Bright Side

Bright Side by Kim Holden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Do Epic!
Oh gosh... my heart. It takes a lot for me to dish out actual tears from a book. I can get sad & I can feel the feels, but tears? Yeah, a lot. & this book, I was totally hiding my face reading this book in public.
I loved the story & just loved all the characters. I love how it shows friends become family & being surrounded by people that you love & love you can make a life complete. I just really enjoyed this book & dreaded getting to the end - for more than one reason - & just feel like I love all the characters.
Gus, Keller & Katie... I am heart broken with all of you.

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Secrets. 
Everyone has one. 
Some are bigger than others. 
And when secrets are revealed, 
Some will heal you ... 
And some will end you. 

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks. 

They both feel it. 
But they each have a reason to fight it. 
They each have a secret. 

And when secrets are revealed, 
Some will heal you … 
And some will end you.

An American Marriage

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was going to give this one 3 stars because at the end, I wasn't too happy with how it all turned out - but then the more I thought about it, the more I realized how invested I was in this book & how there really was no good ending that could happen, & it hit me how much I really did love the story & the REALNESS of this story & I liked it more than I thought I did.
This really was tough to read at times, & frustrating & honest. Some books just have that glaze over them that doesnt seem like real life - this one just felt like it could be someone's memoirs in a way. I really enjoyed the 3 different points of views in the story as well. Perspective is always different from another's point of view. I especially loved it in this story of a marriage falling apart & a best friend who was there in the midst of struggles.
I was glad for a rainy day to sit & finish out the story.

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Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. 

The Kiss Quotient

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I keep seeing this one everywhere & all the raving about it.
Me? I thought it was ok. I wasn't as wrapped up in it as it seems everyone else is. That's OK. Why everyone has an opinion. I just wasn't expecting it to be so .... so.... R-rated. I have no problem with those sorts of books - I just wasn't expecting it in this one. I guess I should have known better when the main character is male escort. I didnt even realize that was the case when I picked up the book - I just grabbed it when I saw it at the library knowing it was what everyone else was reading.
In the end, I thought it was a simple read, but that's it - I didnt think it was much of a story besides the 'relationship' between the 2 characters. I thought it had its sweet moments when Michael would protect & care for "his Stella" but mostly I was just feeling like there was more to the deeper story with Stella's Asperger's that could have been touched on & it just wasn't.
This is still a fun weekend read if you are into that sort of racy & blushing sort of read.

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Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic...

The Vegetarian

The Vegetarian by Han Kang
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I know I'm not on the majority of this.
This book just left me disturbed & bothered, which shows a book moves you - but it just left me angry that I wasted my time.
I think something got lost in the translation for me & just the story with 3 different points of views of a woman who seems mentally is, it just made me glad to close the cover & walk away from it.

View all my reviews Before the nightmare, Yeong-hye and her husband lived an ordinary life. But when splintering, blood-soaked images start haunting her thoughts, Yeong-hye decides to purge her mind and renounce eating meat. In a country where societal mores are strictly obeyed, Yeong-hye's decision to embrace a more “plant-like” existence is a shocking act of subversion. And as her passive rebellion manifests in ever more extreme and frightening forms, scandal, abuse, and estrangement begin to send Yeong-hye spiraling deep into the spaces of her fantasy. In a complete metamorphosis of both mind and body, her now dangerous endeavor will take Yeong-hye—impossibly, ecstatically, tragically—far from her once-known self altogether.

Surprise Me

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My first Sophia Kinsella book. Cute. I actually was surprised at some turns in the book & didnt see some things coming. I also laughed at Sylvie & the way she thought & really appreciated how it all ended. I also now want a job working in a museum.
I'll be trying out more of this authors books to see if they all have the sort of fun wit about them with that extra touch of drama.

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After being together for ten years, Sylvie and Dan have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage; they have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls, and communicate so seamlessly, they finish each other's sentences. However, a trip to the doctor projects they will live another 68 years together and panic sets in. They never expected "until death do us part" to mean seven decades.

In the name of marriage survival, they quickly concoct a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting: they will create little surprises for each other so that their (extended) years together will never become boring. But in their pursuit to execute Project Surprise Me, mishaps arise and secrets are uncovered that start to threaten the very foundation of their unshakable bond. When a scandal from the past is revealed that question some important untold truths, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other after all.

It Ends with Us

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so emotionally vested in this book. It wasn't what I was expecting & I didnt realize the topic this book was going to take but man, it held me in. I was rooting for each person in their own way - to be stronger, to get help, to get better, to walk away, to stay... what a wonderfully written book this was. Completely grabbed me in. & I loved the history in the story of Atlas & Lily growing up & reading her journals from being a teenager. I really am glad I finally got around to this book. What a insightful look inside of domestic abuse. Loved reading the epilogue as well to find out more about the story behind the book. Makes it even more powerful to me.


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Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up
— she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan — her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

Arrogant Devil

Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyed the lighthearted reading...enjoyed The Belle & the Beau a little better, but still enjoyed this one. Felt like it could have had a little bit more story regarding the abusive husband, but then it might not have been as light & easy to read. I did enjoy the epilogue as well for a good summary ending so I can leave my characters knowing where the path laid out for them. & I think everyone needs a grandma Edith in their life.

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Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot.

When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin’ my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him.

My opinion of Jack is marred by a dismal first impression, but his opinion of me is tainted even before I arrive. He’s heard I’m a spoiled princess there to take advantage of his goodwill. To him, I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

Our button-pushing banter should get under my skin. His arrogance should be a major turn-off. Problem is, devils are known to offer their own form of temptation.

Every one of his steely glares sends a shiver down my spine.

Every steamy encounter leaves me reeling.

Sure, it could be the Texas heat messing with my head, but there’s no way I’ll survive the summer without silencing him with a kiss and wrestling him out of those Wranglers.

Who knows…going to bed with the devil might just be the salvation I’ve been looking for all along. 

The Hating Game

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I dont know if its because I read a rom-com right before this (The Beau & the Belle) but the characters reminded me a lot of each other. The kind of relationship where they want to take it slow & not rush into anything, & they both are full of a gentleman type guy & a kooky, funny, mess up everything they try, kinda gal.
I enjoyed this one just as much as the other book. I especially love the relationship having the rifts between them where they can take jabs at each other & laugh it off in good humor. & I really loved that this story takes place in a publishing company.
Another book where I laughed & swooned & rooted on the couple. Totally enjoyed it.

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Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

The Beau & the Belle

The Beau & the Belle by R.S. Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first time reading R.S. Grey & what a fun & spicy read.
I totally laughed so many times in this book. When I was reading it at work during lunch, someone even said, "why are you smiling so much? What are you reading?"... Lauren & Beau were just so funny together & the situations they got themselves in was just so cute & charming.
Makes you think back of those first crushes you had when you were a teenage girl.
I so fell in love with Beau myself (such a gentleman) & so wanted to be Lauren's friend (love a girl who embarrasses herself so easily).... & totally want to hang out in New Orleans with both of them.
This was a fast & fun & light read. Totally remember this one when warm weather comes & you need a fun beach read.

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eau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.

Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.

My old friend, Mr. Fortier.

But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.

When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.

Let’s hope he knows how to guard his. 

The Andy Cohen Diaries

The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year by Andy Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to this one... I love me some Andy Cohen.
I dont usually do audio books because I cant stick with the story - but I do like audio books for autobiographies - especially when the writer tells his / her own story.
This one, meh.... I did enjoy some of the stories - love Andy no matter what - but man, this one drug on forever in some stories. & towards the end, I thought we were never going to get to the end.
I think each chapter was over an hour long. Seriously - THE LONGEST AUDIO BOOK EVER!!!!!!!
I have his follow up book also on audio book - I may need a break before I go into that one.

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A year in the whirlwind life of the beloved pop icon Andy Cohen, in his own cheeky, candid, and irreverent words As a TV Producer and host of the smash late night show Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen has a front row seat to an exciting world not many get to see. In this dishy, detailed diary of one year in his life, Andy goes out on the town, drops names, hosts a ton of shows, becomes codependent with Real Housewives, makes trouble, calls his mom, drops some more names, and, while searching for love, finds it with a dog. We learn everything from which celebrity peed in her WWHL dressing room to which Housewives are causing trouble and how. Nothing is off limits - including dating. We see Andy at home and with close friends and family (including his beloved and unforgettable mom). Throughout, Andy tells us not only what goes down, but exactly what he thinks about it. Inspired by the diaries of another celebrity-obsessed Andy (Warhol), this honest, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud funny book is a one-of-a-kind account of the whos and whats of pop culture in the 21st century.

Meet Me Under the Stars

Meet Me Under the Stars by K.D. Proctor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun book....
First, I have to say, this isn't typically anything like I would read. It left me blushing a lot & saying "Language" out loud over & over... & then it just became part of the characters & I didnt seem to mind it as much. But again its NOT my typical book I read.
But I HAD to read this...just HAD to because the author is someone I have followed through the years & am so excited for her debut novel.
& I absolutely loved the store of the book. The characters of Charlie & Nate & this passionate love they had & then tore apart ... & the reason they have to come back together to their old stomping ground at camp, where they used to be camp leaders along with all of their old camp friends.
I feel like I should just be wearing shorts & flip flops & ratty t-shirts & hair in a braid reading it.
It was a fast read with parts that made me laugh, brought back memories, but would also make me cringe with frustration for the characters & heart ache for the people just not getting their act together to get to that happy ending.
The only reason I didnt give a full 5 stars is again, just because of my own hang ups on the content. I know some people that usually read chick-lit-beach-reads would think nothing twice of some of the stuff that had me blushing & saying "Oh gosh" ... & again, it didnt distract from the story - only made it more clearer of the passion of these two characters.
I'm sad to let Nate go... the perfect English accent boyfriend... every girl needs a Nate - I'm convinced of it.
Keep an eye out for this book if you are a fan of some hot steamy chick-lit reading... & you dont blush easily ;)

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When ratings for her popular DIY show start to circle the drain after the sudden death of her sister, Charlotte “Charlie” Conti has only one mission—to plan a comeback. But her sister had other plans. As part of the will, Charlie must work with *him* to create a memorial scholarship in her sister’s memory. The same *him* Charlie fell in love with three years ago while working at a summer camp.
​
The same *him* she dumped, to protect his heart.

Sexy, British player, Nate Walsh, has sixty days to find a new job or he’ll be deported back to England where he’s no longer welcome. He doesn’t have time to work on a memorial scholarship with *her*. The same *her* who shattered his heart without explanation or warning.

The same *her* he’s never gotten over.

Unable to agree on the specifics of the scholarship, Nate and Charlie challenge each other to a winner-takes-all competition. They both know the only way to win is to turn up the heat and tempt one another with the one thing they both want: each other. But as sparks fly, their true feelings resurface. Nate and Charlie must decide if their love is worth the effort and if they can overcome their disastrous past mistakes to spend forever together. 

The Matchmaker

The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was my first Elin Hilderbrand book - after hearing all about her books & how they are perfect summer beach reads. I see that.
A book that has touches of soap opera in them... drama, romance, dancer, more romance, fighting, abuse, heartache...
I enjoyed this one, the story of an old love coming back into Dabney's life... & enjoyed the corny 'matchmaking powers' of all things turning rosy or green. So corny. But the part that really got me was the "lovesick" thing. When you're lovesick, you dont need to take off work for 3 days because you hurt & cant move. That was just dumb to me.
But I did love the overall story of friendship, of family, of love that lives on ... even in the sad & heartbreaking parts.
I'll totally try another Hilderbrand book

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48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her results: With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.

Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.

But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most. The Matchmaker is a heartbreaking story about losing and finding love, even as you're running out of time.

The DUFF

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I hardly ever read a book in less than 24 hours... this one, I totally did.
Not sure why it held my attention as much... no, I kind do. I totally related. I have always been the DUFF in my life, so I could so relate with Bianca, in certain areas.
Not ALL the areas... goodness no. This book gets a little MUCH in areas, but I still could relate to the character & the actions she was taking.
In the end, the book had a great connecting reason for everyone to realize how they are seen by others & how they feel & the whole comparison thing we tend to do in our lives.
I really did just enjoy this book...
I was anxious to read it because I watched the movie trailer to get an idea of what the book was about... only to see the book is apparently NOTHING like the movie. I was kinda happy with that surprise. Made the book better to me.



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Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush, who calls Bianca the Duff--the designated ugly fat friend--of her crew.

But things aren't so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone

Thirteen Reasons Why (Reread)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

SO I see I read this in 2011. 6 years. No wonder I didnt remember all the details watching the show.
But it was so interesting reading it again after watching the show & comparing. All the differences & all the things that are similar. All of it heartbreaking.
I do have to say, I like the order they did the tapes in the show compared to the book... I rarely say this, but I think I actually like the show better than the book.

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My Kind of Crazy

My Kind of Crazy by Robin Reul
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the story - it kept me wanting to read what happened. When a guy accidentally catches a tree on fire trying to ask the popular girl at school to prom by lighting sparklers... & then runs away when the fire spreads, but someone sees Hank. The strange girl Peyton Breedlove. She lets him know she saw him & he befriends her to keep her from telling it was him who caused this problem. Soon their friendship develops & they learn so much about each other.
It really held my interest, but I have to say I was shocked it was YA. Just the language & some situations in the book, I wouldnt let my "too" YA read it. For sure.
I really enjoyed how the book wrapped up too. One of those books that I enjoyed but wasn't the kind that was life changing or I'm screaming for the world to MUST READ. I did close the book though rooting on Hank & Peyton as they venture into life on their own.

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Despite the best of intentions, seventeen-year old, wisecracking Hank Kirby can’t quite seem to catch a break. It’s not that he means to screw things up all the time, it just happens. A lot. Case in point: his attempt to ask out the girl he likes literally goes up in flames when he spells “Prom” in sparklers on her lawn…and nearly burns down her house. 

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Peyton Breedlove, a brooding loner and budding pyromaniac, witnesses the whole thing. Much to Hank’s dismay, Peyton takes an interest in him—and his “work.” The two are thrust into an unusual friendship, but their boundaries are tested when Hank learns that Peyton is hiding some dark secrets, secrets that may change everything he thought he knew about Peyton.

I'm Glad About You

I'm Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF
I got about a quarter in & just didn't connect with this one.
I'm getting better at letting go of books that I don't care for. Why waste the time - so many good books, so little time.
I think it didn't help that I read reviews before & got the jest of the ending... & then a quarter through, the characters just irritated me & I flipped to the last few pages of the book (GASP!!!) & read... & yeah, knowing the ending, it didn't make me want to fill up the 'in between' so I just scraped it.
Maybe I'll try it some other time... probably not.

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Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I devoured this one.
Such a fast read. Had me totally gasping in parts, sighing in others & cheering on Madeline as she decides she is willing to give up EVERYTHING to live life.
Madeline is a 'bubble girl' - someone with a compromised immune system that has to stay confined in her home. & then one day, she sees her new neighbors move in, espcially Olly, the boy who can't stand still & is jumping off of things & full of energy & life.
With the help of her nurse, Carla, Madeline gets to meet Olly & their relationship takes off from there.
I loved how fast this book went from chapter to chapter... & it has little drawings & clips from emails & computer screens & texts from phones scattered throughout. Gave the book such personality.
I honestly couldn't put this down till I got to the end. I even lost track of time at work during lunch reading & got back 15 minutes late... I got that lost in it.
I'm glad I finally got a book I really enjoyed after the last few that left me just depressed & frustrated.

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_____________________________

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Luckiest Girl Alive

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This was a DNF.
I just couldnt... nope. Not a book for me.
I got just about 30% in the book & I was so grossed out by the book & knew I never wanted to know a thing about Ani... not the type of person I care to learn anything about.
All the name dropping, label branding, talk of being skinny & anorexic & just how Ani's mind works? Totally not something I care to even learn more about....
I just had to stop. Couldnt force myself any longer.
Not my cup of tea...
moving onward

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____________________________

HER PERFECT LIFE IS A PERFECT LIE.

As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve.

But Ani has a secret.

There’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything.

With a singular voice and twists you won’t see coming, Luckiest Girl Alive explores the unbearable pressure that so many women feel to “have it all” and introduces a heroine whose sharp edges and cutthroat ambition have been protecting a scandalous truth, and a heart that's bigger than it first appears.

The question remains: will breaking her silence destroy all that she has worked for—or, will it at long last, set Ani free?

Suddenly Royal

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After coming off some debbie-downer books, I needed some light fluff. This was exactly that.
An ordinary girl finds out she's a Dutchess & gets to hang out with the most eligible Prince - fluff in the making.
Romance, fairy tales, happily ever afters. I'm all about it.
I really enjoyed the book because it was mindless & just cheesy & a fast read.
I didn't even really feel any 'drama' or pull to any sort of direction of the story. That's the only reason I only gave it 3 stars. Like there was no drop on the roller coaster to get back to the top again - make any sense? Just a basic story that is predictable. But that was OK with me.


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_________________________________

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2 things I really enjoy in life - 1.) Funny people! I LOVE funny people. Humor & comedy just makes my day. Laughing is one of my favorite things to do in this world. 2.) Autobiographies. I love learning about people's lives & their stories. So when a autobiography comes out of a lady I find really funny, I had to get it.
I loved Tina Fey & Amy Poehler's autobiographies & was hoping this was going to be that same level.
I guess it shouldnt shock me that reading this, Lena Durnham is one of Amy's favorites people because I couldnt make myself finish her autobiography... & this one was a close second.
Those I did finish it - but not happily.
Did it have its funny moments? Of course
Was Amy profound in places? Yes. I so appreciated her honesty on her life growing up with her mom & her father... & in every few chapters, you'd see a depth about Amy & the way she's come through some tough situations.
Did it have its fill of language & vulgar talk? DEFINITELY. Now, honestly, I am someone that doesn't get offended easily - & it takes a lot for me to get embarrassed. But truly, some pages, I would have just died if someone I knew looked over my shoulder & saw some of the wording on some of these pages. To me, personally, it was just a little too extreme. You can be funny & get your point across without needing SOOOO MUCCHHHHHH in your face.
That was disappointing to me. It made me just not enjoy the book that much.
Its so bad, I probably wont even keep this one on my shelf with all my other autobiographies...
anyone want a free book?


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