Review: What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.

Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.


My review: 

I actually finished reading this morning, but I wanted to give myself time away and occupied with other things to let my feelings and the story filter through my brain before I tried to review the book on the whole.

Sid. Apart from the red hair, I was Sid in high school. Not fat, but pudgy enough to feel less attractive than the girls she hangs out with - and that's a scarydamn place to be. Not for the first time, I'm happy I went through it in the 80s. For all the bad hair and legwarmers, the threat that ultimately lead to her downward spiral wasn't there. Not yet.

The story itself. Hard as it was to read, it felt very real to me. The rationalizations, the way her mind twisted everything and the self-assurance that she had everything under control. Full codicil here - I've never suffered from an eating disorder, so I can't say whether this meshes with a real struggle. I just know that it read very genuine to me.

A word about Corey. Or a few. And lots of love. I'll admit to wondering where the connection was for him, and why he stayed after the two screaming outbursts, until the confession on the night of her birthday. Then it clicked and it wasn't as unrealistic as I'd first thought. The final fight, of course, when she completely snapped, had me crying. Crying for her, crying for him. The confession right before it.

I think what I loved most about this story is how...natural it was. From the way that one action, that one run, made Sid feel something not miserable and how that blossomed into her path to self-destruction. How she seemed to normal to everyone else, how she convinced herself it was fine, the small bursts of temper that hinted at the iceberg underneath. And I like that it wasn't wrapped in a pretty bow at the end. The story reaches its conclusion, the loose ends are tied up, but the reader is left to take these characters' futures onward in their own imaginations.

I, for one, hope for New York.

Review: Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep

Crimson Frost by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes—the most hideous face I’d ever seen. No matter how hard I tried to forget what had happened, I saw him everywhere I went. It was Loki—the evil god that I’d helped set free against my will.

I should have known that my first official date with Logan Quinn was destined to end in disaster. If we’d gotten into a swordfight, or been ambushed by Reapers, I’d have been more prepared. But getting arrested mid-sip at the local coffee hangout? I didn’t see that one coming.

I’ve been accused of purposely helping the Reapers free Loki from his prison—and the person leading the charge against me is Linus Quinn, Logan’s dad. The worst part is that pretty much everyone at Mythos Academy thinks I’m guilty. If I’m going to get out of this mess alive, I’ll have to do it myself…


My review:

I had this on preorder from the second it was available, so it was delivered to my Kindle at 3am on Christmas Eve. I had this grand plan. I was going to hold on to it for a month, maybe two. Keep the wait between books 4 and 5 a little less.

As you can see, I didn't make it. I regret nothing.

I stumbled onto this series by accident...and it was the happiest stumble ever.

So onto Crimson Frost. Without spoiling anything, I have to say that when I realized just *why* she called this one "crimson" frost, my heart dropped into my stomach. There may or may not have been a primal scream in there, too.

God. My emotions.

I felt for Gwen, wrongfully accused in front of the whole school full of Mean Girls who already mostly look at her with contempt at best. I have to say I love the way she handled it (yeah, the scene with the gyffon at the library steps had me freaking cheering in my chair. When the thing started growling, I made many, many happy sounds.)

And Logan. I can't help it. I still get shivers when he calls her Gypsy Girl. He's strong, badass, but mostly I love the way they banter with each other and how just...comfortable they were together. After three books of dancing around and denial it was just so lovely to see them together and even see Gwen a little nervous about it.

Speaking of nerves - Alexi and Oliver. That was an unexpected and utterly delightful side plot.

I still, of course, want to kick Linus in his big stupid face.

I said recently in my review of Obsidian that I hated middle books in longer series because they're just that - filler to get to somewhere else. Not this one. It told it's own story, beginning, middle and end as well as furthering the main plot arc. It was exciting, engaging, maddening (plot-wise) and delightful...yet still makes me want book 5 to be available soon. Like yesterday.

And all of this...with nary a love triangle in sight. Glory.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Shelia over at Book Journey. This is where we can share the books that we've read last week and the books we are planing to read this week!

I was originally planning on doing a wrap-up post yesterday, but pulling muscles in your back tends to curtail one's blogging a wee bit. Thanks in no small part to Salonpas patches, I can at least wrap up what I'm reading :) I'll try to wrap up again on Sunday.

This week is, finally:

I say finally because I got this the day it came out. My Grand Plan was to try and hold onto it for a month or two, to keep the wait for Book 5 feel shorter. I failed abysmally. I know it's going to be over too soon and I'm going to wail and rend garments when I have to wait again...but for now, I'm happily living in Gwen's world with her, Logan, Daphne and Carson and OMG Oliver is breaking my heart.

Last week I read (I do love having time off work and nice, empty weekends):

And this was added to the Legion of Doom

As an aside, you can also find links to my updates on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Links are on the right.

Peace out until next time!

Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

My review:


Now on my second Dessen book and I'm sensing a pattern. My next Dessen book download came from the library while I was reading this one and I'm holding off on that revelation until I have a third to make the final determination.

Onto the review for this one.

I have to say I liked Auden more than McLean. She still had her issues, but in my opinion, she handled hers a little better. Or, maybe more realistically. I also liked that we got to know Eli a little better than we did Dave - there was more time together for the couple, more bonding, and perfect first kiss.

I also loved the secondary characters. Especially Maggie and Heidi. And Adam. Oh, how I loved Adam. I would have had a serious crush on him in high school.

I think what I liked most about the story was the theme of second chances, and the way she wove it through the whole story. Auden's second chance with a happy childhood. Her mother's, her father's. Adam's. Even Eli's. Not all of them were spelled out, but when I thought back over the story as a whole, I found them. Beautifully done.

And, final word...the food fight. Perfectly timed, beautifully executed, and just amazing.

Review: Chasing Nikki by Lacey Weatherford

Chasing Nikki by Lacey Weatherford
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Chase Walker used to be a good kid—charming, athletic, and with a bright future ahead, but that was before travesty struck his life, sinking him into deep despair. Caught up in a world of drugs and alcohol, he doesn’t notice time slipping away until he’s arrested for underage drinking one night.

Fed up with watching her son destroy his life, Chase’s mom relocates him to live in a small ranching community with his ex-military grandfather. Chase is far from happy about the situation until he meets, Nikki, the cute cheerleader who won’t give football players like him the time of day.

Chase enjoys a good challenge though and sets out to claim Nikki for his own. He soon discovers she’s more than a pretty face—she’s a balm to his troubled spirit also. But when tragedy strikes Nikki’s life too, suddenly Chase finds himself put to the ultimate test. Can he trust Nikki, and all that she’s taught him? Will it be enough?

My review:


There won't be much to this review - mostly because the majority of the reasoning behind its 2-star rating is a massive spoiler. As I'm late to the party on this book, it's possible that the secret isn't so secret anymore, but I'm not going to be the one to spoil it for someone else.

Suffice to say, I'm seriously rethinking my stance on not reading reviews before reading the book and I'm very happy I got this book on a day amazon offered it for free. There are reasons I read the genre I do...and one of those reasons is to avoid books that end the way this one did.

The two stars come from the first 2/3 of the book and Chase's deliberate pursuit of Nikki - it was adorably told and I loved the way Chase was with her, adorkably persistent. And I loved that while there was some lingering douche in Chase, the inconsistency in it showed just how much of it was artifice.

And I loved not only the way he plowed his hand into Jeremy's face...and the way the principal wanted the *whole* story.

Surprisingly, not all of my issues were with The Event. I also had problems with Chase's instalove for Nikki - he got pretty damned serious about her pretty damned quick, especially for someone still using chemical and alcoholic escapism to cope. Then there was the timing of the story itself. Namely, the huge jump months in time. That was seriously disconcerting and I had to check page locations to see if I'd somehow got a glitchy copy.

I'll be skipping the second book in the series for one reason - for all the rush, she sold me on the package in this book as being One True and that makes it hard for me to suddenly say "oh...*this* is the one true, huh? Okay. No prob."

Review: Play with Me by Piper Shelly

Play With Me by Piper Shelly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


Ryan Hunter's parties are legend. And tonight she's going to be there.

Liza Matthews anticipates the return of her best friend and only love since kindergarten from soccer camp. But when Tony finally shows up, his mind is more focused on another girl. And worse, she's a soccer player. Fighting for the attention Liza craves, she's just a hairbreadth away from making a very stupid decision. But when extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, she's prepared to play ball to get her man.

The tryouts are hell, the first match ends bloody, and the morning after the selection party she wakes up in the worst place possible—in the arms of the captain of the soccer team. The hottest guy in school. Ryan Hunter.

My review:


Hmm.

I'll admit it, when I saw this on the "Customers who bought this also bought..." list after I finished Catching Jordan...I was drawn straight to the soccer ball and clicked "Buy" without blinking. As a former player and current soccer mom, I do love anything and everything soccer.

Unfortunately, because I am immersed in the soccer world, and especially at the high school level, the lack of correct technical details really drew me out of the story. High school soccer is a competitive thing and unless the high school team is more club than team, it's rarely a walk-on sport. Especially for someone who's never played. Or can't run half a mile without gasping for breath. (Serious issues with the one player asking if she was going to get a "soccer dress" or play in sports clothes, and Liza's statement that she wouldn't be wearing cleats.) Also, soccer is very rarely a fall sport at the high school level. Tryouts would have been in the late winter/early spring.

Okay. Rant finished.

That said, the love story itself was incredibly cute. I absolutely loved Ryan, I wanted to throttle stupid Tony and Liza herself was adorable. Then again, I am a sucker for stories when the heroine misses what's right in front of her. That part of the story kept this review from dipping down into 2 stars and I think it's because I read it literally back to back with Catching Jordan. The underlying romantic conflict was the same and to my mind, it was executed better in this story. There were hints of the crush that we, the reader, could see even if Liza couldn't.

Very probably a re-read for the great scenes between Ryan and Liza, even with my initial issues with the soccer stuff.

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:


"Whoever said football and girls don't mix hasn't read Catching Jordan. I couldn't put it down " -- Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

My review:


Amazing story. I ended up reading it in a day because I couldn't put it down. I had to know how it ended, because Jordan really pulled me in and had me rooting hard for her.

One of the things I really liked about it was that it wasn't the more cliche story of her trying to overcome the odds and join the team. Jordan already was the team - and one respected by her team as their captain. I think my favorite part of the whole thing, in fact, were her relationships outside of the romance. For me, that's saying something since I'm a complete romance junkie at heart. I loved the scenes with JJ and Carter, the way they'd tease each other, advise each other, the pre-game pasta tradition.

I also liked the way the story was crafted - from Jordan's issues with her father, with the realizations that what you want most might not be the best for you, to the way sex wasn't treated naturally for a couple of late-teen characters (ie - a big deal but not A Declaration of Forever). I also like that it wasn't dwelled on - their only sex "scene" was their first one and the rest happened off screen. The focus of the story was about all of the aspects of Jordan's life, not just the naked ones.

My heart soared and broke for this wonderful, strong, determined young woman - so powerful at times and then, with a few words (or lack thereof) destroyed down to her core.

I think one of my favorite scenes in the whole story was the water cooler incident when she was in Alabama.

And I think I could read a whole book just about her teammates. They were awesome squared. It does lose the one star for a little misdrection in regards to Henry, but that's small potatoes, really.

A powerful story and a touching, and realistic, romance along with it.