The Pretty One by Lucinda Rosenfeld

Title: The Pretty One: A Novel about Sisters
Author: Lucinda Rosenfeld
Info: Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: February 5th, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Pages: 320
Format: Electronic
Acquired: Netgalley
Age Group: Adult

Perfect. Pretty. Political. For nearly forty years, The Hellinger sisters of Hastings-on-Hudson-namely, Imperia (Perri), Olympia (Pia), and Augusta (Gus)--have played the roles set down by their loving but domineering mother Carol. Perri, a mother of three, rules her four-bedroom palace in Westchester with a velvet fist, managing to fold even fitted sheets into immaculate rectangles. Pia, a gorgeous and fashionable Chelsea art gallery worker, still turns heads after becoming a single mother via sperm donation. And Gus, a fiercely independent lawyer and activist, doesn't let her break-up from her girlfriend stop her from attending New Year's Day protests on her way to family brunch.

But the Hellinger women aren't pulling off their roles the way they once did. Perri, increasingly filled with rage over the lack of appreciation from her recently unemployed husband Mike, is engaging in a steamy text flirtation with a college fling. Meanwhile Pia, desperate to find someone to share in the pain and joy of raising her three-year-old daughter Lola, can't stop fantasizing about Donor #6103. And Gus, heartbroken over the loss of her girlfriend, finds herself magnetically drawn to Jeff, Mike's frat boy of a little brother. Each woman is unable to believe that anyone, especially her sisters, could understand what it's like to be her. But when a freak accident lands their mother to the hospital, a chain of events is set in motion that will send each Hellinger sister rocketing out of her comfort zone, leaving her to wonder: was this the role she was truly born to play?

With The Pretty One, author Lucinda Rosenfeld does for siblings what she did for female friendship in I'm So Happy for You, turning her wickedly funny and sharply observant eye on the pleasures and punishments of lifelong sisterhood

So, when I first started reading this, like back earlier in the year, I was having a hard time relating for a lot of reasons. The main reasons were: Age, Experiences, and most importantly Sisters. I only have a brother and I can relate absolutely nothing with him, since he's much older than me and we have different interests. But then, I joined a sorority and I got over a thousand sisters overnight, except for my three line sisters who I spent 78 days and 8 minutes with each and every day talking with and doing something. And it was through that experience that I got to see a little bit more about what it's like to have sisters.

Obviously, sorority sisters vs. real sisters is completely different, but there's a main core to it: There's fighting, there's laughing, there's crying, and in the end there's just a heck of a lot of loving, and that's something that I found as a consistent them in this novel.

All three sisters are very different and I found that Rosenfeld did an excellent job in highlighting these differences. I know how hard it can be to find a voice for every single character, because they are supposed to feel real, and real people are just so different from each other. But I think that she pulled out of really well. All their voices came through, even that of the secondary characters.

I like how each sister interacted with each other and the people around them. Yes, they had their differences and they had a lot of faults, but they also had each other and that made the novel even cooler to read as they worked it out.

This novel was funny, witty, heartfelt, and very realistic. It pulled the reader in and didn't let go!

If you are still looking for some nice summer reads, check this one out for sure!

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: The Lonely Hearts Club
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: January 1st, 2010
Publisher: Point
Pages: 290
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Age Group: Young Adult

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

This is the first time I'm reading an Elizabeth Eulberg book, even though pretty much all her books are on my TBR pile and I am really excited I got to read this.

This was a quick read and I found it incredibly enjoyable.

Penny was a fantastic girl. She had a lot to work on and I'm glad she was able to grow from all her experiences. I kind of wish there had been a Lonely Hearts Club in my school, or that I had been smart enough to do one myself. I felt bad for her, but I was glad that she was able to move forward from that jerk.

I also learned a lot about the Beatles from her Beatles-loving-slightly-obsessed-parents. There were some characters that really surprised me, and I was glad about that. Eulberg didn't make her novel blatantly obvious. She had a lot of good tricks up her sleeves that brought the novel to life in interesting ways.

If you haven't read this book yet, don't waste time and I get going! It is unforgettable!

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron

I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours 

Title: Deeper We Fall

Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Release Date: January 24th, 2013

Publisher: DRC Publishing 

Pages: 280

Format: Electronic Copy

Acquired: From Author 

Interest: Series

Age Group: Young Adult

Two years after her best friend was involved in a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury, Lottie Anders is ready to start her freshman year of college. Ready to move on. Ready to start forgetting the night that ripped her life apart.

Her plans come to a screeching halt when not one, but both brothers responsible for the accident end up back in her life again.

Zack is cruel, selfish and constantly rubbing what happened to her friend in Lottie's face.

Zan is different. He listens to her awkward ramblings. He loves "To Kill a Mockingbird" as much as she does, and his dark eyes are irresistible. His words are few and far between, but when he does speak, she can't help but listen.

The trouble is, Zan was the driver in the accident, and now Lottie's discovered he lied to her about what happened that night. Now she must decide if trusting him again will lead to real forgiveness, or deeper heartache.

 Acceptance. Forgiveness. Love. Redemption.

This novel really took me by surprise. It was interesting reading it, after not reading for what feels like a long time. It was a "wake up" call, in a sense, because I almost forgot what it was like to read something so well written with characters that take you in right away. This novel swept me away from the beginning and I was happy to get the chance to review it.

Lottie's life is all about moving on and forgetting, ever since a car accident that left her best friend with a traumatic brain injury. She feels like college is just the escape that she needs, until the men responsible for the car accident reappear in her life. One who enjoys to bring back the cruel past that Lottie thought she could leave behind, and the other who she finds herself attracted to.

But is two years enough to forgive? And if not, is there ever a chance for such a thing? These are the questions that Lottie is facing as she realizes that there are two roads ahead of her: One that would involve running from her past or the other that would open the doors to those that have hurt her.

This novel opened up a lot of questions and the way that Cameron drove these characters I felt was great. I loved them all (Zack only because he lived up to his reputation), and Cameron didn't make the choice that Lottie had to face very obvious; the readers were kept at the edge of their seat the whole time.

I would recommend this book heavily.

None of the Regular Rules by Erin Downing

 I participated in the blog tour hosted by Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours

Title: None of the Regular Rules
Author: Erin Downing
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: November 20th, 2012
Publisher: ebook exclusive
Pages: 260
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Age Group: Young Adult

Sometimes, a few dares can change lives…

The weekend before the start of senior year, Sophie Erickson and her best friends, Ella and Grace, discover a handwritten list of dares tucked away in the glove compartment of Sophie’s beat-up old Toyota. But this isn’t just any list; it’s a dead girl's bucket list.

Sophie's beloved aunt Suzy died as a teenager in a fatal fall, leaving Sophie with an overly cautious family, a few fading photographs, and a bucket of bolts that barely passes for a car. But now, Sophie has Suzy’s list of the things she wanted to do in her last year of high school. Sophie can't help but wonder: What would happen if she tried to fulfill Suzy’s last wishes, to live out the longed-for life of her aunt, her hero?

As Sophie and her friends attempt to knock off the things on Suzy's list of dares, love blossoms in unexpected places and Sophie begins to feel that her life is finally coming together...when in fact, everything is slowly unraveling around her. When the truth about a long-held family secret threatens to shatter everything she believed to be true, Sophie is forced to question everything she knew about the life and people she believed in, and ultimately herself.

It has been a while since I read a good book, it has especially been a long while since I read a contemporary book that has hit home in a lot of places.

When I first heard about this novel, I knew it would be as wonderful as people claim it to be. It had a lot of potential and from the very first page that I read I feel in love.

Now, I haven't read too much from Downing beforehand, so it was a little refreshing to read this and have so much with it.

When Sophie and her best friend discover Sophie's dead Aunt Suzy's bucket list, Sophie decides to complete what her aunt never got the chance to. And one by one, Sophie and her friends begin to tackle a list that ends up changing their lives forever - not just for the good, but the bad as well.

In the beginning there was a great mix between Sophie and her friends, which I felt really brought out the story. Different girls who fit together perfectly, and who all took the list one by one discovering new things along the way, and not just about each other, but about themselves.

This was a quick read and can be done in one sitting. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it'll break your heart, and it'll make you want to start finishing up all the things on your own bucket list. This book really had it all and I'm glad that it lived up to all the talk that I heard about it.

This book is one that if I could, I would reread all over again!

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Title: Taking Chances
Author: Molly McAdams
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 432
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

**DNF

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

Her first year away is turning out to be near perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything

Now, I usually make an effort to finish a book. Especially books I bought, since that was my money and I am putting it to good use. But, for once, I am glad that I didn't pay full price for this book. I don't mean to be cruel, I don't want to be cruel; I try to find something good in every book I read, even books that I finish and I sit back and think to myself, "Why did I just read this?" But, I cannot find something good about this. Not. One. Thing.

Originally, Harper seemed like a pretty cool girl. Off on her own, finding herself - and slowly as Brandon and Chase came in the picture it all crashed and burned into unimaginable rumbles that no one can make heads or tales of.

First, I get it already, Harper is gorgeous! Fine! But does the reader need to be reminded of this on every single page? No! And fine, she has two guys who want her. I am a sucker for a good love triangle. I especially love it when the two guys (or two girls) are both equally amazing and who the main character ends up with is really a complete toss up. And for a moment I thought this was going to have a surprise. I mean, I was Team Chase, and I thought he was the best, and than I took myself off Team Chase and into Team-I-Can't-Believe-This-Garbage-Got-Published.

I don't want to insult the book, but this is the best way to describe it. Harper infuriated me. Okay, so the girls around campus who were after the same two guys she was into added a little drama, but it makes NO SENSE that she would take it so personal even AFTER being told that the women hated her. Does she have any brains? Any? And aren't there more guys on that campus or are they on a testosterone shortage? Are Chase and Brandon really the only guys that everyone wants? And can we see a little class in some of these ladies? I felt it extremely insulting of McAdams to show these girls in such a degrading manner.

And I don't even know what to say about this love triangle. It is such a mess that it just destroyed the story - like completely! It went up in flames, turned to ashes, swept away to half-way across the world, where it just vanished into little particles into the deepest depths of the world.

Could McAdams pick a team? No. Could Harper pick a team? Harper is a joke. No, you cannot be in love with two men. I am sorry, but you might think you love them both, but it just doesn't work that way with true love. Honestly, these men could have had better things to do with their lives then spend so much time fighting and drooling over Harper. I actually threw up a little in the end because it was sickening.

I don't want to give anything away, but if the men are as stupid as Harper than they deserve her. McAdams took Harper's stupidity to a whole new level that I never knew even existed.

Obviously I didn't finish this and I just skimmed to the end, and what I read made me wish I hadn't spent that $1.99 on the novel. Harper was cute, and then she became just as bad as the other women who were after Chase and Brandon. And I think McAdams showed reexamine a lot of things, because Harper was not a real college student. I could not think of anyone real who could connect with her. And the same goes for the supporting characters. This book was riddled with fake characters that everybody was just cardboard cut-outs.

This novel was so contrived. I mean, if these characters would have been all mannequins that would have been a better story. That way no one could see what a fail they were.

I realize that I am bashing this novel into high heaven, but I just don't know how else to express my frustration and the sick feeling I get when I think of it.

And I understand, especially for someone like Harper who was on a tight leash all her life. It feels good to be a little wild and reckless and to just find yourself. I mean, I would be a liar if I denied the fact that once I entered college I started to do things that I would never even think of doing when I lived at home. We are adults now and we are finding ourselves. What I don't understand is someone who enters college and completely throws away all their values. Which is what Harper did.

I give up and even though it is a DNF, I am going to rate this book. The cover of it should really have a ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO DARE TO READ THIS BOOK label.

Getting Over Mr. Right by Chrissie Manby

Title: Getting Over Mr. Right
Author: Chrissie Manby
Release Date: July 10th, 2012
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Pages: 304
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: ARC; Netgalley
Age Group: Adult

BEEN DUMPED? GET MAD. BUT NOT THIS MAD.

Have you ever had your heart broken? How did you get over it?
If a pint of ice cream cheered you up and you were able to delete his number and start again then . . .
You’re a weirdo and this book is not for you.
 
But if you reacted with denial, begging, or a spot of casual witchcraft, then you’ve come to the right place. This is one woman’s journey from love to lunacy and back again. If you ever recall past heartbreaks with acute embarrassment and an urge to go into hiding, this will make you feel better. Sure, you may have sent his new girlfriend a bunch of dead roses, but did you spend a grand on psychic hot-lines and a voodoo curse?

Holy crap, I was laughing so hard it was difficult to concentrate. I have never been in a formal relationship, well, one, but that only lasted like two months so I really don't count it, but I have been with friends who have had multiple relationships and most of them have been the dumped. And, they get depressed or angry, but at least they pick themselves up and go at it again. I have never, in my life, seen someone like Ashleigh behave in such a way before.

This girl was hysterical and so real, and I felt so embarrassed for her. I hope I never get to the point where I am desperate for a man. I mean, I give her mad credit for fighting for what she wants. But, I also have to be reminded that people cannot force love on someone else. It doesn't work like that.

Personally, I found Michael not even worth being called Mr. Right. He dumps her through Facebook (Like really, really?!) and then has pity sex with her afterwards and just says that "I am a man" ('cause that excuse works every time) and treats her like crap. Still, she goes after him.

Ashleigh is hilarious and a very real woman, who expresses her desperation to find love and how she handles the loss of it. Reader's see her spiral towards near insanity and back again. Manby did an amazing job in forming the main character and really had me laughing at every page.

I was laughing from page one. If you are a fan of Meg Cabot or Sarah Dessen, this book is one for the. While, it is an adult book because of the sexual content, I find that almost anyone who enjoys chick lit can enjoy this book. For a moment I thought this book should be called "What NOT To Do When You Get Dumped" but Manby did an amazing job.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Release Date: August 23rd, 2005
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 336
Format: iBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

This was such a cute story! Taking a break from all the adult novels and stress on school work, I enjoyed this novel a lot. The idea of taking a trip to another country and finding a cute boy on the way is always refreshing.

I have to say an idea like this does not come around often, even though it should.

And while, I really did enjoy this book it did not go without some flaws. First of all I felt that the way that Ginny just up and left was not something that could just happen. If an aunt that I loved and cared dearly just died and now I'm getting her letters asking me to do this? Well, I'm not sure I could handle the situation well. And I know for a fact my parent's would never let me leave the country on my own if I were Ginny's age.

Second, I felt like the pace was just too slow in some areas and two fast in another. And then there was the fact that there really wasn't much back story on Ginny herself. She was just there, a girl, and it was like she was just doing this out of some obligation. And not to mention the boy coming out of nowhere. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not a fan of insta-love. It's irritating and unrealistic. And while this is fiction, I would like to point out that these are supposed to be people who are based in our world, so obviously those rules of attractions have to apply.

I also didn't like Ginny had no personality. It was like she was going through the motions as stuff was happening to her and she would react like, "Oh, I should do this." There was no feeling from her at all. It was like a mannequin would have more life than her.

I think that had to be my biggest problem out of everything in this book.

Cute and sometimes funny this book could make for a quick read or a slow one, depending on how you take it. I can't say that I completely and utterly loved it... but I didn't loath it either. So, we'll see how I feel about Johnson later on.