Review: Spies and Prejudice

Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance

Book: Spies & Prejudice by Talia Vance 

Expected Publication Date: June 11th 2013 by Egmont

My rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: YA
Source: Netgalley

*This ebook was provided to me by the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Goodreads Summary:

"Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.

Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either. 

So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death. 

But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?

With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide."

My thoughts:

What a fun book! This was my first ARC to read and I was super excited about it. I discovered netgalley recently and requested A TON of books thinking I might get one or two of them... I got twelve. TWELVE. As escited as I am to have all these books, there is no way I will be reading them all right away because I already have other books to read as well! But anyway, this was at the top of my list of my netgalley books so as soon as I finished the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover, I picked this up! And I am so glad I did! This book is the perfect mix of cheese and suspense which, in my opinion, makes it the perfect summery read :)

Things I enjoyed about this book:

-Such a fun read! I enjoyed this book so much. Especially because the series I just finished, although great, was a very heavy, emotional series. I was in need of a fun pick me up book and this was just it! It had its serious moments, for sure, but every time I was forced to had to put the book down, I was left with a smile while I tried to figure out what would happen next.

-Veronica Mars :)  For those of you who have not heard of Veronica Mars, go look it up now. Awesome TV show starring Kristen Bell (my girl crush) as a teen PI. Anyway, when looking into this book, somebody compared it to Veronica Mars which instantly made me request it on netgalley. I was afraid nothing could live up to the awesomeness of Veronica Mars, and while this is not quite it, it is probably the closest I will find. So for all you Veronica Mars fans out there, please read this! 

-A little bit of everything! I really love when authors include a lot of different elements in their books. Some are just light and fluffy and some are just dark and depressing. This book is a good light summery spy mystery with just the perfect mix of emotion. The light, fun part, all the boy drama, the gay best friend, and cool spy stuff, mix in with Berry, the main character, trying to solve her mother's death and give us the perfect beach book!

Things I didn't like about this book:

-The names, these poor girls. The main character's name is Strawberry Fields and her best (girl) friend is Mary Chris Moss. Clearly these were intentional, and part of me finds it funny, but the other part of me just can't get passed the names. Every time I would read over their full names and not just their nick names (Berry & Mare) my mind was drawn away from the book and to their crazy names. It's really the only problem I had with the book. 

-I kind of lost track of what was happening during the ending action scene. I am thinking this is more of a personal issue, because it happens in all action packed books for me, but I couldn't follow exactly what was happening in the "final battle" as I like to think of it. You know, that scene at the end of all actiony-spy-mystery books where all hell breaks loose and some kind of action packed scene happens? I just lose track of what is happening, and then I get lost and just push through hoping it is all explained at the end. Like I said, probably a personal issue, but it still bothers me! If this happens to anyone else, please let me know so I know I am not alone!

Overall: With the exception of their names and my personal issues, I really enjoyed this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars! If you are looking for a good summer mystery type of book, or if you loved Veronica Mars, please read this. You will love it! It was great and took me no time to breeze through. The only times I put it down were for work and sleep. 

Have you read this book? What did you think about it?

Waiting on Wednesday (#3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It is a weekly post to show off some books that us bloggers are excited to see coming out soon! Here's my pick this week:

Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton

"I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.

Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?"

On top of the fact that book sounds really good, I LOVE the cover. It's beautiful. This is definitely a book I need on my shelf. This is expected to be published July 8th 2013 by Flux.

What books are you looking forward to??

Review: Wait for You by J. Lynn

Wait for You (Wait for You, #1) by J. Lynn AKA Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book: Wait for You (Wait for You, #1) by J. Lynn

Published: February 26th 2013 by J. Lynn

My rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: New Adult 

*this book does contain mature, adult content

Goodreads Summary:

"Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…"

This is the first book I have read in the Bout of Books Read-A-Thon :)

I LOVED this book! (I'm pretty sure I say that exact phrase in just about every review I do haha, sorry guys). But for real, this book was great. It's possibly one of my new favorites. This is the first JLA book I have read, and if all of her books are this good (and I have heard they are) it will most certainly not be the last! 

After reading Fallen Too Far (Here's my review) and Never Too Far (I have not done a review for this one yet, but I'll get around to it soon hopefully!) by Abbi Glines I was in a serious funk. I'm not really sure why but I took about a week off from reading. I don't know if it was the books or just the fact that I have been reading constantly for a month straight after not reading consistently for about a year, but I needed a break. I think I started reading 3 or 4 different books and just couldn't decide what to read. Finally, I picked this book up and told myself I wasn't allowed to stop. And I didn't. Two nights in a row I was up until 4:30 AM reading. Not smart considering its my finals week, but that's beside the point. This book brought me out of my funk, just in time for the Bout of Books Read-A-Thon! Thank goodness :)

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

-This book had everything, literally guys.. ALL THE FEELS. I would be laughing one moment, crying the next, and then in love 5 seconds later. This book discussed some rough topics, but it had some light and funny moments too. I really felt like I could get into it and desperately wanted to know what would happen next!

-College. I really loved that the characters in this book were in college. I felt like I could relate to them better than I have to some books in the past. This just all felt like a realistic relationship to me, not something that was created overnight but a good relationship that was built over time. 

-Real issues. I know I mentioned this already, but it is a big reason why I enjoyed this book so much. These characters have been through some serious crap, and they are struggling to form a relationship and work through their issues together. In many books, the characters are stupid and make their own problems, but Cam and Avery are working through their past and learning to not let it consume who they are all while trying to form a relationship. 

Things I did not enjoy about this book:

-The end, really felt like the end. I find that a lot of authors tend really paint a picture of the story making you feel like you are a part of the book, until the end. Once you get to the last few chapters, it is often more of the author telling you how the story ends, rather than feeling like you are living in it. The time chunks that are skipped get larger and soon enough you find that you missed out on a good 3 months of the story. I get that it may not be an important 3 months, but when this happens I feel like I have been pushed out of the book and really am just reading about what happens. I dont know if that makes any since to you guys, but in my head thats how it works. That is how I felt toward the end of this book. It may have been just me, but weather it was my subconscious preparing me for the end of the book, or something everyone else feels too, I was a little disappointed when I was done. 

Overall: EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. I loved it :) I would give this book a good 5 stars! I can't wait for the second book!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: The Elite (The Selection #2)

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Book: The Elite by Kiera Cass (The Selection #2)

Published: April 23rd 2013 by Harper Teen

My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE FIRST BOOK, THE SELECTION* If you would like to read my review for The Selection here.

Goodreads Summary:

"Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending"

So just after finishing this book, I looked at the publication date... I am so sad this book just came out because that means I have to wait a really long time for the last one in this trilogy, The One. I had a few small issues with this book, but all in all the story was great so I did my best to ignore my annoyance for the greater good of the story :) Here are the more specific reasons I enjoyed/got annoyed with this book:

Reasons I enjoyed it:

-I really enjoy the overall concept for this series. If you read my review of The Selection, then you know I fell in love with it. It is a dystopian romance, with more emphasis on the romance than the government. Usually in dystopians the main focus is the government, so I was really excited about this. The second book, The Elite has more about the government in it, but not to the point where I feel like we lost the original story. 

-We got to know a lot of the characters better in this book. In the first one, there were 35 girls, the maids, the royal family, and a bunch of other random people like Aspen and America's family. Too many people! In this book there were only 6 girls and we really got to know the main characters more than before. After reading this book I feel like I know the king and queen so much better. I know which girls I like and who I want to see fall in a puddle of mud on national television. *cough* Celeste *cough*. 

-The other thing I am really happy the author did when writing this, is she didn't leave some crazy huge cliff-hanger that leaves me feeling lost at the end of the book. There is enough suspense that I will definitely buy the last book because I really need to know what happens next, and waiting will be torture, but I don't feel so distressed about not having the book I can't function. I HATE that feeling. 

-There's more action in this book! This is what I felt the first book was lacking. And even though some of it is about the government, not all of it is so I really like it! I definitely feel like the first book was setting up this series, but it was really enjoyable so I am okay with it. And now that its picking up more, I love it even more!

Things that annoyed me:

-The characters. I know, I know.. above I mentioned how happy was I was that I got to get to know them all better. And in doing this, it kind of made me dislike some of them. It also made me love some of them, but this is not the point. I kept having to remind myself that most of them are 17 year olds who have no experience with relationships. (Which is totally cool, I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was 19). But now that I am in my mid-twenties, I think a little differently than them and I had to constantly remind myself. So back to the annoying characters.. I just want to smack them! 

--First, America. Make up your mind! You don't get to choose who you want forever, and you don't get both Aspen and Maxon so pick one! One moment she wants to marry him and the next she wants to go home with Aspen. Get you s*** together and decide already. I was constantly confused on who she loved. Indecisive temper-mental girl. 

--Maxon. If you say you want to marry a girl, don't go slut around with all the others. I understand spending time with them, and trying to pick a back up because America can't make up her mind. But if you already know who you want to marry, theres no reason to make out with all of them. Man whore. I get that the rules are a little different when you are basically dating 6 different girls, but still. UGH. 

--Aspen. GO AWAY. I still can't stand Aspen. He makes America join the Selection "for him," then breaks up with her, then tries to get her back and gets upset when she has a hard time choosing. YOU. BROKE. HER. HEART. Don't try to force her to be with you. And definitely don't do it by talking crap about the other guy. At least play fair. 

Overall: I really did enjoy this book and I can't wait for the final book, The One, to come out! Although I really can't stand the characters sometimes, the story is so great that I can overlook it. I just want America and Maxon to end up together!! :)

Did you read this book? What were your thoughts??

Review: The Goddess Inheritance

You guys, I need summer break NOW. I have been so busy with school, that I couldn't even remember if I had done this review or not. I can't wait for school to be out. Anyway, here is my review for The Goddess Inheritance!

*DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS*

Book: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #3)
Published: February 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary: 

"Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity."

Alright guys I LOVED this book! Heres why:

-KATE IS PREGNANT! (This is in the summary so I'm not ruining anything :) And usually I can't stand it when younger characters get pregnant and we have to read about all the changes (like in Breaking Dawn, world's worst book ever). This book is not about her being young and pregnant or her struggle through her pregnancy. It's about her struggle to save her family. Which has pretty much been the same story from the beginning, it just evolved. But I usually don't like pregnancies in books, I'm not sure why, I just don't. But I did not have a problem with this book. I loved it!

-It, like the others in this series, kept me guessing! I cannot predict what Aimee Carter is going to write next, and I love that! I don't mind predictable books as long as they are entertaining but I get really excited when I read one that I cannot predict. It keeps me guessing and I can't put it down!!

The reason I gave if 4 and not 5 stars:

-This is the only problem I had with the book, but I am so tired of Kate sacrificing herself. This part was pretty predictable  but other than that I couldn't guess anything! But come on Kate, talk to your husband and try to solve things, not just giving yourself over to the enemy. Annoying. 

Overall: I really enjoyed this series. I am sad it is over, but really happy at the same time with how it ended. These books sent me on a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end I loved it :) You guys should read this if you have not!

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Waiting on Wednesday (#2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It is a weekly post to show off some books that us bloggers are excited to see coming out soon! Here's my pick this week:

Someday, Someday. Maybe by Lauren Graham

Expected Publication Date: April 30, 2013

First, I just have to say.. How freaking amazing is this cover?? I would buy this book, just for the cover. It is so pretty. AND the book sounds good! Whats not to love? I can't wait :)

I mean come on guys, its a book by Lauren Graham!! I love her, she will always and forever be Lorelei Gilmore in my eyes :) Like for real, I've got the entire series on DVD. And watch it regularly. Anyway, I have heard some really wonderful things about this book. For those who have not heard of it yet, it is a novel about a young actress trying to make it in... I can't remember, New York I think? I'll post the description from goodreads for you guys!

"Franny Banks is a struggling actress in New York City, with just six months left of the three year deadline she gave herself to succeed. But so far, all she has to show for her efforts is a single line in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters and a degrading waitressing job. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates-Jane, her best friend from college, and Dan, a sci-fi writer, who is very definitely not boyfriend material-and is struggling with her feelings for a suspiciously charming guy in her acting class, all while trying to find a hair-product cocktail that actually works. Meanwhile, she dreams of doing "important" work, but only ever seems to get auditions for dishwashing liquid and peanut butter commercials. It's hard to tell if she'll run out of time or money first, but either way, failure would mean facing the fact that she has absolutely no skills to make it in the real world. Her father wants her to come home and teach, her agent won't call her back, and her classmate Penelope, who seems supportive, might just turn out to be her toughest competition yet. Someday, Someday, Maybe is a funny and charming debut about finding yourself, finding love, and, most difficult of all, finding an acting job"

Enjoy!

What books are you waiting for this week?? 

Divergent Book #3 by Veronica Roth HAS A TITLE

Allegiant. 
by Veronica Roth

I am so excited. I just heard the news from The Book Basement and I could not be more excited! Like, for real, guys..

This was me:

And then...

Here is the video for you guys to watch for yourselves :)

I don't even know what else to say, I'm just so happy!

What did you think??

Waiting on Wednesday (#1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Each wednesday, this meme highlights upcoming books that we are excited about!

Here are the books I can't wait for:

Untitled (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth


"What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent."

Why I am excited: Come on guys, it't the final divergent book!! After finishing Insurgent, I just sat and stared into space for a good 15 min trying to decide what to do next. Ugh, waiting is killing me. And this is all the information they are giving me?? I can't even get a title?? LAME.

Expected Release Date: October 22, 2013

The Heist (O'Hare and Fox #1) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg


"FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first."

Why I Am Excited: I just found this searching through some upcoming releases, and I can't express how excited I am for this series! I LOVE the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich, and this sounds awesome! I can't wait to read this new series from her!

Expected Release Date: June 18, 2013

Hotshot by Julie Garwood


"Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again."

Why I Am Excited: Why not be excited about this? Its got a beach resort, a hot FBI agent, a mystery, and romance! This is for sure my kind of book. I will definitely be reading this when it comes out. This sounds like a perfect summer read :)

Expected Release Date: August 6, 2013

What upcoming books are you guys excited for?