30 June 2012

Book Review: Blue Eyed Devil

by Lisa Kleypas

Summary
MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL

His name is Hardy Cates. He’s a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston’s oil industry. He’s got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.

MEET THE HEIRESS

She’s Haven Travis. Despite her family’s money, she refuses to set out on the path they’ve chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire.

WATCH THE SPARKS FLY. . . .

Filled with Lisa Kleypas’s trademark sensuality, filled with characters you love to hate and men you love to love, Blue-Eyed Devil will hold you captive in its storytelling power as the destiny of two people unfolds with every magical word.

Review 
Review Grade 4/5

Domestic Violence happens to all walks of life. Even money could not protect you from it. 

Lisa Kleypas never failed me. That’s what I love most about her – whether it’s contemporary or another one of her regency. I couldn’t stop myself from turning from one page to another until I’m done. No boring or dull moments EVER! Reading Lisa Kleypas is pure unadulterated bliss. .

I’m a big regency fan and I rarely grab a contemporary romance novel unless it’s YA. But a friend made me read this series and promised me it is so worth my time – and boy, she’s not wrong. 

This book starred a character I was quite ambivalent with when the first book ended: Hardy . At the beginning of Sugar Daddy I really wanted Liberty and him to be together but he disappeared and by the time he was back, Liberty had already fallen in love with Gage. Plus, what he did to Gage at the end of the first book was just LOW!

Anyway, in Blue-Eyed Devil we met Haven - she wants nothing from her father. She hated the fact that they were so ridiculously rich and there are other people who are starving elsewhere. Against her father’s advice, she got married. All she wished for was a happy ending but fate has different plans . I am just so, so gland that she has finally found the courage to walk away and start a new life. 

Hardy now I understand why he wasn’t meant for Liberty. He & Haven met at the wedding he crashed but then she got married and they lost touch. When Haven came back, she was different, he was persistent in a good way, that is . He can push her but you can’t really feel that he’s pressuring her to do something she wasn’t ready to do. I love his patience and perseverance.

Gage If you fell in love with him in Sugar Daddy – wait till you read Blue Eyed Devil . I love him! He was an amazing brother to Haven – offered her a safe place when she needed one and never questioned her until she was ready. He pulled some strings which he doesn’t normally do to save her from the nasty quick sand she was stuck in and became the friend she needed badly. 

Unlike some Domestic-Violence themed novels, the perpetrator was dissected and uncovered. I like the Psyche part which allows the reader to understand why some awful things are happening and why some people turned out to be what you do not expect and why some people fall as victims. 

All in all Blue Eyed Devil tells us that happy endings can come after a tragic tale. Lisa Kleypas has lessened the heaviness of the theme that will not burden readers, no matter how serious her plot may be. 

Favorite Quote
  • “I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” 
  • “One of the blessings human beings take for granted is the ability to remember pain without re-feeling it. The pain of the physical wounds is long gone …and the other kind of hurt, the damage done to our spirits, has been healed. We are careful with those scarred places in each other. ” 
  • “And it occurred to me that friendship was a lot more dependable, not to mention long-lasting, than love.” 
  • “But sometimes normal just isn't happening. Sometimes crazy feels too good to resist.” 
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28 June 2012

Book Review: Something Like Normal

by Trish Doller

Summary
When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

Review
Review Grade: 4/5


War is only half the battle.

Something Like Normal is one of the novels I had been waiting for – and thank God it had finally arrived. I have to set aside some of my reads to make way for this one. Have I been disappointed? BIG FAT NO!
My first Trish Doller novel and I had a grand time reading it. If I was not that tired and desperate for sleep, I would have finished this in one sitting. It is a short novel but I think everything has been taken care of that the ending didn’t felt that it was cut short or there were conflicts left open. 

I fell in love with Harper. Her character is so refreshing. A regular girl with a pretty courageous, and straightforward attitude. She says what is on her mind and can swing a punch like a pro. She’s pretty hot, intelligent, an environmentalist, and forgiving. She didn’t push when she thinks it was not the right time and what I love most about her is that she is drama queen. All-in-all, she is an awesome girl and any guy would be lucky to have her.



Travis, well, I didn’t like him much at first. He may be a macho marine but he started as a douchebag. I seriously didn’t like what he did to Harper back in middle school. I think it was low, but he was a teenager with his brains probably on his balls. But he started to grow on me as the novel unfolds. Like some soldiers who were sent off to war and had their shares of violence, he went home a different person – more mature, a little less a****le, and scarred. His grief over the death of his close friend was understandable as well as his constant nightmares. It was hard for him to find help at first, but I was glad alittle push from some special people in his life made him finally seek for help. 

Travis’ mom goes overboard in the first chapter. Although I must admit, I like the effort she puts in showing Travis her support. This is what I love best about her. She puts a lot of time in making sure her some gets some care packages often, she sends in some school supplies for the children of Afghanistan when he asked for them, even engaging the help of others for her project. I appreciate the way she reached out to her son – even though Travis was a cranky and tough to handle when he came back home, she never gave up. I like the change that her character has throughout the story. From a doormat, she learned how to fight for what she wants and stood against anyone who don’t respect her. 

I also love Charlie’s mom. I think it was her who helped Travis see reality and finally stopped his denial. She’s calm, wise and weird (but in a nice way). 

The rest of his family? Didn’t like them a bit. I hated his dad, who never got over the fact that he was not a pro player anymore. I hated the way he pushed Travis to do the things that he didn’t really enjoy. When Travis finally gave up the sport – he became non-existent to his father. His brother was also an ass. He stole his girlfriend and his car – and he thinks Travis is still the bad guy! Who else do I hate? Paige. I guess you’ll hate her too. She sent a short and concise Dear John letter to Travis and expects him to win her back from Ryan? Yeah Right. 

The ending? I CRIED! I so love the ending. It shows a lot of heart and I think it was a perfect way to end a fantastic story. 

Trish Doller gave us a vivid peek of what is going on inside a soldier’s mind before, during and after his deployment – what happens to the family that they left behind, what deaths do to you, how violence affect your life and what is it like to feel normal after living in a foreign land away from everyone who is close to you. It takes brave guy to enlist oneself and serve your country but it takes more than a tough guy to survive the ordeals afterwards. 

Favorite Quote
  • “Maybe it’s time to find a new normal.” 


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26 June 2012

Book Review: Saving You, Saving Me



Book Details:
Author: Kailin Gow
Format: Kindle


Summary:
Sam never thought she would fall for the one mysterious guy she has been speaking to over the phone for months, the boy the counselors called Daggers. She wasn't supposed to talk to him outside of their sessions. But as she began to peel the layers of Daggers and learn who he is, the one boy she is supposed to be saving, might just be the one who is saving her.


Review:
Review Grade:2/5


If you have read the Fifty Shades Trilogy prior to reading Saving You, Saving Me - you are in for a BIG HUGE (or whatever superlative you can attach to this) disappointment.

This is my first Kailin Gow novel and it is sad that I didn't like it. I love the Fifty Shades Trilogy - and this book was a poor imitation of it. I don't need to hide the spoilers for those who have read EL Jame's novel. But for those who don't okay I will... 

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Anna & Christian = Fifty Shades Trilogy
Sam & Collin = Saving You, Saving Me

Here are some of the similarities you can find in both books:
1. Collin is much older than Sam - not really cradle snatching. Sam is 18, Collin is 24. Just like Christian and Anna!
2. Collin is VERY rich at a very young age. He owns his own record company. Christian was filthy rich too, right? Well, he owns a lot of company and not just one.
3. THE CONTRACT Okay, their contract was a lot shorter than that of the Fifty Shades, and of course there was some weird clause in the SYSM (Saving You, Saving Me) contract but it won't surpass what EL James wrote for Fifty Shades Trilogy (FST).
4. I hated Anna because she annoys me, but I hated Sam more because she was overly dramatic. Really, how many times would you waste your tears for something petty? argh!
5. Collin is troubled - didn't have a very nice childhood not to mention he has problems with his mother. Sounds very familiar, right? Didn't Christian had a not-so-nice childhood as well? This has caused his unusual sexual preferences.
6. Sam's licking her lips which affected Collin a lot
7. Sam described Collin as multi-layered!

Differences 
1. Anna's family were very supportive of her, Sam's wasn't. She has troubles with her family as well. Her mom was an alcoholic and her dad was a pastor. So, connect the dots!
2. It was Collin who broke up with Sam. Anna was the one who broke up with Christian on the end of the first book.


On The Other Hand... 
If the Fifty Shades Trilogy is filled with Kinky F*ckery & out of this world sex - in Saving You, Saving Me there was no sex - just a whole lot of Make-Out. 

it's not that ALL BAD ...
The only thing I like about this novel that it is centered on a call center that caters problematic youth

i just wish... 
That this similarities will stay on the first book and the second book will be a little or way more different.  

22 June 2012

Book Reads: A Midsummer's Nightmare



Book Details
Author: Kody Keplinger
Format: Kindle


Summary
Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorced dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great. Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together. Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.


Review:
Review Grade: 4/5


What do I expect from another Kody Keplinger novel?
  • Girl Power. I fell in love with Bianca [The DUFF] and with Lissa [Shut Out]. Kody seemed to have a penchant for girl power and I love it. 
  • Relevant Social Issues Affecting Not Only Teens but Almost Everyone. 

She once again delivered a splendid novel to her readers. Introducing us to a problematic Whitley, I must admit that among all her characters, I didn’t like her much at first. Although, I think that her character is the most complex of the three. Her issues are more serious and I found her emotions compelling.

The opening of the novel had my jaws on the floor when she woke up – groggy and in a stranger’s bed after indulging in booze the night before. Okay, it was after graduation and she is 18 – although the waking up happened only this time, the booze is another story. 

She has problems with her mother, who was bitter with her father since the divorce and with her father whom she only sees during summer. Only that this summer – she was in for a big surprise finding her father is engaged! 

The woman’s son is her one-night stand from graduation night, the one she was hoping would never going to see again. She felt cheated and alone –so she did what she does best: act out, party and drink hard. Only that this time there were consequences she wasn’t ready or hoping for. 

I also enjoy the minor characters which held Whitney’s sanity in her summer ordeal: Her newfound friend Harrison ( she doesn’t do friends, but Harrison was persistent. I so love the first time that the two of them met. I think he’s one of the best things that happened to her during this summer. He became not just her friend but one of her heroes.); sweet and adorable future-step-sister Bailey and of course Nathan swoon. They’re not perfect which makes them real. I have seen each character grow throughout the story and fell in love with them one page at a time. 

Kody Keplinger wrote another eye opener not only to teens, but to adults as well: 1) Alcohol never solves anything 2) Every actions has consequences 3) Sometimes, bad things clouds the good things that are right in front of us.Packed with significant themes like family issues, alcoholism, parenthood, cyber bullying and sense of belongingness – A Midsummer’s Nightmare outshone her two former novels .


Favorite Quotes
  • “Screw nightmares. I was waking up.” 
  • “Anger was less painful than abandonment.” 
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18 June 2012

Book Review: First Comes Love



Book Details
Author: Katie Kacvinsky
Format: Kindle


Summary
Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what’s next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract.

What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other.

But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they’re going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you’re sorry.



Review
Review Grade: 4/5
It's pretty weird how someone can change your life in a blink of an eye. 
I thought... 
1. Judging from the cover, I would have taken this for a vamp lit which I'm not really fond of. Anyway, lesson learned, do not judge the book by its cover nor its blurb.
2. The plot will center on bullying/abuse.
3. I will so not like the ending.
4. Someone will die.


BUT 

Let me start by how much this novel surprised me. This was short, sweet and pretty much concise but I love it! I love the simplicity of the plot and how the author finally manage to close the novel without me feeling hanging or hoping for a whole lot more. 

Location 
Hot, steamy Phoenix desert during the summer. I couldn't believe they went on hiking under the scourging heat of the sun without dying of dehydration. Heat stroke is pretty deadly and usually what happens to people who challenges the sun. But nevertheless, the two of them lived to tell their tale :)

Boy Meets Girl 
when two totally different people meet

Dylan, Dylan, Dylan - I was overwhelmed by her character. Seriously. I have never met someone more restless, optimistic and always on the go (such as her) in fictionworld. But I like her. I like her passion for photography, how she managed to change her life and allow herself to live each day as it comes, making simple goals daily and manage to stick to them. These goals lead her toGray. She was trying to make a friend and chose this person who seemed to be a loner.

I love her so much for being a friend to Gray and not pushing him totally to a cliff. She knew where to stop and what ponds not to dip her feet into. Her perseverance and determination to allow Gray to live his life and change for the better was admirable. 

Gray Just like the name suggested - Gray is dark & stormy. He had his life on hold for his family when a tragedy struck. He no longer wants to feel, instead he prefers to remain numb. He was angry and in denial. Everything changed when he met Dylan. He was pushed to do crazy things he never imagined he could do. 

Boy meets girl and so forth... 
Just like magnet, opposite do attracts. The boy who wants to feel nothing fell in love with the girl who has all the zest in life. I love their time together because you can feel Gray's emotion shifts from heavy to light. He seems to be happier with her. Their first time was pretty adorable. It wasn't steamy and kinky, instead it was cute and and funny. I fell in love with the both of them. 

But then reality hits, summer is almost ending and she'll be gone. Will this be another summer fling or can he stop her from leaving? 

First comes this book...
This is my first Katie Kacvinsky book, and I must admit I like it. I would gladly recommend it to friends who just adore short and meaningful reads (like me!). Can't wait to get my hands on the rest of her books! 



Favorite Quotes

  • “When everything comes easily to you, it never challenges you to change.” 
  • “Lying is manipulation. I prefer to call what I did ‘improvisation in times of desperation.”
  • “Sometimes the smallest victories in life are more rewarding than the greatest milestones.” 
  • “In my baggy jeans and messy hair, I know I don't fit into this plastic palace. But I don't want to fit in. That's when no one notices you. You leave a longer impression when you're brave enough to stand out.” 
  • “Live a little," she tells me. "You're never going to experience anything if you wait around for perfect conditions.” 
  • “Why go out looking perfect and put together? It means you didn’t experience anything. You didn’t take any risks.” 
  • “Life is too short to waste time on people who don't lift you up, who don't inspire you-they'll eventually drain you.” 
  • “But pain's like water. It finds a way to push through any seal. There's no way to stop it. Sometimes you have to let yourself sink inside of it before you can learn how to swim to the surface.” 
  • “Sleep doesn’t come to people who have a heavy apology resting on their heart. Sleep knows better.” 
  • “Because if you’re lucky enough to have people in your life that make you happy, that inspire you, that move you, you need to devour each moment you have together because you never know how many of those moments you have left. These people are sacred.” 
  • “What do you say when you’re not enough to make someone stay?”

14 June 2012

Book Review: Rapture

Book Details
Author: Lauren Kate
Format: Kindle
Date Published: 06/12/2012

Summary:
The sky is dark with wings . . . .

Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.

Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.

For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.

In the fight for Luce, who will win?

The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.



Review:


3/5


Finally, I AM DONE. I have been inserting books in between reads because I got bored. 

At first I thought the best thing there is was the cover - as usual Fallen Series has one of the best covers I have seen.

The first chapters bored me to death. The story didn't pick up until the last chapters of the book -- and there goes the bomb!! Explosive twist that had me dropped to my seat (well, not literally). This was the other guy they were talking about. And I thought I had it coming- only to be ultimately shock. Lucinda's first love? No, it was not Daniel. It was someone else. Not going to put any spoilers here (although I'm dying to). Amazing, Amazing, Amazing. 

I would have given it a 4 if the story wasn't a drag. I really like the first book of the series - the second and third were a blur. I read the fourth book because I'm dying to know the ending - how will this circus come to its final curtain call. What will happen to the characters? Will Daniel and Luce love conquer it all (those type of stuffs.)

Lauren Kate delivered well to end this series. It was almost disappointing before the surprising twist. The whole drag was ALMOST worth it.



Favorite Quotes
“I want you to know that I would do it all again. I will choose you every time.” 


“There is always some regret when we accept that love has moved away from us” 


“Was their love worth the erasure of the world and all its stories?” 


“Grief can choke you. It’s dangerous, something else you have to beat.” 


“This is why angels choose sides, why people join teams. It costs too much not to; it weighs too heavily to soldier on alone.” 


“Heartbreak is its own form of amnesia.” 


You must remember how to dream what you already know.”


“All that is good in Heaven and on Earth is made of love. Maybe that wasn’t your plan when you created the universe—maybe love was just one aspect of a complicated and brutal world.
But love was the best thing you made, and it has become the only thing worth saving. This war is not just. 
This war is not good. Love is the only thing worth fighting for.” 


“Fear is the only way to greet the devil.” 


“You have to stop loving me.
Because I stopped loving you.” 



“The best part was now. That was what she would take with her from her journeys through the ages: He was worth everything to her and she was worth everything to him. The only way to experience that deep level of their love was to enter each new moment together, as if time were made of clouds. And if it came down to it these next nine days, Luce knew that she and Daniel would risk everything for their love.” 


“Strangling is the most intimate way to kill someone,” 


“She would not stop until she beat the devil.” 


“Trust is a careless pursuit.” 


“Inspiration is an excuse for doing something you already want to do.” 



08 June 2012

Book Review: Keep Holding On


Book Details
Author: Susane Colasanti
File Size: 367 KB
Publisher: Viking's Children (May 31, 2012)

·       Summary
Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.


Review
Review: 5/5



TOP FIVE WAYS PEOPLE CAN SURPRISE YOU
5. Just when you think they’ve given up on you, they prove that they never will.
4. They find a way to speak up after staying silent for so long.
3. They defend you when you least expect it.
2. By showing you how life can get better now.
1. By helping you find a place to belong.



I so love Keep Holding On- and it is not just because of the cover which totally caught my attention when I first saw it in Goodreads.

Four Reasons Why I Love This Book:
1) The Length 
Talk about KISS - Susane Colasanti kept it short and simple. Everything is straight to the point and there was no beating around the bush. The heavy subjects such as bullying, neglect and sexual abuse are presented concisely. I am glad that although this is a short read, all subjects were given closure and a resolution - reminds me of Jennifer Echol's Going Too Far


2.) The Characters
Noelle. I love how her character developed each day. How she finally earned her courage may be a little tragic. She was afraid, I know. She's a teenager and just want to live life each day at a time, trying to survive high school. I do not blame her for not reaching out, although it would be ideal that she would have. However, for someone who is totally afraid and constantly bullied, being invisible is one of the best option that one can think of while trying to gain the strength to fight back. Lastly, I like how she stood up to everyone at the end of the novel and having a fresh start not only with friends but with her mother as well.

Julian. Well, at first I hated Julian because he seemed to be passive. I mean, if he liked Noelle he would do something for the bullies to stop what they're doing to her. He wasn't the savior/hero that I was looking for (compare to Henry, from Heart on a Chain or Evan, from the Breathing Series). But, part of it may be Noelle's fault as well. She kept on pushing Julian out of her life and settle for something less than she deserved. On the other hand, I love the way how everything works out at the end: Julian having showed his hero-side &  Noelle finally had the courage to confess that she likes him as well.

Simon. He reminds me of sunshine, of someone who is not afraid to be himself despite what other people may think or say. I think he's one of the people who really saved Noelle without making her noticed it (since she really doesn't trust anyone besides Sherae). He gave Noelle the break she deserves in writing: not only saving her from the hell during cafeteria lunches but it also allowed her to grow and share whatever talent she has with the rest of the school.

Sherae. The best friend - who had been through a lot as well. The friendship she had with Noelle is pretty amazing. I was glad that they had each other to fall to when things got out of hand. Although she doesn't really know what is really happening to her friend, their friendship made it bearable for Noelle to go to school everyday. She's the kind of friend who doesn't need the words - she knows how to anticipate the needs - which is really helpful especially when you're friend's lip is sealed. She was also afraid - but at the end, she finally took the courage to face it and asked for help.

3.) The Plot
Bullying is a serious offense. I have read a lot of novels about it, and it always leave me in an emotional turmoil. But, Susane Colasanti's Keep Holding On, set the tone that will still convey the message but manage to place it in a somewhat lighter tone. 


It also touches neglect, the fact that a child, at whatever point in his/her life still needs a parent to take care of him/her - not just with their basic needs but for emotional support as well.

Lastly, it also tackled about rape within a relationship. Okay, so both of you may be in love with each other - but when one of you doesn't give a consent to be intimate - that's another story. Sex should always be between two consenting people - regardless of the status of their relationship.

4.) The Ending
The advocacy to stop bullying as well as neglect is as loud as the fire engine's siren by the end of the novel. It was an amazing way to end the story, calling on to people (young or old) who have been victim - trying to tell them to be strong, that this will all pass, just keep holding on. It was a boost to the victim as well as wake up calls to people who are standing there like sentinels watching the injustice happening in front of them.


SEEING BELIEVING
what’s in front of you
is not necessarily
the entire story



Will I Recommend this Book?
Definitely! For friends who wants a short, light but meaningful and insightful read, I would gladly recommend this book!

Last words...
Bullies or Abuse-themed books always made my stomach churn and turn my intestines into knots. But Keep Holding On made it possible for me to finish reading without feeling completely dreadful.

If it's possible...
I want to read Sherae and Simon's love story too - they both deserve their happy endings :)


Favorite Quotes 
“When your heart is shattered into a million pieces, all you can do is try to keep holding on. You breathe. You try to fall asleep. You try to not think about him.”


“When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade papers. Red pens will forever be associated with criticism and bad grades in my mind. I don’t want this person to get their short story back with harsh red pen marks all over it. Purple is much friendlier.” 


“I wish emotional bruises healed like physical ones.”


“If I’d stopped believing that my life would eventually get better, I don’t think I would have survived high school.” 


“Love is never guaranteed. Love is a risk we take because we hope it will make us happy.” 


“Happiness is not limited. There’s enough for everyone.”


“School would be way more tolerable if everyone wasn’t so afraid to be who they really are. And if everyone else would let them.” 


“You can’t violate someone’s trust and expect there to be no consequences.” 


“We’re products of our choices.” 

05 June 2012

Book Review: Easy


Book Details
Author: Tammara Webber
File Size: 382 KB

Summary:
A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion.

A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal.

Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, stalked by her ex's frat brother, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Her econ professor gives her an email address for Landon, the class tutor, who shows her that she's still the same intelligent girl she's always been. As Jacqueline becomes interested in more from her tutor than a better grade, his teasing responses make the feeling seem mutual. There's just one problem--their only interactions are through email.

Meanwhile, a guy in her econ class proves his worth the first night she meets him. Nothing like her popular ex or her brainy tutor, Lucas sits on the back row, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. At a downtown club, he disappears after several dances that leave her on fire. When he asks if he can sketch her, alone in her room, she agrees--hoping for more.

Then Jacqueline discovers a withheld connection between her supportive tutor and her seductive classmate, her ex comes back into the picture, and her stalker escalates his attention by spreading rumors that they've hooked up. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

Review:
Rating: 5/5

Easy is my first Tammara Webber novel and I didn’t regret picking it for a second. “Easy” started with a blast that will blow your mind in the first chapters. The author surprised the readers of a no-hold bar scene that will make their heart race.

Jacqueline is starting a new chapter in her life after her 3-year relationship with Kennedy ended. I think she handled the post-Kennedy era of her life pretty well. She came out a strong woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to go for it.

Now, two amazing and completely opposite guys entered her life. There’s Landon, the class tutor that her professor recommended to her when she was about to fail her econ class. He is intelligent and clever. I love their email exchanges – it reminded me of EL Jame’s Fifty Shades Series (only in a more wholesome environment). It’s a witty banter thrown between two people who looked like their close friends but in reality Jacqueline have not yet set her eyes on Landon. Then there’s Lucas, a sex on stick (as described by Erin), who sat at the back of her Econ class who took more interest in sketching on his pad rather than listening to their professor.  


The relationship between friends felt sincere and close to reality without any overbearing theatrics. I love Erin – and her strong personality. The book is oozing with girl power. Especially with the mention of the sorority and how they dealt with heavy issues such as rape. Brotherhood in fraternities was also perfectly portrayed. The fact still exists that they will do anything to protect one of their own. But there is a limitation to every brotherhood, when brothers can no longer tolerate or realize the extent of mistake a ‘brother’ did.

There were ‘strategically’ placed foul words without overwhelming the reader. The whole book will remind you of your usual college experience, nothing out of the ordinary, well, almost.

Easy is a story of girl power, believing in yourself, friendship and love. This novel doesn’t need a sequel because, just like how it started, it also ended with a bang. I must admit that the main plot of the book is a little heavy – as well as most of the subplots. But Tammara Webber wrote it amazingly well that it didn’t burden the reader so much. You’ll end up surprise turning the page for more rather than pausing and taking a breath.

Definitely, I will read more of her novels and recommend Easy to friends who enjoy a mature YA read.

Favorite Quotes

"Love is not the absence of logic but logic examined and recalculated - heated and curved to fit inside the contours of the heart."