I loved Good Girls Say Yes so much I couldn't put ...
921464
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book
5 stars
Penny Wylder has done it again! I loved Good Girls Say Yes so much I couldn't put it down! It was by far my favorite from Penny! I loved Emma and Matthew and I loved their story.  It was a beautiful story about embracing a part of yourself that you may not know was there or were to scared to let out. Another hit Penny cant wait to read more!
4371847
Queen in lingerie was so good I cant believe it done I want more of this story it captivated me in so many levels , it spoke to my soul and make me so happy. In this book we could see a goal different side of Con because he shows his love for Muse  the was he old her in his arm and kissed her and make love to her was breathtaking. I could not  put the book down even when at was at school,I couldn't concentrate on anything else. Muse also show a different side of her more soft and relaxed ,more in love that ever. We can also see Vanessa a little in this book and Im looking forward to her store. Penelope you outdone yourself with this series. I cant. Get enough of this family Im looking forward for more ,thanks for you job.
2670733
From the moment I picked up the cover, it spoke to me. What a treasure box to open up this book and discover twenty incredible women who live fully and admire. Each woman tells her story and the photographic portraits showcase the beauty of their feminine power. Step into a private listening booth, one on one, and listen to these sisters. They have something important to teach us readers. I first heard Sagashus. I heard her on the radio, Wisconsin Public Radio, when I was driving across town. I listened to a voice I could trust because I heard her heart, her honesty. Then I heard her speak at the Fox Cities Book Festival and several of the women whose stories were included here and the photographer gave a moving presentation. When I opened the book, it was even more than I expected. Each woman tells her own story in her own words. That creates an intimacy between writer and reader where truth and beauty are found between the covers of a great book. Brilliant.
3494019
This book blew my mindI had no idea what to expect out of this book and lets just say it made the world around me stop.  Once I got into the book I had to finish it.  There is so much that happens from beginning to end and every part is just as amazing as the next.
Raya is a determined, strong-willed, beautiful girl that has been dealt a bad deal in life, yet she still does her best to overcome it.  She has a dick as a step-dad.  She is just trying to bide her time until she turns 18 so that she can take her mother away from this man and get free.  For her final year of high school they move again and she starts at a new school.  She is lucky to meet some pretty special people at this school and she finally is starting to see what it is like to have good and happy days.  But the bad thing is Craig is always there to remind her of her place and the rules.
Duke, Melanie and Rob become great friends to Raya during their senior year.  Duke is the gorgeous jock, who has the heart of gold.  He first befriends Raya.  Their friendship is perfect but you could see from their first meeting that there was more between them just neither was ready for it yet.
The tragedies that occur in this book are mind blowing; they make you hold your breath hoping for the storybook.  But just in life, sometimes there has to be bad things that happen to people but they are able to come out the other side a stronger person for living through it.
The dedication, love and loyalty that we see from Duke just pulls at your heartstrings and makes you fall in love with him.  The strength determination and willingness to never give up that Raya shows us throughout this story is amazing.  Even when it all seemed to be falling apart around her she never truly gave up, she did what she needed to survive.  It was amazing to read
I loved this book.  The story of Raya and Duke is a love story against all odds.  It is so full of action, suspense, drama, tragedy, and LOVE.  I cant say enough good things about this book; I cant wait to see what Madison Street has in store for us in book #2.
1808855
After I got over the initial ugly crying I was doing at the end of reading this book, I had to just smile.

What a powerfully written, and strong piece of young adult fiction. Yes, it was another story about the love of a good woman saves the bad boy.

But was Alex really a bad boy?

At the heart of it he was only doing what he felt was going to be saving his family from being killed. Deep down he wanted a real future with real possibilities. Every inch of this story was laced in good writing, strong story-line, and great character development and evolution. The characters weren't stuck in some desperate pattern of self loathing--nope they worked to be better people. I think that is missing a lot in the young adult reading genre. People latch onto the whole, "Teenagers are just know it all whiners."

Are they?

Absolutely!

However, not all are like that, and if something great enough happens to them, and if people take notice to potential they become better people.

I was moved by the love story, I was sucked in to what was going to happen. I think I have casted this as a movie in my head. I am so hoping that this might become a movie. It is so great.

Do happy endings happen in real life?

Do the bad guys sometimes win?

Yes and yes.

However, there was tragedy wrapped up with the happy ending this book had. Not everyone survived the violence this book was trying to get across--but it also opened eyes, and created new doors to make the place where this book took place, possibly change.

*I own a paperback copy of this book I purchased from the Friends of the Library book store.*
1316256
I can't express how much I loved Becca and Jason. Their story was touching, sweet, supportive, and emotional.  The high school sweethearts that learn to love together. They grow and change together. Their support of the other when needed was sweet and real.  I loved getting more of Nell and Kyle, then Colt, from the outside. It pulled the story together nicely. The hurdles that Becca had to overcome we're heartbreaking, but Jason's love was amazing and helped her through it. I think I could read about Becca and Jason forever.
608717
I wasn't sure what I was going to think about the book but I am a huge fan of indulging in reading and the author had posted her link. By the end of the book I wasn't ready for it to be over. Maybe it was the fact that every place Spencer went my own husband had gone to that made it so relatable. So many things made my heart clench that I couldn't stop reading.  I love a good love story and this did not disappoint.
2449689
This book took my soul to a whole another level love can be so powerful and that song brave yes tells the story perfect I hope it be a part 2 cause I want them to be together but there had to leave each other in order to be one
563904
I'm not typically a romance reader but decided to give this book a try.  Wow!  I'm so glad that I did.

I loved so much about this story of 5 unique women who shared a flat in Chicago.  Even though they didn't usually see much of each other due to their schedules, they do end up spending a Saturday together which leads to "the dress".

Getting to know these characters was easy with the author's fluent writing style that clearly shapes their personalities.  They are so well developed that I could almost hear their different accents and the sounds of their voices.

It was truly impossible for me to choose a favorite character between these very likeable ladies.  They all contributed so much to form this bond of friendship.  On the other hand, some of the guys were not so easy to care for.  I will say that I was pleased with how things turned out, for the most part, and I came to feel a closeness to these women and could relate to each of them in different ways.

If you enjoy a story of romance that goes so much deeper than most, you are in for a treat.  I highly recommend this wonderfully written novel.
659952
Wow. That was the one thing on repeat in my head after reading only a couple of chapters. I had so many hopes and dreams for this novel and it had gotten me scared. I didn't want to expect too much and end up disappointed because of it.
Yet, after those first chapters, I got that inkling feeling. That feeling that tells you you're going to be smitten, you're going to fall in love and you're going to hug a certain book so hard in order to give it all the love you've got to give.
That's what it did to me, guys. It really did.

I have to mention that this is my first ever Marie Lu novel, so I wasn't familiar with her writing style at all. Now I am!
I can say that I love the way she built the complete Warcross-world, I thoroughly enjoyed her elaborate and beautiful descriptions. To me, it felt like I would be there if I just closed my eyes. No need to say I was actually wishing it was possible to do just that?

Apart from the world-building, I admire the way she created her characters. They're diverse, they're their own person and I loved them all.
Emika? Let's just say she's just become one of my favorite bad-ass girls out there. She knows what she wants and, even when she sees no way out, she'd still try and reach her goals. Fighting for what you want? That's an extra point earned right there.
As for Hideo, something just lured me in from the start. The distance he keeps with everyone was perfectly interwoven with those sparse sensitive moments. It kept me wanting more and more.
Of course, there are some other characters as well - doh, Emika has a whole team surrounding her in Warcross - and it's the only minor remark I have: I wish we got a closer look to all the relationships and friendships and whatnot going on between them. Give them each more of a backstory, get to know them better.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed to discover all those things in the sequel though!

Warcross was, simply put, a roller coaster. Not only when it comes to the action and beautiful descriptions, but feelings as well. Marie Lu writes in such a fashion that I could barely put her novel down and I love her for it. She's addictive!

I honestly cannot wait to read more of her work. I can't.
Will someone please sent me all of her others books? Like, stat?

4,5 / 5!

Kathy

I paid full-price for this book. All opinions are entirely my own. I'm not being compensated in any way.
4277114
It was up to us how we used those experiences. We could let them own us, or we could let them be the journey they were meant to be, the stepping stones to a better life, a better self. Each moment, good or bad, a tool to give us the strength we needed to be the person we were supposed to be.
**

I just finished the most amazing story. It was everything. It pulled me from a week long reading slump and reenergized my love for all the words. Higginson once again shows her incredible ability to pull the reader in with captivating words, beautiful romance, and intriguing characters. Very intriguing, BEARDED, characters. Oh, Killian Quinn, you sexy thing you!!

**
It was the please that did it. His please would always do it. The word sounded too fragile for his filthy mouth, too sweet to come from someone so hard. I didn't stand a chance.
**

Yes, I absolutely loved Killian. Although he comes off hard and unapproachable at first, his walls slowly fall and this amazing man emerges. He shows Vera a side of him that no one else gets to see. And Vera, being hurt before, takes him in strides. She doesn't want to find herself in another relationship ever again. Especially with the likes of Killian; her competition. But as their "friendship" grows through hilarious hijinks and late night fun, she sees that he is nothing like the man from her past. The one that had broken her down and had her fleeing to another country.

I loved the idea of a story based on a girl starting her own food truck, too. These trucks are a big deal now. Unfortunately I have never ate from one yet. Hard to when you live in the sticks. Maybe one of these days. Largely if the menu is as great as Vera's. My mouth watered nonstop throughout the book at all the deviousness that Vera and Killian were serving up. I probably gained just 10lbs just thinking of it all while reading this edible delight of a story.

And the romance. It was beautiful, fun, sexy, and sweet. My heart did little pitter patters when the scene got romantic and I swear I had a perpetual smile on my face the whole time. How could I not with a guy like Killian Quinn. He is a definite favorite of mine from here on out. Many book boyfriends will have to try and measure up to him.

Higginson has another book that will lead off from this one coming in July. And I am already giddy with excitement for it. I saw the chemistry and the angst coming from these characters and just knew they had a story to tell.

So there you have it. 5 Delicious Stars!!
4367404
Ever since venturing into contemporary romances with Fifty Shades of Grey, I've been weary of picking up another super-hyped story. I tentatively went into On Dublin Street with a friend's promise that it was nothing like Christian and Anna's story, and I have to say that I am pleased to report she was telling the truth, lol. I absolutely adored this book and will be perusing all of Samantha Young's back catalogue very soon!

Jocelyn was a bit Mary Sue, rich and unknowingly beautiful, but I liked her spunk and her back story broke my heart. I believed that she would have trouble dealing with her past and that it would make her scared to become too close with anyone new.

Braden was a little too alpha male for me sometimes, but I felt like he did truly cherish Joss and realized that he needed to change for her. I liked that he was so close to his family and, though a bit of an overbearing ass, was good to the people he cared about.

I loved Joss and Braden's meet cute in the taxi, very well done. Their relationship was the expected back and forth, but I enjoyed all the little sweet moments and self-realizations they both made. I liked that they both had to grow and mature to be right for one another and that they were both, in the end, willing to open themselves up to heartbreak in order to have a life together.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series, though I was hoping for a complete Ellie and Adam book instead of a short story. I do like that Ms. Young is switching up the main characters, as I feel Joss and Braden's story had a satisfactory ending, but I'm less than sold on Johanna's character. I will trust in Samantha Young's writing though and will definitely be picking up a copy once it releases.
1791898
Its been so long since I read a book that kept me up late. How to Say I Love You Out Loud by Karole Cozzo was one of those books. I loved so many things about it. The somewhat unlikeable main character, the sweet romance, but especially the personal journey Jordyn embarks on.

Ill admit that when I started How to Say I Love You Out Loud I was unsure about ever seeing the end. Jordyn isn't the most noble of characters. She shows that right away too. It was hard to look past but Im so happy I was able to and that the rest of the story kept me so captivated. Jordyn has always had to take a backseat to her autistic brothers needs. Shes come to terms with that, but she still has a long way to go in accepting her brother and the life the whole family must lead. She definitely redeems herself in the end.

I don't think Ive ever read a YA with an autistic character/family member. I loved that while this family was vastly different than mine it was so easy to see some of myself in there. Jordyn struggles so much with what people will think of her. It was beautiful to see her overcome that.

Of course, theres also some spectacular romance. Alex was such a good guy. It would be impossible not to fall for him. Theres some really great chemistry and tension between Jordyn and Alex and I adored watching it all unfold.

How to Say I Love You Out Loud was a supremely original YA contemporary. Its about family at its heart. I had a difficult time putting it down and the ending was so rewarding. I hope you read it and love it as much as I did.
1094115
Lauren Layne's books are an auto-buy for me, and I've been counting down the days waiting for Good Girl to magically appear on my Kindle. Thanks to two train rides and an evening in, I devoured this book in a few hours.

Layne excels at creating characters who are complex and interesting, filling her stories with emotion, romance, and tons of humor, and Good Girl is no exception. I truly adored both Jenny and Noah. This was a wonderful, sexy read that's definitely a keeper!
4877084
Oh how much of a sucker I am for adorkable, best friends-to-lovers stories? The answer is a HUGE! I just cannot help but fall in love with them while they're slowly realizing they're falling for each other. So when I saw this book and the chance to review it, I jumped on it quicker than you could say adorkable. And did I love it so much.

Sally (Sal for short) is tired of her mom and best girl friend trying to always set up on dates with random people, so she enlists the help of her childhood best friend, Becks. She asks her to pretend to be her boyfriend for a time and with it, to get off the meddling duo off of her back. What nobody knows is that Sal is actually in love with Becks, has been for a long time and this is like a dream come true. But if the dream stays true or reality steps in the way will only turn out at the end if at all.

I love Sal. I see myself so much in her, it was kind of frightening. Shes very smart, and a huge geek. Her love for Star Wars is just like mine and every reference for that or Harry Potter makes my heart sing in delight. She is just like a real teenager, someone I wish I couldve been her age. Shes sweet and caring and a joy to read about.
Becks on the outside is like every typical high school jock. Hes good looking, cocky, popular with all the girls and has a weird habit that helps them win their games. But on the inside, the side that only a selected close friend know, hes one of the sweetest, funniest guys ever. He loves Sally to pieces and even their friendship  not to mention their relationship  has such a great chemistry, which makes this book such a good and enjoyable read.

Meeting his gaze, I forced out the words, Ready to make it official?
Becks grinned, and the sight of that familiar expression, the look in those eyes Id loved forever, was enough to strengthen my resolve.
Reaching up, I gave myself no time to reconsider.
My lips were on his the next instant, meeting, feeling, rejoicing in this moment Id never thought but always hoped would happen. I knew Becks was surprised, could feel it in the stiffness in his shoulders, the tight set to his mouth. But it didn't matter. I was kissing Becks, my best friend, my Han Solo, my one. This was the best moment of my life. I was certain it couldn't get any better.
But then Becks started kissing me back.
His arms wrapped around my waist, his lips guiding mine, as he went from passive passenger along for the ride to full-on conductor. I gasped as he bent me back over his arm, and felt him grin through the kiss. My toes just skimming the floor, supported almost entirely by Beckss strength, I was happy to let him lead. Becks wasn't just a great kisser. He was a master. Far as first kisses go, it was a showstopper.

Who I really hate in this book (and that is my reason for lowering the five stars by a half) are Sals mom and best friend. They. Are. Horrible. Both of them act like being 17-18 and enjoying the single life (and secretly pining for your best friend) is the end of the world and a girl NEEDS to have a boyfriend to live a full life. I hated their attempts to set up Sal with losers or girls or anyone they come across. Their tries make me really angry and if I had a mother/friend like her, I probably wouldve ran away from home.

I just love the storyline of this book. It didn't really have any of those annoying tropes  okay, there was a tiny love triangle, but nothing we cant get over. Friends-to-lovers type of stories are one of my favorites and OGorman doesnt fail to bring us an entertaining story. The ending is satifsying, I couldn't have wished for a better one.

Adorkable is a sexy, funny, fast-paced story that I finished in one setting. If you are looking for some cute afternoon read, I definitely recommend this one to you. Sal and Becks will capture your heart, be it older or younger and will hold it long after you finished their book.
829324
I must say that I went to into reading this book completely blind. It was recommended to me by one of my friends and since she always gives good recommendations, I decided to give it a try
. I vaguely remember coming across the topic of reverse harem on one of the blogs I read. I didn't realize I could enjoy this topic so much until now. One girl and multiple hot guys. All of them are caring, nice but yet so different. I love how the author was able to develop each of the characters in this book. You don't feel like you are missing out on any of them. The main character tested my patience sometimes. I could not get in tune with her but I have grown to like her after reading more and more. Group of guys who are part of the Academy ( I'm currently on book 4 and still  have no freaking idea what the academy really is) take this girl under their protection. She had a hard life and is not very trusting but there is something about those boys that she can't resist. It is not all about relationship between her and the boys. There is mystery and the story actually flows pretty nicely. If you can get past the fact that bunch of teenagers are solving world problems like it's an everyday norm then you will like this book. The writing style is captivating and Iike the chemistry between the characters. I think Brandon is my favorite but I like them all. Book 5 will be released on October 17th 2016.
1607490
"Dare Truth or Promise" made me smile, laugh, and cry. Reactions like that don't come out of me with just ANY book, only the good ones. After I finished it for the first time I felt myself wanting more because it was too good. I didn't want it to end. So I did the only thing that could be done at the time--- I reread it and have read it so many times since then.

I still love it. "Dare Truth or Promise" is and will probably forever be my favorite lesbian young adult novel. Of the ones I have read, I just don't feel as attached to the characters as I am with Willa and Louie. Louie is comedic and a huge chatterbox, while Willa is the complete opposite. But the two end up falling for each other... and problems escalate that threaten their relationship.

Unlike some of the other YA lesbian novels I've bought and regretted soon after reading, I will never regret the day I purchased this one.

Now if only I could find more books as touching as this one!