When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn’t think it’s love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly.
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My Rating: 4/5 (Really Good)
Book Information
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre(s): Romance, New-adult
Page Count: 322
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 1476753180
This was used for the Popsugar challenge: A book with antonyms in the title.
I’ve heard so much about this book in the past couple of months. I’ve read so many glowing reviews on this, talking about how emotionally heartbreaking this book is. How much it impacted them. Naturally, I was curious to see what exactly the hype is all about. And so I finally read it!
Quick Summary
When Tate Collins moves into her brother’s apartment, she finds herself immediately attracted to her brother’s friend and neighbor, Miles Archer, and soon finds out he’s attracted to her as well. As a result, they get into a deal to have a no-love, sex-only relationship. Miles only has two rules for Tate: Not to ask about his past or expect a future. But when rules are broken, things get ugly.Read More »
Beautiful, clever, rich – and single – Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen’s most flawless work.
My thoughts on this were pretty conflicted after finishing it; on one hand the main character really bugged me, but on the other hand I liked the story and once I got past Emma’s flaws, liked her as well. Which is why I rated this 4 stars in the end, although at first I might’ve gone with a 3.5 or 3 star rating. Read on for a full review! 🙂
Quick Summary
Emma Woodhouse had never been interested in her own marriage. She has no need for it, after all, she is well cared for without the help of a man’s fortune. She does, however, take pride in her matchmaking skills and spends a lot of time in interfering aiding the love lives of others, which she finds throughout the book to have severe consequences. A story of social status and matchmaking troubles, Emma
Plot
I did like the plot, although I suppose it didn’t blow me away. There was nothing wrong with it, I guess it just didn’t interest me as much as, say, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice’s plot. But don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, and it’s one of the reasons I gave this book 4 stars. The plot was tactfully created, I just kind of flowed with it all and enjoyed it. Does that make sense? Point being, I liked the plot.
Characters
This is where most readers have issues. Emma is a very flawed character. I will tell you that right off the bat, and I’m sure most of you know that, if you’ve heard even a bit about this book. She’s naive, meddlesome, stubborn, and is quite vain; all in all, not very likeable. That being said, it was refreshing and interesting to see through the mind of such a character, despite the fact that I often felt like shaking Emma or slapping her so she would awaken and smarten up. I am happy to say, however, that even though Emma was hard to like, I still enjoyed the book. Sure, she got on my nerves, but she was still an enjoyable character, if that can be said about a person like Emma. After all, Emma isn’t a bad person, simply… needs to be more educated and less of a vain, stubborn and meddlesome character. She did have her good qualities though; I appreciated her compassion and patience with her father, she was relatively good-humoured, and she is in some ways, mature (as she should be). By the end of the book I appreciated the development her character goes through, so all’s good. 🙂
Writing Style
Like with Pride and Prejudice, I like the writing style, but it does take some time to get used to. If you’re new to classics, I wouldn’t say I completely recommend this one as the writing style can be hard to decipher sometimes, but if you think you can understand the writing style, and enjoy the writing style, you should be able to enjoy the story overall. Otherwise you kind of might just skim stuff, or read and not understand fully what you’re reading. 😉
Movie Trailer
I haven’t watched any adaptations of Emma, but here’s a movie trailer of the 1996 one!
Overall…
I really liked this book! I honestly wasn’t expecting to, especially with Emma as the protagonist, but I ended up liking this. I praise Jane Austen for creating a not-so-likeable character, it was at the very least a good portrayal that humans are flawed. If you tend to dislike annoying, stubborn and meddlesome characters, then Emma will most certainly get on your nerves, but if you can look past all that, and understand the writing style, then this novel truly isn’t that bad.
Before Liz Lemon, before “Weekend Update,” before “Sarah Palin,” Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.
She has seen both these dreams come true.
At last, Tina Fey’s story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon — from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.
Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we’ve all suspected: you’re no one until someone calls you bossy.
I know lots of people who loved this book might be looking at my rating and be like, what?? But unfortunately it’s not a mistake. I wanted to like this book, and I thought I did while reading it, but now, I’m more like, meh. It was okay. It was mostly a disappointment. So let me get onto the review to explain more in depth why this book didn’t cut it for me. Oh, by the way, I’m going to be skipping the quick summary for this book.
My Review
So, the plot, or, I don’t know, whatever you call the story in an autobiography, was alright, but not the best. I mean, first of all, for a comedy, I did chuckle or smile a few times, but nothing struck me as particularly hilarious or that funny. Also, a lot of the parts I felt like skimming, and often I was just reading simply for the sake of finishing the book faster. I wasn’t truly interested in it much. Maybe because I prefer to listen and watch Tina Fey’s humour in action than read it? I don’t know. All this to say, the reason I didn’t enjoy this stems from the fact that I’m not a huge fan of biographies, and that I didn’t find anything substantial to keep me interested in the book.
I did like the writing style though, it had a pretty light and easy feel to it which I enjoyed amidst it all. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to have me enjoy the book. I will probably try re-reading this someday. Maybe my perspective will change then, who knows?
This is definitely one of my shortest reviews for a full-length novel, but there really isn’t much else to say.
Overall…
I didn’t particularly enjoy this book. Mostly due to the fact that I hardly ever read and enjoy biographies, I think. This just wasn’t my kind of book, and that’s basically all there is to it. That isn’t to say you won’t enjoy this book; if you like biographies/nonfiction novels, and comedy, by all means try this out. This book did have Tina Fey’s signature humour and style, I guess it just didn’t affect me much in writing, but who knows? Maybe it will be what ticks for you!
Did you read this book? Let me know your thoughts on it—I’d love to know if you enjoyed it more than I did! (In fact, I hope you did!) And if you didn’t read this book, but have it on your TBR, please don’t be discouraged by my rating! I wouldn’t want you to miss a book you might enjoy because of my review.
This wasn’t too tasty for me, but maybe it will be for you! In which case, happy eating!
The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”
With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.
The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end.
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My Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding)
Book Information
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre(s): Young-adult fiction, dystopia, romance
Page Count: 408
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0062318780
This book was used for the Popsugar challenge: A book you own but have never read.
I only have 1 word. Outstanding. Tahereh Mafi outdid herself in this heart-stopping conclusion to the Shatter Me trilogy! I absolutely loved this book!!!
Note: To make this a spoiler-free review, I’m skipping my usual quick summary. Read More »
On her birthday, Zaria Fierce finds her usual path to school blocked by an ugly river-troll. At first she’s surprised and curious, but then Olaf threatens to eat her, which is an act Zaria could not in good conscience consent to, so Zaria counteroffers. A deal is struck and she goes to school, but Zaria is about to learn the hard way that one does not trick a river-troll and expect to win.
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My Rating: 4/5 (Really Good)
Book Information
Publisher: Keira Gillett
Illustrator: Eoghan Kerrigan
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy
Pade Count: 224
Format: E-book
This book was used for the Popsugar challenge: A book set in a place you always wanted to visit.
Note: I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Hi! I have another review for y’all, this time on Zaria Fierce and the Secret of Gloomswood Forest by Keira Gillett, in case you haven’t already figured that out. It’s a middle-grade fantasy novel with a great plot and writing style! The characters were also very interesting. All in all, a solid 4 stars.
Quick Summary
13 year-old Zaria Fierce has always loved to read fantasy novels. Fantasy becomes reality when she meets a river troll, Olaf, who she finds to have taken her best friend Cristoffer. In order to get him back, she agrees on a risky deal to get him back, and she and her friends set off.Read More »
A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!
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My Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding)
Book Information
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children
Genre: Young-adult (verging on new-adult) fiction, fantasy, romance
Page Count: 416
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 1619634449
This book was used for the Popsugar challenge: A book by an author you love but have never read.
Hi! I recently (or not-so-recently, I can’t remember) finished reading this book, for #JuneAndRosesReadAlong (a June read along hosted by Josie’s Book Corner & Bibliophile Gathering). I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time, so I’m so glad I finally got to read it! It definitely did not disappoint!
Quick Summary
A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, A Court of Thorns and Roses follows Feyre, a nineteen-year-old huntress who, one day, as a consequence of killing a wolf in the forest, is taken to Prythian, a dangerous, magical land, by a beast-like creature. Finding out soon enough that her captor was an immortal fae named Tamlin, Feyre finds that the icy feelings towards fae she once had had become into a fiery passion, even love. Now there is a much larger threat looming ahead of them, and if it isn’t contained and stopped, could destroy the faerie lands and the faes, forever. Can Feyre find a way to stop it?Read More »
I was planning on doing a mini-reviews for this trilogy on one post, but in the end (with the help of Casey‘s opinion) I decided against it. Now I have the chance to ramble and fangirl for a longer period of time! 😉
Quick Summary
When angels capture her crippled younger sister, Penryn Young will do whatever it takes to get her back, and that includes teaming up with one of the enemy: the wounded angel Raffe. The angel agrees to take Penryn to the aerie where her sister was taken as he’s headed there to get his wings back and in search of revenge. But will Penryn be able to survive the oncoming war and save her sister at the same time?Read More »
It’s always been just Kate and her mom – and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate’s going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won’t live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld – and if she accepts his bargain, he’ll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he’s crazy – until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she’ll become Henry’s future bride and a goddess.
If she fails…
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My Rating: 4/5 (Really Good)
Book Information
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre(s): Young-adult fiction, fantasy (mythology)
Page Count: 293
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0373210264
As I have finished and will be reviewing The Goddess Legacy, book #2.5 in the Goddess Test series (for the Popsugar challenge), I of course have to start off with a review on the first book! So let’s get to it.
The Goddess Test is a re-telling of Persephone’s Greek myth (you know, with the whole Hades-kidnaps-Persephone-and-she-eats-pomegranate-seeds-which-force-her-to-have-to-stay-in-the-Underworld-and-be-Hades’s queen thing). I would say Cassandra Clare described it quite accurately: “A fresh take on the Greek myths adds sparkle to this romantic fable.”Read More »
Published: October 2nd 2012 (first published November 15th 2011)
Synopsis:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
I finished Shatter Me… I don’t even remember anymore, which is a clear sign that I should’ve posted this review way before.
Anyway, I really enjoyed Shatter Me! I’ve heard a lot of hype around this book for a while now, and in case you didn’t understand from my rating, my expectations have been met. 😉
Quick Summary.
Juliette has a power. A curse. A gift. Whatever you want to call it. Whenever she touches someone, the worst pain beholds the person, or even worse, they die. So she’s been locked up, isolated from people. Then one day, she has a cellmate. From there on, everything Juliette thought she knew is being questioned, and she’s faced with a choice. A choice that will shape her future.Read More »
Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.
A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.
Hi there! I finished this book a while back, and was supposed to have finished and posted this review long before now. But, I haven’t, and as I absolutely loved this book, I’m excited to finally post my review on A Thousand Pieces of You!
Quick Summary
So basically, the main character, Marguerite, and her friend Theo, goes off in a search of vengeance for a friend of the family, Paul, who she believes to have killed her father and stolen her parents’ most important creation, the Firebird (which allows the wearer to travel to different dimensions). In those different dimensions she encounters obstacles that prevent her from leaving the dimensions, and faces even more obstacles, while getting nowhere with the whole revenge thing. When she starts to question everything she knew, she finds that the mystery surrounding her father’s death was even more malevolent than she thought.Read More »
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.
Hey there! I should’ve posted this review (along with, like, 8 more) way before, but for some reason I haven’t been able to write good reviews the past weeks. Hopefully this is passable. 🙂
The Fill-In Boyfriend was an amazing contemporary read. It was, without a doubt, fun, enjoyable and hooking, while being based on a plot of being superficial and a girl fight, basically.
Quick Summary
Gia, the main character, just had her boyfriend break-up with her. On prom night, no less. The biggest problem with the break-up is that Gia’s friends will see her dateless. Jules, a girl in Gia’s friends group, is constantly trying to out Gia, beat her somehow, and thinks Gia was lying about her boyfriend. Not wanting to lose her friends’ friendship, Gia brings in a fill-in boyfriend, who acts as if Bradley. As Gia starts to care about fill-in Bradley, Gia’s lies and friendships all threaten to come apart.
Published: March 1st 2003 (Originally published in 1813)
Synopsis/Blurb from Goodreads:
Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own darling child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.
This review should’ve been posted way before, but for some reason never was. Somehow I completely forgot I had already written this review and remembered about this as I was searching through my finished drafts. So without further ado, my review on Pride and Prejudice! (Note: This is written in the same format as usual, and I will not be ANALYZING this book. It is simply a review judged by my Review Policy.
So, I’ve never been big on classics, I’ll admit that. However when I first read Pride and Prejudice (in middle school I believe, Grade 6 or around that time) I really started getting into classics. When I started being assigned classics in high school my interest in classics grew further, and so did my love for Pride and Prejudice. As I read it for the Popsugar challenge once again, my feelings didn’t change.Read More »
Published: October 21st 2014 (originally August 11th 2014)
Synopsis:
Every touch has its price.
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.
But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…
This review is way overdue, much like my Pride and Prejudice one (which will be coming soon!). I loved re-reading this book, so I have no idea what made me delay this review so much, but either way, let’s get started! Like the first book, I rate this again 5 stars, and read on to find out why!
Quick Summary
Stone Cold Touch picks up from where White Hot Kiss ended, where our protagonist Layla is still reeling from the events of the last book and is trying to adjust with Roth’s sacrifice (no spoilers, don’t worry!). Just when she has gotten some sense of normalcy back into her life, Roth comes back into her life with startling news for her and the Wardens: a Lilin has somehow been born. A powerful demon that’s the offspring of the demon Lilith, a Lilin can turn humans into wraiths (suck out their soul, basically) and its escape seems to be Layla’s fault. Read More »
Published: October 23rd, 2012 (originally January 1st 2012)
Synopsis:
Will love conquer all?
Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank’s absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels – destroying Patch.
Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.
But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.
As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.
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My Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing)
Book Information
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Hey there! Finale is the conclusion to the Hush Hush saga by Becca Fitzpatrick and since I’ve posted the reviews for the first three books, I’ve been wanting to finish this book and post a review for this one as well. 🙂 My wish has now been granted and I have finished this book, and am now writing a review. So let’s get started!
Note: I would not advise people who hadn’t read the first three books in the series to read this review because of UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS. Spoilers are not certain, but there may the occasional minor one that some might want to avoid. Anyway…
I really enjoyed Finale. However, I must say, to be honest, I would rate this 4 stars, mainly because of Nora (which I will get to further on in this review). But because of my overall reading experience, and the great storyline, I was able to look past that issue and give an extra .5 star.Read More »
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush, who calls Bianca the Duff–the designated ugly fat friend–of her crew.
But things aren’t so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
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My Rating: 3.5/5 (Liked it)
Book Information
Publisher: Poppy
Genre(s): Young-adult romance, high school, chick-lit
Hi there! I just started and finished reading The DUFF by Kody Keplinger and while I really should finish up my other reviews for Stone Cold Touch and Pride and Prejudice, I decided to work on this one instead. So, for my rating, I want to clear up that this was a good book. 3.5 star rating may not seem like a particularly good rating, but it is. I really liked The DUFF and while I can’t pinpoint exactly why it’s a 3.5 and not 4 star rating, I just want to say it has a good rating.Read More »
4/5 (Really Good)
Book Snacks 