader's thoughts that read Lora's parents series first.
Bound was a good read. It took a while for the story to initially get going. It wasn't a slow start per say. I thought the book moved at a consistently moderate pace, but I felt like the story took a while to pick up. And there were various minute intricacies of the story that I didn't love, but overall, I thought Bound held my attention enough and was a fun enough read that I will for sure be continuing on in the series. And I really want to give A.M. Hudson's other series a read. I think I will enjoy them. Fans of New Adult paranormals and fans of paranormals that involve a whole host of creatures, the Bound series would be a great match for you.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
Into a Million Pieces is a young adult paranormal romance by Angela V. Cook. This is her debut novel. And it is about succubi! I was super excited because I think they are fascinating creatures, and I kind of love them ever since I found the show, Lost Girl, I have wanted to find some good books about the succubus. I found one Urban Fantasy story that I really liked, but I haven't found many others. (Please let me know if you have any recommendations for me!) Into a Million Pieces was an interesting take on a succubus, and is a quick and enjoyable read.
Allison and her twin sister, Jade are both succubi. But they couldn't be more different. Jade embraces what she is and she loves kissing boys. Allison dresses to hide herself and goes out of her way to stay away from every single male. Their mother went on a succubus bender and ended up killing herself when they were both very little. They live with their aunt, and are urged to steer clear of guys. I kind of wished that Allison or Jade had met another succubus that was outside of their family because I would have loved for them to learn more about themselves. I'm not sure if there is going to be another book or not, the ending kind of left it wide open. So, I hope that there is another book, and I hope that in it Allison will finally get some valid answers about herself.
Into a Million Pieces was a really sweet love story actually. I loved watching Allison and Ren interact. They met at the library, which is where Allison liked to spend her summer hiding out. There were minor hiccups and details that bugged me a bit while reading Into a Million Pieces, but only one thing really stands out at me. When Jade got beat up by a guy for not "putting out" and then she came home acting like it was no big deal at all. It made me lose all respect for Jade. But luckily, Allison was nothing like her sister and was a very relate able and likeable character. I also thought towards the end of the book things starting happening a little too quickly and there was a little too much shock value placed on the whirlwind of events. But I choose to focus on the relationship between Ren and Allison. That was the real winner in this story, in my opinion. I hope that there is another book because I feel like it would be a great chance for Allison to learn more about succubi, and I think it wouldn't have the things that irked me from this story. I would absolutely read more about Allison and Ren.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Into a Million Pieces is a young adult paranormal romance by Angela V. Cook. This is her debut novel. And it is about succubi! I was super excited because I think they are fascinating creatures, and I kind of love them ever since I found the show, Lost Girl, I have wanted to find some good books about the succubus. I found one Urban Fantasy story that I really liked, but I haven't found many others. (Please let me know if you have any recommendations for me!) Into a Million Pieces was an interesting take on a succubus, and is a quick and enjoyable read.
Allison and her twin sister, Jade are both succubi. But they couldn't be more different. Jade embraces what she is and she loves kissing boys. Allison dresses to hide herself and goes out of her way to stay away from every single male. Their mother went on a succubus bender and ended up killing herself when they were both very little. They live with their aunt, and are urged to steer clear of guys. I kind of wished that Allison or Jade had met another succubus that was outside of their family because I would have loved for them to learn more about themselves. I'm not sure if there is going to be another book or not, the ending kind of left it wide open. So, I hope that there is another book, and I hope that in it Allison will finally get some valid answers about herself.
Into a Million Pieces was a really sweet love story actually. I loved watching Allison and Ren interact. They met at the library, which is where Allison liked to spend her summer hiding out. There were minor hiccups and details that bugged me a bit while reading Into a Million Pieces, but only one thing really stands out at me. When Jade got beat up by a guy for not "putting out" and then she came home acting like it was no big deal at all. It made me lose all respect for Jade. But luckily, Allison was nothing like her sister and was a very relate able and likeable character. I also thought towards the end of the book things starting happening a little too quickly and there was a little too much shock value placed on the whirlwind of events. But I choose to focus on the relationship between Ren and Allison. That was the real winner in this story, in my opinion. I hope that there is another book because I feel like it would be a great chance for Allison to learn more about succubi, and I think it wouldn't have the things that irked me from this story. I would absolutely read more about Allison and Ren.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is a standalone contemporary romance that will have you smiling and laughing non-stop. It is a followup book to Meredith Zeitlin's Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters, but it is about an entirely different group of characters so I truly mean this when I say, you can read this book without having read the first book. They are not related other than the school is the same (I think). Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is such a fun read. I don't really have any criticisms of it so I am instead going to tell you a couple of things that I loved about the book.
1. I loved that Zona, a journalist-to-be, and her father, a Pulitzer prize winning writer, would communicate via post it notes in the form of newspaper headlines. They cracked me up! Even the totally snarky ones. I mean Zona is a 15 year old that was not too happy to be leaving her friends and school and whole life to be uprooted to spend 10th grade in Greece with her Dad. But the post-it notes are great. I loved the relationship between Zona and her dad.
2. I loved Zona herself. The book is told from her point of view and also through a series of hilarious article style excerpts of her life. She was writing about her life as if a newspaper was covering certain scenes and events from it, and they completely cracked me up. Zona is a very witty young lady!
3. I loved how adorable typical Zona was with her new crush. She is sometimes overly dramatic, sometimes too sarcastic, and all the time a 100% typical teenager. I have seen her reactions to waiting for a text a million times in my friends growing up and my campers at camp, and just about everywhere. I loved how relate able her story was. I don't mean typical in a bad way, I think Meredith Zeitlin did a fantastic job capturing the genuine essence of teens.
4. I loved the sweet and innocent romance that bloomed between Zona and the guy that I shall not name. (no spoilers here). And I also love that it didn't take over the story. Zona meeting her long lost family and her time spent in Greece was still the main focus. And speaking of family.
5. I loved the family message in Sophomore Year is Greek to Me. I thought it was really nice the way the family aspect of the story played out. And now one more thing for good measure.
6. I loved Zona's friendships with her New York friends. It is always so nice to see a supportive group of genuine friends. I loved their skype convos, and I really liked that they we always there for each other. It wasn't a one sided friendship.
Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is a fun adventure abroad. Zona is hilarious and I think teens (and not teens alike) will find her endearing and cute and will see a little bit of themselves in her. I loved learning about all aspects of her life. And her journey with friendships, and love and family was a great time. Read this book!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is a standalone contemporary romance that will have you smiling and laughing non-stop. It is a followup book to Meredith Zeitlin's Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters, but it is about an entirely different group of characters so I truly mean this when I say, you can read this book without having read the first book. They are not related other than the school is the same (I think). Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is such a fun read. I don't really have any criticisms of it so I am instead going to tell you a couple of things that I loved about the book.
1. I loved that Zona, a journalist-to-be, and her father, a Pulitzer prize winning writer, would communicate via post it notes in the form of newspaper headlines. They cracked me up! Even the totally snarky ones. I mean Zona is a 15 year old that was not too happy to be leaving her friends and school and whole life to be uprooted to spend 10th grade in Greece with her Dad. But the post-it notes are great. I loved the relationship between Zona and her dad.
2. I loved Zona herself. The book is told from her point of view and also through a series of hilarious article style excerpts of her life. She was writing about her life as if a newspaper was covering certain scenes and events from it, and they completely cracked me up. Zona is a very witty young lady!
3. I loved how adorable typical Zona was with her new crush. She is sometimes overly dramatic, sometimes too sarcastic, and all the time a 100% typical teenager. I have seen her reactions to waiting for a text a million times in my friends growing up and my campers at camp, and just about everywhere. I loved how relate able her story was. I don't mean typical in a bad way, I think Meredith Zeitlin did a fantastic job capturing the genuine essence of teens.
4. I loved the sweet and innocent romance that bloomed between Zona and the guy that I shall not name. (no spoilers here). And I also love that it didn't take over the story. Zona meeting her long lost family and her time spent in Greece was still the main focus. And speaking of family.
5. I loved the family message in Sophomore Year is Greek to Me. I thought it was really nice the way the family aspect of the story played out. And now one more thing for good measure.
6. I loved Zona's friendships with her New York friends. It is always so nice to see a supportive group of genuine friends. I loved their skype convos, and I really liked that they we always there for each other. It wasn't a one sided friendship.
Sophomore Year is Greek to Me is a fun adventure abroad. Zona is hilarious and I think teens (and not teens alike) will find her endearing and cute and will see a little bit of themselves in her. I loved learning about all aspects of her life. And her journey with friendships, and love and family was a great time. Read this book!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
The Summer I Fell is the first book in a contemporary New Adult series called, The Six. I felt like it should have been called the Seven, since all of the guys admitted that Riley was one of them and always has been. The Six are a group of six guys, Jared, Ace, Mark, Josh, Aiden & Eli , that are always together. They grew up together and they are a great group of friends. I really liked watching them interact, and I loved the way that they were with Riley. The Summer I fell is both a beautiful story and a heartbreaking story. The first half felt so carefree and fun, and I was smiling the whole time. You get to watch Riley discover her first love and hang out with a great group of friends. It is really great.
And then life starts to get in the way. They have all graduated high school and some are going in different directions. The second half of the book had a distinctly different feel than the first half. The second half of The Summer I fell took me by surprise. Without getting into spoilers, there are some pretty crazy events that happen that got my waterworks going. And I really wasn't expecting that. I thought we would continue to cruise on the good times and the smiles from the first half. But I guess I couldn't expect that to happen even if the "bad thing" didn't because all the guys were no longer together. They weren't "the six". They were individual guys each off doing their own thing. It was very bittersweet. It is one of the few new adult books that I will call a coming of age story. It was watching each of the members of the seven come into their own. The Summer I Fell is marked as New Adult, but I feel it is more of a crossover book. Falling somewhere in the range of upper YA to younger NA. Great for readers of both genres.
The Summer I Fell is part smiles, part tears, super sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. It is reminiscent of the bittersweet feeling of summer ending. I really enjoyed this read, and I kind of need to continue on with the story. The Summer I Fell took me down a different emotional road than I was expecting. I had no idea it would make me feel quite as deeply as it did. And yes, there is a cliffhanger. And yes it is a big one. That is most of the reason why I need to continue on in this series. The ending completely GUTTED me. I have to know what happens next.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
The Summer I Fell is the first book in a contemporary New Adult series called, The Six. I felt like it should have been called the Seven, since all of the guys admitted that Riley was one of them and always has been. The Six are a group of six guys, Jared, Ace, Mark, Josh, Aiden & Eli , that are always together. They grew up together and they are a great group of friends. I really liked watching them interact, and I loved the way that they were with Riley. The Summer I fell is both a beautiful story and a heartbreaking story. The first half felt so carefree and fun, and I was smiling the whole time. You get to watch Riley discover her first love and hang out with a great group of friends. It is really great.
And then life starts to get in the way. They have all graduated high school and some are going in different directions. The second half of the book had a distinctly different feel than the first half. The second half of The Summer I fell took me by surprise. Without getting into spoilers, there are some pretty crazy events that happen that got my waterworks going. And I really wasn't expecting that. I thought we would continue to cruise on the good times and the smiles from the first half. But I guess I couldn't expect that to happen even if the "bad thing" didn't because all the guys were no longer together. They weren't "the six". They were individual guys each off doing their own thing. It was very bittersweet. It is one of the few new adult books that I will call a coming of age story. It was watching each of the members of the seven come into their own. The Summer I Fell is marked as New Adult, but I feel it is more of a crossover book. Falling somewhere in the range of upper YA to younger NA. Great for readers of both genres.
The Summer I Fell is part smiles, part tears, super sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time. It is reminiscent of the bittersweet feeling of summer ending. I really enjoyed this read, and I kind of need to continue on with the story. The Summer I Fell took me down a different emotional road than I was expecting. I had no idea it would make me feel quite as deeply as it did. And yes, there is a cliffhanger. And yes it is a big one. That is most of the reason why I need to continue on in this series. The ending completely GUTTED me. I have to know what happens next.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
3.5/5
Becoming Jinn is the first in a Young Adult series of the same name, about genies. I love the tagline for the book- "Forget everything you thought you knew about genies". Because right away, this tells me that it is going to be a pretty cool re-imagining. And it was. It took awhile to gain momentum, but once it did, I thought Becoming Jinn was a magical tale. I thought the world of Jinn that Lori Goldstein created was very rich and multifaceted. I liked how creative and detailed she was, but at the same time I do feel like it slowed down the start of the story a lot. There was a lot of world building but not a lot else. But once you push past the beginning, you not only have a good idea of what it is like to be a Jinn but also the plot starts to move along at a more brisk pace. It was easy for me to fall into the story then.
Azra just turned 16 and for her birthday gift she is given a cuff bracelet and a lamp. The lamp is a joke between all the sisters and cousins of the family because Jinn don't live in lamps, they live in houses. But still the youngest Jinn gets to be the keeper of the lamp. I thought that was cute. Much less cute was the bracelet that was the symbol of being enslaved as a Jinn to the ruling class of the Afrit. And Azra was less than excited to come into her Jinn powers, because it meant losing control. I liked Azra. I can see how she would be a love her or hate type character, but I choose to love her. I thought she was spunky. She was a little whiny, but I think it is important to note that she is 16. What 16 year old is not ever whiny. And I think she had just about as good of a reason as any to be a little bitter and whiny- she was becoming a genie- and is now at the total whim of other people. That would grind my gears a bit too.
I'm not going to say much about the romance. It was good. There is a love triangle, and love triangles are the hardest part of reviews for me to write about without giving anything away, so I will leave you with the two dudes names, and nothing more. Henry- Azra's long time friend, and Nate. More to come on this sub-plot after I read the second book.
Becoming Jinn is a really cool story. I have never read a young adult, or other, so this was a new experience for me. I don't have a lot to compare it to except Aladdin, and this is nothing like Aladdin. If you don't mind love triangles and you can push past the bit of info dump, for background purposes at the start, Becoming Jinn is a really great story. I think a ton of YA readers will love this one, and I am more than interested enough to continue the series. Lori Goldstein did a great job with her imaginative Debut Novel, Becoming Jinn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
3.5/5
Becoming Jinn is the first in a Young Adult series of the same name, about genies. I love the tagline for the book- "Forget everything you thought you knew about genies". Because right away, this tells me that it is going to be a pretty cool re-imagining. And it was. It took awhile to gain momentum, but once it did, I thought Becoming Jinn was a magical tale. I thought the world of Jinn that Lori Goldstein created was very rich and multifaceted. I liked how creative and detailed she was, but at the same time I do feel like it slowed down the start of the story a lot. There was a lot of world building but not a lot else. But once you push past the beginning, you not only have a good idea of what it is like to be a Jinn but also the plot starts to move along at a more brisk pace. It was easy for me to fall into the story then.
Azra just turned 16 and for her birthday gift she is given a cuff bracelet and a lamp. The lamp is a joke between all the sisters and cousins of the family because Jinn don't live in lamps, they live in houses. But still the youngest Jinn gets to be the keeper of the lamp. I thought that was cute. Much less cute was the bracelet that was the symbol of being enslaved as a Jinn to the ruling class of the Afrit. And Azra was less than excited to come into her Jinn powers, because it meant losing control. I liked Azra. I can see how she would be a love her or hate type character, but I choose to love her. I thought she was spunky. She was a little whiny, but I think it is important to note that she is 16. What 16 year old is not ever whiny. And I think she had just about as good of a reason as any to be a little bitter and whiny- she was becoming a genie- and is now at the total whim of other people. That would grind my gears a bit too.
I'm not going to say much about the romance. It was good. There is a love triangle, and love triangles are the hardest part of reviews for me to write about without giving anything away, so I will leave you with the two dudes names, and nothing more. Henry- Azra's long time friend, and Nate. More to come on this sub-plot after I read the second book.
Becoming Jinn is a really cool story. I have never read a young adult, or other, so this was a new experience for me. I don't have a lot to compare it to except Aladdin, and this is nothing like Aladdin. If you don't mind love triangles and you can push past the bit of info dump, for background purposes at the start, Becoming Jinn is a really great story. I think a ton of YA readers will love this one, and I am more than interested enough to continue the series. Lori Goldstein did a great job with her imaginative Debut Novel, Becoming Jinn.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Denton Little's Deathdate is a really funny, and strangely sweet read. I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like it. It is not the most believable book ever, but you just have to embrace the concept and go with it. If you can do that, you will have a blast on Denton's last 24 hours alive adventure. Denton Little's Deathdate takes place in a world in the future that is very much like the world we know today. Technology and living hasn't advanced too much, but there is one minor difference. In Denton's world, as soon as you are born they can tell you the date that you will die. They can't tell you how you will die, but they can predict 100% of the time, the day that you will die. And as you can imagine, this has caused some pretty strange customs to pop up.
Reading about the customs surrounding your deathdate were one of my favorite parts about this book. For instance, how would your funeral be if you actually spoke at it? And what kind of party would you throw if you knew it would be the night before you died? And Denton was an extra special case, because he was an "early". An "early" are those not so lucky individuals that die before they turn 18. Denton goes through all kinds of mini existential crisis's, so to speak in his last 24 hours, but he never stays down for too long.
This book is a ton of fun. I loved Denton. I loved, loved, loved his best friend Pow. I thought he was a great guy and so freakin' hilarious. Pow and Denton became friends in kindergarten because they were both earlies. Pow has a deathdate 1 month after Denton. So without spoiling the book, let me set the stage for you. Denton knows he is going to die in a day, but he has no idea what from. So he goes to his funeral, he goes to his party, and then he is supposed to sit in his house until "it" happens. But then Denton gets a weird purple splotch on his leg, and he freaks thinking that is he is going to die from, which yeah, I think is a valid concern. So he sets off to try and find out what it is, and he ends up unraveling a mystery. The mystery aspect of the book took me by surprise, but I was already in a jolly mood from Denton and Pow's adorable antics, so I happily went along for the ride.
Denton Little's Deathdate is a lighthearted read that is the most fun I have ever had reading or thinking about death. I don't think it is meant to be taken too seriously, and yes the deathdate thing didn't make a lot of sense the way it was explained, but who cares? The result was a story that will have you laughing your butt off and falling in love with a 17 year old guy that just wants to figure out what the heck is going on before he dies- "literally any minute now." This book was great. It is fresh and doesn't feel like every other ya out there. Give it a read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Denton Little's Deathdate is a really funny, and strangely sweet read. I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like it. It is not the most believable book ever, but you just have to embrace the concept and go with it. If you can do that, you will have a blast on Denton's last 24 hours alive adventure. Denton Little's Deathdate takes place in a world in the future that is very much like the world we know today. Technology and living hasn't advanced too much, but there is one minor difference. In Denton's world, as soon as you are born they can tell you the date that you will die. They can't tell you how you will die, but they can predict 100% of the time, the day that you will die. And as you can imagine, this has caused some pretty strange customs to pop up.
Reading about the customs surrounding your deathdate were one of my favorite parts about this book. For instance, how would your funeral be if you actually spoke at it? And what kind of party would you throw if you knew it would be the night before you died? And Denton was an extra special case, because he was an "early". An "early" are those not so lucky individuals that die before they turn 18. Denton goes through all kinds of mini existential crisis's, so to speak in his last 24 hours, but he never stays down for too long.
This book is a ton of fun. I loved Denton. I loved, loved, loved his best friend Pow. I thought he was a great guy and so freakin' hilarious. Pow and Denton became friends in kindergarten because they were both earlies. Pow has a deathdate 1 month after Denton. So without spoiling the book, let me set the stage for you. Denton knows he is going to die in a day, but he has no idea what from. So he goes to his funeral, he goes to his party, and then he is supposed to sit in his house until "it" happens. But then Denton gets a weird purple splotch on his leg, and he freaks thinking that is he is going to die from, which yeah, I think is a valid concern. So he sets off to try and find out what it is, and he ends up unraveling a mystery. The mystery aspect of the book took me by surprise, but I was already in a jolly mood from Denton and Pow's adorable antics, so I happily went along for the ride.
Denton Little's Deathdate is a lighthearted read that is the most fun I have ever had reading or thinking about death. I don't think it is meant to be taken too seriously, and yes the deathdate thing didn't make a lot of sense the way it was explained, but who cares? The result was a story that will have you laughing your butt off and falling in love with a 17 year old guy that just wants to figure out what the heck is going on before he dies- "literally any minute now." This book was great. It is fresh and doesn't feel like every other ya out there. Give it a read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Words cannot express how excited I was when I found out this book was happening. It is a continuation/the novel length version of a short story published in a new adult anthology, called Breakaway. It was my favorite of the 14 stories in that anthology, and I wasn't the only one that thought that. This is what I wrote about Bunsen Burner Bingo in my review of the spring break anthology, "beyond adorable. I want to see a full length book with the story of Katy and Martin. I loved that Martin was both this super smart science geek and a hot frat guy. Katy was someone who was burned in the past and hides behind her clothes and her science. This short story was laugh out loud funny and I want more!" Penny Reid got an overwhelming response, asking for more Kaitlyn and Martin, and she answered our calls! Elements of chemistry was born! It is going to be told in 3 parts, Attraction, Heat and Capture, and I think those three parts make up the book Elements of Chemistry, which I think is book 1 in the Hypothesis series. It is a new adult romantic comedy.
Attraction starts off just where bunsen burner bingo started off, so you don't need to read the short story first to read this one. Penny Reid did a great job incorporating the short story, and expanding it to what I knew I would be an excellent novel. And she made the short story flow effortlessly into a longer story. It worked perfectly.
This is exactly the kind of new adult romance that I love. It is funny, sexy, well written with great characters, and the chemistry is sizzling. Elements of Chemistry: Attraction, is going to be a favorite of mine, so doubt about it. Kaitlin and Martin are o multidimensional, and such fantastic characters on their own that you can't help but root for them together. I love how special Katy is to Martin, without her even knowing it. It is a great spring break read, or heck, an anytime read. The three parts are being released in fairly quick succession, so you can enjoy parts 1 and 2 back to back if you wait until the end of April.
Martin and Kaitlin are making their way up the ranks of my favorite book couples. All in one short book. If you like romances that are laugh out loud funny, and sweet and sexy at the same time, the elements of chemistry series is for you! Read this series. Just do it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Words cannot express how excited I was when I found out this book was happening. It is a continuation/the novel length version of a short story published in a new adult anthology, called Breakaway. It was my favorite of the 14 stories in that anthology, and I wasn't the only one that thought that. This is what I wrote about Bunsen Burner Bingo in my review of the spring break anthology, "beyond adorable. I want to see a full length book with the story of Katy and Martin. I loved that Martin was both this super smart science geek and a hot frat guy. Katy was someone who was burned in the past and hides behind her clothes and her science. This short story was laugh out loud funny and I want more!" Penny Reid got an overwhelming response, asking for more Kaitlyn and Martin, and she answered our calls! Elements of chemistry was born! It is going to be told in 3 parts, Attraction, Heat and Capture, and I think those three parts make up the book Elements of Chemistry, which I think is book 1 in the Hypothesis series. It is a new adult romantic comedy.
Attraction starts off just where bunsen burner bingo started off, so you don't need to read the short story first to read this one. Penny Reid did a great job incorporating the short story, and expanding it to what I knew I would be an excellent novel. And she made the short story flow effortlessly into a longer story. It worked perfectly.
This is exactly the kind of new adult romance that I love. It is funny, sexy, well written with great characters, and the chemistry is sizzling. Elements of Chemistry: Attraction, is going to be a favorite of mine, so doubt about it. Kaitlin and Martin are o multidimensional, and such fantastic characters on their own that you can't help but root for them together. I love how special Katy is to Martin, without her even knowing it. It is a great spring break read, or heck, an anytime read. The three parts are being released in fairly quick succession, so you can enjoy parts 1 and 2 back to back if you wait until the end of April.
Martin and Kaitlin are making their way up the ranks of my favorite book couples. All in one short book. If you like romances that are laugh out loud funny, and sweet and sexy at the same time, the elements of chemistry series is for you! Read this series. Just do it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
2.5/5
As Red As Blood is the first book in the Snow white trilogy, or the Lumikki Andersson trilogy. I struggled with this book. It was originally written in Finnish and it takes placei n Finland, so maybe something was lost in translation, but I just could not get into this story. And that seems like a real shame to me, because I really, really liked the main girl Lumikki. I thought she was resilient, and smart. But the story was too jarring for me. The book felt kind of choppy and all over the place. The pace was brisk but the story felt like, scene. event. new person. confusing thing. scene. scene. without any explanations or time to catch your breath. I think for people that enjoy foreign or noir gritty crime thrillers might really love this, but it is not my normal read so the flow of the story was almost too big of a hurdle for me to overcome.
As I said before Lumikki is a great character. I went back and forth many times on what rating to give this book. I almost gave it 3 stars because I really enjoyed Lumikki. I loved how tough she was and when she stood up to the principals son early on, I cheered her on in my head. And I also liked the premise. She finds blood covered money hanging to dry in her school dark room. Umm, what??? That sounds like a crazy story! So I decided to give it a try, and it was kind of crazy, but it just wasn't really my thing. I feel like it might translate better on the tv or movie, but in a book, at least with this translation, something wasn't adding up for me to really get into the story.
As Red As Blood deals with a Finnish crime ring. Again a cool concept, and people that read crime thrillers or noir crime novels I think will love the snow white trilogy. The writing style is very distinct and the landscape felt very pungent, and fitting. It is a quick read, so I was glad that I stuck this one out. It was a good story, but not great for me. Lumikki is the winner of As Red As Blood. I wish I could have liked this one more, but I do hope people give this a shot if it sounds like your kind of read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
2.5/5
As Red As Blood is the first book in the Snow white trilogy, or the Lumikki Andersson trilogy. I struggled with this book. It was originally written in Finnish and it takes placei n Finland, so maybe something was lost in translation, but I just could not get into this story. And that seems like a real shame to me, because I really, really liked the main girl Lumikki. I thought she was resilient, and smart. But the story was too jarring for me. The book felt kind of choppy and all over the place. The pace was brisk but the story felt like, scene. event. new person. confusing thing. scene. scene. without any explanations or time to catch your breath. I think for people that enjoy foreign or noir gritty crime thrillers might really love this, but it is not my normal read so the flow of the story was almost too big of a hurdle for me to overcome.
As I said before Lumikki is a great character. I went back and forth many times on what rating to give this book. I almost gave it 3 stars because I really enjoyed Lumikki. I loved how tough she was and when she stood up to the principals son early on, I cheered her on in my head. And I also liked the premise. She finds blood covered money hanging to dry in her school dark room. Umm, what??? That sounds like a crazy story! So I decided to give it a try, and it was kind of crazy, but it just wasn't really my thing. I feel like it might translate better on the tv or movie, but in a book, at least with this translation, something wasn't adding up for me to really get into the story.
As Red As Blood deals with a Finnish crime ring. Again a cool concept, and people that read crime thrillers or noir crime novels I think will love the snow white trilogy. The writing style is very distinct and the landscape felt very pungent, and fitting. It is a quick read, so I was glad that I stuck this one out. It was a good story, but not great for me. Lumikki is the winner of As Red As Blood. I wish I could have liked this one more, but I do hope people give this a shot if it sounds like your kind of read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
If you guys remember my review of A Week in New York from not too long ago, you will remember that I loved the sexy fun feel of the book. Well, Autumn in London was no different. There is still all the fun that I loved about Ethan and Anna, but they are past the getting to know you stage so their relationship felt deeper and more real to me. This time, the book takes place, as the title suggests, in London. Ethan's New York law firm is merging with Anna's London law firm, and neither of them had any idea. It was an interesting story development.
Ethan and Anna have insane chemistry, so I loved watching the two of them around each other. Even during their time away from one another, they still left their marks. I thought it was so cute to watch them pine at the start of the story. But the adorableness of them pining was nothing compared to the force of nature they are when they are in the same room. There is nothing like them. I do wish they would be more open about what they want. They both need to work on their communication, big time. It was painful watching neither of them say what they wanted, when you know that they each wanted the same thing. So much heartache and stress could have been avoided with a conversation up front. But they were each scared. I get that. I am anxious to see what is going to happen with them in the third part of the trilogy. I think it will be back in New York again, or maybe split between the two cities.
As you may know, novellas and serial length series are a hit or miss for me. Because of their shorter length, they are open to so many story development problems. And when that happens, I am almost always left wanting more from these shorter stories. BUT if they are well done, novella length series can be some of my favorites, because you can pick them up and read them in one sitting and fall in love quickly. Like instant gratification. The Empire State Trilogy is one of the not only good ones, but GREAT ones. I am so in love with Ethan and Anna. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and now I am equally excited and scared for the final installment. I want to keep reading RIGHT NOW, but I also don't want to say goodbye to the characters yet. I am not ready for their story to end.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
If you guys remember my review of A Week in New York from not too long ago, you will remember that I loved the sexy fun feel of the book. Well, Autumn in London was no different. There is still all the fun that I loved about Ethan and Anna, but they are past the getting to know you stage so their relationship felt deeper and more real to me. This time, the book takes place, as the title suggests, in London. Ethan's New York law firm is merging with Anna's London law firm, and neither of them had any idea. It was an interesting story development.
Ethan and Anna have insane chemistry, so I loved watching the two of them around each other. Even during their time away from one another, they still left their marks. I thought it was so cute to watch them pine at the start of the story. But the adorableness of them pining was nothing compared to the force of nature they are when they are in the same room. There is nothing like them. I do wish they would be more open about what they want. They both need to work on their communication, big time. It was painful watching neither of them say what they wanted, when you know that they each wanted the same thing. So much heartache and stress could have been avoided with a conversation up front. But they were each scared. I get that. I am anxious to see what is going to happen with them in the third part of the trilogy. I think it will be back in New York again, or maybe split between the two cities.
As you may know, novellas and serial length series are a hit or miss for me. Because of their shorter length, they are open to so many story development problems. And when that happens, I am almost always left wanting more from these shorter stories. BUT if they are well done, novella length series can be some of my favorites, because you can pick them up and read them in one sitting and fall in love quickly. Like instant gratification. The Empire State Trilogy is one of the not only good ones, but GREAT ones. I am so in love with Ethan and Anna. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and now I am equally excited and scared for the final installment. I want to keep reading RIGHT NOW, but I also don't want to say goodbye to the characters yet. I am not ready for their story to end.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs