Review: Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

Book: Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
Published: August 28, 2012 (Harlequin MIRA)
Format: Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!)
Summary: Sonnet Romano's life is almost perfect. She has the ideal career, the ideal boyfriend, and has just been offered a prestigious fellowship. There's nothing more a woman wants - except maybe a baby sister? When Sonnet finds out her mother is unexpectedly expecting, and that the pregnancy is high-risk, she puts everything on hold - the job, the fellowship, the boyfriend - and heads home to Avalon. Once her mom is out of danger, Sonnet intends to pick up her life where she left off. But when her mother receives a devastating diagnosis, Sonnet must decide what really matters in life, even of that means staying in Avalon and taking a job that forces her to work alongside her biggest, and maybe her sweetest, mistake - award-winning filmmaker Zach Alger. So Sonnet embarks on a summer of laughter and tears, of old dreams and new possibilities, and of finding the home of her heart.

My Review: I went into Return to Willow Lake with a bit of hesitation. I had never read anything by Susan Wiggs before, and this book had a cover that made me think of those books that are cheesy in a way that is only acceptable if accompanied by lots of Christmas carols and mistletoe. I am very glad I gave Return to Willow Lake a chance, though, because it was so much better than I was expecting.

For starters, one thing I loved about this book was that the main two characters were not your typical leads. Sonnet was biracial - half African American, half Italian - and Zach was very pale with long, blond hair nearly as light as his skin. They had been very close friends throughout childhood and high school, and although they'd lived in separate cities for years, they were still share-the-big-news-first, visit-whenever-I'm-in-town friends. Until Sonnet's step-sister, Daisy's wedding at the beginning of the book. They had not seen each other for quite a while, and a romantic encounter caused Sonnet to freak and cut Zach out of her life for the next few months.

Then Sonnet received the news about her mother and moved home. As Zach was nearly a part of the family and her new job involved working with him (filming a reality show featuring Jezebel, a teenage hip-hop star), Sonnet and Zach's friendship began to recover. Except now there were feelings Sonnet did not know how to deal with.

One great thing about this book was how wonderfully the love story fit with the whole story. The romance moved at a great pace and never felt secondary, but it also did not overshadow Sonnet's relationship with her mother, which, as that was Sonnet's reason for turning away some amazing opportunities and moving back home, was rather important. I loved watching them interact. Nina was very wise and kind, and it broke my heart to watch her go through her struggles. Because Zach was so close to the family as well as working with Sonnet, the three plots - the family life, the job, the romance - all coalesced into one beautiful story.

There was some drama, which obviously had to happen. However, nothing was blown out of proportion or stretched to melodramatic lengths just to draw the book out longer, which would have been very easy to do with some of the conflict. I very much appreciate Wiggs and her ability to write a sweet, touching story without making me overdose on cheese. I will definitely be looking up more of her books, and I recommend this one, which is officially out today!

I’m in the middle of Central Park and I’m tempted to burst into song about what a Great Day this is. I’m about to become a one-woman flash mob. His kisses tasted of champagne and chocolate cake and memories so old she couldn’t tell if they were memories or dreams. She’d always been good at school. Good at work. Good at being a trophy daughter. Sometimes, though, she wasn’t sure she was good at life. If she’d become the person she’d dreamed of being at fifteen, she would be a prima ballerina with six kids and a horse farm.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare

Book: A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove #3)
Published: August 28, 2012 (Avon Books)
Format: Digital ARC from publisher via Edelweiss
Summary: After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove--but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she'd look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiance. He claims to have only Kate's safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?

My Review: Tessa Dare has done it again. I have yet to read a Dare novel during which I did not laugh multiple times and swoon nearly as often. Spindle Cove is my favorite series of hers yet, and A Lady by Midnight just may be the best of the three full-length novels in it (although it's definitely a close race).

One of the advantages of a romance series is that you can slowly build to a couple through books before the two ever actually get their story told. This was the case in A Lady by Midnight. Even though their build-up during the previous books was very subtle when compared to Book Two's Couple (so as not to spoil it for you) in A Night to Surrender, I was utterly captivated by Kate and Thorne. There was so much mystery surrounding them! In the previous books, there was pretty much one tiny moment where there was just a hint of...something. That's it. That's all you got. Did they have a positively torrid affair? Were they childhood BFFs? Was he secretly an undercover spy who recognized her as the long-lost princess of a tiny-but-successful country? YOU HAVE NO IDEA. When I read the excerpt - just enough to be tantalizing - in A Week to be Wicked, I went positively berserk. To think, I was cruelly going to have to wait months for this! (Really, I have a tendency to get dramatic over the wait for books. Reason #4378 that I love the book blogging community is that you guys get it.)

Anyway. I was not entirely sure what to expect of Kate and Thorne's story, but I knew I was going to love it. And I was not wrong! While it was a part of the story, I did not think of it at as "posing as the fianceé" book at all. There was so much more to the story. Kate was digging into her past, trying to figure out who her parents might have been. Then, all the sudden, people came out of the woodwork, claiming Kate, an orphan since she can remember, as a part of their unconventional but Titled family. There was mystery surrounding this, as well as the continued question of how, exactly, Thorne knew Kate. As to that, there were hints throughout the book before the truth finally came out.

The romance between these two was incredible! I love how neither of them were 100% "pretty people." Kate had a large, red birthmark on her face that made her very self-conscious, and Thorne was hulking, unrefined, and his features were too harsh to be considered handsome by many. It was a nice change. You don't have to be conventionally attractive for someone to love you or view you as such, and this book was a great example of that. As for the characters themselves, I loved them! Although I did sometimes wanted to kick Thorne because he was so dang self-condemning and couldn't see how wonderful he was. Over the course of the story, I became so attached to them that I full-out cried when they got their Happily Ever After at the end.

All in all, A Lady by Midnight was utterly splendid and charming and absolutely a worthy addition to the Spindle Cove series. I immensely enjoyed Kate and Thorne's story, and I would recommend it to any lover of historicals who enjoys her romance with a side of mystery, smoldering chemistry, wit, and lots of laughter.

Corporal Thorne could make a woman quiver, from all the way across the room. An inconvenient talent, so far as Kate Taylor was concerned. Kate realized she had a grave problem. She was infatuated. Or mildly insane. Probably both. The mood went from black to some iridescent color only found in rainbows and seashells. She was already suffering these fierce pangs of infatuation on the basis of his looks and strength alone. If he revealed a streak of sharp wit in the bargain, she might be in desperate straits. Those words shivered through her bones like cello notes, each one settling to a low, arousing thrum at the base of her spine.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Book: Defiance by C.J. Redwine (Defiance #1)
Published: August 28, 2012 (Balzer + Bray)
Format: Digital ARC from publisher via Edelweiss
Summary: Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

My Review: I had never heard of Defiance until a few weeks ago, when I ran across a review of it over at Bewitched Bookworms.  The synopsis sounded very interesting, and the review made me even more eager to read it!  I quickly acquired a copy and absolutely flew through it.  There was almost nothing I didn't like about this book.  From the sparse yet imaginative world of Baalboden and the surrounding Wasteland, to the writing style, to the alternating points of view so I could see the stories of both protagonists, I enjoyed Defiance immensely.

The two main characters were Rachel and Logan, both of whom were freaking awesome.  Rachel was dedicated, loyal, and independent.  Not to mention that she could take on three fully-grown guys at once with her super fighting skills, courtesy of her father's rule-defying instruction.  Logan could kick your butt, make you swoon, and invent some immensely useful contraption at the same time.  Alas, though, your swooning would be for naught, because Logan totally only had eyes for Rachel, even though he fought it for a while.  The build-up between these two was spectacular, and the chemistry between them was blatant from page one.  Speaking of chemistry, there was sparring!  Romantically charged sparring/fighting is totally one of my favorite things ever in books, and Rachel and Logan pulled it off wonderfully.

The world of Defiance was engrossing and very easy to get lost in, and the characters were a very big part of that.  It had quite the cast of secondary characters, and many played very important roles.  There was the old family friend Oliver, the barbarous Commander, the helpful yet mysterious sibling duo, and several others. 

Defiance was not a light read; there were many dark elements to it.  Rachel and Logan's journey was anything but easy, with obstacles ranging everywhere from the Commander to the malevolent Cursed One that could set you ablaze almost before you could get a chance to run away.  In addition to this, there were many internal struggles both - especially Rachel - had to deal with throughout the course of the story.

I think you would be hard-pressed to not enjoy this book.  It had a little bit of something for everyone: strong heroine, brilliant-but-gorgeous hero, heart-pounding romance, adventure, suspense, villains, paranormal/fantasy elements, and a very dystopian setting.  Defiance was a winner all the way around, and I can't wait to read the sequel!   

The words are inadequate, but if I open my mouth again, I’m afraid of what I’ll say. Instead, I quietly follow him to Oliver’s tent, the imprint of his palm on mine lingering long after the heat of his skin fades away.    There are much more important qualities to have than a docile disposition.    I clench my teeth and tell myself pain is just a state of mind. I can rise above it. My body doesn’t agree with my theory, so I force myself to recite the Periodic Table to give myself something productive to focus on.    A laugh bubbles up, even as tears sting my eyes. I reach up to clasp...the symbol of his promise to me, and hold the tender, vibrant thought of him close as the stars chase each other across the sky.

P.S. As if you don't want to read it enough already, take a look at this fantastic trailer!


Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Something About You by Julie James

Book: Something About You by Julie James
Published: March 2, 2010 (Berkley Sensation)
Format: Physical copy from library
Summary: Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends with a death. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and for nearly ruining his career. Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it's no joke; the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension.

My Review: Julie James really is a never fail author for me. Her contemporaries are among the best, and Something About You was no exception. I actually read Something About You after I read A Lot Like Love, which was the reverse of how they were intended to be read. But there were some comments in A Lot Like Love that made it absolutely mandatory that I read Something because it sounded simply splendid. And it was.

From the first time they appeared on the pages together, Jack and Cameron had chemistry that simply leaped off the pages. There was definitely animosity between them, due to an incident that has occurred years earlier. But the intense dislike clearly also masked immense attraction on both parts. The dialogue between the two was snappy and sharp, but eventually good-natured and amusing as Jack and Cameron began to develop feelings and grow to trust each other.

The book was a fantastic romance with a good dose of mystery and suspense. And glowering. Special Agent Jack McGlowerFace Phallus Pallas was immensely swoon-worthy with his affinity for reading and all his protective, Alpha male ways. I respected Cameron, who was a strong female lead. As much as I loved them separately, they were particularly awesome when together. Thankfully, this was a romance, so I got my fill of that! Something About You was a terrifically satisfying romance. You won't want to put this one down. At least, I know I didn't!

Thank God she wasn’t still hanging out in her underpants. The temperature in the room rose so fast the glass on the television fogged. Nice to see his exceptionally fine-tuned special agent powers of observation were intact. Jack Pallas was one of those men that made other men wish they weren’t standing on a doorstep wearing red-checkered oven mitts.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Second Chance Saturday: August 2012 Edition

Second Chance Saturday is a Fictionally Inclined feature wherein I pick, read, and review a book each month that I have previously written off for some reason or another.

This Month's Featured Book: Grave Mercy by Robin (R.L.) LaFevers
This Book Was a Second Chance Because... I had previously gotten the egalley from NetGalley back when it was available to anyone without having to request it, but I ran out of time before I got around to reading it. Then I got it from the library and had decided not to read it...until I read a review at Pure Imagination. Then I decided - with only 3 days left until it was due, and I don't DO overdue books - that I positively HAD to read it. And I did. In a day.
Verdict: Worth the second chance. Although the romance fell a little short of the expectations everyone's ravings had set up in my head, I did enjoy the book. It was a thoroughly intriguing, compelling story, although obviously rather dark. I'll be reading the second in the series when it comes out.
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Published: July 31, 2012 (Harlequin Teen)
Format: Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thanks!)
Summary: No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

My Review: I wanted to read Pushing the Limits the second I stumbled across it on Goodreads, and thanks to NetGalley and HarlequinTeen, I even got to read it early. This is one book I am happy to promote. From the intriguing synopsis to the steamy cover, it elicited high expectations on my end, and it did not disappoint!

I knew when I was going into this book that there were going to be "issues." What I did not expect was how much these two really were going through. Echo with her amnesia regarding an event that led to the scars on her arms, her insecurities, and her family; Noah with his brothers and the foster system. This book is told in alternating points of view, and it works very well for the story. I got nearly equal parts Noah and Echo's story (though there was a little more of Echo's, I think). There was also an unexpected side story with Noah's friends Isaiah and Beth, and I'm so excited that Beth is going to get her own book (Dare You To, coming sometime in 2013)! I definitely want to know the whole story there.

I loved the romance between these two. They were not looking for real romance at this point in their lives, and they especially did not expect it of each other. Yet they both found how much they needed each other, especially in the middle of the chaos of their respective lives. The chemistry between the two was spectacular, and the relationship that developed was believable and beautiful (despite the annoying number of times they called each other "baby").

One thing I appreciated about this book was the true emphasis it placed on family. Noah's love, devotion, and sacrifice for his brothers brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Echo also had to learn how to deal with everything that was happening with her family, and to realize that maybe things were not how they had seemed to her. Both Noah and Echo had even more growing up to do than they already had in their difficult lives, and I rooted for them, watching them progress every step of the way.

Pushing the Limits was a realistic, but ultimately encouraging, read. Even though there was a lot of heavy stuff going on, the book was never difficult to read as a result. Katie McGarry kept up a great balance of reality, romance, and, on occasion, humor, which made the book immensely readable despite the heavy subject matter being addressed. It also had a more grown-up feel to it than a lot of YA, so I would recommend it to readers of YA as well as adult fiction.

Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls. [Best. Quote. Ever.] My father spoke with the air of a deity. He might as well have added the phrase so let it be written, so let it be done. Trust. Why not ask me to do something easier, like prove the existence of God? Sometimes when you see the line, you think it’s a good idea to cross it – until you do.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

Title: Her Best Worst Mistake
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Published: May 3, 2012 (self-published)
Format: Ebook, purchased
Summary: For six years Violet Sutcliffe has known that Martin St Clair is the wrong man for her best friend. He's stuffy, old before his time, conservative. He drives Violet nuts - and the feeling is entirely mutual. Then, out of nowhere, her friend walks out just weeks before her wedding to Martin, flying to Australia on a mission of self-discovery. Back in London, Violet finds herself feeling sorry for suddenly-single Martin. At least, she tells herself it's pity she feels. Then he comes calling one dark, stormy night and they discover that beneath their mutual dislike there lies a fiery sexual chemistry. It's crazy and all-consuming - and utterly wrong. Because not only are they chalk and cheese, oil and water, but Martin once belonged to her best friend. A friend Violet is terrified of losing. What future can there be for a relationship with so many strikes against it?

My Review: I adore Sarah Mayberry. She is the only category romance author on my auto-read list, and I bought this one the minute I saw it mentioned over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Little did I know, that behind that beautiful cover was one of Mayberry's best books yet! I read it, and I came this close to re-reading the day after I finished. I just didn't want to tear myself out of that world. I wound up not re-reading, but the desire didn't go away, and I wrote it off as a need to read a Mayberry book. This hypothesis was disproved by the fact that I just read her upcoming release, Within Reach a couple days ago. Although it was fantastic (watch for a review in the first week of August!), it did not reduce my craving to reread Her Best Worst Mistake. So, I'll be doing that soon. But onto more specifics.

There were so many things to love about Her Best Worst Mistake! The first and foremost reason I couldn't put the book down was the amazing combination of sexual tension and chemistry. I don't even know how to explain it! It was like the combination was a force in itself that bound me to my Nook. The scene where it all culminated and came to a head (the "dark, stormy night" mentioned in the synopsis)? I still think about that scene on a regular basis. And I read this book in May. And unlike many books, the tension didn't peter out after the first time; it kept going strong.

Mayberry is an expert at crafting relationships. I generally associate her with friends-to-lovers, because those are usually my favorites of hers. But Mistake was completely on the other side of the spectrum. Martin and Violet were opposites in so many ways, and they loathed the sight of each other at the beginning of the story. Their relationship and real feelings developed in a completely roundabout way, but they were so authentic. I didn't doubt for a second that they would make it as a couple. They were already accustomed to disagreeing and knew how to deal with it. Through the course of the book, they learned that many of the "reasons" for their previous opinions were not at all accurate, and they had to accept that. Which they did. And they grew individually and together as a result of it.

There were some things that were less than flawless, of course. I felt like there was too much commiserating and fretting and waiting around once it was actually time to make their relationship known. I know that it was obviously a big deal, but it took up quite a lot of time and got repetitive after a while. I would've preferred it if those 20 (or however many) pages would've been used for a little more time in the beginning, so we could see them interacting more when Elizabeth was actually around.

Her Best Worst Mistake is technically a companion to Mayberry's previous Harlequin release, Hot Island Nights. They take place over approximately the same timeline, though, and do not need to be read in order. I've yet to read the first one (although I plan to soon), and Mistake did not suffer at all. If you're looking for a contemporary romance with mind-blowingly good sexual tension, less-than-perfect characters who are willing to grow and learn, and wonderful love story, Her Best Worst Mistake would be a great one to put on your list.

One last note to all my Australian readers. Is "gets on my wick" a common phrase over there? It seems to be the equivalent of "gets on my nerves", but I'd never seen it before, and I thought it was interesting.

It wasn’t as thought he’d done anything to provoke her. Except breathe, of course. This is a conversation that requires alcohol and saturated animal fats, preferably in the form of ice cream. He felt as though the room had just tilted, as though up had become down, black become white. And then his mouth was on hers and there was nothing else in the whole wide world except for the warmth and the pressure and the rasp of his tongue and the taste of him and the press of his body against hers and the need surging through her blood like a runaway freight train.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble

Review: Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis

Title: Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor, #6)
Author: Jill Shalvis
Published: July 31, 2012 (Grand Central)
Format: Temporary egalley provided by Netgalley, physical finished copy provided by Grand Central Publishing. (Thanks!)
Summary: Grace never thought she’d be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh’s loveable mutt to caring for his rambunctious kids. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad… With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family–until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “good bedside manner.” Josh and Grace don’t know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day…

My Review: My feelings for Forever and a Day could probably be conveyed in a 200-character long capslock keymash. But as that would be of no help to anyone else, I'll attempt to be coherent in my love for this book. Okay, mainly Josh. But this book as a whole was great. It started off with Josh contacting Grace - by accident - to come be a dog-walker for his son's new dog. Grace, being strapped for cash as she was, agreed, even though she had little-to-no experience with dogs. The result was hilarious, and the book only got better from there.

I had such a wonderful time watching the relationship between Josh and Grace build. They had smoldering chemistry from page one - in fact, it started in small increments in the previous books - and it only grew steadily more intense until it finally exploded. Their romance was as heart-meltingly beautiful as it was hot, and their interactions felt very real to me. They could be serious, but they had some of the most entertaining exchanges ever. Exhibit A)

This stopped her cold. “You have more spiders?” “No,” he said without missing a beat. “No spiders.” “You said spiders,” she said. “And I saw a big one in the side yard, in the sprinkler well.” “That spider went south for the winter.” “It’s summer.” “He wanted to be the first to get out of town.”

What made this book even better, though, was that it was not just about Grace's relationship with Josh. It was about Grace and her own journey to happiness, developing her ability to make her own choices. It was about Josh and his struggle to balance work, family, and the wishes of his dead father. It was about Josh's son, Toby, and Josh's - and Grace's - relationship with the young boy. It was about Anna, Josh's younger, wheelchair-confined sister, her interactions with the two older adults, and her journey to finally coming to terms with what her life could be with her disability.

Now, I will devote a paragraph to Josh, because a review of this book would not be complete without it. Because seriously. I'm quite convinced that Shalvis just jumped into my head, pulled out every single thing that's a turn-on for me, and created Josh. Responsible. Single father. Fantastic, near eidetic memory. He was also just a little bit tortured, but with a great sense of humor and a huge heart to make up for it. Add in a whole heap of the sexy!pants factor, and my heart was going pitter-patter. Plus, he was a total nerd at heart, and just a little awkward with women - at least internally. He truly had a little bit of something for everyone, but he never seemed incomplete or scattered as a character. Probably my favorite hero in the entire Lucky Harbor series, which is saying something.

Like the first "trilogy" of the series, these three books also grew increasingly better with each installment. Forever and a Day was definitely my favorite of this second set of Lucky Harbor books. I would, without any reservations, recommend it if you have previously enjoyed the Lucky Harbor novels. I was going to end this review with a lament over the end of the Lucky Harbor, but today I received some fantastic news! According to Jill's post on her blog, there are three new Lucky Harbor novels in the works! Therefore, a lament is no longer in order. However, in the mean time until the next book comes out, Forever and a Day will be here to keep you company on July 31, and I would highly recommend going out and getting a copy.

Bonus! Included in Forever and a Day is the recipe for the Chocoholics' Cupcakes-Worth-the-Fat-Grams. I, of course, baking and chocolate enthusiast that I am, made these immediately after finishing the book. Whether it was because it was an egalley, or simply the digital formatting, I don't know, but some of the ingredient amounts did not display correctly, so I had to guess for some of it. The mixture wound up too runny, then I added way too much flour in my attempt to make it normal cupcake-batter-y. And I baked them a few minutes too long. Thus, the cupcakes wound up quite dry. But the taste was fantastic, and I can't wait to make more of these and improve them to perfection...by actually following the recipe.

P.S. Stop by for my interview with Jill Shalvis tomorrow, part of the Summer with Jill Shalvis Blog Tour!

He turned to say something and caught her staring. She quickly pretended to be watching her own feet. Look at that, her heels were looking a little worn. “Pretty hardwood floors,” she said. “You weren’t looking at the floor. You were looking at my ass.” Giving up, she sighed. “Okay, yes,” she said as primly as she could. “But it’s impolite of you to point it out.” Okay, so maybe chocolate doesn’t make the world go around, but it sure makes the trip worthwhile. There was just something about her that made him feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Like he couldn’t wait to see beyond the packaging, couldn’t wait to touch. And not just physically, which was what really disconcerted him. He wanted to touch her from the inside out, which made no fucking sense at all. So wake up and smell the damn cupcakes. “It’s because love is one of those really bossy bitches,” Amy said. “There’s no telling it what to do.” And on the Eighth day, God created chocolate.

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Second Chance Saturday: July 2012 Edition

Second Chance Saturday is a Fictionally Inclined feature wherein I pick, read, and review a book each month that I have previously written off for some reason or another. (If you'd like more information on how this feature works, check out this introduction post.)



This Month's Featured Book: Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean
This Book Was a Second Chance Because... I had a previous meh experience with the author.
Verdict: Loved it! Totally worth the second chance.
Purchase: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Better World Books || The Book Depository

Review: The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James

Title: The Duke Is Mine
Author: Eloisa James
Published: December 2011 (Avon)
Format: Physical copy from library
Summary: Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear. Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion...until Quin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love. To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul...unless it's already too late.

My Review: Eloisa James is one of my favorite historical romance authors, and she has done a series of stories with fairytale elements. The Duke Is Mine is, as you can probably tell from the cover, a story with a strong influence from the fairytale The Princess and the Pea. I wasn't particularly excited about this idea, because I've always found that to be a ridiculously stupid story. It's never made sense to me. But I adore James, and the summary of the book caught my interest immediately, so I read it anyway.

There were several things I enjoyed about this book. My favorite element was the witty tone and wonderfully snarky banter that made an appearance at times. I also really loved that both the hero and the heroine had what might be considered physical flaws. Olivia was curvy, and Tarquin had a thick white streak in his hair. Such a unique touch! I hadn't read another book where this was the case, but I liked it. It was a way to make the hero less than perfect physically without giving him actual disfigurement or horrible looks or something. I liked how both of these played into the story as well, particularly Olivia's weight.

Olivia was awesome, hands-down. Her sense of humor was hilarious and very similar to mine, so I appreciated reading from her perspective. The aforementioned snark predominantly played out there. She had traits that could have been annoying, if over the top, but she balanced them well. It was also interesting and touching to read about her relationship with her sister. I also really liked Tarquin, with all his logic and reason and poems to nonexistent women.

Overall, the romance was great. There was some drama toward the end that was a little boring and predictable, but it was necessary for the story. There were also surprising elements such as the ability to make me tear up a couple times, and I snorted with laughter on more than one occasion. So, although there were some weak elements, The Duke Is Mine was a highly enjoyable romance with a great take on the fairytale twist.

❝That way no one will think that we spent the night doing wicked things in a tree, which I’m sure is what would come to mind if we appeared together. I often assume people are cavorting in trees.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Title: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Published: June 2012 (Razorbill)
Format: Physical copy, borrowed from the library
Summary: Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

My Review (Warning: Contains spoilers for Bloodlines and the Vampire Academy series.): The Golden Lily kept me up until 2 AM. Literally. I started it a little after 7 PM while I was working out at the gym, and I didn't stop for more than the tiniest of breaks until I finished it in the middle of the night. Even though I had to work in the morning. It simply grabbed a hold of me, and I was powerless to resist! Which I obviously didn't want to do, anyway.

You would think that with me being unable to tear myself away from the book, it would be because of the incredibly gripping plot, right? WRONG. The main plot was somewhat intriguing and mildly suspenseful, yes, but honestly I really do think that was the book's main weakness. I found the plot twists not so twisty, and I wasn't all that invested in it. Which may be because every time it would cut to something that was actually relevant to the plot, I would pretty much "NO, I NEED MORE ADRIAN/SYDNEY TIME. D:" Even without this factor, though, I thought the plot could have been a little stronger.

Mead really has a knack for writing interesting characters. I loved Eddie and Jill and all the others. Sydney was kind of different for me, because we are incredibly similar in a lot of ways. But at the same time, some things about her were not relatable at all. She had serious self-esteem issues, particularly related to her "too big" size 4 body. These were finally addressed to an extent in this book, though, which I definitely appreciated. She was also seriously oblivious to things even when they progressed to obvious levels. I still really liked her as a character, though.

Of course, not surprisingly, the romantic aspect of the Bloodlines series is the thing I love the most. You have absolutely no idea how happy I was when nothing happened between Adrian and Sydney in the first book. Even though it had been forever and five days for us, it was only a very short time since the end of VA for them. So it really would have made no sense. Not to mention the fact that I prefer my fictional romances to progress at the speed of a turtle on depressants, and to have loads of chemistry while they do so. Adrian and Sydney? Have this in spades. Their explosive chemistry continued in The Golden Lily, and may have actually even grown even MORE intense. I don't know how Mead concocted such an brilliantly explosive and beautiful couple for me to root for, but I love her for it.

Another thing I love about Mead. No matter the series, no matter the characters, she's not afraid to rip out your heart and tear it into a million tiny pieces. But she still makes you love her, even as she does it. Because you know that it will all work out in the end. At least, you're losing feeling in your fingers and toes from crossing them so hard HOPING that it will.

The Golden Lily was a great read! It had a decent plot, and some interesting developments were made on the continuing story arc. The interaction between Adrian and Sydney was smoldering. It made me laugh, cry, roll my eyes, curl my toes in anticipation, and have just about every reaction possible. I am already geared up for the long wait until #3. Although, currently, Goodreads is saying that #3 is coming out in February, which means we won't have to wait all the way until summer. Score!

Also, I want to marry Adrian Ivashkov and have since the VA series. Just saying. I can't write my first review of a book with him in it and not mention that. So, there you have it. Good day.

❝...I made sure to sigh heavily and let her know in a passive aggressive way how inconvenient this was for me.❞

❝You made your own jean shorts...with a butter knife?❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title: In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Published: May 2012 (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers)
Format: Physical copy from the library
Summary: Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it. Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

My Review: In Honor was, without a doubt, one of my most awaited books of the summer. I waited on it for months, my expectations climbing higher and higher with every pre-publication (and post-publication, too, since it took my library FIVE BAZILLION YEARS to get it in) review I came across. I really loved the whole idea behind the book, and the cover was overflowing with cuteness.

In Honor had me crying in under twenty pages. Although I do tend to have ridiculously overactive flowerpot tendencies, I usually need to be at least attached to the characters in a book first before I start welling up. But I felt an almost immediate connection with Honor, and her situation was heartbreaking. However, this is not to say that the book was all depressing; that was not the case at all. Honor was dealing with a huge loss, but she was not defeated. There were also touches of humor throughout the book, not to mention the excellent romantic build-up between Honor and Rusty.

I love that this story took place over the course of a road trip. It made a great metaphor for the personal progress both Honor and Rusty were making in their grief and other things, as well as for the relationship between the two of them. They had known each other since childhood, as he was her older brother's best friend. But during this book, they grew to have the potential for more, and I loved the two of them because they felt real to me. One of my favorite parts of the book was where Rusty harassed Honor about how terrible her feet smelled after she took off her boots. This might seem like an odd choice, but I liked it because it was a sign of how well they knew each other, that they were comfortable enough to give each other a hard time. There was no infatuated disillusionment here.

I enjoyed Kirby's writing in In Honor; she had a great way with words, particularly when it came to describing things. She also had a unique approach wherein she actually changed to the present tense in two specific scenes. At first I thought it was a mistake, but it actually worked to heighten the things happening in those particular scenes. The only drawback was that it initially drew me out of the story because I was confused as to why the tense had changed.

There were some aspects of In Honor that were not what I expected. I was hesitant about this at first, but I think the book was stronger for it. To put it the way I did when talking to Racquel from The Book Barbies earlier today, it was something I appreciated the day AFTER I read the book. All in all, In Honor is a lot of things. Sugar-coated, it is not. But it is realistic, refreshing, and romantic. If you are looking for a great summer read with a road trip and the potential to make you shed a few tears, check this one out.

❝He always told me to look strong, even if I didn’t feel it, because sometimes that’s all you can do.❞

❝Denial’s a stubborn thing. And necessary, at first, so the world doesn’t come crashing down on you all at once.❞

❝...the thought of actually meeting her brought back my little fangirl urge to jump up and down and squeal about it.❞

❝And Rusty, he was always the kind of reckless you either admired or shook your head at.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Born in Fire by Nora Roberts

Title: Born in Fire (Born In #1)
Author: Nora Roberts
Published: October 1994 (Jove)
Format: Audiobook (narrated by Fiacre Douglas)
Summary: Gifted, reclusive, stubborn, free-spirited...Maggie Concannon is a glassmaker whose exquisite works are more than mere objects of beauty, but reflections of her own true nature. One man saw the soul in her art, and vowed to help this complex woman build a lucrative career. When gallery owner Rogan Sweeney came to Maggie's isolated studio, her heart was enflamed by their fierce attraction - and her dark past was slowly healed by a gentle and forgiving love...

My Review: Born in Fire is the first in the Born In trilogy by Nora Roberts, but I read Born in Ice first. There were two factors in Born in Ice that made me want to read Born in Fire. The first was the appearance of Maggie and Rogan. While their summary didn't sound all that interesting at the time, the characters themselves were intriguing, and I wanted to know more than the hints about their story that were conveyed in Ice. The second factor, though, was definitely the main one. And that would be the narrator.

The narrator of Born in Fire was Fiacre Douglas, who narrates all three books in the trilogy. For the first fifteen seconds of Ice, I was livid. How dare my romance book have a MALE narrator? That's what I got for downloading in a hurry and not checking the voice for once. I even had an actual rant about it, my empty car getting an earful as I drove down the road. But once I accepted it, I actually heard said male voice, instead of just the fact that it was not, in fact, a woman narrating my book. And I heard that he had an Irish accent. As a self-proclaimed accent enthusiast with a particular propensity for Irish accents, I found this rather swoon-worthy. I have also made a concentrated effort to refrain from seeing a photograph of said narrator, for fear he is a 55 year old man with beady eyes and a beer gut. In my head, he matches his voice. Which is, to say, quite attractive.

Aside from being aesthetically pleasing in the auditory department, Born in Fire had several more things going for it. Maggie Concannon was a great character! With artistic characters, it is extremely easy to make them too flighty, too eccentric, too irresponsible. However, Roberts managed a great balance with Maggie. She had flaws, but she had many redeeming qualities to balance them out. I truly felt the things she felt, and I understood how and why she needed to get them out in her art. The art itself - both the making and the appearance - was presented splendidly in the writing. I know next to nothing about glassblowing, but I never felt overwhelmed with details. At the same time, though, I could see immense beauty any time it was mentioned.

I also really liked Logan. It was very enjoyable to watch (or listen to, as the case may be) the two of them fight their feelings about each other, then finally give into the inevitable. They both had legitimate reasons why a relationship would be difficult, but they learned to move past them. There was also a splendid little side romance that was a joy to watch unfold. All in all, Born in Fire was definitely a winner! I would particularly recommend it if you are a fan of art, glassblowing in particular.

❝Sex and power generally depend on the woman.❞

❝When you love with all you are, it isn’t just unhappiness you risk. It’s heaven, too.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: May 2012 (HarperTeen)
Summary: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

My Review: I had less than a month between the time I (finally!) read Divergent and when I got Insurgent, and that time felt incredibly long! I have no idea how you people held out for a whole year. I would have gone insane! But anyway. This book was definitely worth the, for me, albeit-realistically-rather-short-but-felt-way-too-long wait.

One aspect of Insurgent made me very happy there was so little time in between them for me: the lack of "infodump" in the book. A lot of times in series, authors will stick in little paragraphs or sentences here and there to remind the reader of things they've already learned from reading the previous book(s). I'd seen some adverse reactions about the fact that Roth was purposefully not doing this, but I personally felt like it was a great choice. Admittedly, the information of Divergent was still fresh in my head, but Roth also made a huge post to remind everyone of necessary information from Divergent, which was pretty darn awesome of her. I think that Insurgent was spared the unnecessary clutter of the infodump, and I definitely appreciated this.

Another thing I liked about the book is that I feel like we got a better look at the other factions besides Dauntless and Abnegation. I really got a feel for them, instead of just being told some facts about them and meeting some people originally from them. However, there are still lots of questions in my mind waiting to be answered! I am anxious to read #3, which is, as yet, untitled and uncover-fied. Alas. 2013 never felt so far away. Well, except when I think about the other books that won't be coming out until then. But I don't like to do that. Oh! And I just now discovered that Free Four exists! So, I'll probably wait and read it at some point when I feel in desperate need of a Four fix. Because it'll happen. I'm calling it now.

While Insurgent wasn't quite as riveting as Divergent, it was still a great book. I really enjoyed the continuation of the story. Insurgent really had a little bit (or more) of everything! Adventure was constant throughout the story. There were several things that made me laugh out loud. There were intensely romantic moments. I was utterly shocked a couple of times, and that doesn't happen to me a lot. All-in-all, I was definitely happy with Insurgent, and I have high hopes for #3.

❝Just the thought of saying the words out loud makes me feel so heavy I could break through the floorboards.❞

❝His breaths, my breaths, his body, my body, we are so close there is no difference.❞

❝I know that I am birdlike, made narrow and small as if for taking flight, built straight-waisted and fragile. But when he touches me like he can’t bear to take his hand away, I don’t wish I was any different.❞

❝We both have war inside of us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository