9/29/15

Jack Hammer by Tabatha Vargo Review!


Blaine Wesley
I’m the Jack Hammer. Exotic dancer extraordinaire. The teaser and the pleaser—the paid for penis for play. I have to be all these things to survive. It’s who I became when I lost her. But now she’s back, and I can’t decide who I want to be more. The Jack Hammer or Blaine Wesley. All I know is she’s foreplay at its finest, and it’s my job to get them wet and ready.
Chelsey Ford
Liar. That’s what I called him when he walked out of my life. Losing your first love will turn you into someone bitter. Hateful. Angry. But now he’s back, and he’s determined to torture me. The only problem is, I’m enjoying his form of torture too much. And the hatred for him that holds me together is slowly starting to dissolve.

I have been wanting to read this book ever since it came and out even before that. The beautiful and eye catching cover drew me in as well as the vague and intriguing synopsis that promised a crazy ride filled with exciting possibilities. However, I didn't expect this book to make me as emotional as it did. I'm telling you, Vargo has a way of digging deep into your heart and making you feel all kinds of emotions. Blaine and Chelsey's story was so touching and amazing that it quickly became my favorite read of 2015.
First of all, Chelsey was someone who I could really relate to, which made the story all the more real to me. She was a study hard romance book lover and boys made her nervous at first. Then she met Blaine and everything changed. Blaine is the epitome of sexy. He has gorgeous blue eyes, a body to die for, and an attitude to back it all up. He exuded sex and let me tell you, the sexy scenes were oh so sexy with him in them. I was practically in love with him from the start. Chelsey quickly wiggled her way into his heart and tamed the bad boy inside, but soon developed an adventurous side of her own. I always like stories where the characters are from different ways of life like Chelsey and Blaine are. Chelsey is from a rich family who strives for her to be the best, and Blaine is from a normal family that doesn’t strive for perfection, just happiness.
This book was more than a romance, but the romance in this book was to die for. The sexy scenes were oh so steamy and I’m sure I was blushing most of the time. This book does not leave you wanting because Blaine or more than satisfactory. With a stripper name like Jack Hammer, you would expect nothing less, I sure didn’t. Whew, the romance good, and the story was even better! The storyline in this book was what caught my attention. I figured that Jack Hammer would start out with Chelsey and Blaine as adults, as most adult novel do, but I was surprised when it started from the beginning with Chelsey and Blaine falling in love during their senior year in high school. I really liked how Vargo wrote Jack Hammer because it was different in that sense. By starting from the beginning with Chelsey and Blaine, I got to see them struggle and fall in love. That made everything that happened to them afterwards hurt a lot more than just beginning the story when they were adults and telling what happened to them through flashbacks.
I quickly got attached to them so when I got to the point in the story where Chelsey and Blaine's world fell apart, I was screamed at the book. Then I got to part two in the book. It skipped a year ahead and we saw where Chelsey and Blain had ended up. Then I had to prepare myself for more hurt because I knew it was coming. The things Chelsey and Blaine had to go through broke my heart. I just wanted to hug both of them and cry with them. When Chelsey found out why Blaine left a year ago, she was heartbroken, but she still kept what happened to her when he left a secret and that tore me up. Then Blaine found out and I cried. I wish I could talk about it but that would spoil the whole book. Just know that the pain they both felt was like a punch in the gut to me, and it had me in tears by the end of the book. However, the ending was one of the best endings I could ever ask for. We got to see Chelsey and Blaine seven years later and they were so happy. I love when we get to see what happens to the characters we love a few years later because then I can rest easy knowing that my babies are safe and happy.
Basically this book tore up my heart and slowly mended it back together. I can't explain how much I love this book! If you love romances filled with emotional situations, hurt, a lot of love, and exciting scenes then Jack Hammer is the book for you. I give it 5 out of 5 stars!
P.S. Check out my review of On The Plus Side by Tabatha Vargo also! It was another five star favorite of mine!

9/19/15

Daughter of Isis by Kelsey Ketch Review!


“Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”
Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.
The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.
Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.
The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls.
*Note: Content for Upper YA*

Ever since I heard about this book in 2013, I wanted to read it. I am obsessed with mythology, and when I heard about Daughter of Isis I knew I had to read this book. There aren't a lot of books out there about Egyptian mythology and I was excited to see what this one was about.
                Natara or Natti was a really interesting character. At first, I was annoyed by her attitude about being in a new place, but as the story progressed I began to sympathize with her because of the terrible things she had to deal with in the past. She also had a slightly sarcastic side which I love in a character because snarky comebacks always make me laugh, and she had them in spades. She is also a strong character that doesn't back down from a difficult situation, and she had me cheering for her to conquer all those in her path as the story progressed. Seth, however, pissed me off. The way he and his friends acted like girls were things to be used really set me off. I had the urge to punch him a LOT throughout the story. He really got my emotions latched onto the story, that's for sure. The strange influence he seemed to have over girls also pushed me too find out what that was and what he was.
                That mystery in the book was one of the driving forces that kept me hooked. The plot of this book was surprisingly dark, in my opinion. I can't think of a YA paranormal book that features a hero with such dark intentions. Seth just acted so evilly throughout most of the book. I haven't read many stories where the hero is just so unappealing in his actions and evil in his thoughts. What Seth did really made me hate him, and the fact that he and his family worship Set, the Egyptian God of chaos, is another reason to hate him. Natti was just trying to get through the school year in a new place with weird and unexplainable things happening all around her, and it's seemingly impossible. She also has this creepy man-whore constantly trying to use his mysterious gift of charm from Set to get into her pants. I have to admit I was rooting for Natti once Seth came onto the scene. I wanted her to put him in his place and show him that he can't push her around. Sadly, the mystery of Natti's family history is not really addressed in this book, which is a little off putting. This story was mainly about Seth and his family ties to Set, and I would have liked to know more about Natti’s connections with it all. Obviously, based on the title, she is a daughter of Isis, but that isn’t really addressed fully in this book.
                Honestly, I don't know what to think of this book. I was so excited to read it at first, but as I started reading it, my feelings started to change. I just couldn't get over the fact that the "hero" of the story was so corrupted and just evil, basically. I have never hated a main character before, but Seth will be my first, I think. I don't see how he can win me over at this point. Other than that, the plot is great. It definitely engages your emotions, which is hard to do sometimes, and it also keeps you coming back for more. Who Seth is and what purpose being a son of Set is was one interesting aspect in this book. Another aspect that keeps the readers interested is how Natti will handle Seth and what her roll in all of this is. Usually, in books like these, there is an endgame that is usually unveiled towards the middle of the book. Usually, a reader knows where the story is headed by then, but in this book it is one big mystery as to what will happen in the end. To be honest, the mysterious plot is kind of infuriating. I was scrambling for answered throughout the whole book and it felt drawn out. In some cases, people like that, but in this case, I would have liked to uncover a little more about Natti's family legacy even if it was through little reveals throughout the story. I just couldn't get over the fact that the characters were so dark and the main character didn't really have much to do with the story. She seemed more like a secondary character than a main character to be honest. I'm trying to be objecting and give this book the rating it deserves without letting my hatred for the hero and his lackeys get in the way, which is difficult. This book had a great plot that grabs your attention and your emotions. It also has really interesting concepts of supernatural powers given by Egyptian gods. All in all it was an interesting book, but in the end it didn't impact me like most books do. I give it 3 out of five stars.

9/16/15

What Is Wrong With Fandoms Today?


                I have been in a few fandoms for almost three years now, and I cannot even begin to explain how much they have changed. Actually, maybe it’s not that they have changed, but the fact that I am finally seeing the true sides of fandoms. You see, I equated fandoms to being a family. Fandoms are places you can go to find others who share your love for books, movies, a person, etc. Fandoms are where we share fanfiction, fan art, fan theories, similar works, etc. Fandoms are places where those who have nowhere else to go can come and be at home around people who understand them. Fandoms sound great, don’t they? I thought so too, but that is not what fandoms are. Lately, what a fandom should be and what they actually are, are two different things.
                Lately, fandoms have become judgmental places full of disrespectful people and hateful words, and it is scary. It is scary that these fans can become so vicious. For example, I have seen fans turn against the creator of their favorite books for writing the books SHE thought up and SHE created. They got made because she wrote her own book a certain way that didn’t satisfy everyone. These so called ‘fans” claimed that they would boycott the series and warn everyone off of them because the plot did not go the way they wanted.
                NEWS FLASH: A writer is not entitled to please their fans. Sure, pleasing the fans helps book sales, but a writer’s only mission is to write what makes THEM happy, not anyone else. If you don’t understand that then you might as well stop reading all together because you will encounter nothing but disappointment.
                I would be ashamed if I was a writer and my so called fans started spreading hate simply because things didn’t go the way they wanted IN MY OWN BOOK. Do you know what happens when writers get complacent and start writing for their fans instead of themselves? Unhappiness that is what.  Unhappiness from the writer and the fans who can tell the difference because you know when a writer starts writing for their fans instead of themselves. The joy and fun writers have writing their books shows in their writing, and when that fun and joy is put in a cage to please “fans” then it shows in their writing.
                Who gave fans the right to tell authors how to write their own book? Who gave fans the right to attack other fans for DOING THE RIGHT THING and embracing what the author has done with their own story? No one. I feel like fans nowadays have forgotten that the person on the other side of those hateful and vicious comments is human too. Do these fans realize that they are calling a human being with feelings and a heart “stupid” and a “bad writer” for simply writing a book the way she has the right too? I don’t know about you, but that screams insanity and immaturity.
                Fandoms have become this place of petty fights, disrespect, and hate, and it needs to stop. Why are we fighting when it won’t change a damn thing? You can yell, scream, and be vicious all you want, but it won’t stop others from having an opinion. It will only scare people away, make you seem like an asshole, and discourage those who you are a professed fan of.
                Another thing that fandoms have seem to have lost in translation is respect. I don’t know if it was how I was raised or if I am just the only sane person in these fandoms, but why can’t we just agree to disagree in a respectful manor. I swear, I have been attacked for stating my opinion and only a few times has someone said, “I do not agree, but I respect your opinion.” You don’t have to like my opinion, but simply respect the fact that I am a human with feelings just like you, and I deserve respect. Now, some of you may say, “Ivey, respect is earned, not given”. To that I would answer, “Isn’t the fact that I am a human being good enough?” Respect is given until someone does something to lose that respect, and THEN it is earned back. I cannot believe that in this day and age we are still struggling with a simple task of respecting one another. All of you who claim to be fans and cannot respect an opposing opinion should not call yourselves such. I am aware that not everyone is nice about their opinion, but it is up to you to be the bigger person and show them how normal and sane human beings should act. I have had my fair share of rude people who deemed it necessary to get nasty when sharing their opinion, and in response I simply say, “I do not agree and I think that could have been stated better, but I respect your opinion”. Because that is how it should be. Then there are people who make snide comments through thinly veiled insults about book characters that they hate and that is also showing a lack of respect. I know these characters are fictional (unfortunately), but you owe it to the author who created those characters to be respectful. If you don’t like something then just ignore it, or talk about it like an adult and not a child who had their favorite toy taken away.
                Fans are all so focused on “making people see the error of their ways” or “teaching them a lesson” or “dragging the haters because they deserve it”, and that mentality is what is wrong with fandoms. They have become so attached and protective of these things that they have forgotten to be decent human beings to one another. I have watched as fans trashed the fictional characters we love just to get a rise out of other fans. I have watched fans make hate accounts just to make others feel bad for loving what they love. I have watched too many fans spread hate, malice, and cruelty all in the name of being a “fan” and it makes me sick. It makes me sick that people can sink so low and still claim to be a fan or even a good person.
                I am here to tell you right now that fandoms need to get their shit together and grow up. I have been guilty of getting sucked into joining the different sides of fandoms, and I am so disappointed in myself. Once I realized what was happening I immediately took a step back and reevaluated things. Fans of anything should show the world how wonderful fandoms can be. Fans should not turn fandoms into these scary places full of hate and judgment where any opinion is guaranteed a backlash. Even as I write this, I know I will have someone attack me for even questioning the motives of fans and demanding things change because that how fandoms and most fans operate today. If you get made about what I am saying, then maybe I am hitting close to home, and you are only getting mad because I am right.
                Fandoms were created for likeminded people to come together and celebrate the love they have for a book, movie, or whatever. I want to get back to that idea. I want to go onto Tumblr and not be attacked for like a certain character or shipping them with someone. I want to go onto Twitter and see respectful interactions even though there is a difference of opinions. I just want everyone to treat each other like a damn human being.
 
                I am fully aware that not all fans are hateful, disrespectful, and judgmental, but there are more of those fans then there are of the kind ones. I am also aware that this won’t change a thing, although I am hoping it might, but I just had to say something because I know I cannot be the only one who sees this. You can agree with me or don’t, but just be respectful.

See y’all on the bright side, kids.
Ivey

9/15/15

Touch Me Not by Apryl Baker Review!


 
A past tragedy has left Lily Holmes burdened with a devastating secret…
Since the death of her twin sister, Lily can’t bear to be touched. Not accidentally, not casually…and certainly not intimately. This makes it impossible for her to confess to her best friend Adam Roberts that she’s in love with him. She can’t give him the sort of relationship he needs, so she watches in silence while he plans his wedding with someone else.
Enter Nikoli Kinkaid, the campus manwhore…
Nikoli is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of women, and he wants to add Lily to his list of conquests, but she wants nothing to do with him—until he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He’ll teach her to enjoy human contact again, giving her a chance to win over Adam, while Nikoli uses all his considerable charm to seduce her.
But Lily raises the stakes…
Lily loves cars. Her late father was a racer, and she grew up under the hood of a car and on the racetrack. Nikoli has a limited edition 1970 Plymouth Barracuda she covets, so she informs him the terms of their deal also require he not sleep with anyone for six months. If he does, she’ll win the car. If she surrenders and ends up in his bed, his beloved ’Cuda is his to keep.
In an intricate dance of control and surrender, a reluctant friendship becomes something more. Lily begins to crave things she never believed she could, and Nikoli realizes there is more at stake than his reputation.
If Lily overcomes her phobia, will she crave Adam’s touch as she’s starting to crave Nikoli’s? Or will she only find pleasure from the touch of a semi-reformed manwhore? 


                Right off the bat we were introduced to Nikoli Kincaid and you immediately knew he was a manwhore. He was the player of all players, and I could already tell that he was going to make this read a lot more interesting. Also, I instantly fell half in love with him once it was stated that he had a Russian accent. My god, I melted just thinking about this sexy as sin guy with a Russian accent. However, the way he acted and treated women in the beginning made me want to punch him. Of course, Lily was a big help in changing that. I LOVE the fact that almost immediately Nikoli got protective of Lily. I squealed when he got mad when he thought someone hurt her. As the book progressed, he got even more protective and his feelings for her started to show through. He helped Lily through her phobia little by little and I loved him for that. Once he started spending time with her, he started opening up and I got to see a side of him that made me fall in love with him. He was so sweet and caring towards Lily that I couldn't help it.
                I also immediately empathized and connected with Lily. Lily was a spitfire, and she was hilarious. She was also quiet and shy just like me, and she was in love with a man she couldn't have. I immediately wanted to give her a hug and be her best friend. She was so similar to me that it made putting myself in her shoes so much easier. Her phobia of being touched also made the story unique and interesting. I've never read a book featuring a girl with such a phobia, and the fact that she has to deal with a manwhore who craves touch makes for an exciting plot guaranteed to take you on a fun ride. The way she handled Nikoli on multiple occasions had me rolling. Then we have the many football players and men around campus who Lily tutored prepared to beat Nikoli if he hurt her. Some of you may know this, but I go crazy (in a good way) over guys getting protective of a girl. The fact that so many tough guys were protective of Lily really melted my heart and had me excited to see what interesting plot could come of it. I could go on for hours talking about Lily and how awesome she is, but you will have to find that out for yourselves.
                Not only did the characters grab my heart and attention, but the plot did too. The things Lily had to deal with and the shit she had to go through really made my heart hurt. I was so happy Nikoli was there for her. There was never a lack of interest in the plot for me. If I wasn't laughing at Nikoli and Lily's antics then I was getting mad on Lily's behalf or marveling at how electric Nikoli and Lily’s chemistry was. I was never bored for a second. Little fascinating tidbits about both of them were sprinkled throughout the novel and I loved it. It made me look forward to turning each page even more. The things that were revealed about Nikoli was enough to make me blush and have to fan myself. Damn, that boy was interesting. I have so many things I love about this book, but I have to be vague or I'm going to spoil it all! Ugh, the struggles of fangirling and writing a review at the same time.
                Anyway, the atmosphere between Nikoli and Lily was so explosive and hot that they burned up the pages. Every scene in the book make my heart flutter because they were so perfect and explosive together. Then we have the scenes that tore at my heart and made a lump in my throat form. I can't even begin to tell you how much these characters affected me. I got so attached and when they got hurt, I felt like it was my own heart hurting. I wanted to cry and scream and rage a lot during this book, and that's how I knew that it would become an all-time favorite of mine. I love how Baker can take these characters, make them so relatable and loving that you cannot help but get attached. AND THAT TWIST AT THE END. MY GOD, BAKER, ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? I'm telling you that twist at the end had me shaking, literally. I felt my heart drop and everything went numb. I can't tell you how scared I was for Lily. However, the ending had my heart overflowing with joy, and I almost dissolved into tears and laughter. Touch Me Not was a wild ride and I loved every scorching, painful, and exhilarating second of it. I wish I could tell you every little thing I loved about this book, but that would spoil so much and this book deserves to catch all of its unsuspecting readers by surprise.
                If I haven't convinced you that you need this book in your life then I don't know what I could possibly say to convince you now. However, just know that once I started this book I couldn't stop, but I had to stop around 2:30 AM because I had to get up for class the next day. But honestly, I could have pulled an all-nighter reading this gem and not regretted a thing. If you love a sexy guy bringing a girl out of her shell then you need to read this book. If you love NA books then you need to read this book. If you love complicated characters and a novel full of protective men over one girl then you need to read this book. Basically, you just need to read this book. I give Touch Me Not five out of five stars!

9/13/15

Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas Review!


Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.
Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world. 

(If you haven’t read the Throne of Glass series yet, do NOT read the first five paragraphs of this review. While there aren’t any spoilers for Queen of Shadows, there are minor spoilers for those who have not read the books before Queen of Shadows. However, if you want to know my thoughts on the book without any specifics, just skip to the last paragraph. Cheers!)
                Buckle up, kids, because you are in for a long spoiler free ride. Most of you may know that I am a HUGE SJM fan, so it is no surprise that I pre-ordered Queen of Shadows as soon as it was available. Then as soon as I got it I finished it in less than 24 hours. I was ravenous for more Aelin/Celaena and kickass journeys, and I got what I wanted and more out of Queen of Shadows. I thought that the previous books in the Throne of Glass series were unbeatable, but Queen of Shadows set the bar for the best book in the series yet. I don’t know how Maas does it, but she seems to know what I want and look for in a book and then provides it.
                One thing that Maas provided in spades was a ton of action and badassery (It’s a word). In Heir of Fire, the action came towards the end of the book, but in Queen of Shadows the action started in the beginning and didn’t end until the book did. Aelin was on a mission to destroy the King of Adarlan, and when she sets her mind to something, you better believe that she is getting it done. We have everything from demon hunts, secret meetings, and plots to kill people to fights between the unlikeliest of people, fight scenes that will have you clutching your heart and your seat, and so much more. I couldn’t have been happier with the action in this book because it had my stomach in knots the whole time.
                Then we have the characters of this wicked story. Aelin finally assumed the responsibility as the Queen of Terrasen and in this book, she allowed herself to let go of her Celaena persona. Beforehand, she was focused on revenge and playing her role as Celaena the deadly assassin, but in Queen of Shadows, she assumes her role as Aelin the deadly assassin queen. She began thinking of the kingdom she would soon rule and the people she was responsible too. Of course, Aelin was still focused on revenge, but that was not her only motive. I can’t explain it that well, but Aelin seemed a lot older in Queen of Shadows. She seemed way older than her 19 years. She was still mature, but she also had her moments in Queen of Shadows where she was joking around and just having fun. Those were the moments that I loved the most because we needed a little break from the high tension that Queen of Shadows brought. She was also so freaking clever in this book that she kept surprising me at every turn. The schemes and plots she came up with made my jaw drop. She was so cunning and sneaky that she even surprised Rowan and Chaol. I shouldn’t have been surprised. She never failed to keep me on my toes because she was always one step ahead of everyone. It was great.
                Aelin isn’t the only character that I fawned over in Queen of Shadows. I also loved Rowan and Aedion in this magical book. I am telling you that they were good for my heart. Rowan’s POV in the book made my heart skip a beat more than once. The way he and Aelin interacted really tugged at my heart strings, and they definitely made me fangirl a time or ten thousand. Plus, the fact that he was a protective fae bastard (Aelin’s words, not mine) also had me laughing because he was so protective of Aelin, and she didn’t know what to do with him. Ah, how I love Rowan.
                Aedion and Aelin’s relationship in Queen of Shadows was adorable too. The scenes between just the two of them were some of my favorite because Aelin just wanted to be around him, and it made me happy that Aelin finally had her cousin back. Plus, Aedion’s reactions to some of Aelin’s antics had me laughing. Of course, Manon was a badass in the book too. She quickly became one of my favorite characters simply because she terrified most people, but in this book, we get to know her a little more and get inside her head, which was really cool. She was definitely an amazing character. Chaol was an ass in the beginning, but I forgave him in the end. That is all I can say about him without spoiling something.
                I tried to express how much I love this book, but words can’t really do it justice. The action, romance, characters, and plot are one of a kind and they really set this book apart from other fantasy books. The Throne of Glass series is a series that supplies a badass heroine who is an assassin and a queen. You won’t find anything cooler than that, and if you do, you need to let me know ASAP. Aelin/Celaena is a character that you instantly fall in love with because she is strong mentally and physically, smart and cunning, and loyal until her dying breath and probably even after that, but she is also a 19 year old girl who has suffered through a LOT and she has emotions that overcome her just like anyone’s would. Aelin is a girl that you cheer for no matter what, and I love that about this series. Maas is the queen of fantasy right now, and I cannot thank her enough for giving me a story like Aelin’s to cling to. This book is easily one of my favorite books of the year, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to get into the fantasy world or just looking for a great book with a badass heroine. I would give Queen of Shadows the whole galaxy of stars, but five out of five will have to do.

9/11/15

Just a Few Inches by Tara Pierre Review!


All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.
To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.
Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.
Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.
Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.
 
                Just a Few Inches gave me a look at "the other side" as I like to call it because I am consider overweight for my age. I gravitate towards books like this because I can relate to those painstaking thoughts about being too heavy or just needing to lose a little weight. This book is different because it features a girl, who is considered underweight or below average weight for her age, wanting to lose weight, and that's so different because usually books about weight loss or insecurities feature girls who are considered overweight. Just a Few Inches made me really understand that being insecure about weight isn't just for people who are overweight, it's also for people who are underweight.
Carrie is someone who you automatically gravitate towards because most people know how insecurity feels and that empathy pulls you in. I immediately latched on to Carrie's character because I could practically feel her insecurity about her boyfriend being attracted to his ex and having feelings for her again. That immediately sparked my emotions. Plus, our shared hatred for Janelle also helped. She was a real witch, but I understood why she acted like that in the end.
Anyway, this book was full of typical high school problems but it also held a few twists and turns that you never expected from a contemporary novel. I love how different this book is in every way. The aspect of Carrie literally shrinking added an exciting and mysterious element to the story, and it kept my eyes glued to the book. I wanted to know what was going on, why this was happening, and where Carrie would end up. As the story goes on and Carrie continues to shrink, we see her change little by little and start to realize how much can change over a short amount of time, especially your outlook on life and yourself. I loved how different Pierre approached the issue of weight and the struggles of high school girls. It made the story that much more interesting. The idea of a weight loss pill actually making you shrink is something I've never seen written about. It's fascinating to see Pierre write a funny and entertaining story filled with high school drama and life issues, but also write a story with meaning and lessons to be learned. It's rare that you find books like that, and I really enjoyed Pierre's approach. I also like how she incorporated normal high school issues into the novel so that it wasn't just about a girl shrinking, but it was also about Carrie struggling with bullying and boyfriend issues. This book really had it all. Towards the end of the book I was terrified for Carrie and what would happen to her because of her shrinking. Usually, I know where the story is headed or it's slightly predictable, but with Just a Few Inches, I was left in the dark. I had no idea where the story was going and that terrified me along with the situation Carrie was in.
Also, the romance in this story is so sweet...but you have to wait for it. I can't spoil anything because that's mean, but just know that the person Carrie ends up with made my heart flutter multiple times. He was the kind of guy that loved Carrie no matter what, and I loved him for that.
When I finished this book I set it down and simply said "wow". The journey this book took me through was intense, nerve wracking, inspiring, and amazing. This contemporary novel with a twist shocked me on so many levels. I never expected the adventure I was taken on in Just A Few Inches, but I couldn't be more satisfied with it. I hope I explained my feelings about this book accurately, but if I didn't, just know that this book was awesome. I recommend this book to any of you who are looking for a contemporary novel with a twist of… science fiction? I'm not even sure how to categorize this. Basically this book is a genre all on its own. I highly recommend it to contemporary book lovers. I give Just a Few Inches five out of five stars!

9/8/15

Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout Review!


Some loves will last ’til your dying breath
Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.
Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.
Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Every Last Breath was everything I wanted in the end to this trilogy and more. Lets just ignore the fact that the publishing company changed the cover at the very end of the trilogy *angrily stares at the cover*. Anyway! The book picked up right where Stone Cold Touch left off, and there was never a moment that I was bored. I am NEVER bored when reading an Armentrout book. We finally get to see who Layla chooses and I can't tell you how happy I am with her choice. Her choice reveal wasn't done in some big unveiling or built up to be this huge thing, which I loved, she just simply decided where her heart belonged. If you know and love the story then you know who she will pick on the end. Anyway, this book is full of new adventures, dangerous gambles, and heartbreaking moments, but it was an exciting read, and I couldn't put it down.
The scenes between Layla and Roth had me practically melting and wishing for a Roth of my own. Their chemistry is something that jumps off the page and you can't help but love them. Then we have Layla and Zayne. I have to say I held a grudge against him since Stone Cold Touch, but in this book I completely forgot about it. He was so different in this book and he finally realized what mattered in the end. I loved seeing all of the main characters progress throughout the series. They all changed and it was for the better. However, one thing I felt was left unanswered about a certain character was, WHO THE HECK IS MORRIS?! Armentrout, I need answers. Anyway, other than that, every aspect of this book satisfied me completely.
Another thing that I loved about this book were the surprises it held and action. There were a handful of twists in this book that threw me completely off guard and I made me love the book even more. Predictable books can be boring and this book was so far from predictable. Then the action comes into play. We finally see that Layla is a BADASS. She has her moment to shine a few times and I was practically standing up and cheering for her as I read those scenes. This book is more about Layla taking control of her powers and her life, and you can really see that when she starts defending herself. Basically this book is full of action, twists and turns, shocking secrets uncovered, and a few funny moments thrown in in-between. This is by far one of my favorite trilogies ever, and I knew I would not be disappointed! I give Every Last Breath five out of five stars!