Review Week Day 7 | "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell

I know, I know, I'm a little late to the Rainbow Rowell readers club. Fangirl topped most people's reading lists of 2013 and here we are, heading into 2015 (though I did read this book a few months ago). So, since I waited this long, I won't waste any time before getting into my thoughts, but first, here is the book's Goodreads description:

A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family and first love
CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. 
Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to. 
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath that she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

I'll start this review out by saying that I loved this book. It was a quick read packed with so much heart warming and relatable elements. There really isn't that much left to say. Were there moments where Levi wasn't the absolute epitome of a love interest? Sure. Did Cath sometimes act in ways that made me, as a reader, want to shake some sense into her? Of course. Did Wren come across as insensitive and careless? YES! 
The thing is, the author crafted the entire book in such a way that those things aren't over done so they're believable. Cath is painfully awkward and uncomfortable to read about at times because she is so wrapped up in her own head, but you can't fault the book because it's so uncomfortable because it's so relatable. Wren is ignoring her sister, but it comes across in a way that, while being awful, is something you can believe would happen to a girl who wants to come into her own personality and start over in college. 
I wouldn't say it was a perfect book, but I think it's a great read for people who want a good contemporary read. Without overdone drama and out of this world plot points. This is about average kids in college who are struggling to leave behind the comforts of childhood and become adults. There are fandoms and social anxiety and crushes and familial drama...I think this is a great read for everyone who had that one thing that they loved as a child that they never quite gave up and for people looking for a heart warming "coming into one's own" story.

Review Week Day 6 | "Beyond Addiction" by Kit Rocha

By now you guys know the drill with these books. "Beyond Addiction" is the fifth full length novel of the Beyond dystopian romance series, along with the three novellas (the third novella's review will be coming in a few weeks). Obviously, this book will contain some spoilers if you haven't read he previous books, but each story follows mostly two (maximum four) main characters with a few other perspectives thrown in to hint at the other goings on of the setting.
Before I go further into my thoughts, though, here is the book's Goodreads description:

Book Five in the bestselling, award-winning BEYOND series. She's fought like hell to leave the past behind. Trix changed her name and her life when she got clean four years ago. Now, she has a new family and a job she loves--tending bar and dancing at the Broken Circle. As an O'Kane, she's happy, untouchable. Until a nightmare from her old life tears her away from her home and drags her back to Hell--also known as Sector Five. He's still living--and dying--in it. Losing Trix was the kick in the head Finn needed to get sober, but working as an enforcer for a man he hates is slowly crushing his soul. The only thing that keeps him going is his determination to destroy Sector Five from the inside. Then Trix comes back into his life--alive, in danger--and nothing else matters. Getting her home could be a suicide mission. The only thing deadlier is the old spark that flares to life between them. Soon, Finn and Trix are battling the one addiction neither of them ever managed to kick--each other. And it could cost them everything.

After the last Kit Rocha book left me a little underwhelmed ( I still really enjoyed it, but I couldn't completely buy the storyline) I was looking forward to Beyond Addiction getting me back to loving the series. 
Like all the books, there are times where the character voices blend together, the basic story formula is the same,  and the drama unnecessary if the characters would only talk to one another, but I liked it! I liked Trix and Finn's history and wished there was a little more of that told throughout the book rather than snippets told during bouts of exposition. The flip from Finn being untrustworthy to part of the group happened a little abruptly, and as usual, there was the relationship drama, though it was done differently here which I liked. Finn didn't try to protect Trix and in the process make it seem like he was babying her or pushing her away, I think if that would have happened again it would have been too much too many times in a row. I liked the change up and the fact there wasn't an outright catalyst. It was a different sort of relationship issue and I'm glad the writers decided to add it in. 
In the end, if you're reading this book, you most likely read the others in the series, and in that case, go right ahead with this one, it won't disappoint.

Review Week Day 5 | "The Spectacular Now" by Tim Tharp

This week's review is over a book that has risen some in popularity since the release of the movie adaptation. While I usually prefer reading the book first, I watched the film before I knew the novel existed, and I have to say this is one of those rare cases that I preferred the movie to the source material.
Before I go any further into my thoughts, though, here is the book's Goodreads description:

SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.
Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go
forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either and I think the reason for that is Sutter himself. He wasn't a bad narrator. The writing was believable for a teenage boy who just wants to live in the moment and can't be bothered to plan out a future. However, he's not a good guy. Sure he's supposed to be the charismatic school clown, but reading from his perspective makes the reader realize how misguided he is. How much of an ignorant jerk Sutter can be.
 In the film, he comes across as a guy with good intentions but no drive to accomplish anything, Aimee is this shy, outcast of a girl who is comfortable in her skin. In the book he isn't as kind hearted and Aimee is painfully awkward and self conscious. 
The storyline is very real and it progresses exactly the way it would in real life, and that makes it uncomfortable to read. The ending is very up in the air and leaves the reader craving  the loose ends be tied up, but they aren't. I understand the literary choice, but it makes it difficult to rate the book. It's realistic, but it isn't what a lot of readers would want in their contemporary fiction. 
In the end, I am glad I read it. I recommend this book for people looking for a poignant look into the life of a boy that could be any teenager off the street. I think this would be a great book to read for school and can see how a lot of aspects to the story can be discussed and debated among students. 
If you're looking for something a little more heartwarming, I recommend watching the movie. It's rated R, and still has the essence of the book's story, but it also has a sweeter edge to it.

Review Week Day 4 | "Hopeless" by Colleen Hoover

I finally read a Colleen Hoover book! I read "Finding Cinderella" a few months prior, which is a novella that takes place after "Hopeless" that is usually available for free on amazon.
Now for the few of you who have not yet read this book, here's the Goodreads description before I get into my thoughts:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.
Due to sexual content and heavy subject matter, this book is recommended for ages 17+ 

I'll start this out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I finished it in two sittings and I was left feeling more than happy with my choice to read it. However, I can see the issues some people could have with this book, both from a technical and from a personal opinion point of view.
I'll start with the technical things. The very first thing I noticed was the timeline. The "Finding Cinderella" prologue takes place at just before the beginning of this book about a year before this story line takes place and ends after "Hopeless" but the way things played out made that for the most part impossible, so I recommend not holding the story to a strict timeline if you choose to read the novella as well or things won't make as much sense. There were also times where words were repeated in sentences that were too close together making the reading a little repetitive. 
Onto the more personal preference things I noticed.
Holder is intense. To the point of being creepy. Skye points this out and the book doesn't try to just play that off, but it's still off and I can understand readers having issues with the love interest being so...I don't want to say controlling, but so passionate in his convictions making him seem almost unstable at times due to sudden mood swings. 
Skye and Holder are always hanging out or running or reading and, being seniors, I find it hard to believe these kids aren't having to dedicate at least a little of their time to doing homework.
Some of the dialogue and scenes weaken the book by making it come across as a Lifetime movie. I noticed some lines that were far more cheesy than they needed to be and could have been more captivating had they been worded a little differently.
My last big issue with this book is the message that some people might think is being put across towards the end of the story. This is a spoiler, but there is no way to make this issue spoiler free. Skye has had an emotional and traumatizing experience and it makes it seem like she uses sex as a way to forget about the pain and move past it. 
I won't go into a rant about the subject, but I think it's understandable that the way the character decides to solve her problems isn't healthy. Luckily this book is new adult and recommended to an older audience who will hopefully understand the flaws in that reasoning. I understand why it was in the book, it was a way to tie things up between Skye and Holder nicely and bring to a close earlier scenes that tied sex and Skye's past together. However, I think the situation should have been written differently or omitted entirely so it doesn't seem like the book condones using sex as a way to heal and forget rather than talking through the experience/memories.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this book and plan to read more of Hoover's work.

Review Week Day 3 | "Pushing the Limits" by Katie McGarry

I am a little behind in reading this book, but I finally did it! I will get into my full thoughts, of course, but I'll admit that I didn't love this book as much as most people. Not to say it was bad, but I think it's the sort of book I would have much preferred a few years ago, around the time I read "Perfect Chemistry" because it is a very similar premise.
Before I go any further, here is the book's Goodreads description:

So wrong for each other …and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. 
But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

So this book is the first of a companion novel trilogy, similar to Simone Elkeles' Fuentes brothers trilogy. Like that series, this is an edgier YA romance that deals with characters who have a lot of personal baggage in their past.
I don't read many YA drama stories anymore, but I figured I would try this book out because 1) everyone raved about this series and 2) I've enjoyed this genre in the past, even if it's been a few years.
I'm glad I read this book, but I don't think I'll continue with the series. Perhaps I will check the other books out from a library at some point, but I don't see myself purchasing them because of some things I noticed in this book that turned me off to the trilogy.
Echo's friends were annoying. They were vapid and lacked substance or development other than being "popular" and "pretty". The drama of the story was overdone, in my opinion. I found it difficult to believe the other students hated Noah and his foster siblings primarily because they were in the foster system (followed then by the fact that they were the school "burn outs").
The guidance counselor has some very unconventional techniques, which is fine, but it never mentions anything about how the principal feels about her taking students off campus in the middle of a school day, for example. The students don't mention it and there is never a moment where it seems like the principal could have been asking some questions.
The romance builds for 200 pages only to be thrown together in a very rushed sort of way, making the rest of the relationship shaky and sloppy feeling in its role in the story.
Echo is the epitome of a frustrating character who refuses to talk things out with people and instead chooses to let things fester until she agonizes over them far more than she should. Now, this is something everyone does, but I feel like most people are better at communicating than she is.
The characters' self-growth is too quickly evolved and not believable, and the story itself ended in a rush that doesn't make it seem like the story is finished and satisfying. Rather than seeming like a good close, it felt like the drama would only continue to get worse because that's the only option after the way things ended too cleanly.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed this book more a few years back when I read more from the genre. However, while I didn't love the book, I do think this is good for readers looking for an angsty YA book that's a fun distraction and a quick read. Sure there are better books out there in my opinion, but this wasn't bad and I wouldn't say to stay away from it.

Review Week Day 2 | "Envy" by Sandra Brown

I received a copy of Envy through a Goodreads giveaway along with Texas! Sage (Review here). Unlike Texas, Envy was published in the early 2000s rather than the early 90s and is a thriller rather than a chick-lit romance. I don't know if it was the change of genre or the change of writing technique, but I liked Envy so much more than Texas! Sage.

Before I get into my full thoughts, here is the book's Goodreads description: 

Sandra Brown, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, keeps readers turning pages with an explosive tale of a long-ago crime and the victim's plan for revenge...When New York publisher Maris Matherly Reed receives a tantalizing manuscript from someone identified only as P.M.E., its blockbuster potential-and perhaps something else-compels her to meet its author. On an eerie, ruined cotton plantation on a remote Georgia island she finds Parker Evans, a man concealing his identity and his past. Maris is drawn into his tale of two young friends and a deadly betrayal ... and to Parker himself. But there's something especially chilling about this novel, its possible connection to Maris's own life, and the real-life character who uses her, or anyone, to get what he wants.

I really enjoyed this book. After the prologue, which was a little difficult to get into, though not for a lack of action, the story picked up and became a page turner that I couldn't put down. It wasn't a perfect book by any means, I will get into the few things that readers could have issues with in a moment, but it was a fun, fast paced read that is perfect if you want to take a break from fluffy, light hearted contemporary or heaver books. 

The chapters were a little long, which can be a problem for those readers who like to break their reading up by chapter. The way the antagonist goes about his plot development is overdone in a far fetched way and it seemed like Brown was trying too hard to put across the fact that the bad guy is rotten to the core. 

There is a bit of instalove. It's not as bad as in other stories, but the relationship develops in a jumpy sort of way that makes it seem like the characters involved go from hating one another to having deep affection with no middle ground to see that change shift. 

The storyline was good, the plot was intriguing, but it also seemed like there were a lot of plot points that made it seem like multiple underdeveloped plotlines were going on together and I can see that getting confusing for readers who aren't planning on finishing the book in just a few sittings. It can also make the book itself come across as never ending with so many twists and new plot points popping up seemingly out of nowhere. 

My last note isn't a gripe about the story, but it is a comment that some people might be able to relate to, I am a big fan of the television show  "Frasier" and because of that, it makes it difficult to read or hear about anyone named Maris without picturing the forever unseen character from the sitcom. 

Aw well, I got used to it, and anyone else who may be in the same boat will too soon enough after they start reading. 

Review Week Day 1 | "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

This week's review is over a book I read all the way back in July! I know. Running a little late. Luckily I had very strong feelings about the book and of course took some notes, so I'll still be able to let you know what I thought of  "The Night Circus". Of course, before I get into my thoughts, here is the book's Goodreads description:

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway--a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

This book came out a few years ago and was automatically being raved about as a must read for people who loved Harry Potter. While I had always been interested in the book, I put off reading it until this year and I have to admit, I wish I had read it sooner! I loved this book! It was a quick, magical read that threatened to distract me from my Camp NaNoWriMo duties in July (fun fact, the first draft of this book was a NaNoWriMo project). 
Now, that's not to say the book was perfect, and as much as I loved the book, there were a few things to note:
The book succumbs to the need for there to be a love triangle/jealousy to force certain plot points, even though that cliche has been used to death and is really no longer necessary. 
The entire story centers around a competition of sorts that only is explained in bits and pieces and can sometimes seem confusing based on how the book is told (switching back and forth between a few different time periods). 
The story can seem to drag on a bit, focusing on world building and developing the circus attractions. If you read the book in a sitting or two, it's fine, but if it takes you longer to get through the book, I can see some parts being tedious. 
Sadly, so much focus is on building the circus that some of the characters are a little flat and underdeveloped. Not to say you don't care about anyone as a reader, I just didn't find myself caring for everyone the way I wished I did, personally. 
If you read the description, the synopsis puts a heavy emphasis on "true love" and the romance intermingled throughout the competition, but that doesn't make a huge appearance until much later. Yes you can see the characters noticing each other and becoming intrigued with one another, but they don't show their feelings until further into the book and so the description relying so heavily on it is a bit of false advertising that the book doesn't need. 
It's a great story. It's so much fun and like a magical fairy-tale for adults (though younger readers can definitely read this as well), I recommend it to people who like and are looking for a gothic magical fix.