Review: ALIBI Series From Twist Literary

Abigail Shelton is dead. 

Spring Valley's golden girl is found floating face-down in her boyfriend’s pool, hands bound behind her back, head bleeding, drugs and alcohol in her system. Her friends are the only suspects – and they all have reasons to want her dead. Everyone has an alibi, but no one is innocent.

ALIBI is a 4-part young adult e-book series. Each one-hundred page installment reveals the perspective of a different character: the secret love, the nemesis, the boyfriend, the best friend. As their tales unfold, we learn that Abby is not as perfect as everyone believes, but she’s not the only one with secrets to hide. This page-turning tale of suspense, betrayal, murder, and lust will keep fans of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars up and reading well past curfew.

I won't lie, I was kind of stalking Twist Literary (only online people, I wasn't like in their bushes or anything) once I heard about them a few months back. The whole concept of a series written by different authors for different characters is seriously intriguing. I kind of thought I'd be able to tell when someone else was writing, but the authors do it so seamlessly that there's really no difference. What definitely helped is the amazing characterization throughout the story. Every character has their own distinct personality that pulls you in right away. 

Charles. You sir, are weirdly lovable even though I feel like I should stay away because you will break my heart with that beautiful Aussie accent of yours and leave me drowning my sorrows in chocolate. Every time Charles would talk, I would feel this necessity to say his lines in an Australian accent. Let me tell you, I realized my Aussie accent sucks! However, don't let my awful accent deter you from reading all about him and wanting his bod. Annie Miles writes Charles in a way that makes you want to discover the layers under his teen bravado and charm. 

I think I have a slight girl crush on Palmer because she has that confidence that just makes you want to know her. Even if I kind of hated her at times, I still rooted for her in the story. I totally understand why she intrigued so many people. Isabel Eckersley gives Palmer this charismatic air about her that makes a reader even notice there's something about her without seeing her. Her plot twists are also the most interesting for me; I truly didn't see them coming. 

Mason and Rowan are the two characters that I'm still unsure about my feelings for. Every story like this needs an edgy boy or girl, and these two seem to be it. Byrne and Provolo make their stories like those MTV shows you don't want to admit you watch, but honestly love every minute of because they're such a huge train wreck. Yeah. I mean...I don't watch those shows.*Looks anywhere but at you*

With little bits of story leaking out through each of the characters, Alibi will tease and keep you reading to the very end. I was sad to have it end because I got so invested and wanted more. If you're looking for a mystery that is sure to stay with you even after you're done turning the pages, Alibi is a definite not-so-guilty pleasure.

Bonus: If you check out and review any of the ALIBI books now, you can have a chance to win your very own iPad! The contest ends July 31, 2012! Check out the details here!

Series Soundtrack:

Bushes- Hot Chelle Rae

Motel 666 - Jonny Was

Beautiful Lasers - Lupe Fiasco

Sirens - The Pack A.D.

Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

The Reckless and the Brave - All Time Low

At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet - Head Automatica

The Naked and Famous - Young Blood

Blog Tour: Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) by Amy Lignor

                                   

"How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart."

I want to start off by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of stories involving angels, but this book was a great refreshing take on the topic. Right off the bat we're thrown into an action scene that makes you want to know more about the characters because you automatically feel for them.

I'd usually find this type of plot confusing as it has a double plot of sorts, but it somehow worked really well with this story. One story follows Liz and Daniel while on earth, as the other follows their other life of Matt and Emily in heaven. There were a few times that were a bit confusing, but it was never an issue that would have me stop reading. All characters have their own personality and world so it was usually easy to figure out when I was thrown off.

While love triangles are a bit overdone, it was still enjoyable. I will say that I wasn't really a fan of either of the couples because I never truly felt anything for them, but I still enjoyed their characters as separate beings.

Overall, Until Next Time was a definite change from what I expected, but I loved how unique of a story it was. Lignor's writing was clear and flowed easily off the pages. Though there were a few unanswered questions, I look forward to reading the following installments. Those interested in a story that will continuously have you asking questions should definitely check out this first book!

Blog Tour & Character Interview: The Weeping by O'Dell Hutchison+ Interview w/ Heath Ingram

The Weeping Description

I usually add a book description with my reviews, but I didn't want to do that for this particular book. I initially read the description when I signed up for the tour, but when I got around to reading it, I was a bit hazy on major details other than it was a mystery involving a theatre. I'm actually really glad I didn't read the description again because it made the book into a puzzle I had to figure out. As a reader, I was immediately hooked on this story from the first sentence. I liked that I wasn't introduced to the main character right off the bat, but instead immediately taken into a scene of chaos where I didn't understand what was happening.

Once I was introduced to the main character, I was continually thrown into scenes that somehow always had a way of being haunting even when there wasn't really anything going on. Heath, our male lead, is a guy who had everything going for him, but then had his life completely shatter in an instant. With the little background knowledge, it was another miniature mystery trying to find out what exactly happened to him. Though the trauma was a bit predictable, I liked finding out what really happened as he began to feel more comfortable with characters and opened up because it felt as if he were opening up to me.

Being introduced to the number of side characters only makes the plot of this story more interesting even before odd occurrences start happening. Every character had a different personality that I wanted to know more about. Even if they were in few scenes, they all had a way of slightly impacting the story. As the more haunting elements come into play, the reader is deep into a thrilling mystery that becomes a "who-done-it" tale that kept me guessing to the very end.

With Hutchison's eerie undertones throughout the book, you'll be thrown into a plot that takes you on a number of journeys, with each one more exciting and intriguing than the last, and you won't want to put it down until you read every last twist and turn.

A.W.R. was lucky enough to score an interview with Heath during his off time! Read more about him below!

For those of us who don't know you, tell us a little about yourself.

Hmm, well, I’m from Seattle. I’m seventeen and I just graduated high school. Umm, I played baseball, and I had a scholarship for college, but after the accident… Let’s just say I can’t play baseball now. 

What do you do during your free time now?

I haven’t had a lot of free time since I got to Rock Harbor. I’m helping my uncle out at his theatre. It’s pretty busy. When I do have free time I hang out with my friends here.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

I would have to say winning the Little League baseball championship when I was thirteen. It was an awesome game. My friend Jake and I won the game for us. It was awesome.

Tell us a little about your friends (old or new, whatever you're comfortable with sharing).

They’re pretty cool. I just met them. Well, actually, I met Luke and Josie when I was younger, but I don’t really remember them. Luke’s a really nice guy. Josie’s really cool. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. We hang out a lot. Josie’s girlfriend Patrice is pretty cool too. Oh, and Molly. She’s sweet. I really like her.

How are you liking Rock Harbor? 

Well...it’s different. It’s a tourist town so it will be really quiet and then all of the sudden all of these people invade the town and crowd the beaches. There’s not much to do around here. The theatre is the main draw to the town.

I know you were unsure about the existence of ghosts, but do you believe in anything paranormal?

I don’t know, ya know? It’s weird. I never believed in any of that kind of stuff before, but there has been some really weird things going on lately. I don’t even know how to explain it. Totally freaky stuff has been happening. Yeah...

You were saying you felt as though you had "lost your mojo" when you first met Molly. Tell us about one of your old moves.

Ha ha, wow. Hmmm...wow. Wasn’t expecting that one. I don’t really know that I had a specific move. It was just always very easy for me to talk to girls and stuff. 

What do you think you'll be doing five years from now?

I just really hope I’ve graduated college by then and I'm starting a new life for myself, ya know? I haven’t really given it much thought. I’d always dreamed about making the Major Leagues when I finished college. That was always my plan. Now I don’t know.

Thanks so much for stopping by, anything else you want to add before we go?

Thanks for stopping by. I hope everyone will come out and support the shows this summer at Rock Harbor Opera House. We’ve got some exciting stuff coming up!

Don't forget to check rest of the tour! Click the banner above for the schedule or head on over to Novel Nerd for an interview with O'Dell Hutchison!

New Girl by Paige Harbison

"Welcome to Manderley Academy 

I hadn't wanted to go, but my parents were so excited…. So here I am, the new girl at Manderley, a true fish out of water. But mine's not the name on everyone's lips. Oh, no.
It's Becca Normandy they can't stop talking about. Perfect, beautiful Becca. She went missing at the end of last year, leaving a spot open at Manderley—the spot that I got. And everyone acts like it's my fault that infallible, beloved Becca is gone and has been replaced by not perfect, completely fallible, unknown Me. 

Then, there's the name on my lips—Max Holloway. Becca's ex. The one boy I should avoid, but can't. Thing is, it seems like he wants me, too. But the memory of Becca is always between us. And as much as I'm starting to like it at Manderley, I can't help but think she's out there, somewhere, watching me take her place. 

Waiting to take it back."

Like everyone has said, this is a retelling of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I'll be honest and say I'm totally not "with it" because I haven't heard of the story or author before this. I went in reading this story because the excerpt sounded interesting and let's face it, the cover is pretty cool.

The plot to the story was intriguing because as a reader I wanted to know more about Becca. It kept the mystery going and made me want to continue the story. New Girl only being known as that was a pretty smart idea, but it made it harder to feel like she'd be someone I could know. By the end I was pretty tired of it and started disliking the idea.

The character of New Girl wasn't all that relatable to me just because I really disliked how she let people walk all over her without saying anything. I get that she was trying her best to fit in, but I still wouldn't let people treat me like crap. I did appreciate that she tried to make the best of her situation, I just think she could've gone about it a little better. I don't really get why everyone thought she was trying to be Becca since she obviously didn't know her. Most of the secondary characters made me want to hit them. I'm thinking that was done on purpose, so kudos to Harbison on that aspect. I wanted more Becca because though she was a super crappy person in her life, she made things interesting for me. It also made me question why everyone thought she was so great once more stuff came out about her.

After finishing the book, I think it was an interesting take but nothing that would stay with me. It wasn't something that kept me addicted to reading it, but the mystery of the story definitely kept me coming back to complete it. I just didn't feel fulfilled with the characters. I hoped the ending was a bit better, but it did wrap things up decently well. If you're looking for a mysterious read I'd say to pick this up, but don't expect to be wowed through the development of characters.

Deadly Little Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

"Some secrets shouldn't be kept...
Until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia’s life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades, an okay relationship with her parents, and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown.  But when a mysterious boy named Ben starts junior year at her high school, Camelia’s life becomes anything but ordinary.
Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend’s accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She’s reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise.  Instead, she’s inexplicably drawn to Ben…and to his touch.  But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help—but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret."

First off, yay for random library books! I've been wanting this since I saw it on NetGalley a while back but was denied. It hurt my soul when I got that email. Anyways, I finally got my chance to get it as a library ebook and was so stoked to read it this past weekend.

Okay yes, it does have slight undertone of Twilight, but the beginning of this series does stand on its own. I loved the organization of this book because we kind of got a back and forth point of view between our main character, Camelia, and our stalker. I actually wished it had more journal entries from the stalker, but they stopped mid-story sadly. I liked those because it was written in a diary format, and it just added to the creep factor of getting into the stalkers head.

The secondary characters in the book were also pretty cool. I loved Wes and Kimmie's banter as friends, but I didn't feel their characters were delve into much. Though I know there are more books, that was one of the big issues I had with the story; I never felt that I knew any of the characters well. Even the main characters of Camelia and Ben were barely described in my opinion. Their interaction with each other was also odd to me. They liked one another, but I never really felt their connection. I think if the story were a bit more developed on relationships it would've helped.

I also felt the story involving the main characters parents could've either been setup a bit more or just left for another book. It honestly didn't even seem like Camelia really cared about the family issues. Yeah I get she was having a crisis of her own as well, but I think a mother having a near mental breakdown would hit her a bit more than it did.

What I will give Stolarz props for though, is her writing style. It was engaging yet fast-paced and definitely kept me from being bored as I tried to figure out who the stalker was. I love things that are like puzzles, so this book was right up my alley. Every time I chose a suspect I kept second guessing myself with what few clues I had. Though I figured it out kind of early(I watch WAY too many episodes of Criminal Minds), I still wanted to finish the book to see what would happen and see if I was right. The ending was a bit quick for my liking, but with more books out it wasn't a huge issue to me.

I wouldn't say this is a must-read book, but it was enjoyable. So if you're looking for a quick read that you won't want to put down this is a great book! I can't wait to get my hands on the next one in the series to see where the story goes.

Blog Tour: Within by Clare C. Marshall

"Trinity Hartell’s life changed after the accident. Left with irreversible brain damage, she becomes a burden to her mother, a cause for heartbreak for her boyfriend Zack, and a flattened obstacle for her jealous best friend, Ellie.

But then she starts writing. Perhaps it’s a coincidence that the psychotic, murderous protagonist of her novel bears a striking similarity to the charming Wiley Dalton, a mayoral candidate in the upcoming election.

Or, perhaps not…"


This book wasn't really what I was expecting, but I was somewhat surprised by how much I liked it in a hatred sort of way. Confusing I know, but you'll understand in a little bit.

The story is definitely original in its plot and characters. There are a number of twists in this book; it's sort of like a roller coaster. One minute I'd be in this heart-wrenching scene and the next I'd want to slap characters. (Yeah, I'm talking to you Ellie and Mrs. Hartell!)

The story does start off a bit slow and I did have to wait a while to really understand where the plot would go, but it wasn't anything that deterred me from reading. This brings me to the characters. Marshall was able to create an interesting array of characters that kept the story going. My only wish was that they were a bit more developed. I never really felt the best friend connection between Ellie and Trinity. Even after the accident, I found myself repeatedly screaming in my head, "How are you her friend?!" Alternatively, I did feel the love Zack had for Trinity even though there was little development in their story line as well. I believe it was due to how emotional Zack was throughout the book. His feelings always seemed to jump out from the pages and grab a hold of me.

The most enticing part of this book was the mystery of the plot. I never really understood what was going on until the latter half of the book. Dalton was one crazy psycho, and I'd really wanted to know more about him and where his story really stemmed from. Marshall did a great job writing a suspenseful yet heart-breaking plot that kept me reading to the last page.

Though different from what I first expected, this creepy page turner is for anyone who's looking for an intriguing love triangle with a twist. My only wish would be for the story to continue to get more into the lives of Trinity's family and friends. I'll definitely be watching out for Marshall's future projects! Thanks again to Faery Ink Press and Clare for letting me be a part of this amazing blog tour.

On a Dark Wing by Jordan Dane

"The choices I had made led to the moment when fate took over. 

I would learn a lesson I wasn't prepared for.
And Death would be my willing teacher. 

Five years ago Abbey Chandler cheated Death. She survived a horrific car accident, but her lucky break came at the expense of her mother's life and changed everything. After she crossed paths with Death--by taking the hand of an ethereal boy made of clouds and sky--she would never be normal again. 
Now she's the target of Death's Ravens and an innocent boy's life is on the line. When Nate Holden--Abbey's secret crush--starts to climb Alaska's Denali, the Angel of Death is with him because of her. 
Abbey finds out the hard way that Death never forgets."

Alright, I really don't want to be a Debbie Downer on this book, but let's just get the negative stuff out of the way. Starting with our protagonist, Abbey. She's cute. I'm giving her a little leeway with her character because she was dealing with a death that was close to her. We all do some "cray cray" things when upset. However, her very unhealthy crush on Nate was borderline nutso. I do remember what it's like to have a crush on a guy at age fifteen or sixteen, and I'm sure I was a giggling mess, but Abbey kicks it up a notch. I honestly wouldn't have been shocked if I read that she cut a lock of Nate's hair and put it in her secret Nate Shrine. I'm all for girl power and having standards for a guy, but her devotion was pretty hardcore delusional to the point it was getting creepy to read. I actually wish Dane had given a bit more information on Abbey's struggles instead of focusing on her love of Nate. 

The overall love story in the book didn't feel all that authentic or believable for me to even have any real gushy moments over it. Sure, Nate was pretty cute and I really adore any guy who shows love for his younger siblings, but by the end I really felt his character to be pretty unnecessary. I don't want to spoil anything, but I'll just say there were a few, "Really? THAT is what you're going to suddenly do now with little explanation?" The biggest disappointment in this book was that I kept waiting for that real pivotal climax moment for a while, and though it somewhat happened, I was left pretty disappointed. 

Okay, now for the good. There were a few to this book and it's what kept me reading. The whole idea of the grim reaper wanting to feel loved was kind of heart-wrenching if you thought of it from their point of view. Death just needed a hug, I felt for him/it. My favorite scenes were probably the Denali climbing adventure. It was exciting to somewhat experience what it would be like to be in that type of environment and Dane did a great job being rather descriptive for something people would likely never experience. I also really enjoyed the connection between death and the ravens. I know ravens have always been somewhat dark, but having them included in the book gave scenes a pretty ominous feel where I was even sort of hesitant at times. 

Lastly, maybe I am a little biased in this, but I'm so appreciative of having Tanner be a physically challenged character who is just a random character in the book. I really haven't come across book characters who are in chairs who are portrayed as just "normal". I really wish it would happen more because, as a physically challenged person myself, it is an aspect I would love -- to connect with a character who experiences things without going into all the "woe is me" hardships that are normally portrayed when having a condition. Honestly, THANK YOU, JORDAN DANE for not making me feel somewhat invisible. 

I really think the story could be an amazing book with a little more development in places. I see what the author was trying to do, and I really wanted to care for some more of the characters, but just couldn't do it. I almost wish this book continued so I could find out more. It sadly just ended up making me feel incomplete after a couple of hours of devoted reading, and that isn't a feeling I like having after I read a book.

Book Tour: Tempest by Julie Cross

"The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. 

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. 

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. 

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him. 

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world."

Krystal over at Live to Read is hosting a fun little arc tour for Tempest! Luckily, I got to be a part of this cool little crowd of folks on the tour and got my chance to read it this past week. The best way I could describe this book is The Time Traveler's Wife meets The Butterfly Effect.

I liked the whole science fiction meets love story idea, but I could've used a little more of a love story personally. The time travel aspects seemed to be a little too much for me, and oddly enough made the story drag sometimes. The overbearing theme didn't help me get into any of the characters for the most part. One of the characters that made me sigh pretty much right away was Jackson's best friend, Adam. I can't stand a character written for convenience, and I think that's exactly what he was. It was hard to believe that there just happened to be a friend who understood the space time continuum pretty well.

I will say Cross had a good handle on her ideas of time travel. It was interesting to see a slightly different take on the idea than we usually see. As a start to a trilogy, I hope to see a bit more development into characters as we jump deeper into the story. If you're into the whole jumper aspect, this story will definitely keep you reading!

Book Notes: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

"Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 

And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me. 

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is."

I've been patiently waiting for this book to come out, so I was crazy excited when I was able to get a copy off NetGalley a while back. I mean hello, what's not to like about hot looking aliens? Though I love me some alien eye candy, I'll be honest; this book fell below my expectations.

I know a lot of people love the idea of a character being a book blogger, but it came off kind of cheesy to me. It was fun to see little shout outs to different memes and know what the character was talking about, but a part of me couldn't help being bothered by it at the same time. Other than that, I found Katy to be fairly realistic and enjoyed reading about her.

Daemon. I wanted to like him, really, I did. He was a hot, douchebaggery(It's a word, just go with me.) mess. As I read though, there was just something missing about him for me to put him up on my list of potential literary boyfriends(Don't pretend you all don't have one, I know you do). I think a lot had to do with the characters going so back and forth with their emotions.  Though I had my issues, I enjoyed Katy and Dee's relationship most about the book. Dee was probably my favorite character because she was so cute and bubbly.

Overall, there were some great scenes written in the book. Armentrout definitely has a way with words when writing action and steamy scenes. I will say that I was a bit confused by the ending with the way it was worded, but I wouldn't say it was something that ruined the book by any means. Being a huge alien fan, it isn't a book I would read repeatedly, but it was a fun getaway read.  If you're looking for a thriller Roswell-esque type of book, Obsidian would be right up your alley!

Book Notes: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

"Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.     

                                                                                                                                             

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.   

                                                                                                    

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. She's wrong."

I've read a lot of great books since starting this blog and this may be a big statement, but Mara Dyer has got to be one of my favorites. I was so wrapped up in this book that I actually forgot to write notes as I read. I knew the book was somewhat mysterious going in, but I didn't really know what to expect. Not only was this book enigmatic, it was also haunting. It's hard to explain, but all throughout the book the story has this very ominous feel to it. It's as if this book were a haunted house where I was always kept on my toes waiting for something to jump out and surprise me.

I loved how the time switched between current and past; it made the book feel like a puzzle I had to put together.  What really helped this book was the the amount of detail that went into each character. Even if the characters didn't have a big role, Michelle Hodkin still did a great job of fleshing out characters to make you connect with them. Mara, our main character, is who we follow throughout the book. Though battling through a lot of inner demons, she's wonderfully snarky and captivating. The reader is pretty much put in her shoes as she figures out what's happening to her. She's surrounded by a loving family who have their own dynamics and storyline throughout the book.

As Mara moves to a new school, we're introduced to a number of other colorful characters as they enter Mara's life. Noah freaking Shaw. I'm sure this probably isn't the first time you've heard of this book or even him so I'll spare you on ranting about how amazingly beautiful this man is. I'll also stay away from mentioning how much we need to find a way to clone him so every girl can have one for Christmas. Instead I'm going to say kudos to Hodkin once again. Why you ask? Well because I won't lie, Shaw is one hot piece of literary eye candy. However, I'm saying kudos for there being a nice build up to his character. Mara doesn't see him and fall instantly in love! We also aren't thrown into this unrealistic love story when he suddenly comes up. Hodkin actually lets the story develop with him in it, but with a pace that stays realistic to the other pieces of the story.  Also, I don't think I've ever had a book guy make me blush like a little schoolgirl just by reading about him. Shaw has this confidence about him that really makes you kind of want to just be like, "Okay Noah Shaw...Just have your way with me already!" I love when authors make two characters have great chemistry together and make you painstakingly wait for that moment they're together.

I will say that there are a few confusing parts in the book that complicate the storyline, but it wasn't anything that was too distracting for me. I think this book is a must-read that will have you addicted to the very end. With an ending that is nothing but evil torture, I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Book Notes: Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen

"When old enemies are thrown together, all bets are off…

Way back in high school, golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he'd slept with "fat girl" Ava Spencer to win a bet. Now a decade older and a head turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn't the gullible dreamer she once was— and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an offer she can't refuse.

A documentary film producer, Cade is shooting a movie about the mysterious mansion Ava inherited. And he wants her as his personal concierge. She's certainly professional enough to be at his beck and call without giving him everything he wants. Like another shot at having her in his bed. But Ava doesn't count on Cade's determination. Because he's never gotten over her— and he's not above playing dirty to score a second chance at a red–hot future…"

Okay, yes, I have a guilty pleasure for fun little *cough*kinda slutty*cough* love stories. I read this during the read-a-thon this past month. The book was definitely different from what I thought it would be. I was hoping the book talked about the dilemma of them meeting again after years, but this book didn't do that. Though it was a fun read, there wasn't much a build-up to the relationship. A lot of the intimate scenes seemed to come out of nowhere. I would read scenes and be confused as to where the relationship leading to moments went. It became distracting and really took away from the story. Though the characters were likable, they could've used more development to get a better feel for who they were. There also wasn't much of a dilemma as the description hints to, so it began to drag the story.

An aspect I did enjoy about the book though, was that the main character being full-figured and learning to love who she was after years of fighting with it. She had a good sense of who she was before she met her love interest and it was refreshing to read about a character who doesn't really need that approval. I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone, but for a fun, non-commitment read, it was a great choice.

Book Notes: Mayne Attraction-In The Spotlight by Ann Mauren

"Ellery Mayne is a high school girl who makes a disturbing discovery. After a foiled abduction attempt, she realizes that an entire team of security personnel are secretly shadowing her every move. As she works to make sense of this startling development, she secretly transitions from the one who is being observed to the one who carries out observations of her own, testing the limits of a secret service detail who think they are conducting transparent surveillance on a clueless teenager. When the mystery behind the secret security unravels, Ellery is faced with decisions that involve her future and the hopes of two unlikely love interests: a handsome but conflicted security agent who doesn't realize she knows about him, and her first love--a boy that broke her heart--who has returned to explain his actions and his feelings for her. Told from Ellery's perspective, she puzzles over what could interest not one but two handsome suitors and a whole security force. Suddenly this quiet loner realizes that her life is 'In The Spotlight' and she is the 'Mayne Attraction.' "


I really tried giving this book a chance because I wanted to like it. The premise of the book seemed like it'd be an interesting mystery romance for a change. The prologue was able to grab me fairly quickly and made me want to continue reading to see where the storyline would go. Ellery was a likable character and I enjoyed how Mauren wrote her to be an educated word nerd. Though I enjoyed Mayne's quirky personality, this is pretty much where my compliments end for this book. 


As I read, I kept waiting patiently for the storyline to get going. The interesting prologue seemed to have very little to do with the rest of the book. Finding out she was being watched, you'd think she'd have more questions about it and be weary, but she just seemed to accept it. When the romantic aspects of the story began, I sat thinking I had missed chapters somehow where she explained about her feelings and relationship for the male characters. For being such an educated and seemingly well-rounded character, I found Ellery to be pretty judgmental and immature. 


Though it doesn't usually bother me if there are typos in areas, this book had way too many for me. As I was really bored with the storyline, the typos stood out more and really started annoying me. Overall, I just feel with a little more work this book could be better. There are supposed to be two other books to follow this book in the other points of view, but if it's anything like the first book, I don't see me reading further to see where the storyline goes.