Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Wallbanger
Alice Clayton

Genre: Adult Romance
Publication date: May 7th 2013
by Simon & Schuster Audio

The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she’s gaining an—um—intimate knowledge of her new neighbor’s nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy’s athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed “dating hiatus,” and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly. . . .

-An audiobook was provided by Simon & Schuster Audio for review-

Within the first 5 minutes of this audiobook I was sure I'd made a very bad decision. The narrator was so extremely into conveying what she was hearing next door that I closed my window fearing the neighbors would hear what I'm sure sounded like crazy sexcapades. But then the meowing started, and I almost peed my pants! Yep - you have my heart if you can make me laugh!

Wallbanger is, well, about a wall banger <-- some genius deductions at work! Caroline who has just moved to this new apartment is quickly finding out that her neighbor is a little... this guy can make a girl meow, that's all I'm saying! This book is more a comedy than steamy romance, though. I mean we hear some craziness going on next door and we get some hot scenes eventually but the whole book is a serious case of comedic sexual tension. With Caroline's loud personality and Simon's sense of humor, there is a lot of entertainment stemming from their relationship, not to mention through the rough chemistry, but you have to have patience. A lot of patience. Which I don't really have. The characters are well fleshed out with definite striking personalities - even the side characters had me smirking. So it's a fun ride to see them meet, make fun of each others' business, flirt, tease - which is followed by more teasing, more flirting, more teasing, etc, etc. Eventually I realized I'd lost some interest. Now I will admit that adult romances are not my forte, so I'm not especially surprised that I enjoyed this less than those who drool on this genre, however it was still a good audiobook. Actually I think the audio made this book even funnier because the narrator was amazing with all of her hilarious sound effects. Not one I'd listen to without ear-buds, but I'm pretty sure I liked this more on audio than I would have otherwise.

To get back to the main character for a minute, Caroline has a little trouble with her O lately. Well - it's gone. She's come to think of this lost O as its own character. She talks to it, we see her plead and get pissed at it. This was pretty funny at the beginning because just realizing she was talking to her O like it was a person made me giggle. She even calls it a bitch at one point, but aside from those few funny bits I mostly found it cheesy. Like forced humor. Or maybe I've been desensitized from Sex and the City? I did, though, love Caroline's cat! This little fella is adorable and all kinds of crazy for Purina (the meowing sex lady- duh!)! I think this was a nice touch to the book - he even gets his own POV for a chapter at the end which is hilarious!

While I did enjoy this book for the most part - some I even loved - I simply was not the right genre reader for it. Wallbanger does have a lot of heart, a swoony guy, and a happy ending - all the makings of an instant hit for any adult romance fanatic!

3 Hot Espressos

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths
K.A. Tucker

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date: May 14th 2013
by Simon & Schuster Audio

After a terrible car accident destroys her life as she knew it, twenty-year-old Kacey escapes to Florida, where she encounters an irresistible man determined to capture her wounded heart.

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes, deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both of their worlds

-A audiobook copy was provided by Simon & Schuster Audio for review-

Am I maybe getting tired of New Adult a bit? Although I don't feel I've read that many, I did read the top of the crop first. Ten Tiny Breaths was far from a bad book, I just can't say it's one of my favorites. The main - and really only - problem was that I got bored with the storyline that seemed to go nowhere for a while.

One thing to note in this New Adult novel is how the setting is not at college - or at any school - like most. Kacey is skipping college to be able to take care of her little sister after her parents died in a car accident. I found this gave a fresh standpoint; Kacey needs to become completely independent, if not for herself then for her sister. I loved this girl instantly. Kacey comes off as a hard shell but she didn't fool me; she can take care of herself and is a far cry from a damsel in distress, but she uses her tough, sarcastic attitude to hide her pain. The shabby apartment she found is turned into a surprisingly cozy home that quickly fills with great secondary characters. There's the hot neighbor for one. Then there's Storm... Another neighbor of theirs, Storm shows up with her daughter and porn star body in tow and weaves herself into Kacey's life. She's initially portrayed as a flighty stripper, but ends up becoming an important and solid player in this book. Storm's daughter, Mia, is just the cherry on top of this unorthodox family.

The romance in the book took a bit to convince me, especially when I looked at it from Kacey's point of view. For someone so emotionally withdrawn, she fell for Trent's charm very easily - and continually. Furthermore, Trent was leaning especially close to creepy stalker for a while, sitting in a club staring at her on a nightly basis. I don't know if this was supposed to make me swoon but I didn't find it especially appealing. At least they do have great chemistry which made their interactions fun to read nonetheless. And it did grow on me, whereas by the end I was completely invested in this frustrating relationship. *shrugs* What can I say?

My problems with this novel lay in the plot itself. I did love the stages of grief approach, and I was really enjoying the book during the first part, but then I realized I was thoroughly bored of waiting for something - anything - to unfold. Most of the book is used as a dramatic foreboding for an impending mental breakdown that we all know is coming. It felt like Kacey's behavior and inner musings were mostly used to make what's coming as tragic as possible. Even though there are fantastic characters to give the book a lot of liveliness, I still had the urge to press fast-forward on this audiobook at times. Once the lull is over, however, and even though I had predicted the twist chapters ago, the last part is so powerfully moving it makes it worth the wait. I was broken by Kacey's situation. Her grief bleeds through so much it's hard to bear. Some parts and reactions are a little extreme but I let that pass for how much emotional depth was put into it. If I have to believe it, at least let me feel it!

Ten Tiny Breaths is emotionally poignant and filled with animated characters that are easy to adore. The audiobook narrator was also great. I wish it would have kept my interest more towards the middle, but that aside, it's a beautiful, heartbreaking story.

3 Hot Espressos

Review: If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

If I Were You
Lisa Renee Jones

Series: Inside Out Trilogy #1
Genre: Adult Romance
Publication date: March 12th 2013
by Simon & Schuster

When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she’s shocked and enthralled by the life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer—until the terrifying final entry. Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca’s life. Soon she’s working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca’s friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she’s going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she’s not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more.

-An audiobook was provided by Simon & Schuster Audio for review-

As my first Adult Romance novel on audiobook I was a little unsure of what to expect. In the end I'm glad I tried it; it was a pretty good book and the narrator was fantastic. Being an audiobook had me especially concerned, I mean, there were ways this could have been a complete disaster with a lot of giggling on my part and embarrassment for the narrator's sake, but there was none of that. She didn't reenact the sexy scenes with awkward moaning or anything of the sort. It was no different than reading the words off the pages, really. She was great at bringing the character's voice to life, though.

This was a romance through and through, and thus a little out of my comfort zone as adult romances are not something I read very often at all. But I can't say I disliked much of it. I did find the plot was slow moving, concentrating more on Sara's flourishing relationship with Chris. So, as a romance alone it was great. Chemistry between these two is insurmountable. Although I both liked and disliked their relationship, which is odd, I know. On one hand they were everything each other needed, but on the other hand it was all a big control competition. Chris could be a little intense, making it hard to see the good in him, but he wasn't a complete asshole either. I guess I'm saying he's a hard character to decipher. I think it's what makes it hard for Sara to fully lend her trust to him, making her a little testy at times. Chris is not the only man in her life (no worries--no love triangle!). There's also Mark, her boss, who is equally mysterious. He gives off this dangerous vibe but he seems to want what's best for Sara so it's mixed signals all over the place. Intriguing though: he absolutely is! I was also especially curious by Sara's best friend who suddenly runs off to elope some random dude. That whole thing seems bizarre to me so I think something ominous is brewing which could be kind of awesome.

The plot is there in between the romance somewhere. After Sara finds some journals left in a storage units, she becomes privy to a very hot and… dark relationship by its writer, Rebecca--a mysterious woman who has since disappeared. Sara is set to find her; little does she know that her life is about to intertwine with Rebecca's own. This was very interesting from the get-go--probably my favorite part of the book. What we encounter in these journals is pretty sinister, leading the way for what could be an exciting mystery. However, we barely get anywhere in this particular storyline at all which is disappointing. We do get bits and pieces, but it's barely grazing the surface. When something big does happen, of course it's the cliffhanger! GAH! Being an audiobook I had no notion of how long there was left in the novel, catching me especially off guard; when the ending music started I wanted to cry! I think I even gasped out loud. It was a great cliffhanger for sure, and I secretly love them (when they're well done) so I will, without a doubt, be thinking about it until I can get my hands on the sequel!

If I Were You is scorching hot, dark and mysterious but plot wise it didn't progress enough for the anticipation it built up. Like I said though, this was my first steamy adult novel, so… maybe they're not really supposed to have that much plot progression? Dunno. If I rated it purely on the steamy side it would get a 4 (and ok the cliffhanger, too), but as a whole I felt like it wasn't enough.

3 Hot Espressos

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay
Gayle Forman

Series: If I Stay #1
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: April 2nd 2009
by Dutton Juvenile

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

A powerfully emotional novel, If I Stay is a journey through life and death, in the eyes of a young girl who has lost just about everything.

After a disastrous car accident, Mia finds herself looking down at her own battered body, barely alive. This is one case where, immediately, you get a feel of who these people are, their realness, the love they have for each other. With only a few minutes of getting to know them before the accident, I already felt a connection with Mia and her whole family, turning an already emotional novel into a gutting one. Mia's loss and grief is tangible through Gayle's effortless writing style. It's a tragic tale of unimaginable life changing loss that will make you thankful for everything and everyone you have in life.

This novel is not a story, there is not even a plot per se; in short, it is a chronicle of Mia's life. While she's lost in this sort of limbo, we relive her life with her. She sends us through the ups and downs of her past years. Her relationship, fun family anecdotes, talents, dreams, everything she has ever had, and everyone she can still lose. Mostly, you can see how fast a life full of potential can be changed so drastically. You know that even if she does get through this, nothing will ever be the same. She will not be the same person that we're being introduced to. Through her stories and her time at the hospital, we also get to know other people in her life who love her so fully that you feel their pain for Mia's uncertain future. What got me the most emotional was not Mia's reminiscing, but the reactions to others towards her. There's an especially powerful scene with her grandfather that… ugh *clutches chest*. It shows exactly how talented Gayle is; to be able to render so much sympathy for characters you have only just met, in a book with a mere 200 pages at that, that is some outstanding writing. This is not just Mia's story, it includes everyone that has touched her life as well.

Brilliantly written with as much love as there is sorrow, with as much life as there is death, If I Stay shows us the importance of family and friends that, together, make up our lives. A must read that I would recommend for all fans of YA contemporary novels such as Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall.

Audiobook note: I wasn't the biggest fan of the music between certain chapters, but the narrator was truly amazing. Her voice authenticated all the emotions coming off of Mia wonderfully. A+!

Cover Blurb Note: "It will appeal to fans of Twilight" O_O This book is not even close to being anything like Twilight in any way!

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One
Ernest Cline

Genre: YA Dystopian
Publication date: April 2nd 2013
by Poppy

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

When you read dystopian after dystopian you realize that most of them are more or less the same, so it's extremely refreshing to come upon one who truly stands out from all the rest. Ready Player One is probably one of the coolest dystopian/sci fi stories I've ever read, and it's sure to amaze any pop culture fan, especially those who have lived through the 70s and 80s.

Ready Player One brings us into such a unique world that it's hard to not become fascinated by it all. This world involves being able to live your life--school, work, etc--through a virtual universe where you decide what you look like, who you are. Think of it like suddenly living inside your favourite RPG game. This includes being able to travel from world to world, level your character, and farm for items. What's the most exciting, though, is how for years and years, people have been looking for a certain easter egg--a key to billions! How's that for a competition? When the novel begins we're immediately thrown into this premise where we learn exactly what this world is, who is behind this hunt, why, and what's at stake. Even though it's a lot of information thrown at us, I never felt overwhelmed, my eyes simply grew wider and wider with each passing minute. As someone who has enjoyed her fair share of RPGs, it was a whole lot of fun to imagine this kind of life! You don't need to have been a gamer to enjoy this novel, but if you are, and if you catch a lot of 80s references which have to be amongst the hundreds, then you'll have just a little more appreciation for it.

The egg hunt revolves around a man obsessed with the 80s, thus we get unlimited mentions of 80s pop culture in this book. The sheer amount of it amazed me, actually, and I wonder just how many hours Mr Cline spent on research for just this one book. Even though I only really got maybe 50%, if that. of all the references, I was still lost in a 1980s nostalgia filled with movies, music, and video games. Built around these, the egg hunt lets us explore Oasis, a virtual universe that Cline builds until it comes alive before your eyes. I could not only see myself walking this world, but I was left pondering what exactly I would decide to look like. In a world where you can be anybody, would you change your appearance? Your size? Your race? Even your sex? It was a lot of fun to think about.

The best side to this book for me, however, was Wade itself. Narrated by Wil Wheaton who did a fantastic job tuning into this character and bringing him to life, Wade Watts is your average teenage outcast who likes to lose himself in obsessing over this game, while simultaneously escaping his pathetic trailer park life. Wade tells us the story of how he became a legend, and right from the start I found myself easily connecting with his witty personality. While he does make mistakes along the way, his perfectly flawed nature makes his character and this whole journey very compelling. He's intelligent, no question, but he gets ahead of himself, learns a few life lessons, falls in love; showing us that he's human above all else. This is character development at its best! He's not alone through this process either, we meet characters who are, or become, Wade's loyal friends in this hunt. Having a common enemy will bring people closer and I loved seeing the sincere integrity of some of these other players. In the end it shows how important it is to lean on others to help, instead of greedily trying to go through it alone. This is something we see during Wade's transformation in this story. He starts off as an introvert with self esteem problems, and comes out a true hero.

Ready Player One is not a mindless read, it's a book you read when you want a sharp, intelligent, and imaginative read. Ultimately. it's a puzzle that will blow every pop culture fan's mind!

4 Hot Espressos

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars
John Green

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: January 10th 2012
by Dutton Books

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

My first John Green book y'all! It was about time I checked out what everyone was going on about with this author. I've, of course, heard of many of his novels before and have almost all of them on my to-read list, but since this is his most recent one I figured I'd give it a go. (Also, I was just perusing Goodreads for this book and came upon the author's page; I always pictured John Green as an old man--because his books seem to have been around for ever--and he is… well he is not old! *mind blown* )

Where was I? Aside from under my rock, I mean. I was hesitant to read The Fault In Our Stars for two reasons. One being the rave reviews; a book getting so much hype is usually a bad sign for me where I tend to be the black sheep. And two, books that deal with cancer, or any disease for that matter, often have me paranoid and checking myself for lumps, thus I need time to mentally prepare myself for them, and to put my doctor on speed dial. For those suffering the same hypochondria have nothing to fear, however, as this is much more about the characters, and less about the cancer itself. I did not request an MRI once! As for the hype, I do think it's the reason that this was a 4 for me and not a 5. My expectations were through the roof for this novel, so while it was definitely good enough to meet them, it wasn't able to blow my mind. No doubt in my mind that John Green is a fantastic writer. He has a way with words that pulls every single string of your heart into these characters' lives, even though you know the unstoppable is coming. BUT, that is just the thing, though, I felt like the book was performing to make me cry. Instead of the emotions coming naturally to a story, I felt they were manipulated into it. It reminded me of most Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picoult books in that sense. Emotional manipulation is nothing new and it's not necessarily bad, I have simply had my fill of them in the past and thus have become a little immune--or expectant? Therefore, even though I did truly enjoy this as it's clearly a remarkable novel, I found it more or less the same as other cancer books/movies I've come upon. I have read and watched quite a few; If I was new to this emotional formula, I'm sure this book would have swept me into oblivion like the majority of its readers.

Hazel has been living with cancer for a long time, and when she meets Augustus, another cancer kid, things get just a little more happy for her. If you're as big a character reader as I, let me tell you that character development in this novel is superb. I loved watching these people grow and connect to each other. Developing the main characters don't take away from the supporting roles either which are just as present and well rounded. This includes the parents which are supportive but realistic in their reactions. I loved that a book with such a dire subject had so many quirky and humorous moments, as well. I got quite a few laughs from the often witty dialogue. The characters also speak very eloquently. While some have mentioned it makes them sound a little unrealistic, I thought it was actually a way to show how something life changing like a cancer diagnosis can mature someone. These kids live their lives like there's no tomorrow, every single day, because they know that one day soon that will be the truth. This grows people up, this living in fast forward. Hazel was already schooled beyond her years and is doing college courses at 16. It's true that Green might have gone a little overboard in their speech and they surely do not sound like real teenagers, but I have an inkling this was intentional. Plus I actually found the book even more captivating by how intelligent it all was. The plot, the dialogue, the literary references, the grandiose metaphors, the romance; it makes the book elegant; refined.

I'm sure you have read countless reviews on this novel so I doubt anything I say here will be anything new to add to the slew of opinions. You've all been told already that John Green is immensely talented and with this book he pulls out all the stops on your emotions, and that by reading it you're sure to read something truly worthy of your time. It's a piece of YA literary art that is deserving of its awards!

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Cracked Up to Be
Courtney Summers

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: December 23rd 2008
by St. Martin's Griffin

When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?

Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her conselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.

Nobody would have guessed she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.

Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

 
Already being a big fan of Courtney Summers since I read This Is Not a Test, I knew before going into this that it was going to be a ride with a lot of feels! So much feels!

Parker is the definition of a snarky bitch. She has an attitude you want to slap her for, but as a protagonist she's especially amusing and definitely entertaining. The used-to-be cheerleading captain turned angry emo tells us that something has happened to this girl to change her so drastically. This "something" is told to us via strange behavior from Parker which seem insignificant at first, but as the book progresses the feeling gets more urgent, and is mixed with flashbacks that leaves us wondering what the heck exactly happened here. These flashbacks gets longer at each telling; every time she remembers, she gets thrown a little deeper into this blocked memory that, in the end, weaves itself together into an emotionally distressing story. We don't get to fully understand the reason behind her intense attitude until the very end. Still, you know something happened; you know she did not choose to be this way, something broke her, made her bitter. For this reason I found it easy to look past her bitchiness and feel bad for whatever it is that she is going through. It also helps that Courtney has a way of creating genuine characters. Characters that are easy to sympathize with no matter their outward personality, because it's clear this crappy attitude is only a front, something Parker is hiding behind.

I already feel like I summed up this whole book in that mere paragraph. It's a fairly short read and while the plot is compelling from start to finish with amazing characters, energy, and the feels, it's hard to get into the thick of it since it consists of layer after layer of answers that eventually come full circle for the big reveal. By far, the best part of the novel is Parker herself. Full of attitude and energy, she tells us this story in the best way she can: amidst snark and outbursts. She hardly remembers what happened herself, though she's slowly regaining her memory of this horrific event that we're in the midst of discovering alongside her. When we do finally get the whole story, I did have to go over the reveal a couple of times to get everything straight. Some of the details come out a little fuzzy at the end. This is likely due to the same memory being repeated throughout the book which ultimately connects under different circumstances than we first had imagined. We're left to mold these memories to fit a tragic event that once seemed innocent; it changes our perspective of it all. Moving on to the ending itself, I thought it was memorable, realistic, and we come to understand Parker completely. However, I did find the romantic aspect's conclusion a tad underwhelming. I expected something… different, and was more than disappointed by the unfair finality of it all. Call me a romantic at heart?

Cracked Up to Be is an emotional foray into the gritty reality that is PTSD. Parker is not here for you to like her; her arrogant personality and unabashed attitude is a way out, out of the guilt that is almost literally eating her alive. Like This Is Not a Test, this one is for the fans of sharp and unapologetic contemps! And if you love audiobooks, the narrator nailed Parker's voice!

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall
Lauren Oliver

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: October 25th 2011
by HarperCollins

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

 
Having heard numerous incredible reviews on this novel, I have finally jumped the this bandwagon and checked out what it was all about. Not disappointed in the least, this is one (rare) instance where my expectations has lived up to the hype. Before I Fall is a moving story of a girl who died, but she gets a second chance to make things right.

Samantha Kingston is the type of girl you either hate, or you're jealous of, in high school. She's pretty, popular, dating the hottest guy in school, and seems to be living the perfect life all around--until she isn't that is. After the accident that takes her life, Samantha wakes up the very same morning, again, and again… and again. Reliving the same day over and over is not a plot that hasn't been done before, but it's the one that harbours the most emotion I've encountered. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. The 5 stages of grief is something very real that Samantha goes through in this novel. And as much as this book surrounds her death, I believe it's actually about someone else's death. A someone she comes to know through these relivings, who she's slowly beginning to understand, to grieve for, and who, in the end, changes her completely. I loved how every day, a day that is essentially the exact same, something completely different comes about. It's a new experience every time where we see a new perspective of the same story, a different side of people Sam thought she knew. Changing just one little thing can alter so much, it was really an incredible journey; complex and all-consuming.

The writing is what makes this novel so potent. It's truly flawless, the way the characters are crafted into real people with real emotions that sucks you in and never lets go. It's amazing how every single relationship in this novel, be it between friends, sisters, mother daughter, or even two people you would never expect, is filled with love. It makes you grieve even more for the people she's leaving behind. Every giggle tore at my heart, every kiss came with never-ending longing. If there was ever a novel to call bittersweet, this would be the one. How often do you experience new love in a book that makes you thoroughly happy, giddy, butterflies and all, while at the same time you want to burst into tears? How a writer can create such powerful dynamics, can put into words such timeless messages while at it, is something worthy of praise. Her words are palpable, the emotions vivid, and as sad as it is, you will come out of this novel with nothing more than a feeling of fulfillment. Samantha, in death, learns to be a better person, learns that it's never too late to make things right; in death, she learns to live!

A ticking time-bomb of a book that lingers in your heart for a very long time, Before I Fall is a masterpiece in words. Brimming with meaning and depth, I urge you to pick this one up! Just pick it up, and never look back!

5 Hot Espressos

 

Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn

Genre: Adult Mystery
Publication date: May 24th 2012
by Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Marriage can be a real killer.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

-This novel was listened to via audiobook-

 
This is probably one of the hardest reviews to write because starting half way--when the story "really" starts, when things get going--is where we begin to get twists that completely change the whole story. Thus, this needs to be kept vague for fear of revealing anything. I can say, however, that this story both enraptured me, making me a huge fan of this author, and at the same time I want it to burn in the deepest fires of hell. I'm being completely honest! This book needs to die, while I pet it lovingly.

Nick and Amy have the perfect marriage. They love each other and everything is all going great until one day Nick gets home to a wrecked living room, and a missing wife. The first half of the book concentrates mostly on this fact. Amy is missing, there are some strange men hovering around town, bizarre circumstances surrounding everything, and of course Nick is a suspect like husbands always are in these situations. We get a lot of investigative mumbo jumbo done while we learn what kind of life they were living. We also get plenty of intel into their lives, established mostly through Amy's perspective which consists of diary entries starting years before, leading up to the present day. Both perspectives are so compelling and distinct. I could truly get into both sides of their relationship and understand how one person saw an event, while the other saw it completely differently. It was fascinating and so well done, also extremely realistic for the average couple. It's fantastically interesting to get both motives, both reactions to the same thing. You get to be inside each characters' heads until you understand both of them--but then, who do you trust? This leads me to the second half of the story.

The second part is filled with secrets, lies, deceit, when you see everything unraveling in a much different direction than you're expecting. Things come at you suddenly, and completely changes the way you look at a certain character--more than once. I was so torn most of the time, not really knowing whose side I was on anymore. Wanting to believe one thing but not knowing if it was only wishful thinking. The thought and planning that went into creating such a complex tale is exquisite and masterful. I was cringing at every turn for what would happen next, but I devoured it greedily. It is a very long book and some parts I found slow moving, but I greatly enjoyed every minute of it. The writing is rich and so... powerful, yet elegant.

…Except maybe the ending. Don't get me wrong, though, the ending is both shocking and heartbreaking, realistic, but I promise you, it WILL PISS YOU OFF! Although, I also secretly loved it. I think. Maybe. It's the type of ending to a story that will leave you thinking about it for days, weeks, months. Wishing. Hoping. Burning your temper. I will likely never forget what I read in this book. And what's even more thought provoking, is how this is not inconceivable. This whole messed up psycho story could be seen in the news in our day and age.

A masterfully woven tale of love, lies, and betrayal, Gone Girl is one read I highly recommend for fans of thrillers, mysteries, and all around effed up shit. For those who enjoy audiobooks also, I have to applaud the narrators they were both very talented and perfect for the characters. 

4 Hot Espressos

 

Monstrous Beauty Audiobook Clip & Giveaway

Monstrous Beauty

Elizabeth Fama

Format: Audiobook

Publication date: September 4th 2012

by Macmillan Young Listeners

 

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.
Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

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Did you know that Monstrous Beauty is also available as an audiobook through Macmillan Audio? Here is a clip: