Dare You To by Katie McGarry ~ My Review

Dare You To by Katie McGarry 

Publication Date: May 28th, 2013 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Hardcover: 462 pages 
Received: purchased my own copy 
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

 “A year ago, I had my life completely mapped out. It turns out, no one knows the future.”

 


Dare You To is the second book in the Pushing the Limits series. It is a fast-paced, edgy teen romance. It follows Beth, from Pushing the Limits, but introduces a new hero, Ryan Stone. 

On a dare, Ryan tries to get Beth’s phone number one night while he and his friends are in a neighboring town. Beth is a tough girl, with a tattoo and body piercings - there is no way she’s going to give this obviously popular jock her number. Little do they know that very soon their paths will cross again, and their lives will be changed forever. 

Beth is a very loyal person, at times to a point I don’t understand. The way she is loyal to her mom is amazing. Even though her mother is a horrible person who doesn’t deserve Beth’s love. But I admire Beth for it.

I like that Isaiah, from Pushing the Limits, is in this story. He is always there for Beth. Noah and Echo also make a couple of appearances. 

Ryan seems like the perfect guy. He's the star pitcher of his high school baseball team - hoping to go pro, he has a scout looking at him. He also has a couple of college’s looking at him.  He has the perfect family. Perfect, perfect, perfect... but things aren’t as perfect as they seem.

Although, Dare You To is a continuation of sorts to Pushing the Limits, I feel you can read it as a stand alone.

I loved reading Dare You To, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Crash into You - Isaiah’s story.

Warning: Strong language.

Disclaimer: I purchased my copy of the book.

Buy a copy at Amazon.

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

August TBR Read-a-thon!

The summer is quickly coming to an end, at least for me. School will begin mid August for us, so what a better time to catch up on all those books you wanted to get finished this summer and didn't! Nancy Kelley is hosting an August TBR Readathon! Come join us! You can find the rules and sign up here.

I have a few books for review that I'll be reading, plus I'm going to try to squeeze in a few that have been on my TBR list for a long time. 


Here's a few from my TBR list (subject to change on a whim):

Edenbrooke by Juliannne Donaldson
Easy by Tammara Webber
Once Upon a Darkness by Aria Kane
Faking It by Cora Carmack
Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley


Books I need to read for review (some I may get to before August):

Mr. Darcy's Promise by Jeanna Ellsworth
Atone by Jessica Grey
Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner


I hope you can join us! 

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ July 24, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading? I am reading Dancing With Paris by Juliette Sobanet. So far I'm really enjoying it! It's like a time travel, mystery romance.

What did I recently finish reading? I finished reading From This Day Forward - The Darcys of Pemberley by Joana Starnes. I had a hard time getting into this story. My review will be up in a couple of weeks.

What do I think I'll be reading next? I have a couple of books I would like to get to this week. Mr. Darcy's Promise by Jeanna Ellsworth and Atone: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey. I am really looking forward to both! Mr. Darcy's Promise is a P&P variation - I  always love those! Atone is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast! I mean, who doesn't love that! Plus, I love Jessica's writing style! 

What are you reading?

Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections by Abigail Reynolds ~ My Review

Mr. Darcy’s Noble Connections by Abigail Reynolds 

Publication Date: June 4th, 2013 
Paperback: 242 pages 
Publisher: White Soup Press 
Received: purchased my own copy 
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 
I loved reading Mr. Darcy’s Noble Connections! With touches of a Shakespearian comedy, this Pride and Prejudice variation will have you laughing and swooning! 

Our story begins a few months after Mr. Darcy’s first proposal to Elizabeth in Hunsford...

When Lady Eleanor Carlisle, a childhood friend of Elizabeth's, needs help Elizabeth is right there to lend a hand. Lady Eleanor is in love with Geoffrey Paxton, unfortunately, her father does not think Paxton is a good suitor and has made arrangements for her to marry another. Eleanor, desperate to see him, enlists her friend Elizabeth to pretend she is the one interested in Paxton so they can all spend time together. 

At the same time, Paxton enlists his good friend, Darcy for the same purpose. With Darcy’s connections to Lord Bentham, Eleanor’s father, they are sure to be invited to Bentham Park.

Needless to say, Darcy and Elizabeth are surprised to be in each other's company again and would rather avoid one another. But when Darcy overhears Lord Charles wagering that he can seduce Elizabeth within a fortnight, Darcy will do his best to protect Elizabeth. 

This plays out so much like a "comedy-of-errors", from the switching of place cards to misunderstandings of whom is with whom. It had me laughing out loud a few times. There are also some very romantic moments between Elizabeth and Darcy! *sigh* ...and some moments of angst. But never fear, all will work out in the end! 

I enjoyed read Mr. Darcy’s Noble Connections!

Disclaimer: I purchased my own copy of the book.

Buy a copy at Amazon.

Connect with Abigail Reynolds:

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facebook
website
Austen Authors

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ July 17, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading?  I am currently reading From This Day Forward - The Darcys of Pemberley by Joana Starnes. I'm about half through it, and it's going pretty well. I have to say I've been busy with other things and haven't been able to get much reading done. Most nights I haven't been able to start reading until 10 or 11 at night, which doesn't leave much time for reading. As a result, it's slow going.

What did I recently finish reading? I finished reading Dare You To by Katie McGarry. I really enjoyed reading it, and should have a review up in a week or so.

What do I think I'll be reading next? I'm not sure, either Dancing with Paris by Juliette Sobanet or Atone: A Fairytale by Jessica Grey. We shall see. Both look really good to me!  

What are you reading?

Review: His Favorite Uncle by Lory Lilian

His Uncle’s Favorite by Lory Lilian

Publication Date: June 23rd, 2013 
Publisher: Meryton Press 
Paperback: 468 pages (estimated) 
Received: e-copy from publisher 
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Lory Lilian has done it again! I love His Uncle’s Favorite! It is now up there among my favorite Pride and Prejudice variations! I loved the new twist, and the new spins she puts on some of the original characters. 

His Uncle’s Favorite is a very interesting title! After reading the book, I feel it could refer to many people; Darcy, Elizabeth or even Wickham!  I’m assuming - no, I know - the Uncle is Lord Matlock, and he seems to have many favorites. He is such an unusual, quirky gentleman. He loves to tease people, say what’s on his mind, and sometimes says the most improper things at the most inopportune times.

The story begins about a month after the Netherfield ball, and the Bingleys and Darcy have all left for London. Mrs. Gardiner invites both Jane and Elizabeth to London to visit her for the winter. Mrs Gardiner has been a widow for about two years now. She still feels the loss of Mr. Gardiner deeply. The Gardiners were well liked among the ton, and as a result, they were invited to social events most people of trade were not. Mrs. Gardiner is still regarded highly by the upper class. She is also close friends with the Matlocks. I love this Mrs. Gardiner!

There is a new character to dislike, Lady Sinclair! Miss Bingley is also around to be irritating. And, of course, Mr. Wickham is causing trouble here too.

My one complaint was at the end of the story.  After Darcy and Elizabeth are married, there are some sex scenes. After becoming so emotionally involved in a relationship, moments like these feel natural, but there comes a point when it becomes too much, which I feel happened here. Personally, I don't need to know every time they enjoyed one another. That said, I still LOVED the story!

There is so much I could say about this story - so many great scenes - but I won’t for spoiler reasons.  If you are a fan of P&P spin offs, I highly recommend reading His Uncle’s Favorite! 

Warning: Mature rating for strong sexual content.

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

Buy a copy at Amazon.

Connect with Lory Lilian:

twitter
Meryton Press
website


Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ July 10, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading? I am almost done reading Dare You To by Katie McGarry. I'm loving it. I do like Noah and Echo's story a little more (Pushing the Limits), but I have enjoyed getting to know Beth much better, and finding out what her struggles are. And I adore Ryan! 

What did I recently finish reading? I finished His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian. I loved it! It's now up there amongst my favorite P&P variations! I'm posting a review on Monday.

What do I think I'll be reading next? I think I will read From This Day Forward - The Darcys of Pemberley by Joana Starnes. This is a Pride and Prejudice sequel. I'm looking forward to it!

What are you reading?

Winner of the SET of A FAIR PROSPECT Books!

I want to say a huge Thank You to 

Cassandra Grafton for generiously offering to giveaway a SET of her new books, 

A Fair Prospect!

Rafflecopter has picked a winner!

to:

Wendi N.

Thank you to all who entered!

If you didn't win you can purchase a copy at Amazon, Smashwords or Barnes and Noble.

Wendi an email has been sent to you. 

Review: Traitor's Knife by Elizabeth Kaiser

Traitor’s Knife by Elizabeth Kaiser

Publication Date: August 6th, 2013
Received: e-copy from author 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Book 2 of the Five Gems series.

 
Today I’m reviewing something a little different for me, a YA fantasy! Traitor’s Knife is the second book in a series of five, the first being the Jeweler’s Apprentice. 

Traitor’s Knife has a medieval feel to it, set in the mountains of Olayin, away from the war raging in Othira. Fia Brithin, an apprentice to the Olayin jewel-smith, is much more than an apprentice, she is a keeper of many secrets and is also learning the art of spy craft. One secret she is keeping is that her good friend, Illido the stable boy is really the prince and only living son of King Gregory, the king of Othira. There is a traitor in their midst, and keeping the prince safe is a top priority! 

I really like Fia’s character. She is brave and courageous, but at the same time humble and quiet. When the time came to act, Fia didn’t hesitate! Her brothers are fighting in the war, and one of her sisters is a lady-in-waiting to the princess. Her other sister, Ialla, travels to at Olayin House to see how Fia is getting along. Ialla is not easily fooled, and they need to get her away from Olayin House without raising her suspicions. She is a gifted healer, and they quickly find a place for her to be useful and out of the way.

It took me a while to get into this story. I was a little confuse as to what was going on, and at times felt I was missing something. In my opinion, this is not a stand alone, and it would have been better to read the Jeweler’s Apprentice first, which I did not.

When the action started it was exciting! As the story came to an end, I wanted to know more about Fia and Illido. What happens to them? I believe that question will be answered in the up coming books.

I liked Traitor’s Knife, but I think romance will always be my favorite! If you enjoy YA fantasy, you might want to give this a try!

I received an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

Add to goodreads!

About Elizabeth Kaiser:

E. Kaiser was born into a family of readers, and got started on storytelling around the age of four when her older siblings prompted her into recounting an absolutely ridiculous account of a parallel childhood. It was good for the family's general entertainment, and she discovered the thrill of making people laugh.
At the age of seven her mother read the Hobbit aloud, and a fascination with beautiful fantasy was born. At nine she came to the decision that she wanted to be a writer, and set to reading rabidly to learn the art. At thirteen she attempted her first novel, and it was eaten in a computer's demise.
Afterward, during her teenage years she tried very hard at various times to stop writing all together.

Not succeeding, she at last gave in to her addiction, and wrote "for fun".

Her first novel, Jeweler's Apprentice, is a light-fantasy adventure for teens. The shy, bookish heroine is thrust out on the first step toward the adventure that awaits, and growing up. More books in this series are expected.

Connect with Author:

Blog
twitter
Facebook
Goodreads 

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ July 3, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading? I am just beginning His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian. I'm really looking forward to this!!

What did I recently finish reading? This week I finished reading Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections by Abigail Reynolds. I loved it!! It has a humorous comedy-of-errors plot to it! I also finished reading Traitor's Knife by Elizabeth Kaiser. I enjoyed reading this, even though YA fantasy is not what I normally read.

What do I think I'll be reading next? I still would like to read Dare You To by Katie McGarry. 

What are you reading?

Review and Giveaway: A Fair Prospect: Desperate Measures by Cassandra Grafton

A Fair Prospect: Desperate Measures by Cassandra Grafton 

Publication Date: June 6, 2013 
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 
Paperback: 250 pages 
Received: e-copy from author 
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 
Wow! I LOVED this story! Desperate Measures is the third and the last of the A Fair Prospect trilogy. I have enjoyed all three of them! 

After being left with a big cliffhanger in Darcy’s Dilemma, Darcy and Elizabeth are under new misunderstandings, and they both go their separate ways - sure the other never wants to see them again. But fate would have it’s way once more, and they are thrown together again, when they both end up in Bath. 

Lady Catherine and Anne are also in Bath. I really like this Anne! She encourages Darcy to marry someone...anyone, so she will be free to live her life. Lady Catherine is expecting Darcy to marry Anne, and she doesn’t see the need for Anne to go out in society. Anne desperately wants to meet people - to have friends. She sees the attraction between Darcy and Elizabeth and tries to help get them back together.

Being one continuing story, I was worried that it would be too long, and drawn out, but most of the time that wasn’t the case. The story flowed well. I was getting a little frustrated in this book, Desperate Measures, with how long it took Darcy and Elizabeth to get together. However, the build up of frustration and disappointment, in my opinion, added to the incredible feelings I felt when they finally did come together. I felt the heartache when Lizzy thought she was saying good-bye to Darcy for the last time, and the high when they were honest with one another - finally professing their love! It was a beautiful thing! 

I loved Desperate Measures and the whole A Fair Prospect set! I highly recommend this set to an Austenesque fan! It is well worth the read!

I would give the whole set 5 stars!

I was provided an e-copy of this book for my honest opinion.

Buy a copy at Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble.

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

WooHoo! Cassandra Grafton has offered to giveaway a set of the A Fair Prospect trilogy, paperback or e-book (winner's choice) to one lucky winner! This giveaway is open Internationally.To enter fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The last day to enter is July 8th, 2013. Once the winner is picked, an e-mail will go out and the winner will have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is picked.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Remember, to enter the giveaway you must enter the Rafflecopter above!

Any thoughts? We'd love to hear from you!

Review: Darcy’s Dilemma By Cassandra Grafton

A Fair Prospect: Darcy’s Dilemma by Cassandra Grafton 

Publication Date: April 18, 2013 
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 
Paperback: 200 pages 
Received: e-copy from author 
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 
I am really enjoying the A Fair Prospect trilogy! This Pride and Prejudice variation has a nice easy flow to it. I love spending time with Elizabeth and Darcy! Darcy’s Dilemma is the second book in the set and begins where Disappointed Hopes (my review) leaves off.

After leaving Kent, Elizabeth and Darcy are both in London. Elizabeth is staying with the Gardiner’s before returning to Longbourn with Jane. The Gardiner’s God-son, Nicholas, is also in London and has planned a full week of outings and social engagements for Elizabeth and Jane. As fate would have it, Darcy is also at these events, bringing them back into each other's company often. Darcy, trying to protect Elizabeth from the embarrassment of being around him, tries to keep his distance. Of course, Elizabeth misunderstands and thinks he doesn’t want to be around her. Poor Darcy is struggling with the disappointment and heartache of losing Elizabeth. Elizabeth soon realizes her mistake in misjudging Darcy. Awkward at first, they soon start to enjoy being together, but they are still unsure what the other is thinking.

Then there is Nicholas. He has been call out of town suddenly, and he wants to ask Elizabeth something very important when he gets back. Thinking Nicholas might ask her to marry him, Elizabeth seriously thinks about saying yes. After turning two proposals of marriage down, she thinks this might be the wise thing to do. 

Be prepared for a major cliff-hanger at the end of this book. You might want to have a copy of Desperate Measures on hand, because you won’t want to stop reading! It’s so good!

I received an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

Buy a copy at Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble.

You can read my review of A Fair Prospect: Disappointed Hopes Vol I here. Be sure to come back tomorrow for my review of A Fair Prospect: Desperate Measures Vol III -- AND to enter a giveaway!! Cassandra Grafton is generously giving away a whole SET of A Fair Prospect books to ONE lucky person!