Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Title: Caraval
Series: Caraval, #1
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Date Published: January 31, 2017
Rating: 4-4.5 Stars

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever. 

My Thoughts: 

Always With Love by Giovanna Fletcher

Title: Always With Love
Series: Billy and Me, #2
Author: Giovanna Fletcher
Publisher: Penguin
Date Published: June 2, 2016
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The next much-anticipated romantic chapter in Billy and Sophie's love story from bestselling author Giovanna Fletcher. 

Sophie's got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of. 

But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she's totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy's controlling mother. 

And when Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there's more than just miles between them. 

Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . .

Quick Thoughs:

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher

Title: Billy and Me
Series: Billy and Me, #1
Author: Giovanna Fletcher
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Date Published: April 5, 2016
Rating: 5 Stars

In this utterly sweet and moving women's fiction novel, a celebrity comes to town and sweeps a young woman - who is used to being overlooked - off her feet.

Sophie May is content with her life in her small English village, working in the local coffee shop and living with her mom. But when famous actor Billy comes to town to play Mr. Darcy in a new film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Sophie's quiet life is quickly turned on its head. Billy is adored by women around the world, but he only wants Sophie on his arm. But being with Billy comes at a price, and Sophie is thrown in the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy?

Brimming with humor, wit, and genuine warmth, Billy and Me is a book about taking a chance on life and on love. 

My Thoughts:

On Thin Ice by Aven Ellis

Title:On Thin Ice
Series: Dallas Demons #4
Author: Aven Ellis
Date Published: November 30, 2016
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Holly Johansson knows some things in her life are certain after college graduation:

1.) It’s a long road to become a full-time author. 2.) She’ll need to work to pay her bills. 3.) And Dallas Demons superstar Matt Rhinelander will never return her feelings.

Holly knows her unrequited crush on the partying hockey player is ridiculous. There’s no way Matt would be attracted to a woman who prefers nights in watching TV or reading books when he’s known for his frequent bar hops and fast lifestyle. Obviously he would never see her as anything other than his teammate’s little sister.

Yet Holly is drawn to the other side of Matt—the man she knows has always been thoughtful and easy to talk to whenever she’s been alone with him. It is this Matt that fueled the crush Holly has on him. And she knows it will always be just that—a secret crush.

Or will it?

Because when Matt helps Holly through a crisis, her heart begins to believe that there might be feelings on his part, too. After a night of hard partying puts Matt in jeopardy with the Dallas Demons, can Holly be the one to save him? And when Matt admits he sees her as more than Nate Johansson’s sister, will it put both of them on thin ice? 

My Thoughts:

Review: One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank

Title: One Paris Summer
Series: a standalone
Author: Denise Grover Swank
Publisher: Blink
Date Published: June 7, 2016

Most teens dream of visiting the City of Lights, but it feels more like a nightmare for Sophie Brooks. She and her brother are sent to Paris to spend the summer with their father, who left home a year ago without any explanation. As if his sudden abandonment weren't betrayal enough, he's about to remarry, and they’re expected to play nice with his soon-to-be wife and stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, Camille, agrees to show them around the city, but she makes it clear that she will do everything in her power to make Sophie miserable.

Sophie could deal with all the pain and humiliation if only she could practice piano. Her dream is to become a pianist, and she was supposed to spend the summer preparing for a scholarship competition. Even though her father moved to Paris to pursue his own dream, he clearly doesn't support hers. His promise to provide her with a piano goes unfulfilled.

Still, no one is immune to Paris’s charm.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Title: Love & Gelato
Series: (standalone)
Author: Jenna Evans Welch
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Date Published: May 3, 2016

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything
Series: Standalone
Author: Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Date Published: September 1, 2015
Audio Version
Narrator: Bahni Turpin
Rated: 5 Stars

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There
Series: Standalone
Author: Heather Demetrios
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Date Published: February 3, 2015

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

My Thoughts:

Wow! This book has just pushed its way into my heart. I was so touched, and so moved by everything. Not just by Josh's story, but by Skylar's, as well.

I know this is technically classified as a Young Adult novel, but I would dare also say that it is New Adult too. The characters experienced so much growth and change in this story. Sky and Josh were both on the verge of starting a new life and a beginning. They weren't sure which direction to go and/or what do. At times, it seemed like they were torn.

Skylar. There were a few times while reading, when I was transported back to when I was a teenager, twenty-something years ago, and had just experienced what she did. Having my mom choose someone else over me. Taking care of my mom, who had seemed to revert back to her youth. Working full time to help make ends meet. I hurt for Skylar, and it brought me some relief to know that someone else had experienced what I did and knew my pain, even if it was simply a character from a story. It just felt so real. I often wondered what would have happened to me if I had made the same choices that Skylar did.

I loved Josh. I loved reading from his point of view, even if it did make me cry. Again. (You probably wouldn't have guessed this- but I am not normally a crier. But, man, I sobbed). I was so grateful to Heather Demetrios for allowing us inside of his head and into his thoughts. He went through so much, and had so many demons. After I read the last page of I'll Meet You There, I couldn't help but wonder what he decided to do with his life, and what became of him. I can only imagine the struggles he would always battle.

I also adored the side characters- Marge, Dylan, Chris, and even Blake. They all had their quirks, but they all brought so much to the story, and spoke to me in some special way.

I would definitely recommend I'll Meet You There to anyone, no matter what genre you read. I know I want to read everything that Heather Demetrios writes now.

 5 Stars

edited: While writing this review, I was listening to Mumford & Sons'  Sigh No More album, and this song (After the Storm) made me think of Josh.

Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn

Title: Nine Minutes
Author: Beth Flynn
Series: Nine Minutes, #1
Date Published: July 23, 2014
6 Stars

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida.

From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival.

And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life.

So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity.

Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

Amazon | B&N

 

 



 



Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once!

Bahahaha! Who am I kidding here?

Nine Minutes is my new obsession, and I will likely talk about it to whoever will listen.

I received this book for Christmas last year, and I do not know why I put off reading it?! I started on it yesterday morning, and did not stop (other than dinner and bathroom breaks), until I finished it last night. I was very content with how it ended. And then I read the last part of the epilogue. About five times.



 After that, I  just had to talk about it with somebody, but I didn't have anybody to talk about it with. Thankfully, I found a Nine Minutes support discussion group.

The first thing that I want to say is that I love Beth Flynn's writing style! I almost felt like the main character was narrating a movie, and I could completely visualize what was happening around me. She did an excellent job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. Now, normally I would cheat and take a peak at the end of the book to see how it all ends up (yeah yeah, I know). But I didn't this time, and I am so glad that I was a good girl.

My favorite kinds of books are the realistic kind. Sometimes they end up being the darker books.I know that I have flaws, so it's refreshing when characters do too. It's comforting, in a sense. I really appreciate books that really make me feel something. I found these qualities in Nine Minutes. Just keep in mind, that if you read this (and I really hope you do!), that there might be a few parts that might make you feel squeamish. It is so worth it if you can get past that, though.  It's not a light read, but it is such a great read!

The story is told by Ginny, who was kidnapped when she was just fifteen years old, and it describes her experience. I don't want to say a whole lot about what happens, as one would have to read it for themselves to get the full effect. I could describe bits and pieces of what stood out for me, but it would be difficult to exactly why, without giving spoilers. Just know, you may be questioning things, and yourself, at times.

I do want to talk about the characters:

Ginny/Kit- My heart went out to this girl. She had to grow up really fast, even at an early age, and she's considered an old soul. Sometimes, I would get so frustrated and wanted to scream, "why?!" and  "don't do that!" However, she handled herself very well considering the circumstances, and stuck to her principles and beliefs. I really admired that. Ginny was definitely a victim of Stockholm Syndrome, and in my opinion, it affected her for many, many, years. Her mind coped by shutting out the bad things that were going on around her.

Grizz: Ok, I might upset a lot of people here, but I could not get on Team Grizz.  Don't get me wrong- I admired how much he loved Kit and how well he treated her, but I could not get past the kind of man he was and all of the horrible things that he allowed to happen and did to people. His dedication to Kit does notjustify or make me forget that he was a kidnapper and could be really cruel at times.

Grunt: Now I know that Grunt was not perfect, but I absolutely loved this kid. He was not living in the best of circumstances, and was limited in what he could do. I admired that he was patient, saw the bigger picture, tried to make something of his life, and wanted what was best for Kit. I wanted so badly to know more about him, and to see what life was like for him over the years.

This is a beautiful story of how a girl was able to overcome things. I gave Nine Minutes, Six Stars (my second of the year).  Normally, I am very stingy with my stars. I think I only gave 4 out of 95 books a  five-star rating last year.  It was just that good.


My favorite quote:

“A story about a man who has loved me from the very beginning, from the first glance. The man who always was and still is my soul mate.”  



 

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher

Title: Mud Vein
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Date Published: April 5, 2014
Rating: 5...no. 6 stars.

When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat... and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free.  



Wow. Just. Wow.

I am a huge fan of Tarryn Fisher's, Love Me With Lies series, so I cannot understand why I put off reading Mud Vein for as long as I did. There is something so raw and so honest about Tarryn's words, and you never know what her characters are going to say or do. Nothing is sugar coated or conventional. Therefore, I did not find myself rolling my eyes or bored. Not for one minute.

This book in unlike anything I have ever read. I don't really want to go into it too much, because it would really spoil the experience for readers. I can tell you that I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails. I had to read this book in chunks, because I had to think about and absorb the parts that I had just read. There were things that just gutted me, and had me in tears. And I hate crying. I really do. I couldn't help it though. Sometimes I felt like I could relate to Senna. Other times, I felt like I didn't understand her at all.

Then there was Isaac. Everyone needs an Isaac in there lives. After reading Mud Vein, I believe we all do, somewhere in the world.

I cannot express in words how much this book touched me, and I highly recommend it. However, this is by no means a fluff or a happy read. It will make you think and feel, though. I stayed up until 1:00 am, last night finishing this book. I think I spent another hour (maybe two?) reflecting on what I had just experienced in Mud Vein. I just couldn't sleep because my mind was racing. Starting another book right away was out of the question for me. How can I after reading such and enthralling book like Mud Vein?

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Title: Maybe Someday
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: March 18,2014

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…



From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

My Thoughts:

Wow. I am in utter awe right now.  I began reading Maybe Someday last Wednesday, and just finished reading the last sentence about fifteen minutes ago. It took me five days to read. Not because it was bad in any way- it was fantastic!  I just could not bear to read it all in one sitting. I just couldn't contain all of the emotions that I was feeling. There were too many feels. So many beautiful passages. So much to ponder.  So much of everything.  I needed to take my time with this book.

Very seldom do I allow myself to cry when I read a book.  Usually, if I'm reading a book, and I start to feel deep emotions coming on, I'll set the book aside, and go do something else until I've calmed down, sidetracked myself with other things, or until I've put my barrier up. (Yes, I know I have issues. But that's for another day. ;) )  Well, anyhow, as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I did try and set Maybe Someday aside to focus on other things. You know what happened?  Ridge, Sydney, and Maggie didn't let me forget about them. They kept creeping into my thoughts, and I just couldn't disconnect myself from these characters. I had to go back and read just a little bit more.  Therefore, Maybe Someday, messed with my emotions and with my heart to the point where I felt shook up (not with the book, mind you).  I guess that's  a good thing. Part of my healing process maybe?

Ok, back to the book.

Ridge. Oh boy. *takes a deep breath*  If you want to meet a guy who is kind, compassionate and wears his heart on his sleeve, then you've got to meet Ridge.  There were times, I wanted to be upset with him, but I just couldn't, because I got why he did the things he did. I just wished he didn't try to carry all the weight or blame on his shoulders alone.  I have to say, I adored the relationship he had with his best friend, Warren, and the pranks the two played on each other. They had such close friendship, and knew each other so well.

Sydney was another character I wanted to dislike at times, but I just couldn't. Sometimes I wished she would have handled things different.  I don't think she could have though. She needed someone to cling to or to rely on when her world got turned upside down.

I just don't know how Colleen Hoover does it. She truly has a gift for writing. There's so much beauty, meaning, and truth behind her words, and yes, a rawness to them too. There was a point in the story where I was worried that everything would happen or unfold too fast, but thank goodness, she gave the characters' a real chance to step back and to think. I would have been so disappointed otherwise.

 I was telling my good friend, Krista,  that I wanted to highlight or underline certain passages in my paperback, so that I could go back and read them later on. This normally doesn't happen. I'm more of a note-taker. But I wanted to be able to flip through my paperback, and see my favorite parts right away.

Maybe Someday is told from dual pov's.  Normally, I do not like those, and try and avoid reading books with dual pov's if I can. However, I cannot imagine this book without Ridge's thoughts. They were so necessary and so vital.

One last thing. Many times when I read a standalone book, I find that I'm disappointed when there is not epilogue at the end, because I want to know how the characters are down the line or if they're all ok.  I will tell you that Maybe Someday does not have an epilogue, and I'm really okay with it. I'm at peace. 

Rating: 5+ Stars

How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Title: How to Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Published by: Balzar + Bray
Published: October 1, 2013

*A special thank you to my friend Krista, from Krista's Dust Jacket, for lending me this beautiful book.

From Goodreads:

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice.


My Thoughts:

This is one of those books that gave me a 'book hangover'.  I started reading it one night at about 7pm, and while I do remember setting the book down briefly a few times to take care of some things, I quickly picked up right where I left off.  Finally, after the pages started getting blurry, I looked over at the clock and saw that it was 2:30 am, and hubby was snoring (not so softly) right beside me. That's how engrossed I was in Katie Cotugno's first novel, How to Love.  When I finished the book the later that day, I was in awe. I kind of wanted to pick the book back up and read it again.

The story is told from Reena's (Serena's) point of view. She unexpectedly runs into her old boyfriend Sawyer, who she hasn't seen in about three years. There's been absolutely no contact. No letters. No phone calls. No way to tell him that she had been pregnant with his baby, when he took off.

Reena had so many dreams and plans for her future. But for as long as she could remember, she was also in love with Sawyer.  Reena never told anyone how she felt about him- not even to her best friend, Allie. In turn, Allie didn't tell her some things about Sawyer. 

I really like that How to Love begins with the present events, and then goes into the past to explain how certain things happened. Katie Cotugno does a wonderful job of weaving the time elements together so that it all comes together smoothly. I also found all of the characters to be likeable even with all of their faults and issues. This story deals with subjects like forgiveness, vulnerability, denial, and at times religion.

 Reena went through so much in this story, yet she was still able to be strong and to finally stand up for herself. She worked hard and was a great mommy, even though it seemed like she was all alone in the world.  I really liked Sawyer too. He had a good heart, but he had so many problems that he wouldn't address or deal with. There was so much that Reena did not know.  I'm not sure that he redeemed himself in the end, but he did make up for a lot. In a lot of ways, he had to do what he did in order to be better in the long run.

If I had to be picky, I would have liked for Reena and Sawyer to really talk about Allie more, and about how she affected them in the past and in the present. They touched on the surface of it, but I really feel like more needed to be said.  I also would have loved and epilogue that told what was happening, maybe few years down the road.

I can definitely say that this was one of my favorite reads this year. I hope Katie Cotugno is writing more books, because I would love to read them!

Rating: 5 Stars

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us

 Author: Kasie West

 Published: July 2, 2013

 Publisher: Harper Teen

From Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

My Thoughts:

Recently I took part in a readalong of The Distance Between Us, hosted by Fic Fare, The Fictionators, and Swoony Boys Podcast. I had not heard much about this book beforehand, but I decided to give it a try, since I've enjoyed the other books we've read as a group. I am SO glad that I did! I ended up loving it.

The story is told from Caymen Meyers point of view. She is a seventeen year old girl who works for her mother, who owns a porcelain doll store. Porcelain dolls. Right off the bat, I had to sympathize with Caymen, because personally, porcelain dolls scare me a little. My grandmother used to collect them, and I was always afraid to go into the room where she kept them in (I watched a lot of old episodes of The Twilight Zone as a kid, and sometimes they featured dolls that came to life).

Back to Caymen.  She has been raised by a single mother, and works tirelessly in the store.  It is to the point where she has sacrificed her social life to help her mother, who is barely making ends meet.  Caymen's father had come from a wealthy home, but walked away from Caymen's mother when she was still pregnant, so she has never met him. Her mother often uses the fact that he was rich as the scapegoat for his actions.

The doll store takes place in a wealthy neighborhood, and Caymen and her mother often secretly make fun of the rich customers who shop at their store. That is until Xander walks in. He changes many of Caymen's preconceived notions and makes her think about things differently.

I really like Caymen's character. She is funny, witty, and sarcastic. At first, I was worried that the author would take that too far or to the extreme, but thankfully she did not, and I often found myself chuckling at some of the things Caymen had to say. Xander was such sweetheart, and I really admired how he seemed to see past her tough exterior.  This book was so touching, and I am so glad that it did not slip under my radar.

I was kind of sad when the book ended, because I wanted to hear more of their story and find out if Caymen ever decided to seek out her dad. The author leaves it open for the reader to interpret, and in my mind she does. I borrowed The Distance Between Us from my library, but I plan to buy a hard copy because it has now become one of my favorites.

Rating: 5 Stars



Elsker by ST Bende

Title: Elsker (Elsker Saga, #1)
Author: ST Bende
Published: April 22, 2013
Publisher:  Entranced Publishing



From Goodreads:


You don’t win the heart of an immortal assassin without making a few enemies along the way.

Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull Myhr.  Her new boyfriend isn’t exactly what she was expecting.  He’s an honest to goodness Norse God - an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok, the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth.  Kristia’s crazy visions are the only thing that can save their realms.  Her orderly life just got very messy.



My Thoughts:


Not too long ago, my friend, Lolita (Lola‘s Reviews), recommended Elsker to me. I had been looking for a different kind of New Adult book, and this is a modern story that had Norse Mythology tied in to it. I had never read any books about Norse Mythology, so I was very intrigued. The other day, I decided to read it, and I am SO glad that I did! I was hooked from the very first page. Everything seemed to flow and I could not wait to see what was going to happen next.

The story begins with twenty-year-old, Kristia Tostenson, who comes from a small town in Oregon. It’s one of those communities where everyone knows everyone, and one eventually marries someone he or she grew up with. The kids grow up and take over the businesses or occupations held by their parents. Kristia is seen as somewhat of an outcast for her ‘gift‘, something she has little control over. She was raised by her late grandmother who taught her to be polite and respectful, but she also told Kristia tales of Norse myths. One day Kristia, a college senior, decides that she wants to have one more adventure before she settles down into life in her small town, so she decides to finish her education in Cardiff, Wales. Once her plane touches down in Britain, her life will never be the same.

I really liked Kristia’s character. She is a bit OCD, but she is also kind, thoughtful, and loyal. Ull is tall, blond, handsome, and mysterious. It wasn’t long before I was rooting for the two of them. They both have some secrets though, and they will have to learn to trust one another with them. I also grew to love the other minor characters in Elsker- Emma, Victoria, Gunnar, and Inga. They added some humor and other fun elements to the story.

I really enjoyed the Norwegian culture in Elsker, such as the food and the language. I hope we get to experience even more of that in the next book, Endre. I am really looking forward to the continuation of Kristia and Ull’s story, as they are about to encounter even more trials and problems. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but lets just say I loved this and I’ve been recommending Elsker to my friends!


*There is a recipe at the end of the book for Olaug’s waffles, and I am definitely going to try it out!

Rated: 5 Stars