Book: Jesse’s Girl, Miranda Kenneally

Series: Hundred Oaks series #6

Publisher: Sourcebook Fire

Release Date: July 7^th, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Miranda Kenneally is one of my favourite contemporary authors, and I’m always excited when a new book of hers comes out as I know I’m going to get a novel with a great independent protagonist who has to overcome difficulties in her life and grow as a person, and we also get a super sweet romance thrown in too.

This book, just like the others in this series, is a great example of what a great contemporary novel should be. This book features Maya. She’s the younger sister of Sam Henry (for those who don’t know, Sam was one of the main characters in a previous book). She’s a young musician with dreams of becoming a famous rock star. Unlike most singers who do covers of the latest pop songs, Maya’s obsessed with the eighties and loves Queen, Bon Jovi and Madonna. When her school does their annual tradition of allowing seniors to shadow someone in their preferred profession for a day, Maya gets the chance of a lifetime when she shadows current teen idol Jesse Scott.

The romance doesn’t start straight away, which I thought was great. Jesse is nineteen and has been a famous country singer for the past eight years, after winning a Tennessee talent show. He and Maya don’t hit it off immediately as Jesse thought Maya was just after some singing lessons and Maya thought he was really rude. You can’t help but laugh out loud at their arguments. However, as they spend more time together, they help each other break down their walls and fears.

Maya is one girl you don’t want to mess with, and I loved how unique she was, from her music taste to her wardrobe. She’s also incredibly independent, wanting to achieve her dreams on her own. The words “give up” are not in this girl’s vocabulary. I just loved that about her. When other people would throw in the towel when things gets tough, Maya just picks it back up and tries again. Coming from a sport-obsessed family, Maya stands out as the musician, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what she loves. And she’s really lucky to have an amazingly supportive family, standing by her no matter what.

Jesse is the opposite in terms of support. Due to his fame, many people only want to use him to get record deals or meet other celebrities, and after someone he trusted betrayed him, he has a hard time opening up to anybody and only assuming the worst. However he is still a super sweet guy and you can’t help but feel bad for the hardships he’s gone through.

During their day together, Maya and Jesse bring out the best in each other. They match together well. Jesse helps Maya, who has a fear of singing solo, get over her fear and realise that she doesn’t need backup or a band because she’s talented enough to make it on her own. And Maya helps Jesse learn to open up and trust more people. Their romance was slow-going but totally worth it in the end.

 I also loved that Sam and Jordan had such big roles in this book, as they’re a much loved couple in this series and their appearance always brought a smile to my face.

I would recommend this book to lovers of the Hundred Oaks series, as it is a worth-while addition to the series. You can read them in any order (as long as you don’t mind spoilers for previous couples) or just read one or two. Anyone who loves contemporary books is also going to enjoy this book.

Book Cover Guessing Challenge!

Thanks to Fiona from A Girl Between the Pages and Carrie from A Book Goddess for nominating me for this award! I've been meaning to do it for ages but just haven't had the time, sadly :( I'm ready now though! Thanks for the nomination, my lovelies.

So this is the challenge. You have to choose some books that you've never read, haven't even heard of, and guess what they're about simply by their covers. Once you've done guessing, post the actual blurb from Goodreads and see how awful/amazing you've done. I'm going to choose 5 books.

Let's go!

My Guess:

Well, it's about a really hot angel with great abs who can shoot arrows. An angelic Katniss Everdeen! And we have a female protagonist who inevitably falls for the handsome arrow-shooting angel and has to help save the world (and his world, maybe) from perishing in fire. 

Goodreads Blurb:

Jenny is a beautiful young businesswoman. She lives in an Italian tourist town where she owns a shop. Her need for independence is her strength, but her innate distrust sometimes creates problems with others. 
One day she encounters love. More than an encounter, it’s a collision, a head-on collision. Her heart isn’t Eros’s only target, and everything changes … 
Police begin investigating suspicious events around her, slowing down the construction of a new great hotel in town and rocking her life even more.

Result:

I was all wrong, oops! I don't think he's an angel at all, more like Cupid, lol :P And no saving his world! 

My Guess:

Our main character is a geeky girl, but is incredibly insecure in herself. Then she starts tutoring a classmate who's a troublemaker and about to be expelled, and they fall for each other and help each other overcome their fears.

Goodreads Blurb:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. 

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. 

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. 

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

Result:

Wow, I suck at this. No tutoring, I'd have never guessed it was a model story! *clears throat* moving on...

My Guess:

A love story between Emmy and Oliver. Maybe a little like Eleanor and Park?

Goodreads Blurb:

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

Result:

Well, not exactly like Eleanor and Park but it does seem to be of the same heart-wrenching emotional intensity!

My Guess:

I think it's a fantasy novel about a girl who hunts zombies or other deadly creatures that appear in the night.

Goodreads Blurb:

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war…

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights. Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death… because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences. And if they fail, their lives—and those of everyone they hold dear — will be hovering on the edge of the grave. 

Result:

I was half-right about the fantasy part, at least!

My Guess:

I've seen this book a lot lately, but I actually can't remember what it's about! From the cover, the pink makes it seem like a super cute contemporary read where love conquers all. Maybe a rebound boyfriend turns out to be "the one"?

Goodreads Blurb:

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

Result:

Contemporary read, true love conquers all for the win! Rebound was wrong though. 

All right, I'm not great at this but that was still fun! :D I'm going to nominate these two in response:

Naban @ Quite Literary
Jess @ Little Book Heaven

And anyone else who feels like doing it!

Feature & Follow Friday #5

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me, everyone wins.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by 2 beautiful people: Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read.

*Sorry I missed last week's post, I had a very hectic day last Friday and never got a chance to post it!*

This Week's Question:

Share a random quote from the book you are currently reading.- Suggested by

Journey Through Fiction

Answer:

This question is pretty much like Thursday Quotables, which I posted yesterday! I'll use the same book I did then, only with a different quote. The book is Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally, who writes a series of books with different characters all attending the same high school, Hundred Oaks. Maya is our main character in this book who dreams of being a rock star and gets a chance to see that dream come true when she gets to follow a really famous singer, Jesse Scott, around for a day.

"The lighting is dim, and he doesn't seem to notice I'm here, which is good, because I've moved from ogling the guitar to ogling him. Who wouldn't? He was one of People Magazine's "50 most beautiful people" and it is a truth universally acknowledged that you should stare and people who've made that list."

You can't blame a girl for staring at a hot guy, especially one who's also world famous. 

What quote captured your interest in a book you're reading? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday Quotables #6: Jesse's Girl

Welcome to Thursday Quotables! This feature is the place where you highlight a great quote, line or passage you've discovered in a book you're currently reading. Whether it's something heart-warming, heart-breaking, funny or inspiring, Thursday Quotables is where my favourite line(s) of the week will be, and I invite you to join in! It's hosted by Lisa at BookShelf Fantasies, so be sure to check her out :)

The book I'm reading this week is Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally. It's a cute contemporary read about one girl's dream to be a muscian. She gets to follow one of Nashville's most popular singers around for a day, but seeing him get everything reminds her of everything she doesn't have. I've only just started this book, but it's from a cute series and I'm really liking the characters.

"What is it with me and guys? Do I come on too strong? Why do none of them want to stick around? I'm gonna be 40 years old and out on a date with some man, and we'll make out, then he'll tell me we're not to be, and I'll go home to my 14 cats."

This qute isn't exactly inspiring, but I think it's quite true in that it's an insecure feeling we all have of being rejected. Only I'd have 14 dogs instead of cats, haha.

Have you read this book? What quotes grasped your heartstrings this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Book: The Isle of the Lost, Melissa De La Cruz

Series: Descendants #1

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: May 5^th, 2015

Rating: 3 stars

This book was cute. Loving Disney as much as I do, I was intrigued by what the writer could do with the infamous villains’ children. Would she make them clones of their parents? Or would they want to do good in this world, not bad? And I loved all the references to both the Disney villains and the princes and princesses. You can tell the author loves Disney just as much as me! I also liked how she gave everyone different personalities and showed how the villains, like Maleficent, Jafar and the Evil Queen changed twenty years after being foiled by the good guys.

Belle and Beast are the King and Queen of the USA – the United States of Auradon. Here, all the characters from the beloved Disney movies reside – Sleeping Beauty and Philip, Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Aladdin. They all live happily with their children. However, Beast exiles all the villains to the Isle of the Lost, the leftover island. All the leftovers from USA, whether it’s food, bad TV programmes or uncomfortable furniture gets dumped on this island. And there’s no magic so the villains can’t try and magic spells to escape.

Mal, the daughter of Maleficent is the first character introduced. We also have Jay, the son of Jafar, Carlos, the son of Cruella De Vil, and Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen. All they know is acting badly. Stealing, pulling pranks, deceiving everyone around them. They don’t understand what it’s like to have friends or live comfortably. What I noticed, actually, is that all they want is their parents’ approval. After their parents’ epic failures as evil masterminds, it’s up to the next generation to succeed where they failed. And all this pressure is getting to our main characters, up to a point that they will look for an object that is impossible to find just to see their parents look at them with pride instead of disappointment.

We also get a look at Ben, the son of Belle and Beast and the next heir to the throne of USA. He’s struggling to live up to his father’s name as the next King, and rule in a way that works for him. I loved the personalities of the children in this book; they weren’t clones of their parents but were still quite unique and special.

The only problem is that this book is a prequel to a Disney Channel Original Movie, and they are always made for a younger audience, so this book was written to suit that age group as well. The story was quite simple and the dialogue had no big words either. However it was still quite cute and I still enjoyed all the Disney references.

Pick it up if you enjoy Disney and have always pictured what the children of villains were like. 

Review: The Return by Jennifer L Armentrout

Book: The Return, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Titan series #1

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: February 16^th, 2015

The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Book 1 in the new adult paranormal TITAN series, spin-off to the best selling COVENANT series.

Rating: 5 stars

I adored Seth in the Covenant series, and was so happy to have a spin off series dedicated entirely to him! And by God, this book was just amazing.  It’s definitely NA, not YA, so younger readers, beware.

This book reminded me a little of Obsession, the stand-alone novel to JLA’s Lux series. In that NA book, our main character, an Arum, is tasked with looking after a human who fell into their world. This book is similar – Seth is tasked with guarding Josie, a mortal with no prior knowledge to this world of Gods, pures, halfs and Apollyons, but is still incredibly important.

This book is dual POV between Seth and Josie, which I was not expecting but still loved. JLA did a great job of giving us an insight into both characters while not repeating scenes or dialogue. And I absolutely adored Josie from the first moment I met her. She’s the complete opposite to Alex – she has no fighting skills, she thinks before she acts, she thinks rationally. Yet, I found myself relating to her a lot more than I did Alex. Maybe it was the fact that Josie was human and acted human. There was something so incredibly likable about Josie’s character.

And may I just say that her and Seth’s relationship was the absolute best part of this entire book? My God, they made this book so fantastic. Whether it was their banter, arguments, sexy moments or those downright heart-breaking touching moments, it was flawless. Seth is still feeling a lot of regret and shame for his actions in the Covenant books, and doesn’t believe he’s worth anything. But Josie, being an incredibly understanding mortal, doesn’t turn away when she finds out about Seth’s super-dark past. Instead, she takes his hands and says the words that allow him to move forward: “You are not just the Apollyon.”

I definitely prefer this book to the Covenant series. Even though it’s the same world and the same author for both series, there is something about this book that grabbed a hold of me and made me way more invested than the Covenant series. Whether it’s Josie’s relatability or the fact that I was Team Seth for the Covenant books, I just couldn’t get enough.

I would recommend this to those who loved JLA’s Covenant series and lovers of paranormal and romance. You don’t actually have to read the Covenant series before this as Jen provides a lot of info about what happened in those books, but I would still recommend that you do! And just be warned that this book is NA, not YA, for those who are picky about genres.

Book: All The Bright Places, Jennifer Niven

Series: N/A

Publisher: Knopf

Release Date: January 6^th, 2015

Rating: 5 stars

I knew this book was going to be emotional from the get-go. I mean, the blurb says it’s: The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die. Both those books were incredibly emotional, so I knew this book would be no better. My friend recommended it to me, and I’m so glad she did. I have no idea how to put into words how this book made me feel.

This book is about teen suicide and bullying. But, it’s also about some wonderful characters, moments that make you happy-cry, and a whole lot of crazy that makes you wonder about your path in this world.

Our two main characters are Violet and Finch. They meet on the top of a bell tower, infamous for suicide attempts. Violet is the popular girl with friends, while Finch is labelled a freak because his brain works a little differently from ours. Finch manages to talk Violet down from the tower, but because of the status quo, she is labelled a hero while he is labelled a suicidal freak. Violet and Finch become friends after this encounter, although it takes a lot of pushing on Finch’s part to get Violet to open up. In high school, labels are everything, and Violet doesn’t forget this when she’s seen hanging around someone like Finch. However, Violet is going through survivor’s-guilt when she lived after a car crash a year ago and her sister didn’t. She feels responsible and is afraid to live her life anymore. She doesn’t go out, or ride in a car and doesn’t care about college.

 Finch helps her deal with these issues in his unique way. Finch’s mind is incredibly unique, and it’s quite hard to explain. He is always thinking about death and killing himself and finds it really hard to quiet the thoughts in his head. His family life is, unlike Violet’s, is very unsupportive. They don’t see what he’s going through, and when they notice anything unusual, they just think “That’s just Finch.” Finch himself doesn’t see what a wonderful person he is, and the amount of potential he has. All he has is the father that abandoned them, the mother who drinks her days away, and two sisters that aren’t mature or old enough to help. He couldn’t even tell Violet what he’s going through because he doesn’t what her to label him, or see him less than what she sees when she’s with him: how wonderfully special he is.

They do fall in love, and Finch helps Violet see that there’s life after death; that it’s okay to live even when someone important has passed.

I loved how the author incorporated labels, suicide and mental and physical illnesses into this book. People can sympathise over a broken arm or leg, but once someone has a mental illness like bipolar disorder, they’re labelled. They’re the way they are because of the disorder. There’s no sympathy. Nobody brings flowers for a suicide, but they will for a car crash victim.

I think this book impacts one’s soul in an incredibly powerful way. It’s full of wonderfully poignant, inspiring quotes and I hope anyone who reads this takes something important away from it. That mental illnesses are not labels, they are not an excuse to write someone off as being the way they are. Suicide is just as saddening as a car crash, and deserves flowers just as much. Don’t give up on life even when it feels like it’s crumbling around you. Remember:

“Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”

Thursday Quotables #5: All The Bright Places

Welcome to Thursday Quotables! This feature is the place where you highlight a great quote, line or passage you've discovered in a book you're currently reading. Whether it's something heart-warming, heart-breaking, funny or inspiring, Thursday Quotables is where my favourite line(s) of the week will be, and I invite you to join in! It's hosted by Lisa at BookShelf Fantasies, so be sure to check her out :)

The book I'm reading this week is All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. It's an incredibly emotional story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die. It's both happy and sad at the same time, and I'm also laughing a lot through it. It's going to be really hard to finish, I'll tell you that much. The quote I've chosen this week is a question Finch asks Violet, the two main characters. Finch looks at life differently to us, in a way that will make you look at yourself in the grand scheme of things.

"Let me ask you something. Do you think there's such a thing as a perfect day?"

"What?"

"A perfect day. Start to finish. When nothing terrible or sad or ordinary happens. Do you think it's possible?"

"I don't know."
"Have you ever had one?"

"No."

"I've never had one either, but I'm looking for it."

This makes me think of what exactly a perfect day is, and if I've ever had one and not realised it.

Have you read these books? What quotes grasped your heartstrings this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Book: Sentinel, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Covenant series #5

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: November 2^nd, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

It’s a beautiful day for a war.

Well everyone, we made it. The finale. The epic conclusion of good-vs-evil is upon us, and did Jen deliver us a kick-ass ending? You bet she did! It had all the action, romance and snarky comments you come to expect from this series with an ending nobody saw coming.

Alex had just gotten her ass handed by Ares, the God of War. While she is mending physically on the outside, the scars she received on the inside are refusing to fade as easily. After wishing for death during her battle with Ares, she’s afraid this has made her weak and less of a warrior. Aiden is doing his best to help her, but this is a battle must fight with herself.

“Some people say when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life gives you one seriously ticked off god gunning for your ass, you prepare for war and you hope for paradise.” -Alex (Alexandria) Andros

Ares is still planning on taking over the world and he has a huge army at his fingertips – made up of halfs, pures and mortals, all under his compulsion to do what he likes. He won’t stop until he has complete control over everything. The only way he can be stopped is for Alex to become the God Killer and take him out. Alex and Aiden have many people on their side (the Army of Awesomeness), but this is still a war, and a war is not without its casualties.  However, our army has one more surprising member on their team – Seth!

Our favourite Apollyon is back, and oh how I missed him. I loved how Jen developed his character in this book.  Nobody trusts him after what he did in the previous books, and I don’t blame them, but it’s obvious Seth is truly sorry for what he did and is ready to do whatever it takes to make up for the horror he helped cause. He and Alex still have that connection – that feeling that they’re each other’s other halves, despite not having any romantic feelings toward each other. I loved the two of them together, how they helped each other just by being around each other. Apollyon love for the win!

Then of course there is the amazing relationship between Aiden and Alex. These two were just sizzling on the page. They depend on each other, they are strengthened by each other’s presence, and both will do whatever it takes to keep the other safe. The depth of their love, the sacrifices they will make are just extraordinary.

There’s not much else I can say about this book without spoiling anything, and trust me, you don’t want to be spoiled for the ending of this book. It totally blew me away. I thought I knew what was going to happen, that Jen was going to take the safe and easy happy ending, but I was so wrong! She stuck with her gods theme that totally worked.

While I won’t say that this is my favourite series of Jen, I definitely can’t say she didn’t do an amazing job with it. It has amazing, unique characters and sexy and kickass scenes that’s filled with laughs and tears. Definitely give this a shot if you love paranormal YA that puts a smile on your face.

Seven Deadly Sins Book Tag!

I was tagged by Tina over at Tina, the Bookworm to do this tag! I love Disney movies so I believe the picture above is extreme accurate in describing this tag, haha (which I borrowed from Tina's tag :P)  Thanks a million Tina!

Greed: 

What is your most expensive book? What is your least expensive book?
Expensive:

I bought the Divergent trilogy and the companion novel Four altogether in the January sales this year and even though it was a sale value, it was still more expensive than usual.

Inexpensive:
I've found a website where I can download lots of books onto my Kindle for free, so those would be my inexpensive books.

Wrath:

 What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Cassandra Clare is a great author, don't get me wrong. I love her Infernal Devices trilogy, and I like the Mortal Instruments series. I just think she's exploiting the Shadowhunter world TOO much by writing so many series based in the same world. I'd love to see her discover new worlds because she totally has the talent for it. It also reminds me of Carrie from The Book Goddess' post about Clare getting blamed for plagiarism. Read more about that here.

Gluttony:

 What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame?

This series, sigh. They truly started my love for paranormal YA, and I've re-read them at least a dozen times. I'm already contemplating re-reading them again sometime in the near future!

Sloth: 

What book have you neglected due to laziness?

I loved The Darkest Minds, but for some reason, I can't get into Never Fade. I tried reading it for a good three weeks but I realised when I wanted to sleep rather than stay up reading a chapter, that it was time to give up. I keep meaning to pick it up again, but there's always some other book that I'd rather read instead. It's sitting in my bookshelf right now glaring at me, and I do plan on finishing it at some point because I know this series has gotten loads of praise.

Pride:

What book do you talk about in order to sound like an intellectual reader?

This is a survival story, but filled with many lessons with a questionable ending that makes people sit down and discuss exactly what it means. it's a book that will make you believe in believing.

Lust:

What attributes do you find in male or female characters?
Male: Attractive, broody, loyal, incredibly sweet and caring. Will do whatever it takes to protect the love of his life. Is able to make the girl he loves feel beautiful. Green eyes optional ;)

Female: Independent but trusting, sarcastic, funny. Attempts to hold her own in a fight even when she knows the odds are stacked against her and will protect the ones she loves. Beautiful but doesn't believe it.

Envy:

What book would you most like to receive as a present?

I have the Lux series on my Kindle but would love the paperback version! However I always only seem to find the Covenant series in bookshops :( Ireland doesn't like the Lux series as much as me :P

I tag:

Erika @ Books, Stars, Writing and Everything In Between
Carrie @ The Book Goddess
Fiona @ A Girl Between the Pages

Book: My Life Next Door, Huntley Fitzpatrick

Series: My Life Next Door #1

Publisher: Dial Books

Release Date: June 14^th, 2012

5 stars

One of my favourite things about contemporary books is the relatability in them. The main character is someone completely ordinary. She doesn’t have any special powers, doesn’t live in a world full of people with special powers or different species and doesn’t meet someone with special powers. Due to her ordinariness, this makes her even more compatible with the reader. It’s much easier to close our eyes and picture ourselves in her shoes, thinking the same things, making the same decisions, falling for the same person. She’s totally relatable.

Our main character this time is Samantha. She comes from a household that is very structured. Her mother is a perfectionist with a touch of OCD – the kind who vacuums three times a day and takes out the duster if she sees a speck on the mantelpiece. She makes sure that Samantha’s life is just as structured by creating a rota that keeps Samantha busy with jobs all throughout the summer.

Next door are the Garrett’s. They’re everything Samantha’s home is not – noisy, boisterous, messy, out of order, full of life. Eight kids, no structure, just a lot of laughter. Samantha is fascinated by her neighbours, but it’s not until she starts talking to Jase, Garrett number three, that her summer begins to change in every way she never possibly imagines.

The romance is everything first love should be – it’s adorable, clumsy, awkward, and full of hope for the future. There’s no telling they’ll last forever but you hope they will.

“We lie back, hand in hand, look out over the ocean, and watch the sun rise over the roof of the world.”

Spending time with the Garrett’s makes Samantha realise the important things in life – how important family is, and discovering just how far you’re willing to go to protect them, even if you’re unsure if they’ve done the right thing.

I would recommend this book to those looking for a nice, easy read with mature, likable characters that will make you laugh out loud more than once. It has a story that will make you think with good morals and can incorporate into your own life. It also has the best four-year-old in existence called George. He by far had the best lines and I smiled every time he appeared. Read this book for him alone. I will finish with two of my favourite quotes from him:

“Is Jase already gonna marry you?”

I start coughing again. “Uh, No. No, George. I’m only seventeen.” As if that’s the only reason we’re not engaged.

“I’m this many.” George holds up four, slightly grubby fingers. “But Jase is seventeen and a half. You could. Then you could live in here with him. And have a big family.”

Jase strides back into the room, of course, midway through this proposition. “George. Beat it. Discovery Channel is on.”

George backs out of the room but not before saying, “His bed’s really comfortable. And he never pees in it.”

“I might marry you,” he allows. “Do you want a big family?” I start to cough and feel a hand pat my back.

“George, it’s usually better to discuss this kind of thing with your pants on.”

Book: Apollyon, Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Covenant series #4

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release Date: April 4^th, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Apollyon is the fourth book in the Covenant series. This book takes off directly after Elixir, the novella set between this book and Deity. Alex has Awakened, and immediately connected to Seth. However, this means that the Alex we all love and adore has vanished inside herself, and an Alex high on power and intent on finding “her” Seth, no matter the costs, is around. She’s willing to hurt whoever gets in her way to get to her Seth, so Aiden has no choice but to lock her up in the basement until they can find a way to get the real Alex back. We know that the Elixir won’t work, but everyone’s clueless as to how to continue.

Even though you can’t help but hate this Alex, you know it’s not completely lost as she continues grasping the rose necklace Aiden made her; the symbol of his love for her. That gives him, and us, hope that our Alex will soon return.

And the story couldn’t continue if she didn’t return! Alex does eventually break the connection to Seth, all thanks to Aiden’s unwavering love and belief in her. They’ve now gone public with their love and neither is afraid of kissing each other in front of their friends or holding hands when walking. It was wonderful to read just how much they adored each other and what they’d do to save each other.

“Aiden complimented me; he was the yin to my yang, the ‘now, now’ to my smartass.”

Now our favourite couple has to team up with their friends to take out Seth, Lucian, their army and the God that is helping them. They have to find a way to stop Seth from becoming the God Killer before more innocent lives will be lost.

This book had so much happening from beginning to end! From Alex breaking her connection, to them going to the Underworld, to fight scenes, to heart-warming scenes between her and Aiden, you were constantly on your toes. I also loved that Caleb made an appearance as he was such a great character who left too soon. (Sigh)

 Alex also improves her relationship with her uncle and doesn’t even see Lea as an enemy anymore. She’s growing so much as a person, thinking about her actions and the consequences they may have, and thinking about someone’s feelings before she speaks. It’s impossible not to love her. She would never beat Katy or Layla in the list of best protagonists in Jen’s books, but that doesn’t means she’s not wonderful and unique in her own right.

The only thing I think is sad is Seth. I said this in the review for Deity, but it’s just as true in this book too. Even though he’s not as prominent in this book (the characters mainly talk about him), you can still feel his presence through Alex’s connection. I think there is a part of him that doesn’t agree with what’s happening, but he’s gone too far and he needs approval from Lucian too badly to stop now. I think his connection with Alex will save him in the end. I can only hope!

“Seth and I were too much alike, and in a way, we really were the same person.”

“‘I care about you,’ he said, surprising me.

This is a must-read for any Covenant fan. It will have you in tears, laughing out loud, and screaming in horror. Now onto Sentinel. I really hope my poor heart can take it!

90's Movies Book Tag!

Hey everyone! I was nominated by Erika from Books, Stars, Writing and Everything In Between and Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog to do this tag! Thanks so much :)

She's All That:

Name a Book Couple that you think are an odd pairing, yet still fit perfectly together.

I think we can all agree that Adrian and Sydney from Bloodlines by Richelle Mead practically created the term "opposites attract". When I first saw them together, a pairing didn't even occur to me, they were so different. But now? They're my OTP, and I love everything about them. You know they're going to be together forever :)

Things I Hate About You: 

a book/series you have a love/hate relationship with.

I'm going to say the Abandon trilogy by Meg Cabot. I loved this first book in this series, tolerated the second, and read the third just for closure purposes. I won't be reading that book series again. The characters are very annoying and quite childish and a really bad retelling of the Hades-and-Persephone myth.

Clueless:

 a character that is totally clueless, but you love them anyways.

Feyre from A Court of Thorn & Roses by Sarah J. Maas was totally clueless about Tamlin's love for her or the true meaning behind the curse. But you can't help but love her anyway!

Titanic:

a book that made you cry.

The ending of Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead really got to me. You knew something was coming, and you hoped it wasn't what it was going to be but... ahh! Just thinking about it is making me tear up.

American Pie:

a book that made you laugh.

Alice In Zombieland by Gena Showalter. Ali, the main character, had me laughing the whole book!

Can't Hardly Wait: 

a book with a crazy party.

I'm going the same way as Erika by saying The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. I think Magnus Bane would great to party with!

Cruel Intentions:

 name a character you could never fully trust.

Seth from the Covenant series by Jennifer L Armentrout. I'm on book four of this series right now, and poor Seth is making some very silly decisions. I want to trust him but...

Drive Me Crazy:

name your favourite "boy next door" or "girl next door" couple.

Daemon and Katy from the Lux series, obviously, but I'm reading a contemporary romance (My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick) which has a next door couple in the form of Jase and Samantha!

Scream:

a book with a memorable villain.

Levana from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer is a GREAT villain! She's the right mix of evil while also making you love just how evil she is.

The Craft:

a book with witches.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas as a witch called Manon Buckbeak who has a subplot in the overall book. Can't wait to see more of her in Queen of Shadows!

I'd like to tag these lovely people:

Julia from For The Love of Books

Shannon from It Starts At Midnight

Rachel from Paper Cuts

And anyone else who feels like doing it! :)