Thursday, May 30, 2013

Book Review: Faking It by Cora Carmack

Faking It
By Cora Carmack
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Source: Edelweiss

Summary: Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.


Review: I fell in love with Cora Carmack's writing in Losing It, so when I had the chance to review her new release Faking It, I knew I had to read it ASAP. And just look at that cover! I knew just looking at this one that Faking It was going to be fantastic New Adult romance. 

Cade has never gotten over Bliss, despite the fact that she's now in a serious relationship with a dreamy British guy who was her professor the year before. No matter how hard he tries, Cade can't get rid of his feelings and heartbreak. But one look at Max and all thoughts of Bliss fly out the window. Max is everything Cade isn't; she's rebellious and not afraid to speak her mind, not to mention her dyed hair, tattoos and piercings. Cade, on the other hand, is Mr. Perfect, always there when you need him. But when their two worlds collide and Max needs Cade's help to convince her parents that her life as a musician is the right path for her, Cade is completely captured by her passion and resilient attitude. Can Cade really figure out what's beneath the hard girl exterior, and can Max be the answer for Cade finally finding someone who just might like him too?

I wasn't sure what I had thought of Cade in Losing It, but boy do I love him in this book. Cade is just so sweet and handsome and gosh darn perfect. Okay, so we learn that he's got problems of his own with letting people go and everything, but he's perfect to me! And I love how he falls for someone so not like him, which is Max. Max is such a dynamic character and I really loved how there were so many layers to her character that Cade tried to peel back as they got to know each other more and more. 

What was best about this book, though, was how not perfect their relationship was. Cade and Max have so many ups and downs from the moment that they meet, which makes the story so intriguing and interesting. You never knew what would set one of them off or where they would be in the next chapter. I was definitely on the edge of my seat with this one. And talk about chemistry! Cade and Max are so wrong, yet so right for each other. It's perfect!

If you're a new adult fan, you definitely have to pick up Cora Carmack's books! Losing It was awesome and Faking It is even better! And in this one you get alternating points of view with each chapter (switching between Max and Cade), which means you get so much more from each of the characters and their stories. So go out and pick this one up when it comes out. I promise, you're going to love it!



Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday (93)


This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Corner of Bitter and Sweet
By Robin Palmer
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Summary: Gilmore Girls meets Postcards from the Edge crossed with L.A. Candy

Sixteen-year-old Annabelle Jacobs never asked to be famous, but as the daughter of Janie Jacobs, one of the biggest TV stars in the world, she is. Growing up is hard enough. Having to do it in public because your mother is a famous actress? Even harder. When your mom crashes and burns after her DUI mug shot is splashed across the internet? Definitely not fun. Then your mom falls for a guy so much younger than she that it would be more appropriate for you to be dating him? That’s just a train wreck waiting to happen.

From Robin Palmer, author of Geek Charming and Wicked Jealous, this is a novel about the most complicated relationship a girl ever has: that with her mother.





The cover of this book is definitely what first drew me to it. Then, throw in that it's kind of like Gilmore Girls and I know that I HAVE to read this. This one sounds really fun and I love the whole aspect of her mom being famous and then royally screwing up. Hopefully it turns out as awesome as it sounds!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Reads of 2013 So Far


This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Best Reads of 2013 So Far

This week was a freebie week, so I decided to share my favorite reads so far of 2013. I have read SO MANY awesome books in the past 5 months, so it's going to be hard to narrow it down to a top 10. But I'll try my best :)

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

4. Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally 
5. Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
6. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

7. Reckless by SC Stephens
8. Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt
9. Golden by Jessi Kirby

10. Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Monday, May 27, 2013

London Snapshots


As you know, I've been in London since May 20th, and I am having the most amazing time! I have seen so much of London in the past week and it has been the best experience of my life. I've seen everything, from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey to Borough Market and Harrod's. I am so excited to spend the next 5 weeks of my life here because I couldn't imagine a better place to be. 


My favorite place that I've visited has definitely been Westminster Abbey. There is so much history behind it and there's even a Poets' Corner where a bunch of literary figures are commemorated and buried. Charles Dickens is buried there and they even have a plaque for Jane Austen! I was so excited to find her name there. The inside is beautiful and it was so cool learning all about the history, especially the part about the Tudors, because I love them and their whole twisted history. I made sure to go back and snag a really cute mug from the gift shop to take home to remember my favorite tourist attraction of London. 


My other favorite part about this trip so far was when I stopped by the Borough Market on Saturday. It was filled with food of so many different kinds and you would not believe how much cheese they had! There were tons of samples and I was in cheese heaven. The best part, though, was definitely the kangaroo burger I got from an exotic meets stall in a back corner of the market. Mmm it was delicious! The burger itself was huge with so many yummy things put on it. I was a little scared to try it since it's made from kangaroo meat, but it was awesome. I can't wait to go back as often as I can because it's definitely paradise for a food lover like me. 

There is so much more I'd love to share with you guys, but I think I'll save that for another post so that I don't bore you with my life. All you need to know is that I'm having the most amazing time of my life here and can't believe I get to spend the next 5 weeks here. Classes start tomorrow, and I'm taking one on Shakespeare and one on 17th century poetry and prose. Hopefully everything goes well! It's going to be so hard to sit down and do homework in such an amazing city, but I'll try my best :)


P.S. If you guys have any recommendations of where to go or things I should see while I'm in London, don't hesitate to let me know! I'd love to hear any suggestions :)

Weekly Roundup [5/21-5/27]


Wow, this week has been insane. I left on Sunday for the UK and arrived in London on Monday! I've been here all week just soaking up London and going from one tour to another. I haven't had a chance to breath until today! Haha, but it's absolutely wonderful here and I cannot wait to spend 5 more weeks in this amazing city. Sadly, though, I have had barely any time to read anything other than Shakespeare for my classes, so the blog has been a little quiet. Don't despair, though! Classes are starting and things will become slower paced, so I'll have much more time to read the books I've been dying to read on my Nook. Until then, here's what I've posted since I've been in London!

Book Reviews
What a Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling

Memes

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Giveaway Winner

I want to thank everyone for entering the giveaway for a copy of Impostor by Susanne Winnacker! It is now time to pick the winner and the lucky winner is....

Joanne Balinski

Congrats! I've emailed the winner and she has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. I hope you enjoy your prize!

Book Review: What a Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling

What a Wicked Earl Wants
By Vicky Dreiling 
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Source: Publisher

Summary: WILL A RAKE'S WICKED WAYS

Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham, believes in being a gentleman, whether it's fishing a soggy stranger out of the Thames or assisting a fetching lady into his bed. If the stranger becomes a friend and the lady a mistress, all the better. He certainly welcomes the opportunity to help Laura Davenport, a dazzling young widow with a rebellious stepson. Her gratitude, he hopes, will take an amorous form. But from the moment he sets foot in her drawing room, he gets far more than he bargained for ... 

LEAD THE LADY ASTRAY?

It was a moment of desperation. On the brink of losing her stepson, Laura turned to the notorious Lord Bellingham for help. Suddenly she, a vicar's daughter, is in the precarious position of resisting his tantalizing advances. How Bell earned his wicked reputation is clear; the surprise is how much more there is to him than the gossip sheets could possibly reveal. Now every moment with this dangerously desirable man puts Laura's good name at risk-and promises pleasure unlike any she has ever known ...

Review: I don't know how she does it, but Vicky Dreiling never ceases to write a historical romance that I fall head over heels for. I get lost in her world of Earls and Ladies, and her newest novel was definitely no exception!

Andrew Carrington, also known as Bell seeing as he is the Earl of Bellingham, is on the lookout for a new mistress. But when he comes across Laura, a recently widowed woman with a teenage stepson, at a ball, he is instantly intrigued. Laura, though, is not like the other ladies willing to fling themselves into Bell's arms; she is a respectable lady who cares about the wellbeing and respect of her rebellious stepson. When her stepson's legal guardian threatens to take him away, Laura finds that the only person she can find to help turn her stepson around and keep him is none other than the dashing (with quite a reputation) Earl of Bellingham. Can she resist his wicked charms as she tries to turn her stepson into the respectable gentleman he should be? 

Oh, where to start? I read this book in one day on my flight to London and it made time seem to fly by. I absolutely loved Bell (though I wasn't a big fan of him being called Bell...I think Andrew would have worked just fine) and how though he acts as a lady's man, he really does have a soft heart. Well, at least for Laura. He doesn't hesitate to help her out with her problems and acts playful towards her, which breaks down her protective walls she had to put up since her husband's death. So many young men want to marry Laura for her money, so she knows she has to be careful who she trusts. And why not the dashing Bell? 

I really liked the story of Laura fighting to keep her stepson, even though he was really rebellious and started straying away from anything to do with his responsibilities or stepmom. Laura really isn't that old either (her husband was pretty old when they married and died shortly after), so she had to take on quite a lot of responsibility by taking care of a teenage stepson. I really liked that aspect of the story and how Bell not only really liked Laura, but he really wanted to help out her stepson as well. Nothing like a caring, loving Earl to sweep you off your feet. 

So, yet again, I fell in love with Vicky Dreiling's book. Who wouldn't with the romance, society, reputations, and extremely dreamy high society men? I'm excited for another book to come out in this series (this is book one of The Sinful Scoundrels) so that I can read even more about these lovely characters and their enchanting lives.



Friday, May 24, 2013

Follow My Book Blog Friday (89)


This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!

Answer: Hmmm I really do love this hop! The only thing I don't really like are activity challenges where we have to take pictures of stuff...because those always happen while I'm at school and most of my books and favorite places to read are back home. So they're difficult to participate in! Other than that, I really love answering these questions this week! Keep up the awesome work at running this meme! 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday (92)


This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Chaos of Stars
By Kiersten White
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Summary: Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.




Ooooh, a story about Egyptian gods? Well, the human daughter of Egyptian gods? That sounds so cool! And the fact that she's kind of sort of seeing the future in her nightmares is really cool. I can't wait to see how this one turns out!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Covers of Books I've Read


This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Favorite Book Covers of Books I've Read

Oh you have NO idea how excited I am about this week's topic. I'm a serious book cover snob and I totally judge books by their cover. A lot of the books I own right now are because I just loved the cover and couldn't wait to add it to my shelf. Haha, and that's why my TBR pile is so big! Anyways, here's a list of ten covers I think are fabulous!


1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
2. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
3. The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag


4. God Save the Queen by Kate Locke
5. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
6. Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt


7. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
8. Adorkable by Saraa Manning
9. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick


Monday, May 20, 2013

Weekly Roundup [5/14-5/20]


Hey guys! I'm super excited because right now I'm typing this post from my flat in LONDON, ENGLAND! How cool is that? I'll be here for the next six weeks taking two summer classes, one on Shakespeare and one on 17th century Poetry and Prose, and I could not be more excited. Hopefully I'll still have time to read and stay up to date with everything on here! I was able to do a ton last week seeing as I had no school or anything, so hopefully I can keep up the good work next week!

Book Reviews
The Year of Luminous Love by Lurlene McDaniel
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols
Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Haven Creek by Rochelle Alers

Memes

Miscellaneous 
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