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*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
I always wished I could crank out an awesome review in a snap but it always seems to take me forever. I usually have a hundred thoughts I have to sift through and find it very difficult to mention everything I want to. Then I have no idea exactly what I do want to say. That being said reviews never come easy to me but telling you all what I thought about Charm & Strange seems almost impossible. I feel unless you read it Charm & Strange is extremely hard to talk about it. I definitely do not want to give any spoilers so I am going to do my best to describe my highs and lows with this book the best I can.
What I can tell you is that Stephanie Kuehn did a great job. Charm & Strange was nothing like I thought it would be when I signed up for the tour. I thought it would be a suspenseful and interesting story and it was but x100. Stephanie really knows how to toss your thoughts around and although after a bit I felt I truly knew how it was going to end I still clung to the possibility that it wouldn’t be what I thought.
Win clings to this possibility of a change that may or may not really happen and Stephanie keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting right along with him. He truly is tortured, you just know something is eating at him, and that is obvious from the beginning. What is not clear is what that something is and what exactly Win is really waiting for. You get thrown back and forth between his past and present as you get to know more about him but Stephanie never out and out says much. She keeps things short and vague leaving you grasping to piece things together and I loved that. No matter what you think you know, whether you end up being correct about the outcome or not, you will ask wtf is going on at least once and second guess yourself a time or two.
Stephanie really knows how to keep you on your toes and keep you asking what is really going on? I liked getting to know Win and digging into his past. The writing was good as well as the story. It made me think and got my feelings going. I have to say it did a great job of upsetting me and got some tears rolling. I so wanted to be wrong. The only low I think I had was that although it was a pretty great book and written in such a good way it was not what I thought I would be reading. On one side this put me off a little and felt deceiving but the fact that I liked it made up for all of that. I just feel like this might be a hit or miss for some people. You really just need to read it to understand though. I definitely want to check out what else Stephanie comes out with.
I always wished I could crank out an awesome review in a snap but it always seems to take me forever. I usually have a hundred thoughts I have to sift through and find it very difficult to mention everything I want to. Then I have no idea exactly what I do want to say. That being said reviews never come easy to me but telling you all what I thought about Charm & Strange seems almost impossible. I feel unless you read it Charm & Strange is extremely hard to talk about it. I definitely do not want to give any spoilers so I am going to do my best to describe my highs and lows with this book the best I can.
What I can tell you is that Stephanie Kuehn did a great job. Charm & Strange was nothing like I thought it would be when I signed up for the tour. I thought it would be a suspenseful and interesting story and it was but x100. Stephanie really knows how to toss your thoughts around and although after a bit I felt I truly knew how it was going to end I still clung to the possibility that it wouldn’t be what I thought.
Win clings to this possibility of a change that may or may not really happen and Stephanie keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting right along with him. He truly is tortured, you just know something is eating at him, and that is obvious from the beginning. What is not clear is what that something is and what exactly Win is really waiting for. You get thrown back and forth between his past and present as you get to know more about him but Stephanie never out and out says much. She keeps things short and vague leaving you grasping to piece things together and I loved that. No matter what you think you know, whether you end up being correct about the outcome or not, you will ask wtf is going on at least once and second guess yourself a time or two.
Stephanie really knows how to keep you on your toes and keep you asking what is really going on? I liked getting to know Win and digging into his past. The writing was good as well as the story. It made me think and got my feelings going. I have to say it did a great job of upsetting me and got some tears rolling. I so wanted to be wrong. The only low I think I had was that although it was a pretty great book and written in such a good way it was not what I thought I would be reading. On one side this put me off a little and felt deceiving but the fact that I liked it made up for all of that. I just feel like this might be a hit or miss for some people. You really just need to read it to understand though. I definitely want to check out what else Stephanie comes out with.
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
Two years have passed since the ending in In Heat and Kim and Erik have only grown closer. I loved that Mating Call took place two years later because I could tell that Erik and Kim had gotten to know each other and had gotten closer even if I wasn’t able to read about it. While reading In Heat I wasn’t totally sold on their emotional relationship but this one changed my mind. I could feel their connection and deep feelings for each other much more in Mating Call.
In the first book in the series Kim and Erik were not able to truly become mates but I think that was for the best. In those two years of waiting for Kim to be in heat again their love and passion grew. Erik can’t wait for the exact moment when he can truly make Kim his forever and Kim is also finally ready but just when they think things can’t go wrong this time another player finds his way into their sexy dreams. There is only supposed to be one life mate out there for them so when this new guy shows up in their dreams things become filled with tension and confusion.
Erik has no clue why this guy is all of a sudden in their dreams and he doesn’t like it. Is there really someone else that might want Kim as much as he does? He has waited forever to find her and he sure as hell isn’t giving her up. Erik has nothing to worry about or does he? If Kim is sure about anything it is that she loves him but when she starts to realize how much she likes their new dreams she begins to worry about what it might all mean. If this guy can make her feel all these things what will happen if she meets him? Both are extremely worried and confused. Just when things are supposed to get easier they are hit with a new obstacle that makes for a pretty interesting story.
Overall, Mating Call didn’t waste anytime getting down to business and things definitely got more intense in this one. Kim grew and became more confidant about herself and what she wants. Erik become more territorial but with good reason and it made things more interesting ;) Mating Call kept up the two pov’s just like In Heat did but I felt like this also delivered a better story. I didn’t know how I was going to feel about a love triangle but it was more of a lust triangle and didn’t irritate me the way I thought it might. It was attention grabbing and had much to be anticipated. Unfortunately just like with the first one the end fell a little flat for me . I felt like it was leading up to this big thing (partly did) and then nope nada. Was happy with most of it just would have liked more out of part of the end. It was just too simple.
Two years have passed since the ending in In Heat and Kim and Erik have only grown closer. I loved that Mating Call took place two years later because I could tell that Erik and Kim had gotten to know each other and had gotten closer even if I wasn’t able to read about it. While reading In Heat I wasn’t totally sold on their emotional relationship but this one changed my mind. I could feel their connection and deep feelings for each other much more in Mating Call.
In the first book in the series Kim and Erik were not able to truly become mates but I think that was for the best. In those two years of waiting for Kim to be in heat again their love and passion grew. Erik can’t wait for the exact moment when he can truly make Kim his forever and Kim is also finally ready but just when they think things can’t go wrong this time another player finds his way into their sexy dreams. There is only supposed to be one life mate out there for them so when this new guy shows up in their dreams things become filled with tension and confusion.
Erik has no clue why this guy is all of a sudden in their dreams and he doesn’t like it. Is there really someone else that might want Kim as much as he does? He has waited forever to find her and he sure as hell isn’t giving her up. Erik has nothing to worry about or does he? If Kim is sure about anything it is that she loves him but when she starts to realize how much she likes their new dreams she begins to worry about what it might all mean. If this guy can make her feel all these things what will happen if she meets him? Both are extremely worried and confused. Just when things are supposed to get easier they are hit with a new obstacle that makes for a pretty interesting story.
Overall, Mating Call didn’t waste anytime getting down to business and things definitely got more intense in this one. Kim grew and became more confidant about herself and what she wants. Erik become more territorial but with good reason and it made things more interesting ;) Mating Call kept up the two pov’s just like In Heat did but I felt like this also delivered a better story. I didn’t know how I was going to feel about a love triangle but it was more of a lust triangle and didn’t irritate me the way I thought it might. It was attention grabbing and had much to be anticipated. Unfortunately just like with the first one the end fell a little flat for me . I felt like it was leading up to this big thing (partly did) and then nope nada. Was happy with most of it just would have liked more out of part of the end. It was just too simple.
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
3.5-4 Hearts
We all have our secret. For some they may be small ones, the kind you swear you would just die if someone found out but chanse are the’ve done it/gone through it too. Then there are the bigger ones, the ones you couldn’t bare someone close to you knowing about it for fear they won’t look at you the same. This is the kind of secret Avery is hiding. She made one mistake in her past and she hasn’t figured out how to accept it and move past it. It worries her constantly and controls her. She just rather hide from her past and from anyone once a part of it. It takes Jase, an attractive frat-boy/reformed player and his “life coaching” to coax Avery out of her shell.
From the beginning there was no question that the two liked each other, no tip toeing around the truth or false claims that they are just friends. Jase was very forward in how he spoke to Avery while still knowing when its time to slow it down. Avery was also honest when it came to her feelings, not lying to herself or Jase about wanting him only stating she wasn’t ready. Her past got in the way and although it was also a good thing because it allowed the two some time to get to know each other. As you would guess that was easier for one more than the other.Jase was an open book he didn’t really hide things and for the most part was honest. Avery shared who she was now but kept the rest hidden. She wasn’t fake but she wasn’t completely open like Jase either and although he told himself and her that that was okay it became a problem later.
I liked that Jase was open about both his life and to trying to help Avery out. He wanted to get closer to her and getting her past whatever she was hiding from was the only way to do it. I loved that he pushed her past her comfort zones but not in a crazy way. He cared about her and her feelings. I also liked how he had changed his ways before Avery even showed up in his life. It was more about dealing with her problems than anything wrong with him. Avery wasn’t my favorite but I liked that she was open to Jase and his challenges for her. She wanted her past to remain hidden but she wasn’t opposed to learning how to get past it. I did find her a tad over dramatic in certain situations but i didn’t dislike her. Her friends seemed interesting and it would have been nice seeing more of them.
Jase and Avery could be pretty adorable and Jase’s sections are good for some swoons and giggles. I wouldn’t be opposed to him being my “life coach” ;) The story wasn’t particularly exciting but my thoughts about it stayed constant and it didn’t leave me bored. There was romance, drama (sometimes unnecessary) and character growth. Overall, The Impact of You was a cute and quick read that shows people don’t always make the best choices but that doesn’t mean you have to let those choices rule the rest of your life.
3.5-4 Hearts
We all have our secret. For some they may be small ones, the kind you swear you would just die if someone found out but chanse are the’ve done it/gone through it too. Then there are the bigger ones, the ones you couldn’t bare someone close to you knowing about it for fear they won’t look at you the same. This is the kind of secret Avery is hiding. She made one mistake in her past and she hasn’t figured out how to accept it and move past it. It worries her constantly and controls her. She just rather hide from her past and from anyone once a part of it. It takes Jase, an attractive frat-boy/reformed player and his “life coaching” to coax Avery out of her shell.
From the beginning there was no question that the two liked each other, no tip toeing around the truth or false claims that they are just friends. Jase was very forward in how he spoke to Avery while still knowing when its time to slow it down. Avery was also honest when it came to her feelings, not lying to herself or Jase about wanting him only stating she wasn’t ready. Her past got in the way and although it was also a good thing because it allowed the two some time to get to know each other. As you would guess that was easier for one more than the other.Jase was an open book he didn’t really hide things and for the most part was honest. Avery shared who she was now but kept the rest hidden. She wasn’t fake but she wasn’t completely open like Jase either and although he told himself and her that that was okay it became a problem later.
I liked that Jase was open about both his life and to trying to help Avery out. He wanted to get closer to her and getting her past whatever she was hiding from was the only way to do it. I loved that he pushed her past her comfort zones but not in a crazy way. He cared about her and her feelings. I also liked how he had changed his ways before Avery even showed up in his life. It was more about dealing with her problems than anything wrong with him. Avery wasn’t my favorite but I liked that she was open to Jase and his challenges for her. She wanted her past to remain hidden but she wasn’t opposed to learning how to get past it. I did find her a tad over dramatic in certain situations but i didn’t dislike her. Her friends seemed interesting and it would have been nice seeing more of them.
Jase and Avery could be pretty adorable and Jase’s sections are good for some swoons and giggles. I wouldn’t be opposed to him being my “life coach” ;) The story wasn’t particularly exciting but my thoughts about it stayed constant and it didn’t leave me bored. There was romance, drama (sometimes unnecessary) and character growth. Overall, The Impact of You was a cute and quick read that shows people don’t always make the best choices but that doesn’t mean you have to let those choices rule the rest of your life.
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
Georgetown Academy was a totally addicting dramafest. Following Ellie, Brinley, Taryn, and Evan was anything but boring as they tried to navigate the complicated system of living in a political environment. A little drama is unavoidable in life but for these four one wrong move can blow up into a huge media frenzy with the potential to greatly affect those close to them. It's hard enough maintaining your reputation when someone is keeping an eye on you so closely but when you live in the world they do it isn't just your reputation on the line. Anything Brinley, Ellie, and Taryn do can affect their parents political future. It's sad but true. These girls have way too much pressure put on them to be perfect. What they wear, what they do, and who they do it with is greatly scrutinized. Its not new news. They already know their roles and how they must play out but that doesn't mean it is always easy. The girls struggle with keeping things under their control, staying true to themselves, and wanting things they know they shouldn't want.
Each character is truly their own person in these books. They each have their own little quirks. Their is no mistaking who's who but they all have one thing in common, they live in a world that really knows how to blow things out of proportion. A world full of lies, secrets, deception, ass kissing and slandering. Nothing seems to stay mellow for very long in their lives and they are forced to sacrifice many things which was very sad. They should be able to just be teens with the "normal" everyday consequences of their mistakes but instead they are subjected to the brutal world of politics where someone is always looking for even one little thing that could defame their opponents. Of course it made for a great story but I just got so mad with what they had to go through. They had to sacrifice things they should have been able to have, keep secrets that should definitely not been kept, and even abandon their values. Err. It was obvious their parents cared about them but I think they still could have been more considerate of their children's feelings in spite of their political careers. Taryn's father had to be my favorite parent. From what I saw he had it together as a parent and politician.
If you're like me of course you want to know about the romance ;) Although I didn't fall head over heals for every potential couple I did pair who I wanted up in my mind and continued to root for them. You just know who needs to be together. You know who'll they will click with, make them better, or loosen them up. I myself was all about Gabe. Really couldn't get enough of his and Ellie's complicated relationship (one that shouldn't have been as complicated as it was but again politics strike again). All the main boys were pretty likeable but Gabe and Shane were my all time favorites. I want more of them!
I don't find politics particularly exciting but Georgetown Academy definitely piqued my interest with all its drama. The characters were really easy to love and hate. Even my favorites had me face palm a time or two with how complicated they had to make things. The "scandals" weren't crazy scandalous or unrealistic so I appreciated that. The romance although pushed into such a short time (each book wasn't very long) didn't seem forced and it was easy to root for certain couples to last. Georgetown Academy truly was an addicting and enjoyable read.
Georgetown Academy was a totally addicting dramafest. Following Ellie, Brinley, Taryn, and Evan was anything but boring as they tried to navigate the complicated system of living in a political environment. A little drama is unavoidable in life but for these four one wrong move can blow up into a huge media frenzy with the potential to greatly affect those close to them. It's hard enough maintaining your reputation when someone is keeping an eye on you so closely but when you live in the world they do it isn't just your reputation on the line. Anything Brinley, Ellie, and Taryn do can affect their parents political future. It's sad but true. These girls have way too much pressure put on them to be perfect. What they wear, what they do, and who they do it with is greatly scrutinized. Its not new news. They already know their roles and how they must play out but that doesn't mean it is always easy. The girls struggle with keeping things under their control, staying true to themselves, and wanting things they know they shouldn't want.
Each character is truly their own person in these books. They each have their own little quirks. Their is no mistaking who's who but they all have one thing in common, they live in a world that really knows how to blow things out of proportion. A world full of lies, secrets, deception, ass kissing and slandering. Nothing seems to stay mellow for very long in their lives and they are forced to sacrifice many things which was very sad. They should be able to just be teens with the "normal" everyday consequences of their mistakes but instead they are subjected to the brutal world of politics where someone is always looking for even one little thing that could defame their opponents. Of course it made for a great story but I just got so mad with what they had to go through. They had to sacrifice things they should have been able to have, keep secrets that should definitely not been kept, and even abandon their values. Err. It was obvious their parents cared about them but I think they still could have been more considerate of their children's feelings in spite of their political careers. Taryn's father had to be my favorite parent. From what I saw he had it together as a parent and politician.
If you're like me of course you want to know about the romance ;) Although I didn't fall head over heals for every potential couple I did pair who I wanted up in my mind and continued to root for them. You just know who needs to be together. You know who'll they will click with, make them better, or loosen them up. I myself was all about Gabe. Really couldn't get enough of his and Ellie's complicated relationship (one that shouldn't have been as complicated as it was but again politics strike again). All the main boys were pretty likeable but Gabe and Shane were my all time favorites. I want more of them!
I don't find politics particularly exciting but Georgetown Academy definitely piqued my interest with all its drama. The characters were really easy to love and hate. Even my favorites had me face palm a time or two with how complicated they had to make things. The "scandals" weren't crazy scandalous or unrealistic so I appreciated that. The romance although pushed into such a short time (each book wasn't very long) didn't seem forced and it was easy to root for certain couples to last. Georgetown Academy truly was an addicting and enjoyable read.
*Originally Reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
Death Dealer was such a short story but those 140 pages still contained an interesting story filled with action and emotion. Both Mia and Deacon lost people close to them in a horrible way and became Death Dealers in exchange for some revenge in the future. They now spend their lives delivering souls to their proper gates but that is no piece of cake. Their journey’s from point A to point B is filled with crazy sounding creatures/demons (Ashley Robertson gave some pretty great descriptions) trying to keep them from completing their task. It seems not one job can go off without a glitch. These problems bring some action to this story and you get to see exactly what Mia and Deacon are made of. Mia isn’t a total badass but she can definitely put up a hell of a fight. With some more time who knows what she could do.
It’s on Mia’s first job of the book that Deacon pops up and it is obvious that those two have a connection. Typically the second a character mentions how crazy the other makes them its like a lightbulb going off. The two should probably just find a room. Now I wasn’t completely sold on their romance but that is usually the case with shorter stories. Everything is cut short and to the point so you don’t get too much build which is a little disappointing but to be expected. They were still likable together and Deacon was there for Mia when she needed him. I hope to see her returning the favor in the future.
I do have to say what I felt was going to be the biggest part of the story (Mia’s revenge) didn’t seem so huge. I felt like it was a tiny part of the story and couldn’t see how Mia found her closure with it all. I like what Ashley Robertson did with it though. It was very clever but I felt like it needed at least a tad more time. It so hard to be completely satisfied with novellas but Death Dealer was still an enjoyable read. It took me way too long to read but that was only because work got in the way and I had to read it in small sections. I am looking forward to reading some more in the series and hopefully getting more of a connection between the two characters. I’m sure those two will have quite the treacherous adventure in the future.
Death Dealer was such a short story but those 140 pages still contained an interesting story filled with action and emotion. Both Mia and Deacon lost people close to them in a horrible way and became Death Dealers in exchange for some revenge in the future. They now spend their lives delivering souls to their proper gates but that is no piece of cake. Their journey’s from point A to point B is filled with crazy sounding creatures/demons (Ashley Robertson gave some pretty great descriptions) trying to keep them from completing their task. It seems not one job can go off without a glitch. These problems bring some action to this story and you get to see exactly what Mia and Deacon are made of. Mia isn’t a total badass but she can definitely put up a hell of a fight. With some more time who knows what she could do.
It’s on Mia’s first job of the book that Deacon pops up and it is obvious that those two have a connection. Typically the second a character mentions how crazy the other makes them its like a lightbulb going off. The two should probably just find a room. Now I wasn’t completely sold on their romance but that is usually the case with shorter stories. Everything is cut short and to the point so you don’t get too much build which is a little disappointing but to be expected. They were still likable together and Deacon was there for Mia when she needed him. I hope to see her returning the favor in the future.
I do have to say what I felt was going to be the biggest part of the story (Mia’s revenge) didn’t seem so huge. I felt like it was a tiny part of the story and couldn’t see how Mia found her closure with it all. I like what Ashley Robertson did with it though. It was very clever but I felt like it needed at least a tad more time. It so hard to be completely satisfied with novellas but Death Dealer was still an enjoyable read. It took me way too long to read but that was only because work got in the way and I had to read it in small sections. I am looking forward to reading some more in the series and hopefully getting more of a connection between the two characters. I’m sure those two will have quite the treacherous adventure in the future.
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
Beautiful Bitch was such a quick read. There isn’t too much to say about it but I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with you. Alexa and I both got to read and review Beautiful Bastard a few months ago and I really liked it. It wasn’t perfect but it was very addicting and I was looking forward to reading more by Christina Lauren. Of course I wanted to get to read more about Chloe and Bennett so I picked this one up.
Beautiful Bitch continues their story and you get to read about what Chloe and Bennett are doing now after their reconciliation at the end of Beautiful Bastard. These two are still as argumentative as ever but very much in love. Finding a way to balance their time with work and spending time with each other has become their biggest challenge and you get to see that in flashbacks. This one wasn’t as steamy as I thought it would be though but I guess with their time apart and the length of this book I should have been prepared to be left wanting. I still very much like Chloe and Bennett after reading this so mostly my lack of love for this one (still enjoyed it though :) ) had to do with setting my hopes too high and that their actual vacation time was so short. I was hoping to have a little more time with them actually finding time together towards the end.
3.5 Hearts
Beautiful Bitch was such a quick read. There isn’t too much to say about it but I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with you. Alexa and I both got to read and review Beautiful Bastard a few months ago and I really liked it. It wasn’t perfect but it was very addicting and I was looking forward to reading more by Christina Lauren. Of course I wanted to get to read more about Chloe and Bennett so I picked this one up.
Beautiful Bitch continues their story and you get to read about what Chloe and Bennett are doing now after their reconciliation at the end of Beautiful Bastard. These two are still as argumentative as ever but very much in love. Finding a way to balance their time with work and spending time with each other has become their biggest challenge and you get to see that in flashbacks. This one wasn’t as steamy as I thought it would be though but I guess with their time apart and the length of this book I should have been prepared to be left wanting. I still very much like Chloe and Bennett after reading this so mostly my lack of love for this one (still enjoyed it though :) ) had to do with setting my hopes too high and that their actual vacation time was so short. I was hoping to have a little more time with them actually finding time together towards the end.
3.5 Hearts
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
I really thought The Truth About You and Me was going to be a cute, intense, and romantic story that would leave me torn and conflicted about Madelyn and Bennet’s relationship. I thought Madelyn and Bennet were going to have a big connection that I wouldn’t be able to get enough of or ignore. I was prepared to fall in love with these characters while they fell in love with someone they shouldn’t but unfortunately that was not the case. Although it was wonderfully written as a letter, a style I do not recall really reading before, I just could not connect with Madelyn which made it hard to develop any feelings for the whole story.
My main “problem” with this book was Madelyn, which affected everything else. I couldn’t connect with her, i couldn’t bring myself to even really sympathize with her. I thought she really was going to be this super smart girl making a few poor decisions that create an awesome and heartwrenching story. Forbidden love stories are usually the best but in this case Madelyn would have been better of with some other normal Joe. That is what Madelyn was, normal. She wasn’t a genius in school, though she did get to do a running start program at her local community college, and her parents wanted too much out of her causing her to pretty much slowly lose it and rebel in a less obvious way than other teens. Madelyn did something that wasn’t expected of her by going after her professor. Yes, she went total stalker (maybe i’m exaggerating a little) and did what she could to turn his attention towards her. It wasn’t hard, he obviously felt a connection with her and took notice but what I liked about Bennet at first was that he tried not to pay attention. He did not know she was only 16 but he did know she was a student and did not want to break those rules. Could Madelyn take that? Nope, she wanted Bennet knowing it wasn’t a good idea for either of them, mostly him, and somehow he can’t stay away. While still keeping a physical distance Bennet allows Madelyn to get too close. I just wanted to yell at everyone. Madelyn for lying so much and Bennet for falling for Madelyn so easily. He says they can’t be anything while she is his student but then they hangout anyway. He even makes sure to hide it so he obviously knows even this is a big no no.
Anyway, even though I hate lying when it comes to entertainment some lies make things a little more interesting. That was not the case here. I think Madelyn let it go to far without telling Bennet the truth. She irritated me. She knew it was wrong but continued on her mission to get what she wanted. I also couldn’t see why it had to be Bennett besides the fact that it shouldn’t have been. They were attracted to each other, they talked but it wasn’t as personal as you would think. I couldn’t see how he really understood her when she never fully explained her feelings. I think he would have been a great boyfriend and I might have liked him if this was a different story. If I could see Madelyn through Bennett's eyes (with him not knowing her age) I might have been able to like her and understood their relationship but Madelyn just made it feel extremely wrong. I know it wasn’t only the whole age difference that made it feel so wrong. I’m a Aria & Ezra fan on Pretty Little Liars (show. I haven’t read the books). Love them together. Never felt it was creepy but with this student/teacher relationship Madelyn makes things feel very not okay.
Back to the writing though. The way it was written as a letter made it feel really personal and if I would have liked Madelyn this would have made things truly heartbreaking. If you cared for characters there is no way you can ignore what this kind of writing would make you feel. How the events unfolded were told clearly and Madelyn’s feelings were always obvious. I would definitely try more of Amanda Graces work in the future because I can tell it has the potential to wreak havoc on my emotions.
I really thought The Truth About You and Me was going to be a cute, intense, and romantic story that would leave me torn and conflicted about Madelyn and Bennet’s relationship. I thought Madelyn and Bennet were going to have a big connection that I wouldn’t be able to get enough of or ignore. I was prepared to fall in love with these characters while they fell in love with someone they shouldn’t but unfortunately that was not the case. Although it was wonderfully written as a letter, a style I do not recall really reading before, I just could not connect with Madelyn which made it hard to develop any feelings for the whole story.
My main “problem” with this book was Madelyn, which affected everything else. I couldn’t connect with her, i couldn’t bring myself to even really sympathize with her. I thought she really was going to be this super smart girl making a few poor decisions that create an awesome and heartwrenching story. Forbidden love stories are usually the best but in this case Madelyn would have been better of with some other normal Joe. That is what Madelyn was, normal. She wasn’t a genius in school, though she did get to do a running start program at her local community college, and her parents wanted too much out of her causing her to pretty much slowly lose it and rebel in a less obvious way than other teens. Madelyn did something that wasn’t expected of her by going after her professor. Yes, she went total stalker (maybe i’m exaggerating a little) and did what she could to turn his attention towards her. It wasn’t hard, he obviously felt a connection with her and took notice but what I liked about Bennet at first was that he tried not to pay attention. He did not know she was only 16 but he did know she was a student and did not want to break those rules. Could Madelyn take that? Nope, she wanted Bennet knowing it wasn’t a good idea for either of them, mostly him, and somehow he can’t stay away. While still keeping a physical distance Bennet allows Madelyn to get too close. I just wanted to yell at everyone. Madelyn for lying so much and Bennet for falling for Madelyn so easily. He says they can’t be anything while she is his student but then they hangout anyway. He even makes sure to hide it so he obviously knows even this is a big no no.
Anyway, even though I hate lying when it comes to entertainment some lies make things a little more interesting. That was not the case here. I think Madelyn let it go to far without telling Bennet the truth. She irritated me. She knew it was wrong but continued on her mission to get what she wanted. I also couldn’t see why it had to be Bennett besides the fact that it shouldn’t have been. They were attracted to each other, they talked but it wasn’t as personal as you would think. I couldn’t see how he really understood her when she never fully explained her feelings. I think he would have been a great boyfriend and I might have liked him if this was a different story. If I could see Madelyn through Bennett's eyes (with him not knowing her age) I might have been able to like her and understood their relationship but Madelyn just made it feel extremely wrong. I know it wasn’t only the whole age difference that made it feel so wrong. I’m a Aria & Ezra fan on Pretty Little Liars (show. I haven’t read the books). Love them together. Never felt it was creepy but with this student/teacher relationship Madelyn makes things feel very not okay.
Back to the writing though. The way it was written as a letter made it feel really personal and if I would have liked Madelyn this would have made things truly heartbreaking. If you cared for characters there is no way you can ignore what this kind of writing would make you feel. How the events unfolded were told clearly and Madelyn’s feelings were always obvious. I would definitely try more of Amanda Graces work in the future because I can tell it has the potential to wreak havoc on my emotions.
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
I had a bit of a rough start with Kaleidoscope. If you take a look at my favorite quotes you can see the first page or two really grabbed my attention but not soon after I was getting worried about how I would feel about this book. I honestly can’t tell you what it was about the beginning that had me feeling this way. There wasn’t anything that stuck out that had me going, “ugh! I must put this books down.” I think the thing was that it feels like it was not that long ago that I read a book covering the same subject. Although, I read many books that can be quite similar I still need some big difference to grab my attention and pull me in. At first Kaleidoscope wasn’t giving that to me. It felt like something I had already read before but since I had liked it before I marched on in search of something exciting to cling to. Fortunately for me I fell into a groove as things progressed and eventually couldn’t wait to finish the book.
I felt like the farther I got the more things were happening demanding my attention. I found myself picking things apart early on and piecing things together before they were revealed. It is funny. I hate secrets so much in real life but give me a good book/movie/tv show to entertain me and their better be some juicy secrets. Calliope has definitely had some secrets kept from her and with the first one revealed she slowly starts discovering even more nerve racking ones along the way. What I liked most about Calliope and these secrets though was her reaction. I felt most of the reactions were realistic and believable. There was some major freaking out before acceptance was found.
It takes more than some good reactions to like a character though. Did I like Calliope? I didn’t dislike her…okay for the most part I thought she was a good character but I am still making up my mind about a couple characters. I liked how normal Calliope was (even though she wasn’t really normal). She was just a girl dealing with the same feelings any other girl would have before throwing a life changing bomb into the mix. She had good friends, loving parents, and two sexy guys trying to help her through her new discovery. She is a loyal person who cares about the people close to her. Why wouldn’t I love her? I’m waiting to see how she is going to deal with some of the newest problems in her life before making a final decision. One problem in particular are the men in her life. I smell a love triangle… or would it be square…somewhere in the future and I am not sure how I feel about that.
I really appreciated how Mindy Hayes kept Calliope’s family as a big part of the story. They were mentioned often and actually around. Parent’s are often forgotten it seems like and although that doesn’t always bother me it is always a nice touch to have them included. It was one of my favorite things about Kaleidoscope. Besides Kai…I really liked him. Never one to stop the teasing and taunting. Of course he was hard not to love. He was one of the things that kept me intrigued in what I was reading. Mindy has me wanting to know more about these characters. I am ready to dig deeper and see what is in store for them next.
3.5 Hearts
I had a bit of a rough start with Kaleidoscope. If you take a look at my favorite quotes you can see the first page or two really grabbed my attention but not soon after I was getting worried about how I would feel about this book. I honestly can’t tell you what it was about the beginning that had me feeling this way. There wasn’t anything that stuck out that had me going, “ugh! I must put this books down.” I think the thing was that it feels like it was not that long ago that I read a book covering the same subject. Although, I read many books that can be quite similar I still need some big difference to grab my attention and pull me in. At first Kaleidoscope wasn’t giving that to me. It felt like something I had already read before but since I had liked it before I marched on in search of something exciting to cling to. Fortunately for me I fell into a groove as things progressed and eventually couldn’t wait to finish the book.
I felt like the farther I got the more things were happening demanding my attention. I found myself picking things apart early on and piecing things together before they were revealed. It is funny. I hate secrets so much in real life but give me a good book/movie/tv show to entertain me and their better be some juicy secrets. Calliope has definitely had some secrets kept from her and with the first one revealed she slowly starts discovering even more nerve racking ones along the way. What I liked most about Calliope and these secrets though was her reaction. I felt most of the reactions were realistic and believable. There was some major freaking out before acceptance was found.
It takes more than some good reactions to like a character though. Did I like Calliope? I didn’t dislike her…okay for the most part I thought she was a good character but I am still making up my mind about a couple characters. I liked how normal Calliope was (even though she wasn’t really normal). She was just a girl dealing with the same feelings any other girl would have before throwing a life changing bomb into the mix. She had good friends, loving parents, and two sexy guys trying to help her through her new discovery. She is a loyal person who cares about the people close to her. Why wouldn’t I love her? I’m waiting to see how she is going to deal with some of the newest problems in her life before making a final decision. One problem in particular are the men in her life. I smell a love triangle… or would it be square…somewhere in the future and I am not sure how I feel about that.
I really appreciated how Mindy Hayes kept Calliope’s family as a big part of the story. They were mentioned often and actually around. Parent’s are often forgotten it seems like and although that doesn’t always bother me it is always a nice touch to have them included. It was one of my favorite things about Kaleidoscope. Besides Kai…I really liked him. Never one to stop the teasing and taunting. Of course he was hard not to love. He was one of the things that kept me intrigued in what I was reading. Mindy has me wanting to know more about these characters. I am ready to dig deeper and see what is in store for them next.
3.5 Hearts
*Originally reviewed on Pages of Forbidden Love
Woot! Reading rut conquered. It’s been weeks since I have actually finished reading anything and that isn’t the norm for me. I’ve been reading some other things but with work everything has been going very slowly in the reading department. Saturday I decided it was time to pick up my Nook and start reading Game. Set. Match. I was instantly addicted and spent the afternoon reading it. It was such a good book and it felt great to actually finish something. I am so ready to read more.
I loved how normal this book was. Okay, so not everyone can be an aspiring tennis star or current tennis celebrity but it was all about these three girls (Penny, Jasmine, and Indiana) reaching for their goals and dealing with all the good and bad that comes with that. Nothing paranormal (although I love me some paranormal books I can’t only read those all the time) and no huge hidden secret having someone running from their past (another theme I have liked to read but it can get old when that is all you’re reading. Just three girls who, for the most part, know exactly what they want and work extremely hard to get it. Tennis is their passion and they aren’t about to let anything get in their way. Their serve needs work they work on it. Their feet don’t move fast enough they put in extra after hours to measure up. A guy saunters back into their lives with distraction written all over them they do their best to keep it from affecting their game.
It was easy to like all three girls and root for them on their tennis journey. I loved that I didn’t have to choose sides and dislike any of them. Jasmine had her moments where I wasn’t sure if i would be much of a fan but she won me over. Indiana was newer to the tennis scene and grabbed attention quickly but she didn’t let it go straight to her head. Penny has already made a name for herself and is working to keep that. I liked that the fame didn’t matter much to her. She rather keep her personal life personal and just wants to keep improving on her game. She was just nice and continued to remain down to earth even with her rise to stardom. These girls were just pretty awesome. I loved how hard they worked and didn’t complain. They knew what needed to be done and strived for improvement.
Of course one of the things I loved was the potential for romance in this book. All the love interests were very likable but of course Alex was my favorite. First of all he is British! Totally had the accent going on in my head during his dialog. The connection you know is there between him and Penny is just Eeep! He easily gets under Penny’s skin and creates more tension. It is just great! Teddy was pretty lovable with his charm but he just really needs to get his act together. Then Jack is a total sweet heart. Ready to read more about these guys.
I couldn’t imagine reading a book without some romance. It is what I love most about reading but it wouldn’t be a great story without more to it. Lives do not solely revolve around romance. These girls love for their game is what really made this story special as well. Like i said they love tennis and give 100% to do better. Jennifer Iacopelli writes about these girls passion so well. I know nothing about tennis and would never think watching a game would be that interesting but she had me wishing I was inside this book and watching the girls play. I was on edge reading through their competitions eager to read who would win. The detail of what was happening made it more exciting. Jennifer really drew me in with her descriptions of the game and the girls passion for it, the romantic tension didn’t hurt either. Next please!
Woot! Reading rut conquered. It’s been weeks since I have actually finished reading anything and that isn’t the norm for me. I’ve been reading some other things but with work everything has been going very slowly in the reading department. Saturday I decided it was time to pick up my Nook and start reading Game. Set. Match. I was instantly addicted and spent the afternoon reading it. It was such a good book and it felt great to actually finish something. I am so ready to read more.
I loved how normal this book was. Okay, so not everyone can be an aspiring tennis star or current tennis celebrity but it was all about these three girls (Penny, Jasmine, and Indiana) reaching for their goals and dealing with all the good and bad that comes with that. Nothing paranormal (although I love me some paranormal books I can’t only read those all the time) and no huge hidden secret having someone running from their past (another theme I have liked to read but it can get old when that is all you’re reading. Just three girls who, for the most part, know exactly what they want and work extremely hard to get it. Tennis is their passion and they aren’t about to let anything get in their way. Their serve needs work they work on it. Their feet don’t move fast enough they put in extra after hours to measure up. A guy saunters back into their lives with distraction written all over them they do their best to keep it from affecting their game.
It was easy to like all three girls and root for them on their tennis journey. I loved that I didn’t have to choose sides and dislike any of them. Jasmine had her moments where I wasn’t sure if i would be much of a fan but she won me over. Indiana was newer to the tennis scene and grabbed attention quickly but she didn’t let it go straight to her head. Penny has already made a name for herself and is working to keep that. I liked that the fame didn’t matter much to her. She rather keep her personal life personal and just wants to keep improving on her game. She was just nice and continued to remain down to earth even with her rise to stardom. These girls were just pretty awesome. I loved how hard they worked and didn’t complain. They knew what needed to be done and strived for improvement.
Of course one of the things I loved was the potential for romance in this book. All the love interests were very likable but of course Alex was my favorite. First of all he is British! Totally had the accent going on in my head during his dialog. The connection you know is there between him and Penny is just Eeep! He easily gets under Penny’s skin and creates more tension. It is just great! Teddy was pretty lovable with his charm but he just really needs to get his act together. Then Jack is a total sweet heart. Ready to read more about these guys.
I couldn’t imagine reading a book without some romance. It is what I love most about reading but it wouldn’t be a great story without more to it. Lives do not solely revolve around romance. These girls love for their game is what really made this story special as well. Like i said they love tennis and give 100% to do better. Jennifer Iacopelli writes about these girls passion so well. I know nothing about tennis and would never think watching a game would be that interesting but she had me wishing I was inside this book and watching the girls play. I was on edge reading through their competitions eager to read who would win. The detail of what was happening made it more exciting. Jennifer really drew me in with her descriptions of the game and the girls passion for it, the romantic tension didn’t hurt either. Next please!