Review: Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire

Title: Don't You Wish
Author: Roxanne St. Claire
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Release Date: July 10, 2012 by Delacorte
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Read from June 30 - July 6, 2012 

My rating: 

Summary: When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school. In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen. But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie. So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it? The choice isn't as simple as you think.

I slide on the sunglasses, covering my dazzling green eyes. Because this dream is so bright, I gotta wear shades. 

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire tells a story of Annie Nutter, daughter of Mel and Emily Nutter, who wishes she lived a different life. When Mel comes up with a cool invention called Picture Perfect, Annie literally wakes up in the morning to a different life--the one she wishes for--in a parallel universe. Annie is now living Ayla Monroe's life which is different from her own in most ways except that she still has the same mother, but now Emily Monroe instead of Nutter. Finally living the perfect life she always wishes for, Annie finds herself missing her Nutter family more than ever. 

I liked this book. It's fun. I didn't expect much in the first place so I wasn't disappointed. I really like the idea of time travel and parallel universe in this book. I used to be interested in quantum physics, too. The way they all fit together and create a plot for this story is well thought out. Although there are still some things that don't quite make sense, it doesn't affect my enjoyment because it's so much fun. 

"Be careful what you wish for," I think, is what this book tries to say. We must've all been in Annie's position at least once in our lives. Sometimes we wish we were something we're not, the better version of ourselves, or someone else entirely. We wish our lives were different, we wish we had money, we wish for success and happiness. The only difference is that Annie gets it. This book explores the idea of "perfect life" really well. The way Annie's character develops throughout the story is nicely done. She goes from a nobody wishing she was a somebody, to a pretty, rich, A-list girl perfection missing her old life and family. Maybe perfection isn't all it's cracked up to be. But oh, the length people would go to achieve perfection, not knowing that maybe the price can be too high. 


Another idea I really liked about this book is the "what if" and "what could've been". Sure, as human beings, we wonder all the time. What if I was born to a rich family? What if I had married a rich guy? Oh, I could've been living in that big house with so much money I wouldn't have to work for the rest of my life. These kinds of things. In this book, Annie is doing the wishing while her mother is responsible for the what-if's and what-could've-been's. I found it heart-breaking to have second thoughts when you look back at your life. The way you wish you hadn't made that decision, the way you wonder about the differences you could've made. And again, this book shows that maybe you're better off where you are now. Maybe it's all for the better. 


Near the end of the book, I was so much into the story that it was so emotional. Annie is torn between two choices. Will she stay or will she go? In a way, this Ayla Monroe life is perfect. Well, maybe it's not "perfect" perfect, but it's definitely a good  quality life, despite broken family and no real friendship. That Annie Nutter life, on the other hand, is full of mess but with loving family and a best friend. Will she stay or will she go? 


As you can see, I really liked many ideas in the book, but there's one that I didn't like. It's a decision Charlie and his family make. I think it weakens all the thought-provoking messages the book has been sending out up to one point. Running away from the problem, after everything the book has been saying, comes as a let-down for me. 


The characters are fun to read about and get to know. I like the way Annie learns to live and adjust to Ayla's lives while still trying to maintain herself. Charlie is one of the sweetest fictional characters I've ever read about. He's good-looking and very smart, but he's not welcome at school because of his background. He doesn't like bitchy queen bee Ayla, but Annie is good at heart, and Charlie can see that, and that's what he loves about her. 

"Yes, you are pretty, and when you pictured perfect, you came damn close, but the part of you I like the most is inside."

Of course, it's sweet. This can easily be the sweetest thing someone can ever say to someone else. But do you buy it? I don't. I'm a non-believer when it comes to the idea of loving someone purely because of the heart/soul. Surely appearance must play a part, however little or big. This goes against my personal belief, so I had a hard time believing Charlie's love for Annie. Other than these dislikes, this book is made of fun!


Don't You Wish is a fun, thought-provoking story with a touch of science (and time travel!) that explores the idea of perfection. I really enjoyed reading this. This book comes out on July 10, 2012. 

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Title: One Moment 
Author: Kristina McBride 
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pages: 272
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Read from June 18 - 21, 2012

My rating: 

Summary: This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie's life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget. Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can't she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below-dead? As Maggie's memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

All it takes is one moment for your entire world to turn upside down. 

The very first moment I finished Kristina McBride's One Moment, I decided to hold off writing a review for a while. It was overwhelming and it definitely was too much for me to handle. I didn't intend to wait this long, but due to the circumstances, I have to post less regularly. But every day that I waited to write this review, this book has crossed my mind, screaming, "Review me already!" which doesn't happen often. Mostly if I hold off for this long, I'll just forget about it and move on. This book is kind of haunting in a way, but other than that, it's pretty amazing.

There are lots of things I really liked and loved about One Moment. For one thing, it's the idea that one moment can change everything. It's fascinating. For me, it's hard to recall which moment in my life that really made a difference. I have tried a lot of times before to think about it, because it's my obsession, but I can't recall the instant in which my life took a different turn. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. If I knew, then maybe I'd have regrets, so maybe it's better off this way. And when I saw what this book is about, I knew I had to read this. For Maggie, that moment is so easy to identify. Even if she can't remember anything as an aftershock, the moment is always on her mind, and when she does remember it, it devastates her.

There's no doubt at all that this book is very well written. This book has three of my favorite things that I love in book: death and heartbreak and emotional devastation. The story line is amazing and it flows smoothly. I think everything is done exactly the way it's supposed to be done. The opening scene wastes no time and jumps right into the plot. I love this. The mystery in this book really kept me on the edge of my seat! What happened? How? Why? It was almost too much to handle! The little bits of what happens on the cliff, the moment that changes everything, slowly come back to Maggie in fragments, then these fragments form together a whole memory. And then one memory leads to another and then she discovers an ugly truth that's been staring her in the face for so long but she hasn't thought much about. I can understand why she hasn't, and I didn't scream "Stupid!" at her like other heroines in the same truth-discovery situation. It's as real and believable as fiction can be. The mysteries and the surprises in this book are totally awesome, and the heartbreaking moments are just as precious.

I couldn't help but love the characters. They're all natural characters. The friendship in their circle of friends is so real, and I can imagine why it never crosses Maggie's mind that two of them will ever stab her in the back. Maggie is strong despite the grief she's feeling, the betrayal, and the heartbreak. I really loved her. I loved the way she copes with things: she learns to cope. It's not easy, but she can do it. She goes all the way to find out the whole truth, gets her heart broken and shattered badly, and she recovers. She lets go. She says goodbye. This is one of the most touching moments in the book. You have to learn to let go at some point. And Joey. Gosh, Joey. Who'd have thought? I can't say I didn't see it coming, because I did, but I didn't think it would go that far, that he's capable of that much evil. But the hint that he might be giving it all up, but dies before he can do so, was totally killing me. If Joey could go back in time and do it all over again, would he change anything? Does he ever regret it? Shannon, despite all the things she's done wrong, has her own  reasons too. Can we really blame her? These questions and the fact that Joey isn't here to answer them killed me as painfully as they did Maggie. I loved Adam for being everything that Joey isn't, who loves his friends enough not to say anything, who stands on the sideline watching and helping whenever help is needed, for being so sweet. Not to mention he carries my most favorite male name of all time. 

In the end, I can't recall what I didn't like about this book. I love, love, love it. I really enjoyed Kristina McBride's style of writing. This is the first book of hers I've ever read (and already a new favorite!), and I'm sure it won't be last. If you're looking for a combination of a good book, a good time and a good cry, know that this book is patiently waiting for you. 

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Temptation
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 383
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository

Read from June 21 - 28, 2012 

My rating:  

Summary: Your heart misleads you. That’s what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other’s arms. It should be Rose & Noah forever, easy. But it won’t be. Because he’s Amish. And I’m not.

First of all, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous book cover! I fell in love immediately with this book just by looking at it. But of course, looks can be deceiving, and that what looks pretty on the outside just might be rotten on the inside. Like this book, for instance.

Temptation is a story about Rose and Noah, two love birds who can't be together. After  her mother died, Rose and her family move from the city to a farming community called Meadowview. There she meets her new neighbors, Noah Miller and his family. At first sight they fall madly in love. It should be simple, right? Boy loves Girl and Girl loves Boy, they should be together! But they can't, because Noah is Amish, and he's supposed to find an Amish girl and marry her. He's not supposed to fall in love with an "English" girl. Their families and lifestyles keep them apart, but all these differences can't stop them from trying to find ways to be with each other.

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for hopeless love that just can't be but happens anyway. This book should be my thing, shouldn't it? Yeah, I thought so too, but sadly, I ended up hating this book, which is something I totally did not expect.

I have spent many days trying to think about what I liked about this book, but nothing came up. I really did try. All that I could think about was how I had to push myself to go on with this book, how I always wanted to put it down as soon as I picked it up, and this story annoyed me.

So what are my problems? Well, the characters! Of course! They ruined everything for me. Since this story is narrated in both Rose's and Noah's points of view, we readers get to know their every thought. Rose sees Noah as a totally drop-dead gorgeous hottie whom she can't take her eyes off. But Noah really comes across to me as a selfish being. He's manipulating in that he comes up with ways and ideas to make Rose do what he wants. Like suggesting pregnancy so that their parents might make the marriage happen. And threatening her that their relationship will be over if she doesn't become Amish. Please. The ideas totally disgusted me. Rose is 16, she can't be thinking of getting married, let alone getting knocked up just so she can be with him! And Rose, poor girl. She's so senseless. There are times when she sticks up for herself and gets angry at Noah's hurtful words, which is good, but she eventually lets him have his way. Just a kiss and then she forgets everything, including the fact that she has a whole life ahead of her, too. Oh, did I tell you how manipulative Noah is? Yeah. That boy gets what he wants, and she gives it to him. I couldn't stand either of them. I hated both characters as much as it is possible to hate a fictional character. 


The plot of this story sounds really good. It's a kind of plot I usually fall for and love. But this one? Not at all. The idea of "love" in this book seems kind of ridiculous. To me, it's not so much "love" as "lust". They see each other for the first time, they check each other out, and then THEY FALL IN LOVE. Right. It wouldn't sound that incredulous in other context, but in this one, with both shallow, conceited characters, it feels wrong. When she says she loves him, or he her, I just wanted to barf. The fact that this relationship moves too fast annoyed me too. What's the hurry? And no, it's not romantic. I can tell I found absolutely nothing romantic about this book. Everything they do either seems selfish or is a means to another end.

The ending is totally disappointing for me. I kind of expected Rose to wake up and know what a mess she's in, and do the right thing, but of course she has to go and piss me off again. The incident near the end of the story, the one that changes things, would have seemed romantic for some readers. You know, how do I live without you kind of romantic. But for me, it shows nothing more than that Rose is too lost in the haze of fear and the freshness of the incident to make a decision that will be best for her.

Am I planning to read the second book? Maybe. The excerpt of the first chapter of book two, which is included in this book, already tells me that there'll be lots of problems coming. All I want to know is how far Rose will go to do the right thing. But really, I don't care anymore. It'd be great if someone just tells me how it ends, because I really don't want to waste my time getting pissed off at them anymore. Totally not worth it.


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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: Starring Me by Krista McGee

 

Title: Starring Me 
Author: Krista McGee 
Genre: Teen / Young Adult
Releaste Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: eBook
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository
Read from June 28 - 30, 2012 

My rating: 

Summary: Kara McKormick is told she’s auditioning to star in a new teen variety show. But it’s what she isn’t told that could change her life. The feisty New Yorker moves to sunny Orlando to participate in a month-long audition, where she’ll live with nine other contestants and an eccentric housemother. Kara knows that the show already has a big-time celebrity lined up for the co-host, but she doesn’t know who it is. Chad Beacon quickly rose to fame after winning America’s Next Star, but he doesn’t want his entire career to be about singing. There is so much more he wants to do—like act. The new variety show sounds like the perfect next step for him, but his parents want him to have a co-star who shares his faith since they’ll be spending so much time together. Acting is high on Kara’s priority list. But a relationship with God? Not so much. In fact, she’s tried to stay away from anything religious. But God is after Kara’s heart and He’s put people in her life who are showing her there’s far more to Christianity than rules and judgment. And just when it seems that Kara’s going to have to give up her acting dream, God reveals that she may have a starring role after all—in a story so big only He could write it.

This book isn't really what I expected it to be. Of course, I wasn't expecting anything religious. My first impression was that this is a story of a girl who's chasing her dream. This kind of stories always gets me. It fascinates and inspires me to see people fight so hard to get to where they want to be and become who they are. I thought that was what this book would be about. But no, it's far from it, actually. I don't know why I didn't see it coming, seeing now that this book is in the "religious" category in my book catalog. Maybe I did know it and already forgot that I knew. All the more reason to be careful with choosing books from now on. 

As I'm not a big fan of religion-based books, this one didn't leave that much of an impression. But don't get me wrong. It's not bad. The story is kind of fun, and it remains light throughout the whole book. Too light, in fact. I have to say that I find it a little disappointing. There isn't much conflict going on here, nor surprising twists and turns. There's also very little excitement. This is a very forgettable book for me. 

I find the characters in this book so very incredibly flat, even the main characters. Kara, who's a sweet girl, good at heart, and an aspiring actress, remains that way till the end. And so does Chad, perfect boy. Eternally good. The evil characters remain evil. While I can see how a normal girl can be attracted to a pop star, Chad's attraction to Kara doesn't feel believable to me. It's accurate to say that I'm not very impressed with the characters. 

The only thing that changes in this book is Kara's belief in God. She starts out as a non-believer, but people she hangs out with (Addy and Flora) are Christians, so they try to influence her. Is "brainwashing" too harsh? Maybe. But it really did feel that way for me. There's no reason for you to shove your belief in people's faces and try to convince them to share the same belief. It was irritating for me. Despite the brainwashing and God talk, Kara still remains skeptical for some time. She asks all the questions atheists ask, and that's good, because it seems believable. I was happy that she doesn't jump into it right away and convert, at least not then. But of course, something happens and then she changes her mind in an instant. I guess her change of faith is to be expected, since this is a christian book, but the manner in which it is done is so sudden and in no way believable.

To me, neither is this book inspirational nor interesting, but it's not bad either. It's a little fun, an overall okay read, and that's that.

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.
I received a digital copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.

Review: Turquoise - A Love Story by Ayshe Talay-Ongan

Title: Turquoise - A Love Story
Author: Ayshe Talay-Ongan
Genre: Romance
Release date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Sid Harta Publishers
Format: eBook
Pages: 456
Source: JKS Communications
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository
Read from June 14 - 18, 2012

My rating:  

Summary: Set against transcendent love, unrelenting hatred and loyalties to friends and family, Turquoise is the story of an enduring and passionate love affair between Yasmin and Renan, which spans two decades, two marriages and three continents. Yasmin and her Armenian classmate Ani were oblivious to ethnic differences during their school years in Istanbul. Years later they run into each other, and Ani introduces Renan, her husband, to Yasmin. At that moment under the blazing autumn skies, as Yasmin locks eyes with Renan, she knows that she has come upon her destiny. But political tensions in their land soon force Renan, her secret love, and his family to immigrate to Sydney. A few years on, Yasmin's diplomat father is appointed as the Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles where the family faces a devastating tragedy that will impact their lives in ways unfathomable. She is now forced to make a choice between passion that defines her and reason that guides her. When so much is stacked against Yasmin and Renan, how can love possibly triumph? 

Let me begin by just saying I did not like this book. I honestly don't know why I was interested in it, because reading the provided summary just now, I realized that it's not the kind of book that I would normally read. I have no one to blame but myself for this part. Lessen learned. Always make sure the book is something you really want to read before committing yourself to it.

In this review I'm going to be brutally honest. There are a lot of things I didn't like about this book, and sadly, none I liked. While this book neither enraged me nor bored me, reading it was a bad experience for me, and I didn't think the book was even well-written, so I had to give this book a lonely one star. It simply isn't my kind of book.

First of all the problems I had with Turquoise is this: the narration. I didn't like the way the book is narrated in the present tense when it really sounds more like a recount of the past. I found that maybe the past tense might be more fitting. This annoyed me a little bit.

The biggest problem is the undeniable fact that I didn't like the story. It touches on Turkish politics, which is always a sensitive subject. I normally don't enjoy books involving politics to begin with. It also didn't help that I have no background information about Turkish politics. It just failed to interest me. The love story isn't even interesting. Love at first sight? Alright. Constant obsession? Understandable. But that love is requited? I didn't buy it. And all these fusses about marriage and love affair? They exhausted me. This book did.

There was also a problem with the characters. Honestly, I didn't like any of the characters. I can't even try to tell you about them or even the main characters because I really had no idea what they're like. I didn't know them. Plus, there are simply too many characters to keep up with. I finished the book not remembering anyone but a few main characters. The other characters are just names without faces, who come in here and there to keep the story going, coming to visit, only to disappear and come back almost a hundred pages later or something like that. The way the author tells us about them doesn't make them at all memorable. They're flat and lifeless. And there are just too many characters. Much more than I find necessary in a novel. 

Not only did an excess of characters prevent me from enjoying the book, but also the constant switching of places. It seems the characters in this book are always going from somewhere to another. From this house to that, this city to that, this country to that. They move all the time and I found this very confusing. I didn't know where they are most of the time, and at one point, I decided I didn't care anymore. 

And the length. My God, the length! 456 pages is no joke. I think I wouldn't have picked it up had I known it is this long. (Lesson learned!) I had been reading this book thoroughly and attentively until I was around 64% of the book, then I just lost my patient and skimmed all the way through until the end. I have to say I saw the "resolution" coming. Waiting for your partner to screw up (when you've been secretly misbehaving all the time) and using it as an excuse to end your marriage and then flee. As if your misconducts have been justified. Classic. 

To sum it all up: I didn't like this book. I wish I hadn't read it at all. It's not for me.


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This review is also posted on Goodreads.

A digital copy of this book was provided by JKS Communications for review and blog tour.

Review: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

 

Title: Saving June
Author: Hannah Harrington
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release date: November 22, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
First publication: May 1, 2011
Format: eBook
Pages: 336
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookdepository
Read from May 29 to June 2, 2012

My rating:  + 

Summary: Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why. When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California. Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs. Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again. 

It hurts, but it's supposed to, because that's what it means to be alive. 

As soon I finished Saving June with teary face and and runny nose at 2AM of June 2, I wanted to write a review, but I was far too distracted by the grief I was feeling to do anything but cry. I didn't intend to wait this long to review this wonderful book, but things have been hectic for me after that night. After uni started, this is the first time in a week that I can just quietly sit and write a review.

I don't remember the last time I gave 5 stars to a book, but I have a feeling it must've been some time ago. Yes, I just checked, it was April 27, Divergent. So yeah, that was some time ago. I don't normally rate YA Contemporary books 5 stars, but Saving June definitely deserves it. I can't recall why I waited so long to read this book, but whatever reason I had, it was stupid. You all should read this book. I loved this book. I love it, I love it, I love it.

Harper Scott, aged 16, is devastated after her sister June's suicide. She doesn't know where to put the blame. June was perfect. She was the girl who had everything. Everyone preferred perfect, pretty, smart, kind and sociable June to Harper, who's always in the shadows of her sister, always second best. This is the reason why Harper can't figure out why June would end her life. Because she misses June, she often finds herself in front of June's bedroom door. After spending some time there, Harper discovers mysterious CDs that were given to June. She follows the trace and finds that there are a lot of things she didn't know about her sister, a lot of things she didn't care enough to notice. With determination to do something right one last time for June, she decides to take June's remains to the place June longed to be most--California. And so begins Harper's road trip, accompanied by her best friend Laney, and Jake, someone who knew June the way Harper didn't. At the end of the day, Harper will find that this road trip isn't just about June, but it's what she needs as well.

Have I already said I love this book? I can't say it enough times. I still remember how it made me feel. I was lying there on my bed, refusing to go to sleep even when it was way past midnight, taking in every word, every emotion, everything. Re-reading passages I found beautiful. I was crying so hard. I love beautifully written books that involve death and heartache and teenage angst and fear and self-discovery that can tug at your heartstrings and turn your eyes into running faucets. Saving June is the perfect blend of all those elements.

Even after 6 days, I still haven't forgot about it. I still constantly think about it, re-read highlighted passages, quote it. How can you forget lines like: "I have sixteen years' worth of memories, and they mean more than bone and ash ever could." No, you can't. I can't. I lost my father when I was fifteen, and that's pretty young, so I really knew what she was talking about. When I was reading, Harper's grief became my own. I really love when this happens. I love when I can emotionally connect myself with what I'm reading, with the main characters. Attaching myself to them gives me an entirely new and awesome experience which almost always includes emotional roller-coasters and a lot of tears and a bunch of nostalgia. Loss, death, heartache--these are topics I love to immerse myself in. This book speaks of all these sad emotions with a wonderful, raw voice of Harper Scott. I think you know what I'm talking about if you've lost someone you love once in your life. I think Harper speaks for everyone when she says: "If God does exist, then He's just an asshole, creating this world full of human suffering and letting all these terrible things happen to good people, and sitting there and doing nothing about it." I could sense hatred, sorrow, disappointment, guilt, and frustration in her words. They haunt me. This book is so heartbreaking, so real, so raw, so honest.

I love the characters. Harper really tries to be strong, but there are times that she just breaks down and lets herself be overcome with sadness. She lives with the guilt of having said terrible things to June, not knowing that those would be the last words. This really hit close to home. That's a huge thing to live with. You know, when you want to take back stupid things and terrible words, it's far too late? You don't realize how much you believed in the future until there is no future. There was always "tomorrow" to tell someone you love them, until there wasn't. Then there's really nothing you can do except to accept that you'll "end up a footnote in the life she left behind." I often found her saying the words I have been trying to find but couldn't put together myself. I want to give her the tightest hug in the world. Apart from Harper, I also love Jake. Jake is really someone I want to know in real life. He's sweet and a gentleman but he doesn't always show it. He's passionate about music and lives through it. And Laney is also someone I'd want to have for a best friend. She's supportive without asking questions. I think the author did an amazing job creating these characters. They all have their own problems but they fit together perfectly. They made me felt like I really knew them, and in a way, I really did.

I can say I love everything about this book, and there's not a thing I can think of that I want to change. I'm so glad that I finally read it. Not a lot of books can make you both laugh and cry. I marked it as my favorite, meaning it's a book I'm definitely going to read again and again and again. I can't get enough of this book. I'm already looking forward to the next time. 

In the book there are a lot of references to music, which I really liked. And at the end of the book, the author gave us the playlists that are talked about in the story. Here are Saving June playlists:

1. Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum


2. Jake's "Say My Name" Mix


3. Saving June



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This review is also posted on Goodreads.

Promo Post: Want by Stephanie Lawton

Hi guys! Today B's Book Blog is happy to participate in Want's Release Day Party! Want by Stephanie Lawton is released today. In this post you'll learn about Want and the exclusive book birthday 30% discount, and you'll also have a chance to win one of the 5 eBook copies of Want!

Forbidden fruit can be the sweetest—or the most dangerous.

Title: Want 

Author: Stephanie Lawton 

Genre: Young Adult Romance 

Release Date: June 7, 2012 

Blurb: Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche to help her. She can’t understand why he suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it. Julianne must face down madness from without, just as it threatens from within. Isaac must resist an inappropriate attraction, but an indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball—the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite—forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past. Will Julianne accept the help she’s offered and get everything she ever wanted, or will she self-destruct and take Isaac down with her? 

EXCLUSIVE QUOTE FOR B'S BOOK BLOG!: 

When I finish, I hear the clock tick like a metronome. I sing a little ditty in my head, “Tick tock, goes the clock. Tick tock, tick tock …” and I wait for his judgment like a gladiator in the ring, wondering if my performance gets me a thumbs up or down; live or die; mercy or none.

Early Praise:
"A heart-rending, romantic, and compulsively readable debut. You will remember Juli and Isaac for a long time to come!" --R.A. Nelson, author of Teach Me and Throat

“A powerful masterpiece, exploring tough issues, sweet love, and high stakes…”– Aubrie Dionne, Author of “Paradise 21”

“This story opened my eyes to how exciting contemporary YA romance can be” – Lisa Voisin, Author of “The Watcher”

EXCLUSIVE BOOK BIRTHDAY DISCOUNT!

Buy the book now at Inkspell Publishing Store and enjoy a special EXCLUSIVE 30% discount! Offer valid only till 14th June!
Curious about some “behind-the-curtain” scenes? Read her short story “Aftertaste” for free!

GIVEAWAY

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Guest Post: Monique Domovitch

Hello people! Today we have Monique Domovitch as a guest blogger to our site. She is having an exciting 99cent promotion for her books, Scorpio Rising and The Sting of the Scorpio and is also doing a mega giveaway on her blog. Go check it out to win gift certificates to Amazon and free books!

http://MoniqueDomovitch.com

Deciding to become a writer was a natural extension of falling in love.

People often ask me what attracted me to the life of a writer, and I have to say it was a natural extension of falling in love…with books, which I have been for as long as I can remember.

I remember my mother taking me to the public library when I was as young as four years old. That was when she introduced me to Madeline, the little schoolgirl. As teenager, I discovered Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, and then Harlequin books. And then I really fell in love for the first time. I was in England where my friends introduced me to a book by Wilbur Smith.
I think I hadn't read ten pages of his book--can't remember the title anymore--when I knew this was it. I could spend the rest of my life in bed with this writer's books.

Over the next few years, Wilbur Smith’s books made me discover Africa, where I met animals I'd never heard of, and villains the likes of which I hope to never meet. I was swept into his stories of love and passion and greed; stories from which I never wanted to walk away. I devoured book after book of his, until, of course, the inevitable happened. I caught up with every last one of his books and was facing a long void until his next book hit the stands. And I, fickle reader that I am, had an affair with a few other authors, and then it happened again. I read Dominic Dunne. And wham. I was in love again.

With Dominic Dunne’s books, I spent time with the truly rich and the truly manipulative. How can anyone forget books like The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, or An Inconvenient Woman, or A Season in Purgatory? Once I discovered them, I was hooked. Forgive me Dominic, for I betrayed you too when I discovered my next big love, Nelson De Mille.

De Mille is a master of sharp, snappy talk, and he makes all those words come out of the mouth of a sexy good cop with a bad attitude--John Corey. Now here's the funny part. I don't really know what John Corey looks like, except that he has scars on his chest from some bullet wounds. I also know that John Corey is almost as fickle when it comes to love as I am when it comes to favorite authors. He seems to fall in love with a different woman in almost every one of his adventures. That is, until he met and married Kate. But who knows, so far she's only been around for a couple of novels. For all I know she'll be dropped off, maybe even killed in the next book, and then sexy John will be available again and I can go on dreaming.

Now here's something you might not know about me. I'm married, and—get this—my husband doesn't mind my little dalliances with all these authors...as long as I don't meet them in person that is.
And why am I blabbing about all these loves of mine? Because, every time I start a new project, I hope with all my heart, that I infuse my novel with enough passion and ambition and greed that when you, dear reader, read my work, you will fall—perhaps just a little bit—in love with my characters. And I promise to love you right back, even knowing that I will never be able to write fast enough to keep your from someday leaving me for some other writer.


C’est la vie!

Monique

Monique Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their three dogs. They divide their time between their homes in Canada and La Jolla. Find her at http://MoniqueDomovitch.com











About the books

 

Summary of Scorpio Rising (The Scorpio Series, #1)
Set in New York and Paris amid the glamorous and competitive worlds of art and real estate, Scorpio Rising takes the reader from the late 1940s to the 1960s through the tumultuous lives of its heroes.
There is Alex Ivanov, the son of a Russian immigrant and part-time prostitute. He yearns to escape his sordid life and achieve fame and fortune. His dreams of becoming a world-class builder are met with countless obstacles, yet he perseveres in the hope of someday receiving the recognition he craves.
Half a world away, Brigitte Dartois is an abused teenager who runs into the arms of a benefactor with an agenda all his own. When she finds out that her boss has an ulterior motive, she flees again, determined to earn her living through her art. This career brings her fame, but also the unwanted attention of her early abuser.
Monique Domovitch’s debut novel, Scorpio Rising, is a compelling tale filled with finely etched characters and a superb understanding of the power of ambition. Scorpio Rising promises to resonate with all who once had a dream.

Summary of The Sting of the Scorpio (The Scorpio Series, #2)
In Scorpio Rising, Monique Domovitch presented a compelling tale filled with colorful characters and the manipulation of power, ambition, and greed. Now she gives us its spellbinding sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio, where Alexander Ivanov returns to New York with his new bride, Brigitte.
The real estate industry is ripe with opportunity. Blessed with irresistible charm, ambition, and the single-minded obsession to succeed, Alex plots and manipulates his way to almost mystical success. Everything he touches turns to gold, but it’s never enough. When a hostile takeover bid leaves him struggling to save his beloved company, he suspects those closest to him of plotting his downfall.
Brigitte, the beautiful redhead who abandoned her country and her career to become his wife, feels alone. In return, Alex has betrayed her time and again, each indiscretion cutting deeper into her soul.
Brigitte’s son, David yearns to be an artist, but Alex’s plans leave no room for such frivolous goals. He grooms a reluctant David to become the heir apparent until a devastating tragedy attracts the attention of another young man. The Sting of the Scorpio is a rich tale of a man at the mercy of his own greed and a woman bound by her need for love.

Free Book Fridays (1)

Welcome!  This is our first Free Book Friday!  

Every Friday we along with a few other sites we will hold a Free Book Giveaway.

All you have to do to win is follow. 

 Ebooks will be in ALL formats so don't worry. 

 If you win we will make sure you get a format you can use.  

We will also be giving away free print books. 

Print books will be new and used.

I will also be adding ARC's which are Advanced Reading Copies. 

So you will get the book before anyone else. 

Review: Knee Deep by Jolene B. Perry

Hi guys! Today, June 1, B's Book Blog is happy to host a stop for Jolene B. Perry's Night Sky blog tour!

 

Title: Knee Deep 
Author: Jolene B. Perry
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Release date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Tribute Books
Format: eBook
Pages: 278
Source: Tribute Books
Links: Goodreads | Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback)
Read from May 27 - 29, 2012

My rating: 

Summary: Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long. Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does. Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both. 

This book is very hard for me to review. I've been trying to find the words to say about this book and it seems like I still can't find anything worth saying. I enjoyed the book, and that's about it. I don't really have any opinion on the book, partly because it isn't all that memorable to me. Not the kind of book that makes me sit and think about it after finishing. This one's more like the come-and-go to me. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, and now that I've finished it, I don't really have anything to say about it, I just let it go.

Knee Deep is about Ronnie who finds herself in a love triangle. She's been with her boyfriend Shawn forever, and he's all that she knows. Luke is their mutual best friend, who's sweet and relaxed and comfortable to be around. But lately Shawn hasn't been himself, or his "old self", the guy Ronnie fell in love with years and years ago. Her teases and jokes can make him suddenly rigid and glare at her now these days. Ronnie's tired of having to worry about him and not knowing how to act around him without doing something wrong anymore. She doesn't even know what's wrong. Shawn doesn't tell her anything except that he's stressed and his father's stressed and his family's stressed. Ronnie puts up with everything, even when glaring turns into angry outbursts and into grabbing and bruises, believing that things will get back to how they used to be if she gives him enough time. At the same time, Luke and Ronnie get to spend more time together because they're in a play together. She finds herself feeling something she shouldn't with her best friend.


This isn't the most original plot ever, but "I'm a sucker for stories that involve best friends having a chance at more." (Quoting the author. Yes, me too.) So I wanted to read this and see how it'd go. And yes, I found the same old I-feel-like-I-can-just-be-myself-and-comfortable-around-him, and the why-do-I-feel-this-way-he's-my-best-friend thing. There are a lot of sentences similar to those in the book and at one point, it really got too much. Would it be so hard to just admit that you're in love with your best friend? Instead of saying you don't know why you feel this way, or that he's just Luke? I guess I wasn't really impressed with Ronnie trying so hard to pretend to not acknowledge her feelings.

What surprises me is the abusive part, which I totally didn't expect. She should run, but she doesn't. She doesn't want to rock the boat after being together for so long. I really don't know how to feel about that. Of course, it's stupid, she should leave him, but I also understand that when you're in a relationship for that long, you're afraid to change things, to cause even a little change in how things are, and you want to hold on and believe that it'll be okay soon. Ronnie must feel like that, and we can't really blame her, can we?

I wish I can say this book made an impression on me. It didn't. I enjoyed the moment of reading, but after that this book just became one of the books I'll soon forget about. Some parts of the book bored me, but some were really good. I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked Ronnie and Luke, but I didn't feel connected to them.

While reading, I kept comparing Knee Deep to Sarah Dessen's Dreamland, which is the best book involving abusive relationship that I've read so far, which I seriously loved. The violence in Dreamland is more disturbing and much stronger. It sent chills down my spine. It felt more real and cruel, and that made me so into the story. Knee Deep just falls short in comparison. I think this is one of the reasons this book left me kind of underwhelmed. It's not strong enough.

Well, I told you I don't really have anything to say about this book. Yeah, it's enjoyable. It's a good read, but that's it. Again, I seem to be the minority, as everyone else who's read this book seems to really like it or even love it. I don't know if something's wrong with me, preventing me from liking this book as much as everyone else. I find it okay, mediocre, not something special. It's not for me. Sorry for the honesty. If you're looking for other books by Jolene Perry, I'd suggest Night Sky. I certainly enjoyed it more than this book.

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This review is also posted on Goodreads.

A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.