Review: THIS LULLABY by Sarah Dessen

Title: This Lullaby

Author: Sarah Dessen

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Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: March 8, 2004
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She's got it all figured out.

Or does she? When it comes to relationships, Remy's got a whole set of rules.

Never get too serious. Never let him break your heart. And never, ever date a musician.

But then Remy meets Dexter, and the rules don't seem to apply anymore.

Could it be that she's starting to understand what all those love songs are about?

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"I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't."

I enjoyed this one. Not as much as I did my first Sarah Dessen book but it was still good. Light and humorous. I just couldn't connect with the heroine unfortunately. But I absolutely loved Dexter and John Miller because these two are so adorable and quirky and hilarious. Truth Squad, Dexter's band, was the highlight of this book for me. Dexter's dog, Monkey, was also a hoot.

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: KISSING MADELINE by Lex Martin

Title: Kissing Madeline
Author: Lex Martin

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Series: Dearest #3

Release Date: April 27, 2015

Cover Designed by Krista Ritchie

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What's the worst thing about wanting a sexy NFL football player? Everyone else wants him, too.

After catching my boyfriend gettign deep-throated by a skanky cage girl, I've learned my lesson—never date a professional athlete. Never. Besides, I have more important things to worry about, like not blowing my shot to make it as a broadcast reporter. I won't let anything get in my way, not even the new "it boy" of the NFL and my hot-as-hell neighbor.

What's the worst thing about getting death glares from his new neighbor? It doesn't make him want her any less.

I've worked my ass off to make it to the pros. The last thing I need is the complication of a relationship, especially since my last one was a total train wreck. But I can't stop thinking about the feisty girl next door with the smart mouth. And I'd love nothing more than to show her what to do with that mouth.

Friends with benefits might be the best idea he's ever had. Or the worst.

Review: Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publication Date: February 28, 2008

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To find the truth, you've got to be willing to hear it.

When she's modeling, Annabel is the picture of perfection.

But her real life is far from perfect.

Fortunately, she's got Owen. He's intense, music-obsessed, and dedicated to always telling the truth.

And most of all, he's determined to make Annabel happy...

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"But being nice wasn't as easy as it seemed, especially when the rest of the world could be so mean."

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Just, wow. Powerful, touching, down right emotional. There are two elements that I absolutely love in any book: an emphasis on family and character development. This book had those in spades. The story was beautifully written and, in my opinion, the flow was spot on.

The title, Just Listen, fits this story to a tee and is told in the pov of Annabel Greene, the youngest of three sisters. She lives in a modern styled home known as The Glass House, exposing them to their neighbors and passersby. From the outside, the Greene family seems perfect. Annabel was known for being in TV commercials and was dubbed as the girl who had it all. That was far from the truth. Her friendship with her best friends, Clarke and Sophie, had ended badly which left her isolated. Her sisters had moved out together and didn't call home much which left Annabel alone. She didn't have anyone to confide in so she bottled up her thoughts. When she was with her family, it was apparent how her parents would shield her from family problems and push her opinions aside because of her age. All Annabel ever did was do what she was told and listen.

I liked Annabel. I liked her loyalty to her family. I understood her decisions. She was being bullied at school but she didn't want to burden her family by telling them so. She wanted to stop modeling but she didn't want to hurt her mother's feelings. She was hiding a secret from everyone because she was scared. Just Listen was realistic. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship between Kirsten and Whitney, Annabel's sisters. They had a fall-out ever since Whitney was forced to move back home. They hardly spoke to one another. Their character growth as individuals was poignant and I cried my eyes out when they made up. Not one to inject herself into situations, Annabel quietly observed her sisters from the side. The narrative was so descriptive and thought provoking, throughout the entire book really, and it made my heart ache (in a good way).

"Music is the great uniter. An incredible force.

Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common."

Annabel's growth wasn't as awe-inspiring as her sisters but I still really enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell after meeting Owen. He was the broody, lonely guy at school who was always listening to music. Their friendship developed slowly but sweetly. Owen had a rule to always be honest and Annabel couldn't even fathom being so. His obsession with music was endearing. I loved that he tried to get her to be more open-minded about the different genres of music. I LOVED HIM. He was such a warmhearted guy and an incredibly wonderful brother. His interactions with his younger sister, Mallory, had me smiling wide. I loved that Annabel could be the "older sister" when it came to Mallory and you can see another side to her that's doesn't come out in her own home. The secondary characters made this book just as much as the main characters. And it's those kinds of stories that I find more believable and sucks you right in.

I gave Just Listen 5 stars for the story. It's very much a story of family and self-discovery in my opinion. The romance was subtle and sweet. I loved that it highlighted the importance of trust and communication, that you shouldn't be so quick to judge someone based on their appearance or demeanor. I highly recommend this book to all YA contemporary lovers. It was my first Sarah Dessen book and I must say, she hit this one out of the park. I cannot wait to read more of her work!

"Don't think or judge. Just listen."

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Rolly

Owen's best friend. Rolly was great comic relief and adorable.

I loved that you got to see his own romance bloom, I was cheering for him the entire time.

Review: FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publication Date: September 10, 2013

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Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

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"The whole point of fan fiction is that you get to play inside somebody else's universe."

Fangirl was my first Rainbow Rowell read and boy did I enjoy it! Wonderful and endearing. This is the kind of book that many book lovers can relate to, especially to the heroine Cath. Helpful and caring. She immersed herself in all things Simon Snow, a popular book series, and was dedicated to writing Simon Snow fanfiction. Cath was a great, genuine character.

One thing I loved about Fangirl was how all the chapters started with a passage from either the Simon Snow books or from Cath's fanfiction stories. The passages often reflected the tone of the next chapter. It was almost like a sneak peak into what was expected! Another part of the book I enjoyed was seeing the personality contrast between Cath and her twin sister, Wren. They used to be fanfiction writing partners and each other's best friend. Wren however, wanting to live it up as a freshman, tried her hardest to separate herself from Simon Snow and Cath. I didn't like Wren. I could see why she'd wanted to be more of an individual but she could have done it gradually! My heart hurt so much whenever Cath thought or worried about her sister when Wren probably didn't give a rat's bottom at the time. Gah. But I was happy to see Cath slowly come out of her shell as the story progressed. In a way though, I guess it was thanks to Wren.

"Underneath this veneer of slighly crazy and socially inept, I'm a complete disaster."

Unlike Wren, Cath continued writing fanfic. She was determined to complete her story, "Carry On", before the final book in the Simon Snow series released. She had a passion for writing and even enrolled in a Fiction Writing class, which she thoroughly enjoyed and excelled in. When she received a zero on one of her assignments, Cath couldn't understand why. I felt so bad for her during that scene! I definitely understood Cath's argument, seeing as it was technically her work even if the characters weren't. To hear the professor tell Cath that it was plagiarism though...ouch. But I loved that the moment really pushed her out of her comfort zone (Simon Snow) and in helped improve her fiction writing skills.

In my opinion, the highlight of Fangirl was most definitely Levi *cue swoons*. He was incredibly friendly and easy-going. I couldn't help but smile whenever he was in the picture. He was always asking Cath to read parts of her fanfic to him and I thought that was so sweet of him. Levi is the kind of guy that says hello to everyone, whether he knows them or not. I loved seeing Cath coming out of her shell around him. And how he would walk her home from the library. Besides one part that made me want to punch him in the gut, he was all kinds of wonderful! I'll certainly be picking up another of Ms. Rowell's books soon <3

"Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy...
It's the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for."

Extras: Character Casting

Review: SCORING WILDER by R.S. Grey

Title: Scoring Wilder

Author: R.S. Grey

Standalone
Publication Date: June 15, 2014
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What started out as a joke—seduce Coach Wilder—soon became a goal she had to score.

With Olympic tryouts on the horizon, the last thing nineteen-year-old Kinsley Bryant needs to add to her plate is Liam wilder. He's a professional soccer player, America's favorite bad-boy, and has all the qualities of a skilled panty-dropper.

A face that makes girls week - check.
Abs that can shred Parmesan cheese (the expensive kind) - check.
Enough confidence to shift the earth's gravitational pull - double check.

Not to mention Liam is strictly off limits. Forbidden. Her coaches have made that perfectly clear. (i.e. "Score with Coach Wilder anywhere other than the field and you'll be cut from the team faster than you can count his tattoos.") But that just makes him all the more enticing...Besides, Kinsley's already counted the visible ones, and she is not one to leave a project unfinished.

Kinsley tries to play the game her way as they navigate through forbidden territory, but Liam is determined to teach her a whole new definition for the term "team bonding."

A fun & sexy New Adult Romance (age 17+)

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"She believed she could, so she did."

Scoring Wilder was an amusing and fun read. There just wasn't as much depth to the story and characters as I would've liked. It was incredibly cute though. And I did think that R.S. Grey did a wonderful job writing realistic first-year university students with how they speak and act. Most times, I imagine these stories are set in some alternate universe but for Scoring Wilder, I could definitely see myself bumping into these characters on the street, like they were written as part of my world.  It was probably due to all the movie and celebrity references, which I absolutely loved (that Harry Potter themed hazing was very creative lol)!

Kinsley's dream is to play in the Olympics. A rising soccer-star, she enrolled into her first year of university where she plays first-string for the ULA women's soccer team. She quickly becomes best friends with two of her teammates, Becca and Emily. They made for some hilarious dialogue (especially Becca)! Kinsley was sarcastic and driven. Her inner monologues had me giggling. After having been cheated on by two boyfriends, she wants nothing more than to focus on improving her soccer skills. That is, until Liam Wilder steps in as the assistant coach.

I wasn't a fan of Kinsley's but I was cheering and swooning over Liam like a mad woman (I have a weakness for soccer players). It was instant attraction between the two but both are hesitant to start any sort of relationship besides coach and player. Plus, there's a no fraternizing rule that the head coach made. Liam was charming and funny. And his gigantic sweet tooth was endearing. It didn't take long for them to give in to their attraction though.

"Kinsley: What if there are photographers?
Liam: I'll make sure there aren't any.
Kinsley: Did you just make me an accomplice in their murders?
Liam: My bad. Delete this text."

I really enjoyed their scenes together but I would have loved it had I known why they were so into each other. Yes, they both play soccer. And yes, they both kick-ass at it. But what else? When their relationship was at risk, Kinsley pretty much ran away. To be honest, I wanted her to grovel some more before Liam took her back. Once they were officially together, the sweetness and cheesiness was great and I was back to loving them.

Oh, I musn't forget about Tara, ULA women's soccer team captain. She's the villain of this story. I actually thought she felt threatened by Kinsley in terms of her soccer skills. Tara was always focusing her bullying on Kinsley and her friends. It only got worse when Liam took an interest in Kinsley. Turns out Tara had a thing for Liam but he turned her down. She frustrated and annoyed me to no end.

Overall, if you're just looking for a book that's light with some steam and tons of laugh out loud moments, I'd give this one a shot.

"I'd say I like you more than regular M&Ms, but you're going to have to really step it up 
if you want to beat out peanut M&Ms."

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Becca

She was a fantastic secondary character!

I actually liked her much more than Kinsley.

Funny, loud and outgoing. 

I especially loved that you got to read about her blooming romance with Penn.

Drive-in movie

"I hate not being able to take you on real dates, so I wanted to make it special,"

he admitted, then followed with, "I also just really like candy."

I need a Liam Wilder in my life, period.

Review: THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Katja Millay

Title: The Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay

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Publication Date: November 13, 2012
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Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone earning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett's story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is to be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won't go away until she's insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she's been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

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“I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.”

WOW. This book was B-E-A-UTIFUL. The Sea of Tranquility tells us the story of Nastya Kashnikov who, after a tragic event, leaves her family to move in with her aunt Margot. She wears a mask in the form of heavy make-up and revealing clothes to keep her past a secret. She eventually meets Josh Bennett who she notices IS avoided and left alone by the other students. I was intrigued from the very beginning by how mysterious both Nastya and Josh seemed to be.

“At the age when most kids are trying to figure out who they are, I was busy trying to figure out why I was. I didn’t belong in this world anymore.”

I really liked Nastya. She had a sense of humor considering how her life got turned upside-down. What I found interesting about Nastya was that she had a hobbie of collecting names and finding their meanings. Nastya, rebirth and resurrection.

I loved Josh. He had a quite demeanor and was constantly woodworking or thinking about it. The only social interaction he really had was with Drew, his wonderful best friend, and Drew's family. I loved that he watches soap operas for his mother, drinks tea and takes the time to make a table or a bookcase just to give as gifts. I'm glad this book was told in dual POVs because it was through his narrating that I came to understand and fall for him. Josh, salvation.

I'll be honest. The very first time Nastya showed up at his house and just sat down to see what he was doing, I was confused at what she was doing. That's certainly how Josh felt. But when they started falling into a routine of doing woodwork in his garage, it felt normal. Two lonely souls finding comfort in each other's company. He was the only one Nastya would talk to.

“You are so pretty that one of these days I’m going to lose a finger in my garage because I can’t concentrate with you so close to me.”

There were a good number of wonderful secondary characters in this book (like Clay, what a sweetheart). But I like to think it was because of Drew that they became friends to start with and that Josh could admit his feelings for her. The build-up of Nastya and Josh's relationship was perfect, and the pacing was steady. Every moment in his garage made my heart get all warm and fuzzy.

When she reverted back to her old (but not old-old) self, I wanted to cry! I thought she was making such progress. But what was worse was what she was so close to doing at the party Drew took her to. It only got worse when they went to Josh's after it! MY HEART DURING THAT SCENE. OMG. I was really close to throwing my book. I was relieved that they didn't kiss and make up right away after that emotional tornado though. The separation made it more real.

And those last two words of the book... It was like the clouds parted and everything started making sense. It was fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it. They were just meant to be.

“Every day you save me.”

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Drew Leighton

How can you not love this guy? He's such a wonderful friend, to both Josh and Nastya.

Three reasons why I adore him:

1. He has a big heart

 2. He  always tries to ease any tension in a room

3. He's a mama's boy

The Chair
"He hasn't given me a place to sit. He's given me a place to belong."
When she checked underneath and saw the engraving (45%),
I squealed and clapped my hands with a huge grin on my face.
IMO, this was the turning point in their relationship.

Extras: Character Casting

Review: DEAREST CLEMENTINE by Lex Martin

Title: Dearest Clementine

Authors: Lex Martin

Dearest #1
Publication Date: May 25, 2014
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Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn't mind being called bitchy and closed off. It's safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.

Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out...in the name of research, of course.

As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart's at stake...and maybe even her life.

**DEAREST CLEMENTINE is a stand-alone novel with two companion novels. This New Adult romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.

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         "I want us to have a future, I want you to be mine, and I'm willing to wait as long as you need to get there."

LOVED IT. Dearest Clementine is the debut novel of author Lex Martin, and boy did she debut with a bang. This book had a little bit of everything. There was humor, angst, mystery and drama. The plot was unique and the character interactions all enjoyable.

The story is told in the POV of our heroine, Clem. She's awesome. Intelligent, funny, independent and strong-minded. She's an indie author who published one hit book under a pen name during her freshman year.

"I don't need make-believe when real life is more fucked up. Especially my life."

With a history of uncaring parents, a cheating ex and stalker problems, Clem doesn't trust others easily and constantly avoids the dating scene. While trying to find inspiration for a new novel, she meets sexy RA, Gavin Murphy. He's a complete gentleman and plays the guitar (*swoon* I'm a sucker for musicians!). Oh, and he has a nerdy sense of humor which I loved! When Clem mistakenly signs up for a romance writing course, Gavin offers his assistance in helping with her writing assignments. All I can say is that I have a new appreciation for the stacks at the university library!

"Where I'm uptight and anxious, he's cool and collected. Where I often feel lost and aimless, he's focused and driven."

Aside from our awesome hero and heroine, we also have quite a group of wonderful secondaries. Kade was one that didn't stand out much at the beginning but slowly had me warming up to him as the story progressed. The only one I had conflicted feelings about was Daren, Jax's best friend (Jax is Clem's hot soccer player twin brother). It may take me a bit to get over what he did, but we'll see how my feelings change in the next book of the series.

"In romance, the sex comes secondary to love. Sex might be part of it, but it's really about the bigger story of growth."

Overall, Dearest Clementine is a fantastic read, highly recommended! There was just the right amount of a "slow burn" in Clem and Gavin's relationship and the mystery/suspense aspect of the story was well written too. I cannot wait to start Jax's book! 

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Jenna
I want her as a friend. Period.
Mainly because she's hilarious but she's such a sweet person too.
Oh, she's also an Out-Skank master!

'Golden Girl'
If Gavin were to serenade me with a song written specifically for me,
I'd melt and throw myself at him. End of story.

Extras: Character Casting, Gavin edit, 'The Stacks' edit