Waiting on Wednesday: The Promise of Amazing

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Pub. Date: December 31, 2013

Goodreads says, "Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how. Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.  One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love."

How awesome does this book sound?!  It had me at Arthurian-themed catering hall and performing the Heimlich.  It sounds like a hilarious contemporary. The cover is adorable. What do you guys think?

Book Review: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Pages: 352

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: July 30, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told.  Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go. Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson. Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do."

Tavia Michaels should have died in the plane crash along with her parents and everyone else on the plane.  However, she's the sole survivor.  With the hope of starting over, she moves to New Hampshire with her aunt and uncle.  She spends most of her time at the town library working on her school assignments and visiting with her psychologist.  At the library, there's a clerk, Benson, who catches her eye. He's nerdy in a hot way and nice to Tavia. What's not to like?  They become good friends, but there's a catch...he has his eyes set on another girl.  Meanwhile, Tavia is having strange visions that seem to be from the past and involve a guy named Quinn Avery who is dressed in old fashioned clothing. She should just forget about Quinn, but she is inexplicably drawn to him.  Plus, Quinn has an important message for her.  Things are definitely not what they seem in Aprilynne Pike's Earthbound.

Tavia is a multi-faceted character and has some secrets regarding her abilities in Earthbound.  When Tavia comes to New Hampshire, she starts to learn about herself and what she is capable of, all with the support of her best friend/crush, Benson.  He really helps her figure out what's going on in her life and is her only real friend.  I wasn't the biggest fan of Benson, because he kind of dropped his life for Tavia, which I didn't find too realistic.

Quinn, on the other hand, is super mysterious and I was immediately drawn to him, as is Tavia.  I wanted to know more about his backstory in Earthbound.  You are probably thinking that this sounds like another annoying love triangle, but I assure you, it is not your typical love triangle in the least bit.  I definitely liked how Pike sets it up.

There's a lot of action in Earthbound, which kept me glued to the book. There were many moments that put me on the edge of my seat and there's not doubt that Pike does a fantastic job drawing her readers in.  Pike is an awesome author (I loved Wings!) and there's a little bit of everything in Earthbound: secrets, action, special powers, drama, and romance.  

After the ending of Earthbound, I can't wait to continue with this series.  Also, stop by again on August 5th, because I'm part of the Earthbound blog tour and will have a guest post from Aprilynne Pike all about her latest book.

Book Review: The White Princess by Philippa Gregory

Pages: 544

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: July 23, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

Series: The White Queen, The Red Queen, 
The Lady of the Rivers, and The Kingmaker's Daughter

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The White Princess opens as the news of the battle of Bosworth is brought to Princess Elizabeth of York, who will learn not only which rival royal house has triumphed, Tudor or York, but also which suitor she must marry: Richard III her lover, or Henry Tudor her enemy. A princess from birth, Elizabeth fell in love with Richard III, though her mother made an arranged betrothal for her with the pretender to the throne: Henry Tudor. When Henry defeats Richard against all odds, Elizabeth has to marry the man who murdered her lover in battle, and create a new royal family with him and his ambitious mother: Margaret Beaufort, The Red Queen. But, while the new monarchy can win, it cannot, it seems, hold power in an England which remembers the House of York with love. The new king’s greatest fear is that somewhere, outside England, a prince from the House of York is waiting to invade and re-claim the throne for the house of York. Fearing that none of his new allies can be trusted, Henry turns to his wife to advise him, all the time knowing that her loyalties must be divided. When the young man who would be king finally leads his army and invades England, it is for Elizabeth to decide whether she recognizes him as her brother and a claimant to the throne, or denies him in favor of the husband she is coming to love…"

Elizabeth of York, daughter of The White Queen and mother to infamous Henry VIII, is our main focus in Gregory's fifth installment of The Cousins' War.  Her marriage to Henry VII unites two feuding families and one would think this would be an ideal solution as it should bring an end to the War of the Roses; however, there's a problem.  Elizabeth still loves Richard III, who is now dead, thanks to the very man she is going to marry, Henry VII.  Awkward start to a relationship, yes?  To top it off Elizabeth and Henry's mothers loathe each other and Henry never fully trusts Elizabeth or her family. In fact, Henry VII is an ultra-paranoid king who spends most of his time worrying about being usurped or listening to his extremely religious and controlling mother, Margaret Beaufort. Philippa Gregory's The White Princess is a captivating glimpse into the life of Elizabeth York and her political marriage.

I immediately felt for Elizabeth of York in The White Princess. She fell deeply in love with Richard III and thought he was going to win at battle. It turns out Henry VII won and now she has to mary him.  Nightmare?! And to make matters more complicated, Henry VII is pretty much a monster and upon their first meeting, he does the unthinkable.  There are no words! So, Elizabeth goes into this marriage with her family's one focus on the fact that it's political and should bring an end to the Cousins' War.  However, Elizabeth's mother has something else in mind as her Yorkist loyalties are still running strong.  I think that Henry VII and his insufferable mother are aware of this and always hold Elizabeth at arms length away, which makes her pretty much powerless and hold little to no influence. Elizabeth spent most of her time in The White Princess torn between her York family and her children, who are essentially Tudors and enemies of her family. It's a tough situation.  Because of all of this, Elizabeth made for a less captivating narrator when compared to her mother and grandmother, who were the focus of The White Queen and The Lady of the Rivers.  

A lot of The White Princess was spent focusing on Henry's extreme paranoia and incessant worrying that someone will challenge him for the throne, namely Elizabeth's long-lost (supposedly dead) brother Richard, also known as one of the Princes in the Tower.  This obsession completely consumed him as well as his mother, which in turn made him not able to ever exhale and relax in The White Princess.

Even though Henry's paranoia got old after awhile and Elizabeth's lack of gumption took a toll on me, I still really liked her and felt empathy towards her plight. I mean she really tried with Henry and I felt she did everything right, but it never seemed to work out for her.  There was many a time in The White Princess where I felt Elizabeth got dealt a bad hand. I have no idea how she dealt with her disappointment of a husband, her nightmare of a mother-in-law, and her lack of power at court, despite the fact that she's Queen.  Don't even get me started that she didn't even live in the Queen's apartments, because her mother-in-law inhabited them!!

One of my favorite parts of The White Princess dealt with Elizabeth's mother and her determination and loyalty to the York family.  There's no doubt that her mother is one of my favorite characters in this entire series. Another favorite part of The White Princess is the possibility that Elizabeth's brother, Richard, is in fact NOT dead and could at any day come back to claim the throne. I found these two aspects of the novel especially captivating and of course, I loved Gregory's take on such a controversial even in history.

One thing is for sure: I can't get enough of Gregory's books. I absolutely love this series and am beyond excited to watch The White Queen TV series on STARZ this August. I can't wait to see some of my favorite characters come to life!  If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend The Cousins' War series. Philippa Gregory does historical fiction so very well and I just.can't.get.enough.  

Waiting on Wednesday: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Pub. Date: April 14, 2014

Goodreads says, "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters…"

I am a huge fan of Jenny Han and her Summer series, so when I heard about this book, I was immediately excited.  I will read anything she writes and I love the premise of this one. Plus, I hear it is semi-autobiographical?  Brilliant!! What do you guys think?

Book Review: Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand

Pages: 416

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: June 25, 2013

Source: Goodreads First Reads

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "A summer wedding stirs up trouble on both sides of the family in this new novel from bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.  The Carmichaels and Grahams have gathered on Nantucket for a wedding. Plans are being made according to the wishes of the bride's late mother, who left behind The Notebook: specific instructions for every detail of her youngest daughter's future nuptials. Everything should be falling into place for the beautiful event--but in reality, things are far from perfect. While the couple-to-be are quite happy, their loved ones find their own lives crumbling. In the days leading up to the wedding, love will be questioned, scandals will arise, and hearts will be broken and healed. Elin Hilderbrand takes readers on a touching journey in BEAUTIFUL DAY--into the heart of marriage, what it means to be faithful, and how we choose to honor our commitments."

The Carmichael family has vacationed every summer on Nantucket at their family beach house.  It comes as no surprise that youngest daughter Jenna would get married there.  Sadly, her mother has died a few years before from cancer, but has left her with a notebook that includes all of her thoughts regarding Jenna's wedding, such as who to invite, which flowers to use, what color bridesmaids' dresses, etc.  Even though Beth, Jenna's mother, cannot be there, she has meticulously planned Jenna's wedding...every last detail.  Things should go smoothly, but of course, they don't as weddings always bring out family drama.  Jenna's older sister, Margot, is obsessed with her father's business partner, and finds herself doing things for him that she shouldn't be.  Then there's Jenna's father, Doug Carmichael, who has remarried (too soon!) and has never really gotten over the love of his life, Beth.  The wedding is obviously going to be hard for him and bring out his true feelings, which Pauline, his new wife, picks up on.  Cue the tension.  Ann, the groom's mother, is a famous politician and seems to have it all together, but is falling apart over the fact that her husband's former mistress/ex-wife will be attending along with their child.  She is trying to pretend it doesn't bother her, but quite simply: it does. Elin Hilderbrand's latest delicious novel, Beautiful Day, captures everything you could want in a beach read. There's major family anxiety inducing drama, there's romance, secrets, a wedding, and one disaster after another all set against the beautiful back drop of Nantucket.

The interesting thing about Beautiful Day is the fact that all the characters annoyed me to some degree, but somehow Hilderbrand made me feel and care for them.  The point of view in Beautiful Day jumped from a few Carmichael family members to even Ann, the groom's mother.  As in her other novels, Hilderbrand does a fantastic job with this and it never gets confusing; in fact, it adds to the story as you to know the characters a bit better and figure out what exactly is going on.  Hilderbrand even includes excerpts of Beth's wedding notebook! With this technique, readers get a backstory and the opportunity to delve deeper into the characters' worlds.  Sometimes when authors do this, I find myself gravitating towards a particular character, but surprisingly, Hilderbrand made each equally invested in each character despite the fact that they.drove.me.nuts.  

For starters, Margot's obsession with Edge, her dad's coworker, is a case of "he's just not that into you." I soooo wanted to say that to her and slap her silly, but she was completely blinded by him even though he treated her like crap.  The same goes for Ann, the groom's mother.  Although you would think she was truly a confidant woman since she is a politician, she was falling apart for most of the wedding, thanks to Helen's (her husband's former mistress) presence.  However, the kicker is that SHE invited Helen despite the fact that her husband said she shouldn't.  And you are probably wondering why they would even discuss the possibility of inviting her, but the fact of the matter is that her husband and Helen's son, Chance, is a groomsmen.  It's nuts and makes the ingredients for an epic wedding catastrophe, especially because Helen is the opposite of a gracious guest in Beautiful Day.  

To add to the drama, Jenna, the bride, is second guessing the marriage due to a secret about her fiancé that she finds out from Helen.  (Why did they even invite her!?) Jenna is also not speaking to her best friend and married bridesmaid, because she is having some sort of relationship with her brother, who is a notorious player.  As you can see, even the bride is dealing with some major drama on her big day.

And there's tons more drama in Beautiful Day, but I don't want to give any more spoilers away. Even though this seems like chick-lit dessert, there are serious parts to Beautiful Day.  My favorite was the excerpts from Beth's wedding notebook. Although I felt Beth to be majorly controlling Jenna's wedding, right down to the linens used, it brought a tear to my eye.  There's also the fact that Doug isn't over Beth and being at Nantucket for their youngest daughter's wedding really brings this to light.  His memories of Beth were so beautiful and touching. So, there's the right mix of seriousness and the crazy, hilarious antics of the wedding in Beautiful Day.

If you have ever planned a wedding and had nutty family members (can you tell I speak from experience?) do crazy things on your big day, then you can totally appreciate Beautiful Day.  It made for an excellent beach read and Elin Hilderbrand is easily becoming one of my go-to authors for a delicious summertime novel.

Stacking the Shelves (26)

This week I am sharing a few books that I received for review and one that I bought.  If you want to learn more about these books, click the title and it will take you to the Goodreads page.

For Review:

  

Anatomy of a Single Girl by Dara Snadowsky - Thanks, Dara!
Endless (Violet Eden #4) by Jessica Shirvington- Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks
Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb - Thanks to Edelweiss and Harlequin

Bought:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen 

So what do you guys think? Have you read any of these books? Let me know! This new meme is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  

Book Review: Impostor by Susanne Winnaker

Pages: 274

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: May 28, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.  Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself."

Tessa is a Variant, which means she has a special talent.  Tessa's talent is that she can absorb the DNA of anyone she has touched before, which makes her very valuable.  She has been trained by a secret section of the FBI and her first mission is to become Madison, a girl living in a small town who has recently become a victim of a serial killer.  Tessa is going to become Madison and live her life while hoping to figure out who is wreaking havoc in the town.  Tessa's home life before comign to the FBI wasn't a good one, so becoming Madison and living with her loving family is entirely different than anything she has ever known.  Tessa loves being a part of Madison's family and experiencing a normal social life at high school, even if she is an "impostor."  The killer strikes again and Tessa is starting to think that this killer may actually be a Variant as well.  Susanne Winnaker's Impostor is an edge-of-your-seat type of read that fans of the paranormal genre will relish in, especially if you like X-Men or The Body Finder.

Tessa's good friend, Alec, is also a Variant and is coming along to this mission with her.  This would be an ideal sitaution except for the fact that Tessa has been pining over him since she first laid eyes on him.  I loved their relationship. It was very reminicent of Rose and Dimitri in The Vampire Academy. (swoon!) The only problem is Alec has a very controlling girlfriend, but as the story unfolds, it becomes aparrent that perhaps Alec is harboring feelings for Tessa too? Their relationship was one of the best aspect of Impostor.

As Tessa is impersonating Madison, she comes to realize that her life wasn't the perfect small-town cliche.  She also had some deep secrets and got involved in some scandlous situations, which complicate trying to figure out who the killer is.  Meanwhile Tessa is thoroughly enjoying being in Madison's world and hanging out with her best friend, her good looking brother, and her doting parents.  Tessa has to remember to not become too emotionally involved in the case, but the longer she is Madison the harder it is to separate her two worlds.

The mystery surroudning the serial killer in combination with the Variant's special abilities made for a fast paced and excting read.  The Body Finder is one of my favorite books and Impostor has many of the same ingredients.  I was competely captivated while Tessa was trying to figure out the serial killer and towards the climax, I was completely glued.

I can't wait for book two in the Variants series, which comes out in 2014. I hope we learn more behind Alec as well as a few other character's secrets. Also, I hear that Impostor has been optioned by Warner Brothers for television. I think it would make for an awesome TV series!

Waiting on Wednesday: Witchstruck

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Pub. Date: September 24, 2013

Goodreads says, "If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged. Meg Lytton has always known she is different—that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice. The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy."

Yes! This book sounds awesome. I love stories about witches and I am a huge historical fiction fan (Tudors!!), so this book sounds perfect for me.  It had me at the mention of The Other Boleyn Girl--one of my favorites. What do you guys think?

Book Review: Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 16, 2013

Source: NetGalley

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The summer we were nine: Emma was branded “Skylar’s friend Emma” by the infamous Adam Loring... The summer we were ten: Maddie realized she was too far into her lies to think about telling the truth... The summer we were eleven: Johanna totally freaked out during her first game of Spin the Bottle... The summer we were twelve: Skylar’s love letters from her boyfriend back home were exciting to all of us—except Skylar...Our last summer together: Emma and Adam almost kissed. Jo found out Maddie’s secret. Skylar did something unthinkable... and whether we knew it then or not, five summers of friendship began to fall apart.  Three years after the fateful last night of camp, the four of us are coming back to camp for reunion weekend—and for a second chance. Bittersweet, funny, and achingly honest, Five Summers is a story of friendship, love, and growing up that is perfect for fans of Anne Brashares and Judy Blume's Summer Sisters."

Emma, Jo, Skylar, and Maddie attend Camp Nedoba every summer and are the best of friends.  One summer they make a promise to be good friends and support one another.  Many years later, they aren't the best of friends as they had hoped, but meet up for a camp reunion.  Things start to go haywire for all the girls due to boys (of course!), secrets, and lies.  There's Maddie, who has a secret about her family and hasn't been forthcoming with any of the girls.  Then there's Jo whose Dad runs the camp and everyone views her as being just like her Dad, which doesn't help out in the dating department.  Emma is the resident "good girl" who has a long time crush on Adam, another camp goer, but he is secretly seeing someone else.  Lastly, there's artsy Skylar, who also has issues with her family and feels like a she isn't good enough for her artist father.  All the girls must address their issues and what better place to do that than at their beloved camp?  Una LaMarche's debut, Five Summers, is a story about friendship and the difficult hands that sometimes life deals us.  Fans of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series will gravitate to this similar read.

I connected the most with Emma as she seemed the most relatable to me in Five Summers.  Readers get to know her through first person narration and flashbacks to camp when she was younger.  Her obsession with Adam is the main focus and during the reunion weekend, she wants to spark things back up with him.  She had the opportunity to kiss him many years ago, but didn't take it and has regretted it since then.  But Adam is pretty much a player and is seeing someone else.  If Emma knew who he was seeing, it would break her heart and this secret is dying to come to the surface.

The other girls are interesting enough in Five Summers, but not as much as Emma's storyline in my opinion.  The narration also jumps to flashbacks to former summers focusing on each girl as well as third-person narration of the reunion's events.  It's a bit jumpy and I would have preferred the focus narrowed a bit more.  I think the LaMarche was trying to make it similar to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in that we get into the head of each girl; but ultimately, in combination with the many flashbacks, this made for a choppy read.

The setting of Camp Neroba was a lot of fun in Five Summers and this was my favorite part of the book. I loved reading about their adventures from day to day and what they did at camp in the past as young girls.  I wish more young adult "summertime" books would take place at camp.  There's something magical about it and the possibilities seem endless.

Five Summers is geared toward younger teen readers and I can see middle grade females who are looking to fill a void left from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants liking this story as well as the idea of friendship conquering all.  But my bottom line: Although Five Summers is a cute read, I think Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants does this concept a bit better.

Stacking the Shelves and Giveaway Winner (25)

This week I am sharing a few books that I received for review, one that I bought, and one that I got out from the library. I forgot how much I love the library! If you want to learn more about these books, click the title and it will take you to the Goodreads page.

For Review:

 

The White Princess by Philippa Gregory Thank you so much, Simon and Shuster!
The Passion of the Purple Plumeria by Lauren Willig - Thank you, Penguin!

 

Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke - Thank you, Penguin!
Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts -Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan

Bought/Library:

 

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Bought)
Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead (Library)

Giveaway Winner:

The winner of The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison is Susie B. - Congrats! I hope you enjoy it.

So what do you guys think? Have you read any of these books? Let me know! This new meme is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  

Book Review: Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance

Pages: 304

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: June 11, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Fields’ Rule #1: Don’t fall for the enemy.Berry Fields is not looking for a boyfriend. She’s busy trailing cheaters and liars in her job as a private investigator, collecting evidence of the affairs she’s sure all men commit. And thanks to a pepper spray incident during an eighth grade game of spin the bottle, the guys at her school are not exactly lining up to date her, either.  So when arrogant—and gorgeous—Tanner Halston rolls into town and calls her “nothing amazing,” it’s no loss for Berry. She’ll forget him in no time. She’s more concerned with the questions surfacing about her mother’s death.  But why does Tanner seem to pop up everywhere in her investigation, always getting in her way? Is he trying to stop her from discovering the truth, or protecting her from an unknown threat? And why can’t Berry remember to hate him when he looks into her eyes?  With a playful nod to Jane Austen, Spies and Prejudice will captivate readers as love and espionage collide."

Berry's father owns a private investigation company and she often does undercover work for him, especially if it involves catching people cheating on their spouses. I mean who would suspect that a high school student is actually a spy? It's just Berry and her father at home as her mother died many years ago and the police say it was a suicide.  While spying on someone else one night, she sees her best friend's dad with a file.  Upon closer examination, she sees the file says her mother's name.  What would Mary Chris' father be doing with this file? The question consuming Berry's mind is the fact that maybe the police were wrong about her mother's untimely death. This question, naturally, becomes her obsession.  To top it off, Berry finds herself dealing quite often with two new boys to her school, Drew and Tanner. Berry can't initially stand Tanner, especially when he refers to her as "nothing amazing," but he keeps showing up in her latest investigation. It doesn't help that he is gorgeous either!  Talia Vance's debut, Spies and Prejudice, is a charming twist on the Jane Austen classic, especially if you are a fan of mysteries.

Berry is my kind of heroine in Spies and Prejudice. She's smart, snarky, and pretty much a kick-butt spy even though she's a teenager.  This may seem far-fectched, but think of it as being similar to Veronica Mars.  My only issue is that Berry and her friends seemed to know more than the adults in the book; but hey, I guess that makes for an interesting read and I know my middle school students would really enjoy this novel.

The twist on Pride and Prejudice was a fun one, although not a strong of a connection as I'd like.  However, there is a lot of slow burn romance and build-up between Tanner and Berry as well as witty dialogue which is very similar to the Darcy and Elizabeth relationship.

The mystery is what drives Spies and Prejudice and although it was an entertaining read, it didn't excite me as much as I had hoped.  Teenagers that are fans of Veronica Mars, Jane Austen, and mysteries would appreciate this novel. It was a middle-of-the-road type of read for me, which sometimes is a breath of fresh air in a world full of epic fantasy novels and taxing series.  

Waiting on Wednesday: Wild Cards

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.

Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Pub. Date: September 24, 2013

Goodreads says, "After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama. Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?"

I love this author's opposites attract story lines; plus, I am a huge football fan, so this book immediately caught my eye.  Fun fact: I have won my league's fantasy football championship two years in a row...that's how much I love football! What do you guys think about Wild Cards?

Book Review: The Lake House by Marci Nault

Pages: 400

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: May 7, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "VICTORIA ROSE. Fifty years before, a group of teenage friends promised each other never to leave their idyllic lakeside town. But the call of Hollywood and a bigger life was too strong for Victoria . . . and she alone broke that pledge. Now she has come home, intent on making peace with her demons, even if her former friends shut her out. Haunted by tragedy, she longs to find solace with her childhood sweetheart, but even this tender man may be unable to forgive and forget.  HEATHER BREGMAN. At twenty-eight, after years as a globe-trotting columnist, she abandoned her controlling fiancé; and their glamorous city life to build one on her own terms. Lulled by a Victorian house and a gorgeous locale, she's determined to make the little community her home. But the residents, fearful of change and outsiders, will stop at nothing to sabotage her dreams of lakeside tranquility.  As Victoria and Heather become unlikely friends, their mutual struggle to find acceptance with their neighbors and in their own hearts explores the chance events that shape a community and offer the opportunity to start again."

Fifty years ago, a group of good friends decided that they would always stay in their perfect lakeside community of Nagog.  Nagog is pretty much like Pleasantville. Everyone knows everyone and the houses are handed down from generation to generation.  Victoria Rose grew up there, but instead fled the community many years ago as a teenager for Hollywood and made it as a successful actress. Her friends never forgave her, except for Molly. She has since returned home to Nagog and is trying to get past all the events of her life that still haunt her.  However, she has come to find that her former friends aren't very accepting of her.  She's also haunted by her former flame who once proposed to her and she has never really gotten over him.  Meanwhile, a young writer, Heather Bregman, moves into one of the homes on the lake, which sends the community into an uproar as they definitely don't welcome newcomers.  Heather is looking to find a place she can call home, but the Nagog residents are anything but welcoming to her.  Thankfully, she has found a friend in Victoria and they both try to start over in their new lives. Marci Nault's debut novel, The Lake House, is a quintessential feel good read that made me want to cozy up with a blanket and a warm cup of tea.

Heather was an interesting character in The Lake House. On one hand, I liked that she was trying to move on from her manipulative fiancé, but on the other hand, she was pretty immature and lacked confidence.  She grew up as the novel progressed and I ended up liking her more and more, especially her friendship with Victoria.  Victoria, even though she was a much older character, was really the star of the show for me in The Lake House. Her interesting career in Hollywood, the ups and downs of her life, her relationships, and her return home to Nagog were all captivating.  I wish I had a neighbor like Victoria.  But by no means has Victoria's life been a bowl full of cherries.  She has dealt with some sad turn of events and she returns home home with the hopes that she can finally heal in Nagog.  Even though Victoria and Heather seem like a "odd couple," they end up having much more in common than they thought and find solace in their unlikely friendship as they both aren't accepted initially into Nagog's community.

Let's talk about the setting of The Lake House. It was lovely and everything you would expect in a beautiful lakeside town.  I seriously want to move there and I'm not even a big fan of lakes, which demonstrates what a great job Nault did in describing it.  The residents of Nagog are just as interesting as the setting and it seems everyone has their own story and secrets.  One of my favorite characters was Heather's next door neighbor, a feisty older man who still has a lust for life.

One thing that I especially loved about The Lake House were the flashbacks to Victoria's childhood at Nagog, which seemed so very idyllic.  I loved learning more and more about her teenage years, what happened to her, and why she pretty much ran away from what essentially seems like the "perfect place."  The narration focuses on Heather and Victoria, but from time to time, it branched out to other Nagog residents, which I also really liked as it helped me to get to know the community.

The Lake House didn't set my world on fire by any means, but it was comforting and delightful, which make it a fantastic read to curl up with on a rainy summer day.

Book Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Pages: 323

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Pub. Date: April 23, 2013

Source: Personal Copy

Series: The Selection (Book #1)

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea. America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide. Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending."

America Singer is one of the Elite, or the last six girls competing for Prince Maxon's affection.  Originally she thought that she was taking part in this competition simply for money (her family really needs it); however, she started to have real feelings for Maxon, despite the fact that she never got over her boyfriend from home, Aspen.  If you read The Selection, you know that Aspen just so happens to be a palace guard and has reentered the picture.  His feelings haven't wavered towards America for one second, which puts her in a bit of a predicament.  Prince Maxon actually loves America and wants to end the competition with her as his bride, but she has asked for more time in order to figure some things out, such as the fact that she isn't even sure she wants/can be a princess.  To add to the melodrama, there are more and more rebels attacking the palace and America knows she is running out of time.  She has a huge desicion to make in The Elite, which is an entertaining and deliciously dramatic sequel to The Selection by Kiera Cass.

America wasn't as enjoyable in The Elite as she was in The Selection as she spent most of her time trying to figure out just.what.to.do.  She went back and forth a lot and was a bit irritating in that sense, but it didn't really stop me from enjoying all the angst.  Her relationship with Maxon gets a bit complicated in this book and of course, Aspen is still trying to win her over. There's a lot of tension between the remaining "Elite" and some drama ensues with one of the girls who doesn't play by the rules.  So, needless to say, there isn't a dull moment in The Elite.

As I was reading The Elite, it occurred to me that this book, despite its concept and the fact that it's similar to The Bachelor, is pretty clean. I could easily recommend this to an 8th grade student who loves romance and not worry about it being inappropriate, etc.  

Again, one of my main issues with this series is the fact that it's considered science-fiction/dystopian. There isn't enough world-buidling or enough of an explanation about this world that America lives in.  It really doesn't feel like a sci-fi/dystopian novel to me.  Cass goes into a little more detail regarding the rebels and their attacks, but readers are still confused regarding their motives and why they keep breaking into the palace. 

Of course, I will be dying to find out how the trilogy ends in The One, which comes out next May.  This series is pure mind candy and it appeals to the same part of my brain that reads Us Weekly while on vacation. If you are looking for a mindless, fun, and dramatic series to read poolside with a cold drink in your hand, check out The Selection and The Elite this summer.

Waiting on Wednesday: Blythewood

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating.

Blythewood by Carol Goodman

Pub. Date: October 8, 2013

Goodreads says, "At seventeen, Avaline Hall has already buried her mother, survived a horrific factory fire, and escaped from an insane asylum. Now she’s on her way to Blythewood Academy, the elite boarding school in New York’s mist-shrouded Hudson Valley that her mother attended—and was expelled from. Though she’s afraid her high society classmates won’t accept a factory girl in their midst, Ava is desperate to unravel her family’s murky past, discover the identity of the father she’s never known, and perhaps finally understand her mother’s abrupt suicide. She’s also on the hunt for the identity of the mysterious boy who rescued her from the fire. And she suspects the answers she seeks lie at Blythewood.   But nothing could have prepared her for the dark secret of what Blythewood is, and what its students are being trained to do. Haunted by dreams of a winged boy and pursued by visions of a sinister man who breathes smoke, Ava isn’t sure if she’s losing her mind or getting closer to the truth. And the more rigorously Ava digs into the past, the more dangerous her present becomes.    Vivid and atmospheric, full of mystery and magic, this romantic page-turner by bestselling author Carol Goodman tells the story of a world on the brink of change and the girl who is the catalyst for it all."

Family secrets, magic and a boarding school? Yes, please! I love the sound of this one. What do you guys think?