TBR Challenge 2014: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

And three months in a row! Woohoo! LOL, I'm amazed at myself, especially given how much I've been blogging lately ^_^; Anyway, it seems I've finally found the winning strategy for staying on top of the challenge: read the TBR book ASAP!

For this month's entry, I chose Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler. This book has been in my TBR pile ever since Ames read and enjoyed it. I was in the mood for YA and it fit the month's theme, "New-to-Me Author," so it was really the perfect book to pick up :)


Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
published by Llewellyn Worldwide in March 2011

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea's dad springs for a three-week summer "boot camp" program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she's immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who's haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: none

The Story: For once, the blurb is actually spot on. Chelsea Keyes was the star player of her high school basketball team and had a bright future ahead of her. However, it all came to an end when she had a horrible fall during a game. Without basketball, Chelsea doesn't really know who she is... It doesn't help that this injury has put a strain on her relationship with her father who used to be her biggest supporter. Luckily, she had her boyfriend Gabe standing by her side.

Chelsea and her family head to a northern Minnesota lake resort for a last family vacation together before she goes away to college. Wanting to motivate Chelsea, her father signs her up for the "boot camp" program which Clint has just put together. Clint used to be a hockey player, but stopped playing after a tragedy changed his life... And it seems to his entourage that he is still looking for himself.

My Opinion: Okay, so Playing Hurt wasn't really what I expected ^_^; For some reasons, I always thought the story was about Chelsea heading to a physical rehab camp... so I was quite surprised when it turned out to be a family vacation. Then again, even if it had been what I expected, I'm not sure Playing Hurt would have worked better for me :(

As you can guess, I didn't really enjoy Playing Hurt. There were many reasons to it, but in the end, it boils down to a story and characters that failed to engage me. Throughout the book, I thought Ms Schindler did a great job at writing realistic characters and emotions, but I simply couldn't connect with Chelsea and Clint. I felt that both characters ran hot and cold, happy and angry. They both had a tendency to lash at each other, trying to hurt each other when they hurt. It wasn't in an abusive manner, but more like immaturity... a bit like a defense mechanism when they didn't know how to cope with their own feelings. They had so much baggage that it was weird to see them come together romantically, especially so fast. It seems to me their romance was more about physical attraction than emotional connection... kind of lust at first sight and so, they could stay away from each other. It was also hard to swallow given the fact that Chelsea cheated on Gabe... Obviously, nobody likes cheating, but to me, it's not an automatic deal-breaker in a story. However, in Playing Hurt, it was hard to accept given the fact that Chelsea was so conscious of her action. She had the opportunity to break with her boyfriend before carrying on with Clint, she had her brother reminding her of how thin a line she was skating... and yet, she consciously cheated. The worst is that when she came back from her vacation, she still didn't break it off with Gabe or come clean to him. I don't know if she was deluding herself or what, but after all this, it was really hard to me to like Chelsea.

As for the story, well there wasn't really one. Playing Hurt was really about Chelsea and Clint's feelings and baggage... and at the end, I feel it wasn't really resolve. Actually, it was since Chelsea headed to college with a major in mind and Clint picked up a pair of skate... but it feels to me that I missed the journey that led them to their resolution. Perhaps it was just time and they saw the light? ^_^; It also seems like I completely miss the message of the book...

It's quite unfortunate that Playing Hurt didn't work for me because there were elements that I liked about it. Funnily enough, aside from Chelsea and Clint, I actually liked all the other characters and I wished they had been of more use than just background. I liked Chelsea's family, especially her younger brother, and Clint's best friends. I looove sports and also wished it's been more at the foreground. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, Ms Schindler really did a great job making this book realistic and with the right story, she'd have a wowzer.

My Grade: C-.

TBR Challenge 2013: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

I made it! Cut it close, but nothing matters because at the end of the day, I made it!! Woohoo!! Just been a long while :) Now, if I can only keep it up... Anyway, let's forget my blogging blues and talk about the book. What Happened to Goodbye has been in my TBR pile ever since it was released. Why didn't I read it before as I usually enjoy Ms Dessen's books, I have no idea. However, now that I have her newest The Moon and More in my TBR pile, I thought it was a good time to pick up What Happened to Goodbye :)


What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
published by Penguin (Viking Juvenile) in May 2011

Who is the real McLean?

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

The Story: For as far as McLean Sweet can remember, university basketball has always been a passion in her family, most especially the local team from Defriese University for which her father played. After all, McLean is named after one of the DB's most successful coach. However, three years ago, everything changed for McLean when her mother who was having an affair with the new DB coach demanded a divorce because she was pregnant... with twins. And because of the coach's status, the affair became very public and it resulted in a lot of gossips and talking from everyone - the neighbors, sportswriters, classmates, etc.

When her father sold their restaurant and took a job as a consultant, McLean chose to live with him, even if it meant traveling and not staying in the same town for long. In fact, she has embraced those new starts, creating a new persona each time, trying to leave her problems behind. She's been Eliza the cheerleader, Lizbeth the drama queen and Beth the perfect student. In Lakeview, their newest home, McLean intends to become Liz, but before she can put her plans in place, people are already addressing her as McLean. However, she is not sure who McLean is any longer... and in that case, how to be herself?

My Opinion: Ms Dessen is one of the favorite contemporary YA authors in blogland and after reading good reviews after good reviews, I finally caved and picked up her books. What I enjoy most about Ms Dessen's books is that her stories are never about high school drama. Instead, they are about her characters having real emotional issues and figuring things out... and What Happened to Goodbye is not exception :)

In What Happened to Goodbye, a good part of the book deals with the aftermath of the divorce, McLean's feelings and her relationships with her parents. I thought Ms Dessen did a remarkable job with that aspect of the story. It was indeed very believable. My parents have never divorced, so I've never been through what McLean was going through, but had it been me in place of McLean, I think I'd be feeling the same way. It wasn't only about the divorce either which was hard enough, but the betrayal of her mother having an affair and getting pregnant. As such, I really understand why McLean chose to live with her father. It wasn't just the hurt and betrayal, but also the sense of loyalty she felt for her him. I also think that McLean's mother handled it badly by not answering McLean's questions or talk about it with her. Even if her answers had been mundane or cliches such as "we've grown apart," it would have helped, established a connection instead of closing it. Pushing for a relationship also wasn't the best move she could have done, not when McLean needed time and distance which is one of the reasons why she chose to live with her father. Even McLean's confused feelings about not recognizing her mother since she "traded-up" were spot on. Longing for something that didn't exist anymore :( This whole part of the story was very emotional and very well-written.

Something else that I really liked about What Happened to Goodbye was McLean's parents. They definitively weren't absent parents and actually were a big presence in McLean's life. From the beginning of the book, you can see that McLean is a daddy's girl. She has a connection with him and she's trying to take care of him and while her father did miss some things, he did his best with McLean as well. Also, as strained as her relationship was with her mother, at least, McLean had one. And the reason it was so strained was because they were so close to each other before the divorce. You don't often see such closeness with both parents in contemporary YA from my experience and that's why I thought it was refreshing.

As for the rest of What happened to Goodbye, it was pretty typical Sarah Dessen in my opinion. The heroine has her issues and figure things out as she meets interesting people among which is a love interest. Let's take it in reverse order :) First, the love interest is her neighbor Dave. He's a genius boy, the son of two college professors, who wants to experience the normal life of a high schooler... which kind of landed him in trouble. I liked what I saw of David - he was a nice guy; however, he won't make the top of the list of favorite Sarah Dessen's heroes, mostly because he didn't leave a deep impression in my opinion. I feel David`s character wasn't develop enough and everything we got from him was on the surface only :(  Second was McLean's new friends. They were a pleasant cast of characters, pretty normal people and that's what McLean probably need. Normalcy. There was one among them that stood out, Deb. I wonder if she has a story and if she does, I wouldn't mind reading :) Finally, McLean's issues. Obviously, they were closely tied to her parents' divorce. I think that at any given time, everyone wants to forget their problems and start fresh... and in McLean's case, she had that opportunity three times and used it. Yes, she was running away, but at the same time, I don't think there was anything wrong with it as long as she would eventually face her problems, which she did. The only unfortunate thing about making up new personas was that McLean didn't have any real friends, nobody she let in close in the time when she really needed someone to talk to :( The thing though with What Happened to Goodbye is that readers aren't witnesses to McLean's personas. For us, this is all after the fact and what we get in the story is McLean dealing with being herself again. It was interesting, but not very exciting or engaging.

My Grade: B. I think What Happened to Goodbye could have been more powerful, but at least, all the emotions related to the divorce were spot on and lent a very realistic aspect to the book :) While it  had some flaws and was not the most memorable book by Ms Dessen, What Happened to Goodbye was a nonetheless very solid and enjoyable read :)

Review: The Best Intentions by Candice Hern

Guess what? Yep, I have another buddy review over at Breezing Through! Seems like Ames and I are on a roll :) Speaking of roll, for it to continue, I need buddy review partners!! I've updated my sidebar with the books that I am currently reading and have read recently. If there's any books in there that you'd like to discuss, let me know! Also, I'm planning to read Written in Red by Anne Bishop and that one has been getting rave reviews, so it might be fun to talk about :)

In the meantime, you can click here to check out my buddy review of The Best Intentions by Candice Hern. Enjoy!


The Best Intentions by Candice Hern

self-published in May 2011 (first published by New American Library in June 1999)

The Earl of Strickland is a handsome widower in search of a new wife to be a mother to his two young children. Having lost his one true love, he is determined on a practical, dispassionate match with a mature woman. Young girls in their first Seasons, their heads full of romantic notions of love, are not for him. When his sister comes to visit bringing along a beautiful widow, Miles thinks he may have found the perfect match. But the widow is chaperoning her gauche, much younger sister, an artless girl who causes Miles's best intentions to go awry as he finds himself falling in love with precisely the sort of woman he sought to avoid. Set at a grand country estate in the Midlands, this sweet love story of the reserved and dignified Miles and the delightfully guileless, clumsy, outspoken Hannah is sure to charm readers.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Country House Party, Book #2

Review: Believe in Me by Laura Moore

Believe in Me by Laura Moore
published by Random House Publishing (Ballantine Books) in January 2011

Even the most tightly locked heart has a key

After learning of her husband’s affair, Jordan Radcliffe is crushed, but she knows she must stay strong for her three young children. So she moves back to Rosewood, the idyllic horse farm where she grew up. Wishing only to recover and reassess her life, Jordan feels an undeniable attraction to architect Owen Gage—and does her best to ignore it. Her heart is too fragile to love again.

Yet when Owen, who himself is wary of any romantic involvement, offers her a job she badly needs, Jordan has no choice but to accept, even though it means she’ll be working alongside him every day. And that closeness could intensify the connection between them—a desire as unnerving as it is powerful.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Rosewood trilogy, Book #2

The Story: As the oldest daughter, Jordan Radcliffe has always strove to satisfy her conservative father's expectations of a proper Radcliffe woman: she was domestically inclined, went to college, married young and had children. Jordan was happy with her life... until she found out her husband had an affair. Still, she was willing to work on saving their marriage after her husband had assured her the affair was done, but unfortunately for Jordan, her world crumbled when she discovered it was all a lie. She got a divorce and moved back to Rosewood with her three young children: Kate (6 y.o.), Max (4 y.o.) and Olivia (1 y.o.).

Jordan's first priority is to find a job, a source of income to provide for her children and also help out Rosewood. Her plan is to resuscitate her interior designer career by revamping an acquaintance's - one of the leading society ladies - guest house. However, Jordan's service is not retained, although her ideas are. Instead, the business goes to Owen Gage whose firm did the restoration. Owen is none too happy either to be using someone else's ideas, especially since he was impressed by Jordan's pitch. Feeling like he owns her and knowing she could use the work, Owen offers Jordan a job: to decorate Hawk Hill, the adjacent property to Rosewood and Owen's pet project.

But is it wise to work with someone you find so attractive?

My Opinion: I picked up Believe in Me because I was in the mood for a good contemporary romance and  a lot of my blogger friends have suggested that I give Ms Moore a try in the past year. I'm glad I listened to them, since I ended up enjoying Believe in Me a lot :)

Frankly, there was nothing new about the story told in Believe in Me, but the reason I enjoyed it so much was the beautiful execution: likable characters, sweet romance and solid writing. I mean, what more can I ask for? :) I really liked that Ms Moore took her time developing and setting up every aspect of the story. Some will find that it made for a slow pacing and it was to a certain extent. At the same time, it allowed me to really get a feel for Jordan's life - her routine and her struggles - and it contributed to make the whole story more realistic and normal. I also greatly appreciated that the H/H did not fall into lust and into bed too quickly, which is becoming one of my biggest pet peeves ^_^; It was just nice to read a slow romance, to see the relationship unfolds.

As I mentioned above, I liked that Ms Moore kept the story grounded. She didn't over-romanticize or dramatize the story. For example, Jordan's three children weren't overly cute or mature for their age. And Owen's discomfort with the children didn't miraculously disappear after one encounter. In fact, his wariness of Olivia was the source of a few chuckles LOL. And I have to say, I loved the way Jordan handled her situation with her ex-husband. I liked how level-headed and reasonable she was... and I found it sad that her ex-husband lied and hurt her instead of being honest to the person he vowed to love.

All in all, as I said, Believe in Me was an enjoyable book. Aside from the romance and the story involving the H/H, the book focused on the Radcliffe sisters. I have to say I enjoyed their interactions, their bond. The trilogy's storyline was also well woven into, it didn't steal the spotlight and didn't bore me. And I think Ms Moore addressed the situation with Jordan's teenage sister, Jade, realistically. Oh and if you're a fan of horses, you definitively want to read this trilogy :) In the end, when it came to Believe in Me, it was all about balance and Ms Moore did an excellent job. I only have two minor complaints about the book: 1) at times, Owen felt a bit boyish in my opinion, although it did fit with his bachelor status... but when you think he's paired up with Jordan, a mother of three, it just didn't feel right. Then again, he probably brought forth another side of Jordan, so it does work... just not for me. 2) I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. Given the rest of the book was so well developed, it feels like Believe in Me could have used the same development or an epilogue.

My Grade: B+.

Review: Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

Bummer, I didn't have time to write a mini-review yesterday... However, I can tell you that my room is clean! Cleanest it's been in months! LOL. I was going to take the week-end easy, but it turned out to be busy :( So busy I did not have time to read at all! And this means I won't make it for this month's TBR challenge. However, for October, I actually read two books from my TBR pile that could have fit the theme... One was Exit Strategy which I reviewed and the other was Breaking Point. Therefore I decided to review Breaking Point today. I'm cheating a bit, but I'm sure nobody minds... and now, I'm wondering why I'm not posting this review on Wednesday instead ^_^; Oh well, that's what happens when you're swinging it :) Anyway, enough rambling! Enjoy the review!!


Breaking Point by Pamela Clare
published by Berkley in May 2011

Denver journalist Natalie Benoit and Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride find themselves captives of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Working together, they escape through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun. They fight to stay ahead of the danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both...

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book #5

The Story: Natalie Benoit is a journalist, part of the I-Team, an award-winning investigative team, for the Denver Independent. Lately, she found herself in a rut and therefore signed up for a three-day convention in Juarez, Mexico to learn more about the inter-mingled issues of immigration, the drug trade and human trafficking between the United States and Mexico. She's in the bus with her colleagues when it gets raided - all the Mexican journalists are killed and for some unknown reasons, Natalie is kidnapped... and the next thing she knows, she is held captive, at the same place as Zach McBride, an American of dubious background who has been tortured.

It turns out that Zach is a Deputy U.S. Marshal and is working undercover. He's been sold out and set up by an Interpol agent who stole a shipment of cocaine. Thanks to his Navy SEAL training, Zach has withstood the torture... but he feels the end is near. That is until the drug cartel brings in the new captive, Natalie. Zach knows what awaits her and wanting to help her gives Zach  a new purpose.

As Zach and Natalie escape and make their way back to the States, Zach knows deep down that Natalie was not kidnapped at random... And if he's right, what made her a target?

My Opinion: Usually, I try to stay away from books whose main characters are journalists or reporters, because I just hate them ^_^;; They make me want to scream, what with the whole "people has a right to know" which usually leads to TSTL or just plain annoying behaviors. However, Breaking Point has received a lot of good reviews, everyone raves about Ms Clare's writing... and did I ever tell you about the shortage of romantic suspense books? Anyway, I ended up picking Breaking Point during a "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion at the bookstore IIRC... and finally read it after a co-worker of mine binged on the I-Team series and raved about the books. And guess what? Yep, I ended up enjoying this book a lot LOL.

There are several reasons why I enjoyed Breaking Point so much. First, the heroine, Natalie, was awesome... and not just because she has the same name as me LOL. The first thing that strikes you with Natalie is how brave and courageous she is. She demonstrated it when she tried to save her colleague in the bus, then time and time again during the kidnapping and the escape... and when you learn about her past, you realize this bravery of hers comes from deep down. To have survived what she's been through and keep going on, brave is the perfect word to describe Natalie. I also loved that she was not passive during the escape, that she didn't sit around waiting for Zach to do all the work. I especially like that she's the one who actually saved them and then, listened to Zach to get back to the States because he knew more. She was just very composed and I felt that as a civil, it was refreshing. Zach was also a very interesting character that I enjoyed a lot. The fact that he turned his back on his life of privilege to make his own path says a lot about him. I liked that he was considerate of Natalie and what she was going through. Yes, he was an alpha, but didn't go overboard with his behavior. What I liked most though is the fact that his feelings towards Natalie progressed gradually and that he recognized them. It's nice to see a hero recognizes that he is in love without it being a punch in the face ^_^; The romance also worked for me. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two and how their relationship evolved. What I liked the most was their HEA ending with Natalie's decision. I liked that she could walk away...

What made the book for me was definitively the characters and their romance, although the story and suspense wasn't bad at all. The whole kidnapping being linked with one of Natalie's investigation made sense, although the connection was a bit tenuous. Still, it worked. Also, the past characters of the series play a big role, but they fit instead of being superfluous, especially the spouses and they were entertaining. Another reason why I think Breaking Point worked so well for me was the fact that Natalie being a reporter was not the focus of the story. For the first half of the book, Natalie isn't doing her job, she's trying to stay alive and therefore, there was nothing to be annoyed about.

My only complaint about Breaking Point is the big villain at the end. He was supposed to be a big shot and it seems they figure him out easily. Plus the ending was a bit anti-climatic ^_^; I guess I was expecting a bigger showdown and something more convoluted.

My Grade: B. A very enjoyable book :)

Week-End's Minis XXXI: Paradise by Jill S. Alexander

Paradise by Jill S. Alexander
published by Macmillan (Feiwel & Friends) in July 2011

Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town.

Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas. With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true.

Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? Paisley Tillery's mom is pushy and often looks down on people. Paisley's father could have made it to the professional baseball league; however, he got injured and as a result, they had to settle for what they had. Paisley's mom wants better for her two daughters and therefore has been pushing Paisley's older sister, Lacey, to pursue a singing career, disregarding Lacey's lack of talent and ambition. She also does not approve of Paisley being a drummer. As such, Paisley has to keep her passion a secret. She, along with some friends, have formed a country rock band and plan to participate to the Texapalooza music fest, figuring that'd be her ticket to her dream and also, would convince her mother. Unfortunately, the group is missing a lead singer... and then enters the new boy in town, Gabriela Cordova Granados and his accordion.

Why this book? Ames read Paradise when it first came out and really enjoyed it. It's been on my radar ever since, but I was too cheap to get the hardcover... So I picked it up when the trade-size was finally release earlier this summer.

What did I like? Overall, I thought Paradise was a nice read. The reason the book is titled Paradise is because Gabe comes from Paradise, Texas and therefore, Paisley calls him Paradise. I liked Paisley, she was portrayed quite realistically. Her desire and determination to be a drummer, to make it work even if that meant going around her mother's back. The family dynamics also felt very realistic to me. I enjoyed the complicity between the two sisters and with their dad. He's the buffer zone between the daughters and their mother's autocratic ways. While the mother had to be a certain way for the book to work, I have to say, I did not like her at all ^_^; She was looking down on people and I didn't really get why. I mean, seriously, you are not better than them... and she was so focused on climbing to the next class level that she was blind to her daughters' wishes. It's a balance thing really. Still, that's a part of Paisley's family and Ms Alexander didn't shy away from it, didn't try to make it better or as if it didn't matter.

I think what's most commendable about Paradise is how real it felt and also, how it wasn't all pink and rosy. The ending is not tied up all nice and neat, the relationship between Paisley and Gabe was not perfect... The rock band members were friends, but not BFFs...

What didn't work for me? I think I went into Paradise with expectations that were a bit too high. All in all, Paisley and Gabe's characters were nice, but they did not stand out for me. I also expected a lot more from the ending. I was hoping for it to be more poignant... Perhaps because I knew the ending already, so it ruined it for me ^_^; One thing about Paisley and Gabe's relationship... I liked that Gabe understood the meaning of "no." Paisley wears a purity ring and part of it, is to please her mother... but she's not ready to have sex. So Gabe would stop whenever she'd tell him. However, every time, it felt like the making out was initiated by Gabe. I feel if he really understood and respected Paisley, he wouldn't...

Another thing that bothers me a bit about the whole book is that all the events felt like a dream. Because the timeline was so fast, I didn't feel the depth of their relationship. Also, throughout the book,Paisley called Gabe Paradise. The whole thing makes it feels transient, no permanence, like a dream. Perhaps it was done on purpose...

My Grade? B-. I don't regret reading Paradise and the realness of it was really nice, but I have to say I was expecting more.

Monthly Reads: July 2012

I'm slowly catching up on my reviews and blogging and re-establishing my blogging pace. Yay! It helps that I've calmed down a bit about the New Bride with White Hair :) I'm still excited and checking for the subbed version every hour, but I'm less giddy ^_^; I know, I know, kind of pathetic, but what can I say LOL. Here is a picture of the series, just because :P Ma Su is so pretty in my opinion, but a lot of people don't think so. I guess beauty is really in the eye of the beholder... But I think many of them are blind LOL.

Oh and I'm also getting used to the new blogger interface. Okay, it's not new, but I didn't do the switch back then and now, I no longer have a choice. Still don't love it, but I can live with it...

Okay, enough of ramblings :) Take a look of my reads for July and what I thought :) Now, only one month behind!


1) A Duchess to Remember by Christina Brooke: B
Upcoming Review.

2) Angelic by Kelley Armstrong: C+

This is one of the novellas, part of the Women of the Otherworld series, that Ms Armstrong published with Subterranean Press. I missed its initial print release, but luckily, it's been released as an e-book. I have to say, that's when I'm really glad for e-books :) Since it's a novella, it goes without saying that the story is short. It features Eve Levine who's ready to put aside her angel duties for 6 months of vacation in the ghost world where her lover, Kris, is. However, the Fates have other plans and Eve ends up investigating some djinns rebellion and it leads her to some surprising findings.

I thought Angelic started off very strongly, but at the end of the day, it was simply too short. Perhaps if Ms Armstrong had only focused on the investigation, it would have been fine... but instead, Ms Armstrong added some personal developments and therefore, there was not enough time to make the mystery as suspenseful as possible. It also affected the resolution of the case which I thought was a bit too rushed. That being said, I wouldn't want Ms Armstrong to take out the personal developments LOL. I really liked the flashback of Kris and Bryce, it explains why Bryce disliked Savannah so much. And while I was not totally sold on Eve's work conflicts, it was interesting to see what Eve's afterlife was like :)


3) Starlight by Carrie Lofty: C-
Upcoming Review.


4) Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta Chase: B-
Upcoming Review.


5) About Last Night by Ruthie Knox: B+


6) Sweet Stuff by Donna Kauffman: B-

I came across this book when I was browsing the bookstore and the cover caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try :) It's the story of Riley Brown who used to be a food stylist in Chicago, but moved to Georgia  with her enormous, clumsy and lovable dog, Brutus, after a particularly difficult break-up. She lives on her friends' boat and has re-invented herself as a house stager. It's during one of her jobs that she meets Quinn Brannigan, a best-seller author who's come to Sugarberry to finish his latest novel and is therefore looking for a quiet place. The two are instantly attracted to each other and their attraction only grows deeper as they get to know each other... However, Riley is still wary and is not ready to risk herself in a new relationship yet... What does Quinn have to do to prove to Riley he is worth the chance?

I know I have a few books by Ms Kauffman in my TBR pile, but Sweet Stuff was actually my first book by this author and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit :) I thought Riley and Quinn had great chemistry together and loved that getting into bed was not their first priority. Each had reasons not to commit immediately, although those reasons were stronger for one of them, and they both respected it. While I was happy that Riley and Quinn did not jump into bed right away - which is often one of my complaints in romance, I have to say that in Sweet Stuff, I felt it took the H/H too much time to get together ^_^; I know, I know, very ironic. It's simply that Sweet Stuff was very character- and romance-orientated, but at the same time, not much happened. It was a lot of wishy-washy attitudes from both parties. It would have been nice to see more lovey-dovey scenes between Riley and Quinn or some action or something. I don't mind low levels of conflicts in romance, but I think in that case, you need a certain balance between the attraction, courting and relationship and in this case, the balance was a bit off. Still, it was refreshing to have a contemporary romance where the H/H didn't get together just for a fling! That is the prevalent theme lately and I'm so over it. Plus, Riley and Quinn were nice and likable characters and I felt their personalities complemented each other :) Aside from the H/H, I loved Brutus!! LOL. He was such a great dog - not smart, but the kind that will always be there for you and that you want to hug when you feel down :) Would have loved to have more scenes of him in the book. I also liked the other secondary characters and thought the Cupcake Club was a lot of fun :) Made me hungry and wanted a cupcake :)

7) Sugar Rush by Donna Kauffman: C

I enjoyed Sweet Stuff so much, I decided to go back and read the first book in the series. This book is about Leilani Trusdale, Lani for short, and Baxter Dunne who made an appearance in Sweet Stuff. Baxter is a renowned pastry chef, very popular and in demand at the moment. Not only does he have his own restaurants, but also has a TV show. Lani used to work for him in New York City and had a huge crush on him. However, she gave up her stellar career up and came back to Sugarberry after her mother passed away and her father had a heart attack. She's settled back home and opened her own cupcake shop and has never been happier. Of course, she misses her friends, but not the cut-throat and backstabbing environment of the kitchens... The last thing she needs is for Baxter to come to her neck of the woods to film his next series for his culinary TV show, but that's exactly what he does. Forcing the two to acknowledge their feelings and taking a decision.

Overall, I did like Sugar Rush. Once again, the H/H have good chemistry and I enjoyed their interactions and dynamics. And once again, it was nice that they worked through their issues and problems before becoming a couple. At the same time, it also felt like it took them forever to get together and I just started getting bored. The difference between Lani/Baxter and Riley/Quinn is that Lani and Baxter knew each other. They had a past and both have had feelings for one another for quite a long time. Baxter even came down to the South to film his TV show! They meant something to each other, a lot more than they wanted. As a result, it didn't make sense that it took them so long to sort things out. I simply wished there had been more scenes of the two together as a couple and I think it would have been more interesting to see them work out their relationship and overcome the obstacles than just waffling back and forth. I just wished Baxter had swept Lani off her feet, that there was a bit more passion between the two and they stopped being so logical.

Otherwise, Sugar Rush wasn't a bad book... but because I read it right after Sweet Stuff, I couldn't help comparing the two and I definitively enjoyed Sweet Stuff more. It was nice to see how the Cupcake Club started and to meet the secondary characters. I do wish we'd have seen more of Charlotte and Carlo, they are an interesting couple.


8) Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis: B`

*** 

Balance 
Books bought: + 5
Books read: -8
TBR pile: -3 

Genres
Contemporary Romance – 3
Women's Fiction/Chick-Lit – 1
Historical Romance – 3
Urban Fantasy – 1

***

July was a slow month, both reading-wise and book-buying-wise, but it makes sense since I was on vacation. I really thought I would have had more time to read, but alas. LOL, I underestimate Europe :) Still, at the end of the day, I'm happy with the numbers. It's not half-bad and I did at least manage to read some.

What about you? Do you manage to read when you're on a trip overseas?

Week-End's Minis XV: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in January 2011

basis, n.

There has to be a moment at the beginning when you wonder whether you’re in love with the person or in love with the feeling of love itself.

If the moment doesn’t pass, that’s it—you’re done. And if the moment does pass, it never goes that far. It stands in the distance, ready for whenever you want it back. Sometimes it’s even there when you thought you were searching for something else, like an escape route, or your lover’s face.

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.

Genre: Fiction, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? As the blurb indicates, The Lover's Dictionary is written like a dictionary. Each word the narrator has decided to examine is defined by a moment, a feeling, an event that stem from the narrator's relationship with his lover. You have the perfect example in the blurb with basis :) Each page is dedicated to a word and like a real dictionary, it's in alphabetical order - therefore, the story is not told in chronological order and readers have to piece the story together from the bits they get from each definition. In addition, the narrator is anonymous and the gender of his lover is also unknown.

Why this book? Well, I think it's Ames who first brought this book to my attention. And then, it started to pop up on many other blogs (Christine, Hils, Mariana and Kailana). I thought the concept was very original and wanted to discover this book for myself :)

What I liked? The Lover's Dictionary was a quick, enjoyable read. The concept is very original, interesting and refreshing and that's obviously what made the book stands out. However, it had to be combined with the story Mr. Levithan wanted to tell and his writing for it to be as good :) Now, looking back, The Lover's Dictionary seems like a risky bet, but one that Mr. Levithan undeniably won.

When I started reading The Lover's Dictionary, I have to say I had my doubts. I'm the kind of reader who doesn't pay much attention to words themselves. You have probably noticed that in my reviews, I rarely quote from books and if I do, it's never a sentence and more a passage. So I have a tendency to take it away as a whole - feeling, story, etc. However, in the kind of books like The Lover's Dictionary, words seem to be so important and I was afraid I was going to miss something... but I don't think I did :)

The Lover's Dictionary is also a book where you have to glean for every piece and bits of information on everything: the relationships, the narrator, the lover, their personalities, etc. And once you have these information, you have to put it together to make a whole picture, kind of like a puzzle. I have to say I enjoyed that part more than I thought I would :) I also really enjoyed the ambiguity concerning the gender of the lover. To me, all these are proofs of how ingenious Mr. Levithan is with his writing :)

Any issues? It's not an issue per se, but obviously, at the end of the day, what the readers will remember most about The Lover's Dictionary is the concept of the book. The way The Lover's Dictionary is written and how the story unfolds, I think it's difficult to really connect with the characters. I mean, in the beginning, you're trying to figure out things and how everything connects, you're more focused on the definitions and less on the characters. Also, the fact that the narrator and the lover are anonymous creates a barrier in my opinion. I did feel for the narrator and I enjoyed reading his different feelings for every step of their relationship. His incertitude and doubts were heart-felt... but he's still a nameless face for me. As a result, it's really hard to get attached to him and get attached to the book on an emotional level and I think that will always be the flaw of this book.

My Grade? B. I did enjoy the book a lot and felt it was really refreshing, but as I said, there's a lack of emotional connection between me and the story and the characters, hence the grade. Still, The Lover's Dictionary is definitively worth a read; if not for the concept, then for Mr. Levithan's clever writing :)

WEM XIV: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) and Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Another week, another Week-End's Mini!! Thank you very much to everyone who has voted :) This week, you made my life easy because there was a clear winner: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski! This is actually pretty cool because it suits my mood perfectly. I've been reading a lot of YA these past two weeks :) And I guess it shows when I look at the books I've reviewed in the past week LOL. There are many more YA books reviews coming up, but I'll try to throw in some romance reviews to balance it all out :)

In the meantime, I've also decided to throw in a bonus: Gimme a Call by the same author. I read Gimme a Call back last December, but never got around to reviewing it. This seemed like the best opportunity :) So enjoy it all!


Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Random House) in April 2010

A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs... and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number... hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do ... because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except... what if getting what you think you want changes everything?

Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? The blurb is pretty accurate. Gimme a Call opens with our heroine, Devorah Banks aka Devi, at the mall, heart-broken. While Bryan, her boyfriend, has not broken up with her, for all intent and purpose, their relationship is over... And that's when Devi realizes that for the last three years, her life revolved solely around Bryan. She now finds herself alone with no friends, no hobby nor extra-curriculum activities, her prospects for college look bleak and the situation at home is less than ideal.

If Devi could go back in time, the most important thing she would do is warned her 14 years old self not to fall for Bryan... And that's exactly what she does when she realizes that after dropping her cell phone, it's working wonky and the only person she can reach is... herself, 3 years ago! Devi also decides to change her life around and sets the younger Devi on the right path: keep in touch with her friends, study hard, etc. But while Devi wants the best for herself, she can't help but be inexorably attracted to Bryan. Would going out with him really be that bad? And what happens when she tries too hard to change the future?

Why this book? I read this book for a couple of reasons. First, Ames really enjoyed Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Ms Mlynowski, so she was on my radar of author to read. Then, there was this cute cover (yes, I can be shallow at time) and I liked the concept of this one :) I don't exactly enjoy time travel, but I like the idea the future is not set in stone and can be changed. So I decided to give Gimme a Call a go :)

What I liked? I really, really enjoyed Gimme a Call. I pretty much enjoyed everything about it and it kept me engrossed till the end. I thought both the younger and older Devi were likable characters :) Yes, the older Devi was a bit pushy and selfish at times, but when you have the opportunity to change your future for the best, you take it... And it didn't only benefit her, it benefited the younger Devi as well. What I liked in this "relationship" is that the younger Devi wasn't just a drone and did what she was told. She questioned her older self, took risks - some with better results than others - and at the end of the day, was the wiser of the two :)

One thing that I thought was very well-done by Ms Mlynowski is that she managed to not reveal to the readers and younger Devi the cause of the break-up for the majority of the book. That added a little suspense and also insured that the reason behind it was not typical. I also liked the message about how important a balance life is that Gimme a Call imparted with the readership. Devi got lucky because she had a second chance, but no matter how much you are in love, you cannot lose sight of your future and friends as Devi did. Especially given how crucial those high school years; they're really the springboard to adulthood and the rest of your life for most people. I also really liked how Devi realized that friendship was important... And I think that the overall problem Devi was facing, getting caught up with their other half and as a result, letting their friendships fade, doesn't only happen when you're in high school, but also when you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s... So I personally felt I could relate to it - although I've never gone out with anyone steady.

Any Issues? I really liked the concept of Gimme a Call and I think Ms Mlynowski did a good job writing it. Younger Devi would do something and Older Devi would feel the effects of it right away, she could see the changes in her life... and not all of them, positive. What bothered me however is that it seemed Older Devi did not have any memories of the past three years. The only recollection she had was her own - going out with Bryan, finding herself alone. All she had to prove the changes were pictures and the results (like her college acceptance letters), not the progress... And I find that somewhat sad :( But this is really a minor issue and has more to do with my personal taste than the actual book.

My Grade? B+. I originally gave Gimme a Call a B... However, as I read more YA and have more books under the belt for comparison, I really think Gimme a Call is one of the better ones :)

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
published by HarperTeen (Harpercollins Publisher) in May 2011

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house - parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery
to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart... one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: None

What do you need to know? April's parents are divorced and April has seen first hand what her mother's betrayal did. So when her mother moved to France to marry her lover, April chose to live with her father in her hometown of Westport, Connecticut. So when her father announces that they are moving to Cleveland because he found a new job in the middle of her junior year, it doesn't go over well with April. She's not about to start in a new school in the middle of the year! Plus, her life - and boyfriend - is in Westport! She comes up with the perfect solution: she'll stay at Vi's, one of her best friends, house and finish the year... The only hiccup in the plan is that Vi's mother will not be there at all. So a small subterfuge starts... but it works and April gets to stay!

Once April starts to live with Vi, she realizes that being independent and responsible is not as easy she thought... and that life has many surprises in store for her.

Why this book? Having had a taste of Ms Mlynowski's writing with Gimme a Call, I was more open to give this book a try :) Plus, remember, Ames enjoyed this one a lot! Otherwise, based on the blurb, I have to admit I'd probably have skipped ^_^;

What I liked? Surprisingly, I ended up liking Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have). When I first start the book, I felt that April was not responsible... mainly because she lied to her father and that made me uncomfortable. See, the book opens with the end and the story is basically a long flashback of what happened to get there. So the beginning makes April looks quite bad... However, after you've read her journey, it all makes sense and it's no longer that bad :P Actually, you realize those months she lived on her own with Vi, she did her best... Yes, there were some errors of judgement, but overall, she didn't do badly and definitively gained in maturity :)

What I liked the most about Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) was the realistic feel of the book. Okay, some parts were a bit unrealistic like April and Vi's subterfuge of setting up two email accounts and pretending to be each other's parents to reassure them that everything was okay... And buying the hot tub - really? However, April's feelings and the stuff she goes through during this time - that felt really real. I also liked that Ms Mlynowski addressed April and her boyfriend's first time. How she got on the pill, etc. And how later on, there was talk about the pressure of the first time and how it caused him to cheat.

Seriously, I have to give credit to Ms Mlynowski because it's her writing and style that made the book. She doesn't beat around the bush and doesn't sugarcoat reality: her characters have sex, they drink, they stay out late and hang out... They act as normal teenagers do and it's something that I feel a lot of adults don't acknowledge. Oh you always hear about parents complaining about the adolescent years, but that has more to do with their moodiness and rebellious attitude towards authority. When it comes to sex, alcohol and swearing, they prefer to idealize their teens. The reality is that a lot of teenagers - not all of them, but a lot - have heard and use swear words such as damn, shit and the f-bomb. A lot of them become sexually active during those years and they might not be able to buy their own booze, but it doesn't stop them from finding ways to get some. So I really appreciated Ms Mlynowski's candor and in my opinion, it made Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) refreshing and a nice change of pace for a contemporary YA.

Any Issues? I don't know have any real big issues with the book itself... However, I simply didn't enjoy the story as much as I did Gimme a Call. I liked that Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) was very realistic, but I find I didn't connect as much with April and what happened to her.

My Grade? B-. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) is a good contemporary YA, but probably better suited to a more matured audience. I'm glad that I have found another YA author to look out for :)

Week-End's Minis X: Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan

Last week, I didn't put a poll on the sidebar for the Week-End's Minis for two reasons: 1) I knew what I wanted to review and 2) I haven't been reading as fast lately, so didn't have enough options for a poll ^_^; I thought my reading had picked up last week-end, but I only managed to read one book this week! Ugh. At least, I'm blogging, so small blessing :)

So this week-end, I'm reviewing Cheri on Top and I Want Candy by Susan Donovan. I read I Want Candy last week and knew it'd be a mini-review... Although I might have rambled quite a bit and the review might not fit "mini-review" anymore LOL. Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to also review Cheri on Top since it's the first book in the series which I have read when it was released and had slipped  though the cracks.

Enjoy and have a nice  week-end!


Cheri on Top by Susan Donovan

published by St. Martin's Press in August 2011

Sun-drenched beaches, designer-label clothes, drop-dead-gorgeous boy-toys... all paid for with a series of high-risk real estate deals. That’s the lifestyle Cherise Newberry and her BFF Candy enjoy after leaving rural North Carolina for Tampa—until the market tanks and they lose everything. Cheri is surviving on Ramen Noodles and temp jobs when she gets a call from home to come back and run the family’s small-town newspaper. Just one catch: She’ll become the boss of her high school crush—and former brother-in-law—who might have the power to crush her all over again...

But Cheri is surprised to see how “bad boy” J.J. DeCourcy has grown into the hard-working and principled managing editor of The Bigler Bugle. Still, according to Cheri’s bitter sister, he’s not to be trusted. If Cheri’s going to co-exist at the with this sexier-than-ever man from her past, she needs to stay professional—and keep her distance —even though he sets her on fire. When they’re handed the biggest news story in the town’s history, Cheri must trust J.J., even it means putting her life in danger... and her heart on the line.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #1

What do you need to know? I think the paragraph of the synopsis is pretty accurate. However, what's misleading is that J.J. was a lot more than Cheri's high school crush. They were in fact a couple back in high school. The two of them along with Candy and Turner - now the town's sheriff - were like the 4 musketeers. However, Cheri and Candy were determined to leave Bigler and spread their wings... And when J.J. went after Cheri, she was on top of the world. That is until her sister, Tanyalee, called J.J. informing him she was pregnant and he was the father. The next thing Cheri knew, J.J. was marrying Tanyalee. Cheri and her sister never had a good relationship and let just say this just made it worst.

Now, coming back to Bigler and the family business is a big blow to Cheri's pride... and living with her great-aunt Viv is a trial. It doesn't take long for Cheri to take refuge at the family lake's house, her childhood home. Another trial is working with J.J. who's a reporter for the Bugle and on the trails of a very hot story when a car and a corpse, both decades old, are dragged out of the lake. Murders, embezzlement and mayhem ensued.

Why this book? Now that I think about it, I have a weird relationship with Ms Donovan. Whenever Ms Donovan has a new release out, I'll be on the look-out for it... Yet, a lot of her books are hit and miss and I'm starting to wonder why she is an auto-buy author for me ^_^; Why am I not more selective about her books like I am for other readers? Reputation? Peer influence? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, I picked Cheri on Top because it sounded fun :)

My thoughts? Well, I thought that Cheri on Top was not the best book I've read, but not the worst either. I think one of the reasons I felt that way was the characters. At best, I could say my feelings towards them were neutral. I think one of difficulty is the situation both found themselves in. On one hand, you have Cheri who appears to be very materialistic, proud and to a certain extent, selfish. I understand that Cheri has attained such high and to drop so low, well you don't want everyone to know... and that's understandable. However, I got annoyed with the front she put, the whole "Oh, my grandfather begged me to come back" and so on. I also don't understand why she didn't confide in her grandfather - he's the kind who cares and is concerned for her well-being. Another thing that bugged me is the lack of family sense... Tanyalee and Cheri have a bad relationship and given the circumstances, that's okay. Her great-aunt Viv is not the easiest person to live with and that's fine too... But still, her great-aunt Viv and her grandfather are getting older... Isn't Cheri concerned for them? Then, on the other hand, you have J.J. Everyone makes mistake, but J.J.' s was big and a bit hard to overlook. Confessing your love to Cheri and being interrupted by a phone call from her sister announcing she's pregnant and you're the father? Ouch. The whole fact that 1) he slept with someone else and 2) Cheri's sister... Even if Tanyalee instigated it and all, still ouch. I do admit though that mistake aside, J.J. turned out to be a good guy. However, sometimes, first impressions are hard to overcome ^_^;

The romance between the two is as you'd expect. Basically, Cheri and J.J. still have feelings for each other and once in close proximity, despite their past, they have difficulty keeping each other at arm's length. Actually, they have difficulty keeping their hands off each other LOL. So there was plenty of sexual tension and the chemistry was there. I liked that they worked things out, especially concerning their past. That was the big obstacle to their relationship... although I kind if wished they'd also talk more about the present. What they wanted now.

I'd have to say, if it was for the characters and the romance only, this book wouldn't have scored high points with  me... but surprisingly, the mystery was pretty interesting :) Ms Donovan did a good job with it as well as integrating it to the romance. Plus, there was some very funny parts - pregnant squirrel comes to mind :) And that made me enjoy the book more.

My Grade? C+. In the end, I found Cheri on Top was a quirky read and had a good time.

I Want Candy by Susan Donovan
published by St. Martin's Press in February 2012

Candace Carmichael was just getting used to the lavish life when everything went sour. Now the down-on-her-luck real estate agent is back in Bigler, North Carolina, jobless and illegally rooming with her her mother in a swank retirement community. All this makes her wonder why she ever considered her BFF Cheri’s invitation to move back home. Life in this small mountain town may not be as glamorous as the one she had in Tampa, but she knows a girl can’t be too choosy in this market. Besides, everyone’s happy to welcome Candy back—especially one handsome widower named Turner...

Turner has grown up to be one fine-looking piece of man candy—and looks even tastier in his sheriff’s uniform. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t resist kissing him when he pulled her over for a traffic violation. Even if a relationship was part of Candy’s business plan, Turner would be off limits—he still wears his wedding ring, four years after his wife died. If falling in love too fast is a crime, Candy is soon guilty as charged and ready to be fingerprinted. But is she ready to lock away her dreams and hand Turner the keys to her heart?

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Book #2

What do you need to know? Well eventually, Candy followed Cheri home to Bigler, but she's still totally broke. Candy's plan is to find a job, make a bit of money and as soon as she can, she'll leave the town and start over. Eventually, she gets a cashier job at the diner... and while she's trying to scrape money together to rent an apartment, she is rooming with her mother at the retirement community - not something she ever expected, especially given their relationship. Then, the night clerk starts developing an unhealthy crush on her and Candy finds herself unknowingly tangled in a joint task force investigation for a drug bust.

Ever since their high school days, Turner had a crush on Candy... However, it was clear they had no future together since her father would never approve of Turner because of his skin color. But now, the planets seem to have aligned themselves: her father's death, Turner is a widower and Candy seems to have finally realized what a hunk Turner is...

Why this book? Same reason as to why I bought Cheri on Top,  although I have to say, I was curious about Candy's story :)

My thoughts? Hmmmmm, it's hard to describe how I feel about I Want Candy. On one hand, there was a lot going on at the same time with some inconsistencies and questions... but at the same time, I don't know, it works LOL. I found myself continuing reading and that's something given my current reading mood. So kudos to Ms Donovan LOL.

Overall, I liked both Candy and Turner's characters. Turner was just a good buy all around and while he was a widower, he wasn't too hung up on his dead wife. Yes, he wanted to find out the truth behind her death for closure and J.J. and his brother thought he was a bit obsessed with it, that he should resign himself. However, his behavior didn't come across as obsessive, mainly because he had healthy fantasies about Candy, LOL, but also because there was so much going on that Ms Donovan did not focus too much attention on that aspect ^_^; As for Candy, I like that knew she was materialistic. She has difficulty giving up her previous life, but she was still a pretty good girl... and she was brave to want to pick up the broken pieces and want to start over. What bothered me though with her character is that Candy kept saying she couldn't stay in Bigler. It was okay for Cheri, but for her, being Candace Carmichael, it was not an option to stay... and that part, I didn't really get. The way Candy talked, it was as if she really had a bad past or her family had a bad reputation in Bigler and everyone would be out throwing stones at her... But it really wasn't the case. Also, there were parts where it seemed Candy was traumatized in her past, but when it came to light, in the scheme of all things, it didn't feel that bad. I know this is subjective and it varies from person to person... but I guess reading so much fiction and listening to news, there are so many horror stories out there that it made me immune and insensitive...? I just found that there were characters I've read who had worst and seemed to cope better than Candy ^_^;

Once again, the romance between Candy and Turner was pretty hot and heavy. I like the chemistry between the two and I think it helps that they had an history. I liked that Turner didn't want to make Candy obliged to stay, that he wanted her to stay in Bigler not just because of him, but for herself as well. Once again though, I wished there was a bit more development... a push as to why the two of them would jump each other now besides attraction and lust. Also, Ms Donovan touched lightly on the racial aspect... I don't know how I feel about that. I'm sad that it is still a current problem in our society and good for Ms Donovan for addressing it. At the same time, I kind of have a problem with the way she did it... Because there was so much going on, Ms Donovan didn't dwell on it very long and as a result, it felt superficial and superfluous ^_^; It seems to me, if Ms Donovan really wanted to tackle this issue, she should have devoted more of the book to it. Otherwise, she should simply not have brought it up. As it is, the in-between does not do much.

Also, I thought the mystery in Cheri on Top was well done... but not so much in I Want Candy. I think it again comes back to too much going on. The whole drug investigation was a good idea as another storyline, but it was muggled with the whole night clerk's - who's a part of the drug lab organization - delusion that Candy was his girlfriend. The way this story thread was resolved was a bit unrealistic and anti-climatic.

One last inconsistency that bothered me was about Candy's mother, Jacinda. She did such a 180 degrees in behavior that it was hard to believe. I mean, in the beginning of the book, when Candy visits her mother to let her know what happened to the money she lent her, the reaction you get was that Jacinda didn't expect to see the money back because she knew Candy would fail... Then at the end, you find out everything that Jacinda has done for Candy. Don't mistake me, I'm glad that her mother turned out to be a better woman and Candy will probably have a better relationship with her... but it seems like a bit of bad characterization, because it's hard to believe ^_^;

So it seemed like I had a lot of issues with I Want Candy and I guess I did... but as I said earlier, there was just something about this book that was compelling and made me continue reading it and at the end, I had a good time :)

My Grade? C+ as well. Once again, not the best nor the worst book, but an enjoyable one :) I have no idea if Ms Donovan plans any other books in Bigler, but I wouldn't be against it :)

WEM IX: The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley and The Lady's Secret by Joanna Chambers

I hope everyone is enjoying the Easter week-end :) It was so great to have the day off yesterday and still know I had 3 days ahead of me!

I went to see The Hunger Games with some friends and actually enjoyed the movie a lot more than I expected :) The weather was also gorgeous so all in all, I had a great time with friends. Good way to start the long week-end. Now, I'm planning to relax, enjoy some books and watch some curling :) Oh and if I can convince my sister, enjoy some sweets :P

As promised, here is my mini-review of The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley. I was reminded of how much I liked Cameron and Ainsley :) Also the timing seems perfect since I have The Duke's Perfect Wife in my TBR pile. I also give you The Lady's Secret by Joanna Chambers since it won the poll :)

Enjoy and have a nice week-end!


The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley

published by Berkley in August 2011

He is a man of simple tastes - and complex pleasures...

Cameron Mackenzie is a man who loves only horses and women - in that order - or so his mistresses say.

Ainsley Douglas is a woman with a strong sense of justice and the desire to help others - even if that means sneaking around a rakish man's bedchamber.

Which is exactly where Cam finds her - six years after he caught her the first time. Only then, she convinced Cam she was seeking a liaison, but couldn't go through with it because of her husband. Now a widow, she's on a mission to retrieve letters that could prove embarrassing to the queen. Cam has no interest in Ainsley's subterfuge, but he vows to finish what they started those many years ago. One game, one kiss at a time, he plans to seduce her. And what starts out as a lusty diversion may break Cam's own rules - and heal the scars of a dark and damaging past...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Highland Pleasures series, Book #3

What do you need to know? Ainsley Douglas is one of the Queen's favorites and was sent to the Mackenzie's country party to retrieve a compromising letter which was stolen by another companion of Her Majesty who has fallen from favor. As a result, Ainsley is found by Lord Cameron Mackenzie in his bedchamber, a scene reminiscent of 6 years ago. Back then, Ainsley was trying to help a friend, but it turned out she was manipulated. Six years ago, Ainsley was married and tempted into an affair with Cameron, but could not betray her husband whom she respected and who saved her from scandal. Now a widow, Cameron considers all bets are off and he'll even help her retrieve the letter...

Eventually, Cameron and Ainsley become lovers and for the first time in her life, Ainsley learns what is true passion. However, when Cameron asks her to accompany him to Paris, she is torn between her duty to the Queen, her gratitude to her family and her feelings for Cameron. As for Cameron, he is frightened by his feelings for Ainsley. He also knows that if she agrees to accompany him to Paris, they will have to marry... And given Cameron's first marriage, Cameron has no idea how to be a husband. Actually, he has no idea of what marriage is and panic and fear are in fact understandable.

Why this book? I read and enjoyed The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. One of the character I was the most curious about was Cameron :) I've been looking forward to his book ever since and was glad that it was finally released :)

My thoughts? I actually really enjoyed The Many Sins of Lord Cameron. It was a very good book with great characters, a nice storyline and solid writing. Both Cameron and Ainsley's characters were likable and I loved their romance. I felt their relationship was a lot more than attraction... There was understanding and caring and I loved how Ainsley saw through Cameron's persona. Beneath the brash and strong exterior of Cameron, you have an hero who's been deeply hurt by his first wife - not just emotionally, but physically as well - and it understandably left him scarred. And Ainsley thought him what true love really is. I thought Cameron and Ainsley were perfectly matched. I also thought Ms Ashley did a great job with the sexual tension and the attraction; it was really palpable.

I also liked Ainsley's story, when it came to pursuing happiness. I just felt if someone deserved it, it was Ainsley. Despite her mistake in her youth, she was very considerate of her family, her husband and Her Majesty. However, it really felt like Her Majesty was taking advantage of Ainsley, keeping her so close, stifling the life out of Ainsley.

Something else that I liked about The Many Sins of Lord Cameron was the secondary characters. I liked that we got to see previous characters and that their presences were justified, served a purpose. I also think that Ms Ashley did a great job with Daniel's character, Cameron's son. There's was a strong bond between father and son... and the fact that Daniel wanted to see Cameron settled and happy before he could on with his own life. I find it was rewarding to see. For someone who didn't know how to be a good father and a good husband, Cameron did great by instinct :) All he needed was a bit more confidence in himself and Daniel and Ainsley gave it to him :)

My Grade? B+. I originally graded this book with a B... but writing this review, I realized I really enjoyed The Many Sins of Lord Cameron and it deserved a better grade, because there was little I did not like. Not only did I love the characters, but thought the storyline was refreshing as well :)


The Lady's Secret by Joanna Chambers
published by Carina Press in December 2011

London, 1810

Former actress Georgiana Knight always believed she and her brother were illegitimate—until they learn their parents were married, making them heirs to a great estate. To prove their claim, Georgy needs to find evidence of their union by infiltrating a ton house party as valet to Lord Nathaniel Harland. Though masquerading as a boy is a challenge, it pales in comparison to sharing such intimate quarters with the handsome, beguiling nobleman.

Nathan is also unsettled by Georgy's presence. First intrigued by his unusual valet, he's even more captivated when he discovers Georgy's charade. The desire the marriage-shy earl feels for his enigmatic employee has him hoping for much more than a master-servant relationship...

But will Nathan still want Georgy when he learns who she truly is? Or will their future be destroyed by someone who would do anything to prevent Georgy from uncovering the truth?

Genre: Historical romance
Series: None

What do you need to know? The blurb has it right :) I'm just going to add a few details... If they could find proof of their parents' marriage, Georgiana's brother, Harry, would actually become the new Earl of Dunsmore, instead of their cousin. Georgy and Harry actually suspect that their cousin and his mother know the truth and it is why they had their mother murdered...

Why this book? I picked up this book for several reasons. The first one is that Hilcia really enjoyed this book. The second is that Ms Chambers is actually a long-time romance blogger, Tumperkin, so I wanted to give her my support. And last, but not least, I love stories where heroines pose as men LOL.

My thoughts? I thought The Lady's Secret was a cute read and a good, solid debut novel for Ms Chambers. I enjoyed seeing Georgy masquerading as a man and thought she did a good job :) What made it work was that she had the background for it. Georgy would have been an incredible actress, if it wasn't for stage fright... and so instead of being on stage, she's been working behind the scene on costumes and decors. So she has the acting skills to pull it off, but also know men clothing to become a valet and know how to make herself appear manly through clothes. In that sense, I think it was very well thought by Ms Chambers.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book when Lord Nathaniel didn't know that Georgy was a woman. His growing interest in George, his confusion, the sexual tension between the two were great and fun :) However, I felt that once Lord Nathaniel found out that Georgy was a woman, the story started losing steam. Basically, because we reverted back to a "typical" romance. The excitement and spicing up that were present in the first half were no longer present. Instead, it was about Lord Nathaniel seducing Georgy, Georgy succumbing and
it became predictable.

As for the intrigue, it was also a bit predictable. I mean, we all knew that somehow, Georgy or Harry would find proof. What I don't get is why Georgy's aunt showed her the secret compartment of the tea trolley if she suspected Georgy's identity. It seemed kind of too obvious and easy. Although I have to say, I was glad that their cousin wasn't involved int he plotting... and the twist concerning him was interesting.

My Grade? B-. Overall, The Lady's Secret was an enjoyable read and a good debut novel. I liked Ms Chambers' writing style and would definitively pick her up again, given a good premise :)

WEM VIII: Flawless by Carrie Lofty

So I'm up this morning at 8am to watch curling. Am I addicted? I'm starting to think yes LOL. Then again, this is the last event of the year, so I better enjoy it when I can! Plus, it won't get as extensive a coverage than the other championships have received, because the Men's World is taking place in Switzerland and therefore, there's the time difference. So instead of 2 matches a day, I'll only get one :(

The good news is that I'm up early, so my week-end will be longer. Technically, LOL. By the way, this week-end is Bloggiesta. While I did not sign up, I read many participants' posts and it had inspired me :) I think I'm going to tinker around with the blog a little bit.  Cross-post some reviews into Goodreads, check that all the images are still working and the right sizes and perhaps, label every post :P We'll see :)

First though, let's get down to business :) For the second week in a row, there was a tie for the Week-End's Minis feature. Both Flawless by Carrie Lofty and The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley got three votes. I actually planned to write both mini-reviews... but when it came time to write The Many Sins of Lord Cameron's, I realized I didn't remember enough of the story ^_^; So I think I'll use this week to refresh my memory and it'll be one of the mini-review for next week's WEM :) For now, enjoy Flawless by Carrie Lofty!


Flawless by Carrie Lofty
published by Simon & Schuster in September 2011

A passion this seductive is more precious than diamonds...

Sir William Christie, ruthless tycoon and notorious ladies' man, is dead. Now his four grown children have gathered for the reading of his will. What lies in store for stepsiblings Vivienne, Alexander, and twins Gareth and Gwyneth? Stunning challenges that will test their fortitude across a royal empire...and lead them to the marvelously passionate adventures of their lives.

Lady Vivienne Bancroft fled England for New York, hoping to shed the confines of her arranged marriage to unrepentant rogue Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft—though she never forgot the fiery desire he unleashed with his slightest touch. And when the gambling man arrives on her doorstep for a little sensual revenge for her desertion, he is met with Vivienne's dilemma: She must earn her father's inheritance by profitably running a diamond business worth millions in colonial South Africa.

Swept together in an exotic undertaking filled with heated passion and hungry temptation, will Vivienne and Miles discover that the marriage vows they once made are the greatest snare—or the most treasured reward?

Genre: Historical romance
Series: The Christies series, Book #1

What do you need to know? Lots of details were left out of the blurb, so if you don't want to be spoiled, better not continue on! You've been warned :)

So Vivienne is the biological daughter of Sir William Christie, but she is also a bastard. Sir William found out about her when she was 6 or 7 years old (in France), took her home (in America) and told the world she was his adopted daughter. All her life, Vivienne has been grateful to her parents for taking her in and accepting her. As a result, she tried to be the perfect daughter and later on, when she married Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft, the perfect wife... Basically, Vivienne strives for respectability because she never forgot that she was a bastard and her biological mother was French actress/courtesan. However, Miles is a debauched rake of the first order and doesn't care about respectability. But worst, he awakens Vivienne's passionate nature. Around Miles, Viv seems to lose control... Scared, Viv leaves him and moves to New York.

As for Miles, he married Viv for money... but somewhere along the way, he fell in love with her. When she hightailed it to America, his pride took a hit. With Sir William's death, it gives him an excuse to go after Viv. And when he learns of Sir William's will: one million dollars if Viv can turn around a failing diamond brokerage house in South Africa within a year, he's determined to have both.

Why this book? I heard a lot of good about Ms Lofty's writing and I've been meaning to give it a try. I'm not much into medieval romances, so I was looking at her historical books which have the added bonus of taking place in unusual setting. The problem is her last few releases have been in e-book format only and that made me drag my feet ^_^; So as soon as Flawless was released, I jumped on it :)

My thoughts? I'm happy I've finally read a book by Ms Lofty! You can be sure it won't be the last :) Really, Flawless measured up to the expectations of being an unusual historical romance. Ms Lofty did a great job with the setting, being South Africa. It wasn't just a location, it was another character as it came to life in front of our eyes. The culture and the lifestyle, those were elements that set the tone, the feel of Flawless... and it was really well done :)

The other plus for me in this book was Miles. I really loved his character and his growth. Miles lived his life as everyone expected it from him being an aristocrat: he drank, he gambled and he enjoyed women. Later on, he married Vivienne for her money and continued on his path. Although I think he did cut back on women. Anyway, I kind of liked the fact that he was unrepentant about his behavior. Yes, he was a bit of a jerk, but what do you expect from a man who grew up being entitled to things, right? And then, when he got to South Africa, he started changing. It was as if being South Africa, he was suddenly freed, no longer under close scrutiny. Yes, he was still a titled man, but it meant less. He started working, took a closer interest in business and people would not comment as much because it wasn't as disdainful as it was in London. Plus, coming to South Africa, he had purposes: to seduce and win back his wife as well as turn around the business so they could inherit the money. So he channeled his energy into achieving these goals, became more focused and turned out to be a good man, someone you could really admire :) He made the book for me :)

On the other hand, there was Vivienne. I think once again, Ms Lofty did a good job with her characterization.  I thought Vivienne had a lot of depth and her need for respectability and safety were understandable. Unfortunately, I really had a hard time connecting with her :( The problem is that she came across as a bit standoff-ish, even with Miles. Also, I felt she should have open herself to Miles a bit more... He was her husband after all. I know that theirs was a marriage of convenience, but there was chemistry and attraction between them. Miles was a jerk, but he wasn't a monster or a bad man... If she had explained to him why she needed respectability, safety, I'm sure Miles would have understood and perhaps be more considerate. Even in a marriage of convenience, you need a bit more communication. Also, it annoyed me a bit that she fell in love with Miles and her reaction was to run away...

My Grade? B. Had I warmed up to Viv, I would have given Flawless a higher grade. Still, there's no doubt in my mind that Flawless was a strong and solid book. I'll definitively be reading the next installment :)