Book Stack Sunday

I'm going to try a new thing and show you some bookish goodies each week that I got in the mail since I don't always get to it on Instagram.

I forgot to put my December Bookworm Box on hold so it came and I was really excited about it!

The book this month was Irresistible by Melanie Harlow, but even better is that it's the first book in a series! So often I get book two or beyond and I'm stuck ordering everything before it because I hate jumping into a series like that. So this one looks promising. We also got a free e-book, which I can now read because I got an iPad for Christmas! I've already read a couple of books on it and it is SO much better than reading them on my phone. Ha! I also got a book light! I've been meaning to buy one of these for years and I always forget until I'm trying to read at night, so it's pretty cool and I'll have to try it out soon.

We are on a hard core budget now so I think I will be suspending my Bookworm Box subscription for awhile, and that bums me out.

Let's see, what else?

Oh! The week between Christmas and New Years Eve was pretty exciting for mail, I received five books that I'm reviewing. I already finished Seven Days, but the other ones are coming soon. It's an interesting mix. Maybe next week I'll show you my review shelf so you can see what's coming up.

Book Review: Until Harry

I was just telling a friend that I really want to renew my subscription to The Bookworm Box but honestly, I have so many books from past boxes I haven't read yet. Lets not add to the crisis, right? So I'm trying. I picked this one up because it looked good so here we go.

Until Harry - L.A. Casey

He was my best friend, my best not-really-big-brother, and my best protector.

He was my best everything.

He was mine.

Coming home is hard for Lane. Hard because Harry, her beloved uncle, has died suddenly, but also because of him. Kale.

Kale Hunt has been her best friend since childhood. But it was never that simple. He was Lane’s reason for leaving home and moving to New York. Seeing him with someone else, in love with someone else, shouldn’t have hurt. But it did. It really, really did. So she upped sticks and left, started a new life and cut herself off from her past.

But now she’s back, and all the feelings are right there. As if she had never left.

Emotions are running high for everyone, and tragedy has a funny way of bringing people together. But is Lane reading the signs right? Are they still just friends, or is there something more?

Let's just sing it together, OK? "Feelings.....nothing more than feeeeeeelings."

That's what this book is going to give you. It has unrequited love, awkwardness of losing your virginity, trauma, death, suppression of feelings, jealousy, rage, more death, making poor choices because of your emotions, etc. Literally every trope you can fit into a romance book and this one covers it. Honestly I might be missing a few but you get the basics.

In this book we have the struggling love story of Lane and Kale. They grow up together, he's three years older, but Lane is in love with him for as long as she can remember. She doesn't act on it because Kale says often that he loves her like a sister, he's practically a member of their family, and she grows up wanting to be loved by him in a different way but also feeling weird about it because he's like a brother to her. As they grow up it only gets worse except you get the glimmers that Kale feels the same way and is struggling with the same issues, but neither of them do anything because they are terrible communicators and are never on the same page at the same time, it seems.

Until Lane's beloved uncle Harry dies and she's forced to return home and deal with all of the issues that she ran away from. With a story line that alternates to present day and Lane's past, the story of how Lane and Kale being in this strained and heartbreaking impasse is told out and we see the highlights on their relationship timeline. Throughout you see the mistakes they are making and you want to shake your fist at them but alas, it's just a book and you'd look weird.

One negative of the book for me was Lane. She's a combination of stubborn, hard-headed, but also incredibly immature. She doesn't listen to what anyone says but is equally angry when they say nothing at all. It's not that I didn't like her but she was just teetering on that brink and I really wish she had stood up for herself sooner than she did because waiting until the last possible second is just terrible.

Positives of the book is going to be the scene she loses her virginity. I'll tell you- my night was definitely not that hot and I was a little jealous of her. The situation around it is screaming red flags but I also would have thrown caution to the wind and went with it. I really liked Kale, he's the good guy who doesn't really know what to do and feels like he's damned if he does but damned if he doesn't. Things get more complicated for him but they kind of clear the fog out of his eyes too and he comes around the bend a lot sooner than Lane. 

I will say, if you are looking for a book chock full of sexy sessions, you're going to be fairly disappointed, there's really only one but it's at least a really good one. If you're looking for a love story as it unfolds, this is definitely for you and I think you will really enjoy it. Overall I'm giving this one a solid 4 stars. I had a hard time putting it down and liked it.

   

April Book Boxes!

I got some great book boxes this month, I can't wait to show you! 

 First up is my Bookworm Box. If you remember I'm signed up for the two book box which has been really great and everyone gets random books so not every subscriber is going to get the same books. In my box I got Corinne Michaels Say You'll Stay and Tawna Fenske's At the Heart of It. The only downside is I already had Say You'll Stay, (review in that link) so I'm going to gift it to a friend and I hope she'll like it. Her birthday is coming up and we always exchange gifts so I'm going to make a self pampering gift for her. Anyways, the other book looks good too so I'm excited to get into it. We got the obligatory pen, a bookmark, and a popsocket!

I also got my PageHabit box which actually came ON TIME this month, so that was a nice treat. I got a fun pair of socks (wearing them today), an adorable pencil with cat eraser, a very cool reusable bag that folds into itself (in my purse now), a book mark, letter from the author, and Chantal Fernando's Leading the Witness as my book of the month. 

I have to start catching up on my reading because my shelf of these books is um... full. It's FULL so I need to read and donate, pass along, keep, or sell. Or maybe I'll do a giveaway, we'll see! 

March Book Boxes! Swag for days!

I almost forgot to share what I got in my March book boxes with you, which is CRAZY because my April boxes will be here before I know it! 

First up- The Bookworm Box!

 This box was heavy because the Beauty in the Ashes book is massive. I hate large books, they feel like such a time waster and 90% of the time I could pick out large amounts of stuff that can just be taken out to make it a more reasonable read. I haven't started it yet but I do  have Break Point on my  night stand. The swag this month was a pen (yawn) and a compact mirror, which I put into my purse because my other one broke. Handy! 

Next up, PageHabit!

I'm going to get pissy here because their shipping process is really terrible. Like legit terrible. This is the second month in a row my box was just sitting on a counter somewhere for days before moving. Again, it didn't start moving until I contacted customer service so I was late in getting my box. I think it's just me because other people seem to be getting their box with no issues much faster than me so who knows. I'm kind of annoyed. I'm not even impressed with the books this month, historical romance? BARF. Ugh. I've read one by this author before and I wasn't impressed so I'm not even sure if I'll read these or donate. I'm kind of annoyed to get two books by the same author, to be honest. The swag this month was pretty great though. It included an adult coloring book, a really pretty bookmark, a cool key chain, and a photo hanging cord (which I gave to Olivia).

I have to confess that I'm kind of thinking about signing up for OwlCrate again. I KNOW, I'm out of control but I can't help it. I really enjoyed that box and I've been on a YA kick lately and at least the books would get extra life because Olivia would read them, too. 

Happy mail in the form of: Book Boxes!

I am obsessed with book subscription boxes and there needs to be some kind of therapy group for it. Right now I'm getting The Bookworm Box and PageHabit regularly, but this month I added a one time, just to see how it is My Guilty Pleasures box, which is know called Totally Booked Crate. 

Which, if you're going to change your company's name and website? Maybe a little shout out email to your customers so they don't search for you, not find you, and assume they just got ripped off for $29.99, mmkay? 

So let's talk about  my boxes! 

My February box from The Bookworm Box is pretty solid! I am in the two book box (you can choose one book, if you want but then you get a larger swag item) so I got two books, some bookmarks, a pen, and a little hand warmer. I've already read one of the books, SEE THROUGH HEART, and it was so good!! So, so good you guys. So good that I've added her other books into my Amazon cart for the first chance I get money. Pretty excited about it. 

I heard about the My Guilty Pleasures box (now Totally Booked Crate) through another blog and I decided I wanted to give it a try since they have a one month only option, so that's what I did for February. The theme was "Girls Do It Better". 

Our box contained SHE ASKED FOR IT by Willow Winters, which is my current read, a knit hat, a "girl power" candle, a tea blend from Adagio Teas that I threw out, a vinyl sticker (which is new to a book box for me and I kind of love it), and a little art print. Overall this was a fun little box and they have three sub genres to choose from: young adult/fantasy, historical romance, or contemporary/new adult romance, and I chose the last one. Next month the theme is "Sea of Lies" so I'm on the fence about it. We'll see if I can get through a couple more books before I add to my collection!

I'd love to include my PageHabit box for this month but it STILL is not here. Frankly, this is all kind of unacceptable. It shipped February 19 and here we are, still waiting. I've already contacted them once and finally the package started moving but it's stalled again and I don't know why it's taking THIS LONG to mail a package via UPS. It's nuts. Get your crap together, PageHabit. 

Silenced

This one came in one of my fairly recent book boxes and it doesn't even matter which one because it was SO DAMN GOOD.

Silenced - Leddy Harper

As a young child, Killian Foster survives the unimaginable. Silenced and scarred, he keeps to himself, spending his time with his notebook in the woods behind his aunt’s house. 

Until Rylee Anderson…

When Rylee spots Killian hopping over a fence next door, she follows him, unprepared for the boy she’d find—or the relationship that would unfold over the next seven years.

Or the silence that would follow.

Fighting between the hate of his past and the promise of his future, Killian must make choices—ones that would affect more than himself. Choices that would test the lines of right and wrong. Decisions that could break the bond of the only love Killian knew.

Hate or love.

Revenge or forgiveness.

Silence or his voice.

I got ALL of the feels with this book. Let's start by saying we have Killian, who witnesses the aftermath of his parent's murder as a young boy and is brutally mutilated in the process. He stops speaking completely because they told him not to and he's destined for a terribly sad and lonely life.

Until he meets Rylee in the woods behind his aunt's house. And nothing is the same ever again for either of them.

They form a friendship and become each other's firsts for everything. The author perfectly captures both a girl and a boy going through the awkward stages of puberty, the weirdness of a first kiss, dry humping, ejaculation for the first time, boners, and sex. I squirmed so many times because there were parts of this book that just hit home so hard for me and now as a parent I squirm thinking that my kids will experience this, so I can imagine Rylee's parents and how they felt.

But it isn't all cupcakes and rainbows, Killian is a troubled boy. He wants revenge but he wants, needs Rylee with him but she's only 17 at this point. He leaves and Rylee is left devastated. For five years. When she sees Killian again she's blown away at how much he's changed, how much he's still the same, and the circumstances of how she finds him inadvertently. Can they rekindle what they had? The answer is YES and it's hotter than dry humping on a twin bed, you guys.

My only issue with the book is that there seems to be some blurry lines of consent in this book a few times and I was there thinking, this could really be wrong on a few levels here. Never mind the almost caveman mentality of Killian at times, so I guess it's part of character building. But bravo to Rylee for being a strong woman open to just about anything because she really turns out to be a pretty great character... even though it got a little dicey at the end for her.

Overall? I'm giving this one 4.5 stars because it was THAT good. This is one I'd buy for my friends, easily.

   

Bookworm Box and... Uppercase!

If you know anything about me, you know that I love happy mail. I don't care if it comes as a surprise or I mail it to myself, but I love it. Anything to break up the daily pile of bills and crap I don't know why companies waste their money to send. Surely they'd be far more profitable to not send me the exact same offers four times a week.

Anyways.

I've been eyeing up the Uppercase box for some time now and finally, I got an email with a discount for your first box. (You also know that I love a good deal.) So I signed up for it, but also ordered a few things from past boxes in their store, and I actually forgot all about it.

Until it showed up and it was exciting because YAY! It's happy mail!

So here is what I got:

The book this month is Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne, and I'll be honest- it's not one I'd even pick up to read the back cover description.  Then I went onto Goodreads to see what it's about and yeah... I'm not impressed at all. I paged through it and I'm not sure I'm even going to read it anytime soon. I have so many other interesting books on my shelf, so this one might get donated to a school. Surely some kid will love it.

Here is the little card included in my package detailing what I got. The only thing I really loved was the Moby Dick notebook. I don't need another notebook to save my life, but it was kind of cool and fits in my purse so I put it in my drawer for future use. The neat thing about Uppercase is that you get a bookmark with read along opportunities, so you read to a specific page and can discuss with others reading the same book and you don't have to worry about spoilers because you're with the people who are at the same spot as you.

To be honest? I'm going to cancel this box. I tried it, didn't love it.

So then a few days later I got my Bookworm Box, which is a box that traditionally has always had great books. I can only remember one, maybe two boxes in a couple of years that I didn't love. The swag you get is kind of lame (unless you love pens, bookmarks, and random pins or magnets), except for the one month we got insulated cups! Those were hands down, the best ever. 

They have recently gone back to offering a two book box subscription so I obviously signed up for that because my favorite thing about this box was always that we got two books, and this was the first month that was put into motion. In our box this month was a small notebook, a Bookworm Box ornament (like, really? Do you really think I want a Bookworm Box ornament? Garbage.), a bookmark, and a pin. Which I tossed because where would I wear that? Nowhere.

But let's talk about the books. We got Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel and Whisper If You Need Me by Dina Silver. If you are a long time reader you'll remember that I have already read and reviewed Whisper If You Need Me, which you can read HERE. I really liked it even though the first part was kind of boring, but the rest of it I liked. I've read a few more from Dina Silver and she's pretty good. So that book is being mailed to someone who has a kiddo who might like to read it.

I knew going in to the two book box I might get a duplicate (they said so in their live Facebook video) but I figured because I had such a long span between my cancelled subscription and my renewal that I might not. Well, I did. So this month kind of sucks, but I remain confident the rest will be interesting.

So because I cancelled Uppercase, I have something in my fun money to do something new! So that means I'm going to try Bubbles & Books, because this you can customize a little more. AND it's only $24 a month, so it's a little cheaper. My issue is you can choose from three boxes - paranormal, bad boy, or swept away. I CAN'T CHOOSE. No, that's not true. I'll cross out swept away because historical romance isn't my favorite. But now I'm down to two and I am having a really hard time deciding.

I'll keep you updated.

Wild Within

Now would be a super great time for you to tell me what a good job I'm doing at reading off my shelf of books I've had for years and didn't read yet.

It's OK, I'll wait.

OK, back to the post, this is a book I got in my Bookworm Box.... a really long time ago. We don't need to publicly say how long it was but I think it was before Penelope and she's 2 1/2 so... yeah. I won't even tell you how many books have been unread of my shelf for longer. Don't judge me.

Wild Within - Christine Hartmann

A year after a family tragedy, Grace Mori embarks on the journey of a lifetime… 

Two thousand, six hundred miles of blistering heat, wilderness, and soul searching—that’s what Grace signed up for when she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s not a voyage for beginners, but with no husband and her family still recovering from her bother’s death, Grace is more alone than ever. 

This trail meant something to her brother, and she’ll hike it in his memory, but she can’t do it alone. So with her brother’s gear and a small group, Grace takes the most important first steps of her life. 

Grace finds something more than peace and magic on the trail… 

When her first day of hiking ends in heat stroke, Grace is rescued by a handsome, red-haired hiker who calls himself Lone Star. Grace has an immediate connection with him, and their brief encounter leaves her fearing her soul mate has slipped through her fingers. Although he vows to keep in touch, Grace doubts she’ll ever see him again. 

When fears become reality, the only people Grace can rely on may be killers... 

Grace is surprised to find notes left at supply posts along the trail. Lone Star’s eloquent letters keep Grace going, clinging to the hope she’ll find him—and happiness—at the end of her journey. But as the trail becomes more perilous, menace grows within the group. And when Lone Star’s letters mysteriously stop coming, Grace fears the worst. 

As tensions flare and a killer emerges, Grace must battle to survive…and reunite with the man she’s sure is her future. 

I'm really torn on this book for a few different reasons, but I can tell you this absolutely is NOT a five star book. All of the people who have given it five stars must read some really terrible books if this one is just far above the rest. At best this is a 3/5 for me.

The story really revolves around Grace, who we learn early on is still grieving over the loss of her brother Kenji, and is kind of lost in the world. She doesn't know where her place is, her sister is moving away and now her parents are leaving too and Grace realizes she's kind of alone in the world. She finds out that her brother was planning to hike the Pacific Crest Trail as a thru (meaning he would be going from the Mexican border all the way to the Canadian border) and she decides, in all of her inexperience and naivete of the world, she's going to do it in his place, with his stuff, in his honor.

I know, you're saying to yourself, "But Sara, I thought you hated the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed for this very reason?!" and to that I say- you're right! Now that I've read this book I have to tell you I dislike Cheryl in that book even more now. She feels like so much more of a whiner. Which sounds ridiculous to compare a fiction book to a non-fiction book but here we are. I feel like the PCT is actually attainable after reading this book and maybe that's ridiculous because this is a made up story! Of course it wasn't as awful!

Oh lord. I need more sleep.

Anyways. On day ONE (I know, you're rolling your eyes) Grace almost dies, gains her trail name, and somehow meets the love of her life. All of this happens within a few hours of being dropped off. I can't even be angry at that because I know that if this were me, this also would likely be the scenario unfolding. So Grace meets, Lone Star (his real name ends up being Angus, but he goes by Gus when not on the trail) and they fall in love. No hanky panky, but I think any of us would fall in love if saved (literally) by someone. But they don't hike together, he is much faster so he gives her a pep talk, promises to leave her notes at the check in points, and off he walks into the sunset. She pulls on her big girl panties and goes off on her own.

Now is a great time to point out that had the book JUST BEEN ABOUT THIS HIKE, it would have been SO much better. But no. People want to add drama to books so enter Ed out for revenge! Ed is pissed off because he's been nailed for a crime he didn't commit but (dun dun dun) Jerry (the guy who DID commit the crime) is on the trail in a group called the Sideways Seven (because there are seven of them) and he's following so he can exact his revenge!

Does it sound ridiculous? That's because it IS, you guys. It's dumb.

So of COURSE Grace gets mixed up into it and everything goes to hell and Grace needs to be saved by none other than... LONE STAR! You guys, this is miraculous because A) Lone Star isn't even hiking anymore and you find out why in the book and B) not only is he there, but so is Celine! Celine is the dead brother's girlfriend and there's a whole story around that.

You guys. It's just ridiculous. It's now morphed from a cool adventure book with romance to a funny take on crime on the trail. I don't know. It's dumb.

What saved it for me honestly WAS Lone Star and this book should have left out all of the stupid crime and ridiculous story and made it solely about Grace on this life changing trip, hiking towards Lone Star. That would have been a 5 star book. Easily. This... this was kind of dumb with some great spots thrown in. I wanted to hear about her making it to the end, what happens off trail with Lone Star? So many loose ends just kind of dropped.

Turns out this is the first in a series (shocker.... massive eye roll here) so I thought maybe it continued their story. Nope. Book two is a totally different story. So.. that's it. That's all we get of Grace and Lone Star? What kind of bullshit is this? Sigh. It's maybe a 2.5 star book but I'm rounding it to 3 because Goodreads doesn't give half stars.

The Opposite of You

I'm trying to read my books from my book subscription box the same month I get them so my to-read shelves (yes... it's plural) doesn't get out of hand. Well, more out of hand than it already it is.

My October box was pretty nice, I got this delicious book, a pen, a bookmark, and a really nice journal I'm going to use for my medical notes once I fill my other one up. Like a LOSER. But the book looked promising so I decided that once I finished my scheduled review books due this week, I would crack this baby open. It was amazing.

The Opposite of You - Rachel Higginson

I’ve sworn off men. 

All men. 

Famous last words, right? You’re expecting some epic tale of reluctant love and my dramatic change of heart? Well, you’re not going to get it. 

I’m stubborn. And headstrong. And I’ve just survived the worst three years of my life. After escaping an abusive boyfriend to live in hostels and cheap hotels while I worked my way across Europe, I’ve come to two conclusions. 

The first? Now that I’m back home, I’m going to squander my expensive culinary degree on a food truck that caters to the late night drunk crowd. 

The second? I’m going to prove to the bastard across the plaza that my street food is better than his fussy five course monstrosities.

Killian Quinn might be Food and Wine’s Chef to Watch Out For. He might have a Michelin Star. He might have every food critic in the city wrapped around his too-large fingers. But he’s also pretentious and unbearably arrogant and the very opposite of me. 

So he can keep his unsolicited advice and his late night visits and his cocky smiles. I want none of it. Or him. 

I want the opposite.

I'm going to be honest and tell you I wasn't super hopeful when I started the book. Mostly because I didn't love Vera as a character. She's a year out from a terribly abusive relationship, scared to get back into the dating scene, has her confidence shaken, and is trying to muscle up her cooking skills by opening up a food truck directly across the street from the best restaurant in the city, Lilou. Of course, the kitchen at Lilou is run by a really gorgeous, and rightfully cocky, Killian Quinn. He's tall, handsome, and has a beard (I see you beard lovers, I see you) and he's the total opposite of what Vera wants. Well, opposite of what she should want.

But... the heart doesn't lie and neither do the lady parts.

It turns into this fun banter between the two of them, he is challenging her skills, she is trying not to admit he's right- she could be doing better, going farther with her technique and flavors. Before it can get serious of course the ex comes back, someone gets a scathing review, futures are questioned, and big questions are asked (and answered).

Phew.

It was a fast read for me, once I started it on Sunday I had to finish it. I really enjoyed the story as it progressed, I absolutely LOVED Killian's character and I came around to Vera. Honestly, the only complaint I could make, if I had to, is that there is not nearly enough sexy times between Killian and Vera. It's just alluded to basically and with Killian's character I expected it to be so much more, if that makes sense. It certainly doesn't take anything away from the book- I loved it. In fact, I'm not only giving it 5 stars but I am making a public plea to the author to get the next book The Difference Between Us on paperback. I hate reading on an e-reader and I won't do it. Period. Get that baby on paperback because I love you.

And that's not me being weird and creepy because you'll notice I'm not in your front lawn begging. I'm not above that, but I'm poor and can't afford to get there so this was my plan B.

Full Share

If you are loving my book reviews, you're in for a treat this week because I have several for you and I'm finishing up my weekend underrated books roundup, as well!

I'm starting this week off with this review because (shocker!) this isn't a book that's been sitting on my shelf, it's actually one I recently purchased. It came in a special Girl's Night Bookworm Box I ordered. You get two of everything, one for you and one for a friend, and I shared my box with my friend Andrea, who is also a big reader. I don't know if she has read hers yet so I'll have to ask what she thought of it, but here are some of my thoughts.

Full Share (Shore House #1) - Eliza Freed

Nora Hargrove’s post-grad life includes a horrific entry-level job, a cave of an apartment, and a strict avoidance of all interpersonal relationships. She knows only one thing about herself—she wants to be left alone.

Avoiding her mother’s forced family time, she seeks solitude on her own terms. In a poorly ventilated, overcrowded Dewey Beach rental, she discovers there’s no place to hide. Not from yourself, not from your life, and not from love. This is the story of Nora Hargrove’s full share.

I learned the healing power of a good bloody Mary and a dip in the Atlantic. I kayaked in the dead of night and witnessed the only shooting star I’ve ever seen. I fell in love on a bed made of pallets. I lived.

Life is deep. Dive in.

I'm going be upfront and tell you that at best, I can only give this book 3/5 stars and it's saved only by Jack. I really, really did not like Nora. I thought she was an idiot who needs extensive counseling. The book begins with readers finding out that Nora's mom is a bit of a hussy and is having sex on Nora's bed with Nora's French teacher.

Awful? Yes. Traumatizing to the extent this book brings it? No.

That act alone paralyzes Nora so not only is she apparently incapable of forming meaningful romantic relationships, she becomes socially awkward, seemingly stops maturing after the age of 16, gives up on life, and has no idea how to function as an adult. I know I'm kind of a "buck up and deal with it" person but this was almost fully ridiculous.

Nora decides to avoid her parents for the summer and instead become a full share in a beach house her roommate from college is organizing. She only knows this roommate, none of the others, so when she arrives and finds out she doesn't have a room to herself and instead sharing a porch with someone else, she isn't thrilled. But the money is spent and she needs a break from her job so she sticks it out. Originally she's meant to share the porch with twin girls but they somehow switch for Jack, a handsome, outgoing, really nice guy who immediately decides Nora is going to be his and he's going to try to convince her of that. Frankly, I don't know why Nora would be so rude to someone who expresses interest in her but, nothing about this book is making sense to me.

It goes on to be a really full summer- a friend overdoses and goes to rehab, she makes some new friends, one of her favorite friends dies, and a relationship blossoms. The book left me with some unanswered questions but honestly instead of reading the rest of the series, I'm going to let this be a one time thing.

I'm kind of bummed I didn't love this book but I'm clearly in the minority because so many people have given this book 4 and 5 stars... I'm just not there. If we didn't have Jack's character I would have certainly rated this book lower but I really liked him and I felt like he was too good for Nora. Far too good.

18

I just have to get right into this review, no intro paragraph here.

Eighteen (18) - J. A. Huss

Eighteen is hard.

And so is Mateo Alesci.

He’s hard to read, hard to predict, hard in every way that counts. He wants things from me.

Dirty things, nasty things, forbidden things.

And I have to give in.

His attention is completely inappropriate, but I can’t say no. The way he looks at me… the way he watches me through my bedroom window… the way he drags me deeper and deeper into his completely forbidden fantasy world just… turns me on. 

He knows it turns me on.

He holds all the power. He holds all the cards.

He holds my entire future in his hands.

And I have to give in.

Because Mr. Alesci is my teacher.

And I need everything he’s offering.

Alright, I have to confess to this book being on my shelf for well over a year- it came in one of my Bookworm Box subscriptions. I am fully kicking myself because this book was GREAT.

You know how I am, I'm fully honest with you when I review a book because ain't nobody got time for untruthful reviews, am I right? So when I started the book I was kind of worried what I had gotten into- it starts off with Shannon Drake finding out she's not going to graduate despite having more credits than required. She just doesn't have the right credits. So she's getting bad news, it's her 18th birthday, and she finds out that she'll be doing night school every day in an attempt to graduate. But you need to know that Shannon is an orphan, she's living with her brother in law and her niece because her sister (last living family member, aside from the niece who is only three months old) overdosed and died. Her situation is as bad as it honestly could get. So she goes to this night school and meets Mateo Alesci, her new Trigonometry teacher.

I KNOW. You're wondering if this is going to be a weird teacher/student sex thing.

IT IS.

But just as you're digesting that and trying to decide how you feel about that, all of a sudden Mateo and Shannon are having sex in this classroom and you're like, WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING?! because she doesn't really consent. In my head I'm like, "that's rape!!" and Shannon kind of says that and Mateo, taken aback, is kind of upset about it.

Their relationship begins there and honest to baby Jesus, it's MESSED UP and the entire book you want to stop because this is all sorts of not OK, but you can't help it because it's really, really good, so you feel absolutely dirty. You basically feel like Shannon through the whole book, I suppose.

But it can't be all about that, Shannon's home life is still a mess and all of a sudden we have drugs, cops, social services, and just a really wild ride.

I finished this book in a day and a half because I could only read while I was waiting for kids at their activities and I'd really like to know what the other parents were thinking as I made the faces I made and said, "holy SHIT" repeatedly.

Everything about this book is 100% wrong. This relationship is straight up messed up but I don't even care because I loved it. If you like Christian Grey's bossiness but want vanilla, whip and nipple clamp free sex, with a larger story? This book is for you. If you are the most hardcore feminist.... probably gonna want to steer away from this one.

The best way to sum up this book is that I loved it so much I want every book this author has written. Give them ALL TO ME. I'm including both the Kindle and Paperback versions, because both are pretty inexpensive and we all read differently.

All The Lies We Tell

I continue on my quest to read books that have been sitting on my shelf, which is where this one comes in! I got this one in one of my book subscription boxes, I think from The Bookworm Box? I'm not totally sure but it's a romance so I'm pretty sure that's where it came from.

All The Lies We Tell - Megan Hart

Everyone knew Alicia Harrison’s marriage to Ilya Stern wouldn’t last. They’d grown up on a remote stretch of Quarry Street, where there were two houses, two sets of siblings, and eventually, a tangled mess of betrayal, longing, and loss. Tragedy catapulted Allie and Ilya together, but divorce—even as neighbors—has been relatively uncomplicated.

Then Ilya’s brother, Nikolai, comes home for their grandmother’s last days. He’s the guy who teased and fought with Allie, infuriated her, then fled town without a good-bye. Now Niko makes her feel something else entirely—a rush of connection and pure desire that she’s been trying to quench since one secret kiss years ago. Niko’s not sticking around. She’s not going to leave. And after all that’s happened between their families, this can’t be anything more than brief pleasure and a bad idea.

But the lies we tell ourselves can’t compete with the truths our hearts refuse to let go…

I have to be honest, the romance between Alicia and Nikolai doesn't really start until half way through the book, so right off the bat that bugs me. Also, the story is almost set up like a romantic suspense and I went through the entire book wondering if Jennilynn was actually murdered (maybe by creepy Barry?) and that entire story line felt loose and dangling by the end so that's another ding. And Alicia and Nikolai? How this book ends is just... it's not enough. It's resolved but only kind of? I suppose I have to get the second book, which is supposedly Ilya and Theresa's story, but I'm not sure if it's something I'm actually going to do.

Overall? I'm only giving this book 3/5 stars, simply because it was built up to maybe be something else and by the time I got to the end of the book it just feels like it's all a bunch of dangling strings. What saved the book, though? Nikolai. He's pretty great and his sex scenes with Alicia are even better and frankly, there was not nearly enough in this book, I enjoyed them that much. So I can understand why it would have been included in a romance book subscription box because those scenes alone carry the book. I want to share a paragraph in the book that just really spoke to me on a bunch of different levels, it's found on page 226:

"When you loved someone, Nikolai thought, you gave them the power to hurt you. Worse than that, you made it possible to hurt them. To disappoint them. The last thing in the world Nikolai wanted to do was hurt or disappoint Alicia, at least not more than he already had in this lifetime."

Isn't that great?! I really loved it. I feel like a bit of a book snob as of late so maybe don't look at my 3 star rating as a dig because I think the Alicia and Nikolai scenes will be more than enough for you to enjoy this read!

The Fall Up

Confession: I have a book hoarding problem. It's not enough to land me on the TLC show Hoarders, but it's enough where Matt is demanding I make some decisions. Which he clearly doesn't mean because he put four new shelves up for me. I also have a problem with buying books that are pretty and then they sit on my shelf for me to read them and I always think, "Meh- I'll do that AFTER I read a new book I've yet to purchase.." and you can see how this got out of hand.

So with that, I've been on a mission to read as many of these unread books as possible off of my shelf, in between review books. I have had this book on my shelf well over a year, maybe closer to two years, but it came in one of my boxes from The Bookworm Box. It's signed by the author and isn't the cover pretty??

The Fall Up - Aly Martinez

I wanted to jump. 

He made me fall.

As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.

Until he found me.

Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.

But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.

Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?

Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.

I'm a sucker for a cover and you know it as well as anyone. I'm sorry this has been on my shelf, unread, for so long because I really enjoyed it enough that this would be one I would gift to friends because it's a fast read with a good story.

So we have Levee Williams, a successful pop singer seemingly on top of the world, but she currently finds herself on top of a bridge, wanting to jump. Enter Sam Rivers, a successful entrepreneur, also is on top of the bridge, for completely different reasons. He senses Levee's longing to jump and in an attempt to prevent her from doing that, he strikes up a conversation. Which they do a couple of times over the next few days.

Over time, they begin a relationship and that's when they both learn about each other's past, and Levee is forced to acknowledge the fact that she's working herself into the ground and her empathy is eating her alive. She's doing too much for everyone except for herself and she has to make serious changes in her life. Sam doesn't know if he has it in him to make the jump into a long term relationship, particularly with someone who needs so much support.

Drawbacks of the book were honestly really minor and I didn't think about it until I had finished the book, but their trauma that led them to that point were kind of glossed over. I feel like we learned more about Sam's trauma than we did Levee's. It's briefly mentioned in the book that Levee doesn't communicate with her parents at all and that's never really addressed again, and it feels like a string that was dropped, basically.

Things I liked about the book mainly center around Sam, I really liked his character. He's flawed, but he's trying. He has good intentions and you can tell he's just a genuinely guy. Levee is alright but she's almost.. childlike in a sense, and Sam has her best interests at heart from the start despite learning that she's famous, where lots of people would have taken advantage of that.

Overall? I'm giving this book a good 4 stars because I really enjoyed reading it and I was kind of bummed we didn't have more. I liked this enough that I really want to read other books by Aly Martinez and I'm going to put them on my Christmas wish list for sure.

Even the Score

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I'm going to hang my head in shame and quietly admit that I just can't quit the book boxes. I can't. I've become somewhat of a recluse and I only leave my house for doctor appointments, the occasional run for food, and even less frequent outings with people, so my only joy is the mail.

Which is really sad because you know my mail is unreliable.

But about a month ago, Bookworm Box had an announcement that they lowered the price on their box but also went down to one book versus two, and promised "amazing swag" and you know I'm a sucker for that kind of thing, so I was obviously all in. Then I forgot about it until the box arrived and I was so excited to tear into the box!

The "amazing swag" ended up being two bookmarks and two stickers I immediately tossed out because honestly, who needs all of this? WHY? Also the pen, the dreaded pen... which actually exploded and got ink all over my counter that I had to scrub off, and then a large jar candle. Mine smells kind of lemony, which is alright, I like lemon smell. I have to say, I'm kind of bummed about one book versus two. That, to me, was the thing that set this box apart from everything else. I know some money goes to charity and that's awesome, but at the same time, you kind of want to feel like you're getting Christmas in the mail. I want to fan girl on my own box. So... yeah. Love/hate relationship that I can't quit.

BUT, because I am all caught up on my book reviews and have reviews typed and ready to go, I had time for a fun read so I started this one.

Even the Score - Beth Ehemann

Single dad Andy Shaw loves his job as a sports agent, with one exception: it doesn’t leave him much time for his kids. No parent likes being sidelined, so Andy decides to hire someone to share the workload. But when one of the hottest agents in the industry applies, Andy knows that this deal is definitely trouble.

Danicka Douglas works her butt off, but being an attractive woman in a testosterone-heavy industry isn’t exactly a cakewalk. She guards her professional reputation fiercely, which means no crushing on her gorgeous boss. But the more they ignore that sexy little spark, the more it sizzles…

Just when it looks like romance might be in the game plan, Dani is threatened by a stalker with dark intentions. To keep her safe, Andy must cross the line between professional and very personal…because this time, he’s playing for keeps.

I'll start by saying this isn't a book I would have purchased out in a store , but because it came in my Bookworm Box, I have a duty to read it. (So says my husband who just learned that I have a lot of books on my shelf I haven't gotten to yet.) (Yet it's not like he gives me all of this reading time so I CAN read them. Ahem.)  The cover is a little deceiving because you have a guy in a suit so you're thinking, maybe something along the lines of Fifty Shades but then you have a hint of a football field so then you think... ooh maybe it's an athlete?

No.

It's the story of two reps for athletes and they work in an office. Which... alright, I'll give it a chance. We have Andy, who has two kids and a nanny, but also a nightmare of an ex-wife. He's overworked and decides it's time to hire an assistant so after countless interviews, he hires Danicka. But with a twist because he totally offends her and the job offer comes kind of oddly. Anyways. So now these two are working together and then (dun dun dun) they start falling for each other. Danicka starts receiving scary messages and threats and like your standard female lead who is too strong/also a moron, she doesn't do anything until the threats hit home (literally). Enter Andy, a totally stand up guy who seemingly wants a challenge in head strong women, and he tries to make everything better.

Here's what I liked: I really liked Andy's character and the fact he was such a good dad. We don't see that often in books so I appreciate that angle. Here's what was meh: the story line that was meant to be "suspenseful". I know the author tried to give us several strings in the story so we we thinking maybe it was her rude client, maybe her old bosses, maybe Andy's wife, maybe a completely different nut, but the strings kind of fall flat, just left dangling there because they didn't get a solid ending. Except once we find out who was at the center of it... the lack of evidence leaves Andy to solve the case and... it feels so unrealistic and over the top that it just didn't work for me at all. Overall? I can only give this book 2/5 stars. I know I'm very much in the minority because a lot of reviewers are giving this book 4 and 5 stars. I think it's alright. It's not going to be a book that I'm eagerly telling my friends they have to read and it's probably not even one I'll remember to recommend? Nothing about it sticks out and even the romantic scenes are just.. meh.

We'll see what the Bookworm Box brings next month. Maybe.

Whisper If You Need Me

I'm trying super hard to read through some of my books that I've gotten through the many months of book subscription boxes I've had because let's face it- if I'm not reading them, why am I having them mailed to me?!

Because I'm a junky, that's why.

But if you remember waaaaaay back in December, this was one of the books I received in my Bookworm Box for that month. I actually started it when I got the box but then I put it down because I've had a lot of review books to do and finally last week I decided I was going to just finish the damn thing to move it from my desk to my shelf for it to be all moody and pretty.

Whisper If You Need Me - Dina Silver

A strong-willed yet vulnerable young beauty, Julia Pearl is sixteen years old when she’s sent away to summer camp for the first time. Julia’s father and stepmother are convinced that time away from home will be good for Julia, hoping it will restore the confidence she lost when her mother disappeared five years earlier. 

Released from the emotional constraints of her new family and the ugly reputation her mother left behind, Julia finds herself reluctantly tossed into the free-spirited and often drama-infused world of overnight camp—where she quickly falls for an intensely charismatic counselor named Jack Dempsey, a nineteen-year-old college student who will prove to save her life in more ways than one.

Rich with humor and poignancy, Whisper If You Need Me is a timeless story that will remind readers of the strength of friendship, the unwavering devotion of family, and ultimately, the power of young love.

Obviously, I'm going to call this more of a YA romance because our leading lady is Julia, who is only 16. She feels misunderstood by her dad and stepmom, who send her off to a summer camp against her will, and she's determined to hate every second of it. But then she meets Emma, a fellow allergy plagued camper (Julia is allergic to peanuts and it's kind of big deal in the book), and then Counselor McDreamy, also known as Jack.

As a kid who has never been to camp, or was sent away for any kind of length of time as a teenager, I can only guess that the author nailed Julia's anger and general feeling of being left behind and unwanted. Her mother was "kicked out" by her dad and she was never really sure why. We do find out why in the book so that is really great because that could have been a really crappy loose end if we didn't. But while at camp Julia tries to adapt and make the best of it, made easier by her friendship with Emma but also Amber. Mostly Emma, though. She encounters mean girls in twins Brittany and Brianna, and they are basically the worst of the worst. Brittany has a thing for Jack, as does another counselor, Liz, so separately Brittany and Liz try their best to make Julia's life a living hell while at camp. Meanwhile, sparks are flying between Jack and Julia and one fateful night at the end of their Voyager's session kind of catapults the rest of the story forward. Honestly? Until that night, things were kind of slow and boring in the book for me, but the last third of the book was really good. I wanted that through the whole book. More drama, more something to keep you moving. This should have been a one day read for me, but like I said above, it was one that I could easily put down and pick something else up.

BUT.

That last third of the book, everything from their night in the woods and beyond, was so good and hooked me that I'm actually going to give this book 4/5 stars. I know. I know, I'm giving a book 4 stars even though it was super boring the first 2/3 which is when most people would throw in the towel. It's enough that I would read more by Dina Silver because I have heard a lot of good things about her other books so I don't know, I will have to read more to know if this is just her way of weaving through a story or just something particular about this book.

You can purchase your own copy of Whisper If You Need Me on Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. And I don't know if you're super particular, but both websites have this book available in a used copy to save you some money.