Review: The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

I finished reading this book on Saturday and have been recommending it left and right ever since :P I thought it'd be nice to review it, so people know why I've been pushing it on them :)


The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson
published by St. Martin's Griffin in May 2016

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing—down to number four.

Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books—well, maybe not comic books—but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.

The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on—and they might not pick the same side.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

The Story: Trixie Watson and her two best friends, Harper and Meg, are seniors at Messina Academy for the Gifted - Mess for short - basically a high school for genius. The entrance exam is 3 hours long, there is a gag rule about disclosing their IQ numbers, they take courses such as "History of the American Immigrant" and "Economics of the Third World," they all willingly take on assignments for extra credits... and on the first day of each month, an updated ranking list is posted. Trixie's goal this year is to graduate third, thereby putting an end to her Rank Tango with her arch nemesis Ben West and beating him once for all. That means, between school work, comic books and sleep, Trixie will have time for little else... and she's dumbfound to find out her best friends have a different plan for their senior year - they want some interaction with the opposite sex! When Harper starts dating Cornell, the two groups of friends become one, bringing Trixie and Ben together without them having a say. The more they spend time together, the more Trixie and Ben realize that perhaps there is more to their bickering than the monkey bars episode when they were 8 years old... While they figure out their relationship, they also need to find out what's happening with the rank list.

My Opinion: I've been in a contemporary YA kick lately and picked up The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You on a whim after the cover caught my eye (I was wondering if this book was from a traditional publisher or self-published ^_^;)... and I am sooo glad I did because it was such a great, fun read!! You know when you go into a book without any expectations at all and it turns out to be a gem? Well, that was The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You :)

One of the reasons why I enjoyed The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is because the Mess wasn't a regular high school. Every student was a genius and so, as Harper pointed out, they were all nerds. It effectively took out the usual cool vs. geek conflict and just like that, The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You wasn't your usual contemporary YA. Obviously, they were not all friends, but it did feel like the characters were all on equal footing. Also, it was refreshing to actually see all the students care about their studies and their grades. The atmosphere was also different because of the pressure these kids were under, their motivation and ambition... and I enjoyed the camaraderie that resulted from it. To some extent, the setting reminded me a lot of the one in Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg - another book which I loved - where the characters were attending a performing arts high school.

I also really liked all the characters. While they were nerds, they were not one-dimensional. They had hobbies, they had likes and dislikes beyond studying. Obviously, it goes without saying that they were very smart and more mature than most teens... but at the end of the day, they were still young adults and act so at certain times. Ms Anderson did a great job balancing everything :) I have to say, I very much enjoyed Trixie and Ben and their chemistry. I loved their verbal duels... both of them were witty and quick-minded and it gave rise to some interesting conversations. I thought their romance was believable as well... because for two persons to snipe at each other the way Trixie and Ben did, there must be some attraction somewhere. Yes, it was really hidden deep, but it had to be there :) I thought the romance was sweet and the reveal at the end, so funny LOL. I loved their circle of friends. I enjoyed their dynamics and it was a lot of fun seeing the guys and girls interact and integrate the bigger group. Their loyalty to one another was admirable... particularly between Trixie, Meg and Harper. It's always nice to have someone at your back who believes in you. I also appreciate that there was no purposely unpleasant character.

There was no emotional conflict in this book. Instead, there was a mystery and I have to say, it was quite unusual! It was very well-done, interesting and definitively pulled me in. My only complaint would be the resolution of it was a bit rushed and hard to follow at times. Still, very refreshing.

Finally, I have to commend Ms Anderson's writing. This was her debut novel and it was very well executed. I really enjoyed Ms Anderson's voice. There was a snappy rhythm to it and Ms Anderson has great timing and is quick-witted. Personally, I never thought that discussions on a club's quorum would make me laugh... but it did in The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You :)

As much as I loved The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, I don't think it'll reach everyone unfortunately. I feel that for maximal enjoyment of this book, the readers have to have an inner geek. There is a lot of references to "geeky" pop culture such as Doctor Who, Marvel comics, Joss Whedon, etc. If you don't have some background info on these topics, you'll miss some jokes and references and that could lessen your enjoyment. The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You has a definite Big Bang Theory vibe to it. If you enjoy that show, then you should be fine! :) I'd still give it a chance regardless, but like I said, it'll be a lot more fun and enjoyable if you catch everything :)

My Grade: A-.  I smiled and laughed throughout The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You. It truly was a fun read for me and I'll definitively be checking out Ms Anderson's next book :)

Romance Starter Kits - Contemporary

Today's post is inspired by Book Binge's own romance starter kits post - thank you ladies! :) I thought it was a really good idea. What books would I recommend for new romance readers! And because I still have 8 days to the challenge, I'm going to split this in many posts LOL.

Today, we're starting with contemporary romance:

Sea Swept by Nora Roberts
Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie
Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas (re-read review)
Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry
Sustained by Emma Chase

Personally, I think every starter kit should contain a book by Nora Roberts and Jennifer Crusie. Those two are simply timeless authors :) And well, Ms Roberts has a really wide selection. I also chose Twisted Creek by Jodi Thomas to showcase a different writing style. Her Best Worst Mistake was my pick for short and sexy and Sustained, for the male POV.

Books/authors that I considered:

Virgin River by Robyn Carr - The style is quite to Ms Thomas and I was looking for something not small town
Linda Howard and Judith McNaught - I haven't re-read their books in a very long time. I'm just afraid they might be outdated and therefore, not good candidates to attract new readers
Kate Angell and Laura Florand - Two authors that I enjoy immensely, but I find their style not to be for everyone and therefore, perhaps not good choices for new readers

What about you? What would be in your Contemporary romance starter kit?

Review: Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Slowly, but surely, I'm getting back in :) I have a buddy review up over at Breezing Through with Rowena :) Speaking of buddy reviews, I'm going to try to update my sidebar and Goodreads as frequently as possible... If you see any books you'd be interested to discuss, you know where to find me! I'm in to buddy review any books :) Anyway, back on the subject. The buddy review is for Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson and you can click here to find it :)

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
published by Simon & Schuster in May 2014

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night?
Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn?
Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger?
Um...

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny-dipping?
Wait...what?

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Finally, a review! Yay!

I've been going through a reading slump and was lamenting about it to Ames and Brie yesterday... If I don't read, I'm not doing much in the evenings and that's just sad. This morning, I finally figured what I could do: review, of course! Hopefully, I'll keep it up ^_^;

Today's review is one that I've wanted to write for a long, long time... After all, I've read this book back in February ^_^; Hopefully, it makes sense and you enjoy :)


Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
published by Scholastic Press in February 2014

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can't be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan's friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they're best friends -- which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't keep getting in each other's way. Guys won't ask Macallan out because they think she's with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can't help but wonder... are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

Genre: YA, Contemporary
Series: None

The Story: I like the blurb because it sums up Better Off Friends quite well. Basically, on their first day of school of 7th grade, Macallan is asked to show Levi around. Both have apprehension starting this new school year... Macallan has recently lost her mother in a car accident and needs something to distract her from her grief. As for Levi, his family has just moved from California to Wisconsin and while everything was good in California, nobody turns down the opportunity of a fresh start. When the two discover a common love for a TV show, they quickly bond and become best friends.

What Macallan and Levi learn in the next few years is that friendship is hard to maintain, especially as you grow... and it is perhaps even harder when it's between a girl and a boy. Having love interests is challenging... but what happens when you develop feelings for your best friend?

My Opinion: I have read all of Ms Eulberg's books in order of publication... and it seems that I've developed a pattern: I enjoy one, doesn't like the next, love again the one after and so on. As a result, I was really looking forward to Better Off Friends because according to the pattern, it'd be one that I would enjoy a lot... and so far, the pattern holds true LOL.

One of the things I liked best about Better Off Friends was the writing style :) I liked the alternating POVs between Macallan and Levi, but also that the story wasn't continuous. Instead, Ms Eulberg decided to show us the important moments of Macallan and Levi's friendship throughout the five years that the book spans. In that regard, this book reminded me a lot of Take a Bow, but perhaps even better because there's only two main characters. I liked this style because we got to know Macallan and Levi really well, but also it allowed us to explore their relationship more deeply.

Speaking of relationship, I think Ms Eulberg did a great job building this one. I liked that Macallan and Levi became friends at 11 years old instead of younger... It makes the dynamic different because they don't know all of each other's secret and also, but also because they're on the verge of big changes in their lives... and it was great to see their friendship endure and blossom :) I enjoyed seeing the ups and downs our two main characters went through  and I thought it was very realistic. What added to the realistic feel is how well Ms Eulberg captured the confusion of Macallan and Levi and their maturity/immaturity.

All in all, Macallan and Levi were very likable characters :) I enjoyed reading their story and see how growth affected their friendship. I also liked seeing them falling in love with each other. So much in a romance is about timing and Better Off Friends was a good example.

My Grade: B+. I really enjoyed Better Off Friends and I think Ms Eulberg is at her best when she writes slices-of-life storylines :)

Review: Third Degree by Julie Cross

Hi everyone!

Things have finally calmed down and gone back to normal :) Hopefully, that means I'll have more time for books and reviews :) To start things with, I have a buddy review up over at Breezing Through. Ames and I are discussing one of my new auto-buy author's latest release, Ms Cross' Third Degree. Click here to find out what we thought of Third Degree :)

Let's hope this review will kick my mojo into gear!


Third Degree by Julie Cross
published by Random House Publishing (Flirt) in March 2014

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

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-.

Review: The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram

The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram
self-published (Bluefields) in May 2013

When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

The Story: Actually, the blurb is very accurate. I'm going to try to recap the book in my own words, but I believe it'll be quite similar to the blurb...

Avery Shaw and Aiden Kennedy have been best friends all their life - literally! Their mothers met in prenatal yoga and the fact Avery and Aiden were born on the same day just sealed their fate. For years, Avery has been in love with Aiden and has been waiting for him to catch up to her feelings, knowing that boys emotionally mature slower than girls. However, during their junior year Christmas break, Aiden drops a bomb... Not only does he have a girlfriend, but he wants space and not to celebrate their birthdays together! Understandably, Avery is quite devastated and heart-broken... Lucky for her though, Aiden's older brother, Grayson, takes her under his wing.

Avery needs a project for the state science fair and has come up with the idea of using herself as a test subject. She wants to prove that a broken heart can be cured by going through the seven stages of grief: shock and disbelief, denial, guilt, anger, depression, acceptance and hope. She recruits Grayson to be her objective outside observer. In exchange, Grayson will get extra credit in physics, which he is failing, and that will allow him to continue playing for the school basketball team. However, Grayson has plans of his own. He intends to help Avery become her own person by living a little.

My Opinion: When I picked up The Avery Shaw Experiment, I really didn't know what to expect. I had actually never heard of Ms Oram prior to The Avery Shaw Experiment, let alone read any of her other books! I was browsing Goodreads, looking for new releases when I stumbled across the title and ended up giving it a try after reading some average reads. Wow, am I glad of my pick because this one hit all the right spots!

The Avery Shaw Experiment was such an excellent, cute and adorable read LOL. I basically loved everything about it: the writing style, the characters and the story. I thought Ms Oram's writing style was light and breezy, making for a very easy read, but at the same time, she did a great job at injecting some seriousness to the storyline. I also really enjoyed reading the story from both Avery and Grayson's POVs. Being privy to both Avery and Grayson's thoughts allowed us to get to know them both, but also provided a nice balance to the story :)

I also liked the characters very much. Grayson was simply a charmer and very crush-worthy, but underneath it all, he was just such a rock for Avery to lean on. He was also more mature and observant than he let on and he did really have some good insight in Avery and Aiden's relationship. As for Avery, she was very likable. She was a bit of a geek which added to her charm and quite shy... She's just the kind of YA heroine that you want to root for. I also really enjoyed Grayson and Avery's bond, chemistry. After all, they've known each other for so long as well... They might not have hung out together as much before, but they understood and knew each other. And that made Grayson's protectiveness very endearing, especially against his own brother. I also want to commend Ms Oram for not falling into the stereotypes. I liked that the popular kids here weren't all mean and snobbish and that the geeky kids actually have some spunk. Loved the part where the science club didn't want it known that Grayson was part of the club as they had a reputation to uphold LOL. Also, Avery's friend Libby was really refreshing! :)

The story was about two journeys. The first was Avery discovering herself, discovering that she could survive without Aiden. The second was Grayson falling in love with Avery. I enjoyed both journeys very much. I'm glad that Avery didn't spend the whole book pining after Aiden and waiting for him only to realize that the one she had feelings for now was Grayson... That would simply have been too typical. I also liked that Aiden wasn't the total villain in the end, liked that Avery and him were able to patch up their friendship. I'm also thought that the remaining friction between the two brothers at the end was realistic.  I also thought the characters' confusion and growth were very realistic and well portrayed and made for a good story.

There were a few inconsistencies in the book such as Avery being so shy that she sometime needed medicine, but at the same time, being able to present at the state science fair and details that bothered me such as Avery believing that everything Grayson did was for the experiment... However, it was all quite minor stuff that didn't affect my enjoyment of the book at all :)

My Grade: A. I loved The Avery Shaw Experiment and am quite certain it will be among my favorite reads for 2014 :) And I'm definitively going to try Ms Oram other books. Hopefully, I have found a new author to add to my auto-buy list :)

Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Hi everyone!

Wassup? Didn't mean to disappear, but I got really busy... Last week-end was the wedding, so I went to Washington D.C./Annapolis. Had a great trip and spent some quality time with relatives I haven't seen for a while :) More on that later, with pictures :P

Anyway, I spent the couple of days before the trip running around like a headless chicken. I need to learn how to relax before a trip, because seriously, it's getting ridiculous... That's mainly why I haven't blogged. That, plus the fact that my blogging muse is still gone. Sigh. Hopefully, she'll come back soon!

In the meantime, I have a buddy review with Ames up over at Breezing Through. The book is The Distance Between Us, a YA novel by Ms West. I picked it up because I really enjoyed her debut novel, Pivot Point :) To find out what I thought of The Distance Between Us, click here :)


The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
published by Harpercollins Publisher (Harper Teen) in July 2013

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Genre: YA, contemporary
Series: None

Review: Her Favorite Rival by Sarah Mayberry

Disclaimer: I've received Her Favorite Rival as an eARC from Netgalley


Her Favorite Rival by Sarah Mayberry
published by Harlequin (SuperRomance)

A new meaning for office politics Audrey Mathews has worked hard to get here. Now she's up for a promotion and nothing will stand in her way—including Zach Black. He's hot, smart and the competition. When they're assigned to the same project, she's shocked at how much she actually likes about him…and how much she misjudged him.

Before long Audrey is seriously falling for Zach—and indulging in an affair that's against company policy. And the stakes rise when it's clear only one of them can get ahead. So where do they draw the line between competition and love? Especially when she doesn't want to lose either the promotion or the guy….

Genre: Category romance, Contemporary romance
Series: Connected to Her Favorite Temptation

The Story: Audrey Mathews and Zach Black both work as buyers in the merchandising department of Makers Hardware. They know that they are each other's competition for the next promotion; Audrey has the experience and Zach, the education... and both want it badly. For Audrey, it's proof that she's put her life back together after some tumultuous teenage years where she ran away from a family that could provide everything to her. As for Zach, it's an indication of how far he's come in life, how much he's overcome given his underprivileged background and the poor hand he's been dealt in life. However, when the new CEO shows up, all bets are off and first, they have to weather through the new changes. Then, they have to put aside their rivalry in order to put together a competitor analysis - the perfect opportunity to show the new administration their worth. As the barriers between them come down, Audrey and Zach find that they actually like and are attracted to each other... but what about the promotion?

My Opinion: Ever since Her Best Worst Mistake, Ms Mayberry has been on my auto-buy list of authors and I look forward to her new releases, especially the SuperRomance ones. What I like about her books is that they are always very different from one another - the characters, but also the premises. So when I read the blurb of Her Favorite Rival, I was curious to see what would happen, how would Audrey and Zach juggle a budding romance and their ambitions. So when Her Favorite Rival was available on Netgalley, I did not hesitate to request it :)

Not surprisingly, Her Favorite Rival turned out to be an enjoyable read :) Once again, Ms Mayberry did a very good job with the characters, making them interesting and complex. I especially liked Zach and totally understood why Audrey was drawn to him LOL. Who wouldn't fall for a charming, handsome and successful man who raised above the circumstances and made a good life for himself? In addition, what Zach achieved and the way he handled his mother's situation are both admirable and speak volumes about his character. I thought his emotional conflict concerning his mother was very interesting and loved that Ms Mayberry developed on it, loved that she actually had the guts to address it as it's quite a sensitive matter. What I liked about the way Zach handled the situation is that it shows that he feels, that there is someone under the sophisticated veneer. Zach had to detach himself from his mother in order to cope, but at the same time, didn't completely give up on her. All these years, he kept taking care of her and part of it was duty, another part was to make himself feel better, but deep down, I think it's because he cared and loved her. To me, Zach was such a great character... and as a result, I found it hard to root for Audrey. In the story, Audrey's parents are both doctors and while it doesn't equate a perfect, loving life, they were at least able to provide her a comfortable life. However, in her teenage years, Audrey ran away from home to be with her boyfriend and lived on the streets for eighteen months. She craved her parents' love and attention and since she couldn't get it from them, she got it from her boyfriend. She made a mistake and is still paying for it now as her relationship with her parents isn't the greatest and I feel for Audrey... It sucks that you've made one mistake (albeit a big one ^_^;) and after all this year, are still held accountable for it, even though it's obvious that Audrey has turned a new leaf. They made her feel guilty and inferior and it's not something you should ever feel in the company of your parents. However, in comparison with Zach, deep down, I can't help but think Audrey is reaping what she sowed. She's the one who had all the opportunities and blew it and therefore has to live with it. I have to commend though that most of the time, she does which is good... but there are some occasion, she doesn't and I didn't like her then... For example, she was so judgmental of Zach when she thought he was born with a silver spoon and that really pissed me off. Not because it wasn't true, but because what right did she have to be jealous of him because he supposedly had it all handed to him while she had to do it the hard way? Technically, the reason she had to do it the hard way is her own fault! I'm not sure I'm explaining myself well, but in any case, you get the gist, Audrey bothered me a little. That and her wishy-washy attitude at times.

When it comes to Audrey and Zach's relationship, I liked it because they both displayed so much maturity. They could handle being lovers and co-workers and there was no stupid drama or misunderstanding. Once they got to know each other, they admire and respect one another and that was nice to see, refreshing. I liked that both applied for the promotion and that they were supportive and rooting for one another. It was nice that the competing for the same position wasn't the crux of the story or the romance :) However, as much as I liked the relationship, I feel the romance was a bit bland exactly because there was no crux ^_^; I don't mean that I wanted Ms Mayberry to take that direction because I'm glad she didn't transform Her Favorite Rival into a typical story... but at the same time, there was no spark, no conflict, no omph to be found. Audrey and Zach's romance just seemed to happen, as if they were two pieces falling into place, that even a little bit of banter or flirtation between the two would have lifted it up... And the writing style didn't help because I feel we were told more than shown. Come to think of it, Her Favorite Rival was very low in conflict. Ms Mayberry created characters with very complex background and circumstances, but none of their baggage was resolved... There's not much that could be done with Zach's situation, but I would have appreciate more closure for Audrey's relationship with her parents and sister.

One other issue that I had with Her Favorite Rival is Audrey's complete change of attitude when she found out about Zach's background. Initially, Audrey thought that Zach came from a privileged background based on his lifestyle and clothing and so, she thought he skated through life, that everything has been handed to him. However, when she found out that it was actually the opposite - that he came from a very poor neighborhood and had to work for everything, her opinion of Zach completely changes. Suddenly, she gains respect for him... It really bothered me because I'm not sure of the message Ms Mayberry is trying to convey. Of course, Zach having to work for everything makes his accomplishments even more impressive and admirable... but had he been from a privileged background, would it negate everything? Does it mean he wouldn't have to have work hard to get in the position that he was in? Okay, yes, it does happen that some rich kids get the position because of their family name... but say Zach was rich and had had worked hard to get where he was, wouldn't it still have been commendable? Is having money wrong? So yes, I was very annoyed with Audrey's reaction and honestly, it didn't endear her to me.

So yes, I did have some issues and complaints about Her Favorite Rival, but despite them, I still liked the book. If you want to read about two interesting and mature H/H, you'll want to pick this one up :) Plus, it is Ms Mayberry after all :)

My Grade: B-. Another enjoyable book from Ms Mayberry, but not a favorite.

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: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Pivot Point by Kasie West
published by Harpercollins Publisher (HarperTeen) in February 2013

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier...

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through... and who she can’t live without.

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Contemporary
Series: Pivot Point, Book #1

The Story: Addison Coleman lives in a top secret, paranormal compound where people have advanced mental abilities. Around their tween years, each individual starts Presenting with one ability from a wide and varied range: telepath, telekinetic, mood controller, mass manipulator, perceptive, persuasive, etc., which is then nurtured to full potential. While Addie's ability is classified as Clairvoyance, it is actually a lot more specific. Called Divergence, which means extending in different directions from a common point, it allows Addie to see the future - the two possible outcomes when faced with a choice - when she does a Search. And her future is the only one Addie can see.

At the beginning of Pivot Point, Addie's parents announce that they are getting a divorce and Addie must choose with whom she wants to live. The catch is that her father has decided to leave the compound to live among the "Norms" as a FBI agent. Addie is much closer to her father, but does that mean she can leave the life she knows and her best friend Laila behind? In order to make a decision, Addie makes a Search six weeks into the future... But what she is about to learn is that even knowing what the future holds for you, some choices are hard to make... and sometimes, sacrifices are needed.

My Opinion: I was checking out the upcoming releases for Breezing Through's New Releases posts when the cover of Pivot Point caught my attention. Then, once I read the blurb, I knew it was my kind of books :)  I really love books about psychics and ones that deal with time manipulation. Therefore, Pivot Point was definitively on my radar and I am sooooo happy that I picked it up, because Ms West's debut novel turned out to be a winner!! :) Woohoo! LOL.

Needless to say, I loved Pivot Point. I thought it was an excellent book and I enjoyed everything about it - the world building, the characters, the story and particularly the writing. First, I really liked the premise of the book. It's not time traveling per se, but time manipulation and for some reasons, I like that LOL. It's just like Forgotten by Cat Patrick (which I enjoyed a lot, but haven't reviewed - oups ^_^;) where the heroine see the future, but forgets the past. I like that things can change, that they are not stagnant and as such, it just made Pivot Point interesting for me :) I also thought Pivot Point was refreshing, different because it pushed the boundaries of genres. For example, Addie's day-to-day routine was very contemporary; the paranormal compound was well, paranormal; the "time manipulation" aspect would be sci-fi, etc. It seemed to me Ms West had an idea, had a story to tell and she just did. And because she mixed so many elements, it stopped Pivot Point from being usual, stereotypical and made it refreshing :) One of the element that was crucial for that feel was the world building and I really enjoyed it. I liked Ms West's take on the mental abilities. When you think about it, these mental abilities are very akin to psychic abilities... and what Ms West did was take those and put her own spin. I liked what Ms West came up with like the Perceptives which are the ones that can change what you can perceive, usually visual, and etc. It feels like Ms West put a lot of thoughts into it to come up with the abilities and the designations and it really pays off. Also, I liked that the people have control over their abilities - to a certain extent. For example, Addie can do a Search when she wants. And because they have control over their abilities, they can improve it, hone it. Also, advanced mental abilities often translate into advanced technology and it was the case in Pivot Point. I thought it was really cool to have kind of two worlds occurring in parallel. It was like having a present and future worlds going on at the same time :) In the future where Addie chose to live with her dad, she had to get used to turning on lights, to DVD machines and so on. So it was fun and again, unique :)

As I mentioned above, I enjoyed the world building, the characters and the story. So let's talk about the characters and the story :) I actually really loved Addie and I thought she was a great heroine. What I liked most about her is how individualist she was. She was comfortable in her own skin and didn't care what other people thought, said or did. Pivot Point wasn't a story about a heroine finding herself because Addie had already done that. She knew what she liked and who she was. When she started high school in the "Norm" world, she wasn't interested in becoming popular or finding a boyfriend and again, I found that refreshing. The fact that instead, she was looking for a best friend, I think that made her relationship with Trevor ultra-sweet :) As for Trevor, I really liked him as well. I liked that he has moved on. Of course, there was some bitterness over his injury ending any potential career as a quarterback - who wouldn't have any? But it wasn't his whole world, he didn't hang onto it and that showed me how mature Trevor was. A lot more mature than many characters I've seen in sport romances ^_^; He was also very attentive and observant. That scene where he told his mother stuff about Addie, again, very sweet :) All in all, Addie and Trevor made such a cute couple and I loved reading their storyline. I also enjoyed the secondary characters a lot such as Addie's parents and her best friend, Laila. It was nice to have parents that were present and their dynamics with Addie were very interesting. As for the story, it's kind of hard to talk about it without spoiling it, but it was good LOL.

Seriously though, what stands out for me about Pivot Point is how well thought out the book was. Not only the world building, but the storyline as well as the narration. What Ms West did was basically tell two possible outcomes of a same future in one story and not only did she succeed, but she did it seamlessly, with brilliance and without confusion. I mean, I'm not even sure I manage to explain it without confusion here ^_^;, so imagine writing it! LOL. What I also loved about the story Ms West wrote is that these two possible outcomes didn't go into two opposite directions, but instead they inter-crossed. No matter what future Addie would have chosen, they were events that would have happened. True, they would have happened in a different way, but they would still have occurred. For example Addie meeting Trevor, the football match between the two high schools, the prank on Poison, etc. It was really interesting to see how the two possible outcomes unfolded, but also how they actually connected :) Another aspect of Pivot Point that made it stands out was Ms West's writing; I was really impressed by it :) The way Pivot Point is written, Addie's two possible futures are told simultaneously with alternating chapters. Not only was it was clever, but also very effective because Ms West avoided bogging the story down with re-writes of the same scenes in the different futures and the readers were always aware of the timeline. In addition, it kept the story balanced as you had equal numbers of chapters of Addie in the paranormal compound and Addie in the "normal" world. As much as I enjoyed the characters, the world building and the story, there's no doubt in my mind that it's the execution of the book - Ms West's writing and planning - that made this book a winner :)

My one and only complaint about Pivot Point is a small one and that is the rushed ending. Or actually, I should say the climax in one of the possible outcomes. It just felt a little too rushed. The foreshadowing was well done in my opinion, but it just felt that things fell into place a bit too conveniently for the climax to occur. As for the real ending, I was really satisfied. At the end of her Search, Addie had a really tough decision to make. Actually,  not so tough... Which future to choose was obvious, but it wasn't without sacrifices. And I guess that's the message of the book, knowing the future doesn't necessarily make a choice easy. Also, given that Pivot Point is the first book in a series, Ms West has accomplished a rare feat: no cliffhanger!! How awesome is that? LOL.

My Grade: A. It's really been a long time since I've read such a well balanced book where every element was so strong. Pivot Point just worked for me and I  strongly recommend it to everyone! I'm definitively going to re-read it while I wait for the next installment! Really looking forward to it :) Lucky for me though, Ms West has another book scheduled this year, The Distance Between Us, which is a contemporary YA and it should hold me off ;) I'm also very curious to see how she handles another genre :)

TBR Challenge 2013: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Oups, I'm once again late for the TBR challenge ^_^; After how many times does it become a habit? LOL.  This time though it's not because I'm off my game reviewing. I think in the past couple of weeks, I've been very good at getting back into a reviewing rhythm... It's simply that I forgot that I read something that qualified  for the challenge!! I know, very sad ^_^; When I read Wendy's reminder last week, I was "Crap, I won't have time to read something!" and it's only on Wednesday, while I was planning to review Double Crossed and Heist Society that I realized Heist Society was actually a TBR read! Yay! However, the past couple of days have been quite busy, so it's only now that I have to time to write the review. I think "Better late than never" might become my  new motto LOL.

All right, let's talk about Heist Society. This book has been in my TBR pile for almost three years. I got it when I attended the RT Convention 2010 in Columbus. One of the panels I went to was the Young Adult Authors Chat. Back then, I didn't read as much YA, but I went because one of my favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong, was there. Ms Carter was one of the other authors present and I really enjoyed her answers. As a result, I wanted to give her a try­. During the chat, she spoke of her new series, Heist Society, and I thought I'd pick that one up because I really like cat burglar characters and plots. I even got an autographed copy! However, often at those conventions/conferences, you come home with so many books that you're a bit overwhelmed and a lot of them end in the TBR pile... Finally, I picked up Heist Society back in February after reading Double Crossed because I really enjoyed the novella. I was already familiar with the Gallagher Girls series and now, it was time to finally check out Heist Society :)

And here are my thoughts on the book... enjoy!

Heist Society by Ally Carter
published by Hyperion in February 2010

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Genre: YA, contemporary, cat burglar
Series: Heist Society, Book #1

The Story: The blurb is pretty accurate, but as usual, I like to give my own spin :) So Katarina Bishop comes from a family of burglars and she's been taught the trade. However, she wanted to live a normal life and walked away from the family business, i.e. her family, and conned her way into a prestigious boarding school. However, normal life didn't last long for Kat because W.W. Hale V, the heir to a prestigious and rich family, a born grifter and one of Kat's past associates, got her kicked out of boarding school. Turns out a very powerful mobster was robbed of his priceless art collection - 5 paintings that were lost during World War II - and he believes that Kat's father did it. Even after Kat has confirmed her father didn't do it - he was busy pulling another job - the mobster won't believe Kat... and she only has one option in front of her if she doesn't want her family to come to harm: to retrieve the paintings. Unfortunately for Kat, Visily Romani, the master thief, is cunning and has hidden them in the most secure museum in the world: the Henley. On a deadline and with her young crew, can Kat pull it off?

My Opinion: Let see, let see. So I'm a fan of cat burglar characters and plots. Don't ask me why, but I just like it. There's just something so cool about those kind of robberies - in fiction at least LOL. I think it's the cleverness and the sophistication involved which makes the whole thing so mysterious :) However, I also think it's one of the hardest plots to pull off in books because as I said, it has to be clever, but there's also the narration. In movies and TV shows, they can always play with the sequences and have stuff happened off cameras and the important scenes are revealed at the end in flashbacks, but  in books, when your plot is narrated at the first POV, well the readers have to be told what happened and it just takes out the mystery.

So how did Ms Carter fare with Heist Society? I actually think she did a great job with the plot! Everything was quite interesting :) How Kat contacted her father to see whether he was the master being the robbery or not, then the investigation and the actual theft. I like how this world is so small and everyone knows everyone. Also, if you don't have the contacts and the money to start with, you don't get far. I also enjoyed the formation of Kat's crew, the casing of the Henley, how their plans came together and how they executed it. Of course, the age makes it a bit unbelievable, but it's fiction after all and you read this for its entertaining value :) In addition, there was some good twists to the plot which made the whole thing quite clever :)

What didn't work so well for me was the characters... Actually, not so much the characters, but the lack of expansion on their background. For example, Kat and Hale. There's obviously a past between them, but we're never really shown or told. It's like we're dropped into the story and not given any explanations. Why did Kat really walk away from the family business? How do they know Simon, the boy who helped them with the security plans, and so on. I needed more information, more background to get a clear image of everything and I feel I didn't get it. I don't know if it was to amp up the mystery factor for the story, but it didn't work for me. Also, I thought Kat was a so-so heroine. I didn't really connect with her character. It's not that she was selfish or self-centered, but it felt to me that she was so focused on her feelings and what was happening that she disregarded the others' feelings. A good leader should be attuned to her team members and she wasn't. Also, I wasn't thrilled with her decision to bring a stranger boy into a crew at the end. It just seemed weird ^_^; It felt like his only purpose was to start a love triangle or a rivalry and I think it was unnecessary. Otherwise, I actually liked all the other characters - they were just a lot more fun.

All in all, Ms Carter delivered a fun book with Heist Society :) I think her ideas were more concise and it resulted in a a great plot. Also, to me, Heist Society read better than the Gallagher Girls books because of the flow and the conciseness. Unfortunately, that pertains only to the plot :( The let down of the book was the lack of background on the characters and situations, it felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story and was missing a few introductory chapters.

My Grade: B. In the end, I'm glad I picked up this book because it was fun and enjoyable.

Review: Double Crossed by Ally Carter

Double Crossed by Ally Carter

published by Hyperion in January 2013

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

Genre: Young Adult
Series: Gallagher Girls, Book #5.5/Heist Society, Book #2.5

The Story: Double Crossed is a novella that combines both of Ms Carter's series, the Gallagher Girls and the Heist Society. Macey McHenry and W.W. Hale V are charity event with their socialite parents. They meet, flirt with each other a little and quickly recognize that the other is more than just a spoiled, bored brat born with a silver spoon. In order to keep their cover, distance seems prudent. However, when the charity event is hijacked by thieves who intend to steal the Calloway Canary diamond and escape by holding the social elite hostages, Macey and Hale need to team up. With their special set of skills and outside back-up, the thieves won't know what hit them :)

My Opinion: I was looking for a short story to bulk up my number of reads in January and thought Double Crossed was perfect. I'm really glad I picked this one up because it turned out to be a very fun and enjoyable novella.

I think the idea of combining these two series into one short story was genius on Ms Carter's part :) While the basis of the series are opposites - on one side you have girls training to become spies and on the other, a crew of cat burglers - the feels are very similar, what with the youngsters being more than what they appear to be thanks to their extra set of skills. Also, the lives they have are also very different and interesting... And really, while the end result is opposite, some of the skills they learn are very similar :) Subterfuge, languages, knowledge, stealth, etc. LOL. So I thought the combination of the two series was very natural and the story in Double Crossed kept the spirit of both series :)

It was also a very good idea to feature Macey and Hale as the protagonists because these two have a lot in common... and were more likely to be at the same place at the same time given their background LOL. But seriously, I actually find Macey more interesting than Cam because I think she has more depth and life experience. Cam has always known her path and her whole life has been focused on spy-stuff. In contrast, Macey's path hasn't been as obvious and she's just more complex personality-wise. She has her public persona, especially while her father was campaigning to become USA's vice-president, and her true self. Anyway, Macey being one of central character of this novella was one of the reasons I picked up Double Crossed and I'm really happy I did :)

As for the story, it was fun and actually exciting. It was also the perfect situation for a spy and grifter to join force because each had their strengths such as Hale knowing that the Calloway Canary diamond was false and Macey recognizing and understand the language the thieves were speaking. What was fun also was Macey and Hale recognizing the situation - knowing there was danger - but also wondering why the thieves were doing such and such. If there's a complaint from me is that I wished there's been a little bit more action ^_^; But otherwise, this was a good novella.

My Grade: B+. As I said, a very fun novella. If you're a fan of either or both series, you won't want to miss Double Crossed. Me, I had only read the Gallagher Girls series prior to reading Double Crossed, but afterwards, my curiosity sure was piqued and I went to check Heist Society. In any case, I hope that Ms Carter has plans to write more of these cross-over stories because I'd definitively pick them up :)

Review: The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter

The One That Got Away by Kelly Hunter
published by Harlequin Kiss in February 2013

"The man who's always left her wanting more!"

Good job? "Tick." Newly purchased apartment? "Tick." Evie's life is on a pretty even keel at the moment. The only thing missing? A man with an edge to keep things interesting.

Enter Logan Black. Tortured, distant and sexy, Logan has edge written all over him. He's also the man who tipped Evie "over" the edge a few years back - she gave him everything, but he didn't know when to stop taking.

Leaving Logan was the hardest thing Evie's ever done. Until now. Because Logan's back, the chemistry is as blistering as ever and this time he's not going anywhere....

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: None

The Story: If you've read reviews for The One That Got Away, then you probably already heard about how the cover is misleading. Contrarily to what the cover projects, The One That Got Away is not a happy-go-lucky, fun or fluffy story; instead, it is dark and intense. Hopefully, my summary will give you a better idea of what you're getting into :)

Ten years ago, Evangeline Jones and Logan Black had a week-long affair in London. Back then, Evie was only 19 years old and very malleable which suited Logan's dominant personality just fine. However, after one of their bed games went wrong and resulted in Evie being injured, Logan called it quits and disappeared from Evie's life.

Now a successful engineer, Evie and her business partner, Max Carmichael, are about to bid for their biggest project. However, in order for everything to go smoothly, Max needs to have access to his trust fund which will only happen when a) he turns 30 or b) he gets married. Therefore, Max and Evie are planning on a marriage of convenience... But the last person Evie expected to meet when Max introduces her to his family is Logan who turns out to be Max' half-brother.

Very quickly, Evie and Logan realize that their chemistry is still present and as sizzling as ever. But losing control all those years ago has scared Logan... and he knows that there's no way he can lead a normal life if Evie becomes his sister-in-law; therefore, he wants her gone. However, Evie has grown into a strong and confident woman. This time around, she won't let him call all the shots. What she wants is to explore their chemistry and see where it will lead.

My Opinion: It's funny because when you pick up a book, you can never tell whether or not you'll connect with it. If it's an author that you enjoy, chances are higher that you will... but there's still the possibility this will be the exception, the miss. Quite frankly, I didn't have high expectations when I started The One That Got Away, mainly because the last book of hers that I've read, Cracking the Dating Code, while enjoyable, was far from a wowzer. However, as soon as I started The One That Got Away, it immediately grabbed me and I could not put it down... so it doesn't come as a surprise that I ended up loving the book, right? :)

So what was it about The One That Got Away that got me hooked? The intensity. It was the intensity of what Logan and Evie were feeling for each other, almost like an obsession. In the beginning of the story, it made the sexual tension between them palpable and also just enhanced their chemistry. I'm aware that this intensity is not for everyone, but for me, it really worked :) Also, I thought it fit well with the storyline. It made it believable for me that after 10 years, they haven't forgotten and still craved each other.

Aside from the intensity, what did I enjoy? Well , pretty much everything LOL. I liked Logan and Evie's characters. Part of the intensity comes from Logan's personality in my opinion. He's very focus, determined and can be ruthless. He also has a lot of baggage which has pretty much molded his life, but he's aware of it and I was glad for that awareness.  In retrospective, he reminds me a lot of Jayne Ann Krentz and Linda Howard's businessman heroes, but with a lessen jerk factor LOL. He's really the kind of heroes I enjoy reading about in contemporary romance. In real life, I think he'd be a bit too much, but in fiction, just perfect. As for Evie, I really liked her as well. I loved how she stood her ground with Logan. She has definitively matured into a strong and confident woman since her affair with Logan and she did not hesitate to let him know which is exactly what Logan needed. Something else that I really liked about Evie was her patience with Logan when it came to their relationship. She gave him space and was understanding... and perhaps at times, too understanding and forgiving, but in the end, I think it was the perfect way to deal with Logan. Between, something else I enjoyed about Evie and Logan's relationship aside from the intensity was the communication and honesty. I feel Evie and Logan communicated more than in most contemporary romances I've read. Oh they didn't tell each other everything, but it was still more than most couple and there was no misunderstanding between them which I really appreciated.

As for the storyline, once again, it worked for me. I liked that Ms Hunter didn't drag on the false engagement  too long. I liked how it was resolved, because really, it was obvious that Max and Evie could not get married. I also really liked Max as a secondary character. He was a great friend to Evie and had her back. His romance was very surprising, but refreshing as well :) By the way, this reminds me that I need to credit Ms Hunter for the risk she took in The One That Got Away with the dominant/submissive affair Evie and Logan had 10 years ago. This topic is not very common in category romance, but seriously, I think the risk really paid of for Ms Hunter because it set The One That Got Away apart and that's a good thing in a genre that is full of stereotypes.

Of course, The One That Got Away was not perfect... but I thought the flaws were minor. I think what was most disappointing was the climax of the book. Almost all of the book was a build-up to it, but in the end, the climax was very short and seemed to have little impact. I think Ms Hunter could have expanded a little bit... but at the end, I'm still very happy with the book.

My Grade: A-. I really loved The One That Got Away, it just hit me in the right spots :) It might still be early in the year, but it's safe for me to predict that this book will be my favorite category romance read of the 2013 :)

Review: The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry

Guess what?! I think I'm all done with my reviews for 2012!! Woohooo!! Or at least, the one that I planned to review :) There are still a few books and I might go back one day, but for now, all I wanted to review for 2012, I did!! Yay!! Now, I can finally start focusing on 2013! Not soon enough, right? ^_^;

My last review is for The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry. I feel a bit bad about this one because I requested from Netgalley back in December and actually read it in December. My plan was to review it for its publishing date, like all the other Netgalley's requests I did... but we all know how real life tends to get in the way ^_^; Even though it's two months late, I can still say that I've held up my end of the bargain, so that's something at least :)

Enjoy!!


Disclaimer: I've received The Other Side of Us as an eARC from Netgalley

The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry
published by Harlequin (SuperRomance) in January 2013

The best thing between Oliver Barrett and Mackenzie Williams is a fence. Ever since Oliver's new-neighbor gestures were met with unfriendly responses, he's decided to keep his distance. After all, he's in this seaside town to get his life on track again. That doesn't include working hard to get on Mackenzie's good side—no matter how intriguing she may be. His intentions are put to the test, however, when his dog becomes infatuated with hers. The two crafty canines do their best to break down the barriers between the properties. And where the dogs go…, well, the humans must follow! It doesn't take long for a powerful attraction to build between Oliver and Mackenzie. They soon discover that the worst of first impressions can lead to the best possible outcomes….

Genre: Category romance, contemporary romance
Series: None

The Story: Oliver Barrett is going through a divorce after discovering that his wife has been cheating with her ex for almost the whole length of their marriage. Still harboring a lot of anger at the betrayal, Oliver decides he needs a break and heads to Flinders where he and his brother have inherited a house from their aunt. He plans to use his time off to clean the house and make it ready to put on the market. As he's been raised right, the first thing Oliver does after settling down is to introduce himself to his neighbor. What he finds is an incredibly rude woman with a dog who, to Oliver's displeasure, seems to have the hots for his 8-months old puppy, Strudel.

Mackenzie Williams knows she was incredibly rude to her new neighbor, but unfortunately for him, he caught her at the wrong time. Mackenzie is the TV producer of a very popular Australian soap opera and she lives for her job. A year ago, she was in in a very bad car accident and didn't survive it unscathed. She was lucky to get a sick leave from her job, but now, time is running out and she faces the real possibility of losing her job. So the last few months, she's been in Flinders focusing her energy on completing her physical therapy and getting back into shape.

Eventually, Oliver and Mackenzie get over their first meeting and impressions... and the more time they spend together, the more they enjoy each other's company. However, is either ready for something more?

My Opinion: Ms Mayberry has become one of my go-to authors when I'm in the mood for category romance. As a result, I always have an eye out for the reviews of her new releases because I know that sooner or later, I'm going to get to it :) Opinions for The Other Side of Us seemed to be mixed: some loved it and others, not as much. I really hoped to be part of the first group, but unfortunately, I fell in the latter :(

First, I want to state that Ms Mayberry's writing is as solid as ever in The Other Side of Us. That wasn't the issue here. What was was my lack of connection with the H/H, Oliver and Mackenzie. Oh, they were nice people, each with a lot of baggage, but they didn't reach me. I was sympathetic to their situations - the betrayal, the accident - but not to the characters themselves. Does that make any sense? To a certain extent, I think it's because of the strength of their personalities. They just seem so independent, individualist and focus on their baggage... Especially Mackenzie. It's hard to believe she went through all what she did without anyone by her side to give her support. I know she was hurt when her ex-husband with whom she had developed a friend-with-benefits relationship deserted her when she needed him most. And perhaps that's why she isolated herself... But that isolation, well she chose it. I think it would have helped to show us different sides of Oliver and Mackenzie if there had been secondary characters around. I don't mean a secondary romance or even baiting, but just interactions with other people.

My other issue with The Other Side of Us was with the romance, mainly the timing. I understand that there are no right moments to fall in love... but I feel there are wrong ones to start a relationship. And that's where Oliver and Mackenzie were. I felt the timing was wrong for Oliver, not because he was going through a divorce, but because there was still so much anger in him. The anger was warranted, no argument there, but was it a great state in mind to start something with Mackenzie? Was it really fair for her? I don't think so and I think that part where Mackenzie's ex-husband entered the picture was the perfect example. As for Mackenzie, I just felt like she had so much on her plate. When Mackenzie first met Oliver, the reason she was so rude was because she had just finished exercising and had pushed too hard. She slammed the door in Oliver's face so she could rush to the bathroom to puke. That scene was quite poignant, it said a lot about Mackenzie in my opinion, but more importantly, it showed that she was very far away from being 100% back. Half-way through the book, it seemed that Mackenzie's physical condition was forgotten and barely alluded to. And quite frankly, I'm not sure how much Mackenzie could have and enjoy sex in her condition. I wish that in both instances, we had seen more of their healing processes. For me, it would have made the romance more believable and better.

So yes, I had issues with The Other Side of Us, but it was still a pretty solid book. As contradictory as it may sound, I liked that the story was focused on Oliver and Mackenzie and their relationship. Have I not had a problem with the timing, this would be exactly the kind of romance I'd enjoy where the hero and heroine spend time together, get to know each other and fall in love :) Also, I have to agree with everyone, the dogs were adorable LOL.

My Grade: C.