Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
by Jenny Han

Genre: Romance, Humor, Young Adult
Publication:  April 15th, 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Format: ebook, 283 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.

They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

I have actually fallen in love with the cover and the title the first time I saw this book, but I was hesitant to buy and read this book because I was afraid that I was going to be disappointed. Some good looking cover book did that to me sometimes. But I finally decided to pick up the book and was happy with it. To All the Boys I've Loved Before is definitely a cute, fluffy and funny read. It is my kind of book.

Lara Jean wrote a letter to every boy she had ever had her crush on with no plan to mail those letters ever. Lara Jean wrote these letters as a therapy to help her move on from the boys she loved. Imagine her surprise when she found out that someone send those letters. I know that I would die from embarrassment if this ever happened to me.

I admit that the beginning was a bit slow for my liking. But I get to learn more about Lara Jean and her relationship with the people around her, like her sisters, Margot and Kitty. But after a while, things began to get more spiced up. I was excited to see how Lara would handle the love letters and the boys. 

I was a bit shocked when I reached the ending. I certainly did not expect the book to end so soon. I love Lara, her family, Josh and Peter K. I was glad to learn that there is going to be a sequel. I need to know what will happen to Lara next. And I just can’t wait! 

Review: But I Said Forever by Jennifer Gilby Roberts

But I Said Forever (Parker Sisters #2)
by Jennifer Gilby Roberts

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit
Publication: November 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Netgalley, Jennifer Gilby Roberts
Connect: Website | Twitter

Expect little, forgive much?

After a whirlwind courtship, Brittany Beresford married her Prince Charming and looked forward to living happily ever after. Five years later, she’s been reduced to a not-quite-desperate housewife, with a husband who spends more time flossing his teeth than holding meaningful conversations with her.

She braves his disapproval and turns working mother and, other than feeling far more drawn to a handsome baker she works with than him, things seem to be looking up. But then Brittany discovers that her husband’s “hobbies” include something even worse than golf - and he expects her to put up and shut up.

Fairy tale illusions shattered, but still believing marriage is for life and wanting the best for her son, Brittany has a choice to make: should she follow her heart, or her conscience?

I haven’t read the first book of the series, but I think, But I Said Forever, would be good as a standalone. 

Brittany Beresford married young and hoped that her marriage will be a happily ever after. But after years of getting married, she began to feel lonely. Her husband barely had a conversation with her. Brittany decided to take a job at a bakery and found her passion. Then, Brittany found out that her husband had a strange hobby, one that she could not accept. 

Brittany was a likeable character. It was great to see how Brittany transformed from an unhappy stay-at-home-housewife to a more confident woman. Brittany wanted to stay with her husband. She loved him, and their son, James, need his father. But she just could not accept what her husband did. I had a hard time believing what her husband did. I wanted to root for Brittany and hope that she would get the life she wanted. I was glad that Brittany had her friends to support and cheer her.

I love this book. The book focused more on Brittany, but the other characters made the book fun! I especially love the interaction between Brittany and the people from the bakery. And the nannies! 

But I Said Forever was definitely a good read with humor, drama, friendship and just a little bit of romance.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

The Art of Lainey
by Paula Stokes

Genre: Romance, Humor, Young Adult
Publication: May 20th 2014 by HarperTeen
Format: eBook, 384 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Dessen, and Susane Colasanti, The Art of Lainey tells the story of how, with the help of The Art of War, Lainey plots the perfect plan to get her boyfriend back. But is getting him back really what she wants?

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warnings, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that's when Lainey and Bianca stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, the girls are sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey's arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous.

After a few "dates," it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game. Can fighting for what she wants help Lainey figure out what she really needs?

I always wanted to read Sun Szu, but never really get passed the first chapter. But, when I saw The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes, I wanted to read it. I mean, I simply could not ignore the gorgeous cover. Besides, I do love books with coffee/food related. And I thought that maybe I could get through some of Sun Szu wisdom without reading The Art of War ;)

I absolutely adore this book. The story was cute. I enjoyed reading Lainey and Bianca's plan to win Lainey's ex back. It was very interesting to see how they would apply The Art of War by Sun Szu into Lainey's strategy to win Jason back. There were tons of moments that made me laugh out loud. I must admit that I wasn't a fan of Lainey at first what with her attitude. But she grew up on me. It was fun to watch Lainey matured throughout the story. And Micah! He's cute (despite his mohawk appearance) and fun to be with. He's one of the reasons why I love the book so much. Lainey and Micah were so cute together!

The Art of Lainey is definitely a cute, fun and fluffy read. I'm looking forward to read more from the author.

Best of 2014 Giveaway Hop (INT)

Best of 2014 Giveaway Hop

December 11th to 18th

Hosted by Bookhounds & I Am A Reader

I have read lots of interesting books this year. What's your favorite book from 2014? I have many books that I like. But I decided to pick two from my 2014 pile for this giveaway. I'm offering you to choose ONE of the two books from the title below.

Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1) by Danielle Paige

or

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han 

I am going to choose ONE lucky winner from BookDepository.com

Okay. Here's how you can enter this giveaway:

• To enter this giveaway, enter your contact details in the form below.
• You are not required to follow me, but, it would be nice if you follow me via GFC/Goodreads/twitter/Bloglovin' too :)
• This is an International giveaway as long as BookDepository.com ship them to your country.
• One entry per person.
• Winner will be notified via email.  Winners will have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. 
• I'm not responsible for any lost package.
• Have fun and good luck!

Be sure to check out the other giveaway stops on this blog hop:

<!-- end LinkyTools script –>

Review: When by Victoria Laurie

When
by Victoria Laurie

Genre: Crime, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Young Adult
Publication: Jan 13 2015, Disney-Hyperion
Format: ebook
Source: Netgalley
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father’s premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she’s unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?

I wanted to read this book when I saw the author (I have previously read Victoria Laurie's book from the The Psychic Eye Mysteries and liked it) and saw the synopsis. I was intrigued by the idea of how Maddie can see the death day.

Maddie's father died earlier in the story, and Maddie blamed herself, knowing that she could save her father's life with her gift. When she saw the death date of her client's son, she wanted to save him, because part of her felt guilty that she was not able to save her father. But when the boy went missing on the date, Maddie was suddenly a suspect. 

I really like Maddie. She's kind, loyal and brave enough to go through things to prove that she and her friend is innocent. The other supporting characters made the book much more interesting. I really enjoyed the interaction between Maddie and Uncle Donny. I like how he was always looking after Maddie and her mom. And Detective Faraday! He wasn't really my favorite in the beginning, but he wasn't so bad after a while. 

This book pulled me right from the start. Once I start, it was very hard to put down. The pace was perfect and the plot was really great. There were a few twists that I wasn't expecting, but in the end, the book was written up nicely with a cute surprise. It would be awesome if the book could be made into a movie. When, or Death Date by Victoria Laurie is an enjoyable read filled with YA mystery. This is definitely one of the 2015 books you should look forward to. I would definitely recommend When to mystery/paranormal fan.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter #1)
by Megan Shepherd 

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publication: January, 2013 by Balzer + Bray
Format: Paperback, 420 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London, working as a maid and trying to forget the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumours about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he's alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she's determined to find out if the accusations were true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward, Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the secret of her father's new life: He experiments on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans.

Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius - and madness - in her own blood.

The Madman’s Daughter was not the kind of book that I usually read. I didn’t read a lot of horror and I'm not really a fan. But once I see the cover of The Madman's Daughter, and read the synopsis, I knew that I wanted to give this book a try.

Juliet Moreau worked as a cleaning maid in a medical school after her father’s scandal and her mother’s death. When she saw one of her father’s diagrams, she began to investigate it, hoping that her father has returned to London. But she met Montgomery, a servant boy from her childhood. Juliet then convinced Montgomery to take her to her father.

This story was supposed to be inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells. I haven’t read or seen the movie yet. But The Madman’s Daughter was definitely a great read. I like Megan Shepherd’s writing. I admit that I wasn’t really into the book at first. I’m not into horror, and that thing with that rabbit at the beginning was disgusting (poor rabbit!). Besides, I think that the pace was a bit slow for my liking. But after a while, it was hard to put down the book. I’m shocked to find out what Juliet father did on the island. But I love the mysterious surrounding around the island and I am very curious to know what was going to happen to everyone. 

There was a twist at the end of the book that I did not expect. But I still like the book (more than I think I would). I can’t wait to read the next book and find out what will happen to Juliet, next. I would recommend this book to horror/mystery lovers.

Review: Exposure by Kathy Reichs

Exposure (Virals #4)
by Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publication: April 10th 2014 by Arrow
Format: Paperback, 432 pages
Source: Own
Connect to Kathy: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Tory Brennan - great niece of Dr Temperance Brennan - and the Virals return for their most terrifying adventure yet.

Morris Island has barely had a chance to return to normality after the high profile trial of the Gamemaster, when two local students seem to vanish into thin air.

Tory Brennan and the Virals pack, move quickly in their attempts to discover what has happened to their twin classmates. But the pack's canine powers are growing wilder, and it is becoming ever harder to conceal the secret which protects them.

When Tory and her friends find evidence of blood in the students' basement, they realise that the disappearance is no game.

But in order to save the twins, the Virals must risk the exposure of their powers, and in doing so put even their own lives in terrible danger.

I’m excited to see what the Virals are going to face this time. In Exposure, the Virals relationship has changed, since the last event with the Gamemaster, especially between Tory and Ben. It was fascinating to see how the Virals are going to get back together as a pack. 

I must admit that I wasn’t really intrigued by the case of the missing classmate at first. But, the writers did a great job in building the plot. I am excited to see the Virals back with another adventure and danger. Their powers are getting stronger and harder to control. I’m very happy to see Chance Claybourne. He made the story much more interesting. He just won’t stop until he finds out the Virals’ secret, to prove his sanity. 

I have to say that Kathy and Brendan Reichs did a really great job in writing this book. Exposure is packed with excitement! It was very hard to put down the book. I need to find out what happen to the Virals. I love Tory and the Virals. Hi and Shelton never disappoint to humor me. Exposure ended with a brilliant cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read the next book! 

On Tour: The Pursuit of Happiness by Melissa Rae Madison - Excerpt

Melissa Rae Madison is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, The Pursuit of Happiness. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

The Pursuit of Happiness
by Melissa Rae Madison

Genre: Chick Lit
Publication: 2014

Tay Bellagio, a former tomboy from rural Pennsylvania, has finally achieved the life of her dreams, or so she thinks. She’s a successful lawyer for a top law firm in Philadelphia, making more money that she ever imagined. She has a group of dear friends and a loving extended family, and the attractive bartender at the local Irish pub has just asked her on a date. She has everything she wants, except happiness.

Why is Tay so miserable? Maybe it’s her boss, a power-hungry partner at her firm who thrives on humiliating his subordinates. Maybe it’s her friends, who are getting fed up with her diva attitude, or her family, who thinks she’s pulling away from them. Maybe it's the bartender, who thinks she’s shallow. Or maybe it’s because the life of her dreams is becoming a nightmare.

When family obligations and an ethical dilemma at work crumble Tay’s carefully constructed world, she has to take another look at her dreams and ambitions and decide what she wants out of life. And to her surprise, it may not be what she’d planned.

Excerpt

It was Friday, my sweet beautiful Friday, and until Ed called me to his office, I had been in a particularly good mood. The previous weekend after reading a self-help article in a magazine aimed at working women (hey, that's me!) I had written a list of positive affirmations meant to improve my attitude, which admittedly is generally pretty crappy: "I have a satisfying job that is perfect for me" and "I'm in control of my thoughts and emotions."

So far it seemed to be working, as I'd gotten through the week without a nervous breakdown (a significant victory, in my view). It had been a calm week at Morris, Cramton & Watson and I was lulled into a false sense of security. Friday had been one of those serendipitous days when everything went right. It was such a nice day that I even ate lunch in the break room with a couple of my co-workers instead of sitting in the plaza outside our building and soaking up the city air as I do most days, in an attempt to get stoned enough on exhaust fumes to make it through the afternoon.

Naturally Ed had to spoil it all by calling me to his office, no doubt with some nefarious scheme in mind. While Ed ignored me by pretending to read his email, I tried not to hyperventilate, and went back to my repeating my positive affirmations to myself. I dropped "I have a satisfying job...." because I was pretty sure that charade wasn't going to hold up for more than another ten or twenty seconds. Instead I went with "I'm in control of my thoughts and emotions...I'm in control of my thoughts and emotions...I'm-"
"Are you aware that the deadline for filing a motion to compel is today?" Ed asked, swinging around in his chair to face me across his cluttered desk.

My mind raced and I was no longer in control of my thoughts and emotions.

Motion to compel? What is he talking about? Did I screw up? What did I screw up? Oh my god I'm going to get fired and I don't even know what's going on.

"I don't know what you mean," I squeaked. I hated the sound of my own voice. I wanted to slap that weak, cowering girl whose voice trembled and whose eyes were already starting to water.

Ed's bushy eyebrows shot up in mock surprise.

"You don't know what I mean." This was a statement, not a question. "You are, of course, aware of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. You have, in fact, conducted discovery. I would assume that you know what a motion to compel is." He pushed a couple of stacks of paper around, managing to knock one over completely.

I tried to collect myself and go on the offensive, but it was a losing proposition.

" I meant, what case?"

"What case? The case with a motion due today," he said. Ed was perfectly calm and I felt like Alice at a tea party.

Is he insane? Of course he's insane. The question is, am I?

"There aren't any motions due today," I stated with as much conviction as I could muster, which was somewhat less than zero. I focused on the huge stain on his collar and tried to guess what it was. Ketchup? Strawberry jam? The blood of the last associate to sit in this chair? I shivered and wondered if he'd chosen maroon upholstery to hide blood stains.

"Incorrect. The Samson motion is due today and I haven't seen your draft," he said.

"Samson?"

Now I was completely confused. Yes, we had been conducting discovery in the Samson case for quite some time. We had served the plaintiff with interrogatories and requests for production, which is a lawyer's fancy way of saying we asked some questions and asked them to give us some documents. Opposing counsel in the Samson case had been more forthcoming than lawyers usually are when responding to discovery, practically handing us the keys to Mr. Samson's office and inviting us in for a little look-see. Neither party disagreed on any of the relevant facts and Mr. Samson had very few documents relating to the case whatsoever. As far as discovery goes, this case had been a piece of cake.

"Yes, the Samson motion to compel is due today," Ed said patiently, as if he were talking to a very small child or perhaps some sort of barnyard animal.

"But..." I knew the minute I said it that I was digging my grave even deeper, but I couldn't seem to shut myself up. "They responded in full to our discovery. They gave us everything."

"Oh really?"

Again with the eyebrows. Someone needs to teach him how to perform some basic brow maintenance. The look might have worked for Albert Einstein, but it did nothing for Ed.

"And how do you know they gave us everything? Can you read the plaintiff's mind?"

The little spark left in me wanted to make some wisecrack about mind reading but all I could manage to sputter was, "Uh, no. I guess not."

"Correct," Ed barked. "I want that motion on my desk in one hour."

My stomach twisted and dropped. I turned blindly and bolted from the room before I could burst into tears. Being humiliated has a way of turning on my internal waterworks and there was no way I was going to give Ed the satisfaction of crying in front of him.

Author Bio:

Melissa Rae Madison, a partially reformed lawyer, is formerly from Pennsylvania but now lives in sunny Southern California, where she regularly laments the scarcity of really good cannoli. When she's not writing or lawyering, she enjoys reality tv marathons, sugary cereal, and being bossed around by her pushy Siamese cat.

Review: The Wish List by Jane Costello

The Wish List
by Jane Costello

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Humor
Publication: April 2013, Simon & Schuster UK
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

There are six months left of Emma Reiss's twenties. . . and she has some unfinished business.

Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it's a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she'd imagined she would.

Her career is all wrong, her love life is a desert and that penthouse apartment she pictured herself in simply never materialised. Moreover, she's never jumped out of a plane, hasn't met the man she's going to marry, has never slept under the stars, or snogged anyone famous - just some of the aspirations on a list she and her friends compiled fifteen years ago.

As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences, some of them are trickier to tick off than she'd thought…

Emma found a list  of things she wanted to do before she turned 30 and decided to achieve things on her list within six months before her big birthday.

I always love Jane Costello’s books. Her writing was very easy to get into and her characters are very likeable. Emma was no different. I love her right from the start and enjoyed her adventure to achieve things on her list. I love Emma and Matt’s chemistry. Their relationship at the beginning was absolutely funny! I thought that this book would be focusing more on Emma completing her wish list, but I guess it was more than that. While Emma did tick off  the things on her list (not all of them),it was great to see how Emma grew up just a little bit at the end of the story. 

The Wish List was a good chick lit read with fun plot and laugh out loud humor. Totally recommended for chick lit fans.

Review: Paris Cravings by Kimberley Montpetit

Paris Cravings
by Kimberley Montpetit

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary
Publication: February, 2014 by Spellbound Book
Format: Kindle Edition, 205 pages
Source: eBooks for Review
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Can life really turn on a dime,
a missed bus—
or a stuck pastry shop door?

Chloe Dillard’s life has always been complicated. Her mother is a neurotic romance novelist and her boyfriend, Mathew, has been pressuring her to go “all the way”—even as one of her own best friends offers to accommodate him.

But after The Worst Night of Her Life, Chloe escapes on her Senior Class trip to the swoon-worthy city of Paris which takes her mind off her troubles—temporarily. On the final leg of her dream trip, Chloe squeezes in one final run for a last-minute box of decadent pastries. Add a stuck door, subtract a broken four-inch heel from her cute strappy sandals, and Chloe ends up one stuck girl on the bakery shop floor with a sprained ankle.

Rescued by the shop owner’s dreamy son with chocolate-syrup eyes, the beautiful city of Paris suddenly becomes Chloe’s personal secret adventure. And even though Jean-Paul, the oh-so-kind La Patisserie shop boy is the gentlemanly guy Chloe has always dreamed of, even he has a girlfriend.

The police are tracking her down as a run-away, Mom’s having a nervous breakdown over her daughter’s “disappearance”, and Chloe’s just trying to have a Happily-Ever-After even as her dreams with Matt are swirling down the drain.

Could being lost in the city of Paris be just what the doctor ordered? What’s a girl to do in the most romantic city in the world?

I just cannot resist a book with delicious pastries. Especially when the book is set in Paris. And the book cover is just adorable!

Chloe is going to make a big decision about her relationship with her boyfriend, Mathew after she went back from her trip to Paris with her French class. But Chloe missed her tour bus when she decided to take a last minute trip to her favorite Patisserie shop in Paris. She is stuck in the Patisserie shop with a sprained ankle. That is when the shop owner’s son, Jean-Paul rescued her. 

I love Chloe. She’s a sweet and funny girl. But there are times when I just wanted to shake some senses into her, especially when Mathew was involved. I love Chloe’s obsession with French pastries. I wish I was in a Patisserie shop in Paris, devouring those delicious pastries like beignets.  Jean-Paul is absolutely dreamy. He’s the kind of boy I imagined a French boy would be. The relationship between Chloe and Jean-Paul was short. But really sweet. I enjoy reading their adventure and trips in Paris. The author did a great job in describing Paris and pastries!

Overall, I’m in love with this book. Paris Cravings is definitely a delicious read with humor and cute romance.

I received a copy of this book from the author/eBooks for Review in exchange for an honest review.