Feature

New Releases 1-7 July

12:27


There is just one book which I am looking forward to this week but it is the most anticipated one for me at the moment. It is Out of Breath, the third and final book in the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan. Celebrating this release I posted a brief note last week with some interesting info shared by the author (not spoilers, I promise) about the finale of this series and her other upcoming books. Ms Donovan posted the last sentence of Out of Breath on her Facebook page, as promised to her fans, but I am trying to show self-restraint and not to read it. I can make it two more days :)

DATE
COVER
TITLE
AUTHOR
GENRE

Jul 2



(Breathing 3)


Young Adult


Feature

June Blog Recap

11:52

After skipping the Blog Recap last month, I am back in full swing to sum up this month of June on the blog. And I am even doing it early!

I reviewed 6 books on the blog:


 
 
 





I continued with my regular features - Teaser Tuesday (10, 11, 12 and 13which is always great fun to write and New Releases.

I also started a new feature. I still don't have the proper name for it - Free Books Reviewed? It involves me reading and reviewing every month at least one book that I got for free. In my first post I reviewed Falling Stars and its accompanying novella, Stellar Evolution by Sadie Grubor. 

I also published an updated information on the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan on the occasion of the release of the final book in the series, Out of Breath, on 2 July. 

I took part in a Release Day Event for Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski (and hosted my first rafflecopter giveaway) and in a promotional event for Keeping Her, a novella by Cora Carmack which completes the story of Garrick and Bliss.





Feature

Review: Falling Stars and Stellar Evolution by Sadie Grubor

12:34

This review is my first one in a new feature of the blog that I am starting. I download many free books from Amazon and because my TBR list far too long they end up pretty much forgotten. So I decided to challenge myself and to read and review at least one book that I got for free every month. I am not very good with challenges but will do my best to keep this one up. This is my way of saying thank you to the authors who give us the chance to try their books for free.

This review covers Falling Stars (Falling Stars 1), a novel and the accompanying novella, Stellar Evolution (Falling Stars 1.5)


Title: Falling Stars (Falling Stars 1)
Author: Sadie Grubor
Date of publication: 14 August 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author's links:
WebsiteTwitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 2,5 stars




Goodreads Blurb

'A falling, or shooting, star, is the common name for the visible path of a meteoroid if it survives impact with the Earth's surface.'

Christopher Mason, the infamous lead singer of The Forgotten, has a reputation for being 'difficult'. Harboring dark memories and the burden of a painful secret, he struggles with a past he desperately wants to destroy. Amidst this star's battle with the pull of his demons, he risks losing everything he’s built as a musician. 

Enter Mia Ryder, the head strong yet laid back, lead singer of Hushed Mentality. As the opening act for The Forgotten, Mia and her all girl rock band are sure to gain the publicity needed to sky rocket to the next level in their dream career. 

Mia's laidback personality is challenged by Chris’s plotting for their demise and removal of the 'girlie band' from 'his' tour. But even Chris's best laid plans aren't prepared for Mia. 

As the demons pull this shining star down, is the one person he wants to eliminate the only person who can save him from the collision course he is on?



My Review

As a fan rock star romance just reading the blurb and I was immediately drawn to this book. I was very happy at the beginning to discover that we have not one but two rock bands - girls vs boys. Naturally, this situation quickly progressed into girls and boys being together :) 

The story started well for me. Christopher was all dark and moody and troubled, yet I liked him as a character. I also liked Mia with her determination and feisty attitude. What I did not like very much was the weird relationship which developed between them. Their attraction to one another felt almost supernatural which I did not get at all. I understand Chris's insecurities and darkness, but I was disappointed in Mia. She just accepted his almost bipolar attitude towards her without questions or objections. I was annoyed with her passiveness, she didn't even try to rationalise things.

The middle section was the weakest for me. It felt repetitive and unnecessary extended. The same situations with slight variations were described again and again. It seems that all they characters did was sleep or rest after their performances. The relationships between all the characters didn't really move forward. Some editing and cutting back of repetitive descriptions would benefit greatly the both the plot and the character development.

I rather enjoyed the final section of the book. There was more dynamics and plot development. The conclusion was not as satisfactory as I would have liked but still I think it was a good one.



Title: Stellar Evolution (Falling Stars 1.5)
Author: Sadie Grubor
Date of publication: 20 October 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance

My rating: 3 Stars







My Review

The accompanying novella to Falling Stars, Stellar Evolution, provided a much needed epilogue for Mia and Chris's story. It also set the stage for Jackson's story which I am looking forward too. 

I liked it better than the full novel. I liked the new, happier Chris we met here. Mia also is different, more mature and confident, which I quite liked. Their interaction is more realistic and seems authentic. 

I liked the tone of the novella and the writing style was better. There were no repetitions and the dual POVs worked better than in Falling Stars where whole scenes were just replayed from Chris't and Mia's POV. 

Stellar Evolution made up for the the almost lack of sex scenes in Falling Stars. In fact, there is over-abundance of steamy scenes some of which, despite being hot, are redundant in my opinion.

I felt really bad for the heart-broken Jackson (I liked what we saw of him in Falling Stars). I hope he gets his happy ending in his own book soon.


New Adult

Update on Out of Breath by Rebecca Donovan

09:00

This post is just a brief not on the upcoming release of the final book, Out of Breath, of the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan next week. 

It has been a long and torturous wait that is nearly over. I cannot describe how excited and a little scared I am to read the finale of this series. I really loved Reason to Breathe and Barely Breathing. I read both books last year before I started my blog, so I haven't reviewed them here. I do plan to write a review of the complete series after I finish Out of Breath.

If you haven't heard about this series, or haven't read it yet, I strongly encourage you to do it. These are YA/NA (in the third book the characters will be in college, so I guess it is NA) novels that deal with a very heavy subject - domestic violence and child abuse. They are not all dark and gloomy, though. I think they are realistic and carry a glimmer of hope for salvation through real friendship and true love. 

Not to go into too much details about book 1 and 2, I will focus more on the upcoming conclusion of the story. Ms Donovan has answered some questions about Out of Breath (no spoilers, I guarantee) on her website. What I was most excited to learn is that Jonathan will be getting his story told in a separate set of  three books and I really hope for a happy end for him. He is a rather controversial character - I feel deeply for him, yet I felt uncomfortable with the way he was introduced into Emma's life. 

I also recommend to check the soundtrack for Out of Breath suggested by Ms Donovan. All the soundtracks suggested by Ms Donovan complement wonderfully her stories. 


To buy the series on Amazon: 



Adveture

Teaser Tuesday 13

00:30



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.


I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from a book I am actually currently reading. It is Surviving Raine by Shay Savage. I have come to middle so far I absolutely love it. It is another romance (with some survival adventure thrown in) told from a male POV, after I recently read Tangled by Emma Chase. This one is really dramatic from what I can tell so far and I really liked both the hero and the heroine.

"For one, it wasn't just me I needed to look after. There was the annoying, questioning, tiny little piece of seriously feminine, soft, brown-eyed, doesn't-take-my-shit, fucking beautiful young woman who didn't stand a chance on her own that I needed to protect."

Surviving Raine by Shay Savage 

Synopsis
As the captain of a schooner catering to the elite on the Caribbean Seas, Sebastian Stark does his best to avoid any human encounters. Interacting with people isn’t his thing, and he prefers the company of a bottle of vodka, a shot glass, and maybe a whore. There’s no doubt he’s hiding from a checkered past, but he does well keeping everything to himself…

…until the night his schooner capsizes, and he’s stuck on a life raft with one of the passengers.

Raine’s young, she’s cute, and Bastian would probably be into her if he wasn’t suffering from alcohol withdrawal. As the days pass, DTs, starvation, and dehydration become the norm. Even the most closed person starts to open up when he thinks he’s going to die, but when she realizes their traumatic pasts are connected, it’s no longer the elements that have Bastian concerned.

He has no idea how he’s going to Survive Raine.


Katie Ashley

New Releases 24- 30 June 2013

12:33


The new release I am looking forward this week is the romantic suspense novel Search Me by Katie Ashley. I have read two of her previous books - Music of the Heart (my review) and Don't Hate the Player ... Hate the Game (which I plan to review shortly). I am not a big fan of romantic suspense, so far either the romance, or the suspense did not work for me in the books I have read. I hope this one will change my opinion. 

DATE
COVER
TITLE
AUTHOR
     GENRE

30 June



Search Me

Katie Ashley

Romantic suspense


College

Preview of Keeping Her by Cora Carmack

17:00

Here is the preview package for Cora Carmack's next book, the novella Keeping Her, which completes the story of Garrick and Bliss.

If you have questions you want to ask Cora Carmack, check these two events: 

Ms Carmack together with Jay Crownover (author of Rule and Jet (Marked Men series) will be participating in a Goodreads chat on June 26. 

There will also be a FAKING IT book club on Cora’s facebook page on June 27 from 3-4 p.m. EDT


Book Release

Release Event and Giveaway for Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski

21:36


Title: KILLING SARAI
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Release date: June 20, 2013
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Age Group : General adult 17 +

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads: Killing Sarai 

To buy: Amazon / B&N







Book Description:

From the author of the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling novel, THE EDGE OF NEVER, comes a story of passion and survival…

Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.

As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.

This is their story…


EXCERPT


I raise the gun a little higher, settling the barrel at the back of her head, but not touching it. I don’t want her to be afraid before she dies and although I know she fears nothing, death is something we all fear in our final moment even if only the smallest part of us is conscious of it. I don’t want her to fear it at all and she can’t if she doesn’t know that it’s happening.
“How old were you when you became what you are?” she asks.
Caught off guard by the question and maybe more-so by the shifting of the mood, I hesitate before answering.
“I was nine.”
She sniffles and wipes her eyes with the hand near her cheek.
“You were very young,” she goes on. “I guess in a way like me, you never had a chance to live a life of your choosing. I guess maybe we aren’t really so different from each other.” She pauses. “Except I might be more like your brother than I care to admit. He’s as angry as I am.”
I release my finger from the trigger and slowly, so she doesn’t know, move the barrel away from the back of her head.
“It must’ve been hard growing up with Niklas,” she says.
I set the gun back on the bed next to me and before I know what I’m doing I’m cradling the back of her head in my hand again.


*** *** ***
About the author:    
   
J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE EDGE OF NEVER lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Author's links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads


*** *** *** 

To celebrate the release of Killing Sarai J. A. Redmerski is giving you the chance to win an eBook copy of Killing Sarai in Epub or Mobi format. This giveaway is open international.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cora Carmack

Review: Faking It By Cora Carmack

12:12



Title: Faking It (Losing It 2)
Author: Cora Carmack
Date of publication: 4 June 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author's links: Website / Facebook /Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars

ARC provided by Ebury Press UK via NetGalley.



Goodreads Blurb

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

My Review

I loved the first book by Cora Carmack, Losing It, so I was excited about her second one, as well. I was not particularly impressed by Cade in book 1, but I figured that pretend-lovers-to-real-lovers story should be fun to read. 

I enjoyed this book a lot, just not as much as Losing It. What I loved about Garrick and Bliss was that they were unique and endearingly awkward and sadly, all this was missing in the characters in Faking It. 

The story of Cade and Max was nice and fun but too cliché. Cade was Golden boy, through and through, to the point of being completely unrealistic. Max was supposed to be a rebel, a young woman pursuing her dreams no matter what . She was portrayed as strong and opinionated, yet she kept believing herself to be unworthy and incapable of being with Cade, which I found rather annoying. 

I liked how the relationship between Cade and Max progressed gradually and I also found the change and growth of Max genuine and convincing. There was no development with Cade, though, he was just perfect from the start ;) The weakness he overcame - letting people go without really fighting for them, was not a real weakness. Actually, he did fight for and won, the person that really mattered. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who read and liked Losing it.

Favourites

Teaser Tuesday 12

01:52


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 
• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.


I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this wee comes from Shadowfever, book 5 in the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. I have already done a teaser from Bloodfever (book 2), it was actually my first teaser :) Now I am reading the final instalment in the series, at least from Mac' POV. It is the longest one (more than 500 pages) and I have been rather slow in reading it, so I am still at 15%. All the books from this urban fantasy series are so full of memorable lines, that it is a challenge to pick just a few lines for a teaser. Here is my choice:

"I can't do this. I just went through this with my sister. Regret upon regret. Missed opportunities. Bad decisions. Grief.
How many more people will have to die before I learn how to live? He was right. I'm a walking catastrophe."


Shadowfever (Fever 5) by Karen Marie Moning


"Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it's good."

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. 

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. 

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds. 

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. 

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? 

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.


ARC

Review: Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

10:43

Title: Lingerie Wars (Invertary 1)
Author: Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Date of publication: 14 June 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author's links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads
My rating: 3,5 stars

ARC provided by IBPA via NetGalley



Goodreads Blurb

Englishman Lake Benson loaned his life savings to his dippy sister so that she could buy a shop. It was a big mistake. His sister has been steadily flushing his money down the drain – and now he wants it back. Years in the special forces taught Lake that if you want a job done, do it yourself. So he steps in to make the shop profitable, sell it and get his money back. The only problem is, the business is an underwear shop. And all Lake knows about underwear can be summed up in how fast he can unsnap a bra. To make matters worse, the tiny highland town already has a lingerie shop. A successful one, run by an ex-lingerie model. A very gorgeous ex-lingerie model, who’s distracting him from his mission more than he’d like to admit. If Lake wants to get his savings back, and get out of Scotland, he only has one option – wipe out the competition. 

Kirsty Campbell has spent years rebuilding her life after she woke up in hospital in Spain to find her body scarred, and her ex-fiance had run off with all her money. The last thing she needs is a cocky, English soldier-boy trying to ruin all she has left. Her home town is only too happy to help her fight the latest English invasion, although Lake is beginning to sway them with his sex appeal and cut price knickers. With the help of her mother, and the retired ladies of Knit or Die, Kirsty sets about making sure that her shop is the last one standing in Invertary.

It’s Scotland versus England as you’ve never seen it before. It’s lingerie war.


My Review

I read Ms Henderson's previous novel, The Davina Code (here is my review), and I loved it, so I decided to try Lingerie Wars. I definitely didn't make a mistake picking up that book. It is a funny small town romance, written in the same style as The Davina Code. 

The very opening lines had me laughing out loud - "Lake Benson's midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours. In that time he quit his career with the army and bought a lingerie shop. All things considered, he was glad the crisis hasn't lasted longer." :))) 

The rest of the book did not disappoint in terms of comic situations from just funny and amusing to downright hilarious. The whole war metaphor going throughout the book - strategies, tactics, reconnaissance, undercover operations, sabotages - provoked a whole set funny (really LOL) situations in the book. 

Generally I like the male leads more (understandably, I guess) but this time it was the opposite. I found Kristy a really attractive character. I could relate to her struggles to keep her business, her anxiety about her body, dealing with her unexpected and quickly developing feelings for Lake. 

I liked Lake as well, though just as Kristy, I found his overconfidence and smugness overwhelming and annoying at times. He is determined and relentless in pursuing Kristy, yet we are never given insight into his mind - why he is so drawn to her. We see how Kristy's feeling for Lake develop gradually, but not vice versa. At the beginning she was just a challenge, courting her was an amusement of sorts, then at some point it became a matter of true, one-in-a-lifetime love. What I missed is how this happened, the realisation on Lake's part of the change of his feelings for Kristy, his awareness of the true nature of their relationship. 

The novel has some strong supporting characters, Betty is just hilarious. We have a whole set of likeable small town characters - the only police officers and his younger twin sisters, the pub owner/mayor, the vicar, the knitting club ladies, the librarian. 

There is also a nice secondary love story between Rainne and Alastair, although I was really upset about the way things between them developed in the end. Maybe it is the more logical outcome, still it made me sad. 

My only complaint with the this book is that it felt too long. There were minor events/situations described in too much detail. I also would have like to see an epilogue of Lake and Kristy's story.


J. A. Redmerski

New Releases

11:20

The new release for me this week is Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski. I liked, The Edge of Always by the same author, so I am thinking of giving it a try as well. Killing Sarai is a romantic suspense novel, not my favourite genre, but the blurb sounds intriguing. While you wait for the release of Killing Sarai, you can check some exclusive excerpts at Aestas Book Blog and Vilma's Book Blog.

DATE
COVER
TITLE
AUTHOR
GENRE

20 June



Killing Sarai

J. A. Redmerski

Romantic suspense



ARC

Review: Seal of Honor by Tonya Burrows

04:08

Title: Seal of Honor (HORNET 1)
Author: Tonya Burrows
Date of publication: 28 May 2013
Genre: Romantic suspense
Author's links: Goodreads / Website / Facebook 

My rating: 3 stars

ARC provided by Entangled Select via NetGalley 



Goodreads Blurb

It’s a good thing Gabe Bristow lives and breathes the Navy SEAL credo, “the only easy day was yesterday,” because today, his life is unrecognizable. When his prestigious career comes to a crashing halt, he’s left with a bum leg and few prospects for employment that don’t include a desk.


That is, until he’s offered the chance to command a private hostage rescue team and free a wealthy American businessman from Colombian paramilitary rebels. It seems like a good deal—until he meets his new team: a drunk Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with mob ties, a cowboy medic, and an EOD expert as volatile as the bombs he defuses. Oh, and who could forget the sexy, frustratingly impulsive Audrey Van Amee? She’s determined to help rescue her brother—or drive Gabe crazy. Whichever comes first.

As the death toll rises, Gabe’s team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed. Because Gabe’s finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can’t bring her brother back alive.


My Review

I was a bit surprised that this book is romantic suspense rather than true romance like the blurb suggests. I enjoyed some aspects of it not as many as I would have liked. 

The suspense or action/adventure element was interesting and held my attention. I am not a big fan of this type of books, I prefer action movies instead, so I cannot judge how realistic the whole hostage rescue situation was, still I enjoyed it. 

The best thing in this book for me were the interactions in the HORNET team and the whole process of coming together as a team. The character portrayal definitely sets the stage for future novels, as this looks like it is going to be a series. I am particularly curious about Quinn's story. 

While I enjoyed the supporting characters and the little snippets into their lives which we were given, I was rather disappointed with the Hero and the Heroine. I really couldn't connect with either of them. Their love affair seemed completely out of place and unrealistic. Neither Gabe, nor Audrey were presented as players but they met and instantly fell for one another. They were placed under some pretty intense circumstances, yet all they could think about was sex. I can honestly say that the whole romantic aspect of this book didn't work for me. 

I was not particularly impressed with this book and since romantic suspense is not my favourite genre, it is unlikely that I will continue with this series, except maybe to check out Quinn's book.


ARC

Review: Piece of My Heart by Lynn Maddalena Mena

12:32

Author: Lynn Madelenna Menna
Date of publication: 18 June 2013
Genre: Young Adult

My rating: 2.5 stars


ARC provided by Merit Press via Netgalley




Goodreads Blurb

Still in high school, Marisol Reyes gets the chance of a lifetime to be a real singer, and she leaps at it. After all, this is the dream she held on to, all the days and nights she spent growing up on means streets of East Harlem. Marisol never gave in--no matter what her boyfriend or her best friend had to say. Who cares if only one in a hundred pretty, talented girls make it? She will be the one. In her rush to fame, Marisol tramples on the heart of her loyal best friend, and Julian, the boy she loves. But will it be worth it?

One night at a private gig in the Hamptons, the little Latino girl with the big voice from East Harlem gets a severe reality check. A famous rapper who claims to be interested in her talents turns out to be interested in something else, threatening not only Marisol's dreams but her body and soul. Will the realities of the gritty New York music scene put out the stars in Marisol's eyes forever?


My Review

The story had a lot of potential but I feel it did not lived up fully to it. The whole book has a very high school vibe, despite the characters having just graduated. I was hesitant at first, but gradually I started to like the voice of the heroine, Marisol. She is struggling to start a musical career while maintaining her friendships with the people from her childhood. 

Ms Mena tells a story about growing up, the changes you and your friends undergo while trying to find your place in the world. Like I said, it has a lot of potential to explore these issues, but most of them are just skimmed through, without giving the reader any depth into the life of the characters. The focus seems to be on appearances (I do realize how important is one's style in the music/show business, but still it I find it too much in the book). There was also a lot of attention paid to petty gossiping and quarrels between friends and not enough on the motivations and reasons behind the actions of the characters. 

The characters were underdeveloped and fell flat. I also feel there was a lot of going back and forth in Marisol's relationships.  

The story is deeply rooted in New York but as non-New-Yorker I found it difficult to relate to most of the local references. I suppose, people actually living in New York would appreciate this locale colouring in the novel much more.

Having said that, I still enjoyed the book. It has a positive and uplifting feel to it. I could recommend it for a younger audience, though (teenagers and young adults).

Cora Carmack

Teaser Tuesday 11

11:51


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I learned about it from my friend Nix at Unraveling Words. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 
• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.


I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from a book which I finished in just one day last week - Faking It by Cora Carmack. This is her second book and it is a sequel to Losing It. It tells the story of Cade (whom we meet in Losing It) and Max. I loved the first book and the really liked the second. It can be read as stand alone, though it is better to read Losing It first, thus you will have the background story on Cade. You can read my review of Losing It on Goodreads and check my blog later this week for the review of Faking It. 

"I smiled, swished my frilly skirt, and glanced at the front entrance as the door swung open. Another cloud of smoke rolled in through the door. Like he was stepping out of the fog, Cade appeared. My twenty-four-hour, pretend-we-met-in-a-library, mom-hugging, golden-boy-boyfriend. "

Faking It by Cora Carmack 

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.


Abbi Glines

New Releases 10 - 16 June 2013

11:03


There are two books I am looking forward which are coming out this week. The first one is the final book in the Too Far series by Abbi Glines, completing the story of Blaire and Rush. I really liked the first book and was not happy with the second, so I hope the third one will remedy things and Ms Glines will give Blaire and Rush the beautiful HEA they deserve.

The second book coming out this week, (on the day of my birthday, btw) is Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson. I loved Ms Henderson's book The Davina Code, and from reading just the first pages of my ARC copy of Lingerie Wars, I expect to love this one as well. 

DATE
COVER
TITLE
AUTHOR
GENRE
10 June


Forever Too Far (Too Far 3)
New Adult Romance
14 June


Lingerie War (Invertary, book one)
Contemporary Romance, Chick-lit

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