caren reads.

I really enjoyed this one!! Review to come.

My favorite of the series! Better review closer to pub date.

Disappointed that I was asked to pay $1.99 for what should have been free to fans of the series, but I did enjoy seeing the early days of Four's transfer into Dauntless, and how he got his nickname. Will probably refrain from buying the future novella's if they're all this short, though.

By far the best in the series. Reading then one after another gave me a good glimpse into how much JLA's writing improved between book one and Origin. Can't believe I have to wait until 2014 for the next one.

Evil cliffhanger is evil.

I told the girls I was nervous about this one, because I figured there was no way they could make me fall for another like I did for Max. But I was wrong, because they absolutely did. I am smitten with Will and Hanna both and I adored their story.Better review to come closer to pub date.

This little gem was full of all the dirty things and characters we've come to love from the Beautiful series, and I have to admit that I liked this one quite a bit more than Bitch. If for no other reason because Max and Sara were in it. Don't get me wrong, I like Chloe and Bennett, but I seriously loved Max and Sara. A lot. I was so happy to read about them again, I think they could have been playing bingo and discussing the merits of bread and I still would have enjoyed it.Of course that's not what they're doing. Oh no.I'm not going to go into details, because it's much more fun to find out everything that's happening in this little treat all on your own, but... there are clubs and strippers and watching and frustration and ulcers and grand theft auto and a guy named Mike Hawk and one with a fabulous mustache. Plus there were several laugh out loud moments, a whole lot of lovin' and my favorite: Max saying "Petal," and killing me absolutely dead every single time. I loved reading about the boys being boys and of course, the boys being men and being reminded that I really like this series a lot by getting a glimpse into their lives all over again.

DNF at 32%: This one's just not for me.

Merry's lived her entire adult life as the fat girl; up until a year ago when she started taking control of her eating. Now that she's down a hundred pounds, she's celebrating with a trip to Scotland where she plans to hike her way across the country and finish in the town where her now dead mother grew up.Unfortunately (or fortunately, maybe) for her, after about two weeks hiking, she's suddenly stricken with a bout of illness that lands her stranded and seeking help from the only possible option. A small cottage in the hills.Inside that cottage lives Rob, a reclusive man who's abandoned everything in his life to live simply. Away from everyone, just the way he likes it. And when Merry knocks on his door bloodied and ill, not even he can turn her away.What begins as one frightened, lonely man helping out a girl who's only just recently discovered that she's more than just what she looks like on the outside, quickly becomes more when secrets are revealed (and obviously, clothes are taken off). This is Cara McKenna, ya'll.Honestly, this wasn't what I expected at all. You know my bad habit of neglecting summaries and instead going: ooh, hot man on the cover, MUST READ. So yeah. I was surprised. I've read quite a few of Cara's books, and I found this one to be quite a bit different. Not bad different, just...not what I expected. Because instead of a dominant man, she gave us a dominant woman. Which I liked, but I had a little trouble dealing with a man who doesn't take what he wants. I like strong men. But Rob definitely got me. That is after I forced myself to stop picturing him like this...And started picturing him a little more like this:During the first 25% or so, I was a tiny bit bored because, like I said, this is Cara...and I was waiting for something to happen. And waiting, and waiting... But now that it's over I'll say that the anticipation was a good thing, because it made the actual *ahem* acts that much better once it finally did come (lol). So if you're like me, DON'T GIVE UP. Just hang in there. It's worth the wait. This book totally got me in the feels like you wouldn't believe, because there's just so much each of these characters is dealing with, and when they're together...it's sweet and hot and yeah, I really just loved it. And the end. There was no epilogue which you know I'm fond of, but I still finished this with a huge smile and the hope that maybe, someday, Cara will give us a little peek into more of their life in the future. ;)

I have to admit that I think I cheated myself on this book. I loved the beginning. Between Maise's voice, their first meeting and my god, the car-sex, I was completely sold on all of Raeder's pretty words. But after that I expected this deep forbidden love story, and to be honest I never really felt it. I kind of found things a bit repetitive and somewhat boring. And I think that's probably my fault. I was reading all the things and had a busy week and I just couldn't properly enjoy this the way I think I would have had I not had so many distractions. I think I'll have to make a day of re-reading this again in the future to see if that was the case or if I just didn't connect with this book the way others did.

Meg's spent her life chasing after Mr. Wrong, and now that she's about to hit the big three-oh, she's decided it's time to find Mr. Safe, instead.But when she runs into an old one-night-stand from years ago on her first day living in a new city, well... let's just say her plans go a little haywire. Because Reed Porter isn't a man who can be resisted. He's all military southern gentleman with a cheeky side. And I mean, really, who can blame her? A man in uniform with an accent? where do I sign up?Let me tell y'all...this book had my feels workin' overtime. There was good banter, good smut, a little dirty talkin', some angst, good smut, oh and some fluffy sweetness, too. It was a fun, lighthearted and cute read--for the most part. There were some parts where I wanted to throw my phone, but it all came together in the end and I even got an epilogue that I adored. So all in all, I'm a happy camper. This was just the right book to pick me up after a bad day!

As someone who spends a lot of time reading YA/NA, this book was refreshingly mature. Louder Than Love was without all the high school drama, and instead filled with strong characters and a story that had me by the heart. I was captivated from beginning to end.Katrina Lewis lost her husband three years ago, and she still hasn't moved on. Even with the encouragement of her friends, it's not until her four and a half year old daughter Abbey's obsession with a cartoon cat brings a new man into their lives that she finally feels ready to take the next step.Adrian Graves has been out of the public eye for years, and when he receives an e-mail from Katrina requesting that he perform at a public library--for children--he's sure it's a joke.But it's not.Katrina's daughter loves Maxwell Macgillikitty, and by extension, Katrina's grown her own infatuation with the man behind the voice she hears so often. Which means that even before these two meet, there's something there. It takes some convincing, but somehow she finally gets him to agree.And when they're finally face to face--him smelling of Jack Daniels, and her reeking of disapproval, let's just say that sparks fly.What follows is, like I said before, a very adult relationship between two people who have ghosts in their past they're not quite ready to reveal yet. And when they're together...god, it's just lovely. I enjoyed pretty much every character (except Grant, he deserved that punch to the face!). But Katrina, she was strong without being pigheaded, and Adrian was sweet (I died every time he called her 'luv'), or any time he interacted with Abbey. And Abbey...she was precociously adorable. Every piece of these peoples' lives worked so well and just made this book so enjoyable. And though it was a bit rocky at some points, it wasn't overdone or annoying--it felt real.Highly recommended to anyone looking for a peek into an epic true love story.

Having enjoyed another of Simone's books, I decided to give this one a look. Especially after reading the blurb about this being similar to Friday Night Lights. I'm a pretty big football fan, and I was a pretty big FNL fan, too...so yeah, this book was definitely for me.Going in, I immediately liked Derek, a high-school kid turned prankster who's just been expelled from school for setting pigs loose at graduation. Which puts a definite a kink in his summer plans because he soon realizes he has no choice but to move across the country with his new step mom, Brandi, and her son, Julian. Which is where we meet Ashtyn. Who just happens to be Brandi's little sister, and the girl who's just been voted captain of her high school football team.Ashtyn and Derek have an almost immediate spark. I mean, she stabs him with a freakin' pitchfork and locks him in a shed after mistaking him for a thug. It was pretty funny. And Derek, being the calm, cool and collected southern boy, takes it all in stride. Throughout the a lot of the book, this is how their interactions go. She bitches; he laughs at her. In a cute way. I liked it. And I thought they bantered pretty well together. All in all, I liked this book. It was a quick, easy read that didn't require much to keep up with and ended well (even without an epilogue).I did, however, have a few complaints. First, I felt like there was a little too much tell and not nearly enough show here. I like to make my own assumptions based on characters' actions, not have things told to me over and over so I'll believe it. In this case, it was Derek being a bad-boy. He wasn't a bad-boy at all. I saw him as a sweet guy with a snarky attitude and about five million pounds of guilt on his shoulders, but that's about it. And Ashtyn...she kept insisting she was the chick who didn't whine, complain or cause drama, yet she caused a lot of it. And after she realized she liked Derek, she whined a lot. Which annoyed me a lot.The second thing was definitely the whole we've-only-seen-each-other-for-five-seconds-but-I-think-I-LOOOOOVE-you vibe. I mean, I realize they're teenagers. But when I was seventeen it so wasn't like that. Maybe at fourteen, yeah. Not seventeen. But hey, this is fiction, and it is a romance. So I dealt with it because I was invested in the story. I do wish there'd been more football and less dramalama, but Simone still pulled me into these characters' lives and like I said before, I enjoyed it. I adored Derek, and Julian and of course, Grandmother. Even though I was afraid she would be an uber-bitch, she turned out to be a total teddy bear, which I think was absolutely perfect.So yeah, if you're looking for something easy with some cute moments and a little bit of football, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Seeing all the buzz around this book in my Twitter feed made me run straight over to request a copy so I could read it immediately. Especially after I read the summary. I mean, how often do we encounter a boy who's a virgin? I don't think I've ever read it before, to be quite honest. So yeah, I was sold. Plus? Pretty, pretty cover.And inside that cover? We meet Avery, a nursing student who's as independent as they come. She's kind of a maneater. Not looking for a relationship, and completely okay with that. She's funny, and a little quirky, and I liked her character a lot (for the most part). While at a party with her friends, she first encounters the yummy that is Bennett Reynolds...My gaze locked on the guy entering the back door through the kitchen. A red baseball cap was slung low on his head and inky black curls escaped beneath it. His arms were muscular, and his charcoal T-shirt hugged his lean chest. He was Grade A Prime Meat and probably knew exactly how to put those full lips to good use.I'll be totally honest, even though Avery didn't annoy me *much*...Bennett was why I kept reading. After these two strike up a friendship, Lee had me totally sucked in. The sexual tension between them was smokin' hot. "I like when you wear your hair down." He twined his fingers through the ends of my curls and it sent a shiver ricocheting through my body."You haven't come up," he breathed against my ear."I figured it was time to be a big girl and sleep in my own bed," I said."Understood." He held on to my waist and swayed along with me. His fingers trailed beneath the hem of my shirt and a couple of inches upward. I found to keep my breaths under control."I know this is going to sound crazy," he whispered. "But I kind of missed you."*sigh*Serious. Swoons.And it took some time, but Bennett's easygoing sweet side, and his convictions about life and love help Avery start to see that there's something to trusting another person with your heart.Despite the fact that I'm a huge new adult fan, oftentimes I end up disappointed. And while I did feel like the pacing was a bit too rushed in the beginning of the book for my liking, I still enjoyed the heck out of it. Plus, the plot was fresher than others I've read in that the tables were turned and instead of the usual bad-boy we find in books, Bennett was the sweet guy who was saving himself for someone he loved. Who can resist that? It also had a bit of a Wait For You vibe for me, which is one of my very favorites. So that was a definite plus. There were a few editing issues, but considering that I read an ARC, I can forgive that. And yes, there were times when I was annoyed with one or both of them, but for the most part, I enjoyed these characters--not just Bennett, but especially Mrs. Jackson, too. And I also liked the story. Oh, and have I mentioned the sexual tension yet? Because damn.So, in short...I'm pretty sure a lot of people who read and love the same things I do will enjoy this one just as much as me. ;)

"Do you want to die like this?" Mother had asked, that night and every night since then.Lynn's answer never changed. "No."And Mother's response, their evening prayer. "Then you will have to kill."For Lynn, all she's ever known is her Mother and their combined need to protect what's theirs. Mainly: the pond. Because unlike in our world, for Lynn, water doesn't run from faucets or rest in swimming pools. It's the highest commodity there is. Something precious, and to her and her mother, worth killing to protect. With that in mind, Lynn's been raised to trust no one, and that's been working just fine for her. She and her mother have a good system. They work as a team to make their house a home, have clean water to drink and food in their bellies. When threats come, as the summary says, they either leave thirsty...or they don't leave at all.That is, until a tragic accident takes Mother and leaves Lynn to protect the pond, her land and the house she was raised in from being taken all on her own.At its heart, Not a Drop to Drink is very much a coming of age story. It's the blossoming of a young girl who's been so sheltered, she's even threatened by her only neighbor. At first. She soon learns that Stebbs wouldn't hurt a fly, much less her. She also learns that Stebbs isn't the only person she can trust, and that sometimes life has to be about more than just keeping people away. Sometimes you have to let them in.Mindy McGinnis' writing style is simple. Her story isn't overrun with unnecessary details. And it's told in a way that makes sense to Lynn's life, to her character. Details, emotions, pretty much everything is revealed to the reader as it's revealed to her. Which, at first, I questioned. One of my status updates was about that, because I was like, 'okay why don't I know why there's no water?' but as I continued to read, everything made sense. And not only did I fall in love with the story, I also fell in love with every one the main characters. Especially Lynn. She was a badass chick. No fear, no bullshit and fiercely protective of what she considered hers. Which grew to include more than just her land and her pond. I adored Stebbs for his easy way with her--with everyone, really. For how he could have been like Lynn's mother, but never was. He was giving and sweet and more of a father than Lynn's own could have ever been to her. And I don't think this story could have been what it was without Lucy's innocence and feisty attitude to show Lynn that not everything was about work all the time. Oh, and I can't forget Eli. Sweet, sweet Eli. The somewhat shy flirt with the gorgeous voice. He had my heart in his pocket pretty much from the very first time Lynn saw him. There was also Neva and her mom, and Mother, too. I really did just like them all so, so much. They were all equally important to Lynn's growth and made this book so full of emotion and just...I don't have the words!!And even though I looked like this at the end:It was still an amazing story that I'm so sad is over now. There was action, killing, laughs, smiles, swoons, sweet love, anger and obviously, a few tears. But it was worth every second. And you all know I normally wish for epilogues, and in this one, I got my wish...but I didn't want it! I wanted more story and more Lynn and Lucy and Neva and Stebbs and *sob* Eli. MORE ELI, OKAY? But McGinnis didn't take the easy route here; she told a story rife with realness and the hardest lesson we all have to learn: life just isn't perfect all the time. Not even in books.I can't not say this, because if you go into this one looking for romance, you will be disappointed. Yes, it's there. But that is not what this book is about. And in the end, the romance itself...does not end well. But the book does. Let's just put it that way, okay? If you want to know the details, PM me, tweet me, something...and I'll be happy to tell you if you really want the info, but otherwise I'll say this: JUST GO READ IT.** ARC provided via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Better review to come closer to pub date, because there's way too much in this book for me to talk about it without spoiling. So I'll just say this: Jennifer Rush's follow up to Altered did not disappoint. At all. It was just as good as the first and reminded me once again that homegirl can tell one kickass story.