The Secret of Ella and Micha

Title: The Secret of Ella and Micha
Author: Jessica Sorensen
Publication date: Oct 2, 2012
Pages: 316
ISBN: 1939045010

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. 

But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home. 

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can.

He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

When Ella ran away from home she left everything and everyone behind, including her best friend Micha. For 8 months nobody knew where she was or if she was ever coming back, she decides to return home for the summer and is confronted with her past.

Due to a tragic event her life is turned upside down, we follow their journey as Ella struggles to be in control of the new person she created.The romance between Ella and Micha was sweet and steamy. I loved how Micha kept trying to bring his best friend back, one of my favourite situations in the book is that there was no insta-love, they've known each other forever and the feelings between them grew at normal speed. 

The story is told from dual POV's. I liked Micha's POV, it portrayed his strong personality and with their difficult backgrounds made me realise that even if they talk more about love what makes this story enjoyable is the friendship that developed between all of them. The secondary characters Lila and Ethan were charming in their own way and I'm actually looking forward to know more about Lila's story. 

The Secret of Ella and Micha is the first book I've read by Jessica Sorensen It held my interest enough to finish but there was no big reveal and that's the main reason I didn't gave this book more stars I expected more conflict. Overall I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters.

New Adult Contemporary. Mature Content Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

Taking Chances Review

Title: Taking Chances
Author: Molly McAdams
Publication date: Jan 13, 2013
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 432
ISBN: 006226768X

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. 

She finds her self 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.(

I don't know where to begin. Taking Chances by Molly McAdams is an emotional ride and I was left with mixed feelings, my emotions where all over the place and since I don't want to give anything away I will make this review short and sweet.

We are introduced to Harper who is on her way to college far away from her strict Marine father, she is portrayed as pure innocence, at her 18 years, she has never been kissed and knows nothing of the world, her whole life she was surrounded by jarheads and everything changes as soon as her new roommate arrives.

Breanna the roommate becomes her first and only female friend, for the first time in her life she is attending parties where boys pay attention to her, dating etc. I could barely stand Harper and had a hard time believing the reasoning behind her acts.

Chase is Breanna's brother who is introduced to Harper early in the book and just like that she is head over heels with him but doesn't want to admit that she is attracted to him, mainly because he is a one night stand kind of guy. Brandon is a handsome underground fighter and the other love interest, I had to overlook some over the top situations in their relationship. 

 It's difficult to explain my feelings towards this book, at the end, it made me go through so many it made me happy, shocked, in love and angry, some parts were just unrealistic but not enough to make me stop reading.The character that hold my heart was Chase, he transforms so much during the journey that I couldn't help but to fall for him. While reading I had the feeling the story could have been spread into 2 books and I'm glad that wasn't the case.

Things move fast in this book I thought the love interest was rushed in both cases since we are talking about a love triangle.Overall I enjoyed this contemporary novel.

Reason to Breathe Review

Title: Reason to Breathe
Author: Rebecca Donovan
Publication date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: 374
ASIN: B00505AZRS

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where every thing was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible secret. Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

In this book we are introduced to Emma (Emily) Thomas, her life seems perfectly normal from the outside, she is a straight A student at Weslyn High, editor for the school newspaper, soccer and basketball player but what happens when she arrives home is something she is not willing to admit, not even to herself.

Her aunt Carol hates her just because but she stays strong throughout the book. There are some intense scenes that will have your heart pounding.

Emma is going through more struggles than the physical and emotional abuse, she is also making choices for the first time trying to find meaning to her life. I didn't agree with her decisions and at times was hoping for Emma to raise her voice.

Sara is her one and only true friend sometimes was a little cliché but she gave the book the spice you need to be able to breathe at times. Evan Mathews the love interest is totally swoon worthy, and I enjoyed the tension between them.

I found myself frustrated with some situations in the book, it was difficult to conceive the reasons behind them, as I kept reading it was easier to try and understand the mindset, sometimes it's difficult to see a way out when you are so deep into your troubles but yes, from an outsider point of view you want to scream at them.

Rebecca Donovan made a wonderful job portraying all the conflict on Emma's feelings, creating and emotional roller coaster. I kept putting this book aside for months and I'm really glad that I finally had the chance to read it. Make sure you have Barely breathing ( The breathing series #2) because it ends with a mayor cliffhanger. I can't go deep into the story but overall I loved this book.

Incarnate Review

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publication date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062060754

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

In this book we are introduced to Ana, who has spent her whole life thinking she is a no soul, lacking confidence and self esteem thanks to her abusive mother, who reminds her that since the day she was born she's worthless. When Ana turns eighteen she packs her bags to go out on her own looking for answers, knowing the only place that possibly have them is the main city, the city of heart.

Her journey is not off to an easy start, but Ana needs to know her purpose in a community of souls that have been reincarnated for centuries. Sam her love interest, doesn't think Ana is a no soul instead he thinks she's a new soul. Sam offers Ana the friendship she never had and desperately needs, the relationship between Ana and Sam was full of chemistry.

As the story unfolds she finds herself tangled in rules and misunderstandings. Those difficulties are the ones that help her become a stronger, more confident character, and that's something I truly appreciate. Incarnate is set in an amazing world that Jodi Meadows created, however, I would have loved if the world building was more balanced with the romance. I liked the premise and enjoyed the book but was not able to love it.

Overall I loved the concept behind this book and I believe it has a lot of potential for the next installment of the trilogy.

Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Need Review

Need by Carrie Jones

This is the story of Zara a girl from Charleston, after the death of her step father her life takes a radical change, since her mom is unable to pull her out of the depression, she decides to send her away to Main with her grandmother in order to change scenery.

When Zara arrives to Maine weird things happen, a man has been following her and she thinks she is losing her mind, she hates the weather and her life at that point since the one and only father she has known is no longer there and the strange man keeps appearing, fortunately she became friend with Issie a sweet girl from her school and that made her life as the new girl easier.

The story is so well written that I was absorbed immediately into the universe that Carrie Jones created, the book is full of supernatural mystery. A nice touch was that each chapter heading was a phobia and made you understand a little of her thoughts.

★★★★★

Shiver Review:

Shiver (The wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

This book tells the story in a diary style through the two main characters, Sam and Grace, each chapter from alternating points of view. It’s a little difficult to describe what I felt as I read through the pages, I felt love for the characters, sadness of certain situations and happiness in other moments too.

When Grace, being a young child, was attacked by some wolves, she could have never imagined that even now, being a teenager, she will continue to be attached to those yellow eyes that looked right into her soul the very same night she was attacked. Sam, on the other side, is living two lives, one of them watching Grace hidden in the shadows of the winter forest.

The need both characters had for each other was touching, the chemistry between Grace and Sam is awesome, the perfect dose of love.

Maggie Stiefvater has a beautiful way to describe the places and emotions thru the entire book, overall I enjoyed this book and found my self immersed in a magic story. Can’t wait to read the next book.

★★★★

Teach Me Review:

Teach Me by R.A. Nelson

What happens when a high school student and her teacher cross that line?

Teach Me by R. A. Nelson is a powerful novel that readers will not be able to put down. From the very first page, Nine speaks in a voice that is at once raw, honest, direct, and unusually eloquent. "There has been an earthquake in my life," she says, inviting you inside an experience that fascinates everyone-an affair between teacher and student.

This is the story of Carolina “Nine” Livingston and is focused on her emotions, the book is about a really controversial and modern topic, it is about Carolina’s affair with her teacher. I didn’t knew much about this book, just that it was about a student’s affair and at the beginning it took a little effort for me to keep reading, however, just after I read around fifty pages I couldn’t stop.

“Nine” got this feeling thru all her life, the feeling that she didn’t fit with boys her age, thus wanted to have a mature relationship. When English teacher Mr. Mann arrives to her school “Nine” felt an immediate connection, both of them submerged into a deep passionate affair. They focused solely on their love without caring for any side effects or repercussions until there’s a change of path and one of them ends with a broken heart and on the edge of craziness.

The writing is very provocative and poetic, sometimes I didn’t agree with Carolina, and the question I had at the end: Lesson learned? . Overall interesting reading but I do feel there are some loose strings at the end.

★★★★

Scones and Sensibility Review:

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

Polly Madassa is convinced she was born for a more romantic time. A time when Elizabeth Bennet and Anne of Green Gables walked along the moors and beaches of the beautiful land, a time where a distinguished gentleman called upon a lady of quality and true love was born in the locked eyes of two young lovers.

But alas, she was not.

This, however, does not stop our young heroine from finding romance wherever she can conjure it up. So while Polly is burdened with a summer job of delivering baked goods from her parents bakery (how quaint!) to the people in her small beach town, she finds a way to force…um…encourage romance to blossom. She is determined to bring lovers, young and old, together…whether they want to be or not.

My Thoughts:

12 year old Polly Madassa is obsessed with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, she truly believes life is like in Jane Austen novels or Anne of Green Gables, so when her parents, owners of the local bakery, set her up for a summer job in which she have to deliver baked goods to local customers she, as a hopeless romantic, starts a project as a Matchmaker, thus starts interfering in the lives of others, Polly’s real problem is her lack of listening to others, as the story develops things doesn’t go according to her plan.

Polly narrates her story in first person and in an old fashioned flowery language. Sometimes the situations Polly triggered where a little annoying and I found my self wanting to shake Polly and tell her to Wake up. After some ups and downs Polly finally notice love in real life is different form a book.

This is a Cute, fluffy and light read.

★★★

The Dog Walker Review:

The Dog Walker: A Novel by Leslie Schnur

The Dog Walker is the hilarious and heartwarming tale of a single woman's quest for fulfillment. It is about city living--any city, all cities--and the struggle to feel at home in the world. Finally, it is about life itself: bursting with love, and not to be missed.

Nina Shepard is a single woman that lives in New York, in the process of reorganizing her life, in the meanwhile she is working as a dog walker. Being a dog walker allows her entrance into the lives of some of her clients and develops a snooping habit, that later on drives her into trouble.

Nina falls in love with Daniel Maguire a dashing lawyer that’s one of her clients.

Sometimes this book gets a little predictable that’s the reason why I’m not going deeper into this review, I can’t say much if I don’t want to spoil it, its just a fun, light read !

★★

Eclipse Review:

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight Saga, Book #3

Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - Knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

What can I say?, I think anyone with an interest in the supernatural and/or emotional love stories would enjoy every book in the series. I love the conflict and appreciated the flaws in the characters. It reads well and it has more history in it, which I love. I found the history of the Werewolves much more interesting as well as hearing more about the Cullens' history. I really enjoyed the story, start to finish.

Book read (09/19/07)

★★★★★

Eternity Review:

Eternity (Montgomery Saga) by Jude Deveraux

Carrie Montgomery had grown up with seven adoring older brothers, and she was used to getting her way rather easily. Joshua Greene was only looking for a hardworking, practical mail-order bride to help with the farm and feed and clothe his children. Yet from the moment Carrie saw his photograph, saw his devastatingly handsome, sorrowful smile, the petite and pampered beauty knew she was the perfect wife for him.

Josh didn't see it that way. Wed by proxy, he refused to be charmed by his new bride's blond curls and effervescent laughter, or impressed by her trappings of wealth...even if his son and daughter believed she was a fairy princess come to life. He was furious -- and ready to send her packing, until a near tragedy convinced him that her beauty was more than skin-deep. But even after he had yielded to the wild desire that surged between them, Josh could not admit how much he truly needed her. Then an old scandal threatened to re-emerge, and he realized that he could lose her forever....

I love Eternity! I read this novel in one sitting and wish it had been longer. The characters are so well-woven, so wonderfully well developed that I couldn't help but smile when the novel ended.The couple is passionate, the ending is a surprise.

★★★★★

Sense and Sensibility Review:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor´s warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love- and its threatened loss- the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

This novel is an excellent introduction to Jane Austen's works because of its relative simplicity, Austen is a romantic writer.In Sense and Sensibility there are two different views of love that you will explore throughout the novel. In this novel, tow women fall in love in opposite ways. Some think with their heads while others think with their hearts, it is such a delightful book.

★★★★★

Breaking Dawn Review: Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight Saga, Book #4

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life—first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse—seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

** spoiler alert **

Many reviews criticize the happy ending, the early marriage, and motherhood in place of a college education, among various other complaints.I like happy endings and am thrilled she gets to be a mother,about the imprinting that many ppl complaint Jacob makes it clear that it isn't a sexual thing at all while the object the affection is still so young,so this isn't real life,enjoy "the fairy tale"

Read in August 2008

★★★★

The Notebook Review:

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

"I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."

The Notebook, a Southern-fried story of love-lost-and-found-again, revolves around a single time-honored romantic dilemma: will beautiful Allison Nelson stay with Mr. Respectability (to whom she happens to be engaged), or will she hook up with Noah, the romantic rascal she left so many years ago? We're not telling, but you have two guesses and the first one doesn't count. Decades later, after Allison develops Alzheimer's, her beau uses "the notebook" to read her the story of the great love she's plumb forgot.

The story touched my heart and spoke to me in a very strong way. This book makes you want to fall in love all over again. It tells of love we all seek and very few of us find. A lasting and enduring love,the book opens with a short introduction by an old man, and then launches into a love story.We all need to escape into a perfect world every now and then and experience the meaning of true love.

★★★★★

Romeo and Juliet Review:

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Tragic tale of star-crossed lovers, feuding families and timeless passion contains some of Shakespeare's most beautiful and lyrical love poetry.Ideal for classroom use, it is a wonderful addition to the home library of anyone wanting to savor one of literature's most sublime paeans to young love.

This was my first Shakespeare and it certainly won't be my last. Romeo and Juliet is a beautiful story, and it is a marvellous play to introduce young people to the beauty of Shakespeare. Who doesn't like to read about star-crossed lovers?

★★★★★

New Moon Review:

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.

Twilight Saga, Book #2

Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves, roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Another book I did not want to put down...It had a great balance of the many different feelings of main character was having at the time and the author did a marvelous job of portraying those feelings to the reader.

This book will keep you both at the edge of your seat and near tears, as well as laughing and wanting more.

Read in April 2007

★★★★★

Eleven Minutes Review:

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

Eleven Minutes tells the story of young Maria living an innocent life in a Brazilian village and is played out in a measured fashion, but with all the author's brilliant scene-setting (very lush here) fully in place. But then Maria experiences love and suffers great pain. From this point, Coelho has us inexorably in his grip. Maria's disillusionment with love leads her to Geneva where she finally ends up selling her body (Coelho may offer us the beauty of life, but never at the expense of its harshness). Maria's approach to sex is complex--this is no mere revulsion arising from what she is now doing with her life. And then she meets a seductive young painter, who may or may not offer her a new path in life. But does she prefer to continue on the dark sexual odyssey she has embarked on, at the expense of real love?

This novel caught my attention because the novel begins like a fairy tale - "Once upon a time, there was a prostitute named Maria" the story is written with a highly impressive start ,well Maria leaves her home to seek fame and fortune and ends up on the streets. This book talk about how we confuse sex & love.It is sure worth a read.

Read in April 2008

★★★★