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Like Water
Like Water
Rebecca Podos | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'm always interested in queer young adult books, and this one especially caught my eye with its mention of "performing mermaids." Because y'all know I love my mermaid books! So Savannah isn't a real mermaid, she just plays one at a water park. But it was enough to make me pick up the book, and it's a good book. Young adult books about discovering your identity are always needed, and this book is about Savannah realizing she's bisexual.

Much of the angst in this book comes from Savannah not knowing if she has the same disease her father does, and she's not sure if she wants to know. Altogether, in this book we have chronic illness, hispanic teens, bisexual, lesbian, and genderqueer teens, small-town angst....there's really a LOT of demographics covered in this book.

I like Savannah, but I don't like her love interest, Leigh, very much. Leigh does NOT have her shit together, and between drinking and doing drugs, all while underage, she poses a very real threat to Savannah's well-being.

I'm a little nonplussed by the ending of the book. It leaves a few questions unanswered, but not in a cliff-hanger-y way. It's more of a possibilities-left-open kind of way. Which makes sense for a "first love" romance. It's not necessarily a "true love" story. It reminds me of John Green novels in that way.

So - it's a great book for representation, but don't expect a tidy, wrapped-up ending. You won't find that here.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
IC
Imperfect Chemistry (Imperfect, #1)
Mary Frame | 2014
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>Imperfect Chemistry</i> might be one of those few New Adult romance novels that I actually really enjoyed...</b>

In the first of Mary Frame's <i>Imperfect</i> series, Lucy London has to come up with an experiment testing how emotions work as a pathogen – a nearly impossible feat since she never had a normal childhood in the first place. She's an absolute genius – in college since thirteen and has a doctorate at twenty or twenty-one.

From the very beginning, <b>Lucy is introduced to us as someone who sounds like a textbook and speaks in tones that are formal.</b> The whole <a title="Out of the Cave by Cotton E. Davis" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-out-of-the-cave-by-cotton-e-davis/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">textbook aspect doesn't backfire</a> here – it's pretty much expected from someone who's been in college for awhile. In the process of trying to come up with a hypothesis for her experiment, Lucy tries to become as normal as possible. I personally thought <b>Lucy is absolutely adorable in her attempts to become "normal."</b> She has a desire to run away around those who cry because she has no clue what to do and the whole "solve heartbreak with PJs and ice cream" experience she has with Taylor Swift quotes mixed in with her usual technicalities.

She's <b>very much like David in <i><a title="The Sorcerer's Apprentice" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/movie-review-the-sorcerers-apprentice/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Sorcerer's Apprentice</a></i></b> – they're both socially awkward, and Lucy definitely has her <b>moments in the book where her extremely awkward side comes out.</b> Lucy just has other moments where <b>her attempt to become normal is cute, hilarious, and funny</b> – it's just a lot of fun reading how she becomes more social, experiences emotions, and makes some friends at her university instead of wallowing away in loneliness.

<b>The romance in <i>Imperfect Chemistry</i> went hand in hand with the overall plot of the story</b> – Lucy's experiment isn't exactly on love, but <b>Frame factors in the romance nicely.</b> Jensen and Lucy certainly don't banter or have a <a title="Read Sophia's Confessions of a Queen B* review" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-confessions-of-a-queen-b-by-crista-mchugh-review-and-giveaway/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">very entertaining relationship like Alexis and Brett do</a>, but they have an <b>in-depth relationship rather than the whole "finally notice each other and think the other is hot, have sex, live happily ever after" or the whole emotional baggage consisting of running away from the past.</b>

I think it's just Lucy in general – she's simply too adorable for words.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
I have been wanting to read this book for awhile novel. I have been putting it off because I already have so many books that still need to be to read that I felt guilty spending money on any more. Finally, I broke down and bought, though, because I have been wanting to read it that badly.

Despite feeling guilty about spending money on a book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s been long enough that I don’t feel confident in my abilities to compare the first in the series to the second. It’s not necessary to read the first one to enjoy the second. Everything you need to know, the author casually reminds you of during the storyline. Despite my poor memory, I can say that both novels left me with warm fuzzy feelings and I was content with the ending.

Helena’s story was much more frustrating that her older sister’s, however. There were moments I had to walk away because I wanted to scream alongside Helena. I agree that she can be impulsive and stubborn, but I found myself agreeing with her more often than not. I loved her passion and fire, and the chemistry she had with Colin was palpable. Colin was absolutely precious. I loved his playful nature, especially as it broke Helena out of her angry shell. Watching them together was adorable.

I think what I love most about this series is watching the couples grow to love each other. Despite their differences and disagreements, you can actually see and feel the love they develop for each other. The men want what is best for their lovers, but they don’t turn alpha male and try to control them. The men took and accepted their women as they were. It was a powerful message, especially in a historical romance novel.

Overall, Captive Heart was worth every penny. Helena never lost her fiery spirit and was well-matched with the playful Colin. However, I am not sure if I will read the third and final book in the trilogy which pertains to Miriel and the Shadow. I understand Miriel didn’t have that much to do in the first two novels, but she didn’t leave much of an impression on me nor am I particularly interested in her story. I probably will end up reading it for curiosity’s sake, but I don’t feel the urgency to read it as I did Helena’s story.
  
Eleanor &amp; Park
Eleanor & Park
Rainbow Rowell | 2016 | Young Adult (YA)
Contains spoilers, click to show
It was a strange kind of wonderful, reading this book. It is a romance in its purest form and has been written with so much care and tenderness. Eleanor & Park is unlike any book I have ever read - so far at least. The romantic build is slow, dramatic and captiviting, and it defies the stereotypes of everyday life. Eleanor is not your average teenage girl. She's not popular. She's not blonde. She's not stick thin. Her family is not rich. She is different and Rainbow Rowell reaffirms that idea again and again. She has a big mess of red hair. She's a social outcast. She's bullied. She comes from a broken family. She's anxious and self-conscious. She is so different and so far off the spectrum, that it was a never ending thrill hearing her side of the story, hearing of her struggles and passions. Reading from Eleanor's point of view really brought the whole world into perspective, and made me think in ways I have never done so before. Now. What can I say about Park without repeating myself? What I like most about him is his characterisation. Why? Because it sets him apart from the typical male protagonist you find in most Teen Fiction novels. He's quirky. He's sarcastic. He's a closet romantic. He's Asian. He wears make up. He too is an outcast. This alone makes him different, but no less intriguing or entertaining to read. I truly admire his devotion to Eleanor. Even when she tries to push him away, he's always there for her and he always loves her, despite her taciturn moods and snappy comments. He loves her so deeply and without shame. Needless to say, I wish there were more boys like him. Now, the ending was ambiguous and rather bittersweet. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but somehow I found it quite fitting; considering what happened and how far both Eleanor and Park had come, since their first meeting on the school bus. It's not the perfect happily-ever-after, but it was full of potential and hope that it was, in its own little way. It left a smile on my face, at least. Needless to say, I would recommend Eleanor and Park to anyone. From the setting to the characters to the little hidden messages, it is a real story. It is a real romance and it will move you; body and soul.
  
40x40

Midge (525 KP) rated The Couple in Books

Feb 12, 2019 (Updated Feb 14, 2019)  
The Couple
The Couple
Sarah Mitchell | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Brilliant And Dark
THE COUPLE is a debut psychological thriller by Sarah Mitchell and I absolutely loved it! I adore novels that are written in two time periods, namely the past and present, like this one.

The characters were very difficult to warm to, especially the main character Claire, who became rather irritating, annoying and dis-likeable during the story.

Claire, who works for the Immigration Service is newly engaged after a whirlwind romance. Her fiance, Angus, is a hotel entrepreneur and they are looking to buy their perfect home together. When Claire views a house and meets Mark, the fellow who is selling the house, she finds that he resembles a former lover, a man for whom she still has feelings. Claire is drawn to him and Angus starts to behave very suspiciously, but can Claire trust either of them or herself?

For me, Sarah Mitchell’s writing is captivating and extremely well structured. This book is full of twists and turns and I really enjoyed it. The novel moved along at an intense speed and I loved how dark and twisted it was. The character development was brilliant and apart from most of the characters themselves, I liked everything about this book. THE COUPLE held my interest from start to finish and the way in which Sarah Mitchell brought everything to a conclusion was just fabulous. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author.

I would recommend THE COUPLE to anyone who likes this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Sarah Mitchell for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
  
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Pink Carnation, #1)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Pink Carnation, #1)
Lauren Willig | 2006 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
In the ways of mystery, intrigue, and espionage in both the past and present narrative, I thought that [b:The Intelligencer|1098168|The Intelligencer|Leslie Silbert|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180962888s/1098168.jpg|1135397] was better (only brought up because I read it recently). I am a bit disappointed that there wasn't more of those in it and less romance, but not much. While predictible and not always original, it still has a charm of its own and, at times, was impossible to put down. The characters were great and I enjoyed Amy's spirited ways and the banter between her and Richard. All the secondary characters, epecially Jane and Richard's family and friends, were interesting and added to the story. I really liked Eloise, and even though she's not in it much, I really got a sense of knowing her and I can't wait to find out what happens with her next. That intrigues me as much as finding out what happens next with the Pink Carnation!

I haven't come across many books with the past/present espionage storyline and would be interested in reading more, so I'm glad that the author has decided to write more of these novels. I hope the sequels are equally as engaging and fun! And some more mystery might be nice too.

Mini-kinda-spoiler: <spoiler>
The one thing that kind of bothered me was that the title implies it is about the Pink Carnation when there really isn't much about ol' Pinkie. And the one major mission isn't really described at all! Probably because it didn't really involve the central characters or story, I imagine.</spoiler>
  
I forgot how much I loved a good paranormal romance novel until I discovered Frost. A couple of my favorite authors recommended Jeaniene Frost, singing her praises. I was a bit hesitant after the slew of horrible vampire romances that I have forced myself to make it through as of late.

Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. Frost’s fiery Cat immediately captured my attention. She was one of the first female protagonists who actually enjoyed being schooled about her weaknesses. Instead of being obnoxiously stubborn, she actually threw herself into making herself stronger and learning from her faults. I know that sounds like so many other female leads, but to me she seemed different. I didn’t feel that everything was a struggle between Cat and Bones. Whenever they fell in love, I could see how they got to that point. They did have fire and chemistry, but it was far from them continuously butting heads and arguing like so many other novels do.

I also enjoyed the simple plot. It wasn’t about Cat and Bones being the only two being able to save the world from certain doom. Of course, they did have a goal they were working towards, and an antagonist they had to take down. However, there were no random surprises that only the author could see coming and no twist that broke our necks from confusion.

However, I will state that Cat’s ridiculous mother seriously made me want to slam her face into the pavement. While Frost can create the likable characters of Bones and Cat, she can also create some monsters like Cat’s mother.
  
The Unearthly (The Unearthly #1)
The Unearthly (The Unearthly #1)
Laura Thalassa | 2013 | Paranormal, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
From Book 1: The first time I was declared dead, I lost my past. The second time, I lost my humanity. Now I’m being hunted, and if I die again, my soul is up for forfeit.

After enrolling in Peel Academy, an elite supernatural boarding school on the British Isles, the last of the sirens, Gabrielle Fiori, only wants to fit in. Instead, the elixir meant to awaken her supernatural abilities kills her.

When Gabrielle wakes up in the morgue twelve hours later, something wicked is awakened in her, something even the supernatural community has never seen before. Now the only person who can help her is Andre de Leon, the community's infamous bad boy and the king of vampires.

Yet even his help can’t prevent the repeated attempts on Gabrielle’s life. Someone is after her, and they will stop at nothing to end her short existence. Only Gabrielle cannot let that happen now that her soul hangs in the balance, because she may have met the devil. And he wants her. Bad.

The Unearthly is a YA novel that will appeal to fans of paranormal romance and those who love vampire novels.

A new author for me!

Very good! Gabrielle is definitely unique and her love life is super complicated. The man in the shadows is Lucifer and I'm excited to see what part he plays in the future. I felt a few areas were rushed but I'm liking the character profiles in the world Laura has built! It's very much Hogwarts crossed with a version of vampire academy! I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes!
  
Not My Daughter
Not My Daughter
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am so happy to have the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for Not My Daughter by Suzy K. Quinn. Thank you to the team at HQ, for sending me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. Have a look at the Blog Tour Banner below and check out the other bloggers.

Suzy K Quinn is a British fiction author, and writes in three different genres: psychological thriller, comedy and romance. She was first published by Hachette in 2010 with her debut novel Glass Geishas (now Night Girls), then self-published a romance series, the Ivy Lessons, which became an international bestseller and a #1 Kindle romance bestseller in the US and UK.

After her second daughter was born in 2013, she self-published the Bad Mother’s Diary series, which also went on to become a #1 Kindle romantic comedy bestseller. Suzy K Quinn’s novels have been translated into 7 languages and her books have sold over ¾ million copies worldwide.

She lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters, and travels to Mexico every year to write and study Mayan story telling. Suzy loves her family, friends and readers, but when pushed to add more to the list, she also loves travelling, food and alcohol.

Synopsis:
Lorna has been trying to protect her daughter Liberty for sixteen years. There are dark secrets from her past about her father that Lorna wishes her daughter never finds out. Liberty’s father is a monster, and the best solution is to hide. Forever.

But Liberty has other plans. One day, Liberty decides to find her father, no matter the cost. And Lorna can’t protect her if she doesn’t know where she went…

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Not My Daughter. It was a novel that kept me on my toes throughout the whole book and I was eager to know what happens in the end and who the true villain is.

We begin the story in one way, where we have an idea of who the bad person is, and how Lorna is the protector. But once we start reading more, this story becomes more twisted, and we don’t know who to trust anymore. This is something I see in books quite often, but it is not usually as well-written. Suzy did an amazing job writing this part, and making us switch sides as she wanted us to.

The ending was not predictable at all, although, it was a bit unrealistic. However, it really fit nicely with the whole story and I cannot be disappointed.

It is interesting to see how the mother-daughter relationship develops. But more so, how a relationship forms when a daughter wants to get to know her father, no matter what. You meet this person that you share genes with, and you want them to like you. You want them to accept you, like nothing happened. We could see this wish in Liberty as she meets her father – the need to be accepted as a daughter.

I would recommend this book to everyone that loves mystery thrillers. It is a one of a kind, and a very well-written one too.
  
Anything For Love
Anything For Love
Lola StVil | 2017 | Romance
9
9.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Relatable characters (1 more)
Full of mystery and action
A few grammar errors (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I would first like to say I don't normally like these short little romance novels, but I really enjoyed this one. I often find the short romance novels like this are rushed or leaves something to be desired at the end. In Anything for Love, I found that the story was relatable and quite enjoyable to read. It left you smiling at the end and it felt complete. I don't have many complaints, just a few grammatical errors that are easily overlooked, as there might have been at most five in total. It was the characters that made the story for me, especially Winter.

Winter's past was rough, especially where her ex, Danny, was concerned. With the betrayal and manipulative nature he had, I wouldn't have blamed Winter for closing herself off to the world of dating. Even though you don't get the full extent of what he did to her, besides being a jerk, until she tells Wyatt why she is so closed off to him, you can't help but understand what she is going through. Most women swear off dating when they break up with a particular nasty relationship. Though, it rarely sticks, its not hard to see Winter is a vary realistic character, that many women can relate to. It was very nice to see that she had made up her mind and did everything in her power to stay away from Wyatt, knowing she wasn't ready for a relationship or to trust another man. It wasn't just her heart and how I could relate to her in the romance department that got me, it was her strength and determination to protect the children she helped. Her concern and kindness for the kids who are in group homes waiting to be adopted, melted my heart. It was very clear that those kids meant the world to her, even more than her own life. Not many people would stand up to a gang and even deny them a new recruit, putting their life at risk, to protect a child that wasn't theirs and yet she did. She not only kept the kid, Carlos, safe from the gang life, but she made sure she got him into an art class, so that he would be able to further his education on that which he loves. It made it easy to see how someone could fall in love with her.

While Winter is a little closed off to dating and more focused on the kids that attend her center, Wyatt is more determined to win her over while being the cop he is. At first you want to hate him. He comes off arrogant and career oriented, as well as a horn dog. It is clear he wants to be with her sexually and his determination makes you slightly wonder if he would do anything unsavory to achieve this. However, that opinion dissolves quickly after Winter allows him to take her out to hang out a bit during a Halloween party her co-worker and bestfriend throws. Wyatt shows genuine interest in Winter and even appears to be a really good guy, but what amazed me was that fact he never did anything to push her into kissing him, having sex or anything. He was patient, kind and understanding, even before Winter finally told him what Danny had done to her in her past. Though he seemed demanding and a bit of someone who would be controlling, it was nice to see the softer side of him too. To be able to find someone who won't take no as an answer, but also be patient and considerate of another's feelings is a rare trait to have. Normally, you don't see both those traits in a single person, but Wyatt has them and it makes for interesting guy. Your heart automatically goes out to him as you watch him be patient with Winter. At points, I found myself yelling at Winter because of how broken she was. I understand where she was coming from, having been in horrid relationships myself, but I would like to think if I was her, I would have been a bit more willing to trust him sooner than she did. Wyatt is a definite dream hunk and will be your book boyfriend if you only let him love you.

I have say that this book kept me thirsty for more, especially since so much was left out to keep it a bit suspenseful. I loved how the gang, Street Kings, was left alone after Winter confronts them to leave Carlos alone, that you nearly forget about them being in the picture. It made for a nice little dramatic event when they pop back up. Or when you learn more about Wyatt that is kept being hinted at throughout the story. I found this all to make quite a compelling story. It had the right amount of suspense, mystery and action to make this romance novel that perfect read in my opinion. I would recommend it to all my romance readers. I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5 stars simply because of the few grammar errors I had found while reading, Though they didn't take away from enjoying the book, I still wish they hadn't been present. It can ruin any grammar freak's day.

Anything for Love is free for the Kindle, and that's without Kinde Unlimited. It is also the first book in the series "The Hunter Brothers." I do hope you go to check it out and grab your copy from Amazon while it is free to grab. Happy Reading!