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?

Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Slammed (Slammed, #1) by Colleen Hoover

Book: Slammed (Slammed, #1) by Colleen Hoover

Published: January 5th 2012 by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 5 (big bright shiny stars)/5 Stars

Genre: New Adult 

Goodreads Summary:

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart."

My thoughts:

This is the second Bout of Books read-a-thon book I have completed :)

When I first heard of this book, it was in a booktube review. I cannot remember who it was, or what they said exactly but I remember thinking I had to read this book. Since then, about a month ago, this book has been on my TBR list. Every time I went to pick out a new book, and I read the goodreads synopsis on this one. Every time I thought, "Eh, I'll read it next week."

I'm not really sure what it is about this synopsis, but I just assumed it would be another insta-love gone wrong book. I was trying to think of all kind of "shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt." I think I had probably come up with a million scary different things that all ended in this being a silly overrated book. I will be the fist to admit it guys, I WAS WRONG. So terribly, incredibly wrong. 

This book is amazing. There is nothing silly or overrated about it. This book tells the story of a love, that even though it seemed like insta-love at first really is not.(Even if it was insta-love, the reader would know exactly what they were getting themselves into with the synopsis. It clearly states "Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection" You have been warned). Will and Layken go out on a date and have a wonderful time, they come home and they are both so happy. Then shortly after, they are forced to end their relationship. Just in this short section of the book, you will laugh, cry, and everything in between. This book brought out emotions I have not felt in a long time due to reading. It was incredibly refreshing.

Things I enjoyed about this book:

- It was a genuinely good book. Not the cheesy, cute but fluffy book that we all enjoy or the super intense type of book that we all love, but a real honest book that reminds us that life happens. It does not stop for us, it keeps moving every day, and to appreciate what we have. If you have read this book, you should recognize these themes, they are clearly stated in the book. It was such a nice change to read a book that was not some crazy paranormal or unrealistic book. It just showed an honest relationship. And not just a romantic relationship  it show a relationship between mother and daughter, siblings, friendship, and so much more. 

-In this book, the character's went to poetry slams. This exposed me to something new that I have not done but would really like to. It was also something I have not read about before. It was cool to read this book and feel like I was experiencing something completely new.

-I didn't see any of this happening. There is so much more to this book, than just a relationship  And I could never have predicted any of it. Everything that happened was unexpected, but not in a "The author did that to trick me" kind of way, but more in a "life happens" kind of way. 

Things I didn't like about this book:

-That I didn't read it sooner. Seriously guys, thats the only bad thing I've got and its my fault, no one elses. It was that good pure genius. 

Overall: Colleen Hoover did a wonderful job with this book, it is a new all time favorite. If anyone ever asks me to recommend a book, this will be it. Hands down, no questions asked. I love this book. If you have not read it yet, drop what your doing, put you other books aside, and read this. NOW. Kay, thanks :)

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: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

So, I finished this book Friday night and have been so busy I have not been able to write the review on it until now! Sorry this is late, but I hope you like it!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Book: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #2)
Published: March 27th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 5/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

"Kate Winters has won immortality.
But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone."


**if you have not read the first book, I do not recommend reading any more of this review**

Things I really loved about this book:

-The book didn't take the first 100 pages to retell the story like so many other sequels do. 
I don't like HATE when the author spends the whole first half of the book retelling things we already know. When I really sit and think from their perspective I understand, but I always read series back to back or reread the first few before I read the new ones, so for me the retelling is just annoying and redundant. And in this book, Aimee Carter has done a great job of reminding you of what happend without giving you full descriptions of characters and events that happened in the previous book. It made getting into the story so much more enjoyable :)

-We got to meet Persephone. I'm sure we all saw this coming. She played such an important role in Henry's life that even though you don't like her for leaving Henry you really want to meet her to see for yourself who she really is. And, let me just tell you guys, I had so many different opinions on her by the time this book was over. I would hate her one minute and the next she would be my favorite character. Overall, I think I like her, but I'll let you guys decide for yourselves.

-Super intense emotions. Yeah, this pretty much goes along with what I said above. This book just made me feel so many different things. I really loved how Aimee Carter can completely catch me off guard. She has this story set up, and you think you know whats

Things I did not enjoy about this book:

-Im trying really hard to come up with at least one small critique, but I've got nothing. I loved this book so much. Which is really unusual for me with sequels because I do not normally like them nearly as much as the first book in a series.

-The only thing I was not a huge fan of is something I cannot mention. Basically the entire book I was constantly changing my mind about Persephone. At first I hated her, then I learned more about her and she wasn't so bad, and it just went back and forth until the book ended. But even though I did not like it, it was necessary for the story. So it really doesn't count.

Overall: I LOVED this book. So much. Thats all I can really say. It was just that good.

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