Review: The One that I Want

Gemma and her BFF Addison meet two boys at camp. They're working on their majorette skills while the boys practice football.  One boy is the quarterback and the other the team's kicker who never misses.

Gemma likes Max and it appears that he likes her too. She doesn't understand why he'd ask out her best friend instead of her. The more time she spends with him, the more she likes him.

She hopes he'll notice her as something more than a friend, but she doesn't want to betray her best friend. Is there a way for both of them to win?

My Thoughts: I really love Jennifer Echols, but this isn't my favorite book of hers. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to find out what happened.


The friendships of the book bothered me. I hated Addison. She was horrible. I wasn't fond of Gemma at times either. Together they don't mix well. I know these relationships do exist - but it was hard to read about them.

I hated Carter.  I hated the relationship between Carter and Max.

I liked Max - he was quirky and amusing. He said random things that got him into trouble. I really liked the conversations between Max and Gemma. 

Books with cheating partners isn't for me - I have a hard time forgiving the characters even if they're cheating with the one they're meant to be with.  By cheating I mean falling for your best friend's guy.


Ultimately I did like it, but it was hard getting past a few issues. I know that teens will gobble this book up.



Cover Thoughts: LOVE it! I really like the heart in the O too - a nice touch. Although the model is Asian and it's a big part of the book.


Source: my Library

Review: The Darlings in Love

*sequel to The Darlings Are Forever*

Natalya is afraid she messed things up with Colin for good - until she gets a text from him saying he saw her in the park.  After much consideration she responds. The two begin playing chess again. Natalya isn't sure if she's reading too much into his behavior, but she knows her feelings for him haven't changed. Could he be hiding something from her?

Jane's been convinced to act in a student directed performance - that Mark's directing. The subject matter woos her and she starts considering his offer. Her co-star wins her over. Before long, Jane can't wait to run lines with Simon. Could he be her first boyfriend?

Victoria can't believe that she's dating Jack. He's the perfect boyfriend. She loves the time they spend together - just the two of them. However, they hang out with his music friends quite a bit. Soon Victoria's realizing that they don't have anything in common. Can they still make their relationship work?

My Thoughts: I really like the friendship between these three girls. It's strong enough for them to tell the truth about their romantic relationships. It's strong enough to cover for each other when they're sneaking out with their boyfriends. It's strong enough to support each other when boys break their hearts. It's strong enough for them to just have each other. While this book tackles mostly romantic entanglements, I think the real relationship of this book is their friendship. I do hope there's more adventures for the Darlings.


Cover Thoughts: I really liked the cover for the first Darling book. This just seems generic to me. It's cute and all - but kind of boring


Source: My Library


Similar Read: The Daughters

Books I'm Dying to Read: April Edition

Here are several books I can't wait to get my hands on that are coming out in April!

Take a Bow: I LOVED both Lonely Hearts Club and Prom and Prejudice. I simply can't wait to read Eulberg's newest book! Goodreads: Out April 1st

Cordially Uninvited: I really love the middle grade series Jennifer writes with her twin Julia (Trading Faces). I can't wait to read her new book. Royal weddings, true love, and mean girls? Sounds great.  GoodReads - out April 3rd

Medusa the Mean: The 8th book in the Goddess Girl series - which is adorably cute about friendship drama, first crushes, and of course Greek mythology. Goodreads - out April 3rd

Renegade Magic: the 2nd book in the trilogy starting with Kat, Incorrigible - which I ADORED. I can't wait to see what Kat's going to do next while trying to find her sister a suitor in Bath. Goodreads - out April 3rd

 

Magic Under Stone: The sequel to Magic Under Glass - in which Nimira will search for a sorcerer to help free Erris from his prison. Goodreads - out April 10th 

False Prince: Three boys are being trained to assume the identity of the prince - only one will win the chance to impersonate the Prince. Only one will live.  I'm reading this one now and it's amusingly sarcastic. Goodreads - out April 1st

 

The List - I've heard amazing things about Siobhan Vivian and clearly I need to start reading her books. This one sounds like a great place to start with the ranking of girls and how the list changes 8 girls in particular.  Goodreads - out April 1st

Belles: The start of a new series by one of my favorite contemporary authors. Izzie must deal with a transition from her old life to a new life with a family she's never met and introduction to high society. I adored this one!  Goodreads - out April 10th 

Making Waves: A summer novel of lifeguard competition, rules, and summer love. Sounds like the perfect beach read.   Goodreads - out April 26th 

Radiate: A cheerleader who discovers a lump on her leg - and it turns out to be cancer. A semi-autobiographical novel from Marley Gibson.   Goodreads - out April 3rd

 

Grave Mercy: Love the cover and the concept: a girl joins the covenant to escape an arranged marriage. There she learns that she will be trained as an assassin. Goodreads - out April 3rd

The Calling: I still need to read the first Darkness Rising book, but I adored the Darkest Powers trilogy.  Goodreads - out April 10th

Above: I LOVE the cover!  A debut novel of Urban Fantasy Goodreads - out April 10th 

 

Academie: A historical fiction based on the daughter of a future President James Monroe - who's sent to boarding school in France. There she meets Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte. I loved her previous book In the Shadow of the Lamp.  Goodreads - out April 10th

Spirit's Princess: An historical fiction account of Himiko from Japan. I really love Esther Friesner's other princess books. Goodreads - out April 24th 

The Night She Disappeared: Gabie works delivering pizzas. One night a girl goes missing and Gabie learns that she was the girl who was supposed to be kidnapped. Can she find Kalya before something dangerous happens to her?  Goodreads - out April 10th

The Marked: The second book in the Delcroix Academy in which Danica learns more about the academy's secrets. It's very mysteries and quite good.   Goodreads - out April 3rd

 

Drop Dead Chocolate: I love this addicting delicious series which started with Glazed Murder. This is book seven with Suzanne's mother running for Mayor. Goodreads - out April 24th

The Scarlet Pepper: The sequel to Flowerbed of State which was a smashing debut. Now Casey Calhoun is having trouble with her organic garden and things are heating up.  Goodreads - out April 3rd

  

7 Clues to Winning You: I really enjoyed her first book A Match Made in High School.   Blythe is humiliated when a picture of her circulates the school. Can she save her damaged reputation?  Goodreads - out April 26th

Once Upon a Toad: I really loved her Mother Daughter Book Club series, so I'm eager to try her new tween book featuring a fractured Fairy Tale.  Goodreads - out April 17th

Adult Review: The Viscount Who Loved Me

*second book in the series - read the review for the first - The Duke and I * 


Anthony Bridgerton's decided it's time to get married. He will find a bride this season. His brothers tell him Edwina Sheffield is the catch of the season. He sets out to woo her and win her hand.


However, she's already acknowledged publicly that her older half-sister will have to approve of any man she marries.  


Kate Sheffield does not deem Anthony Bridgerton an appropriate match.  She and Edwina have one season to make their mark on society and marry well. Kate knows that Edwina has the best chance at marriage. While they're only half sisters, she adores Edwina. She's certainly not going to allow her sister to marry a rake like Anthony Bridgerton.


Anthony adores a challenge. Soon he's sparring with Kate and courting Edwina.  Edwina doesn't make his blood race, but that's exactly the kind of wife he desires - one he feels affection towards but doesn't love. Why then does he keeping dreaming about Kate?

My Thoughts: I LOVED this book. I love the Bridgerton family. I love their tight bonds and their easy banter. I loved Kate's quick wit and her love for her sister. I loved the mallet game. I loved the verbal matches between Kate and Anthony. I can't say anything about this book without gushing over it.  A humorous romance that made my heart smile. A perfect book for Valentine's Day or any other day. 


Cover Thoughts: Cute


Source: Inter-library loan

Happy Valentine's Day

Put a little LOVE in your heart today - whether that be with your significant other, your best friends, your puppy, amazing books, or a little chocolate. Here's hoping that your day contains all five of them!

Enjoy yourself. Make someone smile today. You're loved.

Happy Valentine's Day 

If You Like,.... Wrinkle in Time

If You Like… is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love. This week’s post includes recommendations based on A Wrinkle in Time, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

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If you like A Wrinkle in Time, you might like…

YA Book Nerd's Confession: I have never read A Wrinkle in Time - and now I think I must try it.

Sunday Matinee: Real Steel

I showed this movie at the library earlier this week and it was pretty popular.

Usually I don't like boxing movies because I hate the blood and guts = however, this worked out well for me because there wasn't blood and guts. I didn't hide my eyes during the hits.

What I liked:
Hugh Jackman - I really like him. He's dreamy. I liked his character here - and how it changed. He made me laugh. I liked this boxing sequence

Evangeline Lilly - She was good although her part was small

Dakota Goyo - his son who plays a smart mouth kid. He had some great lines.  I loved him dancing with Atom. He also had some horrible lines.

Overall opinion:
It was a cheesy action movie. I happen to like cheesy action movies, but there were times when I rolled my eyes at some of the lines (especially a moment at the end). Still I enjoyed the movie and I those who came to the library to watch it did too!