Category Archives: 5 hearts

Review: Tangled by Emma Chase

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Tangled by Emma Chase

Tangled by Emma Chase
Series: Tangled #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 20th 2013
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything – or anyone – derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

This book. Was. Hilarious. I seriously COULD NOT stop laughing while reading it! And you know what happens when a book makes me laugh out loud constantly? I end up loving everything-the characters, the story, the entire book. Tangled was such a great read. It’s fun, light-hearted, dorky at times, and all told by a male-POV. It’s romance at its finest.

I love Drew Evans. Yep, I just gotta say it. I love Drew Evans. He’s funny, sarcastic, hot, smart, and sexy, so what’s not to love about him? Oh, except… he’s a manwhore. Yup, Drew is a manwhore, and it takes a special woman named Katherine Brooks to change his manwhoring (is that even a word?) ways. At the start of the book, Drew is a mess. Katherine has dumped him, and he doesn’t know what to do with himself anymore. But instead of making it cheesy and sappy, Drew narrates in such a way where he sucks you into the story and you just can’t stop reading-or laughing! And you can’t help but root for Drew and hope he gets his HEA.

It was so entertaining to see Drew slowly falling in love, and freaking out about it. He’s never felt that way before for any woman, and it’s just the funniest thing to see him to falling in love with a woman who takes no crap from him. Their relationship actually starts off as a hate-at-first-sight thing. Enemies to lovers! But when Drew realizes Katherine is IT for him, he goes all out to win the love of his life, and hilarity ensues. Honestly, the things Drew does are insane and would drive anybody crazy. But at the same time, he’s just so sweet and adorable.

I had such a fun time reading this book. It’s a perfect read for romance lovers, although, fair warning, Drew holds nothing back in his narration. He tells it like it is from a man’s POV. And oh my god, it’s freaking hilarious.

5 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Tangled series

Tangled by Emma Chase Holy Frigging Matrimony by Emma Chase
Twisted by Emma Chase Tamed by Emma Chase Tied by Emma Chase

#1 ~ Tangled: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Holy Frigging Matrimony: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Twisted: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Tamed: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Tied: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: January 10th 2012
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

The Fault in Our Stars is one of my top three favorite books! (Right after Harry Potter and before Divergent.) (:

I’ve read this book 1.5 times, and it is amazing! (I read it halfway through the second time because it was just SO INCREDIBLY SAD that I could not handle it. But I will reread it again one day!) (=

So TFiOS is about two star-crossed lovers, Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters, who both have to deal with this terrible disease we all know and hate called cancer. Now, if you really don’t know anything about TFiOS, don’t brush this book off as merely, “another cancer book.” It’s incredibly touching, deep, and unique from any other “cancer” book you have read or will ever read, I personally guarantee it! (=

TFiOS is narrated by Hazel, whose dark sense of humor and oddities make her immediately likeable to the reader. Well, that’s an understatement. All the characters in TFiOS, Hazel, Gus, Isaac (Gus and Hazel’s friend), even the parents, are extremely loveable! Gus’ pretentious, grandiose personality is a perfect compliment to Hazel’s sarcastic and witty personality as well. Their conversations in themselves are interesting, and a lot of the times, even eye-opening, although they seem to not make sense half the time. While reading the book, I formed an extreme (maybe a bit excessive) emotional attachment to the characters. O_o

Another reason why I love this book so much, is that John Green was able to expose a side to cancer that most of us (as long as we’re fortunate enough to not have to experience cancer ourselves or through loved ones) don’t get to see. As discussed in the book, when most cancer victims pass away, we always say, “They fought a brave battle against cancer, and never wavered in spirit.” But John Green also revealed the dark side to cancer, when it exposes vulnerability within the family to the cancer patients themselves. Of course those with cancer fight the disease with everything within their power, because what other way would you fight it? Yet it’s nearly impossible to be strong all the time, so I believe John Green balanced the good and bad times that cancer patients must go through well.

Overall, The Fault in Our Stars is an incredible book because it tugs at your heart throughout the story. The characters are so funny and instantly loveable. Even after reading the book, the story itself sticks in your head, causing you to rethink what life in general is about. And to quote from the book,  “Live your best life today.” ❤

OF COURSE THIS BOOK IS FIVE HEARTS!

5 hearts
Cathy

Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

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The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Series: The Host #1
Publication Date: May 6th 2008
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

Shirley here. 

To be frank, I was quiiite reluctant to read it. I tried reading The Host probably in 7th grade and honestly did not find the appeal of it and got bored of it really quickly. But after MUCH persuasion from Lacey, and Max Irons being one of the lead roles, I finally decided to pick up the book and read it. AND HOLY COW IT WAS LIKE THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE. THIS BOOK IS SO SO AMAZING. Although at the beginning, I understood why I didn’t like it at all, since my innocent and distracted 7th grade brain probably couldn’t handle all of the boringness that the first few chapters had. Truthfully I fell asleep whilst reading the first 100 pages. After I finally got past those though, there was so SO much action!

So basically my long intro was to tell you guys that IF you were reluctant to read this book  like me, I just wanted to let ya’ll know that it’s SO SO worth it! It’s honestly an amazing book (much much better than the Twilight series), and you won’t be disappointed (I hope)!

At first it’s pretty confusing because you’re kind of dealing with two characters; the soul and Melanie. But after a while, you get used to the fact that the main character is a soul inside a body. Although I prefer Jared over Ian in the movie, in the book, IAN > JARED ANY DAY<3

But this book was literally CRAZY. It reminded me a lot of Shatter Me because of their underground facility and stuff and SINCE SHATTER ME BRINGS BACK GOOD VIBES, THIS BOOK WAS JUST SOO GOOOOOOD. It’s also such an eye-opening book because even though all the humans hated souls, they began to open up to Wanderer. it’s just so BEAUTIFUL that they all ended up accepting her, when at the beginning, they strongly despised her.

5 Stars!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

5 hearts
shirley

Review: Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

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Sins & Needles by Karina Halle

Sins & Needles by Karina Halle
Series: The Artists Trilogy #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 25th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback

There’s a Fine Line Between Sin and Salvation . . .

Ellie Watt is a woman on the run. Raised by a pair of thieves who taught her the art of the grift-and pursued by a mobster who fell for her con-she hopes to find refuge at her uncle’s farm in quiet Palm Valley, California. Ellie swears she’s through with her life of crime. But before she knows it, she’s right back in the game when she meets an easy mark who’s too good-and too hot-to be true.

His name is Camden McQueen. A master tattoo artist and a total inked stud, Camden is nothing like the awkward kid who crushed on Ellie back in high school. Now, as owner of the wildly successful Sins & Needles, he’s got tats to kill for, muscles to die for, and money to burn. Ellie can’t believe the transformation-and can’t resist pulling off one last con. But when Camden catches Ellie red-handed, the tables are turned. The mark becomes the master. And when the ultimate player gets played, you never know who’s going to end up on top . . .

Holy crap. I’m not even sure what I just read. This book. Is. CRAZY. It goes all out, holds nothing back. And I loved it.

Already, from the blurb, you know that this book is going to be very interesting. The main character is a con artist! (Actually, a series I’m a huge fan of, the Curse Workers series, also has characters who are con artists, so go check that out if you’re interested in that kind of thing.) Ellie is a tough chick. All she’s ever known is conning people, having different identities, and being on the run. And you might think, what kind of life is that? Well, the thing is, Ellie’s life is entirely fueled by revenge. So she has no real friends, no real boyfriend, no normal relationships at all. All she wants is revenge on the man who ruined her life. And unfortunately, you can’t have a happy ending if all you have is revenge.

Oh, by the way, this is an ADULT book, so if you’re planning on reading this, beware that there is definitely some mature content in this book!

So. Sins & Needles. This is such an amazing book that I don’t even know where to begin. Well, first off, I guess I should say that it just blew my mind. The story is so unique and intriguing, and I couldn’t stop reading! I was so absorbed in Ellie’s story. She is a fantastic heroine. She’s cool and badass, but underneath it all, you know she has her insecurities and vulnerabilities. She had such a horrible childhood that I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. But I loved the fact that she grew so much stronger because of her difficult childhood. I thought it would be hard to connect with a character who has little morals, but it was actually easy to like Ellie. She steals, cheats, lies, and cons, but somehow she manages to her way into your heart and make you care for her. Especially since you know that it can’t possibly end well for Ellie and her quest for revenge.

Enter Camden McQueen. (I am so totally in love with his name. It’s. So. Hot.) He’s covered in tattoos (YUM), and once upon a time, was best friends with Ellie in high school and completely in love with her. Now a professional tattoo artist, Camden’s not exactly in love with Ellie anymore. In fact, he kind of hates her guts. But he needs her help with something only she can do. I LOVE Camden. He’s rough, sexy, and sometimes wears glasses! (which I didn’t know I liked in a guy until now lol). He’s hard on Ellie, but only because she was a total bitch to him back in high school and a bit of a bitch to him even now. But oh. my. god. When he is in love, he is the sweetest, most caring guy in the world. Swoon. And when he wants Ellie, he fights for her, and doesn’t let anything get in his way.

Sins & Needles doesn’t exactly have a love triangle, but it kind of does. It’s a bit complicated. One of the people Ellie is on the run from is Javier, her ex-boyfriend, who is also the right-hand man of a powerful drug lord. Yup. The people Ellie gets involved with are crazy. And Javier is certifiably insane, I swear he is. He takes ‘fighting for what he wants’ to a WHOLE other level. Because he wants Ellie back. And not just as in Oh, I still love you Ellie, please come back to me. Nope, Javier is more of a You ran away from me even though you’re mine, so I’m taking you back now kind of man. And he will do ANYTHING to take her back. Javier is mainly the reason why the book was so exciting. There were car chases, shootings, fighting, and tons of other crazy stuff going on, all thanks to Javier.

I don’t quite know what to make of Sins & Needles, since I’ve never read anything like it, but all I know is that I loved every minute of it. This book was SO MUCH FUN. It’s exciting and entertaining, and yet there are deep and heartfelt moments too. So I totally recommend reading this book.

5 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: The Artists Trilogy

On Every Street by Karina Halle Sins & Needles by Karina Halle Shooting Scars by Karina Halle Bold Tricks by Karina Halle

#0.5 ~ On Every Street: Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ Sins & Needles: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Shooting Scars: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Bold Tricks: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Review: We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

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We’ll Always Have Summer
Series: Summer #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 26th 2011
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback

It’s been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college – only, their relationship hasn’t exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It’s time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

Hey ya’ll! Shirley here.

So it has been approximately 3 years since I have read the 2nd book of this series, and since then I have been yearning to read the 3rd book after it came out. But alas, no one I knew owned it, so I cracked and bought it. And HOLY COW IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS I’VE EVER MADE. So coming into this book, I already knew it was going to be good. But I didn’t know it was going to be THIS good.

Truthfully I was always Team Jeremiah. But in this book, Conrad finally opened up, and you really realize what sacrifices that he has made. HE IS JUST TOO PERFECT AND I JUST LOVE HIM SO SO MUCH. All of the chapters with his point of view were just too heartbreaking. & also when Conrad gave Jeremiah the letter from their mother…ohmygoodness.

I don’t want to spoil much, but the epilogue was so perfect! It honestly ended just like I hoped it would and I’m so so happy! But sad as well because such a good series has ended.

5 hearts! But let’s be real, do I even need to explain why.

5 hearts
shirley

Reading Order: Summer series

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

#1 ~ The Summer I Turned Pretty: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ It’s Not Summer Without You: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ We’ll Always Have Summer: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads