[Review] Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Point
Publishing Date: Feb. 25, 2014
276 Pages
Format: paperback, won

Synopsis 

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

My Review

I won a copy of this book a few months ago and it sounded cute, so I couldn't wait to read it! But then life gets in the way and its just sits on the shelf for way too long. I'm so happy I finally read it! This book was a really cute and fun read. Levi and Macallan are best friends, they do everything together, and talk about anything that comes to mind. What I liked so much about this story is that they were just friends for so long, years in fact. Then Levi's feelings change a little, and so do Macallan's. But the fun thing is, its never at the right time. One person is always dating someone else, or living elsewhere. It was very realistic in that sense; life isn't perfect and we can't always be with the person we want at the time we want. Things eventually work themselves out to how they're supposed to be and I couldn't wait to find out what happened between Levi and Macallan. Do they get together, do they stay friends? Get the book to check it out!

*Cover Reveal* The Summer I Fell by Sonya Loveday

 

Riley Clifton can’t remember a time when she wasn’t a part of the Six, a group of rowdy boys who would do just about anything for her. Growing up alongside of six guys is never easy. Especially in high school. Falling in love with one of the Six? Even harder when Ace has a hold of her heart, and he doesn’t even know it.

Jake (Ace) Aceton has loved Riley for a long time, but has kept the secret oath of the Six. Riley was off limits. At least until after graduation. When he overhears Riley admitting to her best friend, Paige how she feels about him, Ace doesn't let his chance slip by. Riley, in his mind, has always been his.

When her college plan falls through, and her future is left to the hands of fate, Riley finds herself scrambling to keep up with all the changes. But that's not the hardest part. The hardest part is saying good-bye, especially to Ace.

Heartache, hard lessons, and a love deeper than her Alabama roots will threaten to crumble Riley’s world as she waits for Ace’s return.

Will Riley and Ace’s love be strong enough to hold them together when life tries to tear them apart?

Sonya Loveday, first and foremost is a reader, an avid one. It is of that love that brought her to the realization that this was the answer to the nagging persistent feeling that ‘there’s got to be something more’.
The dream came alive in 2009 when she purchased her laptop and began the tedious step of becoming a published author.
When she’s not reading, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. And when she’s not doing either of those things she’s sleeping, shuttling her children back and forth to school, letting the dogs and cats in and out of the house for the umpteenth time in the last hour and dreaming of a clean house.

                                                                                 You can find Sonya Loveday here:

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[Review] Mistress by James Patterson

Mistress by James Patterson 
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Publishing Date: Aug. 5, 2013
Format: borrowed, audiobook

Synopsis 

Ben isn't like most people. Unable to control his racing thoughts, he's a man consumed by his obsessions: movies, motorcycles, presidential trivia-and Diana Hotchkiss, a beautiful woman Ben knows he can never have. When Diana is found dead outside her apartment, Ben's infatuation drives him on a hunt to find out what happened to the love of his life. Ben soon discovers that the woman he pined for was hiding a shocking double life. And now someone is out to stop Ben from uncovering the truth about Diana's illicit affairs. In his most heart-pumping thriller yet, James Patterson plunges us into the depths of a mind tortured by paranoia and obsession, on an action-packed chase through a world of danger and deceit.

My Review

Finally finished this book after listening to the audio version for about 2 weeks. I generally don't listen to audio books, but I had been traveling a lot for work, so I picked a few up. Before I get into the book itself, I'll have to say that I wasn't a huge fan of this speaker/recorder. I don't know if it was his voice or just the way he delivered the story; not a huge fan. It wasn't awful, but I prefer listening to others more.

Now onto the book. While I'm a huge James Patterson fan, in my opinion, this wasn't his best or one of my favorites. The main character really bothered me and I couldn't connect with him at all. From the very beginning he just irritated me. Maybe that's why I wasn't too thrilled about the book. Overall, the storyline was pretty good and there were definitely a lot of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I think had I not been so annoyed with the main character, I might have enjoyed it a bit more. Unfortunately, just not my favorite of Patterson's work, but that won't stop me from reading everything else he writes! (:  

[Review] Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling 
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publishing Date: 1997
310 Pages
Format: hardcover, purchased

Synopsis 

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in ten years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

My Review

I'm sure I don't need to give a lengthy reason as to why I love this book, as so many others already know what's so great about it! But I'll tell you why anyways! I first read Harry Potter years ago...probably pretty close to when it came out. I'll admit, when it first came out, I couldn't get into it; there was just something about a cat changing into a person that I couldn't get past. But then my family and I took a vacation to Colorado; a road trip, to be more exact, so I had a lot of time to read. I read the first three books on this trip and remember stopping at a books store while still in CO to pick up the Goblet of Fire! Since that time, I was hooked.

These books are about so much more than just a magical world with good guys and bad guys, and Harry always finding himself in the middle. It's about friendship, family and love. I feel like every time I read these books, I learn a little bit more about this. The friendship that Harry, Ron and Hermione have is so great! They have their ups and downs, and get into arguments. But they always find a way to patch things up and grow from their experiences. I guess this applies to the entire series, but I love the first book because we're learning along with these three friends what Hogwarts is all about and what it means to live in this magical world. It's a fun and entertaining book that is very well written. It may have been intended for children/teenagers, but there's no surprise why it appeals to people of all ages.

Feature and Follow Friday! 6.6.14

Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers. But you have to know, the point of this hop is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. 

The general rules are: 

- Follow the Feature and Follow Hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read)

- Follow the Featured Bloggers

- Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 

-Grab the button up there and place it in a post. This post is for people to say hi and that they are now following you in your comments. 

-Follow, Follow, Follow as many as you can. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Don't just follow, comment and say hi in the post! Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say 'hi'

-If someone comments and says they are following you, please follow back! 

This weeks question: what are your non-book guilty pleasures? TV shows, food, hobbies, etc.

I love watching Nashville, Hart of Dixie, Criminal Minds... I could go on and on. Basically, tv is my guilty pleasure. But I also love food! Specifically sweets, so I try not to keep them in the house too much (: 

[Review] We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

We are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Publishing Date: May 1, 2014
208 Pages
Format: ARC, ebook

Synopsis 

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about a relationship between two sister, Nell and Layla. Both are in high school and have always been really close. But then Nell learns a secret about her sister and things start to change. And its a big secret, one she's having a hard time keeping to herself. Honestly, I'm not sure how I'd react in that case. Nell has so much going on in her own life, and being a freshman in high school isn't easy. On top of that, she knows Layla's secret. She seems to handle it fairly well, but most of the book is about this secret, so we don't know too much of what else is going on in her life. Like I said, I don't know what I'd do in this situation. I don't have a sister, but I do have two brothers who I'm very close with, so I can kind of relate.

This story was well written and an interesting novel. I haven't read anything else by Reinhardt, but this was a great first one for me to read! The story line kept me interested and I wanted to find out what happens. I really wish I found out more at the end though! It kind of leaves you hanging! Sometimes I like that, but in this case, I want to know!

Top Ten Tuesday! 6.3.14

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the The Broke and the Bookish. Every week she posts an idea for a 'Top Ten' list relating to books, and encourages other book bloggers to respond and participate. All the details are listed on her site. 

This week's topic: Top ten books that will be in my beach bag this summer

Well I don't make it to the beach very often, but this is what I'm looking forward to reading this summer! I feel like summer is always a good time to read young adult books - not sure why, but it feels right, so that's what a lot of these are! (: 

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han 

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler 

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Something Sweeter by Candis Terry

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Forgotten Daughter by Renita D'Silva

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti

The Program by Suzanne Young

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

The Other Summer Girl by Sarah D. Towne