Hey guys! Sorry I have been MIA for such a long time. I have scheduled postings of reviews through November and have been so busy I could not log on for awhile. I’m in a class right now in which the professor considers every student is only taking his class and therefore we have endless amounts of time to dedicate to his course….the sad part is I am totally serious and it sucks. Needless to say, that class topped with my other class and a case of family illness I have been unable to log on much and add more reviews to come in the future. However, the reason for my sudden and glorious reappearance is I was able to hide away these past couple of weekends and read! It was amazing! I have not been able to do that since classes started up in August.
I do not have full reviews for you all, but I do have my smirk system which I believe to be best next to nothing.
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers was an absolute thrill to read, I loved the banter of the main characters and how it seemed magical in its delivery. 5 smirks
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto another angel book which I was suspect of considering of how young the author is (17!). However even though it was close to 500 pages I found myself in rapture with every detail of the story and how very well written it was. It also made me laugh which is one of my major criteria for reading a book. 5 smirks
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs surprised me in ways I still did not think was possible for a supernatural based book. I loved that the story focused on the main character and who she is rather than getting too much into the love triangle which I suspect will be more explored in the second book of this series. (We all know how much I love a love triangle, I can’t wait!) 5 smirks
Torment by Lauren Kate which I’m not sure if most of you know is my favorite book series so far. With only two books currently out, Fallen and Torment, I fell completely into rapture with them. Fallen, I was addicted to and couldn’t wait until Torment came out and if you look back Fallen was actually my very first post on this blog. Torment by Lauren Kate was an absolute thrilling book to read. I did love it more than Fallen (but I will always love Fallen). I felt that with Luce and Daniel, both of them had more of a connection with the reader in this book. It was a beautifully written book and I find that I don't have many words for it because everything Luce felt at the end is what I feel right now. Easily 6 smirks.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is the last book in my favorite trilogy, The Hunger Games. I was really worried about the way Suzanne Collins was going to end The Hunger Games Trilogy, because I am/was so in tuned with everything about the world she built that a part of me felt like I was experiencing everything the characters were in the books. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins wrapped up everything so Capitol style it was hard not to show surprise with every twist and turn that was thrown at you. It was everything that clicked that really showed you this beautiful world underneath the grim of war, terror, and nightmares. A very moving Trilogy that will never compare. And this is the first time I have ever done this for a book but what the hell, 10 smirks.
Review of The Oracle Rebounds by Allison Van Diepen
To Be Released: November 1, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “As the “oracle of dating,” Kayla is supposed to have all the answers about love and relationships. She’s supposed to have the perfect relationship. But now that Jared is “taking a step back,” Kayla feels like a total fraud.
So the expert on dating starts taking her own rebound advice—and some from her friends—and stops moping around. Yeah, there are other possibilities out there—including the beyond-cute French foreign exchange student she’s showing around town. But when controversy erupts about the Oracle’s advice, Kayla is sent reeling once again. Will anything work out for her this year? Yet when her friends start seriously needing the Oracle, Kayla begins to focus on what really matters: Viv, Sharese, Amy and Ryan, her trueblue buds. And suddenly, everything starts making sense again…”
The Oracle Rebounds by Allison Van Diepen continues the story of Kayla and her friends as she continues to find herself as a person. The Oracle Of Dating showed readers how complicated and messy liking someone can be if both party’s aren’t communicating very well. And in the end we as readers get to see Kayla and Jared happy together and The Oracle of Dating website booming again. The Oracle Rebounds starts off with Jared breaking up with Kayla and her having her heart broken to the point she isn’t sure what she is suppose to do. Lucky for her, she turns to herself from the past by getting her own advice through her own website.
Things I Loved About The Oracle Rebounds by Allison Van Diepen:
Readers get to see more of the characters they love
More drama and more understanding
Emotional connection to characters/story
Jared finally realizing what he wants out of life
Kayla’s determination to see herself moving on with her life
Kayla’s determination to becoming a bigger successive as The Oracle
Real advice that can help get readers through rough spots in their lives
I gave The Oracle Rebounds by Allison Van Diepen 5 smirks because it is such a touching story about how to pick yourself up when you hit a wall. Allison Van Diepen is a fantastic writer who knows how to bring real emotion to readers and get them invested in the story’s outcome. I highly recommend reading The Oracle Of Dating and of course, The Oracle Rebounds because each book can make you feel better about life in general (even if you don’t have an problems, these books can give you positive aspects to look at if you ever find yourself in an impossible situation).
Review of Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery
Published: January 1, 2008
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “WANTED: Single mom seeks billionaire's pocketbook to fund dying son's research cure. Will seduce if necessary. Blackmail is not out of the question. Miracles welcome.
Cynical billionaire seeks working mom with a heart of gold for PR campaign to improve his standing in the community. Must be willing to attend social events. Anyone looking for love, need not apply.
It seemed like the perfect match...until the unthinkable happened.”
Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery was a very compelling and heart breaking story about never giving up and continuing to fight for those you love. I gave Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery 5 smirks because it is a story you can’t help but feel and want to know what happens in the end.
Things I Loved About Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery:
Kerri and her optimistic, silver lining on everything involving everyone else except herself
Nathan’s ruthless nature that he wants everyone to believe
Nathan and his cynical beliefs
Kerri and Nathan’s back and forth game of who wins what fight
Cody and his determination to laugh and live
The close knit community of Songwood
Nathan’s strength that gives Kerri courage
And the unexpected chemistry between Nathan and Kerri
Accidentally Yours by Susan Mallery is a book that makes readers believe in having hope, fearing nothing, giving what you can, and ultimately in love itself.
Review of Kiss Of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Published: May 1, 2007
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell’s deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night—or this man—is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed—a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.
Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind—and the unwitting humans existing alongside them—from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.
Here, in the arms of the Breed’s formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all.”
Kiss Of Midnight by Lara Adrian is the first book in The Midnight Breed Series. I randomly stumbled upon this author by browsing other people’s blogs. I really wanted to see what all the excitement was about with her Midnight Breed Series, so I decided to read the first book….and now I’m addicted. I absolutely fell in love with The Midnight Breed Series based on the first book alone.
Things I Loved About Kiss Of Midnight by Lara Adrian:
Well-rounded story line
Very descriptive (I felt like I could experience everything with the characters)
Lucan (fictional crush worthy)
Gabrielle and her keen perceptiveness
Sexy, thrilling love scenes
Lucan’s 900 years of stubbornness
Lucan saving Gabrielle’s life before she even knew him
Lucan’s creepy and eerily romantic sense of stalking (specifically Gabrielle)
And the history of how vampires came to be
I gave Kiss Of Midnight by Lara Adrian 5 smirks because it is a book that readers can invest in. Kiss Of Midnight and I’m positive all the other books in The Midnight Breed Series has beautiful characters, entertaining dialogue, vivid descriptions, hope, love, and protectiveness that can touch readers reality and make everything come alive.
Review of Killer Heat by Brenda Novak
Published: September 28, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “The bodies of seven women have been discovered in Skull Valley, Arizona. Jonah Young, a private security operative from Department 6, has been hired by the Yavapai County Sheriff to assist in solving these murders. But Jonah’s not prepared for the complications that arise when he’s forced to work with a woman from his past, private investigator Francesca Moretti.
Jonah betrayed Francesca ten years ago. She hasn’t forgiven him and she’s pretty sure she never will. But the woman she was hired to find has been murdered in exactly the same way as the seven in Skull Valley, so like it or not, Francesca has to work with Jonah. They quickly zero in on the most likely suspect--but questions remain. Questions they have to answer. Because if they bet on the wrong man, it might be the last thing they ever do.”
Killer Heat by Brenda Novak is a story about trust and finding the courage to forgive. Out of the three books in this series so far, I related to this book the most. I see a lot of similarities and fears in Francesca that I see within myself and was able to connect with her character the most. I gave Killer Heat by Brenda Novak 5 smirks because showed what an act of forgiveness can do and what the act of not forgiving can potentially lead to.
Things I Loved About Killer Heat by Brenda Novak:
Francesca’s guarded exterior
Jonah’s struggles to forgive himself for the things he has done
Adriana’s crazy obsession with Jonah (even though I hated it, the story wouldn’t have been as good without it)
Jonah and Francesca’s “twenty questions”
Getting a glimpse at Nate and Rachel’s life briefly (White Heat)
Jonah always carrying a piece of Francesca with him
Murder investigation focusing on everything but the obvious
Making the reader feel like they were also a part of the investigation
And the physical and emotional fighting all the characters do within this story
Killer Heat by Brenda Novak is book filled with strength, love, forgiveness, fear, and hope that will have readers begging for more. Killer Heat is just one of those books you cannot live without.
Review of Body Heat by Brenda Novak
Published: August 31, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Twelve people have been shot at point-blank range and left to rot in the desert sun. It's Sophia St. Claire's job to do something about it. She's Bordertown, Arizona's new chief of police-and she's out of her depth.
Help arrives in the form of Department 6 hired gun Roderick Guerrero. As far as Sophia's concerned, his involvement only makes things worse. Maybe he's managed to turn his life around. And maybe he's a good investigator. But as the bastard son of a wealthy local rancher, he has a history he can't get past. A history that includes her.
Rod refuses to leave town until the killer is caught. He's not worried about the danger posed by some vigilante. It's Sophia who threatens him. Because he's used to risking his life-but his heart is another story.”
Body Heat by Brenda Novak was an incredible story that shows you can go home again and finally find what you always thought was missing could be right under your nose. I gave Body Heat by Brenda Novak 5 smirks because it is just such an involved story about what really happens all over world and gives the reader hope that just because things get dark does not mean there will never be light.
Things I Loved About Body Heat by Brenda Novak:
Rod and his defense mechanism of humor
Sophia’s passion for everything and everyone she cares about
The very real aspect of murder
The huge political uproar of how many people were actually involved
Rod’s determination to keep Sophia safe from anything and everything
A surprising family support system
Sarcastic dialogue between anyone and everyone
Being able to see different points of view from different characters
And the fact that both Rod and Sophia are underdogs who fight like hell to survive
Body Heat by Brenda Novak is a book worth owning because I believe justice never gets old. Not only that but the conflict and chemistry evident between Rod and Sophia are so promising it can make even the cynical hope for the future.
Review of Seduced On The Red Carpet by Ann Christopher
Published: October 1, 2010
5 out of 5 smirks
Synopsis: “Parties, perks, private jets and photo shoots… She’d give it all up for love.
Discovered at sixteen, supermodel Livia Blake has lived a life most women only dream of. But beneath the glitz and glamour is a small-town girl who yearns for babies, a permanent home—and the man to go with it. Then she meets Hunter Chambers at his family-owned Napa Valley winery. The sexy single father tempts Livia with a desire she’s never known…and with a dream she was afraid wouldn’t come true.
Hunter knows Livia’s type—and she’s not his type at all. But he can’t deny the passion surging between them. But what happens once Livia jets off to her next photo shoot, taking Hunter’s heart with her?
Is their love strong enough to create their own private paradise, far from the glare of the spotlight?”
Seduced On The Red Carpet by Ann Christopher was a compelling story about finding what you truly want out of life. I gave Seduced On The Red Carpet by Ann Christopher 5 smirks because the story really pulls you into the two main characters. Livia and Hunter have this sparkling energy that always generates around them when they are together; it’s hard not to get lost within this book.
I loved that Ann Christopher brought aspects into this book about the different lives both Livia and Hunter come from. From spotlight to down to earth farmer, it’s a reality that makes the characters alive for readers. Seduced On The Red Carpet (love the title) draws readers into the lust, tension, loving, roller coaster environment that is Livia and Hunter themselves. I suspect most readers will be unable to put this book down until there is nothing left to read.
