I Was Here by Gayle Forman

     When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything-so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open-until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

     I’m honestly not even sure what rating I want to give this book. I think a four, but it could be a five, and I just haven’t had time to really process the book yet. It’s not that the book leaves you wanting or needing more, it’s just kind of a heavy book, which feels heavier at the end. The story was a really good one. There were a lot of parts where I wasn’t sure what I really expected to happen, and a lot of parts that I never expected to happen, that did, either. This book was emotionally tolerable, until the ending. I don’t think I came to terms with Meg’s death until Cody did. It wasn’t easy either. I’m not entirely sure where I got the idea that maybe she would magically come back to life, but *SPOILER ALERT* she doesn’t. This book feels pretty morose throughout, but I think that’s kind of the point. And while it does have somewhat of a happy-ish ending, it’s not all sparkly and happy ever afters. It’s kind of a perfect ending. I think, in the end, this book is more than worthy of a five. It’s definitely one I’ll find myself rereading again. 

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Cross My Heart by Katie Klein

     Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past-a reputation-and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there’s no reason why, when they’re assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn’t be falling in love.

     As they bond over Edith Wharton’s tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the “bad boy” vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own “good girl” image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.

     Still, Jaden can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to Parker than he’s letting on. He’s hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she’s grown to love with the person he really is. Because it’s possible that his life inside the classroom-everything Jaden knows-is one, massive lie.

     I am giving this book a 3.5. It was definitely a good read-fast and interesting, but there were some things missing that I wish we could have seen. Maybe I skimmed over it, but I don’t remember reading what happened when Parker’s parents, and the rest of her family, found out about Harvard. That really bothered me. The ending though, or at least the near ending, was not AT ALL what I expected it to be. I was totally and completely blindsided. The story itself, was good. It was cute, pretty light-hearted, but interesting enough to keep my attention. 

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Stay With Me by J. Lynn

     Stay With Me, by J. Lynn, was hard to put down, even with a serious migraine. It literally hurt to read and I still didn't want to stop. 

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona-secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal…and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past-and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom. 

     This book was beyond worthy of a five. It was intense throughout the entire book. I thought Teresa was an awesome character, turns out Calla is amazing. My favorite so far out of all of them. I was also pleasantly surprised with Jax. I kept waiting for him to do something really bad, or be someone other than who he said he was, and I was happy that wasn't the case (maybe that's a spoiler, but how am I supposed to know what you're going to be thinking when reading this book). This book had so much action, and so much going on for the characters, I wasn't sure how most of them didn't have heart attacks from the stress. I thought I was going to after a while. I'm not sure why this book felt so different from the other two, but it really did have a completely different feel to it. I think the way Jax acted was part of it. He was so upfront about his feelings, and wasn't trying to play any games, it was nice to see a man not shy away from his feelings, in a book. He was always just so reasonable and understanding; it was like a vision of your dream guy in this character. I also liked how Calla was really inexperienced, but not always super naive (except for every time she went back to that damn house...I wanted to kill her myself).This story, like the others, had a lot of bad stuff going down, but it was a lot different then the others too. I honestly wasn't sure how the hell Calla was going to get out of the mess she was in, and I was seriously worried about who was going to die. I'm just going to spoil it again and tell you Calla doesn't die. I would have died if she did. And because the next book is about Roxy (which I SUPER excited for), I think we'll get to see some more Calla and Jax.
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Be With Me by J. Lynn

     Be With Me, by J. Lynn, was the perfect second book in this series.

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year- she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B-college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about is kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

     This book is most definitely worthy of another five. This is only the second time I have read this one, and somehow it made me feel more feels than the first time. Like the first book, the characters in this one had some serious issues to deal with, but it felt different. They had to learn to trust each other, and themselves, and it was pretty fantastic to be a part of that (and yes I realize that these are just characters in a story, but they’re more than that and you know it). I know I laughed in this book, and towards the end, there’s a scene with Jase’s mom that makes you want to happy cry with her. There are some sad parts, and some steamy ones too. It really does take you on a roller-coaster ride, but it’s never too much. While some stuff is unexpected (the tragedy they speak of in the summary), not everything is, and I really liked that in this book. And the character Tess is just twenty kinds of awesome. I haven’t read the next book yet, so I don’t know if any of the same characters are in it, but I am seriously hoping a whole lot that they are, they have all been amazing so far.

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Wait For You by J. Lynn

     Wait For You, by Jennifer L. Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn), is the beginning in a series that has been in my top favorites since I first read it. I have recently felt the strong urge for a reread (after recommending it to a friend and fellow booklover), and as per usual I could not put it down. This book is about Avery leaving home, and going to college a few thousand miles away to escape her past. She meets Cameron, who is probably the hottest man on the planet, and conveniently her new across the hall neighbor. After a few awkward and hilarious encounters, including her literally running into him (jokes about plowing were made), he starts asking her out. A lot. Because she won’t say yes. They start dating, and she starts realizing she needs to start actually coping with her past, and start opening up to him if she wants this thing to work. It’s not always easy, but nothing ever worth it was. There are a lot serious issues that get worked through in this book, a lot of tough shit to read. There is also a lot of funny shit. My favorite part of the book is an exchange between Cam’s parents, when Avery goes there for Thanksgiving.

“Hey!” Mr. Hamilton’s head whipped around, eyes dancing. “You listen here woman.”

“You can listen to my foot up your ass if you call me woman again.”

I’m not sure why it’s my favorite (maybe it’s a phrase that gets thrown around daily in my house), but it makes me happy every time I read it.

     I am, wholeheartedly, giving this book a five. It is very funny, very sad, and really messed up. You get the full range of feels, and while some parts may make you cry, you never get to the ugly cry point, which is actually kind of nice, and if you don’t actually laugh out loud while reading this book, you are not a real person. The dialogue in this book is on point. The way the characters talk feels so real, especially given their age range, and that is not always the case in a lot books. People try to be super PC and it doesn’t flow like it should. This book flowed smooth as silk.

     The next book in this series is from Cam’s perspective. It’s book 1.5, and while I will normally read that one again too, I really want to get to actual book number 2. I can tell you though, if you haven’t read that one, the book from his perspective is really good too. It’s a whole lot of the same stuff, but seeing it from his view doesn’t make it boring. 

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Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Boornesbos

     Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, by Karen Doornebos, was basically exactly what I thought it would be, except for a few details.

Chloe Parker was born two centuries too late. A thirty-nine-year-old divorced mother, she runs her own antique letterpress business, is a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society, and gushes over everything Regency. But her business is failing, threatening her daughter’s future. What’s a lady to do?

Why, audition for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show set in England, of course.

What Chloe thinks is a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812. Eight women are competing to snare Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate, along with a $100,000 prize. So Chloe tosses her bonnet into the ring, hoping to transform from stressed-out Midwest mom to genteel American heiress and win the money. With no cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant to be found, she must tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and less clumsy than herself. But the witty and dashing Mr. Wrightman proves to be a prize worth winning, even if it means the gloves are off…

     I am giving this book a 3. The ending was extremely disappointing. I like knowing what happens, and I know I have gone on and on about how much I appreciate a good epilogue, this book did not have one at all. There were also quite a few parts that got to be tedious and boring, but I think they were there to give it a bit more substance. If I had a choice, I would have gone with more of an ending and les of the stuff in the middle. I also think we were really let down with character development and places that could have used more detail (like the divorce for instance). The bad stuff aside, this book had its moments where it was really funny, and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. I liked the idea of the book, the story in general, but I think it would make a funnier movie than a book (and I know what I’m saying, but if you read it, you’ll understand too). 

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Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

     Ugly Love, by Colleen Hoover, should more aptly be named A Book That Will Make You Ugly Cry.

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles has in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.

Don’t expect a future.

The think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly.

     Once again, I find myself in need of giving another Colleen Hoover book a 5. It really takes you through an emotional ringer. I actually expected it to get worse between Tate and Miles than it did, and I am beyond happy that that was not the case. This book goes back and forth between Tate’s present and Miles’ past, slowly piecing things together, but not giving you the whole picture until nearly the end. Fair warning, the last ¾ of this book is tears streaming down your face city, and while some people may figure out what actually happened, and while I kept thinking I knew what happened, I was wrong every time and didn’t fully get it until it was totally spelled out. I love figuring out problems and stuff in books, but I love it even more when I can’t figure it out on my own. Aside from the sad parts in this book (in which there are many), the love story in here (like all of the previous Colleen Hoover books I have read so far) is absolutely beautiful. If I thought I could handle reading this book again, it would be added to the many that I reread over and over. I don’t mean this as a negative comment, but unless I’m looking to bawl my eyes out for a good part of an evening, I don’t think I’ll be able to do it again. This book has that kind of power. 

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Never Never pt 1 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

     Never Never, part one, by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn aFisher, was a rush.

Charlize Wynwood and Silas Nash have been best friends since they could walk. They’ve been in love since the age of fourteen. But as of this morning…they are complete strangers. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they fell in love…every memory has vanished.

This is really all the summary I can give. It sums up the book perfectly.

     This novella is well worth the five I am giving it. I am not at all sure how I am going to last until May not having any idea what happens next, but I am hoping we find everything out in the next one. This book does not give you very many answers. It is short, and a whole hell of a lot of mysterious, but it is beautifully written, and an intense story unlike any I’ve read before. I have absolutely no idea why they don’t have their memories, nor why they find themselves drawn to one another, but even in this way too short account of a small space in the time of their lives, I find myself in love with both of the characters. May cannot come soon enough. 

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Wrong Girl by Lauren Crossley

     Wrong Girl, by Lauren Crossley, was a book that made me feel kind of uncomfortable throughout most of it. This book centers around Zack and Samantha and the attraction they feel towards each other. It is fast, and intense, and not at all acceptable. Zack is engaged to Samantha’s sister. They meet for the first time when Zack and Rachel (the sister) come back to their hometown after living in London, at a party thrown at the girls’ mother’s house. Sparks fly (according to the book), and it all feels very forced and too fast. And while Sam is dealing with these new feelings that just came out of nowhere, she has to deal with their mother. Their mom basically hates Sam because she’s the second daughter she never wanted (just wait until you find out why), and is constantly trying to make Sam feel as awful as humanly possible. Throughout all of this is the myriad of mental health problems, and series of life misfortunes that have been a part of Sam’s life for a very long time.

     I have to give this book a 2.5. It wasn’t bad, but it really didn’t pick up for me until the end, when all of the secrets came out. I also hated the number of times whilst was used (which was so many times that I can’t even give you a count). I can understand wanting to write a book that deals with adultery, but this one dealt with too many other things too, and made you feel kind of dirty while reading it. If you’ve read Love, in English and Love, in Spanish, by Karina Halle, than you know it can be done tastefully and right. The grammatical errors were also quite plentiful in this one. I hate to be so critical (it makes me feel like a terrible person), especially when it wasn’t awful, but I’m glad it’s done. It wasn’t a terrible read, but it certainly hasn’t been my favorite (by a long shot).

Getting the Picture by Sarah Salway

     Getting the Picture, by Sarah Salway, was not what I expected.

“Do you remember that first time we met? It was in the old studio in Brunson Road. How much did we miss, love, by not being together?”

     In the early 1960s, Maureen Griffiths, married with children, accompanies a friend to a modeling shoot, never intending to be in front of the camera herself. But after meeting photographer Martin Morris, Maureen is transformed- and Martin quickly falls for this simple, straightforward woman who calls herself Mo.

     Forty years later, shortly after Maureen’s death, Martin moves into Pilgrim House, a retirement community, in part because Maureen’s husband, George, is also a resident there. Through letters he continues to write to Mo, Martin reveals a lifetime of tireless devotion to his one true love. He is also determined to figure out why Mo stayed with her difficult, demanding husband. So with the aid of some of the colorful residents of Pilgrim House, Martin delves into the secrets of Maureen’s family- and becomes increasingly entwined in the complicated life that Maureen built to shield herself.

This book was told almost entirely through letters, emails, and voicemails.

     I am giving this book a four. It was, as I said before, not at all what I expected it to be. The summary is a bit misleading, but I can see that it is definitely meant to be. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from Dean Street Press in the UK, and I can definitely see, after reading it, why they have taken it on to be published. There aren’t too many books out there written like this. Where they slowly make you see the characters in a new light. With most books, the characters, and your feelings towards those characters, are what you expect them to be. The bad guys are usually the bad guys, and you kind of have a feeling about it the whole time, until the big reveal when you’re like “I knew it the whole time.” This book is not like that. It’s like slowly coming out of a fog and seeing everything for the first time. These plans that you were totally ready to watch unfurl, are suddenly super effed up and you’re wondering how you thought you could agree with the characters actions in the first place. The only thing I wish we could have had was more of an explanation on Martin. There was just not enough to know what really happened with him and Mo, or what happened to him later on. All in all though, the book was funny, and really kept you thinking, it was definitely a good read.

P.S. Can I just tell you what a thrill it is to have the opportunity to read a book before it comes out? I'm thankful to everyone who reads this review, and hopefully reads this book as well. 

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Falling Away by Penelope Douglas

     Falling Away, by the torturous Penelope Douglas (I only say this because we have to wait for the next book for practically ever), was perfect. This book takes us through the very tumultuous relationship of KC and Jax. KC has quite the story to tell, and so does Jax. Both of them are fighting their pasts to try and make a better future, maybe together, maybe not. You think Tate and Jared are volatile in Bully? You really haven’t seen anything yet. KC gets into some trouble and has to head back to her hometown to serve her community service. Jax never left. They meet and sparks just fly all over the place. The only problem is if those sparks will lead to a fire and destroy everything in their paths.

     I am giving this book a gigantic five. Unlike the other books, the music didn’t bother me at all. I think I’ve grown accustomed to the music selection in the books, and it seems to fit the characters. The characters in this book were not at all what I expected them to be. When I was excited for this series, I was more excited to read about Jax than about KC. Turns out I loved KC the most. The relationship between Jax and KC was volatile and beautiful at the same time. The intensity that we’ve seen in the author’s other books was just as prevalent in this book. There’s not much I can say in this review without giving away too much from the book. I can only tell you that you need to read it to believe it, and that every time I type out the name KC I feel like an awful person.

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The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

     The Longest Ride, by Nicholas Sparks, was not (and this is going to sound pretty harsh) the piece of crap I expected it to be. I was fully expecting to hate him all over again, with a renewed and stronger hatred than I had felt before, but I was not. This story takes us back and forth between two very different, yet oddly similar relationships, through two very different time periods. As always, when I actually like a book, it’s hard for me to give too much of a summary, because I feel like I’ll give it away. The fact that I am telling you I didn’t hate it, is spoiler enough. In this story we find Ira, who is 91 and has been in a terrible car accident, he’s on the side of the road, covered in injuries, in a vehicle that is upside down in the snow. His long deceased wife’s ghost is what comforts him in that time, keeps him conscious, and takes him back through their life together, and apart. Flash forward to Luke and Sophia and the start of their relationship. They have quite a few trials to go through (Luke could die at any point in this book, and with Sparks as the author is practically inevitable), and much to overcome, not least of all including what they’re going to do when he can’t pay for the ranch, and she can’t find a job after graduation. If you’ve seen the movie trailer (the only reason I ended up reading this book in the first place), you know that Sophia and Luke are the ones who find Ira.

     I’m giving this book a 4. There was one part in this book that made me extremely angry (like rant to my fiancé and friend angry). It was when Ira was in the war and he was talking about the two people he was closest with there. I really felt like the names Sparks’ used were lazily picked. I know those names, and what and where they’re from, and I just didn’t feel like it was okay. Other than that, I loved how the two relationships intertwined in the end. It did make me cry a little when they got to the part where Ruth died (it’s not really a spoiler), but the love stories were beautiful. As much as I may really hate just about everything Nicholas Sparks does, he has a way of making you fall in love with characters fast and hard. This book was obviously written well, he’s been doing it long enough that he knows what he’s doing, but it was the stories within stories within stories that really made this book what it was. Hopefully the movie does it justice, I’m not sure it’ll be able to capture the magic in this book, but I guess I’ll probably find out (many apologies to my fiancé, who I will probably drag with me).

Amazon US (I recommend the paperback version, my kindle version was flawed)

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Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Today I have a super special treat for everybody. My good friend (he's so awesome that he's officiating my wedding) Mikey Marks is doing a guest review. I know this man to be a fantastic writer (I've been seriously lucky in getting to read some of his stuff), and an avid reader like myself. Enjoy!!

Ender's Game was the first book in a series called the Ender Quintet, by Orson Scott Card. The story starts off when Ender is a young child being monitored by the IF.  They are waiting until he is ready for Battle School.  Ender was raised as always being looked down upon by his older brother Peter, as Peter was not able to finish Battle School.  Ender was a third child (he had a sister Valentine who he was very close too) which was a very uncommon thing and only allowed by permission from the government.  This was only one of the many things that Ender felt he had going against him.  From the start Ender was always being watched and questioned if he was going to be the savior from the Buggers. Ender eventually does go to Battle School where he is monitored very closely by a man named Colonel Graff, whom Ender is not sure is a friend or a foe, even at the end. Ender spends years in Battle School being tested and pushed to his limits daily only causing Ender to exceed expectation and learn truly why he is there.  Ender goes on to get his own Army and the “punishment” continues. He is ready to break but knows that he cannot; from his understanding, he is the only hope for humanity. With Ender gone, Peter starts his plan of becoming a leader of the world known to everyone as Locke, and Valentine takes up the name Demosthenes.  The world’s two leaders in political philosophy.  They single handedly start to control the opinions of everyone in the world without revealing that they’re not even teenagers yet. Ender continues his studies, and trains and commands his own army while struggling to become close to people who are always pulled away from him.  He eventually goes on to be graduated out of Battle School and into Commander School four years early. This is where Ender goes on to continue what he thinks is training so he can save the world. (I will leave my summary at that to leave out any spoilers).

     After reading Ender's Game, I am eager to continue onto the next book in the Ender Quintet, to see where his story goes.  Overall I would give this book a 4 out of 5.  There are many believable aspects of this book that in even a modern world we see right around us.  It makes you think back to the mid 80's when it was written and wonder, did Mr. Card know what was going to happen to us as a race?  The description in the book left little to my imagination always giving me a great picture to watch as the story unfolded word by word.  You get great insight into Ender's life as he is going through the Battle School and in the beginning of the book, but after leaving his parents are rarely mentioned.  It left me wondering, why was Valentine the only member of his family that Ender really wanted to think about.  I wanted to know why he never thought about his parents.  Was it because he knew that he would never see them again?  Was it just too hard on them that they needed to forget that they were a rare couple to have a third? So, because of the couple pieces that I was left wondering about, I gave this book a 4.

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