Books and Swoons

Original review can be seen on Books and Swoons .

Unravel Me has to be one of my top favorite book of 2013. It was also one of my most highly anticipated book and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Tahereh Mafi has become one of my favorite writers and this book shows why.

Unravel Me picks up right where Shatter Me end. Juliette is thrust into Omega Point, where she is having a hard time adjusting to her new environment, which is understandable considering all that she went through in Shatter Me. We get our Adam swoons pretty early on and sighhh... If I thought I had forgotten how swoony Adam can be, he definitely reminded me that he is a pretty good competitor against Warner. He has a way with words and gestures that makes me putty in his hands.

I have to admit, that there were several times where I wanted to shake Juliette. She internalizes everything and she was moping around and letting everything happen to her. She didn't know how to be strong. Which brings me to my next point: Kenji. Kenji is favorite character of mine because he is not afraid of telling it like it is. So I loved when he told Juliette to snap out of and to go and do something. That she could either sit there and lament her bad luck or that she could go out there and save herself. She needed a little hard love thrown at her and he did a great job at it.

There were so many things that we learn that even thinking about it, almost a year later, still shocks me. Mafi did an awesome job at keeping her readers guessing all throughout the book. Like with Warner's father and his very surprising connection. Also, we learn a lot about Omega Point and it leader and how it came about.

And for my Warner lovers, the swoons we get in this book, HOMGGG. I get chills just thinking about it. Unfortunately, Team Warner also get their heart broken and are given mini heart attacks several times throughout the book. I worry how this is going to turn out for him.

Basically, this book has to be one of the best sequel I've read and I need for Ignite Me to come out already. I need to know what happens next after that crazy ending. Although I have to admit that I'm sad that I'll be saying goodbye to these character that I've come to know and love. If you haven't already read this, go out and buy it. Now.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons.

Through the Ever Night was a great follow up from the first book, Under the Never Sky. It is one of the few books that I feel like the sequel is better than the first. The problems that I had in the first book are all gone. Gone is the confusion of trying to guess which character was talking. Veronica Rossi did a great job in keeping her readers entertained and invested in the characters.

Roar and Perry's friendship is one my favorites ever and I always love the scenes when they're together. They know each other so well that they already know what the other is going to do without having to speak first. I think that this the first time that I enjoy reading about a "bromance" more than about the love interest.

Not to say that I don't like Aria, because I do. Aria has grown so much since Under the Never Sky and you can tell she is a lot more confident and knows how to defend herself. Her relationship with Perry, I like how they don't need to be together all the time to know how much they care about each other. All they have to do is share a look and you know that they share something special between them.

Now, you know I don't like love triangles, but I think that this series might be the only one where I wouldn't mind one. Aria and Roar just seem to understand each other so well and always have a great time together. However, I would never actually want them to be together. I just think they would be cute together and I would want Roar for myself.

Basically, Through the Ever Night just solidified my love for Roar and after that ending, I would gladly help him feel better. I can't wait to see what Into the Still Blue will bring to these characters. I'm excited to see how Veronica Rossi will end this series and I just hope she gives them the ending that they deserve.

Original review can be seen on Books and Swoons 

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

*Please be aware that there are hints of spoilers in this review. Of the previous two books as well as Into the Still Blue.*

This book was absolute perfection. It had your romance mixed with some action, suspense and some comedic relief. I just keep thinking that this is how you end a series. It was so perfectly done and I want to hug Veronica Rossi for giving me closure to this trilogy. I read this book pretty quickly, not only because I had to find out what happens next but because it was also go-go-go in this book. There was never a dull moment.

Into the Still Blue picks up right where Through the Ever Nightleft us. From there, we learn the aftermath of bringing in Aria's friends from the Pod and having them interact with people from the Tides. We also see how Perry is coping with Cinder's kidnapping and with the shocking news he received at the end ofThrough the Ever Night.

I love Aria and Perry's relationship. They each had their obstacles together and apart but they persevered. One of the things I enjoy so much about their relationship is that they don't need to be together all the time to know that the other person loves them. They don't doubt the other person's love because they know that with everything that is going on, that they have that other person's love and support.

Aria has become a completely different person since we first met her in Under the Never Sky. Because of her parents background, that we learned about in Through the Ever Night, it definitely made her an asset to Perry and his team. Especially given how in the end, she is given the role of an adviser. So I'm very happy at how far Aria has come. Perry! Perry became the leader he was always meant to be and it was just incredible seeing him step up to the role. His over-protectiveness of Cinder and Talon and everyone else is very touching, considering that people were questioning his leadership in the previous books. I do have to admit that there was a point in the book when I was worried about the outcome of his fate. I knew rationally that nothing could happened to him (or so I hoped) but the irrational part of my brain was freaking out and I was worried for him.

As for Roar, my poor Roar, my heart broke for him and I just wanted to hug him. However, I felt that by the end, he was slowly learning to cope and like always, he was a wonderful friend to Perry and Aria. Some characters I grew to like were Brooke and Soren. Soren certainly tested everyone's patience and for several scenes I was worried about his loyalties. However, he certainly proved himself worthy and I love how he and Roar became friends. Brooke, I haven't read her novella yet, but the little she was in the book certainly redeemed herself in my eyes.

I love Into the Still Blue. I feel like Veronica Rossi gave the happy ending that these characters deserved. She delivered on everything and more. I am truly sad to say goodbye to these characters but I know they'll do just fine. If you haven't yet read this series, I beg you to go out and buy it. You will not regret it.

Original can be seen on Books and Swoons .

I had really difficult time writing this review and I spent weeks and weeks working on it and I still feel like I can't properly do the book justice. I guess I'll just break things down:

1. It doesn't feel like Young Adult
- Eleanor and Park are wise beyond their years
- There are issues and topics that are normally not seen or dealt with in YA books.
2. Swoony but realistic
- We have to remember that this is first love but I just found it to be so cute and made me all happy sigh and reminding me of my first crush.
3. Eleanor
- I loved her
- Strong and independent and doesn't change herself for a boy, not even Park. My kind of girl.
- I want to be a friend to her, she needs one. If there ever was girl that needs a girlfriend, it Eleanor. There were so many times that I just wanted to take her and hug her and just shield her from the world.
4. Where the hell was Department of Children and Family in this book?! Her mom made me rage. Richie = squm. Remember what I said about issues not normally seen in YA books? It comes into play here. 
5. Park
- The sweetest boy ever. Seriously.
- During the drive to Minnesota
- Broke my heart how sad and angry and hurt he that she was asleep. He was so conflicted. He wanted to spend time with her but he knew that she need to rest and escape for a little while. 
- Also broke my heart at how he was after she was gone. The feels.
- Loved how he fell in love. How things suddenly changed for him. So realistically done. Kudos to Rainbow for doing such a great job.

I really enjoyed this story. It was so well done and Rainbow managed to bring back all the memories of first crushes and first love and how exciting and nerve-wracking things are when you're a teenager. I wouldn't mind if Rainbow decides to do a sequel but it not something that I'm absolutely dying for. I guess my heart can only take so much angst. But on a side note, anybody want to take guesses with me and what those three words were?

Original review can be seen in Books and Swoons .

Nahomi:

After the ending of the of Until I Die I was anxiously awaiting the last installment of the series If I Should Die. I was heartbroken after the second book so when I got my hands on this book I couldn’t read fast enough. The first part of the book was excruciatingly painful for me. I was suffering for Kate and Vincent. I couldn’t believe what was happening to them, I just wanted to fix everything and make it better.

So I read and read like a little maniac, and I reached a point in the book where I felt that the story got a little predictable. I was a little disappointed with this because I really liked the series so far and I felt that the series could have ended in a different way. I get why the book ended the way it did, but I still wished that it would have ended differently.

There were several things that I loved about this series. I love the feminist tone of the entire series. Vincent is very progressive as far a love interests go, he lets Kate try and defend herself although he is there in the background in case she needs help. I really enjoyed the series in general but I was a little disappointed in the ending.

Jenn:

Just like Nahomi said, after the ending of Until I Die, I had to get my hands on If I Should Die. After that cliffhanger, I was desperate to find out the outcome of one the main characters. The book picked up fairly quickly but unlike the previous book, I didn’t end up loving it. Everything felt predictable for me and I rolled my eyes so many times while reading. After a while, I just wanted to get to the end and see how everything would be resolved but I was no longer invested. There was so many similarities to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer that just turned me off. And when we finally got to then end, I found it to be very convenient and I still don’t agree how it ended. So overall, my favorite book of the series was Until I Die and I won’t be rereading this book again.

Original review can be seen in Books and Swoons.

Jenn:

Until I Die is my favorite of the Revenants series. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in depth and seeing them interact with each other. It was also interesting to see Kate and Vincent’s relationship grow and how they learned to deal with Vincent being a revenant. My only problem with this series is how much it reminds me of Twilight. Some of the characters just straight up reminds me of Bella and Edward and the Cullens.

I do have to admit that the end killed me. I was so surprised and I just had to know what happens next. Until I Die was a great follow up and it was so much better than Die For Me. It got me super excited about the last book, If I Should Die. 

Nahomi:

I have to agree with Jenn Until I Die was my favorite book of the series. I love the scenes where Kate was training to learn how to defend herself. After having read the first book I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I was on an emotional rollercoaster I didn’t know what was happening and I needed to get to the end. 

Throughout the book I had this feeling of impending doom, like something really bad was going to happen.(I wasn’t going to like). I couldn’t put the book down and when I reached the end I couldn’t believe what happened. I was devastated, and desperately needed the third book like yesterday. I feel that Amy Plum did a great job with making the characters relatable and keeping me guessing as to what would happen next.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons .

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way*

I've been in a contemporary kick lately and after reading a couple of 5 stars books, I picked up Bright Before Sunrise. I enjoyed it and it was cute but I did have some problems with it. I did like how the story line follows both main characters, Brighton and Jonah, throughout the whole book as dual point of views. 

Bright Before Sunrise follows the story of Brighton and Jonah. Jonah is new to school at Cross Point and he is a bit of a loner who refuses to socialize with anyone. Brighton is a happy, friendly, nice girl that everyone knows and like. Right off the bat, Jonah doesn't like Brighton and everything he thinks she stands for: pretentious, judgemental, privileged, and thinks she leads the perfect life. Since he won't talk to her, Brighton has taken it upon herself to seek him out and get him involved in school. And she also has a need that everyone has to like her, so she's hell bent on finding out why he doesn't like her and then changing that.

I wasn't a big fan of Jonah, to be honest. He was a bit of an asshole to Brighton and I don't agree with how he treated her like crap and used her for his own agenda. He complained about Cross Pointe and how they judged him from where he used to live but I didn't see any evidence to back up is claim. Instead, I just I saw him judging Brighton and the rest of their classmates. I also didn't understand Brighton's and Jonah's attraction to one another. Throughout the whole book we see how little Jonah like Brighton and by the end I'm supposed to believe that he finds her irresistible and wants to be with her? No, I just can't buy it. I'm blaming the author on that part because I just didn't find it believable.

All in all, Bright Before Sunrise had a really cute concept and it was a quick and easy read. While it may not be a favorite, it was an enjoyable read.

Original review can be seen in Books and Swoons.

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

I was super excited about starting this book and I've been hearing a lot of buzz for Side Effects May Vary. Though I try not to read reviews of books I'm about to read so I don't get influenced by someone's opinion, a did hear a few things about it. However, I tried to go into the book with a clear mind and with no preconceived notions about it. 

The books starts out good enough and I thought I would be one of the people who would end up loving the book. Alice seems like an interesting character and I was curious to see what would happen. However, by the time I was done with this book, I was disgusted by Alice's behavior. She was such a manipulative, mean, and horrible person. And she was all those things to the one person who did whatever she asked of him, Harvey. 

I tried to understand that she was dealing with a lot of emotional upheaval, what with being told she might die and preparing herself for that and then miraculously going into remission. However, I just can't be okay with what she was doing to Harvey and everyone else. She was fully aware of what she was doing to Harvey and knew that she was using him. I was sympathetic when she rationalized that she didn't know how to give Harvey what he wanted because she now has a second chance to think about the future after already given up on it. In fact, when she said that, I completely forgave everything that she had previously done that made me dislike her. However, that thought came to a screeching halt during a scene where she completely tore down Harvey and that was the last straw for me. After that scene, there was nothing that she could have done to make things better. 

Aside from Alice, the writing and pacing of the book was well done. I never felt like the story was being bogged down by unnecessary information or that anything was missing. I like the fact that the book was done in dual point of views and as past and present. It was a great but a little confusing (at times) tool that Julie Murphy used. I was never confused by who the narrator was because there were clear distinctions between Alice and Harvey, which sometimes is tricky for authors to do.

I understand that the book is trying to show a second chance at a life you thought you wouldn't have and it worked in a way. It was definitely thought provoking and I wanted to see how that angle would play out. But unfortunately, Alice's behavior made it really difficult to appreciate and to root for her. While it was not a favorite book of mine, I enjoyed Julie's writing and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons .

Hot, unfy, sexy and oh so good! Those would be the words I would use to describe and recommend this story to someone. From the minute I started reading, I was hooked. I would put the book down but it would just call to me and I had to know what happened next. And what's even better, it was my first foray into J.Lynn's work so I'm super excited to have read and loved something from her after hearing nothing but good things about her books.

I'm not sure if it was the Young Adult burnt out or if what fate, but this book just put me in the right mood. Sure, there were some predictable plot devices but I loved Maddie and Chase so much and they were so good together, that I overlooked that fact. The sexy times were HOT and definitely left me fanning myself. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and get more of these very attractive Gamble brothers.

Original review can be seen here .

My rating: 1.5 stars out of 5 stars

I had really high expectations for this book. The whole premise of a bomb in a mall with unsuspecting people, it just something that could happen in real life and I love to read these kinds of books. The mixture of the fictional with reality that freaks me out and it cause me to get sucked into the story line. However, this was not the case with No Safety in Numbers.

My first complaint was the multiple POVs. I understand that the author was trying to portray different views and show how they all tied together. However, I feel like I had to play the guessing game at the beginning of each chapter to remember which character was which and what was their story.

The next issue is the characters themselves. Maybe it because I'm in my mid-twenties and the characters are all teenagers and teenagers are typically self-absorbed but I found them all to being really selfish and didn't want to pay attention to authority. Unlike what the synopsis said, the adults weren't behaving badly. They just didn't know what exactly happened and how to deal with the consequences as well they didn't want pandemonium on their hands if they blurt out everything that was happening without no answers. Which is exactly what happened whenever a teen somehow told a secret they overheard or were entrusted with. Each character had their own hidden agenda and weren't looking out for what was best as a whole.

Overall, the book had potential but it just wasn't executed well enough. I am curious to see what happens next but I may just go online and search for spoilers than waste any more time on these teens.

Original review can be seen here .

My rating: 5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 5 stars
Our Overall rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Jenn:

I think Beautiful Beginning has to be the best of all the novellas. It wrapped up all the loose end very nicely and left you feeling satisfied. Christina Lauren managed to end a wonderful series with all the happy feels and all my favorite characters happy.

Beautiful Beginning starts off with a very stressed out bride and a very focused groom. Chloe and Bennett are down to the wire with wedding preparations and Chloe is about ready to head off to Las Vegas. Bennett is more focused on keeping his bride sane but also on how to make their wedding night special. So he decides that weren't going to have sex until the wedding night. Which is 5 days away and Chloe, being who she is, decides she needs to fight Bennett on that and what ensues if a test of restraint for Bennett.

We get a glimpse of how life is working out for our beloved characters, Max and Sara and Will and Hanna. There were some surprising twists and lots of funny, laugh out loud moments. Beautiful Beginning left me feeling nostalgic but really happy where these characters I’ve come to love are in their life. I can easily picture them living their happily ever after.

“Straightening up, I pushed off the wall and patted his cheek. “I am excited. I like seeing that the only thing that will change after this week is that Bennett will a ring on his finger and my last name after his first name. I like knowing that you guys will continue to escalate this big testicle war. You and Hanna will continue to be adorable and giddy, Max and Sara will continue to be disgustingly in love. Bennett will continue to alternately rock my world and make me insane. It’s life as it should be.” - Chloe pg 122-123

Just like Chloe, I can picture them doing just that.

Nahomi:

I completely agree with what Jenn said above, I really enjoyed Beautiful Beginning. For me it was the perfect ending to a wonderful series. Christina Lauren had me laughing out loud for the majority of the novella. And when I wasn't busy laughing I was busy swooning over Bennett, Max and Will. I really enjoyed how realistic Christina Lauren made the novella.


True to the series the sexy scenes were really HOTT but I feel that in this novella it wasn't so much the focus of the entire story, which is one of my many favorite things about this novella. I feel very at peace with the ending and where everyone ended up. A job well done by Christina Lauren, now I am left anxiously awaiting their next book.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons.

My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars
Our overall rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars

*This ARC was provided by the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

Jenn:

If there’s anything I learned about reading Christina Lauren’s Beautiful Bastard series, is that there will be some (read: a lot) sexual tension, plenty of smexy times, a swoony guy and a feisty, know-what-she-wants girl. And while there were some modifications to Hanna in regards to what she wanted, Player lived up to its predecessors.

It was really fun getting inside Will’s head and learning about the man who “schedules his booty calls.” He’s a hot nerd, who knows his way around a woman’s body. And holy crap is Hanna a lucky girl. He’s a nice and confident guy but I love how patient he is with Hanna and how he’s willing to help her in discover what she wants. He never rushed anything but he just knew what needed to be done in order for her to be comfortable.

Hanna is a really fun character and it always made me giggle when she would ramble away when talking with Will. Out of the all the girls in the series, I feel like I relate more with Hanna by how naive and inexperienced she is. She is the lucky girl who gets to hang out with her childhood crush.

Will and Hanna are definitely something. Their time together left me in need of a cold shower and/or blushing. Like I said before, Will is very patient with Hanna and he let her control the pace but he was the one who took charge. And because of her inexperience, Hanna always asked him to “teach her.”

My only complaint of this book and of the previous two novels is that the conflict always ends up being the same: miscommunication. The guy end up lying for whatever reason or something happens that get him in trouble and then the girl find out or overhears about said secret and then takes off without talking. They won’t confront the situation until after someone tell them that they’re wrong. I feel like the miscommunication bit starting to get a bit old and I expect better from the characters.

I do love the ending, though. I love when authors give me epilogues. I think it ended in a wonderful place that could be easily be picked up in Beautiful Beginning. Beautiful Player certainly lived up to the hype and Will now has a place in heart, right along with Max. I can’t wait to see how Beginning will end this wonderful series.

Nahomi:

To say that I enjoy this series is an understatement. From the beginning, Christina Lauren captivated my attention with their great characters, witty dialogue, and their creativity. I feel like I’ve said this before but it must be said again: Christina Lauren outdid themselves with Beautiful Player, I really enjoyed reading this book.

The characters have a way of pulling me into the story. All I want to do is camp out and see what’s happening with them. I love that Hanna is a nerd workaholic, and that she has not filter when she speaks. Will is totally swoon worthy! He is attentive, sweet, pays attention to detail, and is a HOTT bad boy nerd. I love how we got to see the guys hang out as well as the girls in this novel. And there were definitely twist I wasn’t expecting.

There were a few things that I didn’t like, and it’s the same in almost all of the books. The lack of communication when things “go wrong” is a little upsetting. I feel like Hanna just labeled Will and was unable to look beyond that. And for all she can talk, she wasn’t talking to the right person about what she needed to do. Will was very upfront and honest about his relationships but he could have been more assertive and direct with Hanna about what was going on. With that said, let’s move on to my favorite part: the sexy scenes.

After having read the other books, I figured that the sex scenes would be different and steamy, but what I wasn’t prepared for was just how hot and sexy they actually are. I needed not just one cold shower but several long extended cold showers in order to get my “need” under control. I also felt a little exhausted in a good way because the scenes are really long and intimate. There were several but especially after the first scene at the party, and oh yea and Easter weekend. Curious? *winks* you’ll have to read the book and see.

All I have to say is: I want more Will and Hanna please.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons

My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars
Our overall rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Jenn:

Beautiful Bombshell is the second novella of the Beautiful Bastard series but it has to be one of my favorite. The boys, Bennett, Max, Will and Henry are in Vegas for Bennett’s bachelor party or stag weekend as Max calls it. However, Bennett soon discovers that it not just a boys’ weekend.

Apparently, Max and Chloe had gotten together and planned to surprise Bennett so he was very shocked to see his fiancé. Chloe and Bennett are still crazy in love for each other but they have that need to test and tease each other that drive each other crazy as well. I did like how they’ve grown as a couple and how much they trusted each other. One of my favorite passages from the book was when they were in bed together and they were sharing secrets and just being intimate with each other.

It was her favorite game, the one where I told her every tiny thing I noticed. I paid attention; she loved it. - pg. 125

~

She licked her lip, swallowed, “I am so in love with you.” Her thumb slipped into my mouth and I bit down sharply, causing her to let a tight moan. “And whatever happens outside of this, of us like this…”
“I know.”
We shared a desperate look, a mutual, silent agreement that we would never get enough, that maybe the ideal life was us here like this, alone and touching, but it would never be our reality to exist here exclusively. - pg 127

We also get some Max and Sara time and it just reinforced my love for those two. They're my favorite couple so far. They have certainly grown up and I just love how much trust Sara has towards Max. Max is still the swoony hero that I love and I have to admit that I'm a little jealous of Sara for getting a guy like him. Way to go, girl.

My only complaint of the novella was that we didn't get more time with boys all together. The few times they were together were just a little glimpse at how much of fun group they are.

“Just walk down the hall like a fucking bloke and get your knob rubbed by some girl dancing on you.” Max stared at me, his eyes narrowed. “Are you taking the piss with whingey shite? It’s your fucking stag weekend. Act like the man you used to be.” - Max pg 6

~

“So how are we continuing this weekend of debauchery? Dinner and then what? Skydiving? Virgin suicide? Matching tattoos to commemorate the loss of Ben’s ball?” - Will pg 46

~

“Besides, a hundred bucks says you couldn’t even find a virgin in this place.” - Henry pg 47

I loved Bombshell and I can't wait to start reading Beautiful Player.

Nahomi:

Basically, I agree with Jenn on all of the above. I love, love, love Beautiful Bombshell! The novella was funny, sexy, and had me so hot and bothered that I needed a cold shower. Christina Lauren, took the sex scenes to another level. So, ladies be prepared to experience a major increase in your libido, especially in pages 56-59. Beautiful Bombshell basically has all of my favorite elements of the series, all mashed up in one. It doesn't get much better than that.

Chole and Bennetts' relationship is fiery, fast paced, and playful, but also more intimate than what we've seen in Beautiful Bastard and Beautiful Bitch. I love the chemistry between them; they have this give and take that keeps me guessing and makes their relationship so much fun.

In the entire novella I would have to say that my favorite was chapter 2, because I am a lover of Max and Sara. I love how intimate and sweet their relationship is. Max is so sweet, and thoughtful. *sighs* My only regret is that I didn't get to see more of them in Beautiful Bombshell.

I enjoyed the few scenes where the boys were all together. It's funny seeing how nerdy Will is in contrast to the others, because otherwise it's easy to forget that he's a science geek. I am really excited to read more about Will in Beautiful Player!

Beautiful Bombshell is a great addition to the Beautiful Bastard series. If you haven't read any of the books yet, what are you waiting for? Get the books and start reading!

Review can be seen here on Books and Swoons .

My rating: 3.5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 4 stars
Our overall rating: 4 stars

Jenn:

I really enjoyed this novella. It was a quick, fun, and dirty read. I'm really glad that Christina Lauren wrote this novella because it gave me more closure from Beautiful Bastard's ending. I thought that Beautiful Bastard ended rather abruptly and in Beautiful Bitch Christina Lauren fill us in on what happened after the closing scenes of Bastard.

I also remembered exactly who Sara was in Bastard. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember her role in Chloe and Bennett's life. Now, I'm super excited to read Beautiful Stranger, especially after getting a glimpse of Max Stella. He sounds yummy and I can't wait to meet him.

Nahomi:

I agree with Jenn. I really enjoyed Beautiful Bastard and I was left wanting more. Apart from the title, I really enjoyed Beautiful Bitch. I feel like we get a lot more from Bennett's point of view which is something I really loved.

Beautiful Bitch was a perfect segue novella. It had enough "flashbacks" that explained what happened between Bennett and Chloe without bogging me down with unnecessary details. Christina Lauren did a great job of reintroducing Sara and introducing Max and effectively setting the scene for Beautiful Stranger.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons.

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

I loved this book. It was sad and funny and lovely and everything I was looking for in a story about friendship. I think the last book that I read that dealt like this kind of friendship was The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Right from the synopsis we know it going to be a heart fail story. I became so immersed in the story line that I just flew through this book. I love everything about it: the friendships, the characters, and the plot.

Zoe and Olivia's friendship is something that I always enjoy reading about. I feel like so many YA books focus more on the romantic aspects and, while I enjoy that as well, the story about a girl and her best friend is really important as well. Zoe and Olivia share the kind of friendship that I've always been envious of, by how well they know each other and their dreams. How they want the other person there with them whenever something life-altering is happening.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried so hard while reading this book, that my eyes were puffy the next day. I had a feeling I knew how it was going to end but I still hoped for a different ending. And while certain things happened at a rapid pace or that just wasn't realistic, I can appreciate it for how well done the book ended up being.

I completely loved this book and I'm so happy that I read it. I wish there were more like it, that would explore the bonds of friendship like Zoe's and Olivia's. Melissa Kantor made me a fan of hers with this title and I can't wait to read more of her books.

Review can be seen on Books and Swoons .

*I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss but it did not influence this review in any way.*

My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars

The concept of this story really attracted me. The premise of being deemed a killer even though the person hasn't done anything is very intriguing, especially once we get to know Davy Hamilton. She seems to have the perfect life: she has a great family life, an attentive boyfriend and great friends and she's also a musical prodigy. Then she gets the news that changes her life. She has the kill gene that says that at some point she will kill someone. The book follows her with how her life changes.

Davy's life is turned upside down and I felt sympathetic towards her and wondered how I would react in her position. I think her confusion and want for everything to go back to the way it was before is very normal and understandable. Sophie Jordan did a great job in presenting Davy's feelings of helplessness. I found myself feeling like that as well and I also wondered what would happen to her and how she was going to be able to get out of any trouble that came her way.

I do have to say that the way people treat the carrier, those with the kill gene, is really horrible. And I could be sympathetic because the main character is a carrier and I understand their fear, especially because we are seeing many school shootings in real life as well. But I'm not sure that the way they're isolated and treated as killers already is a good idea. In Davy's case, it very dangerous for her. She is being threatened left and right by carriers as well as non-carriers. Some of the carriers in the book decided that they'll just go right ahead and do what they're being accused of and go on a killing spree. So I feel like in that sense, isolating them is just making it worse.

I really liked this book and the concept but I just couldn't absolutely love it. I am, however, totally curious to see what happens in the next book and what will happen to the rest of these characters.