The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Earlier this summer when I found out the Lying Game was being made into a ABC Family show jut like the author's other series, Pretty Little Liars, I squealed with glee. And while I didn't finish the book before the show started it got me going on it.

For anyone else that has read the first 8 books in the Pretty Little Liars series there is a sort of funny connection (I think) between this series and that one, anyone else notice that? Anyhow onto the story... this is another mystery that involves a set of twins, one living and one dead (?) whom both narrate. The living twin, Emma ends up taking over her sister's life and tries to figure out what happened to her sister Sutton, who is basically a ghost who has no memory of what happened to her.

This first book in the series is very much a set up for the whole series (Just like the first PLL book) so not a ton is revealed or really happens for that matter but I'm really excited to see where it goes. I love the whole concept of the Lying Game, which is actually a game and I hope we get to learn more about that in the upcoming books.

And if you are interested I would definitely suggest the tv show, right now I think I might like that a little more than the book but of course everything happens faster on tv! ;P As it stands now the show is a little different than the book but we'll see how it plays out!

The Lying Game was released on December 7th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Got copies from several places!

Blog Tour: Goodnight, Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

Amazon.com:

New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros absolutely dazzles in this quick-witted, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly moving love story that will set readers’ hearts atwitter. 

Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah’s stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she’s intrigued. What’s all the fuss?

Taken under the wing of one of her Twitter followers, “MarkBaynard"—a quick witted, quick-typing professor on sabbatical—Abby finds it easy to put words out into the world 140 characters at a time. And once she gets a handle on tweets, retweets, direct messages, hashtags, and trends, she starts to feel unblocked in writing and in life. After all, why should she be spending hours in her apartment staring at her TweetDeck and fretting about her stalled career when Mark is out there traveling the world and living?

Or is he?

Told almost entirely in tweets and DMs, Goodnight Tweetheart is a truly modern take on a classic tale of love and loss—a Griffin and Sabine for the Twitter generation. 

Being a fan of twitter and romance and novels told in the epistolary format I just had to give this book a read! While it did succeed in entertaining me and keeping me coming back for more (which isn't happening a lot lately to be honest) I feel like I just needed more in a few instances.

Using something like Twitter I think this book could have benefited from a bit more design and formatting a la the book Tweet Heart. Having the tweets treated pretty much like the rest of the text in the book had me confused a bit at the beginning as far as if it was an actual tweet or a direct message. Also to help shape this conversation between Abby and Mark I would have loved to have seen some of their just regular tweets not directed at each other.

Their tweets were pretty fun, though sometimes very full of current pop culture references which might not stand the test of time or fly right past some people's heads. I loved the idea at the heart of the book, Abby struggling to write her second book after a huge amount of success with the first and some wonderful stranger there encouraging her to do so. 

From the summary I knew they had to be some kind of twist coming about Mark and who he really was. So I definitely kept reading to find out what it was. To be honest I was hoping for something a little different, trying to be vague here to not give much away. Also I would have loved a bit more at the ending, it ended pretty quickly for me. But overall a fun book!

Goodnight Tweetheart was released on December 14th 2010
Genre: Contemporary Romance
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by the publisher

Blog Tour: The Icing on the Cake by Alison Kent (True Vows)

Amazon.com:

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match . . . dot com! An online dating service is not Michelle Snow's idea of how to find love, but when the Big 3-0 hits, Michelle decides she has nothing to lose since she hasn't brought a date home in ten years, she's professionally burned out, and her climb up the corporate ladder has come at the expense of abandoning her sweet dream: to own a boutique cupcakery.

Todd Bracken, early thirties and a successful technology consultant, isn't exactly a player after being off the market for ten years, and pours himself into his dual passions of martial arts and home-sweet-home renovations. Only there's no one to come home to so he decides to give Match.com a try. Todd isn't so sure the Internet dating scene is his thing—until a message pops up in the wee hours on a weekend night: 'I like your smile.' Todd likes—a lot—the whole package that glides into a French bistro in Washington, D.C.

It's serious mojo-at-first-sight but there's a glitch: Todd and Michelle live in different cities. Will love find its way in the digital age with a 'You've Got Mail' courtship when video cam kisses just aren't enough? And when Todd challenges Michelle to not only go for her dream but let him share it, will they be able to make it happen together despite obstacles more plentiful than a shower of rainbow sprinkles? 

Ever since I heard about the True Vows series (the first reality-based romance series) last Spring I have been so excited about the concept! Taking a real life love story and turning it into a book, how cool! I would love to find out more about how the books were written, did the authors interview the couples. read interviews with them, how much is straight from the couple and how much is the author's addition, I just love the concept!

And specifically with The Icing on the Cake which deals with Michelle's dreams of opening up a cupcake bakery, I mean what's not to love about CUPCAKES! Michelle and Todd meet via match.com. I sort of figured there would be a bit more in the book about online dating but they meet up face to face pretty quickly and the whole internet relationship thing is very short lived.

Like a lot of the romance novels I've read, I love that The Icing on the Cake switches between both Michelle and Todd's perspectives, I felt like I got to know them both equally that way. And the story is rather sweet, you can tell they are both genuinely caring people and since this is about real people, I love knowing these two are really out there living their life together! One of my favorite passages is about a tour of bakeries that Todd puts together in New York City for Michelle, I am happy to say I have been to two of their stops, delicious!

But, since this is based on a real life couple, the ups and downs and excitement you find in all stories is sort of softened, nothing really that shocking happens, they both have their own personal struggles and triumphs but I guess I could have used a little more zing in one way or another.

Overall a sweet book from what looks to be a very promising series of books!

The Icing on the Cake was released on September 14th 2010
Genre: Reality-Based Contemporary Romance
3.5/5 Stars
ARC picked up at BEA

I also have the opportunity to give away the entire 3 set series (The Icing on the Cake, Hard to Hold, and Meet Me in Manhattan!
To read about the series click here.

Here is how to enter!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

The giveaway is open to addresses within the US and Canada only, and no PO Boxes. 

The giveaway will end November 29th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

Entries left in the comments of this blog post will not be counted, please fill out the giveaway entry form.

**Prize provided by the publisher**

iDrakula by Bekka Black

Amazon.com:

The classic vampire story that started it all gets new life for a generation of connected teens

18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

While I've sort of been put off paranormal lately, iDrakula called to me, with it's unique way of storytelling and I'm so glad I picked it up!  Not having read the original of even seen a movie version of Dracula (which I did so afterward and of the two iDrakula wins) it was fun to experience the story in one of my favorite ways, through emails, text messages, web pages etc. I've heard that the original is told in letters and diaries, so I think it's really fun to see how that was modernized in this book too!

It really sucked me in and I finished it in about 2 sittings which never happens for me. I definitely thought it was creepy and mysterious. But at the same time I felt sort of removed from the situation, but I think that is just the case with this story because of the way it's told, even the original. One thing I would have liked was just more, the story moves at such a quick pace it's over like THAT. So maybe a little bit more detail would have been nice!

Reading iDrakula has opened me up to exploring other versions of the story and that I'm definitely excited about!

iDrakula was released on October 1st 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Picked up at BEA

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Amazon.com:

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Hush, Hush is a hard one to wrap my head around. I loved how mysterious it was, Nora has all these unexplained events happening around her but why? And she has this new lab partner that is basically hell bent on getting to know her and is a weird cross between a major flirt and a creepy creepy dude. She knows to stay away from him but he keeps appearing and giving her rides etc so that doesn’t really happen. He didn’t seem extremely scary to me but enough to warrant her fear. But she also can’t help her attraction to him though she sure tries.

I liked Nora’s character but her friend Vee, while funny, WOW she was kind of an idiot. I could have done without her, she was just getting Nora into trouble instead of really helping her with anything.

But towards the end when all the angel stuff (yeah that’s what I’m going to call it) comes out it’s sort of contradictory. One angel tells another if you do this you will be back in heaven and do this, and then they do just that but they end up doing something else instead of going back to heaven. I know that sounds really vague but I don’t want to spoil. Also, aren’t angels supposed to be nice, not fallen angels but normal angels, they don’t seem so nice.... It was just really confusing to me. And my interest started to wain towards the end.

I will say it will be interesting to see where the story continues in Book 2 Crescendo.

Hush, Hush will be released in paperback on September 21st
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
ARC reviewed from publisher

MacKenzie Blue by Tina Wells

Amazon.com:

Meet Mackenzie Blue, aka Zee

She has it all—smarts, talent, humor, and style. . . .

Is it enough to survive middle school?

Countdown to a 7th Grade Meltdown

1. Your BFF moves away.

2. Someone steals your diary and reveals your deepest secrets—to the entire class.

3. You have one chance to become a rock star and one chance to totally blow it. Guess what!? All three happened to me! School's a disaster already. Don't get me wrong—I love Brookdale Academy and I have a fabulous crew of friends. (At least, I think I do.) But, if I'm going to survive, I need all the help I can get!

I was instantly attracted to MacKenzie Blue because the format includes illustrations (they are so sleek and cute!), journal entries, instant messages etc. I think these sort of things really help reluctant readers when taking on a book, but they are also fun for us that enjoy graphic novel elements and the like!

MacKenzie or as she calls herself Zee is a sweet and spunky little girl! Even though her best friend now lives in Paris she’s already made herself some new friends and takes on the new school year at the Upper School (her first year).

MacKenzie’s problems are pretty typical, new school, new friends, mean girls and a mystery (i love mysteries!) but it’s a fun story that’s sure to be the start of a cute new series!

MacKenzie Blue was released on May 5th 2009
Genre: Middle Grade
3.5/5 Stars
Received for review from publisher

MacKenzie Blue website

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

Amazon.com:

Calling all Gleeks!

Get more of your favorite characters in this official Glee prequel!

All great performances deserve a warm-up! Enroll early at McKinley High--before New Directions was even a glimmer in Mr. Schuester's eye. When did Rachel first decide Finn was more than just a jock? When did Puck and Quinn start their secret romance? And how did the fledgling Glee Club function without a fearless leader? Hint: It wasn't exactly a perfect melody.

Break out the gold stars and refill the slushies: It's time to find out what happened to all your favorite characters before the show-mance began.

I'm still struggling on how to describe this venture from the screen to the page. There is some good stuff in this book and stuff really not so good stuff. But overall I'm glad I read it.

In this book we get more of everything from the characters, Rachel is more annoying, Finn is a little more dumb, Quinn is meaner. I sort of wish they hadn't been. But I think this comes from being inside of the characters head instead of being a spectator. I did like seeing how Quinn and Puck got together and how Rachel and Finn first bonded, stuff like that.

The book speculates that Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, and Artie were all in Glee Club before Mr. Schuester takes over (with Rachel joining in the book). I re-watched the pilot to see how they match up and I can't say I'm fully on board with them already all being in the Glee Club. Of course someone had to be in the Glee Club before, the old memebers wouldn't just all drop out when the old teacher was fired but still, something doesn't sit right with me. Why did they all have to audition for Mr. Schuester and it didn't seem like they really knew each other let alone had already performed as a Glee Club already.

A few horrible unforgivable NO moments I came across included Puck being referred to as Puck Puckerman, when in fact his real name is Noah. And the word Gleeks being uttered in the book. hell no! But besides that it was a fun book and I'm glad I read it. It does have some flaws but I'll live with it. Will be interesting to see where in time the next book, Glee: Foreign Exchange takes place.

Glee: The Beginning was released on August 3rd 2010
Genre: Young Adult, TV
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

Blog Tour: Hannah by Hannah Westberg (Louder Than Words)

Amazon.com:

Hannah is a girl interrupted.

For Hannah Westberg, life has been one big emotional roller coaster. As a girl, her mother was in and out of mental hospitals, so when it was her turn to visit the psych ward following a suicide attempt the summer after eighth grade, she had an idea of what she was in for. But that was only the beginning of Hannah's journey.

Over the next five years, Hannah has engaged in dangerous behaviors--from pill popping and excessive dieting to cutting--and paid a high price. Her depression, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies have landed her in rehab and therapy and with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. But though she may have a label for her mental illness and tools for coping, for Hannah, life is still something she takes one day at a time.

Hannah’s story is a hard one to take in. She lays it out honestly and you feel for her. What I really liked about Hannah’s journey is she admits and realizes what her problems are, and she knows there isn’t some overnight fix but that she has to take it day by day and if she falls off the horse she has to get back on. She was really inspiring.

I found the structure of Hannah to be sort of an issue. Instead of sharing her story in a linear fashion, it’s by topic but the time period she is talking about overlaps with other sections of the book. For instance, when finding out she had an eating disorder I realized that information really impacted a previous chapter, she was discussing events from that same time period but since it wasn’t the topic at hand it wasn’t mentioned at all. I found it hard to piece everything together as far as the order things had happened in and her mind frame, a similar problem I had with last year’s release from the series, Marni.

Overall, an engaging story with a structure that was lacking.

Hannah was released on August 2nd 2010
Genre: Young Adult Memoir
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Louder Than Words website
Submit Your Story

I also have the opportunity to give away some books from the series!

There will be 4 winners, 1 person will win a set of all three books (Hannah, Alexis, and Rae) and then 3 other people will win one of the books, one winner for Hannah, one for Alexis, and one for Rae.

Here is how to enter!

Fill out the giveaway entry form here.

The giveaway is open to addresses within the US/Canada only (no P.O. Boxes).

The giveaway will end August 30th at 6:59 pm Central Time.

Entries left in the comments of this blog post will not be counted, please fill out the giveaway entry form.

**Prize provided by the publisher**

Blog Tour: Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare

Amazon.com:

In Tessa Dare’s dazzling new trilogy, the men of the Stud Club live and play by their own rules—until passion changes the game.

The bastard son of a nobleman, Julian Bellamy is now polished to perfection, enthralling the ton with wit and charm while clandestinely plotting to ruin the lords, ravish the ladies, and have the last laugh on a society that once spurned him. But after meeting Leo Chatwick, a decent man and founder of an elite gentlemen’s club, and Lily, Leo’s enchanting sister, Julian reconsiders his wild ways. And when Leo’s tragic murder demands that Julian hunt for justice, he vows to see the woman he secretly loves married to a man of her own class.

Lily, however, has a very different husband in mind. She’s loved Julian forever, adores the man beneath the rakish façade, and wants to savor the delicious attraction they share—as his wife. His insistence on marrying her off only reinforces her intent to prove that he is the only man for her. Obsessed with catching a killer, Julian sinks back to the gutters of his youth, forcing Lily to reach out with a sweet, reckless passion Julian can’t resist. Can her desire for a scoundrel save them both—or will dangerous secrets threaten more than their tender love?

Three Nights with a Scoundrel is the last of the Stud Club Trilogy. The book sees to the end of the mysterious death of founder Leo, who's sister, Lily finds love in this book with friend Julian. Throughout the other two books Julian came off as an ass and just rather unlikable but in this book you really get to know him, and for me I think he ended up as my favorite of the three male leads in the books.

I liked the premise of this book, friends that become more and that carried me for awhile but by the middle I was ready to just be done. Luckily I really enjoyed the ending, the mystery to Leo's death was pretty interesting, and there was a nice conclusion for the whole series, so luckily that saved the book for me.

In Book One, One Dance with a Duke, we learn that Lily is deaf but it's not mentioned for the first 25 pages of this book, which is thought was really bizarre. If you were new to this trilogy you would really have no idea. The believability that she was deaf sort of came and went for me.

Overall, a nice conclusion to the series.

Three Nights with a Scoundrel was released on July 27th 2010
Genre: Historical Romance
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6) By Sara Shepard

**WARNING SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS**

Amazon.com:

In picture-perfect Rosewood, Pennsylvania, ash-blond highlights gleam in the winter sun and frozen lakes sparkle like Swarovski crystals. But pictures often lie—and so do Rosewood's four prettiest girls.

Hanna, Aria, Spencer, and Emily have been lying ever since they became friends with beautiful Alison DiLaurentis. Ali made them do terrible things—things they had to keep secret for years. And even though Ali was killed at the end of seventh grade, their bad-girl ways didn't die with her.

Hanna's on a mission to corrupt Rosewood's youth, starting with a very attractive sophomore. Aria's snooping into her boyfriend's past. Spencer's stealing—from her family. And pure little Emily's abstaining from abstinence.

The girls should be careful, though. They thought they were safe when Ali's killer was arrested and A's true identity was finally revealed. But now there's a new A in town turning up the heat. And this time Rosewood is going to burn.

-A

Killer is great at developing the girls' individual storylines but I felt like the mystery of Ali and A take a back seat for most of the book, which I didn't like. Another weird thing is a plotline involving Emily and her boyfriend's mother, it seemed like it was supposed to go somewhere but didn't.

One thing I liked about this book is Hanna's relationship with a younger guy (wait til you find out who!), it was pretty cute and just made me smile. Another interesting switch that happens in this book is the police and also the media start to doubt and also suspect the girls are telling the whole truth, could they possibly have a hand in this mystery? Since they really can't get the police to help them anymore, they sort of have to take matters into their own hands, and there are dangerous waters ahead.

So while not my favorite of the series, it's essential to move the plot forward and also get some more into each of the girls personalities.

Killer was released on June 30th 2009
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Borders

BLOG TOUR: Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare

Amazon.com:

The daring members of the Stud Club are reckless gamblers and no strangers to risk—until love raises the stakes in Twice Tempted by a Rogue.

Luck is a double-edged sword for brooding war hero Rhys St. Maur. His death wish went unanswered on the battlefield, while fate allowed the murder of his good friend in the elite gentlemen’s society known as the Stud Club. Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper who dares him to take on the demons of his past—and the sweet temptation of a woman’s love. Meredith Maddox believes in hard work, not fate, and romance isn’t part of her plan. But when Rhys returns, battle-scarred, world-weary, and more dangerously attractive than ever, the lovely widow is torn between determination and desire. As a deep mystery and dangerous smugglers threaten much more than their passionate reckoning, Meredith discovers that she must trust everything to a wager her heart placed long ago.

I definitely preferred the storyline in Twice Tempted by a Rogue to that of the first in the trilogy One Dance with a Duke. I loved the idea of someone that felt so worthless and unlovable (Rhys) paired with someone that had always loved him no matter what (Meredith). I think this is the first book I've read that had a widow so that was a welcome change for me! I liked how confident she was in her abilities to take care of the people that frequented her inn. I also really liked that the mystery of the murder of the Stud Club founder took a back seat for most of the book, a lot less horse talk.

We did get to learn a bit more about Julian who takes center stage in the third and final book, Three Nights with a Scoundrel. In the first book I didn't really like him but he's starting to grow on me and we are also introduced to Cora who plays a role in the mystery and has a sorted past but ends up fighting for a new life for herself, I liked that!

Rhys and Meredith's back and forth keep me going through most of the book, with new revelations about their shared past constantly being brought up but towards the end I started to feel like the magic was sort of fading for me. I don't know what it was, maybe the predictability of the genre? I really don't know. Overall still a fun book.


Twice Tempted by a Rogue was released on June 22nd 2010
Genre: Historical Romance
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2) by Sara Shepard

*SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1: Pretty Little Liars**

Amazon.com:

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

-A

After reading the series as a whole I can say that Flawless is one of my least favorite in the series, but isn't by any means un-enjoyable. It centers very much on two things, The Jenna Thing which I'm glad we FINALLY get to find out about and Foxy (a ritzy fundraiser event). I guess I was just hoping for more plots. I started to get sick of hearing about these two things.

As with the first book the 4 girls deal with their own personal problems but are still being threatened by A. In this book I found Emily's friendship with Toby (Jenna's brother) pretty interesting. Was he someone she could trust or not? This plot created some great suspense especially towards the end of the book.

While this book wasn't one of my favorites in the series it laid a lot of groundwork for the upcoming books.

Flawless was released on February 19th 2008
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased at Half Price Books

The Double Blog Dare Tour!

Today I'm excited to be part of The Double Blog Dare Tour for Alison Dare! Alison Dare, always up for an adventure insisted on traveling to New York City and BEA with me last month, during our busy schedule we managed to snap a few pictures!

Here's Alison doing some sightseeing at St Thomas's Cathedral

She even got to meet some bloggers for dinner, Gail and Sharon!

Here's Alison at the start of the first day of BEA while waiting to enter the Childrens Breakfast she looks more confident than I felt!

And finally, if I can't take on my schedule she sure will. She came out fighting and was a real trooper!

If you want to share your own Alison Dare adventures and be entered to win a special Alison Dare Prize pack check out this post for all the details!

Now onto my reviews!


Alison Dare: Little Miss Adventure by J. Torres and J. Bone

Tundra Books:

Alison Dare: Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft in fabulous, graphic adventures.Alison Dare is not your typical twelve-year-old. She's the daughter of an archaeologist/adventurer and the masked hero known as the Blue Scarab. To top it off, she's also the niece of an international super-spy; it's no surprise that a craving for danger is in her blood! Unfortunately, her parents have locked her away at the prestigious St. Joan's Academy for Girls, hoping that this would lead to a more "normal" life for their daughter.

But despite all the strict rules at the school, Alison and her best pals - Wendy and Dot - somehow manage to find themselves involved in adventures that rival those of Alison's globetrotting, planet-saving relatives. Whether it's magic genies, super-powered bank robbers, or a dastardly baron bent on world domination, Alison Dare delivers the best thrills since Indiana Jones and more action than Lara Croft!

Let me start by saying even though this is Volume 1 of the set it really read like Volume 2. We are literally thrown into the action with pretty much no introduction. I found Volume 2 to seem more introductory but oh well.

Little Miss Adventures is a series of stories that range from Alison getting into trouble on one of her mother's dig sites, the story of how her parents met (my favorite!) her mother is a world-renowned archaeologist and her father is a masked superhero, the Blue Scarab, to Alison helping her parents fight bad guys at the museum.

I love, love LOVE the illustration style used in these graphic novels. So crisp and clean but also really detailed. It lacks nothing by being in black and white. While I didn't actually read comics as a kid, these certainly would have been the kind to catch my fancy and they still do today!

I think my favorite characters would have to be, Alison of course (she'd kill me if I said otherwise), her father the Blue Scarab (and also a librarian) and her Uncle the master of disguise Johnny Dare. He would show up at the most random times totally unrecognizable there to help Alison and her family fight the bad guys!

Overall a fun graphic novel adventure good for any age!

Alison Dare: Little Miss Adventures was released on May 11th 2010
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Alison Dare: The Heart of the Maiden by J. Torres and J. Bone

Tundra Books:

Alison Dare: Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft in fabulous, graphic adventures.Alison Dare is not your typical twelve-year-old. She's the daughter of an archaeologist/adventurer and the masked hero known as the Blue Scarab. To top it off, she's also the niece of an international super-spy; it's no surprise that a craving for danger is in her blood! Unfortunately, her parents have locked her away at the prestigious St. Joan's Academy for Girls, hoping that this would lead to a more "normal" life for their daughter.

But despite all the strict rules at the school, Alison and her best pals - Wendy and Dot - somehow manage to find themselves involved in adventures that rival those of Alison's globetrotting, planet-saving relatives. Whether it's magic genies, super-powered bank robbers, or a dastardly baron bent on world domination, Alison Dare delivers the best thrills since Indiana Jones and more action than Lara Croft!

I think that in Volume 2: The Heart of the Maiden, Alison really shines. These stories take place at Alison's boarding school with her two friends, Wendy and Dot. I like how the entire book contributes to one larger story unlike Volume 1: Little Miss Adventures. We still have all the same characters and Alison getting into trouble and being sneaky but it all ends up focusing on a mystery at Alison's school involving the nuns, the heart of the maiden, ninjas, and a other few hilarious things!

Again the illustrations are phenomenal and Uncle Johnny shows up at the craziest times to help. I hope we can expect this series to continue! I haven't gotten my fill yet!

Alison Dare: The Heart of the Madien was released on May 11th 2010
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
4/5 Stars
Review copy provided by publisher

Kiss it by Erin Downing

Amazon.com:

A girl's gotta do who a girl's gotta do.

Chastity Bryan has never been shy about going after what she wants. And when sexy, mysterious, so-not-from-this-town Sebastian walks into Chaz's life, she knows in an instant that what she wants next is him. Chaz has no intention of playing for keeps—but she most definitely has intentions. Who needs true love when you've got true lust?

Sebastian has no idea what he's in for—but maybe neither does Chaz?

When I heard Kiss It described as raunchy and frank when it comes to female sexuality (also with a disclaimer that it’s not suggested for 14 and under by the author) I knew I had to check this out! After reading it I wouldn’t call the book raunchy exactly but I would definitely say it does deal with the sensitive and important issues of teen sexuality in a VERY open way, so be ready for that when reading this book.

Main character Chastity (what a name!) lives in a very small town that she realizes is not where she wants to live out her life, but while she’s waiting it out in high school there she wants to get some experience, in the sexuality department. The pickings are slim in her mind but she tests out the waters, never really finding the right person to go through this education with, until Sebastian comes into town. In Sebastian she sees something different and knows she wants to get to know him better.

What I liked about this book was besides a secondary story with her best friend (that I saw coming from a mile away) I wasn’t really sure where the story was going to go and I liked that. I also really liked the small town jokes, I recall snorting a few times I think! Nothing really crazy happens but sometimes that's ok. It was very realistic in the way everything is sort of open ended but personally I would have liked a few more plotlines tied up by the end of the book. I felt like we were going somewhere but we didn't quite get there.

It's definitely a coming of age story but deals with the idea of sex a lot more than other similar books I've read. I liked Chastity's voice and sarcastic tone but it was still missing something in the end, I haven't yet been able to put my finger on.

Kiss It will be released on June 15th
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
Review copy provided by the author

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Amazon.com:

Best friends Lani and Erin couldn’t be more different. Lani’s reserved and thoughtful; Erin’s bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There’s no possible way they could be interested in the same guy.

So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can’t believe she feels such a deep connection with him—and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it’s her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can’t have?

I rather enjoyed Colasanti's previous release Waiting For You and was excited to read another book from her. But it's hard to not compare it to Elizabeth Scott's The Unwritten Rule which was also recently released which explores a similar subject. But I'll try not to talk about that much here as to not detract from Something Like Fate. But if you liked one of these titles I'd definitely suggest trying the other to get another take on the subject.

My favorite part of Something Like Fate was Lani and Jason finding their connection and I really believe stuff like this happens for people, it's fate and you can't deny it I don't think. I love the theme of fate in this book. Every time they would get together as a group with Erin and Blake, Lani would notice more and more she had in common with Jason but tried to push it aside since he was with Erin. It was not an option for a long time until she realized this might be her chance at something amazing.

I would have liked to have gotten to know Erin a bit more because then I would have felt the emotional stress that Lani was feeling because from where I was standing Erin had no business in a relationship that was made for Lani and Jason. I also would have liked to get to know more about Lani not in relation to Jason, for example I really liked her relationship with her friend Blake, great subplot.

One nitpicky thing I will point out was the use of things such as "And then I was like" or "Then he was like". I know that people do speak like that, I do, but it did start to get on my nerves after a few uses.

Something Like Fate was released on May 4th

Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle by Raeanne Thayne

Amazon.com:

Christmas was tough for widow Jenna Wheeler and her four children. But even though she'd sold part of her family's land to make ends meet, she was determined to spin the holiday into the stuff of magic—no matter what it took. Now if she could only find a job….

Maybe her new landlord could oblige—gorgeous, child-averse Carson McRaven. He needed a chef, and he knew the lovely Jenna could do a bang-up job—if only she could keep her brood out of his hair. But as he found himself catapulted into the cheerful chaos of her family…not to mention Jenna's arms… he learned more about the spirit of Christmas than he'd ever dreamed.

The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle is my first "category" or "series" romance. I had no idea what to expect and what I discovered was a wholesome, family Christmas story with a very sweet romance.

At first Jenna and Carson obviously dislike each other, Jenna because Carson bought up her ranch (except for the plot her home is on) and seems to dislike her children who are having a hard time letting go and Carson because Jenna's children always seem to be on his property making problems. They are polite to each other and nothing more. But quickly they start to see other sides of each other when they are thrown together in a series of events, from a banquet dinner to a catering emergency to an actual emergency.

Jenna and Carson get to know each other and Carson begins to warm up to Jenna's boys and the whole thing is very AWWWW-worthy. I ate the whole thing up and I think this would be a great romance for someone that is looking for a sweet and family friendly holiday romance.

The Cowboy's Christmas Miracle was released November 1st 2008
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Category
3.5/5 Stars
From Bookfairy

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by Dan Santat

Amazon.com:

When Joules and Kevin Rockman’s parents drop them off at Camp Whatsitooya on their way to an International Spamathon, the twins expect a summer of marshmallows, campfires, and canoe trips. What they do not expect is to defend the earth from an invasion of sugar-addicted, murderous, seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy. Happily, the Rockman twins, veteran watchers of the Late, Late, Late Creepy Show for Insomniacs, are unusually well-prepared for dealing with monstrous beings from outer space. If only their fellow campers were so lucky.

Andrea Beaty, author of several very funny picture books and a mysterious novel, here reaches new heights of hilarity and verbal dexterity in a novel sure to become a camp—ba-dum-dum—classic.

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies is a extremely humorous novel/graphic novel hybrid for middle graders. Crazy giant bunnies that are sugar addicted and twins who's parents are obsessed with SPAM, and girls that are known as SmellyCat because they said their names all at the same time and that's what one of the characters heard... this author has a good sense of humor...

Aside from the humor I loved all the graphic bits mixed in from full panel pages or random advertisements thrown in, it really works for this book and helps break up the text.

I think this is a fun, humorous and suspenseful mystery for the younger set but adults might also have a good time with it.

Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies will be released on May 4th
Genre: Middle Grade
3.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher

Snapped by Pamela Klaffke

Amazon.com:

Sara B. is losing her cool.

Not just in the momentary-meltdown kind of way—though there's that, too. At the helm of must-read Snap magazine, veteran style guru Sara B. has had the job—and joy—for the past fifteen years of eviscerating the city's fashion victims in her legendary DOs and DON'Ts photo spread.

But now on the unhip edge of forty, with ambitious hipster kids reinventing the style world, Sara's being spit out like an old Polaroid picture: blurry, undeveloped and obsolete.

Fueled by alcohol, nicotine and self-loathing, Sara launches into a cringeworthy but often comic series of blowups—personal, professional and private—that culminate in an epiphany. That she, the arbiter of taste, has made her living by cutting people down…and somehow she's got to make amends.

Snapped was sort of a mixed bag for me. At first I loved the author's humorous voice and the setting and the characters and in the end I did as well but in the middle it got a little bizarre. Let me explain, Sara goes off on these tangents in her mind where she thinks of all these horrible things that can happen and some of them were a little bit revolting. I think if that was toned down a bit it wouldn't have distracted me so much from what I liked about the book.

I really admire the originality of the author's voice and how she goes places others wouldn't dare though. I'm not sure if I exactly share her sense of humor though in the end, because while the book is listed as comical (specifically Sara making a fool of herself) I didn't find very much funny in that and it kind of stressed me out at times.

While Sara was hit and miss for me (though I do love what she decides to do with herself at the end!) one character I adored was an elderly lady she befriends by the name of Esther, anytime Esther was in a scene I loved it. I loved the stories she shared about her friend Lila and the things she did for Sara. I was also fascinated by Eva who I think really represented a different generation from Sara and was interesting to see them befriend each other and then clash.

Overall there is some really good stuff here but there were some things I could have done without. I will definitely watch to see what Klaffke comes up with next though!

Snapped was released on January 1st 2010
Genre: Chick Lit (sort of)
3.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine

Vision In White by Nora Roberts

Amazon.com:

Wedding photographer Mackensie "Mac" Elliot is most at home behind the camera, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into the bride-to-be's brother...an encounter that has them both seeing stars. A stable, safe English teacher, Carter Maguire is definitely not Mac's type. But a casual fling might be just what she needs to take her mind off bridezillas. Of course, casual flings can turn into something more when you least expect it. And Mac will have to turn to her three best friends-and business partners-to see her way to her own happy ending.

This is my first ever Nora Roberts book, I thought the series sounded fun (4 lifelong friends living and working together) and thought I'd pick up the first two and start reading to see what she was all about.

Right of the bat I got Mac, appreciated her love of photography and loved reading about how she worked. And Quinn, can you say my dream man!! I was really pulling for them to work as a couple! And what I really appreciated about this story was that there was more to it than just their romance, it was about their families and friends too. It's important to me to have those secondary plots.

I thought the book started to lag in the second half. I got a bit sick of Mac's uncertainly about her relationship with Quinn and all Quinn became good for was to reassure Mac that their relationship was worth a try. It really started to get repetitive and annoying. I did like seeing Mac stand up to her mother with the help of her friends though.

Overall I think this is a fun start to a new series and I can't wait to check out the rest!

Vision In White was released on April 28th 2009
Genre: Contemporary Romance
3.5/5 Stars
Purchased from Borders

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

Amazon.com:

For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.

With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.

In a breathtaking debut from Alexandra Bullen, WISH asks the question: If you could have anything, what would you wish for?

Wish took the idea of losing a sibling (a twin) and turned it on it's head with a few magical dresses. What if you could wish your sister back after she had died, had her by your side as a ghost all the time? Olivia gets this wish and it allows her to find her own place in the world outside of her sister's shadow.

The story gave an honest depiction of a family trying to find itself and stay together and happy after losing a daughter. It was not fun at home for anyone, so luckily Olivia had school and new friends to escape to. I wanted more of her friend Miles and his sister Bowie (who was awesome) not the more popular kids she begun to hang out with later in the book, they were nice enough just not as interesting.

I also (surprisingly for me) wanted more about the dresses and the magical dressmaker. For most of the story the dresses were only mentioned in passing and I would have loved more attention paid to the ritual of putting it on and it being a special moment.

I think this is a good twist on the death of a sibling for someone that is looking for a lighter book on the subject.

Wish was released on January 12th 2010
Genre: Young Adult
3.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by Amazon Vine